I did some considerable site pruning yesterday, trimming plugins, fixing some errors that crept into the quite old database, and generally doing a tidy on the site and the system that hosts it. It feels a lot faster and lighter after clearing away some of the old plugins.
I don't think that I broke anything because these were almost all things that I'd done on a test system first. But let me know if a feature that used to be there from last week is no longer there on the desktop site.
It is also prep for building a new theme that will
eliminate having to have a separate mobile theme. The theme should flex from larger to mobile.
Still be based on the maintainable themes from wordpress. Our current theme is based on a 'classic' theme from the 2000s and has proved highly maintainable and extensible. The new one will be based on the 2023 theme.
Should carry through most or all of the features of the existing site like the right bar. But in a more maintainable form and hopefully somewhat better because it will be accessible from the mobile side as well.
I tested all of the basics yesterday while fixing a bug that has lurked in the system since wordpress 3.6 in 2013. There was a failure in the upgrade from the MU release to the mainline that affected the creations of new multi-sites. It was still in database. Took most of last night to finally find and kill that.
I will also be collecting some of the useful old unmaintained plugins features, simplify them (generally they are coded in a manner that is unmaintainable) and wrap Standard plugins over them.
This is all being done on spare time available – which is usually short. So they may take a while. But I am actually starting to have more spare time….
Those of you who still have logins will be able to beta test and be critical of the new theme earlier. 🙂
Just looked at the numbers of posts, comments media and general storage on the site.
Posts
All (29,802)
Mine (1,125)
Published (28,307)
Sticky (1)
Drafts (1,372)
Private (123)
Trash (39)
Comments
302,346 spam comments were blocked so far. This is just one of the automatic anti-spam systems that has been in pace since about 2017. It is the 2nd from final trap.
All (1,834,676)
Mine (23,913)
Pending (0)
Approved (1,834,676)
Spam (44)
this is the final trap – these are mostly moderator caught and cleaned periodically.
Trash (613)
24515 media items – these are the sites graphics and documents – mostly used in the posts themselves. A few where an author has used a graphic in a comment. And a handful for site graphics.
There are currently about 3-4x other cached graphics used speeding the site. Different sizes of media, different forms of the media (mostly webp these days), and all of your gravators for comments in various forms.
The site lives on /dev/md0 (raid 1 of 2 SSDs and one space) which is mounted on /mnt/TS.
960 GB available
49.9 GB used (6%)
The onsite backup is currently 146 GB made up of weekly full file backups (each 10.6 compressed), hourly database backups (each ~248 MB compressed), and hourly files deltas. This is replicated in two places offsite and usually updated within 20 minutes of the hourly backup.
I keep about 8 weeks on site.
There is a 2 year off site archive (just in case of long term regression issues), I still do a yearly backup of the archive to bluray. I'm kind of paranoid about backups.
Also about privacy. All of the backups are encrypted, and so is the site.
Not sure about traffic these days. The public face is cached out at cloudflare. They report
Previous 30 days
Total Bandwidth 2.54 TB
Cached Bandwidth 74.43 GB
Uncached Bandwidth 2.46 TB
But we watch a lot of streamed TV and audio, run VPNs to work, and do a lot of work on the same link.
So far over April, we did
Domestic In: 398.57 GB
Domestic Out: 403.42 GB
Domestic Total: 801.99 GB
International In: 76.86 GB
International Out: 5.36 TB
International Total 5.44 TB
In Total: 475.42 GB
Out Total: 5.76 TB
Total usage: 6.24 TB
A lot of the international out would have been the Standard either as the site itself or as offline backups.
But we work and backup a lot of material in the cloud. All of my work goes through aussie VPNs because that is where the cloud servers are. I spend a lot of time on hooked into servers in Texas. My partners systems backup internationally and she works on sites offshore. Both of us mostly work from home.
For the longest time it has been next to impossible to use the Reply function on an iPhone or iPad because of misbehaviour by the CKEditor widget, the text area was unable to capture focus so I could not type in the comment box.
This seems to be working a bit better. Focus is still failing about 50% of the time, but that's still a big improvement from 99% that I was experiencing. (my only option was to go into the safari settings and turn off javascript). If you want to look into it further, I found a possibly relevant thread on stack overflow…
thanks for the update, and all the mahi Lynn. Looking forward to seeing the new theme.
btw, the site has been running slow for me recently, including this morning. Usually when going to edit something or working the back end, but sometimes just pages too.
