Consider careers alongside caring for “the groaning needs of the world” – Professor Bradstock’s graduation address.
Even more than thinking about your career, give some thought to your calling or vocation.
What you want to achieve beyond a successful career. What you can do, not just for yourself, but for the greater good.
As many people will have told you, you have enormous potential as a graduate of this university. But be your own person. Don’t accept what other people tell you is possible or ‘realistic’. Use what you have learned here to serve, of course yourself, but also a higher purpose – what one commentator calls the ‘groaning needs of the world’.
As we face the very real and impending threat of global warming and rising sea levels, think about how you can most effectively be an agent for positive change.
As we see violence and aggression met on every occasion with more violence and aggression, think how you might promote an attitude of peace.
As we reflect that thousands of children still die every day from preventable diseases, and lack of food and water, think how you can leave the world a better place than you found it.
For the first time in history we have the knowledge, technology and resources to bring the worst of global poverty virtually to an end. What we don’t have is the political will to do so.
We have the capability, as a global community, to reduce our carbon emissions and slow the rate of global warming. What we don’t have is the political will to do so.
As you face the future you have a choice between cynicism and hope. A choice between believing nothing can change, and being committed to make it change. And by ‘hope’ I do not mean a vague feeling that maybe things will one day get better.
Well we have just gone through a period of more quakes here in Chch. Lots of 3’s and a 5.2 a few days ago.
This is the period that Ken Ring said would be at risk of increased activity due to the gravitational effect of the moon etc. May was going to be the next busy period and so it has been.
Given that the moon is currently a ‘waxing crescent’ or 39% of full, I’m intrigued as to how come sometimes it’s when the moon is full that we have more quakes, and other times it doesn’t matter? Surely there should be something consistent that he is ‘predicting’ from.
To be honest I haven’t followed the detail but it is to do with how close the moon gets to earth not so much full or not. I am not a ‘convert’ but the basic premise that increased gravity will place increased pressure on the earth (as it does with tides) seems entirely sound. And anecdotely it seems to be lining up. I just find it interesting.
From memory it has to do with how close the moon is to the earth (apogee or perigee or somewhere between giving potential strengths of influence); or if it is close, but directly on the other side of the earth; whether it is heading towards northern or southern declination; and if these paths cross or follow a fault line for increased potential. Much the same as predicting the weather by lunar influences, but also several degrees removed, while appearing to be simply linear calculations, which makes it difficult at best.
For example, it’s easy to see in hindsight a certain moon phase, air tide or distance from earth results in increased activity (weather or geological phenomenon) on earth, but locating the single trigger that gaurantees “a big earthquake right on spot X” is an extrapolation too far.
It’s like pointing out a social problem, forgetting to ask if the problem is symptom, but charging ahead anyway; measuring the problem with the wrong measures; compiling the raw data into statistics; changing policy to meet the “problem”; only to find reality has changed and policy fails. Dynamic systems that are easy to trace and control wouldn’t be called dynamic.
Social issues don’t happen in a vaccum and neither do earthquakes. Proving the moon controls the weather might a be a favourite measuring device, but that doesn’t prove they dictate earthquakes and an attempt to make the measuring tool fit the problem is pretty much the bane of modern life and politics.
The fullness of the moon is irrelevant. It is only full or not depending on the relationship of the sun shining on the moon and the place of the viewer. The Moon is still a full sphere regardless of the sun. The bits that change are the distances between Earth and Moon as Uturn says, plus Solar and planetary effects.
The bit that has always been interesting to me is that as the Moon causes marine tides, it also causes Earth Crust tides.
Earth tides or terrestrial tides affect the entire Earth’s mass, which acts similarly to a liquid gyroscope with a very thin crust. The Earth’s crust shifts (in/out, east/west, north/south) in response to lunar and solar gravitation, ocean tides, and atmospheric loading. While negligible for most human activities, terrestrial tides’ semi-diurnal amplitude can reach about 55 centimetres (22 in) at the equator—15 centimetres (5.9 in) due to the sun—which is important in GPS calibration and VLBI measurements.
Tidal forces on the earth are at their strongest during full and new moon. When the Sun and moon are in opposition or conjunction their tidal pull is combined. Hence “Spring tides”.
During a half moon the tidal pull is almost at right angles and the effect on the earth is less.
It is acknowledged by quake scientists that tidal forces can have an effect on earthquakes, but it is thought to be slight compared with the other forces involved.
We would expect a slightly greater chance of earthquakes when the moon is closer. However as a predictive tool it falls down. The super moon was several weeks ago.
I have no issue with same sex partners caring for children who are not their birth children, but I was appalled to hear a gay woman speaking on Nat Radio who wants the right to adopt her partner’s two birth children. Doesn’t she realise that under the 1955 Adoption Act her partner would lose all legal rights to the children? Surely using the Guardianship Law under these circumstances would be a better solution, and the children would not become legally separated from their birth mother. Using the Adoption of children to score a “gay” point is despicable. It is well overdue for the Adoption Act 1955 to be totally repealed and the Guardianship Act used for the care of children. The Adoption Act 1955 turns children into chattels and creates ownership for the adopter. Whether in a civil union, partnership or marriage the birth parent is no longer legally considered the parent of the children and in a possible subsequent custody issue would have no legal standing.
Janice, the point is that under the existing Adoption Act 1955 she can’t adopt them.
She wants the act changed so that she can. One would presume at the same time that if she were to adopt them in her situation, the biological mother would not lose all her rights, because obviously the legislation would have been changed.
My brain was engaged, have you read the Adoption Act 1955? You presume that the act would be changed at the same time as same sex adoption was enacted, do you trust politicians that much? As someone who has made many written and oral submissions since Muldoon was blocking the Adult Adoption Act I know that this is something that the polies don’t want to touch. Adoption as it now stands creates a legal ownership of children and is a cruel practice both for the children and thier birth parents. The only way is to repeal the act and replace it with an amended Guardianship Act.
Kevin Hague and Nikki Kaye are working together on a bill that addresses this. Jacinda Adern has a separate bill – maybe they should combine their efforts.
Young Nats got a remit passed at the northern conference, and Key sounds sympathetic to it.
So you’re assuming when she said “adopt” she meant the legislative 1955 “adoption” term and not the colloquial “adoption” term. I don’t really think that’s a sensible assumption to make without further evidence that yes, she did actually want to own the child like a chattel and take away the rights from the birth mother.
It’s fine for you to raise this distinction, but to effectively accuse this woman of being a monster (you are “appalled” and think she is “despicable”), to further your own stance on the issue, is pretty rude.
I am sorry if I offended anyone. I was appalled and found it despicable that nobody had told her the outcome of legal adoption in New Zealand. There is no alternative to legal adoption under law in this country other than the 1955 act. In the circumstances guardianship is the much better alternative and should be promoted. If this partnership broke up after adoption, the adopter would have custody of the children and the birthmother would have no rights in any dispute as she has been wiped off the children’s birth certificate and a new one issued. Many people think that open adoption is the solultion, but it is not a legislated practice and adopters can and do cut off all contact regardless of any contract drawn up before the adoption, becasue the baby who the contract was about no longer exists in law.
It’s quite possible that she was simply ignorant of all of the specific details, because adoption isn’t an option for her (not being ‘married’) and therefore isn’t aware of all the legal ins and outs of it.
Or, she is entirely aware of all of this and did mean exactly what she said and does want a 1955 legal adoption of the children. We can’t really know for sure, but I think in the absence of any further evidence it’s fairer to give people the benefit of the doubt and assume she was talking colloquially or in ignorance.
It’s fine for you to raise this distinction, but to effectively accuse this woman of being a monster (you are “appalled” and think she is “despicable”), to further your own stance on the issue, is pretty rude.
IMO, it’s very rude of you to accuse Janice of being rude! You don’t know her circumstances and adoption is a very emotional subject and always will be. Those of us who have lost children that way, never recover from it, no matter what the middle class kiddies (who are 90% of adopting ‘parents’ would like to believe). Adoption is always wrong, unless it’s inter-family adoption of genuine orphans, otherwise it amounts to the well-off ‘buying’ a child on the pretence that the child they’re taking is ‘unwanted’.
but I was appalled to hear a gay woman speaking on Nat Radio who wants the right to adopt her partner’s two birth children. Doesn’t she realise that under the 1955 Adoption Act her partner would lose all legal rights to the children?
Thoroughly agreed, Janice! It’s the ownership aspect that upsets my son the most (his brother was adopted away from our family when I was 18, not through my choice, I assure you!)
So Mr Conservative Party craig has been trying to buy himself some political ifluence, via a seat in parliament (as campaigned for in last year’s election). In so doing, he used a lot of his own money and some creative accounting.
