Author Archive

Amateur Hour … Amateur Week at the Moment

It’s been a week of it …

A Large Private Bus Company

Below is an email I sent to a bus company last week. I would have phoned but they don’t allow that – maybe they don’t want to make it easy for their customers or the public to get hold of them. Given what I have experienced, I can see why they wouldn’t want to answer the phone.

“I want to report a near hit (presume your driver has already done so). At about 10.15 on 3 July I was traveling in the left hand lane on Durham St heading towards Brougham Street when your driver (Number plate) in the right lane next to me turned left into Stanley Street. I saw him as he was turning and accelerated which avoided him turning into my rear back door at approximately 50 kmh. While I appreciated him stopping and talking to me, he was more concerned with any potential damage to his car rather than almost causing a serious crash. Regards Kyle McWilliams”

Given the potential seriousness of the above, I would have thought I would have received a prompt reply. Almost a week later, nothing. Oh well, lucky driving isn’t a core activity of a bus company.

 

Agility Building Solutions

Normally I don’t name organisations, but I have given these guys plenty of time to do something and they have chosen not to.

These builders are doing work next door. They decided to put a skip over the footpath and the shared driveway right next to the corner. After a discussion with them, these are the outcomes.

1. They know there is a covenant on the driveway to keep it clear, yet they have knowingly ignored this. Not sure if they are breaking a law, but I would think unethical at best.

2. When I pointed out that the bin was a hazard (as you can’t see it coming round the corner in the dark, and it makes driving very tight), they asked if I wanted a fence there? I wonder if it their policy to ask lay people how to manage risks and hazards on their site? Are they not capable of doing this themselves?

3. Their hazard board states that there is no admission to the construction site. Given they have created and are working on the driveway, I am unclear if I am allowed on the driveway or not. I wonder also if it is their practice to extend their construction site onto public access ways and ignore their own hazard board.

4. Surprise, surprise, there is construction rubbish over the driveway.

In their defence, they did put a couple of cones up. I do hope these are those special magic cones that deal with all the above … though I doubt it.

Amateur hour? The skip has been there for almost a week now, so I think we are well past that. Agility Building Solutions are more Statically Building Problems.

 

Bill Clinton

I was very fortunate to hear President Clinton speak a couple of weeks ago. He spoke on leadership and these were his four key areas; invasion, explain, include and execute. Not surprisingly, he made a compelling case, especially since he used examples including Nelson Mandela and Yasser Arafat.

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While I was in Dallas, I also visited Dealey Plaza where President Kennedy was assassinated. Below is the view that Oswald saw (the trees wouldn’t have been there of course). I was rather surprised as this was a somewhat unexpected chilling experience.

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States Trip

Some photos from our trip in the States earlier in the month.

 

The Washington Cathedral was closed when I was there last year due to their earthquake. In the centre of the purple circle is some rock from the moon.

Not a bad view from the top!

Total Class: The Empire State Building Lobby.

 

Behaviour Management 101: Alcatraz.

The Golden Gate Bridge.

Ferrari 458

I got to drive this Ferrari around the track, though they limit you to about 200 km/h. This Ferrari takes 3.2 sec to reach a 100 km/h – makes the Aston at 4.7 sec seem a little “sluggish.”

Philippines World Championships Redux II

In front of the famous Lapu Lapu statue with Grandmaster Cecelia.

Singapore

We visited Singapore after Cebu, Philippines. What a difference with the opulence. Here is the casino which has three sky scrapers and a boat on top!

 
The Skypark Casino

Universal Studios in Singapore. The Transformers ride and the rollercoaster with a corkscrew and a cobra roll were simply amazing.

Life is Good

We were in the Philippines and saw this man and wondered what he was doing, so asked, “What is this?” His reply was, ” Small business, Sir.” Here is a guy trying to feed his family by selling his wares on a 1980s BMX bike – puts things in perspective really for life back in New Zealand. Life is Good.

Preorder iPhone from Vodafone

I was supposed to get my iPhone on Friday and at 3.10 p.m. get an email from Vodafone saying that they have exciting news that my phone will now be delivered Saturday at the earliest – not really exciting given I was told it was Friday.

So Saturday morning the courier goes to the wrong house, so I email Vodafone about how I might get my phone. Their response was interesting whereas their wonderful solution was to make it my problem by giving me the tracking number so I can locate my Iphone and then organise to get it. Here is my response … wonder what they’ll reply with.

 

Hi Abby

Thanks for your email.
I am not sure why you have not addressed anything in my previous email and only restated about the tracking information, which I have had since Friday, and which has not helped me since, hence me emailing you. I am also not sure why you are telling there were 1400 deliveries on Friday. What does that have to do with me given I was not one of them?
Specifically, can you please tell me:
1. Why I was told I would have my iphone on Friday when this was never the case?
2. If I am actually going to get an iphone?
3. If I am to get an iphone, when I am going to get it (given I have now been told the wrong time twice)?
4. If I am getting one, and a time for delivery is planned, how I am going to avoid a “We Missed You” card while I am actually home?
I look forward to your responses.
Regards
Kyle

New Year’s Day 2013: Pensacola

Not a bad way to start the year really. This was the sunrise on New Year’s Day at the Gulf of Mexico.

Philippines World Championships

I am currently in the Philippines for the World Stick Fighting Championships. I won a gold in the single stick, and a bronze in the double stick.

 
Sitting with Supreme Grandmaster Cacoy Canete, 93 years old!

McWilliams Consulting