Weekend social 14/09/2012
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2:00 pm, September 14th, 2012 - 33 comments
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Weekend social is for non political chat. What’s on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever.
No politics, no aggro, why can’t we all just get along?
33 comments on “Weekend social 14/09/2012 ”
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- Teaming up for a stronger, more resilient FijiAotearoa New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta reaffirmed her commitment to working together with the new Government of Fiji on issues of shared importance, including on the prioritisation of climate change and sustainability, at a meeting today, in Nadi. Fiji and Aotearoa New Zealand’s close relationship is underpinned by the Duavata ...5 days ago
- Investment in blue highway a lifeline for regional economies and cyclone recoveryThe Government is delivering a coastal shipping lifeline for businesses, residents and the primary sector in the cyclone-stricken regions of Hawkes Bay and Tairāwhiti, Regional Development Minister Kiri Allan announced today. The Rangitata vessel has been chartered for an emergency coastal shipping route between Gisborne and Napier, with potential for ...5 days ago
- Next steps developing clean energy for NZThe Government will progress to the next stage of the NZ Battery Project, looking at the viability of pumped hydro as well as an alternative, multi-technology approach as part of the Government’s long term-plan to build a resilient, affordable, secure and decarbonised energy system in New Zealand, Energy and Resources ...5 days ago
- Statement from the Prime Minister on Stuart NashThis morning I was made aware of a media interview in which Minister Stuart Nash criticised a decision of the Court and said he had contacted the Police Commissioner to suggest the Police appeal the decision. The phone call took place in 2021 when he was not the Police Minister. ...6 days ago
- CPTPP Trade Ministers coming to AucklandThe Government’s sharp focus on trade continues with Aotearoa New Zealand set to host Trade Ministers and delegations from 10 Asia Pacific economies at a meeting of Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Commission members in July, Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O’Connor announced today. “New Zealand ...6 days ago
- Govt approves $25 million extension for cyclone-affected businesses$25 million boost to support more businesses with clean-up in cyclone affected regions, taking total business support to more than $50 million Demand for grants has been strong, with estimates showing applications will exceed the initial $25 million business support package Grants of up to a maximum of $40,000 per ...6 days ago
- More than 160,000 new Kiwis to call NZ home80 per cent of 2021 Resident Visas applications have been processed – three months ahead of schedule Residence granted to 160,000 people 84,000 of 85,000 applications have been approved Over 160,000 people have become New Zealand residents now that 80 per cent of 2021 Resident Visa (2021RV) applications have been ...6 days ago
- New Zealand to attend regional security meeting in AustraliaThe Lead Coordination Minister for the Government’s Response to the Royal Commission’s Report into the Terrorist Attack on the Christchurch Mosques travels to Melbourne, Australia today to represent New Zealand at the fourth Sub-Regional Meeting on Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Security. “The Government is committed to reducing the threat of terrorism ...6 days ago
- Health and safety action plan for portsThe health and safety practices at our nation’s ports will be improved as part of a new industry-wide action plan, Workplace Relations and Safety, and Transport Minister Michael Wood has announced. “Following the tragic death of two port workers in Auckland and Lyttelton last year, I asked the Port Health ...6 days ago
- Bikes and scooters to be exempt from FBTBikes, electric bikes and scooters will be added to the types of transport exempted from fringe benefit tax under changes proposed today. Revenue Minister David Parker said the change would allow bicycles, electric bicycles, scooters, electric scooters, and micro-mobility share services to be exempt from fringe benefit tax where they ...7 days ago
- Foreign Affairs Minister to reaffirm our close relationship with FijiForeign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta will hold bilateral meetings with Fiji this week. The visit will be her first to the country since the election of the new coalition Government led by Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sitiveni Rabuka. The visit will be an opportunity to meet kanohi ki ...7 days ago
- New legislation to streamline Cyclone recoveryThe Government is introducing the Severe Weather Emergency Legislation Bill to ensure the recovery and rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle is streamlined and efficient with unnecessary red tape removed. The legislation is similar to legislation passed following the Christchurch and Kaikōura earthquakes that modifies existing legislation in order to remove constraints ...7 days ago
- Cost of living package: More bread and butter support for Kiwi familiesApproximately 1.4 million people will benefit from increases to rates and thresholds for social assistance to help with the cost of living Superannuation to increase by over $100 a pay for a couple Main benefits to increase by the rate of inflation, meaning a family on a benefit with children ...1 week ago
- Freeing up more government bandwidth and money to focus on the cost of living$1 billion in savings which will be reallocated to support New Zealanders with the cost of living A range of transport programmes deferred so Waka Kotahi can focus on post Cyclone road recovery Speed limit reduction programme significantly narrowed to focus on the most dangerous one per cent of state ...1 week ago
