I was thinking of a really dull and tedious weekend. ..no real estate speculation or tax avoidance calculus. No getting ticketed at 200 in the Mazeratti. No fine dining with oodles of fine Otago pinot noir. Tutukaka game fishing or similar. None of that nonsense for Ennui. No………………… …..For some bizarre February reason Super Rugby starts tonight.
Mrs Ennui will yawn and run a bath…my cup will floweth over.
“I only drink champagne when Iâm happy, and when Iâm sad. Sometimes I drink it when Iâm alone. When I have company, I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I am not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it â unless Iâm thirsty.
– Lily Bollinger”
She of course had the advantage of not having to pay for it.
After having my wallet stolen while I was pissed as a parrot I had such rage and hatred of myself that it was enough to get me through the first 2 months (not really an incentive I guess)
Chilled water on a hot day. Delicious. You can feel it flowing inside your body cooling all over. Water is your friend. I’ve been reading that it gives muscles a boost, keeps away cramps, releases the prickly feelings from calcium spurs in your elbows when you are older.
Big weekend down in the King Country the A’N’P shows on in Taumarunui as well as the classic gliders turning up for a week at the airport.
But of most interest to me is the king country center champs dog trail at mahihi otarohanga it the best chance for a easy entry to the north island/new Zealand champs in may. Is Bess the mighty good enough.
I will be carrying on with my efforts to rear an endangered species – monarch butterflies. I keep wondering which group of brassica growers convinced who in which government department to ask some idiotic minister to permit the importing of a caterpillar eating wasp. Even caterpillars left outside that are less than a cm long are being eaten by the very efficient wasps and all that is left is black blood.
P.S. There are lots of white butterflies around, are they not as tasty as the colourful monarch?
I don’t think they were deliberately introduced, just someone not being careful enough with imports. Bloody things make a mess of monarch caterpillars.
White butterfly’s are destroyers of brassicas, monarchs eat the swan plant as far as I know. The whiteys are menaces and seem to be around awhile whereas the monarch had a very short life cycle.
We hate them with a passion as they monster the winter crops coming up now.
I have 17 swanplants growing but have sighted only one monarch butterfly. Those leg trailing paper wasps seem to patrol the plants looking for caterpillars. same last year. Monarchs Nil.
I live rurally. I have paddocks for neighbours. Recently the property was refenced to stop the cows from coming in. Before the fencing, i had a bit of a wild garden thing growing. Lots of flowers, colour, insect life and even a rat nesting under the harakeke.
Well, the fencing contractor, whom I know very well, unilaterally decided to have his workers ‘clean up the place’ and had them remove every plant and every bit of colour from the section. This happened last week and my blood is still boiling.
The fencing contractor is a good person and runs a crew of youths who otherwise would be in prison. He is also a Tuhoe bushman. I said to the dude “how the fuck would you like it if I went through Te Uruwera with a chainsaw. ” That’s how badly violated I feel.
So I really do get the wild garden thing. And on a final note, Bob, the rat, is now trying to store his nuts in my ceiling. I need to really think about that one.
“I said to the dude âhow the fuck would you like it if I went through Te Uruwera with a chainsaw. â Thatâs how badly violated I feel.”
Makes sense to me. Lots of people socialised into tidy is best and the beauty and abundance of wilderness in our backyards is lost on them. I’ve been in that situation a few times where people thought they were doing something useful or kind but were in fact destroying something essential. It’s hard. Did the man get it when you pointed it out?
Rats on the other hand, once they make it into the ceiling, that’s a step too far. It was always the young males who would come in at 3 o’clock in the morning and run riot over my bedroom ceiling. That was the time for me to push back.
“Rats on the other hand, once they make it into the ceiling, thatâs a step too far. It was always the young males who would come in at 3 oâclock in the morning and run riot over my bedroom ceiling. That was the time for me to push back.”
I know exactly what you are saying. So far I think it still is just Bob, the solitary rat. I have yet to see or hear evidence of the whanau or mokopuna. He is already in the ceiling space rattling his nuts about.
I have had endless discussions with the locals on how to remove rats, which generally involves trapping or poisoning. I am at an impasse. I don’t want to kill but I also don’t want to come home to a horde of rats arguing over the remote.
Can you cover the swan plant bush with fine netting – dress material type? Or fine muslin? Monarchs are beautiful. Do you belong to the Trust? I am sorry about the demise of the NZ preying mantis and the way that the South African has swamped it. But I feel that wasp may be getting into the preying mantis too.
@Janine
Naa the white ones only eat the tougher green stuff, Cabbage and my Silverbeet (out with the dust again) so must be bitter compared to the Swan Plant eating butterfly. . I have a friend here in Levin who’s house has hundreds of chrysalis mainly empty now and butterfly’s everywhere. Oh if they eat the plants too quick or too far She put Cucumber out for them. The forum Second link should elp with your wasp problem.
Thanks for the links DH. It is good to see that some people have living caterpillars. I got some net to cover my two mature trees greywarsharrk, but the wasps managed to get underneath the cover and there was carnage! Of the 22 caterpillars that I knew of only 4 remained. One was hanging ready to turn and only half of it was left. I live in the Franklin district so if there was a deliberate release of wasps I guess it would have been here. We are also close (as the crow flies) to the Auckland Airport, so I suppose if something came in there it would head for this area as a good source of food. Now I go over the trees at least twice a day and any branches with eggs on I bring inside.
@ Janice
Good luck with raising them inside. Perhaps a trend could be started for people to adopt the ones ready to change, bringing them inside when they went into their J shape. And then viewing them as living works of art – I find them beautiful with their cases of light green with gold spots. Watching the amazing work of the nature as their wings form and colours deepen till they can be seen through their thin cover is interesting. The beautiful end comes as they emerge and slowly waft their wings to dry and circulate their blood. Set them high enough so the cat won’t get them would be a rule!
Monarchs! I used to see them all the time at my parents (Chch) growing up. Haven’t seen one for many years. I had forgotten. Thank you for your efforts…
Flying home to winter after 4 fabulous weeks with friends and family in Aotearoa. Highlights included family wedding, Abel Tasman track and several visits to Raglan. Best.holiday.ever.
Only rained while we were on the track – reckon it was Puck paying us back for a dry Milford walk some years ago.
This is where Facebook could come in handy. A group with transport and revolving and reliable sober driver task could contact each other and set up trips like this Contrarian.
Writing this, I have the wonderful Dick Gaughan playing in the background. Militant working class folk music as its sinewy, caustic best.
One of the things I like most about Dick is that, like a string of singer-songwriters of his time, he is a very accomplished guitar player. Back in the 60s and 70s being a guitar-playing singer-songwriter you had to be a really good guitarist. Like Dick, or like Bert Jansch or John Renbourn or Davy Graham. Or NZ’s own wonderful Chris Thompson (‘Echoes from the Pit’ and ‘Minstrelsy’ are wonderful albums).
The Gaughan album I have on is ‘Gaughan Live!’, recorded at the Hebden Bridge Trades Club in the north of England.
Gaughan is a Cot, but he has a couple of nice songs exposing the myths peddled by Scottish nationalists, pointing out that the Scottish landowners and capitalists ruthlessly exploited the working people of Scotland and also emphasising the solidarity between Scottish and English workers: “No Gods” is a powerful, raucous number, while “Both Sides the Tweed” is just beautiful as a song, even if you didn’t follow the lyrics.
“Tom Paine’s Bones” is another great track, sinewy and emotional.
