Open mike 13/05/2022

97 comments on “Open mike 13/05/2022 ”

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1. Jenny how to get there 1

   13 May 2022 at 7:20 am

   From Auckland Peace Action

   Sunday May 15 – Nakba Day

   Rally for Palestine

   Auckland Aotea Sq. 2pm

   Nakba Day marks the day in 1948 when over 750,000 Palestinians were ethnically cleansed from their homes and lands my Israeli colonists.

   This Sunday Nakba Day is especially poignant coming as it does after the assassination of Shireen Abu Akleh, who dedicated her life to documenting the ongoing persecution of the Palestinians by the Israeli State. And was silenced forever by the occupation foreces.
2. Jenny how to get there 2

   13 May 2022 at 7:36 am

   From Auckland Peace Action

   Auckland Anti-War March June 5, 2022, 12pm

   March from Aotea Sq. to the Auckland Domain where a 40 to 45 minute public meeting will be held.

   In any weather, join this march from Aotea Sq to Auckland Domain.

   March for peace and self-determination for the Ukrainian people, against war and authoritarian regimes!

   Organised by the Auckland Ukrainian community.
3. Sanctuary 3

   13 May 2022 at 7:45 am

   Ash Sarkar sums up the UK so well…

   https://twitter.com/AyoCaesar/status/1523971930642128896
   • Belladonna 3.1

     13 May 2022 at 8:08 am

     I should have thought as a country we would understand the value of both symbolism and taonga.
   • JO 3.2

     13 May 2022 at 11:13 am

     Have you never been to Te Papa or Wellington Hospital and stopped to put your hand on the great pounamu boulder in one or other of those foyers? Or been moved to tears in front of Roimata Pounamu, Tears on Greenstone, the largest jade (nephrite) structure in the Southern Hemisphere, at Waiouru's National Army Museum? https://www.armymuseum.co.nz/visit/exhibitions/memorial-area-tears-on-greenstone/
   • Chris T 3.3

     13 May 2022 at 4:32 pm

     Symbolism thing given the circumstances, I would think.

     Obviously a waste of money as imagine it is a replica used for media, so doesn't need the security, but kind of understandable if you happen to be into the royals.
   • Populuxe1 3.4

     13 May 2022 at 5:36 pm

     A world without ceremony, ritual, pageantry and symbolism would be a very boring one indeed.
4. tsmithfield 4

   13 May 2022 at 7:56 am

   Following advanced war strategy that seems to have been gleaned by watching episodes of Blackadder goes forth the Russians are making multiple unsuccessful attempts to lay a pontoon bridge across the Siverskyi Donets river in an attempt to encircle Ukrainian troops in the Donbas.

   The rinse and repeat strategy for the Ukrainians appears to be to allow the Russians to lay down a pontoon bridge and get some troops and armour across. The pound the pontoon bridge with artillery, cutting off the troops that have just crossed and causing massive Russian losses on both sides of the river. And, just as in the Blackadder episode, the Russians appear to think that doing the same thing again gives them the element of surprise because no-one would expect them to be so stupid again.

   Russia can't blame the west for their appalling performance in this war. It is the brainless strategy and tactics from the Russians more than anything else that explains why things are going so badly for them.
   • Sanctuary 4.1

     13 May 2022 at 8:23 am

     This is a horrible war, but this represents genuine innovation and lateral thinking in IT & GIS

     I would reccommend reading the entire Trent Telenko tweet roll, but TL;DR is as follows:

     "…Ukraine has developed and refined a groundbreaking artillery targeting solution that is, in many ways, better than anything else out there. It’s not U.S. tech. It’s not Israeli tech. It’s homegrown.

     At the heart of it is Ukraine’s “GIS Art for Artillery” software package, written by Yaroslav Sherstyuk — one of many talented earth observation / geospatial (GIS) specialists working in Ukraine.

     Sherstyuk's software is reminiscent of Uber or Lyft's taxi software. It’s a true distributed software environment that assigns targets to the nearest gun, mortar, rocket launcher, drone or SF team.

     The software can coordinate targeting among a distributed group of multiple guns, with multiple trajectories, spanning a whole front, all focused on hitting one target at one time.

     Just like Uber can get you a ride much faster than calling a cab company switchboard, “GIS Art for Artillery” can dramatically reduce the time “from call to trigger pull” — from around 20 minutes, to around 30 seconds (!)…"

     https://twitter.com/TrentTelenko/status/1523791050313433088
     • tsmithfield 4.1.1

       13 May 2022 at 8:43 am

       This is not the only example of Russians doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. For instance, they keep sending ships across to Snake Island, just off the Ukrainian coast, and the Ukrainians keep hitting them.

       And it's just been deja vu all over again with another ship being hit.