- State of National Emergency to end for Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s BayThe remaining state of national emergency over the Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay regions will end on Tuesday 14 March, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty announced today. Minister McAnulty gave notice of a national transition period over these regions, which will come into effect immediately following the end of the ...1 week ago
- Government delivers on Dawn Raids commitmentThe Government is today delivering on one of its commitments as part of the New Zealand Government’s Dawn Raids apology, welcoming a cohort of emerging Pacific leaders to Aotearoa New Zealand participating in the He Manawa Tītī Scholarship Programme. This cohort will participate in a bespoke leadership training programme that ...1 week ago
- New plan to increase productivity and high wage jobs across advanced manufacturing sectorIndustry Transformation Plan to transform advanced manufacturing through increased productivity and higher-skilled, higher-wage jobs into a globally-competitive low-emissions sector. Co-created and co-owned by business, unions and workers, government, Māori, Pacific peoples and wider stakeholders. A plan to accelerate the growth and transformation of New Zealand’s advanced manufacturing sector was launched ...1 week ago
- Aotearoa New Zealand supports Pacific countries to combat animal disease New Zealand will provide support for Pacific countries to prevent the spread of harmful animal diseases, Associate Minister of Agriculture Meka Whaitiri said. The Associate Minister is attending a meeting of Pacific Ministers during the Pacific Week of Agriculture and Forestry in Nadi, Fiji. “Highly contagious diseases such as African ...2 weeks ago
- Government delivers better public transport for ChristchurchThe Public Transport Futures project will deliver approximately: 100 more buses providing a greater number of seats to a greater number of locations at a higher frequency Over 470 more bus shelters to support a more enjoyable travel experience Almost 200 real time display units providing accurate information on bus ...2 weeks ago
- Minister praises education heroes in cyclone damaged regionsAll but six schools and kura have reopened for onsite learning All students in the six closed schools or kura are being educated in other schools, online, or in alternative locations Over 4,300 education hardpacks distributed to support students Almost 38,000 community meals provided by suppliers of the Ka Ora ...2 weeks ago
- Government investments drive health and business outcomes in the Bay of PlentyA new health centre has opened with financial support from the Government and further investment has been committed to projects that will accelerate Māori economic opportunities, Regional Development Minister Kiri Allan says. Community health provider QE Health will continue its long history in Rotorua with the official opening of the ...2 weeks ago
- UK NZ Working Holiday Scheme upgradedThe new three year NZ UK Working Holiday Visas (WHV) will now be delivered earlier than expected, coming into force by July this year in time to support businesses through the global labour shortages Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says. The improved WHV, successfully negotiated alongside the NZ UK Free trade ...2 weeks ago
- 2023 Offshore Renewable Energy Forum, New PlymouthIt seems like only yesterday that we launched the discussion document Enabling Investment in Offshore Renewable Energy, which is the key theme for this Forum. Everyone in this room understands the enormous potential of offshore wind in Aotearoa New Zealand – and particularly this region. Establishing a regime to pave ...2 weeks ago
- Milestone reached in crack down on gangsPolice has reached a major milestone filing over 28,000 charges related to Operation Cobalt. “I’m extremely proud of the fantastic work that our Police has been doing to crack down on gangs, and keep our communities safe. The numbers speak for themselves – with over 28,000 charges, Police are getting ...2 weeks ago
- New funding for Cyclone waste removalThe Government will provide $15 million in the short term to local councils to remove rubbish, as a longer-term approach is developed, the Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty announced today. “Several regions are facing significant costs associated with residential waste removal, which has the potential to become a public ...2 weeks ago
- Government working faster and smarter to support response and recovery$15 million of immediate reimbursement for marae, iwi, recognised rural and community groups $2 million for community food providers $0.5 million for additional translation services Increasing the caps of the Community and Provider funds The Government has announced $17.5 million to further support communities and community providers impacted by Cyclone ...2 weeks ago
- More Māori getting access to mental health and addiction servicesThe Government’s approach of using frontline service providers to address inequities for Māori with mental health and addiction needs is making good progress in many communities, a new report says. An independent evaluation into the Māori Access and Choice programme, commissioned by Te Whatu Ora has highlighted the programme’s success ...2 weeks ago
- IPCC Report Shows 2023 Is A ‘Now Or Never’ Climate Election
“This is it; 2023 will be the last opportunity New Zealand has to get a government that will confront the climate emergency with the urgency it demands,” says the Green Party’s co-leader and climate change spokesperson, James Shaw. Speaking after ...49 mins ago - IPCC Report A Wake-up Call For Hipkins As Climate Election ApproachesToday the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the IPCC, released its ‘synthesis report’, summarising six previous reports. Greenpeace says that the latest report confirms the industrial drivers of climate change, its dire planetary impacts, and ...1 hour ago
- Prime Minister’s chief of staff Andrew Kirton led lobbying firm that fought against reforms now bi...
