Well I’m in levin whats wrong with the horowhenua?? me I think I will restart watching Babylon 5 or maybe Dr Who, from the beginning hmm decisions decisions.
I know you said “no aggro” but can I use this thread to say that as a dedicated Hurricanes fan I hope that Mark Hammett gets on the first plane back to Canterbury as soon as possible, the man is useless.
Secondly…all real sports fans will be cheering for India in the cricket world cup final, I doubt I could handle seeing that cheat Murali hold up the world cup.
I’m backing Sri Lanka bruv – just to piss you off.
No, actually because I think they have the superior bowling lineup with the 3 M’s (Murali – assuming he is fit enough to play, Malinga, and Mendis), and because India have designed the tournament schedule to favour themselves and deserve to get their comeuppance.
And whatever you think of Murali’s bowling action when he delivers the doosra, under the current Laws of Cricket it is legal.
How about the fact that the rules of the game were changed to allow this cheat to continue playing, how about the fact that numerous umpires are on record as saying that the ICC just do not want to hear any accusations about the mans bowling action.
Even allowing for the 15 degree Murali rule he is still a chucker, still a cheat and still a blight on the game.
Yes, they lost. But the really good news is Murali might be coming to Wellington to play for them in the next two seasons! You’ll be able to tell him what you think to his face!!!
Have to agree with you entirely, Bruv. Murali should have been banned before he even got to play international cricket and his ‘record’ counts for nothing as far as I’m concerned. He can’t be the best bowler in the world if he doesn’t bowl the ball. Simple, really.
Mind you, it’s obviously a bit rich for you to be bleating about cheating, when you’re so complicit in match fixing yourself.
Ah, Renaissance ales- make life worth that bit more living. Tried their new twopenny ale tonight, and then a half of Sorenson’s 8-wired. My beer of choice is Renaissance Scotch Ale, but, sob, tonight the tap had run dry. A real Slim Dusty moment. “But there’s nothing so lonesome , or make a man pale, when the barman says sadly, “The pub’s got no Ale.”
I played with a country fiddle player once who ate all his food like that man in black in the video- everything deep fried in two inches of fat. He could play though.
Did a version of “Orange Blossom Special,” humunguously fast at the end, where he played with the bow between his teeth moving the fiddle instead on the bow, with the fiddle behind his back, behind his head, under his knee, with socks on and finally with a metal coat hanger. Impeccably. He played so fast that I had to halve the tempo on the upright bass just to keep up.
Sometimes we just don’t know how good people are until they’ve gone. Had good taste in whisky too. Think I’ll have one now to remember Leo. Slainte to you too Rosy!
And on all things Scottish and the gone good – the best Scottish band that never made it big (IMO)…damn that Scottish melancholy/nostalgia combination – there must be a word for it??? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmBPqBxQ-pM&feature=fvwrel
Working this weekend as usual, but I get an extra hour before work this morning đ
Thanks for the Big Country link. i had a vinyl LP of there’s back then. As I recall it was about the same time as U2 started to make it big, and it sometimes got referred to as Celtic Rock.
Big Country got a lot of mentions for making their guitars sound like traditional fiddles & bagpipes. I guess it’s the melancholy of oppressed hard working people, and nostalgia for better times, all held together by a sense of community & soldiarity.
Understand completely DoS. Sad that I am, I once timed a trip to the UK to see BC the day I arrived… Being stuck in NZ I knew it would be the only chance I’d get. I appreciate The Skids but prefer folk-infused rock myself. Sacrilege to some but I also appreciated the U2/Green Day version of The Skids ‘the saints are coming’. I saw it as a tribute to The Skids as well as a Hurricane Katrina fundraiser http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seGhTWE98DU&feature=related
I thought the mistake Green Day made was that it sounded too like the original. The chance to make it their own version was not taken. It became more of a homage really..
My daughter had great fun at school though saying pffft the original was better and her fellow classmates going what do you mean?
On the subject of other good stuff. Saw a good concert on Wednesday night at which the story got told about a Scottish friend who got the nickname “The Exorcist.” And why was he called the Exorcist? Because when he’d left after a good night’s visiting, there were no spirits left in the house.
No weekend social out here. Just weekend chores fixing up our now crooked little house (and sitting in the garden). Big houses around us have suffered or come down or been demolished while our timber number proved itself as one tough dancer at quake time.
Snap! (‘as it were’). Our 70m2 cottage did the same – shook itself like a dog and then just looked like nothing had happened (except for a few things on the floor). Not bad for living about 800m from the four avenues.
This has probably been mentioned before, but if you want something to do over the weekend you could do worse than check out Gap Filler.
Well the mighty Gunners are at home to Ryan Nelsen and Blackburn Rovers and I hope that I’m watching this match Sunday morning after Man Utd have been beaten by Winston Reids West Ham (I know Winnie probably won’t do much more than warm the bench).
For sale, one red carpet and trophy cabinet. Good condition, not used in recent years. Enquiries to A Wenger, Emirates Stadium, London.
Early one morning Arsene Wenger was roused from sleep by a telephone call. “Wenger”, Arsene sleepily muttered into the receiver as he answered it. “This is the London Fire Chief”, came the reply from the telephone, “I am calling you, Mr Wenger, to report that the Emirates Stadium is on fire”. Instantly awake, “The cups man, save the cups” bellowed Wenger. In a soothing tone the Fire Chief replied “Calm down Mr Wenger, the fire hasn’t reached the kitchen yet”.
Hi BB, it depends a bit on where you are. I’m in Christchurch and most things grow a bit slowly over winter and they need shelter from the frosts. You could try this website for a few tips, but it comes down to trial and error usually.
The best advice anyone ever gave “Tend your garden” (Voltaire, I think).
I’m also going to tend my garden this weekend.