“Whatever happened?” is magnificent; it’s a rollicking, biting condemnation of all those who espoused revolutionary views in their youth but moved right as they climbed the socio-economic ladder (but might have kept the odd Che Guevara t-shirt).
He also has some wonderful guitar-playing on two instrumental medleys.
Gaughan first came to my attention at the time of the 1981 hunger strikes in the H-Blocks. He does a beautiful version (my favourite) of an old Irish republican movement song, “The Galtee Mountain Boy” and it was on a fund-raising album put out by the POW Dept of Sinn Fein. The live album contains my favourite version of “Both sides the Tweed” but there’s a nice version of it by Dick with Emmylou Harris at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlDijR0Y60Q
One of my favourite tracks on that great album was “Back Home in Derry”, written by Bobby Sands (although Sands was from Belfast). But my favourite version of that song is by the wonderful Gary Og, however his best vid of it seems to have disappeared from youtube. But he does a nice version of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song: here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iP7r0cg7Oc&list=PLDC4C4612C68C0D55&index=16
One of my favourite Irish songs is “James Connolly” and my favourite version is this one, which accompanies one of the annual Easter Rebellion commemorations organised by the Belfast branches of the socialist-republican movement eirigi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EghEkVe80e0
and I’ll be digging out some of the old magnificent Van der Graaf Generator; this is one of my favourite songs of theirs, “Arrow” (from 1975): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiLv2f3QKzs
I share your admiration for Gaughan. Fine guitar player and also a voice which I find very rich with an expressive warmth. “Kist of Gold” is my favourite album. Great political songs and also a way with a love ballad. He’s one of my “Gee, I wish I could play/sing like Gaughan.”
“…songs exposing the myths peddled by Scottish nationalists…”
you seem to infer that Scottish nationalist were (are?) on the side of the landowners and capitalist and they they were fellow travellers in ther attitudes towards working people.
Can you expand? I don’t see the current SNP in that light.
Blew the head gasket on the Commodore last week! Off to buy a bicycle this arvo.
Starting a new job on Monday. Will need the $$$ to pay for the Holden dramas. Arrgh
On Radionz. I thought this was a breakthrough in social understanding and the Joy of Mathematics. It is not airy fairy ideas, really factual and provable and repeatable.
And can be applied to NZs as a democratic people if trying to understand why our democracy and we are going down the plughole. http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/20167277
Hannah Fry – Love and Mathematics (â21â˛â27âłâ)
09:40 Just in time for Valentine’s Day weekend – Dr Hannah Fry tells Wallace the
mathematical equation for love. Her new book The Mathematics of Love offers a unique perspective on matters of the heart. As a mathematician, Dr Fry answers such burning questions as: What is the chance of finding love? How long will it last? And what are your chances of divorce?
âSelma, the stunning new film based on Paul Webbâs screenplay and directed by the previously unheralded African-American Ava DuVernay, makes for an interesting side-by-side comparison with Stephen Spielbergâs Lincoln. Both films revolve around the circumstances attending the passage of key legislation affecting Black America: in the first instance, the Thirteenth Amendment that abolished slavery and in the second the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that sealed the doom of Jim Crow, a legacy of white Americaâs abandonment of Reconstruction. . .â
Another film. – Edward Snowden and how it feel to be really unpopular in a pseudo-democracy.
Citizenfour â A panel discussion (â19â˛â19âłâ) http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/20167273
08:40 The Oscar nominated and BAFTA winning documentary Citizenfour tells the story of Edward Snowden – a former NSA employee turned whistle-blower.
Radio New Zealand National held a screening of the film in Auckland earlier this week and followed it with a panel hosted by Wallace Chapman and featuring: Mediawatch’s Colin Peacock; former Listener editor Finlay McDonald; documentary filmmaker Annie Goldson; and, Sandra Kailahi – a freelance journalist and director.
Also be aware of something lighter – Alan Davies UK Jonathan Creek QI etc is coming.
10:40 Alan Davies â Telling Stories
Alan Davies is a standup veteran of 25 years. He starred in the crime show Jonathan Creek which ran for 14 years, and is a permanent panelist of the QI show hosted by Stephen Fry. Alan Davies is bringing his new show Little Victories to NZ for a series of gigs across the country in July. http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/20167279
I met an honest-to-God Alex Jones 911 truther today who told me that “God’s judgment is upon America”, that “Obama can kill anybody he wants”, and that “FEMA is constructing death camps around the nation”.
This guy is around 65 and very overweight, has renounced his U.S citizenship and emigrated to New Zealand. He also said “the church in America is corrupt” and “America is the whore of Babylon” and something about Revelation chapter 16.
Tried injecting a little bit of sanity into the conversation but soon realised I was wasting my time and looked for an exit strategy. But on reflection I pretty much agree with his criticism of US militarism, although his logic and religious rhetoric was totally insane. I think he got NZ citizenship because of his Australian wife.
No doubt he will pull a NZ pension while complaining about big government and voting NACT
Free Speech Union member Daphna Whitmore speaks with Dr. Bryce Edwards about the causes and manifestations of contemporary political polarisation. Edwards, a well-known political scientist, lecturer in Politics at Victoria University, and long-time supporter of free speech, copped a lot of flak for his coverage of the parliamentary protests which ...
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This is a re-post from the Thinking is Power website maintained by Melanie Trecek-King where she regularly writes about many aspects of critical thinking in an effort to provide accessible and engaging critical thinking information to the general public. Please see this overview to find links to other reposts from Thinking is Power. ...
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Something I missed: the Central African Republic has abolished the death penalty: The National Assembly of the Central African Republic (CAR) passed a law abolishing the death penalty in the CAR on May 27, 2022. Once CAR President TouadĂŠra promulgates the bill, the CAR will become the 24th abolitionist ...
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Good grief. Has foreign policy commentary really devolved to the point where our diplomatic effort is being measured by how many overseas trips have been taken by our Foreign Minister? Weird, but apparently so. All this week, a series of media policy wonks have been invidiously comparing how many trips ...
Where we've been Time flies. This coming summer will mark 15 years of Skeptical Science focusing its effort on "traditional" climate science denial. Leaving aside frivolities, we've devoted most of our effort to combatting "serious" denial falling into a handful of broad categories of fairly crisp misconceptions: "radiative physics is wrong,""geophysics is ...
Mercenary army of bogus skeptics on parade Because they're both squarely centered in the Skeptical Science wheelhouse, this week we're highlighting two articles from our government and NGO section, where we collect high-quality articles not originating in academic research but featuring many of the important attributes of journal publications. Our mission ...
In the latest episode of AVFA Selwyn Manning and I discuss the evolution of Latin American politics and macroeconomic policy since the 1970s as well as US-Latin American relations during that time period. We use recent elections and the 2022 Summit of the Americas as anchor points. ...
The Green Party is calling for urgent government action to ensure safe staffing levels in aged residential care facilities, as a new report today shows a strained workforce is under increasing pressure. ...
The Green Party backs the unions and community groups and Human Rights Commission calling for an urgent change in legislation to make pay gap reporting mandatory. ...
Weâre incredibly proud to be celebrating the launch of Whaikaha â Ministry of Disabled People. Whaikaha â Ministry of Disabled People will put disabled people, their whÄnau, carers, and supporters first, removing barriers that existed when there was no single agency. The Ministry will also be the first in Aotearoa to ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to scrap the Acceptable Standards of Health policy that discriminates against disabled migrants after former Minister for Disability Issues Carmel Sepuloni acknowledged the policy âdisadvantagesâ disabled migrants on TVNZâs Q&A this morning. Â ...
