Sometimes I start reading another book and read a chapter or so before realising I have already read it. Apart from fading memory I reckon that when getting a mental image of characters and settings, the images so formed can be so different from previous readings. Hard to explain. Clever people would write down or remember title/author but I never do.
Do others have such a problem with re-reading?
I take a book out of the library and settle down for a good bedtime read and start to wonder why the story line is so familiar. Yep. I’ve taken it out before and read it.
I have a fascination with 17th and 18th century Britain and Europe – particularly the monarchal dynasties of the period because they played such a profound role in shaping subsequent world shattering events – so I don’t mind reading them again. I always find something new that I missed the first time around.
End of the beans, gonna pull out the vines. Been a fabulous year in Wellington for broads, french and runners. Weathers amazing at moment, bound to crap out soon so makin hay. Reading Fukuoka on permaculture, fantastic.
Totally, almost the Summer that wouldn’t quite get going this year, my garden is back to boxes of dirt being fed with compost i have made from everything green that gets cut into little pieces here along with that which is swept up,
After a bad start my crop came out as good as last years,(the savior being that magic liquid, water)…
On the other side of the planet I’ve been looking for plants for the balcony now that Spring has sprung (and a warm one it is too) – I can buy Broom(!) for around 30 Euro. Also forget-me-nots and oxalis are popular. Only a NZer would find this strange, I guess.
Leicester back in the premiership with kiwi chris woods hopefully being kept on next season, we need our overseas players in top leagues if we are to get to a wc again.
It’s been a productive week for me. I cancelled my sky sports package and switched from Vodafone to an uncapped isp, abandoning a landline in the process. That has saved me $50 a month. I have now done the jiggery-pokery to set up netflix (between that and a proxy costs about $15 a month). It is glorious. I may cancel sky altogether eventually if I could figure out a legal way to get Game of Thrones.
Back in the day as a teenager in the 80’s I collected vinyl and spent most of my meagre pay on vinyl. Crass Discharge Vice Squad Dead Kennedys The Exploited GBH plus alot of Joy Division to name a few …..
Then they got put away as I grew out of listening to them..
I have sold them to a collector for far more than what I orig paid for them which as are imports I paid a fair whack…. time for them to move on……
The scale of delays on our rail network were highlighted by the Herald last week and while it’s bad, it also highlights the huge opportunity for getting our rail network back up to speed. KiwiRail has promised to cut delays on Auckland trains, amid growing concerns about the readiness of ...
Kia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, October 9:The Government has cut $6 million from subsidies for an Auckland social housing provider with three days notice, which will force it to leave houses empty ...
Once I could laugh with everyoneOnce I could see the good in meThe black and the white distinctivelyColouringHolding the world insideNow, all the world is grey to meNobody can seeYou gotta believe it!Songwriter: Brian MayMartyn Bradbury, aka Bomber, a workingman’s flat cap and a beard ripe for socialism. Love him ...
I know it may seem an odd and obvious thing to break a year's worth of radio silence over, but how come the British Conservative Party MPs (and to be fair, the Labour Labour Party, when they have their leadership shenanigans) get to use a different and better way electoral ...
HealthNZ yesterday “dropped” 454 pages of documents relating to its financial performance over the last 18 months. The documents confirm that it has a massive structural deficit, which, without savings, is expected to be $1.4 billion annually beyond the current financial year. But the papers also suggest that Health NZ ...
Hi,It’s been awhile since we’ve done an AMA on Webworm — so let’s do it. Over the next 48 hours, I’ll be milling around in the comments answering any questions you might have. Leave a commentI genuinely look forward to these things as I love the Webworm community so much ...
The past couple of days, an online furore has blown up regarding commentator/scholar Corey Olsen and his claim that there is no Tolkienian canon. The sort of people who delight in getting outraged over such things have been piling onto Olsen, and often doing it in a matter that is ...
Perhaps when the archaeologists come picking their way through the ruins of a civilisation that was so fond of its fossil fuel comforts it wasn't prepared to give up any of them, they will find these two artefacts. Read more ...
