Time out

46 comments on “Time out ”

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1. marsman 1

   25 August 2013 at 10:08 am

   Thank you Anthony for all your hard work here on the Standard. All the best with your OOS (The Feldenkrais method may offer you some help) Kia kaha.
2. weka 2

   25 August 2013 at 10:20 am

   Thanks r0b, take care, and see you when you get back.

   ps, can you please change the photo to someone lying on a beach or something? I don’t want to think of you in the naughty corner 😉
3. gobsmacked 3

   25 August 2013 at 10:26 am

   I know blogging involves a lot of work, generally unnoticed and unappreciated. Finding and collating all those links and sources so the rest of us don’t have to … it’s easy to take that for granted.

   So sincere thanks for your efforts, AR. We disagreed about Shearer but that battle is over now. There’s a bigger one next year, and I hope you’ll be back as part of the Popular Front!

   And when the Labour-Green government takes office in 2014, and doesn’t deliver Utopia on day one, we’ll need somebody on here to defend it while we all grumble – sounds like a job for you!

   Good luck.
4. Colonial Viper 4

   25 August 2013 at 10:31 am

   r0b have a great break away from TS. Your hard work and contributions to TS will be missed.

   It’s a bit of a shock to see you go, and doubly so because RL also announced he is also stepping away from The Standard for the moment.

   (for those who didn’t spot that)

   http://thestandard.org.nz/fukushima/#comment-684624
5. marty mars 5

   25 August 2013 at 10:41 am

   All the best Anthony – enjoy your rest from blogging. Kia kaha.
6. Huginn 6

   25 August 2013 at 10:44 am

   All the best, Anthony. Your thoughtful contributions to TS are greatly appreciated. Get better soon.
7. Tautoko Viper 7

   25 August 2013 at 10:51 am

   I too will miss your intelligent posts, R0b and I wish you the best. You have made a difference. The second term of this disgraceful Government has been diabolical with the failure of the MSM to pick up on the issues and so-called “journalists” ( Audrey Young, John Armstrong, Fran O’Sullivan, Tracy Watkins, etc) who have acted as mouthpieces for the most dishonest NZ PM ever.

   The Standard posts and comments have enabled me to realise that I am not alone in seeing through the BS being served up as our human rights are being depleted (more bollocks from Judith Collins. http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/217812/report-says-nz-has-improved-human-rights).

   I can honestly say that without the Standard and your well-reasoned posts I think I would have been in a state of terminal helplessness. The knowledge that those who are a damn sight more intelligent than I am think along the same lines is very empowering. I will continue to paint my signs and tramp the pavements until this dishonest leader with his morally bereft team are voted out. Thanks, R0b
8. Tracey 8

   25 August 2013 at 11:01 am

   Thanks so much Anthony. Enjoy the time away and recharge your batteries.
9. veutoviper 9

   25 August 2013 at 11:02 am

   Anthony, I add my thanks and very best wishes to you. And hope to see you back in the not too distant future. I also know what OOS is like and the need to look after this. I am sure that you are well up with the play on tools and methods to help. A split keyboard and a Contour mouse helped mine to the point that my OOS is almost gone, thank goodness.

   I would also like to second what Tautoko Viper said so well as it expressed my own feelings about the Standard and posters such as yourself.
10. happynz 10

    25 August 2013 at 11:06 am

    Ahhh…OOS means Occupational Overuse Syndrome. I had to google the term and all I came up with at first was “Out Of Stock” and “Out Of Style”.

    Anyway, have a good break and I look forward to reading your stuff later.
11. Pete 11

    25 August 2013 at 11:10 am

    No Internet access for several weeks?? I sympathise. (Yeah, I know, first world problems).
12. r0b 12

    25 August 2013 at 11:17 am

    Many thanks all for the kind words! I’m away all day now (to my in-laws’ 55th wedding anniversary) but I will check in again late tonight. Some quick replies:

    Feldenkrais – thanks, I’ll look in to it.

    naughty corner – that image for “time out” amused me, and alas I’m not going to be anywhere near lying on beaches for the next 6 mo.

    going off the net – self inflicted, and will be worth it in the long run.

