Election Day - Cut-Off & Blacked-Out:

 There are MILLIONS of unnamed humans right now living in fear of death or worse .. 

- DEATH delivered by Governments .. not licensed firearms owners.

Governments that boast of their democratic legitimacy ..

- More than two million nameless Palestinian breathing, caring humans are trying to survive the horror of artillery shelling, bombs and rocket explosives while huddling in the darkness imposed by a government intent on depriving these poor families of everything they need to live ..  not to mention the ordinary folk of Ukraine.

Here in New Zealand ...

My cell-phone image of Election Day's lovely RAINBOW before the storm:

Election Saturday started windy & wet - laughing and chatting at the Polling Station - as I voted with twin ticks I recalled my most valuable "double-action" revolver - that I was forced by New Zealand legislation to auction for less than a quarter of it's worth. The wise & able will hang-on to their legally held arms.

That Nor-West Gale gusting 150-200 kph later cut all electric supply to my home for just 24 hours. - The good news was that the   black-out   meant I didn't have to listen to the purile political presenters report this farce of democracy as an exciting football game with free prizes for both winning team & losers.

No power, no Internet, no landline 'phone, (No licensed firearms either) - but the water supply flowed from the taps as the district pumping station used standby batteries. - Maybe a small taster of the cruel torture imposed on the people of GAZA. The roaring-thumping wind gusts tried to wipe away my fences, gates & sheds - adding a touch of destructive force to the dark night.

I cooked food on my log burner stove top, illuminated by a candle lantern and one small LED light - and brewed coffees at intervals for something to do ..

I had a Gurnard fillet fried in garlic-infused olive oil for breakfast - pan cooked by 'meths' on the wee spirit stove. Beautiful.

I don't buy 'coffee' but rather roasted beans - so I keep a hand-turned grinder near my Trangia 'Triangle' spirit stove. Having this gear at hand turns events into fun adventures. 

- Keep a full pantry ..

No-one can guess how bad things will be or how long difficulties will last .. but it is certain that our SOUTHERN ALPINE FAULT will let go one day soon, and the expected MAGNITUDE 8 earthquake will be highly disruptive.

I have enjoyed three shakes of magnitude 6 and 7 in recent years - and they were plenty scary and damaging for me and the cat.

Marty K.