Here in Aotearoa, our right-wing, ATLAS-network-backed government is rolling back climate policy and plotting to raise emissions to allow the fossil fuel industry a few more years of profit. And in Canada, their right-wing, ATLAS-network-backed opposition is campaigning on doing the same thing: Mass hunger and malnutrition. A looming ...
UPDATED:August 2024The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi (NZCTU) notes with extreme concern the ongoing genocide in Gaza, as well as the continued encroachment of illegal Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories. The NZCTU is extremely concerned that there is increasing risk of a broader regional ...
I’m just a bottom feederScum of the earthAnd I’m cursedWith the burden of empathyMy fellow humans matter to meBottom Feeder - Written, Performed and Recorded by Tane Cotton.Bottom Feeder or Fluffernutter, which one are you? Or, more to the point, which do you identify as? It’s not simply a measure ...
Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says he anticipates an increase in people “coming into the Corrections system”. The Corrections Department has applied for fast tracking so it will be able to add more beds at Mt Eden Prison when needed. Photo: Getty ImagesKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six ...
Remember when a guy walked into a mosque and shot everyone inside? He killed 44 people. And he then drove to a second mosque and shot and killed 7 more. He was on his way to a third mosque in Ashburton when he was stopped and arrested by the New ...
This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler On Bluesky, it was pointed out that Asheville, NC was recently listed as a place to go to avoid the climate crisis. link Mother Nature sent a “letter to the editor” indicating that she didn’t agree: ...
On the weekend, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop admitted that not everyone will “like” his fast track wish-list, before adding: “We are a government that does not shy away from those tough decisions.” Hmm. IMO, there’s nothing “tough” about a government using its numbers in Parliament to bulldoze aside the public’s ...
First they came for Newshub, and I said nothing because I didn’t watch TV3. Then they came for One News, and I said nothing because I didn’t pay much attention to them either. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak out because all the ...
Something I especially like about you all, you loyal and much-appreciated readers of More Than A Feilding, is that you are so very widely experienced and knowledgeable. Not just saying that. You really are.So I'm mindful as I write today that at least one of you has been captain of an ...
On Friday, Luxon and Reti were at Ormiston Private Hospital to talk up the benefits of private money in public health. [And defend Casey Costello - that’s a given for now by our National Party Ministers - including the medical doctor Shane Reti.]Luxon and Reti said we were going to ...
Hi,If you are unfortunate like me, you will have seen this image over the weekend.Donald Trump returned to the site of his near-assassination in Butler, Pennsylvania — except this time he brought Elon Musk with him. It’s difficult to keep up with Trump’s brain, but he seems to have dropped ...
Last week finally saw the first major release of detailed data from last year’s Census. There are a huge number of stories to be told from this data. Over the next few weeks we’ll be illuminating a few of them – starting today with an initial look at how New ...
The Government finance hand brake that stalled construction momentum in early 2024 remains firmly on. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday, October 7:Infrastructure and Housing Minister Chris Bishop ...
Change is coming to America. Next month’s elections are likely to pave the way for an overhaul of US foreign policy– regardless of whether Donald Trump or Kamala Harris wins the presidency. Decisions made in Washington will also have a direct impact on Wellington. While the Biden administration started its ...
Those business leaders who were calling last week for some indication of an economic plan from the Government got their answer yesterday. In what amounted to the first substantial pointer to the future rather than the past from a Government Minister, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop set out the reasons for ...
A listing of 30 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, September 29, 2024 thru Sat, October 5, 2024. Story of the week We're all made of standard human fabric so it's nobody's particular fault but while "other" parts of the world ...
I had occasion yesterday to visit our health centre. My doctor had said that I needed a blood test. The first thing I noticed was that the phlebotomist was acting as her own receptionist. She was handing a number to prospective patients in the order in which they presented themselves. ...
Nicola Willis and her boss have been peddling a fake short history of the previous government that runs as follows:They spent and spent, they had nothing to show for it and that is not how you grow the economy, because You can't tax yourself to prosperity.There is a sort of ...