Ehhh, first comment after a few years of lurking.
This type of thread seems a lot safer than all of the other ones.
I have in the garden: leeks, spring onions, lentils, beetroot, celery, and the usual herbs and lettuce and spinach etc.
WHAT AM I DOING?
MUST SLEEP I HAVE TO GO TO WORK IN AN HOUR
OH NO.
Watch out for over-cooked poached eggs tomorrow, Wellington.
Lucerne or Black eyed peas also known as cow peas are good for nitrogen fixing. Come to think of it any edible beans will do the same with the added advantage of ending up with food. Just chuck a couple of hands over the bit you want to leave empty and the next year dig the lot in and you will have a bumper crop of whatever you plant next. Mustard greens are good to and are great in stir fries. For land not used for a long time you can grow wattle (Great nitrogen fixer) and if you coppice them you will have firewood on a regular base for many years.
Depends on where you are big bruv. I’m in Thames Valley and get a few frosts, but nothing serious. If you are in Auckland, or near the coast, then maybe frosts won’t be too much of a problem.
I’ve planted leeks, carrots, beetroot, celery, broccoli, onions, cabbages and cauliflower. I was meant to get brussel sprouts too, but accidentally bought extra broccoli. Today I’m planting red onions, radishes, cucumbers, mizuna (which is a type of lettuce, I hope) and butter beans.
My guess is the main virtue of planting a garden for winter is that it keeps your attention on the garden, so it’s not so much effort to get it going again for summer. You could plant a crop that fixes nitrogen, over winter, and mulch it back into the garden in August, that way you don’t need to worry about harvesting it, and meanwhile it will improve your soil.
The Warehouse had/has frost cloth for about 50c per metre. I need to build something so I can roll it out in the evening and wind it back onto its reel in the morning. Maybe an old electric fence tape reel can be modified – on Sunday.
Best of luck with your garden, BB.
It is a magnificent day here today so there is no excuse for not being in the garden.
I am not a huge fan of winter veggies (apart from Brussel Sprouts which I love) so I might just plant some of them, some onions, radishes and do the rest in mustard.
yeah brussel sprouts are great, I must get some in the ground.
I’ve had very poor feedback about the radishes, the rest of the household is not impressed.
A Â friend and I co-operate in a community garden plot of about 120 square metres. We with spouses sat down tonight and ate chicken with own grown potatoes, kumera, tomatoes, corn, rocket (with roasted seeds), garlic, pumpkin, cherry tomatoes with basil- a feast, and so much better to have grown it ourselves. Had to get in the parsnips and carrots, but next year that’s what we’ll grow and less beans and garlic and spuds ‘cos of that damn psyllid.
And home brew, made with own grown hops. Â
Planted today lettuce, curly kale and mizuna and harvested as well. Down at the plot a Fijian Indian woman told me of  delicious curry made with curly kale. Islanders grow taro there, Maori grow kumera, Muslims grow hot peppers and green tomatoes, ex-South Canterbury farmers grow pumpkins bigger than wheel barrows, Greenies grow in companion planting fashion and ex-acoholics stay dry by growing beans and yams and corn. We swap food and ideas, yarns and help each other. Some neighbour dug half my plot by hand because I am recovering from cancer operations. It is a functioning and vibrant community, full of heart and love. Life can be like that, as can at least one thread on the Standard!
Mac 1,
Sorry to hear about your cancer operations and hope you are recovering al right.
I have a question. You talk about the psyllid. I had not heard about it before and did a quick google. I live near Raglan (Hamilton) and just had a disappointing potato harvest. Any chance of this horrid little bug having spread to the West coast of the North Island?
Travellerev, healing very well, thanks. That’s why my remark to big bruv about gardening being good therapy. And also enforced inaction gives time to blog, read and contemplate. Gotta be some positives đ
The psyllid I understand came in at Auckland and has travelled (sorry) south. We are in the top of the South Island and this is our second season.
The damage to potatoes shows as a yellow, very stunted, deformed growth and the potatoes themselves can show an uneven black circle inside when you slice through, called zebra markings, caused by a bacterium introduced by the psyllid when it feeds. The spud itself develops an off taste. At an early stage you can detect the psyllid on the underleaves, either its eggs or the critter itself. Google has all this info. The psyllid also preys on tomatoes, eggplant and tree tomatoes.Â
I would expect it to be in your district. Saying that, though, the community garden plot has it but 500 metres away my home garden is so far free. I intend to monitor heavily, use preparations like neem oil and try and encourage predators like lacewings. I found the early planting of spuds also helped as it takes time for psyllid populations to build up. Destroy all matter where the psyllid might over-winter.
Mizuna is a Japanese plant used for the young leaves in the salad mixtures you buy in the Supermarket. It is a member of the mustard family and also great for stir fries. It has a bit of a bite to it so eat them young for the best taste
Some good advice around here, big bruv. I would also look at lupins with the mustard for nitrogen fixing to be dug in with Spring. I find broad beans work well over winter and plant garlic at mid-winter. Otherwise winter greens, curly kale is good and I buy mixed asian greens for salad/stir fry use. Brussel sprouts, radishes, carrots also.
It all depends on where you are, of course. Good advice also about using cloches, cloth, glass and plastic coverings. I use favoured sites around the property for growing things outside the normal growing season, especially expensive veg like eggplants, peppers (but not winter). You can even buy mushrooms to plant. More exotic plants like rocket, mizuma, daikon can be grown, too.
And plants your spuds very early in Spring if there is danger of that bloody awful potato/tomato psyllid about your area. Best of luck. Gardening is good therapy, too.