    Cheers all
    r0b
    • Jim Nald 12.1

      25 August 2013 at 5:49 pm

      Have a great time for the rest of this weekend, r0b. Thank you very much for all your posts. They have been one of the few things I look forward to every day when I look for things to read online.

      The past few years with this government have been replete with sickening news and your posts have helped provide some sanity and been good for personal mental health.

      Have a good ‘sabbatical’ from TS and come back soon please.
13. mickysavage 13

    25 August 2013 at 11:29 am

    Sorry to hear this r0b. People may not realise but r0b does much of the heavy lifting on the Standard. Come back soon …
14. RedLogix 14

    25 August 2013 at 11:41 am

    Cripes … r0b. Yes you have done a massive amount of heavy lifting and while my departure will leave a wee ripple for a moment or two; you will leave behind a gaping crater. I’ve always read your well researched and linked articles with great interest … and you have my frank admiration for the huge time and effort involved. The one thing that has always been apparent is the consistent integrity of your intellectual and moral landscape; something rare and valuable in this modern world.

    How the hell you’ve kept it up for this long I don’t know.

    The great thing about group blogs like this is that there is a natural ebb and flow of personalities, each playing their own role for their own time … but our departure merely creates a space for something new to flourish. I believe TS has it’s own life to play out as well. In time we will look back and be amazed at what we have achieved.

    Now I really must go.
15. Vaughn Bell 15

    25 August 2013 at 11:52 am

    As a first time responder but long-time reader of TS, I shall miss your reasoned and moderate approach, r0b. I wish you well in whatever the next chapter in your life brings.
16. joe90 16

    25 August 2013 at 11:53 am

    I’ve enjoyed your posts and a quick search of the site shows how much you’ve contributed over the past few years r0b.

    Go well friend and enjoy your break.
    • Anne 16.1

      25 August 2013 at 12:07 pm

      Thank you Anthony Robins. Sincerely hope you will return next year. Your erudite posts will be needed.
17. Jackal 17

    25 August 2013 at 12:25 pm

    Thanks for all your well argued articles r0b and RL. Hope to read some more in the not too distant future.
18. burt 18

    25 August 2013 at 12:29 pm

    Will miss you rOb, not many people are so blatantly myopic when it’s their team doing it as you are.
    • mickysavage 18.1

      25 August 2013 at 12:47 pm

      Oh Burt. You really need to let the pledge card thing go. It was eight years ago and believe me the reality of the issue is not as black and white as you paint it to be.

      I bet that in 40 years time you will still have the same gravatar picture and still be talking about the same thing.
19. lprent 19

    25 August 2013 at 1:06 pm

    Having arisen from my slumbers and read the e-mail. Drat!

    It was always on the cards that your OOS* would kick in, your position, and the usual family stuff would at some stage drive you into another hiatus. But having you able to write the occasional pieces during election year would be far more useful.

    Get those wrists and arms back into good condition. And look at some better gear to prevent a recurrence.

    *I’ve been dodging it for the last 20 years myself
    • Ron 19.1

      26 August 2013 at 1:47 pm

      maybe its time you guys get Naturally Speaking working. Have just been trying it out having not used the product for many years when it was in early stages of development.
      It has greatly improved and with the premium version you can use a dictation device to do stuff away from PC and get it uploaded later.
      Not wanting to be a shill for any commercial software but it does help with OOS espcially if you daytime job and you night time interests involve keyboards
      • lprent 19.1.1

        26 August 2013 at 2:23 pm

        I’ve used it and quite a few others (starting back in the 80’s with Hank Wolfe’s stuff at Otago uni).

        Since they started to get the accents right, it has been better. However writing posts is more like writing code or a haiku than it is like writing a letter or even an essay. You spent at least 2-4 times as much time editing and re-editing as you do writing. So any of the voice to text systems tend to get in the way more than anything else.

        In my long long experience as a programmer, the best things to do are to:-

        1. Never learn to type. I literally write and edit thousands of lines of code per day as a two finger typist (which involves moving my hands and arms). Since you wind up spending most of your time editing rather than writing, everything is wrong for typing anyway.

