Whingers need not apply

Duane Trafford who runs Mosgiel-based pest control company, Predator Contracting LTD needs staff but whingers need not apply:

He needs more staff to run the company and has laid out the type of person he wants to employ in clear language.

The advertisement is on TradeMe and says:

OK….SO I’m looking for Staff.

The requirements are pretty simple…..an understanding of some of the key points I’m about to explain are necessary….
1/ I am looking for possumers…not pig hunters…not people that tried hunting once…and thought they liked it…and thought they were having a midlife crisis..and decided they needed to get out of the office…..but Possumers……!!!
2/ Now by Possumers..I mean people that can work as part of a team….Come back to accommodation at night and NOT WHINGE!!!! Can start the day with a positive attitude and not WHINGE!!! Can talk to other members of their team with respect and not WHINGE!!!! I don’t want shit stirring whingers!!!
3/ They need to be able to get off their arses and walk down into the gullies and push through the tuff shit…..without crying about it!!
4/ They need to understand that the job doesnt mean you get to drive around on QUADS all day and shoot shit….you actually have to walk….and the walking involves HILLS!
5/ They need to understand that theres NO internet…no cell coverage…no breaks….and most of all NO WHINGING!!!!!
6/ They need to understand that there are prickles…and theyre outside….and they’ll get wet hair…and wet socks…and cold…and hot….and thirsty …and hungry….and that I’m not their bloody mother…..
7) They need to understand that the job entails being away from home, and staying in back country accommodation ( huts, shearers quarters etc)

Some relevant skills Im looking for….
1/ Preferably a CSL (Controlled Substance Licence)..so you can apply toxins or at least be able obtain one…which means NO Police charges in the last 7 years..including DUI’s DO I need to emphasis this??? Because Im sick of people applying that havent read this part!!.
2/ PREFERABLY Relevant ATV/LUV/2 Wheeler/4WD tickets
3/ Possuming Experience
4/ The ability NOT to whinge about everything( in case you missed it)
5/ The ability to change with the times. We are a company that is progressive…our main clients want us to use PDA’s…these things are expensive…and mandatory for our work…if youre rough on gear and dont know what a PDA is.,…dont waste my time applying!
6/ We are very H&S conscious…this means lots of audits…training…audits,,…paperwork… more training…and audits!! If you cant deal with the necessity of that….dont waste my time applying….
7/ Must be able to pass a drugs test, and ongoing random drug and alcohol tests…and THIS is MANDATORY!!!!
8/ Mustnt be a whinger

Things Im offering…..

A BLOODY JOB!!!!! and the chance to do something other than sit on your arse. . . 

 

Most employers have stories of staff who aren’t up to the job for which they apply.

Those who need people who can cope with physical exertion, being outside in all  weather, learning and adhering to health and safety requirements, and being drug and alcohol-free could write books about the good, the bad, and the downright hopeless.

Work like this isn’t easy and own’t suit everyone but it has compensations.  It’s easy to save when you don’t have the opportunity to spend, it’s good for fitness and doing a hard job well, even if it’s not what you want to do, makes it much easier to get a better one.

No greater upskilling than work

Quote of the day:

But for the unemployed, especially the young and unemployed, there is no greater upskilling than being in the paid workforce, being productive, and learning to do a good job.Rodney Hide.

This was part of his second column promoting the idea of auctioning the jobless on TradeMe.

The first column is here.

Paying to implode

If you’ve ever wanted to demolish something big, here’s your chance to bid for it on TradeMe:

Naylor Love & Ceres NZ, the contractors demolishing 14-storey Radio Network House in Christchurch, have donated this fundraising opportunity for someone to ‘push the button’ to detonate the explosives that will bring the building down, to the Canterbury Earthquake Heritage Buildings Fund – http://www.savecanterburyheritage.org.nz  

The current bid is $8050.

Turners turns to TradeMe for Police and Customs auctions

Turners has turned to TradeMe for the sale of property retrieved from crime scenes by police or seized by Customs..

The monthly auctions where things like jewellery, beer fridges and television, go under the hammer, will now be moved online.

Turners has been running the auctions for 15 years but says it can make more money on Trade Me.