Wellington City Council seems intent on ensuring people wanting to go to restaurants, theatres, etc in the inner city have a very difficult time getting there. The people from the suburbs, Porirua, Upper and Lower Hutt will be unable to drive to and park from 7am to 9pm from Courtenay Place to Parliament if Let's Get Wellington Moving proposal is decided on. Given the bus service is unreliable and LGWM want to remove some inner city bus stops, people will find it just too inconvenient to bother. If I have misinterpreted this latest idea please put me right!
Another plan is to remove half the car parks from Molesworth Street and side streets. And to remove two bus stops from Molesworth Street. Makes no sense to me to remove bus stops for those less able to walk further, particularly in bad weather. All this to have more cycleways. I await with interest and scepticism to see all these cyclists.
I personally know a young couple living in inner city Wellington who managed to walk to work, go to cafes etc. But to visit family further afield, get groceries, go to sports practice out of the city, medical appointments etc etc was difficult. They have now got a car park in their building and life is much easier and convenient.
Eh what? There’s bugger all parking along the Golden Mile itself, it’s all on the side streets but don’t let facts spoil a rant. These days though I find it’s far easier just to go to the now council owned car park in Tory St or the one by Les Mills for cheap parking rather than circling around looking. If we’re out for dinner $5 or $8 for parking won’t break the bank.
I live in inner city Wellington too. I walk to work and have to step on to the road frequently due to over-full footpaths. Cycling is far too dangerous for me right now, but sometimes I see more bikes than cars on my walking commute.
I can't wait for the transformation – bikes and scooters separated from walkers and more room for buses to move freely, and it will be a nicer space to be in.
Agree that the public transport needs to be more reliable, but a good pair of shoes, a snapper card and the occasional use of mevos (car rental by the hour) works pretty well for the able-bodied – even if they don't cycle, and is way cheaper, and gives more freedom than owning a vehicle in the inner city.
I put a lot of this failure down to the increasingly restrictive rules being placed on landlords. This is effectively an aversive stimulus that discourages landlords from renting out their properties, or makes them extremely fussy about who they will accept as tenants. Hence, the pressure on housing increases.
If that's the case, then we should not allow one group of citizens to exercise such a powerful gatekeeping function over the ability of other citizens to be satisfactorily housed. It is an asymmetric power relationship that must be considered totally illegitimate between supposedly free citizens.
As a principle that is undeniable. But actually implementing the end of private landlordism is of course extremely fraught and dangerous. But you don't achieve it by caving in to landlord demands.
Waiting lists do change – often the biggest reason is that the definition has changed – National reduced waiting lists by excluding some categories – the same thing happened with hospital waiting lists. It was an easy "win" for National, and much easier than actually improving services. Remember also that National sold off quite a few "state houses," purportedly to local housing organisations. I have not seen any statistics on what happened following those sales, but bearing in mind that the whole state housing stock had declined in repair (which we know from those that were not sold), and that the new owners do not have the capital resources of the state, it is possible that at least some of those houses were sold to maintain the rest, or let to tenants able to pay higher rent.
Over the last few years New Zealand has seen an enormous increase in the renovation of existing houses and the building of new ones – to the extent that we are short of workers, supply chains could not cope (and that is internal supplies as well as international suppliers). That building work has been done by both government and private owners / landlords. That has increased housing supply in both cities and regional towns, and has been done by both government and private developers. Far from minimum standards choking off development, the developers have seen the opportunity for profit. Yes you can point to individual projects of government that did not produce headline completions, but overall New Zealand has a large number more dwellings than when National lost in 2017, and there have also been a large number of "state houses" renovated and more fit for purpose.
But there have been other influences – recent storms took out a large number of houses in some areas, particularly in Auckland and the East Coast. That has put a lot of pressure on housing supply – and we can be proud of the reality that New Zealand has coped well with that pressure; most of those displaced through the destruction of their dwelling have been able to find at least temporary accommodation – but that will have also increased pressure on the supply of state housing.
Knowledge is power, no more so than in the hands of insurance companies when they can use your personal information against you and deny you coverage or hike premiums.
Reading the Sunday Star Times today, you'd think it was hosting the campaign. Luxon has entire front page, 'giving us the message' masquerading as an airline steward like mine today.
She too got the message wrong, like Luxon, saying on the flight briefing we were travelling to the airport where we were leaving from. I don't think he knows where he is going either.