Conservative Party leader Colin Craig loaned $1.9 million to his party for its election expenses, but this month wrote off $1.6 million of that loan as a donation.
[…]
Labour MP David Parker said if Mr Craig himself had loaned the money in election year, it was odd to subsequently transform it into a donation after the election return period ended.
“If it’s permissible as law to have a loan instead of a donation, which after the election period you can then forgive and treat as a donation, it just shows again how completely inadequate our rules are on transparency on donation in New Zealand.”
Funding rules for elections need a big overhaul. it should never be about the wealthy being able to buy elections, even while the less well-off are increasingly giving up on our so-called “democracy.”
— I wonder how long it will take, until we are no longer allowed to drive a car for ourselves!
1: What consitutes dangerous driving, anyone got the official word?
2: What other gadgets will be forced into cars.. always start it off with something for “yours and others” safety, then progress into any other in car device you might want to use to “control safety”
Must be smoke and mirrors day at the NZH, actually scrub, thats everyday. There is never any serious news happening so far as reporting in NZ goes!
They do have a minority of significant news articles, but you have to hunt for them beneath/beyond the tabloidish headlines and spin on the main pages.
Meanwhile both Stuff and NZH focus on aged care, as does Nine-to-Noon. Surely the exploitation of women workers (usually from immigrant or marginalised ethnic groups) in the sector is scandalous.
The government says they have other priorities.
I think the whole care of the aged issues needs a major re-think. Elderly people in their final decline are shut away in below standard facilities. How about a solution that involves valuing the elderly and keeping them more within the mainstream community?
The thought of ending up in a cheap resthome is motivation for many people I know to ‘get ahead’ so they can look after themselves in their old age. These are the same people who believe that a little suffering now for the masses will benefit the masses in future. I dont think many realise how much their ‘fantasy’ retirement is going to cost them, or that fewer and fewer people are actually living the dream (thanks to more competition plus greedy investment bankers losing other people’s savings). I guess it’s comforting for them to believe they may be one of the chosen ones that ‘make it’, rather than be seen as pessimistic.
It is a shame that a person’s contribution to society is measured purely by how much money they put in the kitty. It’s pretty well documented that outcomes are more positive for elderly who are able to remain in a familiar environment, or at least with familiar people around them. The recent ruling regarding carers of disabled family members gives me a shred of hope that looking after one’s aging family member will be viewed with the same importance in the future.
There is regular promotion for the idea that a couple should be able to retire and live at the same level as when they were working. For people comfortably off, the pension plus their own investments allow them to hold onto their million dollar houses and have holidays and spend on up to date vehicles and household machinery. The idea of limiting cash to those with plenty through surtax is far too unpleasant to contemplate, let the poor scrape by as best they can.
Hey Muzza. I get what you’re saying about this being an insignificant issue in light of big news and I hear you questioning the validity of measures to decrease damage from dangerous drivers. Indeed measuring “dangerous driving” has its challenges. However please be aware that NZ has many victims of drunk drivers. I have been one of them as a passenger, 23 years ago and the effects of my injuries from my “accident” are still with me today, affecting many aspects of my life. The drunk driver got away with it. I also had a friend who lost her just about to be son in law to a drunk driver who had 44, yes 44, drink driving convictions. The grief for that family was unbearable. Last year my nephew ended up taking a year to rehabilitate after he was a victim of another drink driver. I have many other examples but would run out of room here.
Even though I’ve been a victim of drunk drivers as well as other serious crimes I’m not into an SST type “lock em up and throw away the key” mentality. But I do support efforts to control drink drivers and other dangerous drivers, and believe me there are many sober dangerous drivers on the road too. I’ve had years of working on the road and have been witness to and continue to witness insane driving behaviour just about every time I drive.
I probably should have been a little more detailed with why I think that particular article was referred to as BS…
Let me say that I think much heavier punishments for drink driving injuries/deaths is the way to go, I am in agreement with this 100%. Drink driving has very clear and understood parameters, and measures for what “drunk” is.
Its when I hear the term dangerous driving, and then not able to get clear consenus on what that is, or that “the authorities” get to decide, because frankly this could see alot of people in prison when they potentially should not be, and this is where problems can really start.
Drunk driving and dangerous driving, should not be classified under the same heading IMO…
Ill also add that given our increased population, and road journeys vs road toll, where is the mention of how we have improved its been a dramatic lowering…Its only ever a drive to have a lower road toll, which at is at a certain juncture, no longer possible using the current methods. This is where I don’t like the look of where it could be heading….As I said, how long until humans are not allowed to drive their own cars anymore!
I am also against legislating against people because of the lowest possible denominator in society, but I am in facour of making existing pentalies severe, in the case of drink driving, not only causing death or injury, but in general for being DIC.
There are many times the equivilant deaths of our road toll being killed by all manor of other factors, which are not being addressed, and then there is the poverty issue involving hundreds of thousands….yet we focus on a few hundred on the road…
Thats my major issue…wrong focus, too hard basket, pick the easier option of road related!
There should have zero tolerance for driving after drinking any alcohol.
I mean zero/none at all alcohol in the persons system.
This way a drastic reduction in accidents which cause pain to the family
E molto difficile imbattersi in inglese dopo aver vissuto in Italia per 25 anni
I finding it hard to make my English clear to understand what I mean 🙂
muzza
What has stunned me about drunk driving sentences is to hear that they aren’t MADE to go to courses on good driving, taken through defensive driving practices, have to attend programs helping them to find their own ways to limit their drinking, and if they continue to offend after all this, have their car sold and get put into jail for ten years at least because they are a danger to society, and in reoffending again show a big likelihood to be potential murderers.
Everyone seems to agree that ” driving under the influnce” is a very real problem.
There is a solution. Alcoholics Anonymous has been solving the problem for a long time now with a personal, mentor style approach. BUT first, the person having trouble with alcohol has to acknowledge that they have a problem. This is a turning point that each individual has to face. We can not do it for them. Putting them in prison makes so many feel persecuted. What they need is some form of mentor to take a personal interest in them. There are various charities trying to help those in prison but you can only offer. You can not force yourself upon them.
You can lead a horse to water but you can not make it drink.
You’re right Prism, and scooters are a perfectly acceptable mode of transport for adults in Vienna. They call them ‘rollers’ and ride them on footpaths or bike lanes depending on speed. As with cycling, over here it’s not about sport and how fast you can go, it’s simply getting from A to B with ease.
A day or so ago someone posted part the recorded dialogue of Tame Iti and his buddies discussing/joking about Bush as a target using a bus catapaulted towards his head .. can’t find it anywhere now .. any help to find it please ?? many thx.
Hey Muzza, thanks for clarifying.
Firstly I do get what you are saying about the NZH and what they choose to or choose not to report, and how such an article deflects from other also serious issues. EG I wonder how many people die prematurely each year in NZ as a direct result of poverty and would we ever see an article about that? Probably not because people living in poverty are kept hidden and it maybe unpleasant for the media to acknowledge such a shameful reality. Like Carol said above sometimes there is important issues published such as yesterdays very thorough article on stuff.co.nz about the exploitation of elder care workers, the appalling state of our care and respect, or lack of it towards our elders and the view of elders being a cash cow for some businesses. Stuff seem to save their decent journalism for a Sunday. Every other day is some sensationalist BS in which they will open up a comments section for the right wing retards to have a little moan. If we relied on fairfax for unbiased news we’d never learn a thing. There is good journalism available to us. scoop.co.nz is reliable for NZ and international news with a focus on political events. Have you visited http://www.democracynow.org? Some interesting reporting there too.
Secondly dangerous drivers being jailed. I’d eat my hat if I ever saw that happen. Try reporting dangerous drivers and see how seriously the cops take you. Dangerous driving isn’t even on our radar as an issue. No ones going to take away anyones keys in a private car mad country like NZ. Lol, the AA are very effective at lobbying for drivers, er “rights”. I’m an AA member but man have they got their priorities wrong about public transport. Honestly humans will be allowed to drive their cars as long as we have enough oil to run. Nothing to worry about there.
Rosie, I tend to pick on the NZH and other MSM outlets, as this is where the perceptions are formed for those who feel that they need a “current affairs fix”, and then want to feel like they are on top of the issues as a result.
Plenty of other options to research, but keeping an eye on the MSM is important, for the reason I mention above, as it helps to understand where they are trying to deflect towards.
Dangerous driving takes many forms, actually if there were proper standards for measuring the ability of people to drive, there would be few people on the roads. Driving is a 360 degree exercise requiring multiple abilities operating effectively at the same time, most people simply do not have these capabilities, and should not be in control of a vehicle!