Yeah, I should probably get around to hoeing over all the weeds and planting carrots, and getting some cauliflower and broccoli sorted. Might see if Bunnings has any broad bean’s for sale too. But otherwise, I’ve got harvest the patty-pans and figure out how best to preserve the seeds for spring and find out how many damn pumpkins we have, and bring one of the chilli plant’s inside.
And coriander does surprisingly well in the winter down in Christchurch, I’ve got a small forest of it a present that’ll be harvested for seed come next summer, but I need to find a slow bolt variety for harvesting leaves and sort out how I’m going to do basil.
Also used some quake freed fencing cinder blocks to build a dry-wall constructed planter box that just needs to be filled with soil and come the end of the frosts will be filled with capsicums
Talking of watching stuff. I have been watching my electric jug for some time. You see when I switch it on it mumbles for a few seconds. Then it sulks in silence for maybe 15 seconds more. Then it stirs into life and rumbles away till it has boiled.
Why does it sulk?
Yes Mac1. I must admit that I felt a little voyerish especially when, I’m ashamed to admit it, but ummm I took ahh the lid off and looked deep inside. Don’t tell my wife though. đ
The boiling sound is made by gaseous bubbles collapsing in the water, changing instaneously from a low density gas to a high density liquid. The rate at which this happens depends on several factors.
One is how much air is dissolved in the water. Fresh unboiled water will have a fair amount of air dissolved in it.. so when it is first heated a lot of this will come out fairly quickly.
The second main factor is the temperature of the water. Cold water will recondense the gas bubbles very quickly, more or less as soon as they rise away from the heating element. But as the water heats the bubbles will last longer and longer, until when it’s close to boiling point the bubbles make it all the way to the surface and make relatively little noise.
Then there is likely the impact of convection currents as well.
Combine these various factors together and it largely explains what’s going on here.
Meh, I slept in till 12, after knocking off before 9pm. And providing my motivation levels are high enough I’ll thrash my legs on the Port Hills tomorrow as to prepare for either Mt Richardson or Mt Brown next weekend! Finally I’ll be able to escape Christchurch!
Couldn’t make it to freshers, since thanks to depression symptoms even a minor cold knocks my stamina levels down to craptastic, can’t bike/walk for crap, levels :/
One dowel rod (cut to length)
Length of non-slip grip material
One length of good-quality cord
Small length of chain
One carabina
10 kg plate
One power drill
One wife willing to construct a wrist roller for me: Priceless đ
Supporting the Hurricanes is like supporting the Labour Party. (Sorry r0b, is that too political?)
Any how’s – finally back from my softball club prize giving – won “Most Improved” – as the coach said, I couldn’t have got any worse – now – do I stay up and get on with Sunday as hampered as I am, or do I head off for a snooze and wait til MsBLiP starts vacuuming determinedly and accusingly around the bedroom . . . oh, decisions decisions.
Nah that’ll do. It’s a fine line, but I think it is fun to have this politics free zone on the blog. I’ve been amazed at the response. Quite uplifting, in an odd kind of way.
It’s a wonderful idea – a breath of fresh air and a real piece of azure blue sky in what can become a rather frustrating, grey, politically bloggy landscape. I think I have been most affected by the gardening comments. Great friendly supportive atmosphere -loved them.Thanks,
It’s a 40 Gigapixel photo of an 868 year old monastery library in Prague, the largest indoor photo ever (actually 2947 photos stitched together into a panorama.)
Pure and total warfare only on oxalis. Spraying may kill it locally but only to the extent that the roots die….those bits that survive will just keep invading. If you can dig out the bulk of the roots (you will never get all of them) then spray / weed what comes back through that may work but its an ongoing battle. I have a better cure, I get my chickens to clear the area, mulch like crazy and allow the chickens in on weeding expeditions.
Right….so without chickens I am stuffed? đ
The stuff is a nightmare, I spent last Sunday digging the garden and thought I had got rid of all the Oxalis, last night I checked on the garden and the freaking stuff was starting to peak through the soil again in some areas.
I guess I will just have to spray and dig it again this weekend.
Big bruv, total war on oxalis. I conned my kids as littlies into digging for ‘treasure’- oxalis bulbs. Wife and I were digging spuds last week-end- her on the spade, me on my knees, as ever- when she reminded me of “digging for treasure.”
I tried pigs to do the job on oxalis, with follow-up from the chooks in the 80’s. Didn’t work- planted an orchard instead, which outgrew the oxalis! The pigs ate the oxalis greens and the big corms, but left the little hard corms alone and just spread them around to regrow.
Big bruv, try the chooks, or even better, bantams since they don’t seem to dig up plants when they scratch like chooks do. Confine them in a small cage-run over a section of garden and let them go for it, since it sounds like you have spread it by digging. The chook droppings go pink from the oxalis.
Armchair Critic is right about leaf chopping but you have keep doing it.I did the same with california thistle when working as a gardener.
After years chopping california thistle out by hand, and setting goats on to it, to no avail, I resorted to Tordon. Â They hated it, but I’ve heard they will come back next year anyway. Â True?
AC, never used Tordon. These thistles were in the rose bed and were obvious and free of other growth, so easier to deal to with a weekly sub-surface hoeing.
Did use boiling water on various weeds, like oxalis, but my wife reminds me that we stopped because it just seemed like we were watering them. Perhaps the detergent helped. It seemed to knock the aphids which didn’t like getting soapy. Did the dishes by hand in a basin and then gave the roses a good soaking with the soapy residue.
I am really concerned though about tomato/potato psyllids because they knocked my main crop spuds and my son-in-law’s tomatoes to hell.
AFAIK its a battle of attrition. Â You need to make it as difficult for the bulbs to do their thing as you can.
Spray them with roundup (or whatever) as soon as they appear, and again when they reappear. Â If you don’t like sprays, chop the leaves off. Â No leaves means no way for energy to be stored in the bulb.