Bought a copy at Wellington Airport. Only $2 rather than $4.50. Discount price to sell Luxon?
I haven’t had enough motivation to read the recent (yesterday?) opinion piece from Luke Malpass, But I guess I will just have to bite the bullet and read it.
Regarding the low effective tax rate of the very wealthy in NZ, I don’t think that it is going away as Mr Malpass seems to think (and hope?).
A Bill will then be introduced to bring these into effect and set up the reporting requirements.
I would like to see these principles enacted in a Bill before the end of the current Parliamentary term.
If Parliament passes it, the Tax Principles Act will take its place alongside the Tax Administration Act and other revenue Acts to create the tax system that New Zealanders can understand and be proud of.
Consider the alternative offered by the owner of a ute parked on the side of the road who inscribed upon his back window about the time Seymour was visiting, the following political, social and economic wisdom-
"F**k the Taxman".
I think Parker is arguing here for some kind of consensus- the consent of the governed. He's saying that smart economies and countries recognise the need for taxation. Social cohesion is a basic necessity- for all. It is brought about by fairness.
That's a good speech by Parker. The argument will be over how much will people agree is fair taxation for fair social outcomes.
The ute owner represents a stupid end of that spectrum. We have to find what is tolerable, acceptable and effective. That's about education, debate, informing. It's about what kind of a society we would have if we lost social cohesion- the consequences of poverty.
In these post covid times, with misinformation and rabbit hole craziness more than ever.
And the middle ground 'no frills' approach will help people see that their taxes are not wasted and spent frivolously but will serve that common purpose of decency, fairness, opportunity for all.
The Taxman most likely paid for the road that the ute was parked on and the roads & infrastructure to get it there and back. The Taxman, in all likelihood, also paid for the limited education of the presumed owner of the ute.
I agree with your comment and I think Parker is onto something that is or at least should be much less controversial than RWs make it out to be.
Elon sycophants are some of the most bizarre fanboys on this side of the incel world, but this wacky gem inexplicably in my timeline has entered Trump-having-lunch-with-Jesus category.
Never before has the UK had this 'pledge of alliegence' for a coronation. I find it creepy, and even creepier to think this might be CIII's idea. The UK is paying $100 mi for the event. CIII's estate runs to $1 bi, including dispensation from tax.
Don't bother with the rest of the article, just pinned it for validation.
But what you and many others fail to recognise is that the trappings of this anachronism brings a massive boost to the British coffers in the form of tourism, and also gives the ordinary citizens of Britain and millions of others throughout the world a chance to be lifted out of their relatively drab existences.
Add to that – and imo the most important feature – the enormous historical significance of many of the beautiful articles of Royal patronage since time immemorial (eg. Westminster Abbey as just one of them)) and the equally magnificent parades of horses and carriages is a sight that gives countless millions enormous pleasure. No-one in the world can do it like the British. I happily admit I am one of them.
Reading the article, it looks as though this 'pledge of allegiance' for the commoners (i.e. the general population) – is replacing the traditional oaths of allegiance of the peers at the coronation.
So, in effect, a populist move, recognizing that the peers (Lords) are no longer a significant force in the governance of the UK.
It gives those who wish to participate an active part in the ceremony (albeit at a remove), rather than simply having their 'oaths' taken on their behalf by their MPs (which they do every time parliament sits).
Those who don't want to, don't have to (in fact, they don't even have to watch – and can take their holiday and go do something else)
As I understand it, the House of Lords does retain political power in forcing amendment of particularly egregious legislation. They must, like MPs, swear alliegance to the Crown on entering the House of Lords, but also on the death of a monarch. Charles is already sworn in by the peers, just not crowned.
This remains a new pledge asked of commoners. Still feels creepy to me.
The point I was making is that this pledge of allegiance by the commons, is replacing the oaths from the Lords in the Coronation ceremony.
Historically, that was a public acknowledgement by the most powerful local warlords that they would obey the King (or, occasionally, Queen). And was a truly important bulwark of the monarchy.
I'd regard the change as a symbolic acknowledgement that the Lords hold little political power any longer.
No doubt any form of formal allegiance would feel 'creepy' to you.
I suggest that you refrain from watching or reading about the coronation – or, any other political change of power, since all of the constitutional elements are likely to disturb you.
Very insightful article on the effect of social media on political life from Rafael Behr, a UK political columnist.