       I think that is at least four Russian vessels lost in that area now.
     • tsmithfield 4.1.2

       13 May 2022 at 8:52 am

       That is an interesting article, btw. I had the impression that the Ukrainians were a lot more accurate with their artillery, though hard to know whether it was just selection bias.
       • Blazer 4.1.2.1

         13 May 2022 at 6:36 pm

         Hey smithers, don't the Ukrainians know they are… winning?
     • Joe90 4.1.3

       13 May 2022 at 8:52 am

       Startling implications here.

       Ukraine's 'GIS Art for Artillery' app combined with Starlink actually gives the Ukrainian military measurably better than US Military standard artillery command and control.

       The Ukraine War is the first Starlink War & the side with Starlink is beating the side without.
       37/

       There are a lot of implications in that thought.

       Now comes the kicker. When the lasercom equipped SpaceX Gen 1.5 & 2.0 satellites come on-line.

       38/

       The ability to move huge amounts of bandwidth with zero ground based infrastructure will utterly subvert the ability of national governments & corporations to block or surveil Starlink communications.

       39/

       The only way the US Government will be able to monitor Starlink communications is with @elonmusk active cooperation.

       The power shift involved in that fact is…profound…and something for another thread

       40/

       Meanwhile, a whole lot of very powerful people are going to have to rethink their place in the world as the Starlink juggernaut remakes the world by helping Ukraine win "The 1st Starlink War."

       41/End

       https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1523828149288583168.html
   • mikesh 4.2

     13 May 2022 at 9:49 am

     I don't think Russia can afford to lose this. So how does one translate the words "fat man" and "little boy" into Russian. Perhaps the Ukranians are being too smart for their own good.

     [Please check and correct your user name in the next comment, thanks]
     • Incognito 4.2.1

       13 May 2022 at 9:53 am

       Mod note
     • Jenny how to get there 4.2.2

       13 May 2022 at 1:01 pm

       Whether Russia can afford to lose or not. Russia are losing.

       Mikesh,your reference to the nuclear weapons used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and your slight that by winning the Ukrainians are being too smart for their own good.

       Your claim that Russia cannot afford to lose, and your implication that if the Russian Federation cannot win with conventional weapons they will turn to nuclear weapons, and so Ukraine would be better to surrender now if they were smart.

       Spoken like a true bully.

       If Germany had had the nuclear weapon and threatened to use it if they Allies were to intervene in stopping the Nazi genocide and occupation of Europe. Would the Allies leave the Nazis to commit genocide and occupation?

       I don't think so.

       Everyone knows that you appease a bully, their violence and intimidation and blackmail will only increase.

       Ukraine are fighting for all of us.
       • Blazer 4.2.2.1

         13 May 2022 at 6:38 pm

         Please explain how they are fighting for 'all of us'!
     • Populuxe1 4.2.3

       13 May 2022 at 5:40 pm

       I'm not sure, but apparently "useful idiot", disappointingly not coined by Lenin but by Italian journalists, is "Полезный идиот".
   • weston 4.3

     13 May 2022 at 10:32 pm

     Alternate view for you smithfield !

     
     
     
5. Ad 5

   13 May 2022 at 8:01 am

   We now have the highest petrol price we've ever had.

   By itself this could sink this government, let alone the supermarkets.

   What is particularly dark for those who want a carbon Zero future is that the rush-hour traffic grind is still there, indicating that there is very little elasticity in total petrol use at all.
   • Belladonna 5.1

     13 May 2022 at 8:13 am

     Yep. PT options are simply not present (or ridiculously time consuming and therefore not practicable) for the majority of the people currently driving in Auckland's rush hour.

     Of course, there are some (SAHM or nanny driving Tristan and Athena to private school) for whom neither time nor money are an issue.

     But the majority of the people on the roads simply have no other alternative.

     PT, where it's viable to use, is already significantly cheaper than driving a single-user car and paying for parking in the CBD.
     • Sabine 5.1.1

       13 May 2022 at 8:39 am

       Many many children if not most in akl are driven to their public schools too and elsewhere, as literally that is the cheaper option, and faster in many cases. And to be fair, there are also walking buses, car pooling etc. But a nice cheap shot at those that must be the reason for the problem we have, Stay at home Mothers (SAHM) and the kids they take to school for whom money and time may or may not be an issue, or is an issue and they are taking the kids to school before continuing on to work because they are too poor to be a Stay at home Mother. Also, sperm donators also drive their kids to school, and many do walk/bus.

       The fact is that AKL has public transport and while it could be better and more varied it is not a bad coverage, but it is too expensive, and does not run on time most of the time. Which makes it unattractive if you have to be in school or work on time. In fact, it can be a detriment to ones job prospects if they are dependend on public transport. 🙂

       And Yes, yes, i know the half price fare…..lol, set to expire in a few days, still waiting on the glorious announcement that this will be extended for another three month, while the fare structure should be overhauled and reconsidered and re-thought.