Prime Minister's chief of staff came directly from leading a lobbying firm that argued against alcohol reforms that have now been ditched. ...1 hour ago - Mahesh Muralidhar Selected As National’s Candidate In Auckland CentralPhase One Ventures chief executive Mahesh Muralidhar has been selected by local party members as National’s candidate in Auckland Central for the 2023 General Election. “I want to thank our local party members for backing me to campaign for ...2 hours ago
- An incident at Blueskin Bay
On the holy terror and absolute love of parenting Picked up by Octavia outside the book shop, the kid and I clambered into the back, to the soundtrack of classic hits from what seemed to be a tape she was playing. We were thankful to get in. The sun ...2 hours ago - Guyon Espiner reveals the banal and bleak machinations of government lobbyists
A new investigative series from RNZ reveals just how broken the government communications machine is, writes Duncan Greive. Investigative journalist Guyon Espiner is peeling back the lid on the world of external lobbyists and corporate affairs strategists employed by the public sector. His new series, being published on RNZ this ...2 hours ago - What you need to know about the anti-trans campaigner heading to New ZealandFresh from a Melbourne rally that attracted neo-Nazi supporters, British anti-transgender rights speaker Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull is scheduled to appear at two events in Aotearoa. So what’s the lowdown? Another controversial international speaker wants to visit New Zealand, and, as expected, reaction has covered the full spectrum from outrage to support. ...3 hours ago
- Fact-checking the co-governance roadshow
With a number of events planned down the length of the country, the scene at this weekend’s ‘Stop Co-Governance’ rally in Orewa could be just the first of many Social media erupted with pictures of distorted faces, pulled into expressions of anger or yelling gleefully into the camera. The mugshots ...3 hours ago - Macron’s reform dilemma: progress or popularity?
French economy has made significant strides, but the need for political consensus and restoring social cohesion is urgent ...3 hours ago - Our climate change policies are a mess
The Emissions Trading Scheme was always a neoliberal, market-based, get-out-of-jail-free plan. Time to lead the way with Tradable Energy Quotas instead Opinion: The old saying about news – that it’s always bad or it wouldn’t be news – is distressingly true for the climate, both in terms of this summer’s weather ...3 hours ago - Catching a fair ride
The Detail finds out why a law change in 2017 has led to a proliferation of independent taxi drivers – and why they're leaving some passengers feeling ripped off Not all taxis are created equal. RNZ newsreader Evie Ashton found this out the hard way, after Dave Chapelle's recent show at Auckland's ...3 hours ago - Mahuta's China trip a test of NZ sensitivities
The foreign minister's trip to Beijing comes with tricky topics. ...3 hours ago - Is it time for business to push for green politics?
Companies have tended to be louder in lobbying politicians against climate change mitigation rather than in favour of it. This election, that needs to change ...3 hours ago - Veteran scientist kicks up over climate
Knighted, nonagenarian scientist adds his voice to the call for a climate election ...3 hours ago - Is NZ ready for the next pandemic?
H5N1 only sporadically infects humans - but it kills half of those who catch it. As the largest ever outbreak of the virus continues to rage, is New Zealand prepared? Special report: Kiwi scientist Robert Webster knew two things about the avian flu virus he dripped into his nose one day ...3 hours ago - Black Fern hero's comeback makes her a little Blue
The hat-trick hero of the Black Ferns’ 2017 World Cup win, Toka Natua is back in rugby – discovering the pros and cons of playing as a mum. And the double international is ready for her next chapter in France. There are the odd moments at training where Toka Natua’s mind goes blank ...3 hours ago - Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 21 March
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...4 hours ago - ‘It can be done. It must be done’: IPCC delivers definitive report on climate change, and where ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Jotzo, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy and Head of Energy, Institute for Climate Energy and Disaster Solutions, Australian National University IISD/ENB The world is in deep trouble on climate change, but if we really put our shoulder to ...6 hours ago - New Caledonia’s lone daily newspaper ceases publication after 52 yearsRNZ Pacific New Caledonia’s only daily newspaper, Les Nouvelles Calédoniennes, has folded after the commercial court accepted the publishing company’s request for its liquidation. The court had deferred its decision by a day after an injunction by the public prosecutor who wanted to see if there was still a possibility ...6 hours ago
- Traditional chiefs still have strong place in Fiji, says linguistBy Arieta Vakasukawaqa in Suva The installation of the Turaga Bale na Vunivalu Na Tui Kaba, Ratu Epenisa Cakobau, clearly indicates that Fiji’s traditional chiefly system still has a strong footing and chiefs still command respect among the country’s citizens. This is the view of Dr Paul Geraghty, the University ...6 hours ago
- How the USP political saga may end the era of Bainimarama and FijiFirstANALYSIS: By Shailendra Bahadur Singh in Suva The long-running row between the former Fiji government and the Suva-based regional University of the South Pacific (USP) has come back to haunt former Fiji Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, who spent a night in a police cell on March 9 before appearing in ...6 hours ago