Once they take a bit of a holiday, or appear to be discouraged, put a layer of mulch or topsoil or whatever. Â This means the bulb needs to use more energy to get leaves at the surface and thereby replenish itself.
Whatever you do, don’t disturb the soil where the bulbs are – this just encourages them to grow again.
It should be gone in about two years. Â Option b is to remove the contaminated topsoil and replace with new stuff.
If you want a serious spray, try TAG2. Â It kills everything and stops it regrowing for six months to a year. Â I only use it on my metal driveway, it’s very effective.
Yeah, nothing grows for months after TAG2 – no summer garden if you use it.
If you want to treat the oxalis as a long term project (and, as a disclaimer, I’ve not tried this on oxalis) you could try pouring boiling water on the leaves. Â After my three or four cups of perc coffee in the morning I run a full load of water through the percolator to clean the machine, add dish washing liquid and pour the hot water on to weeds in the lawn or garden. Â The hot water/detergent combination seems to strip the protective layer off the foliage and kill the plant, without damaging the soil.
The cold coffee and grounds go on the garden, or lawn.
A serious question…
Is dog pee any good for killing it off?
At the moment we have seven dogs (the number always varies) if their pee kills the stuff off I might open the gate to the garden and let them do their business on there for a few days.
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There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm â a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon â note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinsonâs analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana â or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. Itâs a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealandâs highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes –Â Â Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – âIt is often said that behind every great man is a great womanâ. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their âLadies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxonâ. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Petersâ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes â If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshubâs closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague â whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak â has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
A ballot for 4 Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Insurance Contracts Bill (Duncan Webb) Income Tax (Clean Transport FBT Exclusion) Amendment Bill (Julie Anne Genter) Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill (Greg Fleming) Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) ...
The Coalition Governmentâs plan to âget Auckland movingâ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities sheâs meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Governmentâs archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the Americaâs Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it wonât stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Memberâs Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labourâs change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand Firstâs State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared âco-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te PÄti MÄori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. âIâm calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to âtake back our countryâ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jonesâ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Governmentâs fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Governmentâs miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesnât act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. âIt was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. âThe Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend.  âThis travel will focus on a range of New Zealandâs traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,â Mr Peters says.  Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. âRoad safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. âOur relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliamentâs order paper. âThe Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,â Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams wonât be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. âThe coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. âDam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. âI have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. âThe Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023â24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the governmentâs finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Governmentâs Budget objectives. âThe coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says.                                        âThe Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says.  âThese changes are long overdue â the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealandâs growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Ministerâs Prizes for Space today. âNew Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealandâs concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. Â Â âThe Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Educationâs School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. âThere is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. âToday I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of Peopleâs Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. âThe use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,â Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. âWeâre sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealandâs ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. Â Â âI am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. âI have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commissionâs online consultation portal.â Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. âComprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. âI would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. âThis is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women donât ...
Good morning, itâs great to be here.  First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Governmentâs ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Governmentâs commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools MÄori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. âThe Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, Iâm proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of todayâs address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and Iâm sorry I canât be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the WhangÄrei site where the facility will be constructed. âNorthland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata MÄori 20 years ago, says MÄori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisationâs 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but letâs be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time â but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who havenât accessed support to come forward and engage with the councilâs recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “Itâs official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “weâre in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliamentâs forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the âdisappearanceâ of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people âsequesteredâ in this weekâs raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University Itâs Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether youâre a boomer, or an â80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fijiâs Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? â Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems thereâs one luxury most Australians wonât sacrifice â their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Educationâs claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxonâs fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20â24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50â44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayersâ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the Peopleâs Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether youâre facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, itâs always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. Itâs an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
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While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata MÄori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is âfar-off sightâ. In the contemporary and living language of te reo MÄori, âwhakaataâ as a ...
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Off to vist friends in Palmerston North this weekend and give the bike a rest for a change!
Palmerston North? Commiserations mate! đ
Well I’m in levin whats wrong with the horowhenua?? me I think I will restart watching Babylon 5 or maybe Dr Who, from the beginning hmm decisions decisions.
B5 nice one. Dr Who as well. Good taste buddy. Me, I prefer toasters getting frakked on BSG đ
Yes, but Palmerston North ain’t in the Horowhenua đ
Well it’s as close as spitting distance lol And I settled on B5 as i have just finished converting it all to Xvid for my laptop
Push bike? As in you cycle?
Yep. Fresh air, fantastic Hawke’s Bay scenery and a competitive streak. Great fun.
I know you said “no aggro” but can I use this thread to say that as a dedicated Hurricanes fan I hope that Mark Hammett gets on the first plane back to Canterbury as soon as possible, the man is useless.
Secondly…all real sports fans will be cheering for India in the cricket world cup final, I doubt I could handle seeing that cheat Murali hold up the world cup.
I’m backing Sri Lanka bruv – just to piss you off.
No, actually because I think they have the superior bowling lineup with the 3 M’s (Murali – assuming he is fit enough to play, Malinga, and Mendis), and because India have designed the tournament schedule to favour themselves and deserve to get their comeuppance.
And whatever you think of Murali’s bowling action when he delivers the doosra, under the current Laws of Cricket it is legal.
As I said Toad…..”all real sports fans” đ
Once again I prove Toad wrong, and to make India’s victory all the more enjoyable the cheating sod Murali did not get a wicket.
Did you make a prediction of some sort? ‘Cos it doesn’t really count unless you communicate it.
Oi Felix,
You still doing the market?
If you’re going to accuse a sports-person of cheating you’d better have some evidence. Do you?
Yes I do..
How about the fact that the rules of the game were changed to allow this cheat to continue playing, how about the fact that numerous umpires are on record as saying that the ICC just do not want to hear any accusations about the mans bowling action.