"The more crowded the information marketplace, the harder it is for bland facts to compete with more lurid fare. Palates that are jaded need higher doses of spice. In politics, that creates incentives to wilful provocation. One way to catch the attention of a large audience is to stir a smaller one into a lather of indignation. In politics, infuriating the other side can be an effective campaign technique to amplify a core message."
"Every second of the political day on social media is a referendum on whatever feels most urgent in the moment. The high frequency of that cycle makes it harder to distinguish between what is noisy and what is important. It militates against the debate of priorities, which is part of the negotiation of trade-offs necessary for pluralist politics to function."
The GOP strategy to gerrymander electorates to retain control of states and maximise the GOP seats in the House, and also block access to votes from younger voters and workers is becoming blatant.
Voter suppression of poor people and young people by Tories rife in the UK too, with photo id now required. The list of accredited ids is small and biased to older people and car owners, while getting valid id for voting is not simple.
In accordance with the Act’s stipulations, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has launched a Voter Authority Certificate as an alternative, a document that individuals can apply for online and which is free but requires that you already be registered to vote and supply a recent digital photo, your date of birth and National Insurance number to claim.
That looks like a very simple process to me. And would be pretty much identical to that required for any of the already-accepted forms of ID.
In addition, anyone in the younger age brackets, who wants a drink at their local pub, will have a photo ID already (that's the PASS card).
Note, getting a PASS card is indeed a quick and easy process (although they do charge a fee).
If you want to argue that requiring any form of ID is going to depress voting – that's one thing (and you should produce your argument).
But your current argument, that it's systematically unjust, just doesn't stack up.
AI-generated movies don't quite pass as live action. Yet.
Text-to-Videos are getting insanely powerful. Few years and we will watch Hollywood movies generated by AI. Here are 12 incredible use cases of #Gen-2 changing the industry very rapidly
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. ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
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In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
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. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
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 ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Asia Pacific Report A score of Palestine solidarity protesters draped themselves in white shrouds with mock blood in a sombre “die-in” demonstration at Te Komitanga Square — the heart of Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city — today as speakers urged people to take a stronger boycott against Israeli products. The ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Tackling violence against women will be the sole agenda item for a national cabinet meeting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has convened for Wednesday. The meeting, held remotely, follows thousands of Australians attending rallies across ...
The protest outside the White House correspondents’ dinner hotel. Image: Anatolu video screenshot APR More than two dozen Palestinian journalists had called for a boycott of the dinner, writing an open letter urging their American colleagues not to attend. “You have a unique responsibility to speak truth to power and ...
“Our exporters should, therefore, be deeply concerned that the Fast-track Approvals Bill was not assessed for consistency with any of our free trade commitments prior to being introduced to the House,” says Gary Taylor, Chief Executive of the Environmental ...
NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff is calling on all political parties to support the new Member’s Bill from Labour’s workplace relations and safety spokesperson Camilla Belich MP that would ensure negligent companies are held accountable when their employees ...
A historian with a track record of predicting US election winners tells RNZ's Sunday Morning that President Biden looks to be on track for another term, but things could still go wrong for him. ...
A historian with an uncanny track record of predicting US election winners tells RNZ's Sunday Morning that President Biden looks to be on track for another term, but things could still go very wrong for him. ...
Ngaio Marsh House is one of Christchurch’s best kept secrets – and contains more than a few mysteries of its own.Trust Ngaio Marsh to leave more than a few mysteries scattered through her house long after her departure. For a start, there’s the curious concrete portal in the garden, ...
Appointment viewing has been lost to the mists of time, but memories of Montana Sunday Theatre can still be conjured by hitting play on a particular piece of classical music. “You’re not going to be able to sell it.” Over 30 years on, Karen Bieleski still recalls how the task ...
Performance Review King Luxon sat behind His massive polished oak desk. It is Performance Review time. There is a knock on the door. “Enter!” says the King. In steps Minister of Disabilities and Carer Pedicures, Penny Simmonds. “I can explain everything …” she begins. “Fine,” says King Luxon, pressing the ...
The pair opened their first fully collaborative exhibition, Nina for Flowers, last Saturday. Gabi Lardies visited their studio to find out who Nina is and what working together was like.‘It didn’t start out like, ‘This is a show about Nina,’” says Josephine Jelicich, gripping a thermos of peppermint tea. ...