There’s a bad taste in my mouth. And it has nothing to do with dinner. The Rings of Power season two – undoubtedly a massive improvement on season one – has concluded on a mixed note. It’s not season one bitterness, in that parts of this episode were indeed excellent, ...
If the rain comes they run and hide their heads.They might as well be dead,If the rain comes, if the rain comes…Can you hear me that when it rains and shines,It's just a state of mind,Can you hear me, can you hear me?Song: Lennon-McCartneyIt’s been quite a week for Dunedin ...
Today’s mañana strategy will lead to a crisis for the oldest elderly.It is said that the only certainties are death and taxes, but a lack of each causes uncertainties. As longevity increases, the pressures on state spending increase. A reluctance to increase taxation means the pressures on the elderly increase.The ...
When cancer minister Casey Costello convinced Cabinet to give her mates at Philip Morris a $216 million tax cut, she did so in the face of departmental advice that there would be no benefits and that Philip Morris' "heated tobacco products" were more cancerous and toxic than cigarettes. But she ...
Long story short:Treasury has warned again public debt will rise exponentially in the decades to come because of the rising costs of our ageing population, unless we change one or more of our New Zealand Superannuation promises, publicly-funded healthcare or tax settings. The current Government isn’t planning any changes, ...
Long stories short, here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer:“Why does everywhere seem to be flooding right now, Vox asks, as a new study predicts that 70% of ...
Welcome to the first week of October, which brings longer days and (we hope) lighter spirits. Despite the state of things, there are still abundant reasons to feel encouraged. On we roll! This roundup is brought to you by our largely volunteer crew. If you’d like to support our work ...
Morning all, this is just a quick note from me this morning: I’m off for a scan shortly. I’m sure you know the drill, especially if you’re a mum: a squeeze of surprisingly cold gel straight on your front, which the radiologist then uses the ultrasound machine to try and ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest climate news, including another extreme climate event in the United States; on the escalating conflict between Israel, Iran ...
With housing construction stalled, the Government has come up with a plan to underwrite new developments. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, October 4:The Government is set to ...
Yesterday, there was an excellent interview on 1News Breakfast with Former Health NZ Chair Rob Campbell. He was being interviewed in response to the government signalling to privatising our hospitals.Campbell confirmed what this publication and its readers have long talked about. One: We have the money for Health. Two: The ...
Yesterday’s NZME “Mood of the Boardroom” survey should be a wake-up call for the Government. This annual survey polls a wide range of private and public sector business leaders. Respondents to the survey rated their confidence in the New Zealand economy at 3.23 out of five, the highest score for optimism ...
Do you want to hear a joke?One day a government Minister fought very hard to help out mates with tax cuts She scored them - a massive NZ $106 billion multinational tobacco company with shares trading at $192 each - $216 million worth of tax cuts on their star product ...
Open access notables Sloth metabolism may make survival untenable under climate changescenarios, Cliffe et al., PeerJ:Sloths are limited by the rate at which they can acquire energy and are unable to regulate core body temperature (Tb) to the extent seen in most mammals. Therefore, the metabolic impacts of climate change ...
I have been outside this week, replacing spouting. Although this involves ladders and sharp tools, I am pleased to say there have been no cuts, no falls, no disasters. I mention this because from some of the comments some of you have made, I'm getting the feeling I may have ...
At six o'clock I'm goin' downCoffee's hot, and the toast is brownHey street sweeper, clear my waySweethearts breakfast is the best in townSongwriter: Donald Hugh WalkerIt’s that time of year again when NZME presumably thanks the country’s business leaders for all the advertising they’ve done during the year. They do ...
It’s very exciting to be getting a new medical school. It would be more exciting if the hospitals needed to train them weren’t on the verge of losing their licenses due to understaffing issues, and if the cost of such a school wasn’t coming at the expense of the health ...