Even allowing for the 15 degree Murali rule he is still a chucker, still a cheat and still a blight on the game.
Yes, they lost. But the really good news is Murali might be coming to Wellington to play for them in the next two seasons! You’ll be able to tell him what you think to his face!!!
Have to agree with you entirely, Bruv. Murali should have been banned before he even got to play international cricket and his ‘record’ counts for nothing as far as I’m concerned. He can’t be the best bowler in the world if he doesn’t bowl the ball. Simple, really.
Mind you, it’s obviously a bit rich for you to be bleating about cheating, when you’re so complicit in match fixing yourself.
Why don’t you put you money where you mouth is . . . oh, right. As you were.
Tried Renaissance brewery’s double India pale ale today. O is for owsum.
Ah, Renaissance ales- make life worth that bit more living. Tried their new twopenny ale tonight, and then a half of Sorenson’s 8-wired. My beer of choice is Renaissance Scotch Ale, but, sob, tonight the tap had run dry. A real Slim Dusty moment. “But there’s nothing so lonesome , or make a man pale, when the barman says sadly, “The pub’s got no Ale.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox-fJrWP-eY
(JFTR the vid was made just before Team America came out )
I played with a country fiddle player once who ate all his food like that man in black in the video- everything deep fried in two inches of fat. He could play though.
Did a version of “Orange Blossom Special,” humunguously fast at the end, where he played with the bow between his teeth moving the fiddle instead on the bow, with the fiddle behind his back, behind his head, under his knee, with socks on and finally with a metal coat hanger. Impeccably. He played so fast that I had to halve the tempo on the upright bass just to keep up.
Sometimes we just don’t know how good people are until they’ve gone. Had good taste in whisky too. Think I’ll have one now to remember Leo. Slainte to you too Rosy!
Capcha ‘compositions” Dang, there it goes again.
And on all things Scottish and the gone good – the best Scottish band that never made it big (IMO)…damn that Scottish melancholy/nostalgia combination – there must be a word for it???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmBPqBxQ-pM&feature=fvwrel
Working this weekend as usual, but I get an extra hour before work this morning đ
Thanks for the Big Country link. i had a vinyl LP of there’s back then. As I recall it was about the same time as U2 started to make it big, and it sometimes got referred to as Celtic Rock.
Big Country got a lot of mentions for making their guitars sound like traditional fiddles & bagpipes. I guess it’s the melancholy of oppressed hard working people, and nostalgia for better times, all held together by a sense of community & soldiarity.
I’ll cheers you with a Scottish scotch ale in Scotland this weekend Slainte đ
Blah! Have a decent beer.
I preferred the earlier Skids. Still my favorite punk band.
Days In Europa, Scared To Dance and The Absolute Game sit still in my record collection replete with “you shall not pay more than” stickers.
Working For The Yankee Dollar
Albert Tatlock!
Stuck way over here in NZ didn’t ever get the chance to see em – but since you asked:
Wish I was there
Â
Â
Â
Â
Understand completely DoS. Sad that I am, I once timed a trip to the UK to see BC the day I arrived… Being stuck in NZ I knew it would be the only chance I’d get. I appreciate The Skids but prefer folk-infused rock myself. Sacrilege to some but I also appreciated the U2/Green Day version of The Skids ‘the saints are coming’. I saw it as a tribute to The Skids as well as a Hurricane Katrina fundraiser http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seGhTWE98DU&feature=related
I thought the mistake Green Day made was that it sounded too like the original. The chance to make it their own version was not taken. It became more of a homage really..
My daughter had great fun at school though saying pffft the original was better and her fellow classmates going what do you mean?
This party blows. I’m off to the pub.
Yes that’s how I feel about [no politics please! – r0b] as well.
Right – now felix is gone we can bring out the good stuff!
On the subject of other good stuff. Saw a good concert on Wednesday night at which the story got told about a Scottish friend who got the nickname “The Exorcist.” And why was he called the Exorcist? Because when he’d left after a good night’s visiting, there were no spirits left in the house.
Heh – I’ll steal that line some time…
Hey!! I always sensed that was going on r0b!
No weekend social out here. Just weekend chores fixing up our now crooked little house (and sitting in the garden). Big houses around us have suffered or come down or been demolished while our timber number proved itself as one tough dancer at quake time.
Go the little old wooden cottage!
Snap! (‘as it were’). Our 70m2 cottage did the same – shook itself like a dog and then just looked like nothing had happened (except for a few things on the floor). Not bad for living about 800m from the four avenues.
This has probably been mentioned before, but if you want something to do over the weekend you could do worse than check out Gap Filler.
Arnt Timber cottages great? nice little flexible buildings, but I wonder if you will get a lot of squeaky floors from sprung nails?
Well the mighty Gunners are at home to Ryan Nelsen and Blackburn Rovers and I hope that I’m watching this match Sunday morning after Man Utd have been beaten by Winston Reids West Ham (I know Winnie probably won’t do much more than warm the bench).
For sale, one red carpet and trophy cabinet. Good condition, not used in recent years. Enquiries to A Wenger, Emirates Stadium, London.
Early one morning Arsene Wenger was roused from sleep by a telephone call. “Wenger”, Arsene sleepily muttered into the receiver as he answered it. “This is the London Fire Chief”, came the reply from the telephone, “I am calling you, Mr Wenger, to report that the Emirates Stadium is on fire”. Instantly awake, “The cups man, save the cups” bellowed Wenger. In a soothing tone the Fire Chief replied “Calm down Mr Wenger, the fire hasn’t reached the kitchen yet”.
Muzik for geeks
http://www.thesixtyone.com/#/s/rzsHejpkw9q/
Get down! And when you’re done with that – more geeky muzik awaits:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owboALviA8U
Lynn take note!