Driving is a 360 degree exercise requiring multiple abilities operating effectively at the same time, most people simply do not have these capabilities, and should not be in control of a vehicle!
Well, good job we can now remove drivers from vehicles then. Hell, if I was a bus company I’d be lobbying the government for this technology to become legal ASAP and if I was government I would actually do it. The biggest expense for running buses (and trains for that matter) is the drivers, remove the drivers and they become significantly cheaper to run.
As someone who is intimately involved in paying to keep buses on the road for a fair size company, I can assure you Draco, the drivers wages are far from the greatest expense in that exercise.
I read a study that said the opposite. It was about the balancing act between having lots of PT so that people could go where they wanted when they wanted and the costs of that PT. It pointed out that the more time per day on the road you had the more bus drivers would be needed but not necessarily more buses. The bus could be used at both the 6am and the 6pm run but you couldn’t use the same bus driver which made bus drivers the determining factor for how much PT coverage you had.
Self-drive buses and trains removes that particular resource limit and frees up a lot of people to do more important things (real economics). Of course, under capitalism and the delusional monetary system that we have that latter won’t actually happen – they’ll just end up on the dole and the RWNJs will be whinging about having to pay taxes.
I won’t deny what you say re needing 2 or more drivers per bus per day, but the cost is not as high as the costs of maintaining the vehicles in a roadworthy condition. Think about what it costs to buy spare parts for a european car, say a bmw or mercedes, then realise that abbout 90% of buses on NZ roads are european in origin, MAN, Scania, Volvo etc. The cost of spare parts is huge and with vehicles being used for, as you say, long periods of the day, the use of spae parts is equally significant. bus drivers earn about $17-$19 per hour so at the top end gross about $152 per 8 hour shift, enough to cover the cost of a single brake rotor. They never get changed 1 at a time. Just saying. Anway, off to bed have a great night
bus drivers earn about $17-$19 per hour so at the top end gross about $152 per 8 hour shift, enough to cover the cost of a single brake rotor.
The correct comparison is how much maintenance costs on a per hour basis.
Think about what it costs to buy spare parts for a european car, say a bmw or mercedes, then realise that abbout 90% of buses on NZ roads are european in origin, MAN, Scania, Volvo etc.
You can’t compare the prices of luxury private vehicles with very standard commercial vehicles.
“Perhaps you need to learn how to read TRiPe, where have I mentioned ‘heavies’.”
When you referred to thugs, Rob. A heavy is another word for thug. To make it easier for you to understand I even added an emphasiser, putting the word heavy in single quotation marks so that even the dull witted would get the connection. Comprende?
If anyone bothers to read Stuff, you will notice that they are now publishing lists of the Top 10 most clicked stories of the week. It’s budget week, so politics must be high on the nation’s agenda. Actually, as it turns out, the number of stories about politics is equalled by the number of stories about naked bottoms. http://afinetale.blogspot.co.nz/2012/05/stuff-top-10-budget-week-special.html
Ryman dont make much out of care at all, profit comes from resale of units.
They are very very smart property developers and the scale and placement of operations helps too.
David Parker has really disspointed me in the past week.
In a week when he had the chance to show why he should be the next Finance Minister I am left wondering why the greens are not more popular. My vote is just about in their camp now.
On the Nation he was terrible. When given the chance with an open question to articulate what Labour would have done differently, he came out with a nothing answer “we would be focussing on growth”. What the fuck does that mean and once again what would you be doing.
He then had the gall to suggest the CGT was Labour’s idea and ignored the fact the greens have had it as central plank for years. In fact everything that Labour proposes which differs from National, is a Green economic policy. They seem to me to either be National lite, or Green Lite. There is no positive difference between them and one of those two parties.
Shearer has to bury his issues with Cunliffe and put him back in charge of finance. Parker is not up to the job. He had weeks to be ready for Thursday. All he could come up with were meaningless slogans.
Consider the point in the electoral cycle. I’m not convinced that Cunliffe would have been able to say a lot more in specifics either.
Labour just came out of a nasty defeat where they had some very specific economic policies and aren’t wanting to lay their policies out widely just yet. I don’t necessarily agree with that approach, but that’s the approach they’re taking, so if Cunliffe were in the hotseat it’s hard to see him being significantly different.
Meanwhile the Greens don’t seem to have any worry about putting their policies out whenever they have them – they had their Alternative Budget all ready to go and have done similar things in previous years.
+1. Parker has been pathetic from the get go, plenty of lies from NACT, numbers and evidence yet nada from the smarmy candidate for Epsom.
And if shearer doesn’t replace Parker with someone who can articulate simply, keep the message short and show some passion about where the NACT are driving us and highlight the alternatives then Shearer/Robertson need to go also.
Man up DS and make the call and make it your call without the duck and other past their use by date advisors. Show you can lead labour back to being a major party and not contuning on to becoming a minor party.
Their hardcore is drifting away under DS/GR’s tenure, a hardcore that’s critical to election sucess.
Main Stream Media and its manipulation of business confidence! Sucking people down the gurgler everyday with a smiling face.Yuck. Whores we say WHORES.
and….THE VATICAN. THE WHORE OF BABYLON THAT BITCH. oops, caps stuck.
The Vatican is enormous influence in all the aspects of Italian Peoples lives.
The Vatican itself is independent state within Italy.
The Papal doesnt extend now to outside the Vatican but the influence in everyday life significant in modern Italy
Everyday we were bombarded on TV with the Popes messages and what they Vatican has been up to. They refuse to report everything though of course.
Memeber of Berlosconi’s PDL party belong to a Roman Catholic sect called Comunione e Liberazione – Communion and Liberation.
When the Vatican disagrees with any aspect of policies of the government these members of Comunione e Liberazione lend their support to blocking legislation which is goes against the teachings of the Vatican
Radionz 7.25 a.m this morning
Jo Goodhew, Associate Health Minister was very nifty – didn’t answer any question but each time came up with some deflecting comment about govt’s efforts. A piece of perfection of the PR trainer’s art.
The NACTs have up and coming female talent for another Shipton, Richardson type dame, scrooge leader when John Key biggers off. Look out men you’ll have to raise your sights and get them between the eyes. Ooh will I have a police contingent on my doorstep for saying that.
Any deviations from average normal behavior will mean public electrocution results.
Slow, mentally or health challenged, and Police will be provoked to public electrocution.
Ordinarily brain damage in custody, or during arrest, immediately causes a Police investigation.
Is the justification for all Police assaults to be – well we could of used a gun?
Police freed up from aggressive arrests have opened up cost savings, but at what social harm?
Shifting the risks of public policing onto those who come in contact with Police harms the standing of Police.
If one person shrinks from calling Police due to memories of being tasered, surely in time more will, and police job actually becomes harder in the long term.
Now that ACC has been removed from those injured when dealing with Police, there is no limit on the remedied consequential harm for all who are less socially adept. Government has over time put mental health
patients back into the community, hospitals are now finding faster ways to get the ill back home,
more are running around with pace makers, if citizens aren’t given the opportunity to back off and
will still get tasers then they are less likely to have positive outlooks of engaging Police.
The heavier the concrete thrown the harder it is to be accurate, even harder at night, if someone threw a piece on my lawn I might be apt to throw it back having enjoyed too many beers at home, should Police then rock up and aggravate the situation by tasering you on your garage forecourt, leaving you with a head injury? a baton would have been less cruel. What’s worse if you suffer from retardation due to an accident and you haven’t connected that the concrete is your own, that the flashing lights are in fact Police not a raging boy racer? should Police have assumed that if someone was throwing concrete that it was likely they weren’t willing to engage more personally, and so likely were not a threat UNLESS approached and that when they did, the individual backed up!#@ and so was even less likely to be immediately likely to harm others? Did this incident really require the Police to escalate to the use of force?
Its not good enough that Tasers don’t harm the majority much, since they would not even have been certified for use had this been the case. Tasers however do harm certain groups of the population disproportionately and are discrimatory in my view. Do we really want Police work to become so easy that public electricution becomes a bit of fun for the public, they can get over it?
Instead of just chatting for a while longer before they arrest them? Which I might add he justly deserved, but not a brain injury
I didn’t know that a claim can’t be made on ACC if injured by police. I would guess that people cannot claim on the police either. Who pays for the poor to get treatment after a run in with the police which leaves them with injury? Even if it was self-defence for the police recovery would need medical help.
Tasers ‘are a substitute for lethal force’ was the line from bluebelly HQ when they were first introduced. Practice has shown that they are often employed to obtain compliance or punish when cops can’t be bothered negotiating or even drawing a baton.
When the groupthink and excitement gets hot, police can’t be trusted to control themselves when using tasers or guns. They mightn’t be able to control underbelly type criminals in Sydney but the biscuit pinchers petty criminality sure brings out the people hating response in them.