“I guess the reason for that (is) people don’t have the time to come to a public auction on a Tuesday or a Wednesday or a Thursday because they’re working or they’ve got other pressures, ” branch manager for Turners’ commercial division Jason Tredgett says.

On-line auctions are open to a far bigger audience of potential buyers than live ones and also cheaper to run.

Alcohol and tobacco which aren’t permitted to be sold on TradeMe will still go under the hammer the old-fashioned way.

The dog ate his homework too

If explaining is losing then Trevor Mallard has well and truly lost the debate over his scalping tickets to a music festival.

Mr Mallard says he did not buy the tickets for the purpose of making a profit and saw nothing wrong with selling them when he discovered he could not use them.

He also says the anti-scalping law applies only to large international events like the Rugby World Cup, not music festivals like Homegrown.

I didn’t mean to, it just happened and this is different are up – or more accurately down – there with it’s not my fault, someone else made me do it and the dog ate my homework when it comes to attempts to excuse or justify misbehaviour.

It certainly looks like hypocrisy when, as a Minister, he sponsored legislation outlawing scalping.

It’s yet another SMOG (social media own goal)  and also looks like stupidity when a man who wants to help run the country can’t operate a TradeMe account.

It’s yet another opportunity for the government to have fun at his expense:

Someone who cares about the Labour Party should quietly disconnect his computer.

SOE selldown could gross $6.8b

The partial sale of state owned energy companies could gross  $6.8 billion.

Could is the operative word.

However, there is a dearth of local companies listed for potential investors in New Zealand.

Superannuation funds, Iwi, ACC and community trusts will all be keen to invest in SOEs and the over-subscription for TradeMe when it listed shows there are willing buyers.

Historic home for sale

One of the beautiful historic homes in our neighbourhood is for sale.

Burnside Homestead was built in the mid 1980s 1890s by John Forrester Reid. It has been owned by only two other families since then. The Hudsons bought it from the Reids in 1930 and the current owners, Alison and Bruce Albiston bought it from them in 1974.

The Albistons have lovingly renovated the house, updating it with heating and extra bathrooms in sympathy with its Victorian origins and maintained the garden and parkland with the mature trees which surround it.

The house has at least nine bedrooms, four bathrooms and two en suites, separate servants quarters, a private bedroom with en suite upstairs, a billiard room, large commercial kitchen and scullery, dining room and the grand octagonal hall with a sprung floor.

The coach house near-by was recently converted to provide two more bedrooms with a kitchen and living area.

Most of the furniture in the house is original and includes a grand piano.

The Albistons have been running the homestead as a B&B  and hosting small conferences.

Burnside is only 15 minutes from Oamaru and only a few kilometres from the route the Alps to Ocean cycle way will take.

The property is listed on TradeMe for private sale.

Two tonne of urea could help save a life

An email from a friend asked me to spread the word about a TradeMe auction to help fund potentially life-saving cancer treatment.

The email said:

Hello friends

 

I know you are all busy people.    If you could take a few minutes to search the website mentioned below and to place a bid you would be really helping our friend Jane who is a real kiwi battler.  

 

Jane is fundraising for her own cancer treatment.  Its not some obscure drug treatment, its a drug that she would be getting on national health if she lived in Australia or the UK.  This drug has worked wonders and is giving Jane a good quality of life.   If you are not in a position to bid on any of these great offers from Jane’s friends and family, then please forward to any of your friends or work mates who might like a South Island holiday, golfing packages or some collectible art.   Any donation no matter the size will help.

 

 

. . .  The auction will close on Trade Me on Saturday 17th April – this Saturday – so you will have to be quick.

She attached this message from Jane:

It gives me much pleasure to make the fundraising auction live! Many thanks to friends and family who have helped me and to businesses who have donated – enjoy!

Go to: http://www.janewebdesign.co.nz and don’t forget to forward on to your own contacts.

Background
In December 2003 I lost my kidney to cancer. Exactly five years later, I was told that the cancer had spread to several locations throughout my body.