I’ve always been partial to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYW50F42ss8
Oh, you want a geek off
I see you and raise you:
http://www.thesixtyone.com/#/artist/Matheatre/songs/
I call: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJvAL-iiLnQ
And raise you Carl Sagan and Stephen Hawking: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSgiXGELjbc
All right, game on!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j50ZssEojtM&feature=related
For some reason this video doesn’t load for me from youtube, but if I view it embedded on another site it works fine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tm1yvSiVs9U
Embedded: http://www.cstonedesign.com/videos-the-bloodmobile-they-might-be-%5BTm1yvSiVs9U%5D.cfm
captcah: excesss, yes, 3 esses
And a bit more mainstream…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V83JR2IoI8k
Why? I refuse to watch the videos. They will be puppies and kittens like the strange graphic in the post? Urgghh..
Plze some honest backbiting….. Off to OpenMike.
Puppies and kittens was so last week. You should read on the front end to see the new graphic.
Plus, you really should check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owboALviA8U
Heh! That is better – war by other means. Stop the Howitzers and substitute a soccer ball
Prefer the hot toddies
Well for sure. The iBand thing is just geekdom that I thought would appeal to iPad fans like Lynn…
It was *grin*. I was justin a bah humbug and code mood this weekend.
Gardening. Gotta get the last of the winter veggies in before it gets too cold.
What are you planting Critic?
I had my first crack at a garden this summer, I found it a hell of a lot of fun but have no idea what I should be planting for winter crops.
Does it harm the soil if you just leave it empty for the winter or is it better to plant some type of crop?
Hi BB, it depends a bit on where you are. I’m in Christchurch and most things grow a bit slowly over winter and they need shelter from the frosts. You could try this website for a few tips, but it comes down to trial and error usually.
The best advice anyone ever gave “Tend your garden” (Voltaire, I think).
Good heavens, something I have in common with bruv, first year gardening.
We first planted late autumn last year. Leeks and spinach did well over winter. Some folks say mustard greens to fix nitrogen.
Interested in advice from real gardeners!
I’m also going to tend my garden this weekend.
Ehhh, first comment after a few years of lurking.
This type of thread seems a lot safer than all of the other ones.
I have in the garden: leeks, spring onions, lentils, beetroot, celery, and the usual herbs and lettuce and spinach etc.
WHAT AM I DOING?
MUST SLEEP I HAVE TO GO TO WORK IN AN HOUR
OH NO.
Watch out for over-cooked poached eggs tomorrow, Wellington.
Welcome! Glad we’ve made a space where you can be happy commenting. Hope your eggs didn’t get too munted…
Lucerne or Black eyed peas also known as cow peas are good for nitrogen fixing. Come to think of it any edible beans will do the same with the added advantage of ending up with food. Just chuck a couple of hands over the bit you want to leave empty and the next year dig the lot in and you will have a bumper crop of whatever you plant next. Mustard greens are good to and are great in stir fries. For land not used for a long time you can grow wattle (Great nitrogen fixer) and if you coppice them you will have firewood on a regular base for many years.
Depends on where you are big bruv. I’m in Thames Valley and get a few frosts, but nothing serious. If you are in Auckland, or near the coast, then maybe frosts won’t be too much of a problem.
I’ve planted leeks, carrots, beetroot, celery, broccoli, onions, cabbages and cauliflower. I was meant to get brussel sprouts too, but accidentally bought extra broccoli. Today I’m planting red onions, radishes, cucumbers, mizuna (which is a type of lettuce, I hope) and butter beans.
My guess is the main virtue of planting a garden for winter is that it keeps your attention on the garden, so it’s not so much effort to get it going again for summer. You could plant a crop that fixes nitrogen, over winter, and mulch it back into the garden in August, that way you don’t need to worry about harvesting it, and meanwhile it will improve your soil.
The Warehouse had/has frost cloth for about 50c per metre. I need to build something so I can roll it out in the evening and wind it back onto its reel in the morning. Maybe an old electric fence tape reel can be modified – on Sunday.
Best of luck with your garden, BB.
Interesting. Hope you can comment here some time when you know how well that worked…
Critic, thanks for the advice and the kind words.
It is a magnificent day here today so there is no excuse for not being in the garden.
I am not a huge fan of winter veggies (apart from Brussel Sprouts which I love) so I might just plant some of them, some onions, radishes and do the rest in mustard.
yeah brussel sprouts are great, I must get some in the ground.
I’ve had very poor feedback about the radishes, the rest of the household is not impressed.
A Â friend and I co-operate in a community garden plot of about 120 square metres. We with spouses sat down tonight and ate chicken with own grown potatoes, kumera, tomatoes, corn, rocket (with roasted seeds), garlic, pumpkin, cherry tomatoes with basil- a feast, and so much better to have grown it ourselves. Had to get in the parsnips and carrots, but next year that’s what we’ll grow and less beans and garlic and spuds ‘cos of that damn psyllid.
And home brew, made with own grown hops. Â
Planted today lettuce, curly kale and mizuna and harvested as well. Down at the plot a Fijian Indian woman told me of  delicious curry made with curly kale. Islanders grow taro there, Maori grow kumera, Muslims grow hot peppers and green tomatoes, ex-South Canterbury farmers grow pumpkins bigger than wheel barrows, Greenies grow in companion planting fashion and ex-acoholics stay dry by growing beans and yams and corn. We swap food and ideas, yarns and help each other. Some neighbour dug half my plot by hand because I am recovering from cancer operations. It is a functioning and vibrant community, full of heart and love. Life can be like that, as can at least one thread on the Standard!
Mac 1,
Sorry to hear about your cancer operations and hope you are recovering al right.