I recall posting last week, that the NZ Herald’s article about an “average” family who thought the budget was sensible, looked far from average to me.
Tapu Misa agrees, in another insightful piece from her – this time on aged care workers, how they are underpaid and exploited, and paid less in private care facilities than in government ones.
On Campbell Live last week, a tired-looking single mother of two talked about life on the $13.50 minimum wage.
“Come and live my life,” challenged Kelly Belsher, a minimum-wage cleaner and part-time student. “Not for a week, not for a month. [For] at least six months – no car, no home phone – for the insanity to really set in, the hopelessness, the desperation.”
I suspect the careworn Kelly wouldn’t have been as relaxed about the zero budget as the “average” Auckland family featured in the Herald a couple of days later.
They pronounced it “sensible”, which may have had something to do with their household income being above $105,000, making them better off than three-quarters of households. Austerity looks a little different on the minimum wage.
What do you do when you are an MP, and a lowly paid elderly female process server hands you documents?
Apparently, the approved action is to find out who the server is ( which is how you know they used a false name – probably just as well for them ) and then post a picture of them on the Internet. I wonder if the party leader will say anything?
Lowly paid? Elderly!? You know her age and fees, do you? And you are wrong to say that Mallard knows her real name, but he does know the name she gave is not real, it was made up to help her get access.
My point was he obviously checked up on her name, which is how he knows it was a false name. Who cares what the process server’s name is? Why did he want to know? Scary stuff.
The other two points, I simply “assumed”, based on what I saw in the photo and what I imagine a process server would get paid. But you are right, maybe she is the CEO of a process serving conglomerate and is one of the 1%.
Good grief. Fucking noobs, what’s wrong with hosting a PDF! It’d costs a fraction of a cent per download even in it’s multi-10s of megabyte bloated glory.
Not meaning to push pdf or any particular format, just saying $6.9 is very inefficient.
And the ‘App’ format would only be a trivial little convenience for a few owners of ipads and smartphones that care. Devices on which a pdf or some other mundane format would work on anyway.
But I guess it’s trendy and trying to look up with the play wins votes I suppose.
And next year when it gets used again the price of the app goes down per user. It also happens to be a lot easier to use than a PDF. In fact, I really do wish people would stop using PDFs – they really suck at being a good information distribution system. Probably because they were designed for printing. Which bring me to the next point:
Finance Minister Bill English said the development costs would be funded from $100,000 or more in expected savings in Budget printing.
Which do you think is cheaper, 57k or 100k?
The only problem I have with it is that they didn’t launch a PC version.
Personally I find PDFs of long documents fine, as long as the tables of contents and figures are hyperlinked. Without hyperlinks it gets ugly, quick.
And one of my IT friend’s pet topics is the diversity of functionality within the pdf format – apparently 90% never gets used, including a lot of interactive stuff like forms and online data submission/retrieval. The things one discovers over beer…
You could be forgiven for assuming beneficiaries and the poor are sucking up resources unfairly, completely to blame for our economy stalling and many New Zealanders feeling frightened and even so hungry they eat pig scraps.
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8. The universe was ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
Peter Dunne writes – The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
…it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisitionNOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes – The High Court ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same?Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Opinion: The impression from the carpark is very inviting. The area is well fenced but barred so there is easy visibility of loved ones. Inside, the spaces are welcoming and clean and staff are friendly and clearly comfortable. I am greeted by ‘Kim’. She has worked here for three years, ...
After the Christchurch earthquake, the then-national civil defence boss compared his experience to “putting a team on the rugby field who have never ever played together before”. Now, eight years later – and following a damning inquiry into the emergency response of cyclones Gabrielle, Hale and the Auckland anniversary weekend floods – ...
“I had just come off the end of a major robbery case which I had been working on for six months when I got a call on the afternoon of September 1, 1992, that some remains had been found at a building site in Devonport, so I drove over with ...
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Comment: Journalists are very good at telling other people’s stories, but they fall well short when writing about their own profession. Perhaps that is why it is so undervalued. Every successive poll on the public’s attitude toward journalism is more alarming than the last. In the last month we have ...
Opinion: A young Māori woman and her Pacific partner arrive at their local hospital by ambulance. She has gone into labour at just under 24 weeks, but the couple haven’t recognised the symptoms – and don’t know the risks of premature birth for their baby. By the time they arrive, ...
Behind closed doors, NZ First will be arguing fiercely against any watering down of the ministerial decision-making powers in the Bill The post Bishop backtracks after fast-track backlash appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Asia Pacific Report A Pacific civil society alliance has condemned French neocolonial policies in Kanaky New Caledonia, saying Paris is set on “maintaining the status quo” and denying the indigenous Kanak people their inalienable right to self-determination. The Pacific Regional Non-Governmental Organisations (PRNGOs) Alliance, representing some 15 groups, said in ...
Koi Tū New Zealand cannot sit back and see the collapse of its Fourth Estate, the director of Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures, Sir Peter Gluckman, says in the foreword of a paper published today. The paper, “If not journalists, then who?” paints a picture of an industry ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Foreign investment proposals with implications for Australia’s strategic or economic security will face tougher scrutiny, under a policy overhaul to be announced by Treasurer Jim Chalmers on Wednesday. At the same time, the government ...
A Waitangi Tribunal inquiry report has warned government that a repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act could cause harm to children in care. ...
The Treasury has published today three new papers covering government consumption multipliers, automatic stabilisers and the impacts of global shocks on New Zealand’s economy. ...
Asia Pacific Report The Pacific state of Hawai’i’s House of Representatives has joined the state’s Senate in calling for a ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza, becoming the first state to pass such a resolution, reports Hawaii News Now. In March, the Senate passed a ceasefire resolution with a 24–1 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Ferrie, A/Prof, UTS Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Research and ARC DECRA Fellow, University of Technology Sydney PsiQuantum The Australian government has announced a pledge of approximately A$940 million (US$617 million) to PsiQuantum, a quantum computing start-up company based in Silicon Valley. Half ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hunter Bennett, Lecturer in Exercise Science, University of South Australia Cameron Prins/Shutterstock If you spend a lot of time exploring fitness content online, you might have come across the concept of heart rate zones. Heart rate zone training has become more ...
SPECIAL REPORT:By Eugene Doyle He is the most popular Palestinian leader alive today — and yet few people in the West even know his name. Absolutely no one in Gaza or the West Bank does not know him. That difference speaks volumes about who dominates the media narrative that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Will McCallum, PhD Candidate – School of Communication and Creative Arts, Deakin University Earlier this year, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of not supporting Operation Sovereign Borders – the military-led border security operation that has “closed Australia’s borders ...
By Melyne Baroi in Port Moresby A Papua New Guinea MP, Peter Isoaimo, who had been ousted by the National Court in an alleged bribery case, has been reinstated by the Supreme Court on appeal. A three-member Supreme Court bench found that the National Court had erred in finding that ...
Publisher Chris Holdaway reflects on the unique project of collecting the work of the late, terrific poet Schaeffer Lemalu. One of the nice things you can do as a truly independent publisher is to make the books that writers want to make, whatever they happen to be. That’s how I’ve ...
Those profiled in the stamp series served on overseas deployments from 1995 onwards, and all have been awarded theNew Zealand Operational Service Medal. ...
Last night’s dismal poll result for the coalition government shows the limits of trying to govern as an opposition, argues Joel MacManus. There’s a quote from the American political activist Barbara Deming: “Vengeance is not the point; change is. But the trouble is that in most people’s minds, the thought ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shireen Morris, Associate Professor and Director of the Radical Centre Reform Lab at Macquarie University Law School, Macquarie University Leonid Andronov/Shutterstock Foreign interference in Australian democracy poses a growing risk to our national sovereignty. It refers to coercive, corrupt or ...
A defendant charged by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has pleaded guilty to four charges of obtaining by deception in relation to a mortgage fraud scheme. Sentencing has been scheduled for 14 August 2024. ...
What to say when pesky journalists ask gotcha questions like ‘can you name a single book you’ve ever read?’ and ‘did you read it, or did you just see the movie?’This week, Act Party arts spokesperson Todd Stephenson foolishly agreed to an interview with Newsroom’s Steve Braunias regarding his ...
Explainer - What will a ban on cellphones in schools achieve? Can students use them during lunch breaks? And what happens if you need to contact your child? ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jodi Rowley, Curator, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation Biology, Australian Museum, UNSW Sydney Jodi Rowley, CC BY-NC-ND In winter 2021, Australia’s frogs started dropping dead. People began posting images of dead frogs on social media. Unable to travel to investigate the deaths ...