       Set public transport at 1 NZD each – per trip, advertise the heck out of that, and watch kids may tell mum that they rather take the bus with their mates or Mum tell the bigger kids to take the bus dear. If they live in an area that is served and with a good time table.

       Both cost for PT and availability of PT are the result of decades of not giving a shit by official on all level. By everyone, a nice buslane here and there is not a fix in a town that is huge and has over a million + people living there.

       But hey, buy an electric car if you are rich enough, you will get a nice juicy several thousand dollar subsidy so that that Stay at Home Mother of Athena and Tristan can now drive teir children to private school in a tax payer subsidized EV. Now that is winning!

       And were it is viable to use, it is ONLY significantly cheaper using PT then driving a single user car if only one person is in that car. And even then, depending on the time used – if you were to apply the 21.20 NZD(plus HP, SP, KWS) min wage per hour spend in traffic in a bus or in a train from Hamilton that only leaves twice a day, you might be still better of using a car, single serve.

       disclaimer: have no car, never had a car, walked from Grey Lynn to New Market or Down town as it was faster. Have used bus for all other travel if needed. Rode a bicycle in Auckland in 98 when it was unfashionable and Lycra was still unheard of in NZ.
       • Belladonna 5.1.1.1

         13 May 2022 at 9:01 am

         Sabine. That wasn't intended to be a cheap shot – but a recognition that for some families neither time nor money are a deterrent to driving.

         In Auckland, at least in the city and suburbs (recognize that 'Auckland' also encompasses a significant rural area) – most kids can walk or bus to school. There is an extensive school bus network (my son uses it regularly), and primary schools (at least) are mostly within reasonable walking distance for the kids in their zone.

         And, just saying – none of the kids I know who use PT to go to school would 'prefer' it over being driven….

         Of course, if you are out of zone – then your transport needs may vary.

         Auckland's bus system (which is most of the PT) only works if you are travelling into the CBD (or stopping along the route). It's pretty useless if you're going elsewhere – and a heck of a lot of people are going 'elsewhere' – especially with the hollowing out of the CBD post Covid and with the CRL disruptions.

         In Auckland, unless you have 'free' parking at your work – you'd have to have 2-3 people in the car for driving (including CBD parking and petrol costs – but excluding depreciation – since no one counts that anyway) to be cheaper than PT.

         However, the 'one-person' driving trips is significant – since it's the number of them that we continually have drummed in our ears as examples of 'selfish car drivers'. No one is interviewing these drivers to see if there are (realistic) alternatives….

         My disclaimer: I have a car. Drive to work (15 min against the traffic) because there are no viable PT options across suburbs in Auckland. When I worked in the CBD I used PT regularly. My son uses PT to go to school (unless he's taking the bari sax – in which case I drive him)
         • Sabine 5.1.1.1.1

           13 May 2022 at 9:52 am

           At the moment the same people that can afford neither a car or the bus are subsidizing the very expensive green washed EV cars for the rich. Just saying.

           I lived in Auckland and i worked in Auckland. I know Auckland. I am also raised on public transport so don't have the obsession that kiwis have with their cars to the point where they feel they are incomplete if they don't have one.

           As for Stay at home Mums, or Mum who work, Woman just can't do it correctly so for some. Drive your kids to school – lazy polluting rich mum, don't drive your kids to school – lazy poor mum. Never mind that i would guess most women drive their kids to school and then themselves to work. And many do a hybrid version of kids take themselves and sometimes are driven to school – and that is irrespective of income.

           What about the one person driving trips of men to the booze store? Or to the pup? or the rugby game? Could they not take the bus? How many people drive to the dairy? Do you need to drive to the supermarket? Or do you need to do that holiday trip with the boat and the gadgets to go cycling several hundreds of kilometres from where one lives to dash around a mountain bike ruining some lovely mountainside?

           If we really want to be serious we need to make public transport cheap, fast, often, safe, – even at night time, specifically for those that are not be-penised, and that is what we don't do. We would need to build bus shelters, run buses every 10 min during rush hour and every 20 min for the rest of the day. Maybe run smaller shuttles during the low use times etc. Have decent drivers that are trained, actually know the stops on their route and who are paid a decent wage. But that thinking is not yet being done out lout. WE celebrate a train that runs twice a day and costs up to 30 NZD half price for both trips or 60 NZD full price for both trips from Hamilton to AKL and that does not include kids, it is cheaper and faster to drive a bloody car then. https://www.tehuiatrain.co.nz/fares/

           We could do what done in Nice France, build the network, connect the town, help businesses affected by the build, make it a thing of pride and then keep the price to 1.50 NZD (in their case its Euro) and integrate this with the train system at a similar price.https://frenchriviera.travel/public-transport-nice/#:~:text=Public%20transport%20in%20Nice%20is,such%20as%20Cannes%20and%20Monaco.