I have a question. You talk about the psyllid. I had not heard about it before and did a quick google. I live near Raglan (Hamilton) and just had a disappointing potato harvest. Any chance of this horrid little bug having spread to the West coast of the North Island?
Travellerev, healing very well, thanks. That’s why my remark to big bruv about gardening being good therapy. And also enforced inaction gives time to blog, read and contemplate. Gotta be some positives đ
The psyllid I understand came in at Auckland and has travelled (sorry) south. We are in the top of the South Island and this is our second season.
The damage to potatoes shows as a yellow, very stunted, deformed growth and the potatoes themselves can show an uneven black circle inside when you slice through, called zebra markings, caused by a bacterium introduced by the psyllid when it feeds. The spud itself develops an off taste. At an early stage you can detect the psyllid on the underleaves, either its eggs or the critter itself. Google has all this info. The psyllid also preys on tomatoes, eggplant and tree tomatoes.Â
I would expect it to be in your district. Saying that, though, the community garden plot has it but 500 metres away my home garden is so far free. I intend to monitor heavily, use preparations like neem oil and try and encourage predators like lacewings. I found the early planting of spuds also helped as it takes time for psyllid populations to build up. Destroy all matter where the psyllid might over-winter.
Mizuna is a Japanese plant used for the young leaves in the salad mixtures you buy in the Supermarket. It is a member of the mustard family and also great for stir fries. It has a bit of a bite to it so eat them young for the best taste
Thanks Ev
Cheers AC.
(Wow, love the new comment interface)
Some good advice around here, big bruv. I would also look at lupins with the mustard for nitrogen fixing to be dug in with Spring. I find broad beans work well over winter and plant garlic at mid-winter. Otherwise winter greens, curly kale is good and I buy mixed asian greens for salad/stir fry use. Brussel sprouts, radishes, carrots also.
It all depends on where you are, of course. Good advice also about using cloches, cloth, glass and plastic coverings. I use favoured sites around the property for growing things outside the normal growing season, especially expensive veg like eggplants, peppers (but not winter). You can even buy mushrooms to plant. More exotic plants like rocket, mizuma, daikon can be grown, too.
And plants your spuds very early in Spring if there is danger of that bloody awful potato/tomato psyllid about your area. Best of luck. Gardening is good therapy, too.
Yeah, I should probably get around to hoeing over all the weeds and planting carrots, and getting some cauliflower and broccoli sorted. Might see if Bunnings has any broad bean’s for sale too. But otherwise, I’ve got harvest the patty-pans and figure out how best to preserve the seeds for spring and find out how many damn pumpkins we have, and bring one of the chilli plant’s inside.
And coriander does surprisingly well in the winter down in Christchurch, I’ve got a small forest of it a present that’ll be harvested for seed come next summer, but I need to find a slow bolt variety for harvesting leaves and sort out how I’m going to do basil.
Also used some quake freed fencing cinder blocks to build a dry-wall constructed planter box that just needs to be filled with soil and come the end of the frosts will be filled with capsicums
As a friend once said to me about something else.. “It would be perfect, but there are humans involved.”
Plan to blast my QOTSA collection – No One Knows being my favourite as it rocks out hard and has the delightful turn the tables video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s88r_q7oufE
…plus the lead singer is 6’5″ and does wonders for my will to stay alive.
How about The Fall and William S Burroughs. I can’t get this song out of my head.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fHVvu8yzZA&feature=related
Dude the first three albums of theres are wicked. MEXICOLA
Any decent gigs in Wellington tonight?
Talking of watching stuff. I have been watching my electric jug for some time. You see when I switch it on it mumbles for a few seconds. Then it sulks in silence for maybe 15 seconds more. Then it stirs into life and rumbles away till it has boiled.
Why does it sulk?
Ok, dammit you know, that’s always puzzled me too.
Anyone?
Jugs are shy. Would you want someone watching while you do your business, getting all hot and bothered, making noises, letting off a little steam?
I’ll never look at a cup of tea the same way again…
Stay with felix’s spirits.
Yes Mac1. I must admit that I felt a little voyerish especially when, I’m ashamed to admit it, but ummm I took ahh the lid off and looked deep inside. Don’t tell my wife though. đ
Induction coils take forever to heat up đ
The boiling sound is made by gaseous bubbles collapsing in the water, changing instaneously from a low density gas to a high density liquid. The rate at which this happens depends on several factors.
One is how much air is dissolved in the water. Fresh unboiled water will have a fair amount of air dissolved in it.. so when it is first heated a lot of this will come out fairly quickly.
The second main factor is the temperature of the water. Cold water will recondense the gas bubbles very quickly, more or less as soon as they rise away from the heating element. But as the water heats the bubbles will last longer and longer, until when it’s close to boiling point the bubbles make it all the way to the surface and make relatively little noise.
Then there is likely the impact of convection currents as well.
Combine these various factors together and it largely explains what’s going on here.
ah yes.. and don’t forget the lunar effect too. Bubbles don’t just magically form by themselves you know.
captcha: collections
Obviously, this thread was needed. But I am very worried about all of you – even you big bruv.
There is another world out there – it’s got sun, and trees and deckchairs…or if you’re in Rotorua, apparently, just the trees and deckchairs.
Meh, I slept in till 12, after knocking off before 9pm. And providing my motivation levels are high enough I’ll thrash my legs on the Port Hills tomorrow as to prepare for either Mt Richardson or Mt Brown next weekend! Finally I’ll be able to escape Christchurch!
Couldn’t make it to freshers, since thanks to depression symptoms even a minor cold knocks my stamina levels down to craptastic, can’t bike/walk for crap, levels :/
One dowel rod (cut to length)
Length of non-slip grip material
One length of good-quality cord
Small length of chain
One carabina
10 kg plate
One power drill
One wife willing to construct a wrist roller for me: Priceless đ
Yeah there’s a reason she wants you to keep your wrists in shape.