Weâve secured a major free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU) â a move thatâs set to boost exports by $1.8 billion per annum, enhance our economic security, and enable New Zealand businesses to grow, by unlocking one of the worldâs biggest and high value markets. The new ...
Our Government is committed to making sure that our health system works for all New Zealanders, no matter who you are or where you live. Transformation of our health system will take time, and the step weâre taking today â establishing Health New Zealand and the MÄori Health Authority â ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to announce its support urgently for a moratorium on deep sea mining under the high seas, after Pacific nations joined forces this week to demand change. ...
Weâre committed to ensuring that there is every opportunity for women and girls to succeed in Aotearoa New Zealand, with fewer barriers. Since coming into Government, weâve worked hard to support women and girls, by improving services like healthcare and tackling issues like the gender pay gap. Here are just ...
Political pressure from the Green Party has pushed the Government to supply free masks to kids and teachers in schools across Aotearoa New Zealand. ...
The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand and the European Greens have published a joint statement calling for the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement to support climate action, phase out fossil fuel subsidies, cut agriculture emissions, protect human rights, and uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to guarantee that it will complete light rail and improve walking, cycling, and bus journeys across Wellington before digging new high-carbon tunnels. ...
The Green Party is urging Oceans and Fisheries Minister David Parker to commit to stronger ocean protection around Aotearoa and on the high seas while at the United Nations Oceans Conference in Portugal this week. ...
A strong Green voice in Parliament has helped reduce the influence large secret money will have in future elections and finally ensured overseas New Zealanders will retain the right to vote even while stranded by the Pandemic. But, the Government needs to go further to ensure our democracy works for ...
A new poll shows that the majority of people back the Greensâ call on the Government to overhaul the countryâs criminally punitive, anti-evidence drug law. ...
The US Supreme Courtâs decision on abortion is a reminder that we must take nothing for granted in Aotearoa, the Green Party says. âAotearoa should be a place where everyone, no matter where they are from, or who they love, can choose what is right for their body and their ...
Weâre proud to have delivered on our election commitment to establish a public holiday to celebrate Matariki. For the first time this year, New Zealanders will have the chance to enjoy a mid-winter holiday that is uniquely our own. ...
Proposed new legislation to reduce the risk that timber imported into Aotearoa New Zealand is sourced from illegal logging is a positive first step but it should go further, the Green Party says. ...
On World Refugee Day, the Green Party is calling on the new Minister for Immigration, Michael Wood to make up for the support that was not provided to people forced to leave their home countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. ...
This week, weâve marked a major milestone in our school upgrade programme. We've supported 4,500 projects across the country for schools to upgrade classrooms, sports facilities, playgrounds and more, so Kiwi kids have the best possible environments to learn in. ...
Weâve delivered on our election commitment to make Matariki a public holiday. For the first time this year, all New Zealanders will have the chance to enjoy a mid-winter holiday that is uniquely our own with family and friends. Try our quiz below, then challenge your whÄnau! To celebrate, weâve ...
The Green Party says the removal of pre-departure testing for arrivals into New Zealand means the Government must step up domestic measures to protect communities most at risk. ...
The long overdue resumption of the Pacific Access Category and Samoan Quota must be followed by an overhaul of the Recognised Seasonal Employers (RSE) scheme, says the Green Party. ...
Aotearoa New Zealand is sending a medical team and supplies to Niue to help it respond to new cases of COVID-19, following the opening of its border to quarantine-free travel last week. Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta and Defence Minister Peeni Henare have announced a Medical Assistance Team will head to ...
More than 30,000 small businesses have participated in Government-funded digital training, which supports businesses to take advantage of digital tools and new opportunities through e-commerce, Minister for Small Business Stuart Nash announced today. âOver the last two years, many business owners had no option but to move to digital platforms ...
The latest Crown Accounts show a solid result, despite challenging international conditions â reflecting the Governmentâs careful management of the books. For the eleven months to the end of May 2022 the Operating Balance before Gains and Losses (OBEGAL) deficit was $7.7 billion, $5.5 billion below that forecast in Mayâs ...
New legislation aimed at tackling delays in the family justice system, will help improve the wellbeing of thousands of children caught up in Family Court disputes every year, Justice Minister Kiri Allan says. The Family Court (Family Court Associate) Legislation Bill will see a number of Family Court Associates employed ...
New Associate Minister of Local Government Kieran McAnulty is today beginning a series of visits to all of the 55 rural and provincial councils across the motu. âLocal government plays a crucial role in our democratic system, ensuring people have a voice in the leadership of their community,â Kieran McAnulty ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta and Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien OâConnor have announced that Aotearoa New Zealand will ban the import of Russian gold. âTodayâs decision further signals Aotearoa New Zealandâs condemnation of Russiaâs flagrant violation of Ukraineâs sovereignty,â Nanaia Mahuta said. âIt underscores our intention of ensuring ...
The rollout of the new nationwide health system continued today with the launch of the countryâs first national public health system to fight disease and promote healthy lives. The Public Health Agency will lead and co-ordinate population and public health policy, strategy and regulation, while the national Public Health ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will lead a trade mission including over 30 New Zealand businesses to Melbourne and Sydney this week as part of the Governmentâs reconnection strategy to support export growth and the return of tourists post COVID-19. While in Sydney, Jacinda Ardern will also give an address to ...
Final stage of Accredited Employer Work Visa goes live today Offshore migrants can apply to work in New Zealand for an accredited employer Partners and dependents of work visa applicants can also apply for visas from today New Zealand has taken another significant step forward in our Reconnecting plan ...
Raising eligibility thresholds will provide a helping hand to more than 90,000 New Zealanders currently denied access to legal aid, Justice Minister Kiri Allan says. âThe Government is committed to driving through legislative changes to strengthen our legal aid system. âEnshrining changes in legislation and regulations is necessary to give ...
Mihi Manawa maiea te pĹŤtanga o Matariki Manawa maiea te ariki o te rangi Manawa maiea te mÄtahi o te tau! Thank you for the invitation to join you today. Unfortunately I canât be there in person but I'm pleased that this is an opportunity for young MÄori and ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern met UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in London overnight, and together took a number of steps to strengthen the already close ties between our two countries, and promote our common interests in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. âThe UK is one of Aotearoa New Zealandâs oldest and closest friends and ...
Building a more secure, sustainable and prosperous future together: Joint Statement â Prime Ministers Jacinda Ardern and Boris Johnson 1. New Zealand and the United Kingdom are old friends and close partners. Our relationship rests on a bedrock of history, shared values, and deep people-to-people links, extending across almost all ...
Director Sir Robin Niblett, distinguished guests. What an honour it is to be back in London, and to be here at Chatham house. This visit represents much for me. The reopening of borders and resumption of travel after a difficult few years. The chance to bring life to the UK ...
Manawa maiea te pĹŤtanga o Matariki Manawa maiea te ariki o te rangi Manawa maiea te mÄtahi o te tau! Introduction Iâm pleased to join you for my second address at the 56th Annual Otago Foreign Policy School. The topic for this year is Space. Given that we are in ...
New Ministry will officially be called Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People Public Service Commission have appointed Geraldine Woods as Interim Chief Executive Office for Disability Issues to be folded into the new Ministry In what is a milestone day, the Government has launched Aotearoa New Zealandâs first Whaikaha ...
Nine new He Poutama Rangatahi programmes have been approved funding. These programmes will provide work-readiness, training and employment initiatives for over 820 rangatahi NEETS (not in education, employment or training), across Aotearoa New Zealand. "He Poutama Rangatahi has proven to be a very successful initiative which supports rangatahi to overcome ...