Thank you, Dr Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner, for your brilliant invention. I’m another mid-20s Kiwi who had an OE last year. I hopped on my bicycle where France meets the Atlantic and cycled east. I pedalled through the Loire Valley, down rivers lined with willows and ancient wisteria-draped chateaus. I relished ...
Asia Pacific Report From France to Australia, university pro-Palestine protests in the United States have now spread to several countries with students pitching on-campus camps. And students at Columbia and other US universities remain defiant as campuses have witnessed the biggest protests since the anti-Vietnam war and anti-apartheid eras in ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. 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 ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
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I did some considerable site pruning yesterday, trimming plugins, fixing some errors that crept into the quite old database, and generally doing a tidy on the site and the system that hosts it. It feels a lot faster and lighter after clearing away some of the old plugins.
I don't think that I broke anything because these were almost all things that I'd done on a test system first. But let me know if a feature that used to be there from last week is no longer there on the desktop site.
It is also prep for building a new theme that will
I tested all of the basics yesterday while fixing a bug that has lurked in the system since wordpress 3.6 in 2013. There was a failure in the upgrade from the MU release to the mainline that affected the creations of new multi-sites. It was still in database. Took most of last night to finally find and kill that.
I will also be collecting some of the useful old unmaintained plugins features, simplify them (generally they are coded in a manner that is unmaintainable) and wrap Standard plugins over them.
This is all being done on spare time available – which is usually short. So they may take a while. But I am actually starting to have more spare time….
Those of you who still have logins will be able to beta test and be critical of the new theme earlier. 🙂
Just looked at the numbers of posts, comments media and general storage on the site.
Posts
Comments
302,346 spam comments were blocked so far. This is just one of the automatic anti-spam systems that has been in pace since about 2017. It is the 2nd from final trap.
this is the final trap – these are mostly moderator caught and cleaned periodically.
24515 media items – these are the sites graphics and documents – mostly used in the posts themselves. A few where an author has used a graphic in a comment. And a handful for site graphics.
There are currently about 3-4x other cached graphics used speeding the site. Different sizes of media, different forms of the media (mostly webp these days), and all of your gravators for comments in various forms.
The site lives on /dev/md0 (raid 1 of 2 SSDs and one space) which is mounted on /mnt/TS.
The onsite backup is currently 146 GB made up of weekly full file backups (each 10.6 compressed), hourly database backups (each ~248 MB compressed), and hourly files deltas. This is replicated in two places offsite and usually updated within 20 minutes of the hourly backup.
I keep about 8 weeks on site.
There is a 2 year off site archive (just in case of long term regression issues), I still do a yearly backup of the archive to bluray. I'm kind of paranoid about backups.
Also about privacy. All of the backups are encrypted, and so is the site.
Not sure about traffic these days. The public face is cached out at cloudflare. They report
Previous 30 days
Total Bandwidth 2.54 TB
Cached Bandwidth 74.43 GB
Uncached Bandwidth 2.46 TB
But we watch a lot of streamed TV and audio, run VPNs to work, and do a lot of work on the same link.
So far over April, we did
Domestic In: 398.57 GB
Domestic Out: 403.42 GB
Domestic Total: 801.99 GB
International In: 76.86 GB
International Out: 5.36 TB
International Total 5.44 TB
In Total: 475.42 GB
Out Total: 5.76 TB
Total usage: 6.24 TB
A lot of the international out would have been the Standard either as the site itself or as offline backups.
But we work and backup a lot of material in the cloud. All of my work goes through aussie VPNs because that is where the cloud servers are. I spend a lot of time on hooked into servers in Texas. My partners systems backup internationally and she works on sites offshore. Both of us mostly work from home.
Thanks for the update. It does seem faster now.
For the longest time it has been next to impossible to use the Reply function on an iPhone or iPad because of misbehaviour by the CKEditor widget, the text area was unable to capture focus so I could not type in the comment box.
This seems to be working a bit better. Focus is still failing about 50% of the time, but that's still a big improvement from 99% that I was experiencing. (my only option was to go into the safari settings and turn off javascript). If you want to look into it further, I found a possibly relevant thread on stack overflow…
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/14923967/ckeditor-does-not-focus-on-ios-when-tapping-in-text-area
Thanks again for all your work on the site. Nga mihi nui Matua
thanks for the update, and all the mahi Lynn. Looking forward to seeing the new theme.
btw, the site has been running slow for me recently, including this morning. Usually when going to edit something or working the back end, but sometimes just pages too.