In the year ended March 2024, 0.4 percent of home transfers were to people who didn’t hold New Zealand citizenship or a resident visa, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wasay Majid, Research Assistant , University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau New Zealand’s accommodation supplement scheme is facing scrutiny, with Social Development Minister Louise Upston recently saying “there is merit in considering whether the current settings are fair and sustainable long-term”. The ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor The first prime ministerial candidate has been announced in Solomon Islands and it is not Manasseh Sogavare. The man of the hour is Jeremiah Manele, the MP for Hograno/Kia/Havulei constituency in Isabel Province, who served as minister of foreign affairs in the last government. ...
Protesting the removal of bins by leaving piles of your dog’s shit for others to deal with doesn’t make you a hero – it’s precious and entitled behaviour. You haven’t truly lived until you’ve stood on the shoreline of Auckland’s Cheltenham beach, desperately trying to scoop increasingly liquid dog shit ...
Analysis - Christopher Luxon will be alert to the factors driving the dire polling, but won't be waving the white flag just yet, RNZ political editor Jo Moir writes. ...
Writer, teacher and academic Vincent O’Sullivan died on Sunday 28 April. Here we gather tributes from friends, colleagues, and students who remember his extraordinary contributions. I went down to the garage tonight. There was a bird shrieking out in the bush, in the dark, maybe a kākā. Miraculously, through the ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a burnt-out corporate escapee explains how she gets by ‘working as little as possible’. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here.Gender: Female Age: 31 Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: Contractor in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Schmidt, Professor of Chemistry, UNSW Sydney Albert Russ / Shutterstock The icebreaker of many a barbeque conversation is something like “what do you do for a crust?” “I teach chemistry at university,” is what we usually reply. Then silence. Our ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Asher Flynn, Associate Professor of Criminology, Monash University Shutterstock Sexual harassment is often considered to be a person-to-person act, but new research shows Australians are also experiencing and perpetrating workplace harassment in large numbers through technology. Our latest study shows one ...
A petition signed by more than 16,500 people, demanding the government take stronger action to halt the genocide of Palestinians by the State of Israel, is being presented to the House of Representatives today by Hon Phil Twyford. ...
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Winston Peters might not give a ‘rat’s derriere’ about last night’s poll, but it revealed the unusual absence of a honeymoon period and little payoff for the government’s action plan approach, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in ...
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The government's treatment of Māori raised eyebrows, with countries saying New Zealand needed to do more to reduce health, education and justice inequities. ...
The age of criminal responsibility was one of numerous human rights issues raised during Aotearoa New Zealand’s UPR. Other key themes were racism and discrimination, the disproportionate representation of Māori in prison, and to uphold the UN Declaration ...
In a sitdown interview ahead of his final day at Parliament this week, the former Green Party co-leader tells RNZ about his lowest point during 2017's rough election campaign. ...
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Above the Fold: On Monday, the biggest Māori screen production company faced down the biggest funder of Māori content at the High Court. It was an incredibly tense moment – then, just as quickly, it resolved. Duncan Greive breaks down a strange day in the screen sector.Yesterday morning, Māori ...
It’s a ride that’s lasted almost 30 years for mother and daughter BMX riders Nancy and Toni James, and the next stop is the World Championships in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Almost 27 years ago, Nancy and her husband Gerrard took their oldest child, Daniel, to the Waitākere BMX Club. ...
When it comes to talking about the Government’s controversial fast-track consenting process, political scientist Richard Shaw refers to the famous Chinese sci-fi novel Three-Body Problem, while RNZ’s In Depth journalist Farah Hancock talks about zombie projects. Shaw is referring to the three-party coalition Government and how the proposed legislation is ...
Opinion: The debate over single gender versus co-educational schooling has long been controversial. I went to a co-ed school and was inspired by a remarkable woman who was my maths teacher, and because of her deep knowledge and passion for the subject, I knew that maths was definitely an option ...
He won everything and he earned a knighthood and he was a senior literary figure to the point that he was a living monument to himself until his death in the weekend at 86, but there was something about Vincent O’Sullivan that flew under the radar, that was independent and ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rick Sarre, Emeritus Professor of Law and Criminal Justice, University of South Australia The rate of women killed by their partners in Australia grew by 28% from 2021–22 to 2022–23, according to new statistics released today by the Australian Institute of Criminology ...
Ministry of Disabled People employees were promised a permanent role, but were told to start packing three weeks before their fixed term contract finished, says a former employee. ...
Consider careers alongside caring for “the groaning needs of the world” – Professor Bradstock’s graduation address.
The whole address is at Careers plus care for “the groaning needs of the world”.
(For those fussy about linking I asked for a source for this online and was sent the text for wider publication).
Well we have just gone through a period of more quakes here in Chch. Lots of 3’s and a 5.2 a few days ago.
This is the period that Ken Ring said would be at risk of increased activity due to the gravitational effect of the moon etc. May was going to be the next busy period and so it has been.
Maybe he is onto something…
Sorry to hear that people in Christchurch are suffering through another batch of quakes.
vto – the ‘super-moon” period was nothing out of the ordinary earthquake-wise, not a ringing endorsementn of moon-man’s predictive capabilities.
Given that the moon is currently a ‘waxing crescent’ or 39% of full, I’m intrigued as to how come sometimes it’s when the moon is full that we have more quakes, and other times it doesn’t matter? Surely there should be something consistent that he is ‘predicting’ from.
To be honest I haven’t followed the detail but it is to do with how close the moon gets to earth not so much full or not. I am not a ‘convert’ but the basic premise that increased gravity will place increased pressure on the earth (as it does with tides) seems entirely sound. And anecdotely it seems to be lining up. I just find it interesting.
From memory it has to do with how close the moon is to the earth (apogee or perigee or somewhere between giving potential strengths of influence); or if it is close, but directly on the other side of the earth; whether it is heading towards northern or southern declination; and if these paths cross or follow a fault line for increased potential. Much the same as predicting the weather by lunar influences, but also several degrees removed, while appearing to be simply linear calculations, which makes it difficult at best.
For example, it’s easy to see in hindsight a certain moon phase, air tide or distance from earth results in increased activity (weather or geological phenomenon) on earth, but locating the single trigger that gaurantees “a big earthquake right on spot X” is an extrapolation too far.
It’s like pointing out a social problem, forgetting to ask if the problem is symptom, but charging ahead anyway; measuring the problem with the wrong measures; compiling the raw data into statistics; changing policy to meet the “problem”; only to find reality has changed and policy fails. Dynamic systems that are easy to trace and control wouldn’t be called dynamic.
Social issues don’t happen in a vaccum and neither do earthquakes. Proving the moon controls the weather might a be a favourite measuring device, but that doesn’t prove they dictate earthquakes and an attempt to make the measuring tool fit the problem is pretty much the bane of modern life and politics.
The fullness of the moon is irrelevant. It is only full or not depending on the relationship of the sun shining on the moon and the place of the viewer. The Moon is still a full sphere regardless of the sun. The bits that change are the distances between Earth and Moon as Uturn says, plus Solar and planetary effects.
The bit that has always been interesting to me is that as the Moon causes marine tides, it also causes Earth Crust tides.
-Wikipedia.
Err. Not true.
The fullness of the moon is relevant.
Tidal forces on the earth are at their strongest during full and new moon. When the Sun and moon are in opposition or conjunction their tidal pull is combined. Hence “Spring tides”.
During a half moon the tidal pull is almost at right angles and the effect on the earth is less.
It is acknowledged by quake scientists that tidal forces can have an effect on earthquakes, but it is thought to be slight compared with the other forces involved.
We would expect a slightly greater chance of earthquakes when the moon is closer. However as a predictive tool it falls down. The super moon was several weeks ago.
Beautiful piece. Science philosopher? Gave us a warm fuzzy feeling.
Criticisms.? Welcome.
Ken Ring and Pete the first two posts
Yeech.
Oh well a Standard free day.
I have no issue with same sex partners caring for children who are not their birth children, but I was appalled to hear a gay woman speaking on Nat Radio who wants the right to adopt her partner’s two birth children. Doesn’t she realise that under the 1955 Adoption Act her partner would lose all legal rights to the children? Surely using the Guardianship Law under these circumstances would be a better solution, and the children would not become legally separated from their birth mother. Using the Adoption of children to score a “gay” point is despicable. It is well overdue for the Adoption Act 1955 to be totally repealed and the Guardianship Act used for the care of children. The Adoption Act 1955 turns children into chattels and creates ownership for the adopter. Whether in a civil union, partnership or marriage the birth parent is no longer legally considered the parent of the children and in a possible subsequent custody issue would have no legal standing.
Janice, the point is that under the existing Adoption Act 1955 she can’t adopt them.