        2. Spend quite a lot of effort/money getting exactly the right gear. Crappy keyboards and inaccurate mice are really killers (generally high end logitech are pretty damn good – currently K750 keyboards and K705 mice are my picks). Seats that don’t support correct posture are a pain (my current chair at home cost ~$1800 for instance).

        3. Look at the light and reflected light issues really really carefully – including from glasses. Nothing forces more posture damage than leaning into screens or trying to look at a screen around a corner. I always go for the cave effect. In my current job the front of the office is literally on the waterfront. Me and my screens are therefore at the back of the long room at right angles to the reflective water facing a wall.

        4. If your wrists and arms are getting tired – then stop, rest, and reexamine your work environment and fix it. If anyone tries to force you to work on (never happened in my experience) then sear them down to their backbone for being a complete fuckwit, and leave. Work isn’t worth risking your health over.

        etc etc…

        Basically I’ve been on a computer keyboard for 3 decades, and while I have gotten close a few times, rule 4 in particular has ensured that I’ve never had to stop programming. There are no magic bullets. It is just a close attention to the detail that does it.
20. ak 20

    25 August 2013 at 1:18 pm

    Have a relaxing and well-earned break r0b – heartfelt thanks for all your wonderful work over many years, may you recover, return and enjoy all the fruits and happiness you so richly deserve. Kia kaha son, see you next year.
21. ianmac 21

    25 August 2013 at 2:23 pm

    Will miss your sage and sane blogs ROb. Rest well and be back for the next election. Cheers.
22. fender 22

    25 August 2013 at 2:30 pm

    To both ROb and Redlogix: Take care, thanks for your great contributions, hope to see you both return sooner rather than later.
    • Olwyn 22.1

      25 August 2013 at 2:56 pm

      +1
23. Jenny 23

    25 August 2013 at 2:34 pm

    Sorry to here of your departure Anthony. Especially sorry to here of your OOS.

    I hear this can be a very painful and debilitating condition. Take care.

    Maybe by the time you come back this technology will be available to everyone. I hope so, because not only will those from other languages be able to converse more easily. Those with conditions similiar to yours and even the many suffering from dyslexia and even illiteracy will be fully empowered to become involved in public life. I wonder what new worlds of experience this will open up for all of us?

    We live in a brave new world where despite such things as the GCSB bill, and revelations of illegal surveillance by the state, (here and overseas). In my opinion, technology is strengthening not weakening democracy. We are living in a great age. Maybe the greatest of all in human history. I hope we are up to the challenges of history we find put in front of us.

    P.S.

    As this may be my last missive to you, I thought I might take the opportunity to clear up a few things.

    As you are probably aware, I also will be taking a short break from The Standard.

    Hopefully I will be back to push my campaign, (against opposition) to make climate change an election issue.

    In the meantime I am giving all my spare time and energy, outside of my paid slavey job, to stop the open cast coal mine at Mangatangi. (Putting into practice on the ground, the Green Party official policy of “No New Coal Mines”).

    Despite what many claim here. I am not a liar, nor am I a cop, nor can I be compared to that dreadful human being Rob Gilchrist, a nasty piece of character assassination that in hindsight Lynn must be ashamed of. (probably why I can’t find the link anymore).

    Believe me when I say that I sincerely believe that climate change is the greatest threat that humanity has ever faced. And also believe me when I say, We can stop it. The solutions are there. Experts have said it will take a World War II type effort. I believe that. Most commentators here say, that such an ambition is unattainable, that to ask for such an effort is politically infeasible and unsellable to the electorate. As you know, I disagree. And I will be pushing as hard as I can despite my limited ability and admitted shortcomes to push the WWII solution as forcefully and aggressively as I can.

    Inevitably it will come to that.
    Our children and our grand children will take up this fight and fight hard because, they are us, and the fighting spirit of past generations is in them. They will fight desperately, even with no hope of victory, if even, by then the world has gone too far down the irreversible path of self reinforcing climate change to be reversed. Of course it would be far better if we began this battle now. And that is my hope.