Can't really cache the back-end easily normally. So it is usually short-cached.
A lot of it changed last night, so what would normally cache would have required a reload.
Wellington City Council seems intent on ensuring people wanting to go to restaurants, theatres, etc in the inner city have a very difficult time getting there. The people from the suburbs, Porirua, Upper and Lower Hutt will be unable to drive to and park from 7am to 9pm from Courtenay Place to Parliament if Let's Get Wellington Moving proposal is decided on. Given the bus service is unreliable and LGWM want to remove some inner city bus stops, people will find it just too inconvenient to bother. If I have misinterpreted this latest idea please put me right!
Another plan is to remove half the car parks from Molesworth Street and side streets. And to remove two bus stops from Molesworth Street. Makes no sense to me to remove bus stops for those less able to walk further, particularly in bad weather. All this to have more cycleways. I await with interest and scepticism to see all these cyclists.
I personally know a young couple living in inner city Wellington who managed to walk to work, go to cafes etc. But to visit family further afield, get groceries, go to sports practice out of the city, medical appointments etc etc was difficult. They have now got a car park in their building and life is much easier and convenient.
Eh what? There’s bugger all parking along the Golden Mile itself, it’s all on the side streets but don’t let facts spoil a rant. These days though I find it’s far easier just to go to the now council owned car park in Tory St or the one by Les Mills for cheap parking rather than circling around looking. If we’re out for dinner $5 or $8 for parking won’t break the bank.
I live in inner city Wellington too. I walk to work and have to step on to the road frequently due to over-full footpaths. Cycling is far too dangerous for me right now, but sometimes I see more bikes than cars on my walking commute.
I can't wait for the transformation – bikes and scooters separated from walkers and more room for buses to move freely, and it will be a nicer space to be in.
Agree that the public transport needs to be more reliable, but a good pair of shoes, a snapper card and the occasional use of mevos (car rental by the hour) works pretty well for the able-bodied – even if they don't cycle, and is way cheaper, and gives more freedom than owning a vehicle in the inner city.
Despite the promises Labour made about solving the housing crisis prior to becoming elected five years ago, the waiting list for state housing has sky-rocketed.
Back then, the media had a myopic focus on people living in cars. But now, nothing much seems to have changed.
I put a lot of this failure down to the increasingly restrictive rules being placed on landlords. This is effectively an aversive stimulus that discourages landlords from renting out their properties, or makes them extremely fussy about who they will accept as tenants. Hence, the pressure on housing increases.
If that's the case, then we should not allow one group of citizens to exercise such a powerful gatekeeping function over the ability of other citizens to be satisfactorily housed. It is an asymmetric power relationship that must be considered totally illegitimate between supposedly free citizens.
As a principle that is undeniable. But actually implementing the end of private landlordism is of course extremely fraught and dangerous. But you don't achieve it by caving in to landlord demands.
Waiting lists do change – often the biggest reason is that the definition has changed – National reduced waiting lists by excluding some categories – the same thing happened with hospital waiting lists. It was an easy "win" for National, and much easier than actually improving services. Remember also that National sold off quite a few "state houses," purportedly to local housing organisations. I have not seen any statistics on what happened following those sales, but bearing in mind that the whole state housing stock had declined in repair (which we know from those that were not sold), and that the new owners do not have the capital resources of the state, it is possible that at least some of those houses were sold to maintain the rest, or let to tenants able to pay higher rent.
Over the last few years New Zealand has seen an enormous increase in the renovation of existing houses and the building of new ones – to the extent that we are short of workers, supply chains could not cope (and that is internal supplies as well as international suppliers). That building work has been done by both government and private owners / landlords. That has increased housing supply in both cities and regional towns, and has been done by both government and private developers. Far from minimum standards choking off development, the developers have seen the opportunity for profit. Yes you can point to individual projects of government that did not produce headline completions, but overall New Zealand has a large number more dwellings than when National lost in 2017, and there have also been a large number of "state houses" renovated and more fit for purpose.
But there have been other influences – recent storms took out a large number of houses in some areas, particularly in Auckland and the East Coast. That has put a lot of pressure on housing supply – and we can be proud of the reality that New Zealand has coped well with that pressure; most of those displaced through the destruction of their dwelling have been able to find at least temporary accommodation – but that will have also increased pressure on the supply of state housing.