Minister for MÄori Development Willie Jackson today announced the appointment of Crown representatives, Dr Charlotte Severne and Mr Bernie OâDonnell, to the Steering Committee that will determine the future of the IhumÄtao land. Â âIâm pleased to have made the Crown appointments. Both Dr Severne and Mr OâDonnell have extensive ...
I begin by thanking each of you for accepting appointment to these boards. Youâve each been on the Ministerial committee that established Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand and Te Aka Whai Ora - the MÄori Health Authority and I express my appreciation for the enormous task you collectively ...
Aotearoa New Zealand has reiterated its concerns over the continued erosion of rights, freedom and autonomy in Hong Kong. On the second anniversary of the introduction of the Hong Kong National Security Law, the Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta says developments in Hong Kong remain a cause for worry. âTwo years ...
The Europol Agreement signed is a significant milestone for New Zealand and the European Unionâs relationship, and reflects our shared principles of democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said today. The Prime Minister attended a signature ceremony in Brussels, as part of ...
¡      New nationwide public health system ¡      20 district health boards disestablished and deficits wiped ¡      82,000 health employees directly employed by Health New Zealand ¡      $24 billion health budget this year â up 43% since Labour took office in 2017 â in addition to separate funding for the new ...
Education Minister Chris Hipkins has announced appointments to the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand and the Board of Trustees of Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu (Te Kura). âRobyn Baker ONZM has been appointed as the chair of the Teaching Council. She has considerable governance experience and is a ...
European Commission President von der Leyen and Prime Minister of New Zealand Ardern met in Brussels on 30 June 2022. The encounter provided an opportunity to reaffirm that the European Union and Aotearoa New Zealand are longstanding partners with shared democratic values and interests, aligned positions on key international and ...
Export revenue to the EU to grow by up to $1.8 billion annually on full implementation. Duty-free access on 97% of New Zealandâs current exports to the EU; with over 91% being removed the day the FTA comes into force. NZ exporters set to save approx. $110 million per annum ...
57,000 EVs and Hybrid registered in first year of clean car scheme, 56% increase on previous year EVs and Non Plug-in Hybrids made up 20% of new passenger car sales in March/April 2022 The Governmentâs Clean Car Discount Scheme has been a success, with more than 57,000 light-electric and ...
Police Minister Chris Hipkins congratulates the newest Police wing â wing 355 â which graduated today in Porirua. âThese 70 new constables heading for the frontline bring the total number of new officers since Labour took office to 3,303 and is the latest mark of our commitment to the Police ...
Members with a range of governance, financial and technical skills have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Board as part of the shift to strengthen the Bankâs decision-making and accountability arrangements. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act 2021 comes into force on 1 July 2022, with the establishment of ...
New Zealand to remain at Orange as case numbers start to creep up 50 child-size masks made available to every year 4-7 student in New Zealand 20,000-30,000 masks provided a week to all other students and school staff Extra funding to schools and early childhood services to supports better ...
Aotearoa New Zealand will join Ukraineâs case against Russia at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which challenges Russiaâs spurious attempt to justify its invasion under international law. Ukraine filed a case at the ICJ in February arguing Russia has falsely claimed genocide had occurred in Luhansk and Donetsk regions, as ...
The Government has taken another step forward in its work to eliminate family violence and sexual violence with the announcement today of a new Tangata Whenua Ministerial Advisory Group. A team of 11 experts in whÄnau MÄori wellbeing will provide the Government independent advice on shaping family violence and sexual ...
Te Mahere Whai Mahi WÄhine: Womenâs Employment Action Plan was launched today by Minister for Women Jan Tinetti â with the goal of ensuring New Zealand is a great place for women to work. âThis Government is committed to improving womenâs working lives. The current reality is that women have ...
The food and fibre sector acknowledged its people and leadership at last nightâs 2022 Primary Industries Good Employer Awards, a time to celebrate their passion towards supporting employees by putting their health, welfare and wellbeing first,â Acting Minister of Agriculture Meka Whairiti said. âAward winners were selected from an extraordinary ...
Kia ora koutou katoa. It is a rare thing to have New Zealand represented at a NATO Summit. While we have worked together in theatres such as Afghanistan, and have been partners for just on a decade, today represents an important moment for our Pacific nation.  New Zealand is ...
Te Arataki mĹ te Hauora NgÄkau mĹ ngÄ MĹrehu a TĹŤ me Ĺ rÄtou WhÄnau, The Veteran, Family and WhÄnau Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy Framework âWe ask a lot of those who serve in the military â and we ask a lot of the families and whÄnau who support ...
Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs Aupito William Sio has been appointed by the United Nations and Commonwealth as Aotearoa New Zealandâs advocacy champion for Small Island States. âAotearoa New Zealand as a Pacific country is particularly focused on the interests of Pacific Small Island Developing States in our region. âThis is a ...
An estimated 100,000 low income households will be eligible for increased support to pay their council rates, with changes to the rates rebate scheme taking effect from 1 July. Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta has announced increases to both the maximum value of the rates rebate, and the income threshold ...
A long-standing physical activity programme that focuses on outcomes for Maori has been expanded to four new regions with Government investment almost doubled to increase its reach. He Oranga Poutama is managed by a combination of hapĹŤ, iwi, hauora and regional providers. Â An increase in funding from $1.8 million ...
The Government is progressing a preferred option for LGWM which will see Wellingtonâs transport links strengthened with light rail from Wellington Station to Island Bay, a new tunnel through Mt Victoria for public transport, and walking and cycling, and upgrades to improve traffic flow at the Basin Reserve. âWhere previous ...
To Provost Muniz, to the Organisers at the Instituto de Empresa buenas tardes and as we would say in New Zealand, kia ora kotou katoa. To colleagues from the State Department, from Academia, and Civil Society Groups, to all our distinguished guests - kia ora tatou katoa. Itâs a pleasure ...
Inside PNG News Forty-Two Papua New Guinea Defence Force staff have arrived in Kavieng for the national general election operations. New Ireland Provincial Police Commander Chief Inspector Felix Nebanat said this brought the total number of joint security forces up to 400 in the province. Papua New Guineaâs general election ...
RNZ Pacific The president of New Caledoniaâs Southern Province Sonia Backès has been given a post in Franceâs reshuffled and enlarged 42-member government. The prime minister Elisabeth Borne appointed her as the secretary of citizenship within the interior ministry, which has integrated the overseas ministry. The reshuffle means that the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Isaac Gross, Lecturer in Economics, Monash University Shutterstock There was no suprise in the board of the Reserve Bank of Australia lifting interest rates at its July meeting. The only question was by how much. Would it be a âregularâ ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes âWord from The Hillâ, where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. Michelle and Peter ...
The state-subsidised mainstream media have been found wanting in their coverage of Three Waters governance arrangements.  In this post, reproduced from his blog, BARRIE SAUNDERS exposes failings in the business press’s coverage of the nationalisation and property rights issues and their implications… IF THE GOVERNMENT gets its way, around $100 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vanessa Smith, Professor of English, University of Sydney Sydney Theatre Company/Prudence UptonReview: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, directed by Jessica Arthur for the Sydney Theatre Company âYou know when itâs the autumn of 1827, and youâre sitting in a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Lim, Associate Professor in Linguistics, Curtin University Of the worldâs 7,000 languages, it is estimated 50% to 90% will no longer be spoken in the next 50 to 100 years. The majority under threat are languages spoken by Indigenous peoples around ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Beard, Associate professor, University of Sydney Shutterstock An unvaccinated toddler from the far north coast of New South Wales is in intensive care after catching respiratory diphtheria (diphtheria of the throat). A six-year-old close family contact is also infected. ...