    Kia kaha, be strong.

    Don’t stop fighting. Ever. Ka whawhai tono matou. Ake Ake Ake
    • weka 23.1

      26 August 2013 at 1:58 pm

      “As you are probably aware, I also will be taking a short break from The Standard.”

      Jenny, you are on a 6 week ban. I think this is at least the second time you have posted since then.

      Edit: looks like you have posted multiple times since the ban 🙁
24. Hami Shearlie 24

    25 August 2013 at 2:40 pm

    Thanks for all your informative posts and articles ROb and Redlogix – See you both back soon I hope! I have been wondering for a long while whatever happened to Robert Winter – I loved reading his blog every day and thought he was moving to The Daily Blog, but I haven’t seen him anywhere – I sure would like him to join the writers on The Standard!
25. BLiP 25

    25 August 2013 at 4:19 pm

    ‘

    Onya, mate. See you when I see you.
26. Akldnut 26

    25 August 2013 at 4:37 pm

    Cheers rOb have a well earned rest, we’ll look forward to the return of your well thought out and insightful posts next year. Take care and farewell RL
27. GregJ 27

    25 August 2013 at 4:41 pm

    Always insightful & informative R0b – take it easy & see you back soon. Go easy, neighbour.
28. Greywarbler 28

    25 August 2013 at 5:19 pm

    OOS What a blow to have this cut out much of the good thinking that keeps the banner flying. All the best and I hope if you try supplements or diet treatment that it works for you with fast improvement. But also a rest will be sure to help. See yah later.
29. McFlock 29

    25 August 2013 at 5:39 pm

    Bugger – but thanks for all your hard work!
30. karol 30

    25 August 2013 at 5:41 pm

    You’ll be missed here, r0b. But understand how other things can need attending to. Sorry to hear about the OOS.

    Will especially miss your Poverty Watch – it has been much needed.

    Hope your other activities go well.
31. peterquixote 31

    25 August 2013 at 5:50 pm

    I don’t know what OOS is but I hope it isn’t bad.
    It may be that we get a new Government, but I am not sure that Cunliffe is highly likeable.
    To me Shearer was likeable.
    People should sniff the wind later this year and if it looks like an impending Labour/ Green
    Government consider getting any NZ cash savings overseas. A Government with Green in it will see a 5% or more $NZ devaluation immediately. Suggest Canada
    • Colonial Viper 31.1

      25 August 2013 at 6:07 pm

      That’s bad advice for most people. Forex costs will mean taking an instant hit of 1% to 2%, and there is no suggestion that Canada is going to be particularly safe when GFC 2 arrives.

      Canada is also a petrostate and one of the world’s largest emitters of GHGs due to their tar sand operations. Why would you remit funds to that country?

      By the way the NZD needs a large devaluation to its historical mean of circa US65c to US70c.
    • weka 31.2

      25 August 2013 at 6:11 pm

      Occupational Overuse Syndrome (ie RSI, Repetitive Strain Injury)
32. Saarbo 32

    25 August 2013 at 6:36 pm

    Good luck Anthony, look forward to your posts when you get back. Thanks.
33. rosy 33

    25 August 2013 at 8:16 pm

    All the best Anthony. Hopefully your time out is restorative. But don’t imagine your place will be easily filled, despite the great group of bloggers the The Standard has. Thanks for all your work, especially on poverty. Take good care of yourself.
34. rosy 34

    25 August 2013 at 8:18 pm

    All the best for your move RL. I’ll miss your thought provoking contributions.
35. Puddleglum 35

    25 August 2013 at 10:31 pm

    All the very best Anthony.

    You’ve contributed enormously, not only in terms of the number of posts you’ve written but also through the respectful tone of your commenting.
36. Rod 36

    25 August 2013 at 10:32 pm

    Good one, mate
37. r0b 37

    25 August 2013 at 11:09 pm

    Well – many many thanks to all, for the good wishes, for the advice, for the too kind words. I am overwhelmed. All the best too to RedLogix and Jenny, who are also taking a break. With a little luck, we’ll all be back before too long…

    All the best
    Anthony/r0b

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