- Pro-independence party Tavini’s heals rift with ‘unity and credibility’ congressBy Antoine Samoyeau in Pape’ete About 3000 activists of French Polynesia’s pro-independence Tavini Huiraatira party met for six hours at the weekend with the executives insisting that they were “united’ after a recent upheaval over leadership. The party also presented a “renewed” slate of 73 candidates for next month’s territorial ...7 hours ago
- First Australian charged with war crime of murder in AfghanistanSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The first arrest has been made following the Brereton inquiry into allegations that Australians committed war crimes in Afghanistan. Former SAS soldier, Oliver Schulz, 41, has been remanded in custody after his arrest by ...12 hours ago
- Super Rugby Aupiki semis review: Matatū, Manawa, rugby all winners on the dayWe have our 2023 finalists after a big Sunday double-header at North Shore Stadium. Alice Soper reviews. Matatū vs Blues Matatū have scored the first try in every match they have played this season. It looked like this streak was going to be broken as the Blues finally found ...12 hours ago
- What is myrtle rust and why has this disease closed Lord Howe Island to visitors?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Park, Judith and David Coffey Chair in Sustainable Agriculture, Plant Breeding Institute, University of Sydney Shutterstock Some 70% of the World Heritage-listed Lord Howe Island has been closed to non-essential visitors in response to a recurrence of the plant ...13 hours ago
- Scammers can slip fake texts into legitimate SMS threads. Will a government crackdown stop them?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suranga Seneviratne, Senior Lecturer – Security, University of Sydney Shutterstock Are you tired of receiving SMS scams pretending to be from Australia Post, the tax office, MyGov and banks? You’re not alone. Each year, thousands of Australians fall victim to ...14 hours ago
- Introducing Fear and Wonder: The Conversation’s new climate podcastSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Misha Ketchell, Editor, The Conversation Thanks in no small part to the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), today few people would be foolish enough to dispute the scientific consensus on the climate crisis. But as ...14 hours ago
- Why sports stars get less support than other injured workers – and how we can fix itSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Eric Windholz, Senior Lecturer and Associate, Monash Centre for Commercial Law and Regulatory Studies, Monash University Inadequate, inequitable, and in some cases possibly in breach of workers’ compensation laws. That’s how bad the current insurance arrangements are for Australia’s professional sports people, ...14 hours ago
- New Police Minister Must Check Police Equations Behind Firearm Fee IncreaseThe newly-minted Police Minister, Ginny Andersen, has been called on by the Council of Licensed Firearm Owners (COLFO) to investigate how the previous Minister allowed Police to propose extraordinary fee increases for licensed firearm owners without ...15 hours ago
- How did millions of fish die gasping in the Darling – after three years of rain?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Kingsford, Professor, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney Bill Ormonde, Author provided Millions of dead fish float on the surface of the river. Native bony herring and introduced young carp, as well as a few mature ...16 hours ago
- Ginny Andersen named new Minister of PoliceGinny Andersen will be the new minister of police, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says. ...16 hours ago
- Free Information And Advice In Your LanguageThings make more sense when people are speaking your language! This CAB Awareness Week (20-26 March), we are celebrating diversity and multiculturalism within our service. At the Citizens Advice Bureau, we are committed to making sure our service ...16 hours ago
- All spaces great and small: Week two of the Auckland Arts FestivalThe second week of the Auckland Arts Festivals showed the versatility of the city’s spaces, even when not matched entirely correctly with shows. Sam Brooks reviews (with assistance from Shanti Mathias). I often dismay at the lack of performance spaces we have in Auckland, and it takes something like the ...16 hours ago
- Getting Flipped By The BirdThe free and easy SMS two factor authentication (2FA) to log into your Twitter account ends today. That concerns Privacy Commissioner Michael Webster because it takes away one of the most common ways to verify who users are on their free accounts, which ...16 hours ago
- Junior minister Ginny Andersen takes over police role from Stuart NashNew Zealand’s new minister of police will be one of the freshest faces around the cabinet table. Ginny Andersen, the MP for Hutt South, has been named as the new minister taking over from Stuart Nash. Andersen first became an MP in 2017 and only became a minister for the ...16 hours ago
- More bailey bridges confirmed for restoring access after cycloneRoad workers have reported being subjected to abuse by passing motorists, which is unacceptable, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says. ...16 hours ago
- Cyclone Gabrielle: More damaged roads reconnectedThe government has announced further roading reconnections, several weeks on from Cyclone Gabrielle. Earlier this morning it was confirmed the link between Napier and Taupō had been reestablished. And now, transport minister Michael Wood said another six bailey bridges would be constructed. “Our immediate priority has been to reopen lifeline ...17 hours ago
- Government Should Not Be Spending Taxpayer Money To Lobby ItselfThe Taxpayers’ Union has slammed the revelation that government agencies and State Owned Enterprises are spending hundreds of thousands of taxpayers’ dollars on lobbying firms as revealed by Radio NZ this morning. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, ...17 hours ago
- Foreign Minister Mahuta to visit China counterpartNew Zealand's Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta is leaving for Beijing tomorrow to meet with China's State Councillor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang. ...17 hours ago