In that case I’m sure you’ve got at least one huge forearm then đ
đ
Supporting the Hurricanes is like supporting the Labour Party. (Sorry r0b, is that too political?)
Any how’s – finally back from my softball club prize giving – won “Most Improved” – as the coach said, I couldn’t have got any worse – now – do I stay up and get on with Sunday as hampered as I am, or do I head off for a snooze and wait til MsBLiP starts vacuuming determinedly and accusingly around the bedroom . . . oh, decisions decisions.
Nah that’ll do. It’s a fine line, but I think it is fun to have this politics free zone on the blog. I’ve been amazed at the response. Quite uplifting, in an odd kind of way.
rOb
It’s a wonderful idea – a breath of fresh air and a real piece of azure blue sky in what can become a rather frustrating, grey, politically bloggy landscape. I think I have been most affected by the gardening comments. Great friendly supportive atmosphere -loved them.Thanks,
Here’s some porno for bookworms.
It’s a 40 Gigapixel photo of an 868 year old monastery library in Prague, the largest indoor photo ever (actually 2947 photos stitched together into a panorama.)
http://www.360cities.net/gigapixel/strahov-library.html
That is wonderful! I could peer at it all day.
Anybody know the best way of getting rid of Oxalis from a garden?
I have tried a couple of sprays but the stuff just keeps coming back.
Pure and total warfare only on oxalis. Spraying may kill it locally but only to the extent that the roots die….those bits that survive will just keep invading. If you can dig out the bulk of the roots (you will never get all of them) then spray / weed what comes back through that may work but its an ongoing battle. I have a better cure, I get my chickens to clear the area, mulch like crazy and allow the chickens in on weeding expeditions.
Right….so without chickens I am stuffed? đ
The stuff is a nightmare, I spent last Sunday digging the garden and thought I had got rid of all the Oxalis, last night I checked on the garden and the freaking stuff was starting to peak through the soil again in some areas.
I guess I will just have to spray and dig it again this weekend.
You poor bastard. Bored is right. It’s land war in asia territory.
If you’ve got any of the right aged kids about the place, draft them into it. That’s how my parents killed it back in the day.
Big bruv, total war on oxalis. I conned my kids as littlies into digging for ‘treasure’- oxalis bulbs. Wife and I were digging spuds last week-end- her on the spade, me on my knees, as ever- when she reminded me of “digging for treasure.”
I tried pigs to do the job on oxalis, with follow-up from the chooks in the 80’s. Didn’t work- planted an orchard instead, which outgrew the oxalis! The pigs ate the oxalis greens and the big corms, but left the little hard corms alone and just spread them around to regrow.
Big bruv, try the chooks, or even better, bantams since they don’t seem to dig up plants when they scratch like chooks do. Confine them in a small cage-run over a section of garden and let them go for it, since it sounds like you have spread it by digging. The chook droppings go pink from the oxalis.
Armchair Critic is right about leaf chopping but you have keep doing it.I did the same with california thistle when working as a gardener.
I often just leave it. Nice little purplypink flowers. A mini-jungle of them makes for a discussion point for visitors too.
After years chopping california thistle out by hand, and setting goats on to it, to no avail, I resorted to Tordon. Â They hated it, but I’ve heard they will come back next year anyway. Â True?
AC, never used Tordon. These thistles were in the rose bed and were obvious and free of other growth, so easier to deal to with a weekly sub-surface hoeing.
Did use boiling water on various weeds, like oxalis, but my wife reminds me that we stopped because it just seemed like we were watering them. Perhaps the detergent helped. It seemed to knock the aphids which didn’t like getting soapy. Did the dishes by hand in a basin and then gave the roses a good soaking with the soapy residue.
I am really concerned though about tomato/potato psyllids because they knocked my main crop spuds and my son-in-law’s tomatoes to hell.
AFAIK its a battle of attrition. Â You need to make it as difficult for the bulbs to do their thing as you can.
Spray them with roundup (or whatever) as soon as they appear, and again when they reappear. Â If you don’t like sprays, chop the leaves off. Â No leaves means no way for energy to be stored in the bulb.
Once they take a bit of a holiday, or appear to be discouraged, put a layer of mulch or topsoil or whatever. Â This means the bulb needs to use more energy to get leaves at the surface and thereby replenish itself.
Whatever you do, don’t disturb the soil where the bulbs are – this just encourages them to grow again.
It should be gone in about two years. Â Option b is to remove the contaminated topsoil and replace with new stuff.
If you want a serious spray, try TAG2. Â It kills everything and stops it regrowing for six months to a year. Â I only use it on my metal driveway, it’s very effective.
If I used TAG2 then I would have to forget about next summers garden?
I like the idea about chopping the leaves off, thanks for that Critic.
Yeah, nothing grows for months after TAG2 – no summer garden if you use it.
If you want to treat the oxalis as a long term project (and, as a disclaimer, I’ve not tried this on oxalis) you could try pouring boiling water on the leaves. Â After my three or four cups of perc coffee in the morning I run a full load of water through the percolator to clean the machine, add dish washing liquid and pour the hot water on to weeds in the lawn or garden. Â The hot water/detergent combination seems to strip the protective layer off the foliage and kill the plant, without damaging the soil.
The cold coffee and grounds go on the garden, or lawn.
Bored,
Wow, only on Weekend Social can we discuss warfare and killing…
A serious question…
Is dog pee any good for killing it off?
At the moment we have seven dogs (the number always varies) if their pee kills the stuff off I might open the gate to the garden and let them do their business on there for a few days.
Last week’s weekend social is active again!
This week’s is due to be posted at 4pm.  Should it be earlier?  When is the right time to  schedule weekend social?
Midday?