Kidney cancer of this type does not respond well to traditional treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation. My only viable option is a very expensive targetted drug therapy, which is not subsidised by government or covered by my health insurance. So far I have responded very well to this drug but because of the huge cost I am obliged to fund raise.

I have every reason to live and this drug gives me the quality of life to enjoy my two beautiful daughters and many wonderful friends. It was friends and family who provided the inspiration for this ‘on line auction’ web site which gives you the opportunity to place a bid for an incredible range of New Zealand art and fashion, specialist services and leisure time in some of the loveliest parts of the South Island.

I would like to thank all the many businesses and individuals who have supported me through their generous donations to this auction.

Jane Egerton

Items up for auction on TradeMe include art work, accommodation vouchers, a round of golf at Michael Hill’s course and a day with Burton Silver.

Jane’s cause has also been taken up by Jamie Mackay on the Farming Show where two tonne of Urea is being auctioned with the proceeds going to fund Jane’s treatment.

It’s all about trust

She listed a CD for sale on TradeMe.

He bought it, transferred the money to her bank account and she posted the CD to him.

It didn’t arrive.

He emailed her.

She transferred the money back.

Can she be sure he didn’t get it?

Not absolutely, but TradeMe has a rating system and he had several positive and no negative comments.

Besides it’s the third time in the last three years a small package she’s posted hasn’t arrived, even though she had her return address on them. If she’d inadvertently got something wrong in the recipient’s address she wouldn’t have made any mistakes with her own.

After the second package didn’t get where it was sent she called NZ Post and was told that getting something back if it hadn’t been delivered wasn’t guaranteed even if she had a return address on it.

The postal system handles a huge volume of mail each day and almost all of it gets where it’s meant to. But three packages which haven’t has left her wondering and when it comes to trust she has more in TradeMe than NZ Post.

Wheels fall off TradeMe tractor sale

When the TradeMe auction for the International 574 Tractor and free farm closed on Sunday night, vendors Shelley and Allan Holland thought they had a deal for $250, 000.

Yesterday the man who placed the highest bid, pulled out because his bank wouldn’t finance the deal.

Who would make an agreement to spend a quarter of a million dollars, with the eyes of the world on them, without checking with their bank first?

Perhaps that was in the days when a deal was a deal and could be sealed with a handshake.

The Hollands took a gamble and gained worldwide interest because they took a risk and undertook to respond to everyone who asked a question or comment.

They also undertook to donate $10,000 from the sale to charity and their concern when the deal collapsed wasn’t for themselves but those they’d wanted to help.

It’s not just us. We’ve still got our land, we’re no worse off than where we started … but it’s all the people that we promised money to. We wanted to give $10,000 to some people that we thought really deserved it because people had been so overwhelming with the auction and we had such an incredible response.”

“And now what do we do? We are just absolutely gutted – totally and utterly gutted.”

The couple was disappointed for people they had offered to support out of their earnings, including one boy named Ollie whose plight had come up in the question-and-answer section of the auction. Ollie needs medical treatment in the United States.

 

TradeMe contacted other bidders informing them the sale had falled through and there’s a message on the sale page saying this item was sold to another member.

I hope it was for a sum close to the closing bid.

Hat Tip: Kismet Farm who left a comment on yesterday’s post about this.

Tractor sale chugging along

Bidding on the International 574 tractor for sale on TradeMe has passed the QV for the farm which comes with it for free.

The QV is $250,000 and the latest bid as I write (at 11.20) is $250,300.

The auction closes at 10.30 tonight.

It has attracted 298,522 views and TradeMe is donating their fee to charity.

TradeMe tractor auction helping sick child too

The latest bid on the old International 574 tractor for sale on TradeMe is $233,032 – nearly $230,000 more than it’s worth but still not quite at the QV for the 8 hectare farm that’s been thrown in with it for free.

The auction has attracted 229054 views – and climbing by the second. It’s also helping a young boy who suffers from a rare medical condition.

His mother tried to auction a section on TradeMe but the auction was pulled. She then left a comment about this on the ask-a-seller for the tractor auction:

Good Luck – Trade Me pulled my listing similar to this – I was trying to fund raise for my son’s medical treatment in America and did an auction with a buy now that would include some land by the beach – its listed on Trade me so i had already paid the real estate listing fee – but they wouldn’t allow it – Hope you get what you need for the land.