The PPTA has changed its constitution to allow teachers at charter schools to join their union, which David Seymour is claiming as a victory for charter schools. The union has pushed back on that claim and reiterate their opposition to the forced imposition of charter schools. Workers at Winstone Pulp ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sanket JainNoushadbi Mujawar has created a community health model that helps people in India build resilience amid the rising climate disasters. (Photo credit: Sanket Jain) Community health care worker Noushadbi Mujawar safely evacuated everyone from Rajapur, an isolated ...
This time three years ago – as described in this Thursday throwback post by Jolisa – Auckland was deep into experiencing another prolonged shift in perspective around how a city can look and feel. . A lot has changed since then; and a lot hasn’t. As a recent guest ...
Israel seems on the brink of achieving the war with Iran that Benjamin Netanyahu has been trying all year to provoke. Until now, Iran had not taken the bait. It had not replied in kind to Israel’s genocide in Gaza, its bombing of Iran’s consulate in Damascus, and its assassinations ...
This is the tardiest review I have yet done for The Rings of Power – but, alas, real-life gets in the way sometimes. It has been a busy few days, and it became a matter of finding the time to sit down and express my thoughts. Also, it took a ...
I’m not really sure what to say about this. What else is there?But I think it needs to be acknowledged, and acknowledged angrily and loudly: the end goal of neoliberalism was always privatisation, and National seem to think New Zealand is ready for it right now. After three decades of ...
Boy oh boy, are you as excited as I am for a fresh wave of privatisation? You only need to reflect for a moment on how much better off privatisation has made us these past few decades to see that more of that would be a very good thing.The paragraph ...
I've had enough of scheming and messing around with jerksMy car is parked outside, I'm afraid it doesn't workI'm looking for a partner, someone who gets things fixedAsk yourself this question, do you want to be rich?I've got the brains, you've got the looksLet's make lots of moneyYou've got the ...
This is a very timely post from Bike Auckland, re-published here with kind permission. See also yesterday’s post by Patrick on the abundantly clear case for funding cycling as the powerful “stealth mode” for easy access to and around our city. The short version The central Government’s transport ...
The Pacific Media Network have covered the CTU’s analysis of the gender pay gap, with Rachel Mackintosh being interviewed on the impacts for Pasifika women. The NZPFU are calling for an inquiry into a fatal house fire in Ōtaki, as volunteer firefighters were left to handle the fire on their ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff MastersHurricane Helene at sunset on Sep. 26, 2024, as the storm was closing in on the Florida coast as a Cat 4 with 130 mph winds. (Image credit: NOAA/RAMMB-CIRA Satellite Library) After a spectacular burst of rapid intensification, Hurricane ...
Neoliberalism will defend itself. It must, because it has amassed power and wealth in those who are most invested in it.Take John Key, for instance, who has taken the unusual and controversial move of quietly endorsing Donald Trump as a former NZ PM, claiming that not only is Trump likely ...
The timing was fortuitous for Luxon, saving him over $70,000. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, October 2:PM Christopher Luxon was able to escape having to pay ‘brightline’ ...
Hi,I will explain the horrifying painting of New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon shortly.But first, I got a text from my friend Aaron over the weekend:In short, Aaron had loaded about a year’s worth of our text history into Google’s AI (privacy, what privacy?) — and instructed the AI to ...
National has a representation issue. Not in terms of gender, or race, or disability, or socio-economic background (though they do also have a lack of all of those), but with its representation for the South Island. Is it any surprise we’re the ones getting shafted when there’s only a single ...
Often when folks ask me what we can do about this government’s short sighted and often dubious policies1, I frequently veer to a similar answer:Share information, stay aware, act locally where you can, stay positive, and wait.Wait - for what?Well tonight it became clear.On 1News tonight, it was revealed Health ...
Whenever our politicians are caught with their hand in the till, they loudly proclaim that their theft from the public was "within the rules". The problem is that they are the ones writing the rules, and there's a certain suspicion that they write them to suit themselves. And so their ...
He dumped us years ago, but the media still pines for him, stalks his Insta, has a little flutter of the heart whenever he saunters back into the room.So naturally Stuff wanted to hear everything John Key had to say about the US election. And although the tape goes for ...