Have the Greens finished their list yet?
Re-ranking started Friday.
Voting closes midday on the 12th May
Knowledge is power, no more so than in the hands of insurance companies when they can use your personal information against you and deny you coverage or hike premiums.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/488907/geneticist-andrew-shelling-calls-for-ban-on-insurers-accessing-genetic-tests
It would have been nice if the article had elaborated more widely on the use of health data, e.g., from smart watches here in NZ.
Is Stuff spearheading National’s election campaign or just the Luxon Charm Offensive?
Reading the Sunday Star Times today, you'd think it was hosting the campaign. Luxon has entire front page, 'giving us the message' masquerading as an airline steward like mine today.
She too got the message wrong, like Luxon, saying on the flight briefing we were travelling to the airport where we were leaving from. I don't think he knows where he is going either.
Bought a copy at Wellington Airport. Only $2 rather than $4.50. Discount price to sell Luxon?
I haven’t had enough motivation to read the recent (yesterday?) opinion piece from Luke Malpass, But I guess I will just have to bite the bullet and read it.
Have you read it?
Yes, just now. The middle of the road, safe, dependable, 'no frills' PM backed by politicians like Wood and McAnulty, Robertson and Parker.
Meanwhile National has to hive off to the right to protect its flank from ACT which is now making a move on a conservative's stronghold in Tamaki.
Labour's left remains unchallenged by strangely ineffectual Greens.
As Malpass asks, will it be down to who is the more dependable and trustworthy between the two Chrises?
I wouldn't trust the one who uses a phone only to speak into, and not to listen as the Sunday Star Times depicts Captain Luxon doing today.
It was pretty vanilla from Mr Malpass.
Regarding the low effective tax rate of the very wealthy in NZ, I don’t think that it is going away as Mr Malpass seems to think (and hope?).
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/shining-light-unfairness-our-tax-system
I find it interesting that “research” has now become such a loaded term.
Consider the alternative offered by the owner of a ute parked on the side of the road who inscribed upon his back window about the time Seymour was visiting, the following political, social and economic wisdom-
"F**k the Taxman".
I think Parker is arguing here for some kind of consensus- the consent of the governed. He's saying that smart economies and countries recognise the need for taxation. Social cohesion is a basic necessity- for all. It is brought about by fairness.
That's a good speech by Parker. The argument will be over how much will people agree is fair taxation for fair social outcomes.
The ute owner represents a stupid end of that spectrum. We have to find what is tolerable, acceptable and effective. That's about education, debate, informing. It's about what kind of a society we would have if we lost social cohesion- the consequences of poverty.
In these post covid times, with misinformation and rabbit hole craziness more than ever.
And the middle ground 'no frills' approach will help people see that their taxes are not wasted and spent frivolously but will serve that common purpose of decency, fairness, opportunity for all.
The Taxman most likely paid for the road that the ute was parked on and the roads & infrastructure to get it there and back. The Taxman, in all likelihood, also paid for the limited education of the presumed owner of the ute.
I agree with your comment and I think Parker is onto something that is or at least should be much less controversial than RWs make it out to be.
The Sunday StarTimes is just another Tory Rag like the Herald .
The cult of Qelon.
Elon sycophants are some of the most bizarre fanboys on this side of the incel world, but this wacky gem inexplicably in my timeline has entered Trump-having-lunch-with-Jesus category.
https://twitter.com/larryfeltonj/status/1652396939785261059
I'm going to give a php 8.1 a test with the web server. May get a few quirks.
Works ok on the test VM. But there are some old plugins – some of which may use deprecated features.
Umm. Probably not WordPress 6.2 still has it on beta with PHP 8.0 – 8.1
Double ummm "The end of life date for PHP 7.4 was November 28, 2022"
I'll try it in a ubuntu 22.04 VM with a full backup. Site will be a slightly slow because I'll do the full backup now.
Mostly deprecation notices for wordpress on PHP 8.x but I need to find the plugins that need updates.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/apr/29/public-invited-to-swear-their-allegiance-as-king-is-crowned
Never before has the UK had this 'pledge of alliegence' for a coronation. I find it creepy, and even creepier to think this might be CIII's idea. The UK is paying $100 mi for the event. CIII's estate runs to $1 bi, including dispensation from tax.
Don't bother with the rest of the article, just pinned it for validation.