- ‘A place to dance and a place to cry’: Pride (R)evolution is an authentic exhibition for queer c...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter McNeil, Distinguished Professor of Design History, UTS, University of Technology Sydney Sydney World Pride and Mardi Gras 2023 were a huge success. Sydney was activated in a way rarely seen – block and street parties, cultural festivals and dance parties for ...17 hours ago
- Mahuta heading to China – first visit by a minister since 2019For the first time since 2019, a New Zealand minister will head to China this week. Foreign minister Nanaia Mahuta will meet with her Chinese counterpart Qin Gang in Beijing. “I intend to discuss areas where we cooperate, such as on trade, people-to-people and climate and environmental issues. I will ...17 hours ago
- Chief Ombudsman Concludes Investigation Into Council Decisions Over National Erebus MemorialThe Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has completed his investigation into complaints about Auckland Council’s role in the National Erebus Memorial project. The complaints relate to the council’s approval and consents process for the memorial site in ...17 hours ago
- The post-COVID crisis hit Queensland hardest. With 100,000 households needing low-cost housing, here...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hal Pawson, Professor of Housing Research and Policy, and Associate Director, City Futures Research Centre, UNSW Sydney Pandemic-generated pressures have left our rental housing market reeling. Australia-wide, vacancy rates are at rock-bottom levels. Rents are soaring at record rates. Queensland has ...17 hours ago
- Review: Homegrown remains New Zealand’s most consistent music festivalThe first edition felt like a breath of fresh, local music-filled air. This year, with many of the same headliners as 2008 (and every year since), the formula has grown stale. It’s finally time to admit that on a cold night in Palmy 20 years ago, I felt Shihad frontman ...18 hours ago
- Review: The Homegrown festival formula needs a shake-upThe first edition felt like a breath of fresh, local music-filled air. This year, with many of the same headliners as 2008 (and every year since), the long-running Wellington festival has grown stale. It’s finally time to admit that on a cold night in Palmy 20 years ago, I felt ...18 hours ago
- Anti-trans activist’s visit now under reviewThe anti-transgender activist that provoked aggressive protests in Australia over the weekend may not be able to enter New Zealand. Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, the British anti-transgender campaigner, is scheduled to visit New Zealand next weekend for two public events. But according to a new statement from Immigration NZ, her ability to ...18 hours ago
- Local Government Minister Should Meet Taxpayers’ Union On Three WatersThe New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is pleased to hear that the Minister of Local Government, Kieran McAnulty, has invited concerned mayors to the Beehive to discuss the Three Waters reforms but believe he should meet with the country’s largest ...18 hours ago
- NSW Resolve poll has narrow lead for Labor five days before electionSource: 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 Dan Himbrechts/Paul Braven/AAP The New South Wales state election will be held on Saturday. I had a preview of both ...18 hours ago
- Breaking: Anti-trans campaigner’s NZ visit ‘under reviewWhether the anti-trans campaigner can enter the country without a visa is now up in the air. Controversy surrounds the upcoming visit by Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, the British anti-transgender campaigner on a global tour who is scheduled to visit New Zealand next weekend for two public events. During an appearance in Melbourne ...18 hours ago
- Pharmac prioritised Māori and Pacific patients for access to new diabetes drugs – did they get it...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lynne Chepulis, Associate Professor Health Sciences, University of Waikato Getty Images The controversial 2021 decision by the government drug-buying agency Pharmac to prioritise Māori and Pacific patients in its funding of two game-changing new diabetes drugs appears to have paid ...20 hours ago
- Why a teal deal has no appealThe idea of the Greens flirting with National gets an airing before almost every election. It remains as much of a nonstarter as ever, writes Henry Cooke. This article was first published in Henry Cooke’s politics newsletter, Museum Street. It’s far more reliable than clockwork. Every election cycle – often several ...20 hours ago
- Lotto draw raises $11.7m for Cyclone Gabrielle reliefWith half the value of all Lotto, Powerball and Strike tickets going to cyclone relief, the "Must-be-won" draw for $15.5 million on Saturday went to a Canterbury player. ...20 hours ago
- Wayne Brown (re)declares war on road conesAuckland’s mayor has taken aim at road closures and traffic disruption around the super city, revealing a plan to reduce road cones. Wayne Brown had previously pledged to clean up the city of road cones and set it out as an “immediate priority” for the council’s transport agency. Now, he’s ...20 hours ago
- Credit Suisse is the car crash in its own Bonfire of the Vanities
The name's Bond – unhedged Treasury bond. Jonathan Milne argues that bond traders have again become sexy, for all the wrong reasons. Analysis: Giant Swiss bank UBS has agreed to buy its rival Credit Suisse for 3 billion Swiss francs (US$3.23 billion) and to assume up to $5.4 billion in losses, in a shotgun ...21 hours ago - A dummy’s guide to having your say on the Auckland budget‘Don’t fucking come and talk to me, write a submission,’ reckons Mayor Wayne Brown. So how do you do that? Let’s be honest, most people don’t understand local politics. We know that we vote for a mayor and councillors every couple of years, and that’s about it. But local politics ...21 hours ago