The Commerce Commission has announced they are blocking Foodstuff’s North and South Island merger, on the basis that it would substantially lessen competition and make it harder for other retailers to grow. The cancellation of plans to build a Dunedin hospital is continuing to cause controversy, with Otago mayors revealing ...
Kia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, October 1:PM Christopher Luxon has made $460,000 in tax-free income this year from capital gains on the sale of two of his rental properties, almost as much ...
Do you believeIn what you seeMotionless wheelNothing is realWasting my timeIn the waiting lineDo you believe inWhat you seeSongwriters: Henry Binns, Sam Hardaker, Sophie Alexandra Jessica BarkerOctober already. This year feels like it’s going quickly, provided you don’t count it out in WTF moments from the coalition. Before we know ...
Te Whatu Ora’s finances have deteriorated under the National Government, turning a surplus into a deficit, and breaking promises made to New Zealanders to pay for it. ...
The Prime Minister’s decision to back his firearms minister on gun law changes despite multiple warnings shows his political judgement has failed him yet again. ...
Yesterday the government announced the list of 149 projects selected for fast-tracking across Aotearoa. Trans-Tasman Resources’ plan to mine the seabed off the coast of Taranaki was one of these projects. “We are disgusted but not surprised with the government’s decision to fast-track the decimation of our seabed,” said Te ...
At Labour’s insistence, Te Whatu Ora financial documents have been released by the Health Select Committee today showing more cuts are on the way for our health system. ...
Fresh questions have been raised about the conduct of the Firearms Minister after revelations she misled New Zealanders about her role in stopping gun reforms prior to the mosque shootings. ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford still can’t confirm when the Government will deliver the $2 billion worth school upgrades she cut earlier this year. ...
Labour acknowledges the hundreds of workers today losing their jobs as the Winstone Pulp mill closes and what it will mean for their families and community. ...
In Budget '24, the National Government put aside $216 million to pay for a tax cut which mainly benefitted one company: global tobacco giant Philip Morris. Instead of giving hundreds of millions to big tobacco, National could have spent the money sensibly, on New Zealand. ...
Te Whatu Ora’s financials from the last year show the Government has manufactured a financial crisis to justify making cuts that are already affecting patient care. ...
Over 41,000 Palestinian’s have been murdered by Israel in the last 12 months. At the same time, Israel have launched attacks against at least four other countries in the Middle East including Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iran. “You cannot play the aggressor and the victim at the same time,” said ...
Associate health minister Casey Costello has made a fool of the Prime Minister, because the product she’s been fighting to get a tax cut for and he’s been backing her on is now illegal – and he doesn’t seem to know it. ...
The Finance and Expenditure Committee’s inquiry into climate adaptation is something that must be built on for an enduring framework to manage climate risk. ...
The Government is taking tertiary education down a worrying path with new reporting finding that fourteen of the country’s sixteen polytechnics couldn’t survive on their own,” Labour’s tertiary education spokesperson Dr Deborah Russell says. ...
Today the government announced a $30m cut to Te Ahu o Te Reo Māori- a programme that develops te reo Māori among our kaiako. “This announcement is just the latest in an onslaught of attacks on te iwi Māori,” said Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader Rawiri Waititi. ...
The Government has shown its true intentions for the public service and economy – it’s not to get more public servants back to the office, it’s more job losses. ...
The National Government is hiding the gaps in the health workforce from New Zealanders, by not producing a full workforce plan nearly a year into their tenure. ...
Today, the Crown Mineral Amendment Bill was read for the first time, reversing the ban on oil exploration off the coast of Taranaki. It was no accident that this proposed law change was read directly after the Government started to unravel the ability of iwi and hapū Māori to have ...
Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Justice, Tākuta Ferris, has hit out at the Government, demanding the Crown prove its rights to the foreshore, following the Marine and Coastal Area Amendment Bill, passing its first reading. "Māori rights to the foreshore pre-exist the Declaration of Independence, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and ...