           But we really believe that tinkering on the edges with full price – unaffordable to anyone who is not in full time position well over the min wage, is the way to go and that is why we are here in this postion. Not because some men and non men n use their private vehicle the way they see fit or must.

           So personally i believe that the fault of the public transport misery in AKL and the rest of NZ for that matter is not the fault of an individual that may be too rich for some, or too lazy for some others, but the fault of Polititans that have no vision, no guts, no spine, and above all no idea of how to get something like this even up and running. We like cheap band aids, and that is what we get in all cases.

           Btw, the build of the PT system in Nice was actioned by a conservative. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Estrosi
           • Incognito 5.1.1.1.1.1

             13 May 2022 at 9:58 am

             A good percentage of children are not driven by car to school and use other modes of transport. Why would it be cheaper to drive your child to school if you have a School Bus that does the same thing and you won’t even have to get out of your PJs?
             • Belladonna …

               14 May 2022 at 9:43 am

               I think there are 2 things going on here.
               Convenience. It's just easier for Mum (and it usually is Mum) to drive the kids, than organize them to get up on time for the bus. [I speak from experience – the leave-the-house-to-catch-the-bus-deadline is a constant struggle in my household]

               Stranger danger. Parents (especially upper-middle-class parents) have had stranger danger drummed into them as a huge and significant risk – which shapes their willingness to let their kids out of their sight in public.

               Real-life story. When my son was 6 he asked me to let him walk home alone from the school bus stop – about a 5 minute walk. Up to then, I'd been meeting him as he had to cross a major road. I agreed, and we decided I'd shadow him the first time, to make sure he was safe crossing the intersection. He demonstrated excellent safety skills (so cute! Mama heart beating with pride)- and I was happy for him to fly solo. In that first fortnight – I must have had 20 calls from concerned parents and friends asking me if I knew he was walking home alone – with the very strong subtext being that I was a bad mother for letting him do this.
               • Incognito …

                 14 May 2022 at 9:08 pm

                 Convenience is often a euphemism for laziness.

                 Stranger-danger is a thing but how and when are our children meant to get the social skills to navigate safely and survive in ‘the jungle’? Are we going to drop them off and pick them up from uni, from work, and from rugby practice forever? Of course not!
                 • Belladonna …

                   15 May 2022 at 9:50 am

                   Oh, I agree that kids need to develop life skills- and it's best to do that within reasonably expanding boundaries from the time they are small.

                   I'm just pointing out what's going on in the parents' minds.

                   FWIW – I think stranger danger is way overhyped – kids are statistically at hugely greater risk from family or close personal friends – but that's not a point that's easy to make 😉
                   • Incognito …

                     15 May 2022 at 1:10 pm

                     Agreed. Some parents though are not doing their children any favours by being over-protective and warping [Edit: I meant wrapping] them in cotton wool. And I’m not referring to just physical protection either. With the increased use of and time spent on-line I believe that people’s social/people skills will deteriorate. Swipe left or swipe right, that’s the question

                     I also believe that people & society have become less tolerant and considerate of others because of these diminishing social interactions and skills.
                   • pat …

                     15 May 2022 at 1:19 pm

                     @Incognito

                     "I also believe that people & society have become less tolerant and considerate of others because of these diminishing social interactions and skills."

                     It would appear so, but what is the remedy, when no one (or very few) appear willing to abandon or even curtail its use?….it may be like housing affordability, the widespread calls for remedy will only occur when the damage is done and the remedies so painful their adoption are still resisted until they occur by force of nature.
                   • Incognito []

                     15 May 2022 at 1:43 pm

                     No remedy necessary when it has not been officially and formally declared a problem by the authorities, which is usually preceded by experts & others raising the alarm for years if not decades.

                     Due to Covid I spent a long time working from home and I don’t think it was beneficial to my ‘social energy’. Banter, chats, OTC exchanges, et cetera, are a glue that binds and holds us together, the ‘weak forces’ of human nature (love & sex being among the ‘strong forces’, obviously).
                   • pat …

                     15 May 2022 at 7:10 pm

                     What then is the Christchurch Call?
       • left for dead 5.1.1.2

         13 May 2022 at 5:38 pm

         Pro Kathleen Stock speaks for an hour to Kim Hill tomorrow morning 9-10.
     • Craig H 5.1.2

       13 May 2022 at 10:29 am

       That's an excellent point, and one I have made in ECan submissions before – the cost issue is not hugely relevant for single users who live in walking distance of major routes, it's people with limited access and families where the issues/costs lie.
       • Molly 5.1.2.1

         13 May 2022 at 3:13 pm

         It's a repetitive failure to not consider those with limited options and no financial excess when coming up with such policies.

         An assumption is made that people are driving because they are too snobbish or lazy to use public transport.