- Major cyclone-damaged highway reopensThe link between Napier and Taupō has reopened this week for the first time since it was damaged in Cyclone Gabrielle. State highway five will be open to all traffic between 7am and 7pm, with overnight closure points at Kaimata Road, Glengarry Road and Matea Road. Kiri Allan, the associate ...22 hours ago
- Geoffrey Miller’s Political Roundup: NZ’s Middle East strategy, 20 years after the Iraq WarAnalysis by By Geoffrey Miller. Political Roundup: NZ’s Middle East strategy, 20 years after the Iraq War This week marks the twentieth anniversary of the Iraq War. While it strongly opposed the US-led invasion, New Zealand’s then Labour-led government led by Prime Minister Helen Clark did deploy military engineers to try to help rebuild Iraq ...22 hours ago
- Your bank is here to helpIf you find yourself stressing about the cost of living crisis and how it will impact your home loan, talking to your bank as soon as possible is important. If you are experiencing financial challenges or think you might in the future, it’s important to reach out to your bank ...23 hours ago
- The plan to end classroom streaming by 2030, explainedDespite being entrenched practice in New Zealand schools, the practice of academic streaming in schools might not be around much longer. A plan launched today sets out a pathway to achieve this. If you went to school in Aotearoa, odds are that streaming was part of your experience. The numerically-inclined ...23 hours ago
- High Number Of Dog Attacks Concerns Child Health ExpertsThe Paediatric Society of New Zealand/Te Kāhui Mātai Arotamariki o Aotearoa are very concerned about the high number of tamariki injured by dogs in Aotearoa. Auckland emergency doctor Natasha Duncan-Sutherland says, “Over 2800 dog-related injuries ...23 hours ago
- The Bulletin: Candidate selected to replace Grant Robertson in WellingtonMP Ibrahim Omer will replace Grant Robertson as Labour’s candidate in the Wellington Central electorate after beating former party president Claire Szabo in the candidate selection race. Omer arrived in New Zealand as a refugee and worked as a cleaner before enrolling at Victoria University in 2014. “As someone who has ...23 hours ago
- Alcohol Advertising On Social Media PlatformsA new report from Australia highlights the significant community exposure to alcohol advertising through social media platforms. Over a one-year period researchers observed nearly 40,000 advertisements from a subset of alcohol-related accounts on Meta platforms ...23 hours ago
- The ‘great resignation’ didn’t happen in Australia, but the ‘great burnout’ didSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leah Ruppanner, Professor of Sociology and Founding Director of The Future of Work Lab, The University of Melbourne pexels/tara winstead, CC BY-SA You’ve probably heard about the “great resignation” which saw large numbers of people resigning from their jobs in ...23 hours ago
- Ozempic helps weight loss by making you feel full. But certain foods can do the same thing – witho...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Beckett, Senior Lecturer (Food Science and Human Nutrition), School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle Shutterstock You’ve probably heard about the medication Ozempic, used to manage type 2 diabetes and as a weight loss drug. Ozempic (and ...23 hours ago
- Extinct but not gone – the thylacine continues to fascinate usSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Menna Elizabeth Jones, Associate Professor in Zoology, University of Tasmania Human life on Earth is utterly dependent on biodiversity but our activities are driving an increase in extinctions. Yet some extinct species continue to hold our fascination. New methods in genetics and ...23 hours ago
- School principals are reaching crisis point, pushed to the edge by mounting workloads, teacher short...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Kidson, Senior Lecturer in Educational Leadership, Australian Catholic University Shutterstock Australian schools have been under huge pressures in recent years. On top of concerns about academic progress and staff shortages, schools have faced significant, ongoing disruptions due to ...23 hours ago
- The Greens don’t want to be taken for granted anymoreThe Green Party has made it clear it’s frustrated after being shafted by Labour during last week’s so-called policy bonfire. The prime minister recently ditched a number of policies announced during Jacinda Ardern’s tenure, many of which were backed strongly by the Greens. In a state of the nation address ...24 hours ago
- Is this the end of interest rate rises?The US banking crisis may help force a rethink by the Reserve Bank here, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Did last week’s turmoil stop interest rate hikes in their tracks? ...24 hours ago
- Frustrated Greens take aim at 'visionless government' and possible National-ACT coalitionThe Greens have laid down a challenge to potential coalition partners: come to the table with faster and stronger climate action if you want our support. ...1 day ago
- Jim Mather on the founding days of Whakaata MāoriThe early days of Māori Television were chaotic. After the founding CE was fired and imprisoned for fraud, Dr. Jim Mather was tapped to lead the fledging broadcaster. An account with no previous media experience, he was an unlikely choice for the role, but ended up leading the channel through ...1 day ago
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dress up party…
I watched “City of God”. Grim, but very well done – sometimes felt more like a documentary than a movie.
Glad you enjoyed it. It was based on real events (those obviously dramatised).
I have been on a Breaking Bad bender. God damn fine show
How far through are you?
pizza oven workshop
Yah, fuck man, tell me what you learn. I bought a pizza stone recently but still fuck it up.
Serious amount of work done properly and many things can go wrong as a novice.
Bunnings have a decent one for about 1,500, takes 4-6 people to lift the box. YouTube it, there’s plenty of DIY entries.