Parasites gotta do what parasites gotta do. English royalty – an anachronism from a long time ago.
Yes. You are right. It is an anachronism.
But what you and many others fail to recognise is that the trappings of this anachronism brings a massive boost to the British coffers in the form of tourism, and also gives the ordinary citizens of Britain and millions of others throughout the world a chance to be lifted out of their relatively drab existences.
Add to that – and imo the most important feature – the enormous historical significance of many of the beautiful articles of Royal patronage since time immemorial (eg. Westminster Abbey as just one of them)) and the equally magnificent parades of horses and carriages is a sight that gives countless millions enormous pleasure. No-one in the world can do it like the British. I happily admit I am one of them.
Reading the article, it looks as though this 'pledge of allegiance' for the commoners (i.e. the general population) – is replacing the traditional oaths of allegiance of the peers at the coronation.
So, in effect, a populist move, recognizing that the peers (Lords) are no longer a significant force in the governance of the UK.
It gives those who wish to participate an active part in the ceremony (albeit at a remove), rather than simply having their 'oaths' taken on their behalf by their MPs (which they do every time parliament sits).
Those who don't want to, don't have to (in fact, they don't even have to watch – and can take their holiday and go do something else)
Not sure why you regard it as 'creepy'.
As I understand it, the House of Lords does retain political power in forcing amendment of particularly egregious legislation. They must, like MPs, swear alliegance to the Crown on entering the House of Lords, but also on the death of a monarch. Charles is already sworn in by the peers, just not crowned.
This remains a new pledge asked of commoners. Still feels creepy to me.
The point I was making is that this pledge of allegiance by the commons, is replacing the oaths from the Lords in the Coronation ceremony.
Historically, that was a public acknowledgement by the most powerful local warlords that they would obey the King (or, occasionally, Queen). And was a truly important bulwark of the monarchy.
I'd regard the change as a symbolic acknowledgement that the Lords hold little political power any longer.
No doubt any form of formal allegiance would feel 'creepy' to you.
I suggest that you refrain from watching or reading about the coronation – or, any other political change of power, since all of the constitutional elements are likely to disturb you.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/apr/29/antisocial-how-putting-away-my-phone-helped-me-recover-from-a-heart-attack
Very insightful article on the effect of social media on political life from Rafael Behr, a UK political columnist.
"The more crowded the information marketplace, the harder it is for bland facts to compete with more lurid fare. Palates that are jaded need higher doses of spice. In politics, that creates incentives to wilful provocation. One way to catch the attention of a large audience is to stir a smaller one into a lather of indignation. In politics, infuriating the other side can be an effective campaign technique to amplify a core message."
"Every second of the political day on social media is a referendum on whatever feels most urgent in the moment. The high frequency of that cycle makes it harder to distinguish between what is noisy and what is important. It militates against the debate of priorities, which is part of the negotiation of trade-offs necessary for pluralist politics to function."
The GOP strategy to gerrymander electorates to retain control of states and maximise the GOP seats in the House, and also block access to votes from younger voters and workers is becoming blatant.
Only part way through the vid so not sure if he mentioned Texas' plans to limit polling places.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/texas-senate-passes-bill-end-countywide-voting-election-day-rcna80829
Also, Florida man.
https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/politics/2023/03/01/florida-republican-leader-seeks-to-decertify-democrats-ban-democratic-party/69953767007/
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/voter-id-rules-polling-station-local-elections-b2329402.html
Voter suppression of poor people and young people by Tories rife in the UK too, with photo id now required. The list of accredited ids is small and biased to older people and car owners, while getting valid id for voting is not simple.
Looks to me as though the UK have this covered.
From your article:
That looks like a very simple process to me. And would be pretty much identical to that required for any of the already-accepted forms of ID.
In addition, anyone in the younger age brackets, who wants a drink at their local pub, will have a photo ID already (that's the PASS card).
Note, getting a PASS card is indeed a quick and easy process (although they do charge a fee).
If you want to argue that requiring any form of ID is going to depress voting – that's one thing (and you should produce your argument).
But your current argument, that it's systematically unjust, just doesn't stack up.
AI-generated movies don't quite pass as live action. Yet.
Text-to-Videos are getting insanely powerful. Few years and we will watch Hollywood movies generated by AI. Here are 12 incredible use cases of #Gen-2 changing the industry very rapidly
https://twitter.com/heyBarsee/status/1651961767810179072