         For many it is unaffordable, unreliable and not connecting them to where they need to go with any kind of efficiency.
         • Sabine 5.1.2.1.1

           13 May 2022 at 3:45 pm

           +1
         • pat 5.1.2.1.2

           13 May 2022 at 4:05 pm

           Indeed it should…for all

           "Funding should be available to support Iwi/Māori that are not economically able to transition equitably."

           https://www.interest.co.nz/public-policy/115680/chief-executive-jo-hendy-sets-out-climate-change-commission%E2%80%99s-expectations
         • Sabine 5.1.2.1.3

           13 May 2022 at 4:37 pm

           today in the Herald

           https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/transport-survey-aucklanders-waiting-too-long-for-buses-research-finds/R33ONDLC5KM7AFMEOXTWENJ7LM/

           Auckland has plenty of bus stops, but wait times are too long, new research has found.

           The research, published by The Lancet Global Health, found just 56 per cent of Aucklanders have access to public transport running every 20 minutes or less.

           Erica Hinckson, professor of physical activity and the environment at AUT, said Auckland was doing well with bus stops every 500m, but that was not enough.

           "There needs to be a regular service. People are not going to use public transport because it is not convenient.

           "You hear the stories of people saying 'I waited at the bus stop for an hour and then I was late for everything'," Hinckson said.
   • Sanctuary 5.2

     13 May 2022 at 8:25 am

     A global diesel shortage looms – the distribution implications are obvious.

     https://twitter.com/WallStreetSilv/status/1523329724792991747
     • Ad 5.2.1

       13 May 2022 at 10:13 am

       June 25th the cyclway from New Lynn into town opens and I'll have to get off my ass and leave the Peugeot at home.
   • aj 5.3

     13 May 2022 at 9:07 am

     Disaster capitalism at it's best. Every cloud has a silver lining (for the few)

     https://www.salon.com/2022/04/29/big-oil-is-intentionally-profiteering-from-the-war-exxon-profits-double-after-putins-invasion_partner/

     https://twitter.com/Public_Citizen/status/1520051958400397313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1520051958400397313%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.commondreams.org%2Fnews%2F2022%2F04%2F29%2Frobbery-chevron-profits-quadruple-and-exxons-double-amid-ukraine-crisis
     • Blazer 5.3.1

       13 May 2022 at 6:43 pm

       $$$$$$=WAR… Congress is giving another $33 billion in 'aid' to Ukraine.

       Of course that $33billion goes to U. S arms manufacturers.

       All done.. in the best possible taste.
   • RosieLee 5.4

     13 May 2022 at 9:19 am

     And we're losing the Marsden Point refinery.
   • Bearded Git 5.5

     13 May 2022 at 12:44 pm

     Ad-the petrol price should be far higher than it is now to reflect the damage it is doing to our planet.

     I smile every time it goes up.

     https://norightturn.blogspot.com/2022/05/climate-change-betting-on-disaster.html
     • Ad 5.5.1

       13 May 2022 at 1:52 pm

       Make sure you keep smiling at us all when floods smash peoples' houses, seas crash through their doors, northern forests die from drought, and fuel-driven food inflation hits supermarkets at an annual 10%.
       • Bearded Git 5.5.1.1

         13 May 2022 at 3:42 pm

         You seem to miss the point Ad. These things are less likely to happen if the price of fuel goes so high that people can't afford to use much of it, which is what I support…..except the inflation bit of course, but even that will wane.
         • Ad 5.5.1.1.1

           13 May 2022 at 4:34 pm

           Utter bullshit.

           You clearly have no idea how little elasticity there actually is in our petrol and diesel use.

           Even Auckland which has the best public transport system in New Zealand, you would be lucky to ever find Aucklanders taking more than 15% of trips taken by non-car means. Hey maybe in a dream state we'll get to 20%.

           Even for Auckland's small percentage who do take public transport, it's on diesel buses.

           There one quarter of Auckland where public transport truly competes against the car is the North Shore. Auckland's wealthiest quarter. Done on diesel buses.

           Outside of Auckland and Wellington there is no useful public transport in New Zealand and mostly it's only used by the very, very poor and the Gold Card people. Barely 5% of trips taken pre-COVID. Now it's worse.

           Those who laugh at suffering as you do have no place in any reform movement.
           • Bearded Git 5.5.1.1.1.1

             14 May 2022 at 8:55 am

             I agree entirely that PT needs major investment.

             But with high petrol prices if people can't take PT they will buy cars that use much less fuel and they will cut down on journeys and even bicycle short distances.

             3 years ago I bought a new Suzuki Swift that uses less than half of the petrol of my previous car which was made in 2006.