She wants the act changed so that she can. One would presume at the same time that if she were to adopt them in her situation, the biological mother would not lose all her rights, because obviously the legislation would have been changed.
Engage brain before typing next time, maybe?
My brain was engaged, have you read the Adoption Act 1955? You presume that the act would be changed at the same time as same sex adoption was enacted, do you trust politicians that much? As someone who has made many written and oral submissions since Muldoon was blocking the Adult Adoption Act I know that this is something that the polies don’t want to touch. Adoption as it now stands creates a legal ownership of children and is a cruel practice both for the children and thier birth parents. The only way is to repeal the act and replace it with an amended Guardianship Act.
I agree Janice. The Adoption Act should be repealed.
Kevin Hague and Nikki Kaye are working together on a bill that addresses this. Jacinda Adern has a separate bill – maybe they should combine their efforts.
Young Nats got a remit passed at the northern conference, and Key sounds sympathetic to it.
If all this and more can come together it could be dealt with. Positive politics and gay adoption.
So you’re assuming when she said “adopt” she meant the legislative 1955 “adoption” term and not the colloquial “adoption” term. I don’t really think that’s a sensible assumption to make without further evidence that yes, she did actually want to own the child like a chattel and take away the rights from the birth mother.
It’s fine for you to raise this distinction, but to effectively accuse this woman of being a monster (you are “appalled” and think she is “despicable”), to further your own stance on the issue, is pretty rude.
I am sorry if I offended anyone. I was appalled and found it despicable that nobody had told her the outcome of legal adoption in New Zealand. There is no alternative to legal adoption under law in this country other than the 1955 act. In the circumstances guardianship is the much better alternative and should be promoted. If this partnership broke up after adoption, the adopter would have custody of the children and the birthmother would have no rights in any dispute as she has been wiped off the children’s birth certificate and a new one issued. Many people think that open adoption is the solultion, but it is not a legislated practice and adopters can and do cut off all contact regardless of any contract drawn up before the adoption, becasue the baby who the contract was about no longer exists in law.
It’s quite possible that she was simply ignorant of all of the specific details, because adoption isn’t an option for her (not being ‘married’) and therefore isn’t aware of all the legal ins and outs of it.
Or, she is entirely aware of all of this and did mean exactly what she said and does want a 1955 legal adoption of the children. We can’t really know for sure, but I think in the absence of any further evidence it’s fairer to give people the benefit of the doubt and assume she was talking colloquially or in ignorance.
IMO, it’s very rude of you to accuse Janice of being rude! You don’t know her circumstances and adoption is a very emotional subject and always will be. Those of us who have lost children that way, never recover from it, no matter what the middle class kiddies (who are 90% of adopting ‘parents’ would like to believe). Adoption is always wrong, unless it’s inter-family adoption of genuine orphans, otherwise it amounts to the well-off ‘buying’ a child on the pretence that the child they’re taking is ‘unwanted’.
We were adopted, then the better parent died. Very sad outcomes relatively.
Thoroughly agreed, Janice! It’s the ownership aspect that upsets my son the most (his brother was adopted away from our family when I was 18, not through my choice, I assure you!)
So Mr Conservative Party craig has been trying to buy himself some political ifluence, via a seat in parliament (as campaigned for in last year’s election). In so doing, he used a lot of his own money and some creative accounting.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10808910
Funding rules for elections need a big overhaul. it should never be about the wealthy being able to buy elections, even while the less well-off are increasingly giving up on our so-called “democracy.”
Carol, pretty clear that Craig underwrote the costs and waited till the total bill was known (less income) and wrote off the rest.
It is not as tho he was selling citizenship for donations or anything was it 🙂
It made sense to consider adoption and surrogacy together, as they reflected the more modern arrangements New Zealanders were choosing to structure their families.
— Yes aren’t we just the “modern” society, wow adressing these sorts of issues really gets to the heart of where NZ is going wrong. /sarc
Yet more smoke and mirrors for gullible people
Other measures already signed off include doubling prison penalties for dangerous drivers who cause death, and introducing alcohol-detecting car-ignition locks and a zero alcohol limit for repeat drink-drivers.
— I wonder how long it will take, until we are no longer allowed to drive a car for ourselves!
1: What consitutes dangerous driving, anyone got the official word?
2: What other gadgets will be forced into cars.. always start it off with something for “yours and others” safety, then progress into any other in car device you might want to use to “control safety”
Must be smoke and mirrors day at the NZH, actually scrub, thats everyday. There is never any serious news happening so far as reporting in NZ goes!
This issue is BS!
They do have a minority of significant news articles, but you have to hunt for them beneath/beyond the tabloidish headlines and spin on the main pages.
Meanwhile both Stuff and NZH focus on aged care, as does Nine-to-Noon. Surely the exploitation of women workers (usually from immigrant or marginalised ethnic groups) in the sector is scandalous.
The government says they have other priorities.
I think the whole care of the aged issues needs a major re-think. Elderly people in their final decline are shut away in below standard facilities. How about a solution that involves valuing the elderly and keeping them more within the mainstream community?
The thought of ending up in a cheap resthome is motivation for many people I know to ‘get ahead’ so they can look after themselves in their old age. These are the same people who believe that a little suffering now for the masses will benefit the masses in future. I dont think many realise how much their ‘fantasy’ retirement is going to cost them, or that fewer and fewer people are actually living the dream (thanks to more competition plus greedy investment bankers losing other people’s savings). I guess it’s comforting for them to believe they may be one of the chosen ones that ‘make it’, rather than be seen as pessimistic.
It is a shame that a person’s contribution to society is measured purely by how much money they put in the kitty. It’s pretty well documented that outcomes are more positive for elderly who are able to remain in a familiar environment, or at least with familiar people around them. The recent ruling regarding carers of disabled family members gives me a shred of hope that looking after one’s aging family member will be viewed with the same importance in the future.
There is regular promotion for the idea that a couple should be able to retire and live at the same level as when they were working. For people comfortably off, the pension plus their own investments allow them to hold onto their million dollar houses and have holidays and spend on up to date vehicles and household machinery. The idea of limiting cash to those with plenty through surtax is far too unpleasant to contemplate, let the poor scrape by as best they can.
Hey Muzza. I get what you’re saying about this being an insignificant issue in light of big news and I hear you questioning the validity of measures to decrease damage from dangerous drivers. Indeed measuring “dangerous driving” has its challenges. However please be aware that NZ has many victims of drunk drivers. I have been one of them as a passenger, 23 years ago and the effects of my injuries from my “accident” are still with me today, affecting many aspects of my life. The drunk driver got away with it. I also had a friend who lost her just about to be son in law to a drunk driver who had 44, yes 44, drink driving convictions. The grief for that family was unbearable. Last year my nephew ended up taking a year to rehabilitate after he was a victim of another drink driver. I have many other examples but would run out of room here.
Even though I’ve been a victim of drunk drivers as well as other serious crimes I’m not into an SST type “lock em up and throw away the key” mentality. But I do support efforts to control drink drivers and other dangerous drivers, and believe me there are many sober dangerous drivers on the road too. I’ve had years of working on the road and have been witness to and continue to witness insane driving behaviour just about every time I drive.
Hi Rosie,
I probably should have been a little more detailed with why I think that particular article was referred to as BS…
Let me say that I think much heavier punishments for drink driving injuries/deaths is the way to go, I am in agreement with this 100%. Drink driving has very clear and understood parameters, and measures for what “drunk” is.
Its when I hear the term dangerous driving, and then not able to get clear consenus on what that is, or that “the authorities” get to decide, because frankly this could see alot of people in prison when they potentially should not be, and this is where problems can really start.
Drunk driving and dangerous driving, should not be classified under the same heading IMO…
Ill also add that given our increased population, and road journeys vs road toll, where is the mention of how we have improved its been a dramatic lowering…Its only ever a drive to have a lower road toll, which at is at a certain juncture, no longer possible using the current methods. This is where I don’t like the look of where it could be heading….As I said, how long until humans are not allowed to drive their own cars anymore!
I am also against legislating against people because of the lowest possible denominator in society, but I am in facour of making existing pentalies severe, in the case of drink driving, not only causing death or injury, but in general for being DIC.
There are many times the equivilant deaths of our road toll being killed by all manor of other factors, which are not being addressed, and then there is the poverty issue involving hundreds of thousands….yet we focus on a few hundred on the road…
Thats my major issue…wrong focus, too hard basket, pick the easier option of road related!
There should have zero tolerance for driving after drinking any alcohol.
I mean zero/none at all alcohol in the persons system.