On his Bowalley Road blog today, Political commentator CHRIS TROTTER says Maori Development Minister Willie Jacksonâs problem is that he can neither withdraw, nor water down, the Draft Plan for implementing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples without exposing the Labour Government to the most withering ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jamie Pittock, Professor, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University For the fourth time in 18 months, floodwaters have inundated homes and businesses in Western Sydneyâs Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley. Recent torrential rain is obviously the immediate cause. But poor decisions by ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will almost certainly have earned a bounce  upwards  in her partyâs polling after her mission in Europe, where, as a result of her âCaptainâs Callâ, New Zealand has accepted the terms of the EU free trade deal. The outcome is  positive for some sectors, though not ...
The New Zealand Law Society Te KÄhui Ture o Aotearoa has welcomed a new Bill that will work towards reducing delays in our Family Court system. Delays in Family Court cases are one of the biggest issues for families and children who experience prolonged ...
Buzz from the Beehive Amidst a raft of statements that crow about government achievements and/or bray about new initiatives, Point of Order found an oddity:Â a statement from the newly minted Associate Minister of Local Government who intends to meet local government leaders around the country to talk about this, ...
The MindTheGap campaign is applauding New Zealand Cricket for its decision to award equal pay to men and women players. New Zealand Cricket has closed the pay equity gap for womenâs cricketers, with both men and women receiving the same pay for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist), The Conversation The US Supreme Courtâs annual term usually finishes at the end of June, so late June is when the most important decisions are likely to be announced. On June 23, the Court struck down ...
Those entering the line-up for 2022 local body elections in the Wellington region must face the issue at the top of mind for sports club members and parents of children playing school sport. Will they allow sport to become more affordable, or will they ...
Financial Statements of the Government of New Zealand for the 11 months ending 31 May 2022 Please note the next Financial Statements of the Government of New Zealand to be released will be for the full year ended 30 June 2022. It is anticipated that ...
T wo travellers returning to New Zealand from tropical getaways have been fined for failing to declare protected corals and shells they brought back into the country. C o rals and some shells found in Pacific Island nations are protected by the Convention ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Murray Goot, Emeritus Professor of Politics and International Relations, Macquarie University What does âthe average Australianâ look like? After every census, this is one of the questions people like to see answered. Average on one measure or on several? If the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Niro Kandasamy, Lecturer in History, University of Sydney When Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe conceded ten days ago that the Sri Lankan economy has âcompletely collapsedâ, his words would have come as no surprise to the islandâs 22 million people. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Peetz, Professor Emeritus, Griffith Business School, Griffith University Shutterstock, CC BY-SA Uber Australiaâs historic agreement with the Transport Workersâ Union, on the need to regulate the gig economy, is the first step in fundamental reform of gig work. It suggests ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael David Barbezat, Research fellow, Australian Catholic University Netflix From Kate Bush to Russian villainy, Season Four of Stranger Things revives many parts of the 1980s relevant to our times. Some of these blasts from the past provide welcome nostalgia. Others ...
RNZ Pacific Voting in the Papua New Guinea general election begins today. Voters will elect 118 members of Parliament, including governors of the 22 provinces, from the 3600-plus candidates nominated. There are 6000 polling teams in the 22 provinces. There have also been reports that polling in the capital, Port ...
By Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby A man was held by Papua New Guinean security personnel in Hela Province on Saturday after he was found to have in his possession K1.56 million (about NZ$715,000) in cash carried in a suitcase. The man, who police identified as a local, allegedly told ...
COMMENTARY:By Benny Wenda We celebrated the 51st anniversary of the independence declaration of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) at Markas Victoria on July 1, 1971. The declaration, signed by Seth Rumkoren and Jacob Prai â who sadly passed away last month â was a direct rejection of Indonesian colonialism. ...
Analysis - Geoffrey Miller poses the question: Is New Zealand suddenly softening its more pro-Western foreign policy - and its tougher line on China? ...
The SOS cries of under-pressure GPs hit close to home for the country's only MP and practicing doctor, Shane Reti, who suggests three vital steps to help. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Dooley, Research Fellow, Climate & Energy College, The University of Melbourne Nico Smit/Unsplash, CC BY Restoring degraded environments, such as by planting trees, is often touted as a solution to the climate crisis. But our new research shows this, ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern does not expect a resolution on 501 deportations from her trip to Australia this week, saying it will take time to work through. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elodie Camprasse, Research fellow in spider crab ecology, Deakin University Julian Finn/Museums VictoriaAm I not pretty enough? This article is part of The Conversationâs series introducing you to little-known Australian animals that need our help. Every winter in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nina Lansbury, Senior Lecturer, School of Public Health, The University of Queensland In Australia, most states have introduced initiatives to provide people who menstruate with free period care products in public schools. The Queensland governmentâs recent announcement of free period care ...
As consumers receive their winter power bills, many are puzzled and some are incensed that they are so high. There is a simple answer: wholesale prices are elevated (they have been  very high for some time and reached $215 a megawatt/hour last week). And thereâs a not-so-simple answer: The latter ...
New guidance published by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) today advises most seismically vulnerable buildings are not imminently dangerous and can remain occupied while seismic remediation work is planned, funded and undertaken. ...
Buzz from the Beehive Measures to raise eligibility thresholds to help more than 90,000 New Zealanders that currently are denied access to legal aid were announced today Changes to the Legal Services Regulations 2011 and the Legal Services Act 2011 will give effect to $148.7 million of funding in Budget 2022. The ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tomas Fitzgerald, Lecturer in Law, Curtin University A brainy machine? Shakey, the worldâs first AI-based robot.SRI International It is a truth, universally acknowledged, that the machines are taking over. What is less clear is whether the machines know that. Recent claims ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brian Robert Cook, Associate professor, The University of Melbourne In the aftermath of destructive floods, we often seek out someone to blame. Common targets are the ânegligent local councilâ, the âgreedy developerâ, âthe builder cutting cornersâ, and the âfoolish home owner.â Unfortunately, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Rae, Associate Professor, English and Theatre Studies, The University of Melbourne Julio Donoso/Sygma via Getty Images I can take any empty space and call it a bare stage. A man walks across this empty space whilst someone else ...
Crombie Lockwood today announced a new partnership with Trees for Survival. Trees for Survival is a charitable trust which works with over 150 schools and local communities across New Zealand to grow and plant native trees along waterways and on erosion ...
Labour shortages, supply chain disruption and climate change are expected to be among the topics of discussion on the Prime Minister's Australian trade mission. ...
The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions is pleased to support the #NotAnotherWinter campaign, which calls on the Government to take urgent action on pay transparency. The campaign, which was launched by Mind the Gap this week, calls on the Government ...
Aaron Martin, Principal immigration lawyer, New Zealand Immigration Law The Job Check has been introduced to ensure that there are no suitable New Zealanders who can do a job before it is offered to a migrant worker. But it comes with a requirement ...
âNew Zealand needs to make up its mind if it is open for business and remove any barriers to make it easy for people with the skills we need to come here to keep our schools, hospitals, hospitality and tourism ventures running,â says a frustrated ...