             Incidentally fuel is only 40% of the cost of running a car.

             https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/everyday-money/buying-and-running-a-car/how-to-find-the-right-car-for-your-budget
6. tsmithfield 6

   13 May 2022 at 9:12 am

   Here is a very interesting BBC video on how the current conflict is changing the nature of war. One of the key points is how the all-seeing nature of war now makes it very difficult for attacking forces to make progress, and a likely move to more autonomous attack methods. As Sanctuary points out above, the Ukrainians appear to be adapting better to modern technological advances in term of targeting for instance.

   BTW, it looks like the Russians lost a whole battalion in the bridging attempt I mentioned above. Incredible and tragic losses of life.
7. Sanctuary 7

   13 May 2022 at 9:33 am

   Anyone else starting to feel sorry for poor old Bob Harvey? He is becoming that silly old duffer with name recognition who gets wheeled out whenever some transport snake oil salesmen come to town…

   https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018841547/bob-harvey-backs-auckland-gondola-idea
   • Ad 7.1

     13 May 2022 at 9:51 am

     No harbour crossing idea should be ignored.

     This government ditched an $800m shared path, failed to give even 1 bridge lane to cyclists, and has spent over $100m designing the full bridge replacement without 1 wheelbarrow of concrete down.
     • aj 7.1.1

       13 May 2022 at 10:21 am

       I agree. If it's proven to work successfully in other cities around the world it should not be rejected out of hand.
     • Jimmy 7.1.2

       13 May 2022 at 10:32 am

       But Waka Kotahi have great PR. Lots of 'huey', not much 'doey'.

       'Genuinely quite shocked': AM hosts hit out at surge in PR staff at Waka Kotahi, $10,000 spend on campaign signs (msn.com)
       • Ad 7.1.2.1

         13 May 2022 at 1:54 pm

         Actually they and their contractors do more to support this country than any other part of government – outside perhaps Transpower.

         That NZTA have a large Comms department to support this massive network should not surprise you.
         • Jimmy 7.1.2.1.1

           13 May 2022 at 4:08 pm

           But they have more than doubled the number of PR staff since 2017, and the majority of them are earning in excess of $100k!!!!!

           So they are not very efficient.
           • Ad 7.1.2.1.1.1

             13 May 2022 at 4:25 pm

             NZTA's efficiency is not measured at all by the size of its Comms team.

             If you want to try and find a comms person to put into ATOC, WTOC, or CTOC, or indeed to put into CRL, Te Ara Tuhono, Waikato Expressway System, or any of the others, and price them under $100k, then my friend as ever you will get what you pay for. And it won't be pretty.
             • pat …

               13 May 2022 at 4:33 pm

               Non productive costs are inflationary
               • Ad …

                 13 May 2022 at 4:38 pm

                 If you are really implying that communications staff are by definition non-productive, and also are therefore somehow inflationary, you should spell out why that is.
                 • pat …

                   13 May 2022 at 4:56 pm

                   lol…seriously?

                   What do they produce…apart from spin?
                   • Ad …

                     13 May 2022 at 5:43 pm

                     If you think you can run a transport system without what I have just provided, then you are simply ignorant about how the transport system works.

                     You would do well to stop the emotion and take time to figure out how each Department inside a major Crown entity actually works.
                   • pat …

                     13 May 2022 at 5:58 pm

                     You have provided exactly what the PR employees have provided
                   • aj …

                     13 May 2022 at 6:59 pm

                     If they are making others more productive – they themselves will be productive. It's a total sum game.
                   • pat …

                     13 May 2022 at 7:17 pm

                     And how exactly do you suggest they are making others more productive?
             • Sabine …

               13 May 2022 at 4:38 pm

               and what pretty things will we have thanks to all the PR woos at AT?
               • Ad …

                 13 May 2022 at 4:44 pm

                 The astonishing pig ignorance of what the public service actually does continues.

                 Transport comms does pretty things like AT Hop Card, responds to Ministerial inquiries and all media inquiries, operational changes like road detours via ATOC, formal documents like RLTP and Annual Plans and Annual Reports, Te Reo in all train announcements, street sign standardisation, all engagement with the public whether that be digital or in-person, all advertising across the city, marketing programmes to persuade people out of cars, public announcements of fare changes, and all the other pretty things that they are tasked with doing.
                 • Sabine …

                   13 May 2022 at 4:56 pm

                   Ah yeah, the hop card. wow. that technological invention that came in 2012 and it sure needs a PR person now in 2022 to be published?

                   Some secretary who answers letters and emails? So innovative and never heard of before.

                   A PR person to announce detours for road works? really? And at a high wage too?

                   Annual plans and Annual reports, would that not be departmental, or do they all have a few PR persons per department, and are there more PR persons then actual analysts and doers? And will each report have their own PR person?

                   Te Reo in train announcement, that is grand indeed it is, and they then need a different PR person to announce it in english too or is done by a bilingual PR person? And do they just get paid when they tape the announcements or do they get royalties ever time the train announcements run? And will the person who wrote the announcements also be paid a full PR salary, if it is a different person to the one that reads the announcement?