This way a drastic reduction in accidents which cause pain to the family
E molto difficile imbattersi in inglese dopo aver vissuto in Italia per 25 anni
I finding it hard to make my English clear to understand what I mean 🙂
We Agree
Sono assolutamente d’accordo con te! (Anche, il tuo inglese e’ molto chiaro, quindi, non preoccuparti! 🙂 )
I agree, 100%…
muzza
What has stunned me about drunk driving sentences is to hear that they aren’t MADE to go to courses on good driving, taken through defensive driving practices, have to attend programs helping them to find their own ways to limit their drinking, and if they continue to offend after all this, have their car sold and get put into jail for ten years at least because they are a danger to society, and in reoffending again show a big likelihood to be potential murderers.
Everyone seems to agree that ” driving under the influnce” is a very real problem.
There is a solution. Alcoholics Anonymous has been solving the problem for a long time now with a personal, mentor style approach. BUT first, the person having trouble with alcohol has to acknowledge that they have a problem. This is a turning point that each individual has to face. We can not do it for them. Putting them in prison makes so many feel persecuted. What they need is some form of mentor to take a personal interest in them. There are various charities trying to help those in prison but you can only offer. You can not force yourself upon them.
You can lead a horse to water but you can not make it drink.
What about using that drug injection to prevent them from drinking if they insist on driving after alcohol consumption
A bit harsh but as I lost my sister to a drunk driver 28 yrs ago I feel i maybe biased?
So very sorry for the loss of your sister’s life Risildo. Of course your feelings about drunk drivers will be strong, that is only normal.
Why should people be allowed their own cars considering that such transport is the most inefficient available and that we can no longer afford them?
Its a fair question B…
What do you propose?
Public transport, walking and bicycles.
Those kids on scooters seem to get along pretty fast – perhaps we adults can adapt these for personal transport.
You’re right Prism, and scooters are a perfectly acceptable mode of transport for adults in Vienna. They call them ‘rollers’ and ride them on footpaths or bike lanes depending on speed. As with cycling, over here it’s not about sport and how fast you can go, it’s simply getting from A to B with ease.
rosy – Thanks for that – hadn’t actually heard about their use.
A day or so ago someone posted part the recorded dialogue of Tame Iti and his buddies discussing/joking about Bush as a target using a bus catapaulted towards his head .. can’t find it anywhere now .. any help to find it please ?? many thx.
Adele posted this:
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-24052012/#comment-475926
If that’s not what you are looking for try using the search with combos like iti+bus+George bush
that’s the one – thx Campbell ! oh, what John Clarke might have done with it all ….
Hey Muzza, thanks for clarifying.
Firstly I do get what you are saying about the NZH and what they choose to or choose not to report, and how such an article deflects from other also serious issues. EG I wonder how many people die prematurely each year in NZ as a direct result of poverty and would we ever see an article about that? Probably not because people living in poverty are kept hidden and it maybe unpleasant for the media to acknowledge such a shameful reality. Like Carol said above sometimes there is important issues published such as yesterdays very thorough article on stuff.co.nz about the exploitation of elder care workers, the appalling state of our care and respect, or lack of it towards our elders and the view of elders being a cash cow for some businesses. Stuff seem to save their decent journalism for a Sunday. Every other day is some sensationalist BS in which they will open up a comments section for the right wing retards to have a little moan. If we relied on fairfax for unbiased news we’d never learn a thing. There is good journalism available to us. scoop.co.nz is reliable for NZ and international news with a focus on political events. Have you visited http://www.democracynow.org? Some interesting reporting there too.
Secondly dangerous drivers being jailed. I’d eat my hat if I ever saw that happen. Try reporting dangerous drivers and see how seriously the cops take you. Dangerous driving isn’t even on our radar as an issue. No ones going to take away anyones keys in a private car mad country like NZ. Lol, the AA are very effective at lobbying for drivers, er “rights”. I’m an AA member but man have they got their priorities wrong about public transport. Honestly humans will be allowed to drive their cars as long as we have enough oil to run. Nothing to worry about there.
Rosie, I tend to pick on the NZH and other MSM outlets, as this is where the perceptions are formed for those who feel that they need a “current affairs fix”, and then want to feel like they are on top of the issues as a result.
Plenty of other options to research, but keeping an eye on the MSM is important, for the reason I mention above, as it helps to understand where they are trying to deflect towards.
Dangerous driving takes many forms, actually if there were proper standards for measuring the ability of people to drive, there would be few people on the roads. Driving is a 360 degree exercise requiring multiple abilities operating effectively at the same time, most people simply do not have these capabilities, and should not be in control of a vehicle!
Cheers
“Know Your (and societys’) Enemy
I’m with ya there Muzza – on both counts:-)
Well, good job we can now remove drivers from vehicles then. Hell, if I was a bus company I’d be lobbying the government for this technology to become legal ASAP and if I was government I would actually do it. The biggest expense for running buses (and trains for that matter) is the drivers, remove the drivers and they become significantly cheaper to run.
Sorry Draco,
As someone who is intimately involved in paying to keep buses on the road for a fair size company, I can assure you Draco, the drivers wages are far from the greatest expense in that exercise.
I read a study that said the opposite. It was about the balancing act between having lots of PT so that people could go where they wanted when they wanted and the costs of that PT. It pointed out that the more time per day on the road you had the more bus drivers would be needed but not necessarily more buses. The bus could be used at both the 6am and the 6pm run but you couldn’t use the same bus driver which made bus drivers the determining factor for how much PT coverage you had.
Self-drive buses and trains removes that particular resource limit and frees up a lot of people to do more important things (real economics). Of course, under capitalism and the delusional monetary system that we have that latter won’t actually happen – they’ll just end up on the dole and the RWNJs will be whinging about having to pay taxes.
I won’t deny what you say re needing 2 or more drivers per bus per day, but the cost is not as high as the costs of maintaining the vehicles in a roadworthy condition. Think about what it costs to buy spare parts for a european car, say a bmw or mercedes, then realise that abbout 90% of buses on NZ roads are european in origin, MAN, Scania, Volvo etc. The cost of spare parts is huge and with vehicles being used for, as you say, long periods of the day, the use of spae parts is equally significant. bus drivers earn about $17-$19 per hour so at the top end gross about $152 per 8 hour shift, enough to cover the cost of a single brake rotor. They never get changed 1 at a time. Just saying. Anway, off to bed have a great night
The correct comparison is how much maintenance costs on a per hour basis.
You can’t compare the prices of luxury private vehicles with very standard commercial vehicles.
T. Mallard: Winning
https://twitter.com/TrevorMallard/status/206863207002947586
Chris73. What was said a few weeks ago about those who serve papers can be very scary heavies?
I may be mistaken but I believe this to be known in secret squirrel circles as a “honey trap” but as I say I may be wrong
Poor Trevor, he must be traumatised after being roughed up by these leather jacket wearing thugs during the serving process.
I think he needs to apply a cool flannel to his forehead and have a bit of a lie down.
Just out of interest but how does someone become a process server?
Not a great job tho, I mean look at the people you need to serve documents on!
Ewwwwww!
Probably not a bad part-time job though plus it’d be interesting meeting some so-called upstanding members of the community
My understanding is that the effective servers have a well paid informant network who help with the who/when/where stuff.
Friends in low places.
It was Little that used the ‘heavies’ line, not Mallard. Perhaps its time for your lie down, Rob?
Perhaps you need to learn how to read TRiPe, where have I mentioned ‘heavies’.
“Perhaps you need to learn how to read TRiPe, where have I mentioned ‘heavies’.”
When you referred to thugs, Rob. A heavy is another word for thug. To make it easier for you to understand I even added an emphasiser, putting the word heavy in single quotation marks so that even the dull witted would get the connection. Comprende?
If anyone bothers to read Stuff, you will notice that they are now publishing lists of the Top 10 most clicked stories of the week. It’s budget week, so politics must be high on the nation’s agenda. Actually, as it turns out, the number of stories about politics is equalled by the number of stories about naked bottoms. http://afinetale.blogspot.co.nz/2012/05/stuff-top-10-budget-week-special.html
SLPC: 30 to watch.
A Wonder to behold
Ryhman made a profit of 84m.
I recall there are 48,000 people in resthomes
IF all were in Rman, They will have made a profit of 1750 per client per year.
All wont be in Ryman so that is a low figure.
Any one else shed any light on the nos. I did a search but didn’t turn any sensible info.
Ryman dont make much out of care at all, profit comes from resale of units.
They are very very smart property developers and the scale and placement of operations helps too.
With 410 hospital / dementia beds at around $4k / bed / month the income stream would most certainly feature in Rymans books.
David Parker has really disspointed me in the past week.
In a week when he had the chance to show why he should be the next Finance Minister I am left wondering why the greens are not more popular. My vote is just about in their camp now.