Responsible Campers Association has today announced they will seek a change to the law that allows defecation in public if a person believes they would not be observed doing so. Spokesman for the group, Bob Osborne explains; âAt the moment section ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Phil R. Cummins, Professor, Geoscience Australia Brendan Esposito/AAP Earthquakes can be especially devastating for developing countries, where competing priorities can stymie resource allocation towards earthquake resilience. Even in tectonically active areas, where tectonic plates meet and scrape against one another, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Bongiorno, Professor of History, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University ‘Peace for our time’: British prime minister Neville Chamberlain displaying the Anglo-German declaration, known as the Munich Agreement, in September 1938.Wikimedia, CC BY-SA Can historians influence ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Glasziou, Professor of Medicine, Bond University Engin Akyurt/Unsplash Since Australiaâs first Omicron wave after borders opened late last year, the pandemic has largely faded from the news and public perception. Gone are the daily briefings with updates on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julianna Santos, PhD candidate, The University of Melbourne David Mariuz/AAP About 100 of Australiaâs unique land mammals face extinction. Of the many threats contributing to the crisis, certain fire regimes are among the most pervasive. In a new paper, we ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maryanne Macdonald, Lecturer, Indigenous Education, Edith Cowan University Floods, fires and droughts in Australia devastate lives, destroy wildlife and damage property. These disasters also cost billions of dollars through loss of agricultural and economic productivity, environmental vitality and costs to mental health. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meena Jha, Course Coordinator, Information Communications Technology (ICT), CQUniversity Australia Shutterstock While face-to-face classes are back after the COVID disruptions of the past two years, our research suggests at least some Australian universities intend to continue with fully online assessment. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra Shutterstock The dream that decentralised finance â or âDeFiâ â can free the monetary system from the clutches of governments and banks has helped launch 20,000 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Esther Suckling, Research Associate, Grattan Institute Mackay Regional Council Australiaâs mining and heavy industry sectors are on the cusp of a revolution as the world shifts to net-zero. Demand for traditional industrial commodities â coal, oil, and gas â is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darren Jorgensen, Senior lecturer in art history, The University of Western Australia Tracker Nat, holding his hat on the far left, with Paul Hasluck standing next to him, holding Nat’s shield in this picture from 1958. National Archives of Australia. NAA: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dale Dominey-Howes, Honorary Professor of Hazards and Disaster Risk Sciences, University of Sydney Mick Tsikas/AAP Again, thousands of residents in Western Sydney face a life-threatening flood disaster. At the time of writing, evacuation orders spanned southwest and northwest Sydney and ...
By Hayden Donnell, RNZ Mediawatch producer Some said the US Supreme Courtâs controversial ruling on abortion was none of our business, because we donât have the same legal or political set-up, let alone its religious cleavages and cultural conflicts. Opinion leaders in our media didnât agree â and provoked a ...
By Theckla Gunga of Inside PNG Papua New Guineans, your future is in your hands, vote wisely. As the campaign trail wound up its last hours at the weekend, voters were being urged to keep their future in mind when choosing and voting this election starting tomorrow. Alvin Gia Huk, ...
By Stephen Forbes, Local Democracy Reporter Manukau Urban MÄori Authority (MUMA) is welcoming the governmentâs health reforms as an important first step to improving MÄori and Pasifika health in south Auckland. But some in the health sector say the jury is still out on what will be achieved in Counties ...
Power Play - The Prime Minister travelled to Brussels with two speeches prepared - one detailed a historic trade deal, the other why she would leave Brussels without one. ...
Green Party candidate for Wellington's Motukairangi-Eastern Ward Luana Scowcroft is launching her campaign at Hataitai Centre (the former Hataitai Bowling Club) at 7pm tonight, Saturday July 2nd. Luana says that council's short-term thinking, and ...
The government has just announced the conclusion of a free trade agreement with the European Union. One MÄori entity operating in the trade space, NgÄ Toki Whakarururanga, is not celebrating. âWe are aware that New Zealand negotiators genuinely sought ...
Buzz from the Beehive Down here on Earth â more particularly, in IhumÄtao â progress on doing whatever is going to be done to that disputed patch of land has been glacial. Newsroom drew attention to the dawdling in an article in April which noted that MÄori Development Minister Willie ...
PNG Post-Courier Today is officially the last day of campaigning in Papua New Guineaâs 2022 National General Election. Count tomorrow until Monday as rest days, but in politically charged PNG, anything is possible, including illegal last-minute clandestine campaigning. Polling is set to begin Tuesday, July 4, when millions will exercise ...
Asia Pacific Report newsdesk Greenpeace Aotearoa has condemned New Zealand for âstanding byâ while âdeep wounds are inflicted on its Pacific neighboursâ by silence over deep sea mining. Greenpeaceâs seabed mining campaigner James Hita made the critical statement today after a dramatic shift at the UN Oceans conference in Lisbon ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra University of Canberra Professorial Fellow Michelle Grattan and Emma Larouche, from the University of Canberraâs Media and Communications team discuss the week in politics. They canvass the crossbenchersâ stoush with the Prime Minister over ...
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I was thinking of a really dull and tedious weekend. ..no real estate speculation or tax avoidance calculus. No getting ticketed at 200 in the Mazeratti. No fine dining with oodles of fine Otago pinot noir. Tutukaka game fishing or similar. None of that nonsense for Ennui. No………………… …..For some bizarre February reason Super Rugby starts tonight.
Mrs Ennui will yawn and run a bath…my cup will floweth over.
Valentine’s day on saturday – sponteneity doesn’t usually go too far wrong đ
I’m “celebrating” 192 days sober…with another water /sigh
It is a celebration – good for you!
I used to work in a brewery, long (long) ago. So much alcoholism. It put me off alcohol for my early life, and even now I very seldom drink.
Might be time to change your handle to barfree đ
Over 3 years for me. It was easier than I’d expected.
But you will miss out on this view of life
“I only drink champagne when Iâm happy, and when Iâm sad. Sometimes I drink it when Iâm alone. When I have company, I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I am not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it â unless Iâm thirsty.
– Lily Bollinger”
She of course had the advantage of not having to pay for it.
Good on you Barfly. What a massive effort. I hope you’ve been well supported through out and continue to be. Take care and enjoy your achievements.
I’ve heard it’s better than the alternative. Congrats on your willpower
Barfly. Great news. What was your greatest incentive to choose this hard row?
After having my wallet stolen while I was pissed as a parrot I had such rage and hatred of myself that it was enough to get me through the first 2 months (not really an incentive I guess)
There are some ratbags out there. But using that trigger to recognise a problem and deal with it is the best response you could have made.
Chilled water on a hot day. Delicious. You can feel it flowing inside your body cooling all over. Water is your friend. I’ve been reading that it gives muscles a boost, keeps away cramps, releases the prickly feelings from calcium spurs in your elbows when you are older.
Grime Music time..
Well OK Only Dizzy Rascal
But hoping other’s can offer up some Grime Tunes.
Big weekend down in the King Country the A’N’P shows on in Taumarunui as well as the classic gliders turning up for a week at the airport.
But of most interest to me is the king country center champs dog trail at mahihi otarohanga it the best chance for a easy entry to the north island/new Zealand champs in may. Is Bess the mighty good enough.
May the inside of your gumboots stay dry.
Not sure if that’s a curse or a blessing could do with a drop of rain or two , might even leave the coat at home to temp mother n into getting me:-)
Well, if it’s real dry, you won’t be needing your gumboots to keep you out of the hospital or infirmary đ
I tell you the next time I see mud I may strip off and roll in it.
Mud wrestling?? CAn we watch???