Trial and error, get the stone real hot and watch carefully. Many pizza ovens don’t cut it, I swear by oven thermometers and move them about to suss out the overall performance.
Been watching 1 hour long episodes of A History of Scotland (got it on youtube), comes in 10 parts and is as good as (probably better than) the Schama series on Britain. Gonna watch the last 3, fascinating.
Yeah I watched the history of Britain series not to long ago.
Last weekend I got my nerd on and watched the Grim Face of Power about Muldoon on the Saturday and spent my Sunday watching, extremely hungover, the entire 4 part Revolution documentary about the 4th Labour govt and beyond back to back.
Love the get the “nerd on”. Met Piggie years back, party lad par excellence, should have stayed at the party and we might all have loved him.
I got home from a rather…err… psychedelic party some years back and watched a Lawrence Krauss lecture on cosmology. That was some fun shit.
In fact, while other people might have a few beers and watch COPS I watch lectures and the like on youtube. Not that i don’t like COPS I should add
One of the things I love about the new place (actually it is my old apartment that we have been out of for three and half years – but newly renovated) is that I haven’t had the time/money/inclination to connect the TV aerial. This has proved to be of little importance because we’re steadily grinding our way through stuff available on the internet.
The way that this operates is that the newish sony bluray player knows about a whole pile of online media. Connect the player to the sony bravia TV (ln insusted we brought soething to play her dico on) and hey presto we have a whole pile of QuickFlix (for $10/mo), ziln (free & subscribe), and other crap that I haven’t investigated yet.
The reason why this was of interest. Ziln has somewhere in it a bloody great big pile of NZ On air doco’s. Including many of the ones from our right column. Once we get through all of the old british TV…
I’m very happy with having no TV aerial. I don’t miss the ads at all. There were bugger all programs worth watching after TVNZ7 was shutdown. And sky is useless because it has too many pseudo-ads and is a un-interactive broadcast medium. The news and current affairs has become quite dumbed down over the years – generally not worth watching.
Right now (and this isn’t anything more than a observation – not really hard politics) I’m all for completely cutting the NZ on-air budget, flogging off TVNZ to the highest bidder (because I think it is unrecoverable), and putting ALL of the money into regional channels, local films, documentaries, and radio NZ. I can’t see why I want to subsidize advertisers, and the net is getting to have a wide enough pipe and tech to play TV from the net on my TV cheaply.
BTW: ziln also has this interesting section OpenMic. I wonder where they got that idea and possibly the graphic from…. (not that I care). Might have something to do with that guy I was talking at NetHui in 2011.
BTW2: Does anyone want to play the wiggles? Then please do it at your own damn place! The biggest hassle with the bluray is that there appear to be no way to remove things from the list. However there is a way to designate “inappropiate” content. The Wiggles qualify…
I finally got the cable to connect my computer to the tv, but the picture was off to the right so I couldn’t use the arrows. Which made it all but useless. Spent hours trying to fix it to no avail. I guess I could get it set up to watch a film on the computer screen and then connect it, but I’d prefer to be able to use my computer as usual with the tv as the monitor.
Thanks for the links. I see Kim dot Com has pretty much taken over open mic so far. Plenty of scope for talented Standard readers and writers to create….
Sounds like you have the resolution wrong. The dotcom songs were pretty amusing…
I’d have a lot more time for Dotcom if he stopped making those shitty songs and dropped the phoney-baloney free speech matyr act.
The music isn’t that good, and I don’t have much time for him.
I do have quite a lot of time for his case though. The procedural and legal holes in the cases before, during and after the seizures and arrests in all countries are such that you could drive a bus through them. It is good to see that our judges are. IMO it is going to wind up as being a complete clusterfuck for everyone from the FBI to RIAA to our police because there doesn’t appear to be any law covering their actions in shutting down the servers or the arrests under any existing criminal laws unless they start trying to redefine it as a terrorist organisation.
The civil cases are going to be hugely expensive. I suspect that the parties laying complaints to the FBI will be in the gun for this as well. That will be quite amusing
Lynn. Was that a big ‘thunbs up’ to the Pirates party you just gave through that link? Bit of an oopsie? Makes me feel not so bad about 3.2.1. 😉
If it was ziln then it was whatever they had on. Was watching Bernard Hickey there tonight.not bad.
“flogging off TVNZ to the highest bidder”
You mean asset sales?
And yeah, I have 92 channels of crap. The only thing I watch is Fox News – Sean Hannity specifically because he is a deluded blow hard.
Yep. I just don’t like selling natural monopolies. But that is a topic for a different post.
Hell yeah, sell it before its worth nothing. Ellis drove it into the dust under his masters orders.
I’m looking at a second free view dish to look at Optus D2 satellite as the feed from D2 to D1 (sky,freeview) which carried SBS got canned earlier this year.
Worth it if I can get a box the gets SBS AND ABC digital channels on the Tasmania footprint.
Does Sky still have RT News?…Its a great channel for news about the US, and its Russian propaganda is good for a laugh.