She then left a further comment:

Still fundraising – relisted my auction (218925767) without the land bit – was tempted after seeing how successful this one is going – but I live rurally and Trade Me is how I get by when i can’t get into the City to get what I need… so better not annoy them.

Someone then asked for a bank account so they could donate money and it’s turned into a fundraiser to help pay for the enzyme repalcement therapy her son needs.

Jim Mora’s panel interviewed his mother yesterday (a bit more than half way through part 1).

Tractor $232,632 farm still free

Bidding on the tractor for sale on TradeMe  has reached 232,632.

That’s a couple of thousand more than the top bid yesterday morning.

The farm which is comes with it for free has a QV of $250,000.

The auction has attracted 162,793 views. It closes this Sunday evening.

Tractor price triggers inflation alert

Don’t tell Dr Bollard, the latest bid on the International 574 tractor for sale on TradeMe is $230,200.

A tractor that old – I think it must be 30ish, would normally sell for about $5,000.

The farm which is being thrown in to the deal for free has a QV of $250,000.

The auction has attracted world-wide interest and the vendors have opted to reply to every question and comment. As I write, there have been 132,168 page views, which I think is a TradeMe record.

Tractor for sale, free farm on side update

News of the tractor for sale with a free farm on the side  has gone world wide.

Vendors Shelley and Allan Holland listed it on TradeMe with only $1 reserve, but the publicity has attracted bidders and the latest bid is $230,000 – approaching the $250,000 QV with a week still to go before the auction closes.

Shelley has undertaken to reply to questions and there’s already been hundreds of them.  I copied a few here yesterday, and here’s a few more:

Q: Does the Tractor have a beam? Good luck – I love people whom are bonkers!

A: High beam or “Beam me up” beam?

Q: hi if i win would the locals kick up a stink if i put a six lane motorway thru .and housing nz devepment appartment blocks on site

A: I think they may well impale you wiith a very sharp pitch fork dipped in acid and set on fire

Q: Hi there This is a great feel-good story. Interested in being Auckland Super mayor?

A: I don’t handle idiots too well, but thank you for the vote, Shell the mayor, Sounds cool

The vendors featured on TV3 News last night, the story’s here, the video’s here.

Tractor for sale, farm thrown in for free

An International 574 tractor is probably more than 25 years old and would normally sell for about $5,000.

The latest bid for the one being offered on TradeMe is for $155,800 It:

. . . has a bucket, folks and a back blade.

Folks? I think they mean forks but there’s nothing special about that or anything else to do with the the tractor,  it’s that there’s a farmlet being thrown in for free.

The 20 acre (that’s about 8 hectares) farm is in the Catlins and comes with foundations, presumably for a house and they’ve had an engineer’s approval to build). The property also boasts a woolshed, workshop, large woodshed, two creeks, native bush, some grown and pruned pines, and has power and swerage connected.

 It is on 3 terraces and with the layout of the land will be an exceptional site. There is another building site on top of the hill where the view is great, looking down the valley. Or simply have it as a great home block with the best group of locals you will find anywhere.

The QV is $260,000.

Some of the questions and answers:

Q:Where the heck is Caitlins….no idea where it is……

 A:The Catlins runs between Balclutha in Otago and Invercargill. I was tar sealed a few years ago and is now a jewel in our tourist crown. I had been in International news as being in the top destinations of the world. Unreal beaches and sceanary. Is an ideal setup for a camping ground, restraunt etc etc. Clutha and Southland Councils carn’t keep up with the infrstructure as the growth has been unprecidented.

Q: does it rain much there ?

A: Compared to Auckland no, It has a good regular rain that it does not drought. Saying that it has one of the best drainging soils in NZ. We looked into turning it into a Hazelnut orchard.

Q: Are there any planned or designated motorways or tunnels planned within close proximity to the property?

A: Haha, This is the South Island, we are very careful who we put in power down here….

 And a couple of poignant ones, the second from someone who doesn’t know that you judge tractors by hours used not kilometres travelled:

Q:Why are you selling up what apears to be all your land/house??