The only thing I wrestle with is the implications of being human and if you read my posts you’re already watching. đ
Dang an event I was prepared to travel to. ” put in chuckle icon”
I’m a slightly chubby hairy in all the wrong places middle aged man you would be better to watch the “borat” fight scene.
you are a ‘bear’..
..and you do have yr own fan sub-set..
..so nude-wrestling shouldn’t be ruled out for those ‘bear’-like reasons..
Not quite a bear but gravity is shifting the follicles from my head to all sorts of odd places.
“You don’t walk around Muddy puddles. You jump in them.
Peppa Pig.
Oh the joys of having a 3 year old đ
There’s nothing more satisfying than jumping in a muddy puddle & getting your mates soaked……lol
I will be carrying on with my efforts to rear an endangered species – monarch butterflies. I keep wondering which group of brassica growers convinced who in which government department to ask some idiotic minister to permit the importing of a caterpillar eating wasp. Even caterpillars left outside that are less than a cm long are being eaten by the very efficient wasps and all that is left is black blood.
P.S. There are lots of white butterflies around, are they not as tasty as the colourful monarch?
I don’t think they were deliberately introduced, just someone not being careful enough with imports. Bloody things make a mess of monarch caterpillars.
White butterfly’s are destroyers of brassicas, monarchs eat the swan plant as far as I know. The whiteys are menaces and seem to be around awhile whereas the monarch had a very short life cycle.
We hate them with a passion as they monster the winter crops coming up now.
I have 17 swanplants growing but have sighted only one monarch butterfly. Those leg trailing paper wasps seem to patrol the plants looking for caterpillars. same last year. Monarchs Nil.
i have six six foot high swanplants..
..and i have swarms of monarchs…
..birds and stuff love my yard..
..the lawns haven’t been mowed in five yrs..(i walk it down when it gets too high..)
..so there is a whole eco-system going on in there..
..and tho’ in suburbia..the fence/trees make it a green-cave of sorts..
..a safe haven for them all..
..and even wild birds like being whistled-at/talked to..
..my great grandfather taught/showed me that when i was a kid..
..he used to do it all the time..and i thought it was very cool..
..so also do it..
Kiaora Phil
I live rurally. I have paddocks for neighbours. Recently the property was refenced to stop the cows from coming in. Before the fencing, i had a bit of a wild garden thing growing. Lots of flowers, colour, insect life and even a rat nesting under the harakeke.
Well, the fencing contractor, whom I know very well, unilaterally decided to have his workers ‘clean up the place’ and had them remove every plant and every bit of colour from the section. This happened last week and my blood is still boiling.
The fencing contractor is a good person and runs a crew of youths who otherwise would be in prison. He is also a Tuhoe bushman. I said to the dude “how the fuck would you like it if I went through Te Uruwera with a chainsaw. ” That’s how badly violated I feel.
So I really do get the wild garden thing. And on a final note, Bob, the rat, is now trying to store his nuts in my ceiling. I need to really think about that one.
morena adele..
..i find if it gets too unruly/high..
..that walking it down is preferable to cutting..
..i did my backyard yesterday..
..and it is strangely satisfying to do..
(..much more so than clattering around with a lawn mower..
..faster..and no mountain of clippings to deal with after..)
..and freshly-tamped it all packs down to about 10cm high..
..and then the cycle starts again..
..and doing that i get a glimpse of the insect-life in the eco-system that has built up..
..and i really recommend growing some swan-plants..
..it is way cool to have monarch butterflies flying around the place..
Kiaora Adele,
“I said to the dude âhow the fuck would you like it if I went through Te Uruwera with a chainsaw. â Thatâs how badly violated I feel.”
Makes sense to me. Lots of people socialised into tidy is best and the beauty and abundance of wilderness in our backyards is lost on them. I’ve been in that situation a few times where people thought they were doing something useful or kind but were in fact destroying something essential. It’s hard. Did the man get it when you pointed it out?
Rats on the other hand, once they make it into the ceiling, that’s a step too far. It was always the young males who would come in at 3 o’clock in the morning and run riot over my bedroom ceiling. That was the time for me to push back.
Kiaora Weka
“Rats on the other hand, once they make it into the ceiling, thatâs a step too far. It was always the young males who would come in at 3 oâclock in the morning and run riot over my bedroom ceiling. That was the time for me to push back.”
I know exactly what you are saying. So far I think it still is just Bob, the solitary rat. I have yet to see or hear evidence of the whanau or mokopuna. He is already in the ceiling space rattling his nuts about.
I have had endless discussions with the locals on how to remove rats, which generally involves trapping or poisoning. I am at an impasse. I don’t want to kill but I also don’t want to come home to a horde of rats arguing over the remote.
Ben the movie springs to mind.
Can you cover the swan plant bush with fine netting – dress material type? Or fine muslin? Monarchs are beautiful. Do you belong to the Trust? I am sorry about the demise of the NZ preying mantis and the way that the South African has swamped it. But I feel that wasp may be getting into the preying mantis too.
@Janine
Naa the white ones only eat the tougher green stuff, Cabbage and my Silverbeet (out with the dust again) so must be bitter compared to the Swan Plant eating butterfly. . I have a friend here in Levin who’s house has hundreds of chrysalis mainly empty now and butterfly’s everywhere. Oh if they eat the plants too quick or too far She put Cucumber out for them. The forum Second link should elp with your wasp problem.
http://www.monarch.org.nz/monarch/species/monarchs/monarch-host-plants/feeding-monarch-larvae/
http://www.monarch.org.nz/monarch/forum/
Thanks for the links DH. It is good to see that some people have living caterpillars. I got some net to cover my two mature trees greywarsharrk, but the wasps managed to get underneath the cover and there was carnage! Of the 22 caterpillars that I knew of only 4 remained. One was hanging ready to turn and only half of it was left. I live in the Franklin district so if there was a deliberate release of wasps I guess it would have been here. We are also close (as the crow flies) to the Auckland Airport, so I suppose if something came in there it would head for this area as a good source of food. Now I go over the trees at least twice a day and any branches with eggs on I bring inside.
@ Janice
Good luck with raising them inside. Perhaps a trend could be started for people to adopt the ones ready to change, bringing them inside when they went into their J shape. And then viewing them as living works of art – I find them beautiful with their cases of light green with gold spots. Watching the amazing work of the nature as their wings form and colours deepen till they can be seen through their thin cover is interesting. The beautiful end comes as they emerge and slowly waft their wings to dry and circulate their blood. Set them high enough so the cat won’t get them would be a rule!
Monarchs! I used to see them all the time at my parents (Chch) growing up. Haven’t seen one for many years. I had forgotten. Thank you for your efforts…
Flying home to winter after 4 fabulous weeks with friends and family in Aotearoa. Highlights included family wedding, Abel Tasman track and several visits to Raglan. Best.holiday.ever.
Only rained while we were on the track – reckon it was Puck paying us back for a dry Milford walk some years ago.
Leaving the land of intense cold for Auckland tomorrow. Yay, warmth!
There’s a Wellington/Wairarapa outdoor dj and laser party this weekend.
Although I’m not going to it I usually enjoy these type of events.
https://www.facebook.com/events/448976005256415/
I know a number of the DJ’s and lighting guys – quite friendly with the organisers too. They always do good work so will be fun I am sure.
I was thinking of going but the problem is the drive back the next day. There would be no way I would be sober enough to drive.
This is where Facebook could come in handy. A group with transport and revolving and reliable sober driver task could contact each other and set up trips like this Contrarian.
Writing this, I have the wonderful Dick Gaughan playing in the background. Militant working class folk music as its sinewy, caustic best.