Beats me. I realized 4 years ago that I’d exchanged small numbers of channels of broadcast crap and ads for dozens of channels. I still couldn’t find anything to watch. Moreover, the price of DVDs of TV series was dropping and there was a lot of stuff on point to point media like YouTube. So I quit sky.
The last vestiges of broadcast were some comedy shows, but the ads are irritating. Easier to wait for the DVD’s. Now the aerial isn’t working – what a disaster.. Not.. So I quit broadcast media.
Cracker anyone? 2nd series.
I got rid of my TV about a year ago, I now go through 60gig a month, and still spend the same amount of time in front of a screen.
The one downside I have noticed is that I no longer watch a full news bulletin, as a result I do not get the news on things that don’t grab my attention. My news is much more narrow…but the benefits far outweigh this.
Telstra cable is great for streaming regardless of the time of day.
I also youtube news…RT releases a lot of stuff on their channel – http://www.youtube.com/user/RussiaToday/videos?view=0
The 10th series of QI begins on Saturday in the UK
http://www.youtube.com/user/quite1nteresting?feature=CAQQwRs%3D
8 out of 10 cats is a sharp panel show
http://www.youtube.com/user/jnpolzin/videos?flow=grid&view=0
Nathan Barley
Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mO8F1HJjzkA
it never ends…
Hey Nick, I’ve been watching that history show on choice tv on freeview on Monday nights. Its’ really refreshing to hear the story of Scotland from a Scot, instead of a Brit. I like that the presenter is doing a little myth busting too. Like the first king NOT being Kenneth MacAlpine. I’d be interested to see what else he has to say as he goes on. Great show.
Erm. you do realise that it was done by BBC Scotland. And that will always betray a certain protestant and union bias. Just saying. And sorry for possibly entering a bit of politics into the ‘weekender’.
Having said that, I watched all the episodes (streaming) some time back and some of the stuff is definately interesting. Shame abouot the wee gnaff they have as a presenter though – total fucking embarrassment.
Yes, I do realise it was produced by BBC Scotland. And sure that guy that presents it does kind of remind of Nigel Latta which is a bit disturbing but non the less it IS presented by a Scot from a Scots viewpoint. I welcome that as most history shows are so Brit centric and often demomise The Celts and their history. Yes there are proddys and unionists within Scots history but there were also Jacobites. They were my ancestors and I’m proud of their history as I am of my Irish.
I get tired of the hostility on this site. Weekend Social is the one place that is usually free of that. Hostility serves no purpose to a group of like minded people. The old Scots clans could tell you that. Perhaps if they had stood in unity, rather than continuing old feuds, they could have had the strength to keep the Brits at bay and retain an independant nation
Hi Rosy. Don’t want to get into a debate on the history of Scotland and England; union of crowns and so on.
So, on a positive note, if you want a very good and informative short history of the Celts (and others!), you won’t do much better than this
http://www.infocobuild.com/books-and-films/social-science/terry-jones-barbarians.html
Enjoy 🙂
There was a similar docu on Choice TV do with British pre-history up to the Roman period. Bloody good, but it’s not available for sale to the public: http://www.bbcactivevideoforlearning.com/1/Search.aspx?PageIndex=0&SeriesID=24055
And I can’t find it via torrents either sadly 🙁
edit – fuck yes, found it, the series is also called “a celtic history of britain” Now to find it all :3
The bees are buzzing (saw a few bumbles last week) which means things are kicking off in the garden. Please everybody go and plant some blue flowers / crops, bees love them for some reason. Am going to spread a few seeds in places they are not supposed to be. We have to look after these guys in the towns because modern agriculture is killing them. That is my theory anyway, and even if it is wrong the more bees the merrier..
Going to watch some rugby, seems very silly to me that the fishing season is weeks off and we still have a couple of months of rugby to go. Madness. cant be bothered with the test: the Shield game better, go the Naki.
Saw my first wasp some four or five weeks back. And thought ‘Oh, fuck’. Live in the south of the S. Island btw. Looking to a stinger of a summer.
Yeah el niño AND a solar sunspot peak AND the ever rising climate changes – all in the coming year. Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit…*
This would be a good summer to have a long holiday near a deep mountain fed lake. Next summer will be even better..
It may be a bad summer for the dams.
* working programmers# are adverse to excessively good weather. They like to live in caves** with open windows and get bored with aircond. They tend to hibernate in summer in a sloppy haze pining for bad weather.
** because monitors hate competing with the sun..
# corporate programmers live in aircond, attend meetings, don’t stick their bare feet on the desk while thinking, never have their workstations running as a breadboard, and don’t really work at writing actual working code. They mostly patch patches and dream of greenfields. So please, let’s not describe them as working programmers……
Should get out in the garden this weekend, but I’m still stuffed from a job I did on Wednesday, with my right arm complaining elbow, wrist and shoulder wise…
And I’m so going to tell an employer they’re dreaming if they think over 3 cubic metres of soil can be moved in under 6 hours by hand by one person.