On the Nation he was terrible. When given the chance with an open question to articulate what Labour would have done differently, he came out with a nothing answer “we would be focussing on growth”. What the fuck does that mean and once again what would you be doing.
He then had the gall to suggest the CGT was Labour’s idea and ignored the fact the greens have had it as central plank for years. In fact everything that Labour proposes which differs from National, is a Green economic policy. They seem to me to either be National lite, or Green Lite. There is no positive difference between them and one of those two parties.
Shearer has to bury his issues with Cunliffe and put him back in charge of finance. Parker is not up to the job. He had weeks to be ready for Thursday. All he could come up with were meaningless slogans.
Consider the point in the electoral cycle. I’m not convinced that Cunliffe would have been able to say a lot more in specifics either.
Labour just came out of a nasty defeat where they had some very specific economic policies and aren’t wanting to lay their policies out widely just yet. I don’t necessarily agree with that approach, but that’s the approach they’re taking, so if Cunliffe were in the hotseat it’s hard to see him being significantly different.
Meanwhile the Greens don’t seem to have any worry about putting their policies out whenever they have them – they had their Alternative Budget all ready to go and have done similar things in previous years.
+1. Parker has been pathetic from the get go, plenty of lies from NACT, numbers and evidence yet nada from the smarmy candidate for Epsom.
And if shearer doesn’t replace Parker with someone who can articulate simply, keep the message short and show some passion about where the NACT are driving us and highlight the alternatives then Shearer/Robertson need to go also.
Man up DS and make the call and make it your call without the duck and other past their use by date advisors. Show you can lead labour back to being a major party and not contuning on to becoming a minor party.
Their hardcore is drifting away under DS/GR’s tenure, a hardcore that’s critical to election sucess.
Main Stream Media and its manipulation of business confidence! Sucking people down the gurgler everyday with a smiling face.Yuck. Whores we say WHORES.
and….THE VATICAN. THE WHORE OF BABYLON THAT BITCH. oops, caps stuck.
The Vatican is enormous influence in all the aspects of Italian Peoples lives.
The Vatican itself is independent state within Italy.
The Papal doesnt extend now to outside the Vatican but the influence in everyday life significant in modern Italy
Everyday we were bombarded on TV with the Popes messages and what they Vatican has been up to. They refuse to report everything though of course.
Memeber of Berlosconi’s PDL party belong to a Roman Catholic sect called Comunione e Liberazione – Communion and Liberation.
When the Vatican disagrees with any aspect of policies of the government these members of Comunione e Liberazione lend their support to blocking legislation which is goes against the teachings of the Vatican
There is growing opposition to this nonsense…
https://www.facebook.com/laicitadellostato
Grazie Risildo, sto leggendo ora, anche se sono Cristiana! 🙂
Radionz 7.25 a.m this morning
Jo Goodhew, Associate Health Minister was very nifty – didn’t answer any question but each time came up with some deflecting comment about govt’s efforts. A piece of perfection of the PR trainer’s art.
The NACTs have up and coming female talent for another Shipton, Richardson type dame, scrooge leader when John Key biggers off. Look out men you’ll have to raise your sights and get them between the eyes. Ooh will I have a police contingent on my doorstep for saying that.
For National to put their collective fingers in their ears and hum loudly as each damning environmental report is released just doesn’t cut it any more!.
http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz/2012/05/head-in-sand-over-wwf-report.html
Any deviations from average normal behavior will mean public electrocution results.
Slow, mentally or health challenged, and Police will be provoked to public electrocution.
Ordinarily brain damage in custody, or during arrest, immediately causes a Police investigation.
Is the justification for all Police assaults to be – well we could of used a gun?
Police freed up from aggressive arrests have opened up cost savings, but at what social harm?
Shifting the risks of public policing onto those who come in contact with Police harms the standing of Police.
If one person shrinks from calling Police due to memories of being tasered, surely in time more will, and police job actually becomes harder in the long term.
Now that ACC has been removed from those injured when dealing with Police, there is no limit on the remedied consequential harm for all who are less socially adept. Government has over time put mental health
patients back into the community, hospitals are now finding faster ways to get the ill back home,
more are running around with pace makers, if citizens aren’t given the opportunity to back off and
will still get tasers then they are less likely to have positive outlooks of engaging Police.
The heavier the concrete thrown the harder it is to be accurate, even harder at night, if someone threw a piece on my lawn I might be apt to throw it back having enjoyed too many beers at home, should Police then rock up and aggravate the situation by tasering you on your garage forecourt, leaving you with a head injury? a baton would have been less cruel. What’s worse if you suffer from retardation due to an accident and you haven’t connected that the concrete is your own, that the flashing lights are in fact Police not a raging boy racer? should Police have assumed that if someone was throwing concrete that it was likely they weren’t willing to engage more personally, and so likely were not a threat UNLESS approached and that when they did, the individual backed up!#@ and so was even less likely to be immediately likely to harm others? Did this incident really require the Police to escalate to the use of force?
Its not good enough that Tasers don’t harm the majority much, since they would not even have been certified for use had this been the case. Tasers however do harm certain groups of the population disproportionately and are discrimatory in my view. Do we really want Police work to become so easy that public electricution becomes a bit of fun for the public, they can get over it?
Instead of just chatting for a while longer before they arrest them? Which I might add he justly deserved, but not a brain injury
I didn’t know that a claim can’t be made on ACC if injured by police. I would guess that people cannot claim on the police either. Who pays for the poor to get treatment after a run in with the police which leaves them with injury? Even if it was self-defence for the police recovery would need medical help.
Tasers ‘are a substitute for lethal force’ was the line from bluebelly HQ when they were first introduced. Practice has shown that they are often employed to obtain compliance or punish when cops can’t be bothered negotiating or even drawing a baton.
Or even just when they can’t be arsed running after a suspect.
When the groupthink and excitement gets hot, police can’t be trusted to control themselves when using tasers or guns. They mightn’t be able to control underbelly type criminals in Sydney but the biscuit pinchers petty criminality sure brings out the people hating response in them.
I recall posting last week, that the NZ Herald’s article about an “average” family who thought the budget was sensible, looked far from average to me.
Tapu Misa agrees, in another insightful piece from her – this time on aged care workers, how they are underpaid and exploited, and paid less in private care facilities than in government ones.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10808840
What do you do when you are an MP, and a lowly paid elderly female process server hands you documents?
Apparently, the approved action is to find out who the server is ( which is how you know they used a false name – probably just as well for them ) and then post a picture of them on the Internet. I wonder if the party leader will say anything?
I would be so proud to belong to that party.
Lowly paid? Elderly!? You know her age and fees, do you? And you are wrong to say that Mallard knows her real name, but he does know the name she gave is not real, it was made up to help her get access.
My point was he obviously checked up on her name, which is how he knows it was a false name. Who cares what the process server’s name is? Why did he want to know? Scary stuff.
The other two points, I simply “assumed”, based on what I saw in the photo and what I imagine a process server would get paid. But you are right, maybe she is the CEO of a process serving conglomerate and is one of the 1%.
It was the elderly that got me going! Mallard checked up on the false name, but whatever. Gotta go … duty calls.
Budget ‘App’ Cost 57k, or $6.90 per download.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10809074
Good grief. Fucking noobs, what’s wrong with hosting a PDF! It’d costs a fraction of a cent per download even in it’s multi-10s of megabyte bloated glory.
Not meaning to push pdf or any particular format, just saying $6.9 is very inefficient.
And the ‘App’ format would only be a trivial little convenience for a few owners of ipads and smartphones that care. Devices on which a pdf or some other mundane format would work on anyway.
But I guess it’s trendy and trying to look up with the play wins votes I suppose.
And next year when it gets used again the price of the app goes down per user. It also happens to be a lot easier to use than a PDF. In fact, I really do wish people would stop using PDFs – they really suck at being a good information distribution system. Probably because they were designed for printing. Which bring me to the next point:
Which do you think is cheaper, 57k or 100k?
The only problem I have with it is that they didn’t launch a PC version.
Personally I find PDFs of long documents fine, as long as the tables of contents and figures are hyperlinked. Without hyperlinks it gets ugly, quick.
And one of my IT friend’s pet topics is the diversity of functionality within the pdf format – apparently 90% never gets used, including a lot of interactive stuff like forms and online data submission/retrieval. The things one discovers over beer…
[edit] … and google: embedding flash in pdf documents
“And next year when it gets used again the price of the app goes down per user.”
Heh, except that next year it’ll “need” redesigning…
Good post up over on The Handmirror:
Like this one:
http://www.jackyfleming.co.uk/cartoon.php?gall=&p=48