                   Yeah, nah, nah, you do not need "public relations' persons, you need office staff that does their jobs, i.e. updates webpages, fare pages, digital or in person, bus drivers that know where they drive, and so on.

                   But is sure sounds like a good job program for the kids of the well to do that did Gender studies, arts and cookery for 10 years between 20 – 30 and now have a student loan they would want forgiven and who are otherwise unemployable. Give them a job at AT or another Government department, such as Alphabetsoup ambassador to the Pacific.
                   • Ad …

                     13 May 2022 at 5:41 pm

                     This is why you are such a poor commenter. You have no idea how the public service upon which you and the rest of the population actually relies. You simply have no experience so you just rely in jeering.

                     You need to shut up your keyboard because dripping bile and foolishness just makes you look more pig ignorant about how any part of the system actually functions.
                   • roblogic …

                     14 May 2022 at 12:25 am

                     It's pretty sad how the current inflationary economy is resulting in resentment against public servants and a surge in popularity for the gNats. Public sentiment is completely divorced from the actual causes.

                     Blaming the government for inflation is like blaming the police for white collar crime. They are trying to stop it but the perps are slippery bastards and the issues are systemic, so there is no easy fix like pulling a few levers at the Reserve Bank.

                     Only harsh medicine (i.e. tough regulations on capitalist thievery) would actually fix the problem, but that is not something the public will swallow. So the government kicks the can down the road and tries to mitigate the worst examples.
                 • Blazer …

                   13 May 2022 at 6:46 pm

                   I take it you are a fan of consultants.. as well.

                   [Please check and correct your e-mail address in the next comment, thanks]
                   • Incognito …

                     13 May 2022 at 6:59 pm

                     Mod note
                   • Blazer …

                     13 May 2022 at 7:08 pm

                     
             • Poission …

               13 May 2022 at 4:40 pm

               $2.62 for 91 at NPD in chch this afternoon,no PR or marketing dept.
               • Ad …

                 13 May 2022 at 4:45 pm

                 How did you hear of that?
                 • Poission …

                   13 May 2022 at 4:49 pm

                   They have big mandatory signs outside with the price on.
                   • Ad …

                     13 May 2022 at 5:39 pm

                     That's organised by their Comms team.

                     Granted if you're a price bottom-feeder you let your price do your PR for you.
                   • DukeEll []

                     14 May 2022 at 8:57 am

                     It’s not. Every fuel company has a pricing team, those figures are either sent to the store using internal comms and then updated from site, or they are centralised and updated at head office.

                     Arguing that waka kotahi needs twice as many comms people when we’ve had the largest reduction in road traffic ever due to covid is mental.

                     Arguing that people who don’t think waka kotahi need twice as many comms people are somehow ignorant of everything to do with the public service is laughable. It shows that the public service will be voracious is chewing up large amounts of tax payers money for little benefit if allowed. Helping fuel inflation
   • Chris T 7.2

     13 May 2022 at 5:07 pm

     Reminds me of a song along the same lines

     [yb]ZDOI0cq6GZM[/yb]
   • Populuxe1 7.3

     13 May 2022 at 5:19 pm

     Why have a gondola when you can have a monorail?
     • pat 7.3.1

       13 May 2022 at 5:23 pm

       YES

       ..a monorail, that'll solve all our problems…,price (or effectiveness) no object.
8. Joe90 8

   13 May 2022 at 9:35 am

   He certainly doesn't look too flash.

   Is Vladimir Putin sick or even dying?

   The tabloid press, bolstered by a sudden efflorescence of Twitter diagnosticians, certainly seems to think so. Since his Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine got underway, the 69-year-old Russian president’s deteriorating health has been a subject of frenzied speculation — speculation that press secretary Dmitry Peskov has downplayed, citing Putin’s “excellent” health.

   https://newlinesmag.com/reportage/is-putin-sick-or-are-we-meant-to-think-he-is/
   • Blazer 8.1

     13 May 2022 at 10:44 am

     Then there's…'

     Is Joe Biden OK? Health fears grow for 'confused' POTUS

     Increasingly looking weak, the Delaware Democrat has continued to make gaffes and exhibited moments of confusion.

     Is Joe Biden OK? Health fears grow for 'confused' POTUS | MEAWW
     • Muttonbird 8.1.1

       13 May 2022 at 10:48 am

       Yep. The state of the world. The two people in the positions of greatest power should both be in a rest home.

       What is going on?
     • Sanctuary 8.1.2

       13 May 2022 at 11:30 am

       Right wing concern trolling from the usual suspects.
       • Blazer 8.1.2.1

         13 May 2022 at 11:52 am

         The ironic faultline….crack…appears.
9. Poission 9

   13 May 2022 at 10:59 am

   With over 200 billion(us)$ lost in crypto in a day,will there be effects in electricity demand globally.

   https://twitter.com/ira_joseph/status/1524786820927606785?cxt=HHwWgsCyuZ7ikKkqAAAA
   • joe90 9.1

     13 May 2022 at 11:29 am

     Any luck and the demise of these mining schemes will shave a couple of points off rising global temperatures.
     • Poission 9.1.1

       13 May 2022 at 11:36 am

       It will remove unnecessary electricity usage as global prices rocket.