A:My husband has been here all his life and we want to have a look around and travel for a while. We bought the farm to put into a business or an orchard and up until bedtime last night we were going to take it off the market and keep it as a base for us for the future. But he said to list it for a $1 and now it’s too late to change our minds. This is why you shouldn’t make decesions when you are tired.

Q: what year and how many kms has the tractor done?

A:I am not sure what year the tractor is as my husband is at work. We bought it last year to do the fencing and farm work, it has never missed a beat, we have it here in Gore if you want to see it, It gets looked after better than I do.

Q: you didn’t mention anything about delivery?. I bought the house in Browns Bay at the $1 reserve auction, it really works. You will get a great price for a fabulous looking piece of Catlins. Good Luck .

A: Buyer must pick up.

Q: Were you really “tar sealed a few years ago”? Sounds extremely painful.

A: Lol. “IT” was tar sealed a few years ago. Thats what happends when I couldn’t sleep all night from wondering just what we had done. I carn’t believe we did this, It was going to be our back up for the future and now I think I need help. I guess I shouldnt have been such a dutiful wife lol.

But she retains her sense of humour:

Q: Here’s a link to a Google Maps Street View of the property, you can follow it around the road but there isn’t any good satellite view over top of the property.

A: No, I made sure there was good cloud cover when they took it as I was having a shower under a tree and I am quite a private person.

Q: Good God, what have you done??!!! Now all those North Island yuppies will see just how mind blowing gorgeous our part of the country is and the next thing you’ll they all be here!..lol Best of luck with your listing, and with whatever you do later down the track  🙂

A: Have you got any idea how many people down here have said the same thing.

You’ll have to follow the link to TradeMe above to find out how to get the answer to the question of how to get the peg marks out of tea bags.

 

The auction closes at 10pm tomorrow next Sunday.

 

Hat Tip: ODT

$1000 for feijoa

Don’t tell the inflation police – a single feijoa has sold for $1000 on TradeMe.

But it was no ordinary feijoa, it was kiwi shaped and bought by businessman Mike Pero who is using it to promote his latest venutre Safe Kiwi and reckons he’s already got his money’s worth in publicity.

Chocolate factory’s secret labs to be open for charity

If you fancy yourself as a chocolate inventor you have a chance to test your ideas at Cadburys’ Dunedin factory.

The company is opening the doors to its Chocolate Sensory Development Lab for the first, and only, time.

The tours will take place on May 7 and tickets are for sale on Trademe with an opening bid of $40 for two.

Chocolate lovers can be the first members of the public to see behind the scenes at the Cadbury factory. This magical event will kick off with a tour through the Cadbury World visitors centre, followed by a never-before-seen tour of the Sensory Lab and Chocolate Development Lab – a mini version of the Cadbury factory where you will get to don your own lab coat and create your very own Cadbury chocolate to share with family and friends, finishing with a visit to the amazing Chocolate Waterfall.

All proceeds go to Cure Kids.

The ODT  says this will be a unique opportunity to visit the company’s inner sanctum.

Staff came up with the idea of the special tour as part of the work they do with Cure Kids, an organisation established to seek an increase in the amount of research into life-threatening childhood illnesses, events co-ordinator Lee-Anne Anderson said.

“This is a one-off.  It’s not something we will do again.”

 That sounds like a sweet opporunity for chocoholics – a chance to play with chocolate while keeping your conscience clear because it’s all for a very good cause.

Lucky break for Hollows foundation

John Key’s broken arm was a lucky break for the Fred Hollows Foundation.

The TradeMe auction for his cast-off cast, which was signed by several Pacific Island leaders,  closed at 2pm with a final bid of $18,500, all of which goes to the Foundation.

The winner also gets morning tea with the Prime Minister.

$3030 and rising for cast-off cast

The latest bid in the TradeMe auction for John Key’s cast is $3030.

The cast has been signed by several of the leaders at last week’s Pacific Island forum and will be signed by John when it comes off next week.

The winning bidder will also get morning tea with the Prime Minister and the money raised will go to the Fred Hollows Foundation.