The Green Party vows to reinstate the oil and gas ban and revoke permits when it returns to government following the coalition’s introduction of legislation to reopen offshore oil and gas exploration this afternoon. ...
The Government’s introduction of its interventions in the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act threatens to throw relations between Māori and Crown into deeper disharmony. ...
Gun lobbyist Nicole McKee and her conflict of interest has struck again, this time removing safety regulations from shooting clubs and ranges in New Zealand. ...
The Green Party says the Government’s retrograde move to tighten up on Work from Home arrangements is the latest in a series of blows to the Public Service. ...
The National Government is oblivious to the impact cuts to services will have on New Zealanders who are doing the hard yards caring for mentally ill family members. ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti and Associate Health Minister Casey Costello have announced a pilot to increase childhood immunisations, by training the Whānau Āwhina Plunket workforce as vaccinators in locations where vaccine coverage is particularly low. The Government is investing up to $1 million for Health New Zealand to partner ...
The Government is looking at strengthening requirements for building professionals, including penalties, to ensure Kiwis have confidence in their biggest asset, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says “The Government is taking decisive action to make building easier and more affordable. If we want to tackle our chronic undersupply of houses ...
The Government is taking further action to tackle the unacceptable wait times facing people trying to sit their driver licence test by temporarily extending the amount of time people can drive on overseas licences from 12 months to 18 months, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The previous government removed fees for ...
The Government has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring New Zealand is a safe and secure place to do business with the launch of new cyber security resources, Small Business and Manufacturing Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Cyber security is crucial for businesses, but it’s often discounted for more immediate business concerns. ...
Investment in Apprenticeship Boost will prioritise critical industries and targeted occupations that are essential to addressing New Zealand’s skills shortages and rebuilding the economy, Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds and Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston say. “By focusing Apprenticeship Boost on first-year apprentices in targeted occupations, ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has announced a funding boost for Palmerston North ED to reduce wait times and improve patient safety and care, as well as new national standards for moving acute patients through hospitals. “Wait times in emergency departments have deteriorated over the past six years and Palmerston ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has announced a funding boost for Palmerston North ED to reduce wait times and improve patient safety and care, as well as new national standards for moving acute patients through hospitals. “Wait times in emergency departments have deteriorated over the past six years and Palmerston ...
Mehemea he pai mō te tangata, mahia! If it’s good for the people, get on with it! A $35 million Government investment will enable the delivery of 100 affordable rental homes in partnership with Waikato-Tainui, Associate Minister of Housing Tama Potaka says. Investment for the partnership, signed and announced today ...
This week’s inaugural Ethnic Xchange Symposium will explore the role that ethnic communities and businesses can play in rebuilding New Zealand’s economy, Ethnic Communities Minister Melissa Lee says. “One of my top priorities as Minister is unlocking the economic potential of New Zealand’s ethnic businesses,” says Ms Lee. “Ethnic communities ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters are renewing New Zealand’s calls for restraint and de-escalation, on the first anniversary of the 7 October terrorist attacks on Israel. “New Zealand was horrified by the monstrous actions of Hamas against Israel a year ago today,” Mr Luxon says. ...
Kia uru kahikatea te tū. Projects referred for Fast-Track approval will help supercharge the Māori economy and realise the huge potential of Iwi and Māori assets, Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka says. Following robust and independent review, the Government has today announced 149 projects that have significant regional or national ...
The Fast-track Approvals Bill will list 22 renewable electricity projects with a combined capacity of 3 Gigawatts, which will help secure a clean, reliable and affordable supply of electricity across New Zealand, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says. “The Government has a goal of doubling New Zealand’s renewable electricity generation. The 22 ...
The Government has enabled fast-track consenting for 29 critical road, rail, and port projects across New Zealand to deliver these priority projects faster and boost economic growth, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “New Zealand has an infrastructure deficit, and our Government is working to fix it. Delivering the transport infrastructure Kiwis ...
The 149 projects released today for inclusion in the Government’s one-stop-shop Fast Track Approvals Bill will help rebuild the economy and fix our housing crisis, improve energy security, and address our infrastructure deficit, Minister for Infrastructure Chris Bishop says. “The 149 projects selected by the Government have significant regional or ...