       It will also have effects in Mexico with the cartels estimated to launder 25$b through crypto.Very nervous accountants down there today.
10. Muttonbird 10

    13 May 2022 at 11:09 am

    So many questions:

    Did Nelson do this because she was born a man?

    Did Nelson do this because she self identifies as female?

    Did name suppression lapse because Nelson didn't direct her lawyer to appeal?

    Why did Nelson do this?

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/128622831/name-suppression-lapses-for-cambridge-triple-stabbing-accused
    • Sabine 10.1

      13 May 2022 at 1:53 pm

      Nelson did this because he wanted to do that. The identifying as a female is just a thing to maybe get some 'stunning' 'brave' and 'most vulnerable marginalised' group discount and pity wave.

      Nelson is a male, who entered a restaurant through the back door and ended up stabbing several people, one of whom is his expartner.

      Nothing more then a bit spiced up domestic male on female violence.

      But as Anker says, some rainbow lanyard will happily write this up as a female on female crime and lock the dude and his testicles up with non males in a womens prison.
    • Jimmy 10.2

      13 May 2022 at 4:11 pm

      Who cares why Nelson did it. It is irrelevant. Do the crime now do the time, and as Nelson was born a man, it's off to a mens prison for him. There all sorted.
      • Anker 10.2.1

        13 May 2022 at 8:16 pm

        Jimmy, I am not so sure whether Nelson is off to a men's prison.

        And I wage money on it that his lawyer will appeal for a lighter sentence, because you know he's trans and they are the most marginalized etc etc. Just like Ashley Winter's lawyers did.

        For those who haven't read about Ashley Winters crime I would issue a trigger warning (which is rare for me to do). It involved prolonged and sadistic torture and eventual murder of a vulnerable teen woman. The most horrific crime i have read of in NZ. And no one knows where he is imprissoned (at least I haven't heard about that)
11. Anker 11

    13 May 2022 at 1:35 pm

    Thanks for posting Muttornbird. Why people are violent is always complex, but what we do know is the men who identify as women retain male patterns of criminality. Obviously not all men who identify as women are criminals, but the pattern is the same for all natal males.

    Idenifying as a women will mean Nelson may be housed in a women's prison. With self ID Nelson will be able to enter female change rooms, toilets, sporting competitions, female rape crisis services etc etc. It was a former partner Nelson stabbed as well as 2 workers. I am speculating here but we know a lot of women leave their partners when they start identifying as women and their are harrowing accounts of what some of these women have been through if their partners are autogynaphyles. They are referred to as Trans widows if you want to read about it.

    Lastly its possible Nelson's crimes may be counted as an offence committed by a female. This is problematic for all the obvious reasons.
    • Visubversa 11.1

      13 May 2022 at 2:00 pm

      With any luck – if convicted he will be sharing a cell in Paremoremo with "Ashley" Winter. These are not women and these are not women's crimes.
12. Mike the Lefty 12

    13 May 2022 at 1:42 pm

    This morning there was an anti-mandate protest in Feilding. Why you need an anti-mandate protest anymore when the mandates are just about all gone suggests that many people don't ever read or listen to the news but there was one interesting point.

    One protestor was holding a placard that suggested if you got the vaccine then you were somehow injected with a computer chip that allowed the state to spy on you. Like nanno technology – you will become Borg!

    An elderly lady (nearly 90 years ago) told me that she questioned this person and asked them if they also believed the earth was flat, and apparently this person had to think about that for a while before they realised this lady was taking taking the mickey out of them. That made my morning!

    When I looked at all the faces in the protest group I had to agree with her that the average IQ would likely be depressingly low.
    • Nic the NZer 12.1

      13 May 2022 at 6:09 pm

      Focused on masks in Wellington. Kind of annoying as the most available people to hastle are using public transport, so they expect commuters to create friction with the train guards or them.

      Also showing how strong their convictions are, exactly one of the signs suggested using "masks might be harmful", in some undescribed way.
13. Chris T 13

    13 May 2022 at 4:41 pm

    Pretty funny

    Now we have Kiwis as both captain and coach of the England cricket test team.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/300587344/get-ready-for-the-ride-brendon-mccullum-named-new-england-test-coach

    Wonder if I can get a job as a kiwi bringing the orange juice and sausage rolls on between innings?
    • Patricia Bremner 13.1

      13 May 2022 at 7:28 pm

      You could try. (they would need to be good sausage rolls or a helping of hangi)?

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