One of the things I like most about Dick is that, like a string of singer-songwriters of his time, he is a very accomplished guitar player. Back in the 60s and 70s being a guitar-playing singer-songwriter you had to be a really good guitarist. Like Dick, or like Bert Jansch or John Renbourn or Davy Graham. Or NZ’s own wonderful Chris Thompson (‘Echoes from the Pit’ and ‘Minstrelsy’ are wonderful albums).
The Gaughan album I have on is ‘Gaughan Live!’, recorded at the Hebden Bridge Trades Club in the north of England.
Gaughan is a Cot, but he has a couple of nice songs exposing the myths peddled by Scottish nationalists, pointing out that the Scottish landowners and capitalists ruthlessly exploited the working people of Scotland and also emphasising the solidarity between Scottish and English workers: “No Gods” is a powerful, raucous number, while “Both Sides the Tweed” is just beautiful as a song, even if you didn’t follow the lyrics.
“Tom Paine’s Bones” is another great track, sinewy and emotional.
“Whatever happened?” is magnificent; it’s a rollicking, biting condemnation of all those who espoused revolutionary views in their youth but moved right as they climbed the socio-economic ladder (but might have kept the odd Che Guevara t-shirt).
He also has some wonderful guitar-playing on two instrumental medleys.
Gaughan first came to my attention at the time of the 1981 hunger strikes in the H-Blocks. He does a beautiful version (my favourite) of an old Irish republican movement song, “The Galtee Mountain Boy” and it was on a fund-raising album put out by the POW Dept of Sinn Fein. The live album contains my favourite version of “Both sides the Tweed” but there’s a nice version of it by Dick with Emmylou Harris at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlDijR0Y60Q
One of my favourite tracks on that great album was “Back Home in Derry”, written by Bobby Sands (although Sands was from Belfast). But my favourite version of that song is by the wonderful Gary Og, however his best vid of it seems to have disappeared from youtube. But he does a nice version of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song: here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iP7r0cg7Oc&list=PLDC4C4612C68C0D55&index=16
One of my favourite Irish songs is “James Connolly” and my favourite version is this one, which accompanies one of the annual Easter Rebellion commemorations organised by the Belfast branches of the socialist-republican movement eirigi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EghEkVe80e0
and, of course, lots of the wonderful Damien Dempsey: https://rdln.wordpress.com/2014/03/28/damo-does-the-dux-gig-review/
the wonderful Seth Lakeman: https://rdln.wordpress.com/2014/12/30/seth-lakemans-workers-lives-review-of-tales-from-the-barrelhouse-and-word-of-mouth/
and I’ll be digging out some of the old magnificent Van der Graaf Generator; this is one of my favourite songs of theirs, “Arrow” (from 1975): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiLv2f3QKzs
Phil
I share your admiration for Gaughan. Fine guitar player and also a voice which I find very rich with an expressive warmth. “Kist of Gold” is my favourite album. Great political songs and also a way with a love ballad. He’s one of my “Gee, I wish I could play/sing like Gaughan.”
“…songs exposing the myths peddled by Scottish nationalists…”
you seem to infer that Scottish nationalist were (are?) on the side of the landowners and capitalist and they they were fellow travellers in ther attitudes towards working people.
Can you expand? I don’t see the current SNP in that light.
since the 10th feb i have posted/linked to 40 items in my music/ent/lit category..
http://whoar.co.nz/category/musicentlit/
..and there is some seriously good shit in there..
..ranging from one for joni mitchell fans..
..to lord of the rings in five minutes..
..(having tired of all the walking..i walked out of the first lord of the rings..
..so i found that one useful/a time-saver..)
..happy scrolling..!
Oceania Badminton Champs starts this weekend at North Harbour. Some good battles between Aussie and NZ. Pacific Island teams eliminated early đ
I asked a Cook Islander if he was going to play in his jandals, he said “I wish, it’s too bloody hot in here” đ
Quite a fun tournament, not too serious like the NZ Open…
Blew the head gasket on the Commodore last week! Off to buy a bicycle this arvo.
Starting a new job on Monday. Will need the $$$ to pay for the Holden dramas. Arrgh
A song just for Holden owners…….LMAO đ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmadiyO2Qh4
Shuddup! Made myself feel better with these⌠đ
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ford+on+fire
On Radionz. I thought this was a breakthrough in social understanding and the Joy of Mathematics. It is not airy fairy ideas, really factual and provable and repeatable.
And can be applied to NZs as a democratic people if trying to understand why our democracy and we are going down the plughole.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/20167277
Hannah Fry – Love and Mathematics (â21â˛â27âłâ)
09:40 Just in time for Valentine’s Day weekend – Dr Hannah Fry tells Wallace the
mathematical equation for love. Her new book The Mathematics of Love offers a unique perspective on matters of the heart. As a mathematician, Dr Fry answers such burning questions as: What is the chance of finding love? How long will it last? And what are your chances of divorce?
did she get to the bit about how many people are simply not suited to lifelong monogamy? đ
There was too much for my tiny brain to encompass weka. May have done. There’s something for everyone in the book it seems.
âSelma, the stunning new film based on Paul Webbâs screenplay and directed by the previously unheralded African-American Ava DuVernay, makes for an interesting side-by-side comparison with Stephen Spielbergâs Lincoln. Both films revolve around the circumstances attending the passage of key legislation affecting Black America: in the first instance, the Thirteenth Amendment that abolished slavery and in the second the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that sealed the doom of Jim Crow, a legacy of white Americaâs abandonment of Reconstruction. . .â
full review at: https://rdln.wordpress.com/2015/02/02/selma-the-movie-the-history-and-its-relevance-today/
Another film. – Edward Snowden and how it feel to be really unpopular in a pseudo-democracy.
Citizenfour â A panel discussion (â19â˛â19âłâ)
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/20167273
08:40 The Oscar nominated and BAFTA winning documentary Citizenfour tells the story of Edward Snowden – a former NSA employee turned whistle-blower.
Radio New Zealand National held a screening of the film in Auckland earlier this week and followed it with a panel hosted by Wallace Chapman and featuring: Mediawatch’s Colin Peacock; former Listener editor Finlay McDonald; documentary filmmaker Annie Goldson; and, Sandra Kailahi – a freelance journalist and director.
Film has been shown in auckland and Wellington.
Will be opening from Feb 19 in Christchurch and Dunedin.
Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiGwAvd5mvM
Also be aware of something lighter – Alan Davies UK Jonathan Creek QI etc is coming.
10:40 Alan Davies â Telling Stories
Alan Davies is a standup veteran of 25 years. He starred in the crime show Jonathan Creek which ran for 14 years, and is a permanent panelist of the QI show hosted by Stephen Fry. Alan Davies is bringing his new show Little Victories to NZ for a series of gigs across the country in July.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/20167279
I met an honest-to-God Alex Jones 911 truther today who told me that “God’s judgment is upon America”, that “Obama can kill anybody he wants”, and that “FEMA is constructing death camps around the nation”.
This guy is around 65 and very overweight, has renounced his U.S citizenship and emigrated to New Zealand. He also said “the church in America is corrupt” and “America is the whore of Babylon” and something about Revelation chapter 16.
Tried injecting a little bit of sanity into the conversation but soon realised I was wasting my time and looked for an exit strategy. But on reflection I pretty much agree with his criticism of US militarism, although his logic and religious rhetoric was totally insane. I think he got NZ citizenship because of his Australian wife.
No doubt he will pull a NZ pension while complaining about big government and voting NACT