A new multi-purpose recreation centre will provide a valuable wellbeing hub for residents and visitors to Ruakākā in Northland, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. The Ruakākā Recreation Centre, officially opened today, includes separate areas for a gymnasium, a community health space and meeting rooms made possible with support of ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, and Rural Communities Minister Mark Patterson announced up to $50,000 in additional Government support for farmers and growers across Southland and parts of Otago as challenging spring weather conditions have been classified a medium-scale adverse event. “The relentless wet weather has been tough on farmers and ...
Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay today welcomed a move by the European Commission to delay the implementation of the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) by 12 months, describing the proposal as a pragmatic step that will provide much-needed certainty for New Zealand exporters and ensure over $200 million in ...
The Government is taking decisive action in response to the Ministerial Inquiry into School Property, which concludes the way school property is delivered is not fit for purpose. “The school property portfolio is worth $30 billion, and it’s critically important it’s managed properly. This Government is taking a series of immediate actions ...
The Government has announced a new support programme for the residential construction market while the economy recovers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk say. “We know the residential development sector is vulnerable to economic downturns. The lead time for building houses is typically 18 ...
Environment Minister Penny Simmonds has confirmed the final appointee to the refreshed Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) board. “I am pleased to welcome Brett O’Riley to the EPA board,” Ms Simmonds says. “Brett is a seasoned business advisor with a long and distinguished career across the technology, tourism, and sustainable business ...
The Government has approved a $226.2 million package of resilience improvement projects for state highways and local roads across the country that will reduce the impact of severe weather events and create a more resilient and efficient road network, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Our Government is committed to delivering ...
Kiwis will see fewer potholes on our roads with road rehabilitation set to more than double through the summer road maintenance programme to ensure that our roads are maintained to a safe and reliable standard, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is a key ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has welcomed the announcement of Sir Jerry Mateparae as an independent moderator, to work with the Government of Papua New Guinea and the Autonomous Bougainville Government in resolving outstanding issues on Bougainville’s future. “New Zealand is an enduring friend to Papua New Guinea and the ...
The latest 2023 Census results released today further highlight New Zealand’s growing ethnic and cultural diversity, says Ethnic Communities Minister Melissa Lee. “Today’s census results are further evidence of the increasingly diverse nature of our population. It’s something that should be celebrated and also serve as a reminder of the ...
Parents and caregivers are now able to claim for FamilyBoost, which provides low-to-middle-income families with young children payments to help them meet early childhood education (ECE) costs. “FamilyBoost is one of the ways we are supporting families with young children who are struggling with the cost of living, by helping ...
This week’s South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM) has concluded with a renewed commitment to regional security of all types, Defence Minister Judith Collins says. Defence Ministers and senior civilian and military officials from Australia, Chile, Fiji, France, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Tonga gathered in Auckland to discuss defence and security cooperation in the ...
Associate Police Minister Casey Costello has welcomed the Police announcement that recruitment wings at the Police College will be expanded to 100 recruits next year. “This is good news on two fronts – it reflects the fact that more and more New Zealanders are valuing policing and seeing it as ...
Introduction Good morning! What a pleasure to be back in the stunning West Coast at one of my favourite events in the calendar. Every time I come back here, I’m reminded of the Coast’s natural beauty, valuable resources, and great people. Yet, every time I come back here, I’m also ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti welcomes new data from Health New Zealand, saying it demonstrates encouraging progress against the Government’s health targets. Health New Zealand’s quarterly report for the quarter to 30 June will be used as the baseline for reporting against the Government’s five health targets, which came into ...
The launch of a new data tool will provide Kiwis with better access to important data, Statistics Minister Andrew Bayly says. “To grow our economy and improve productivity we must adopt smarter ways of working, which means taking a more data driven approach to decision-making. “As Statistics Minister one of ...
The Government is progressing plans to increase the use of remote inspections to make the building and consenting process more efficient and affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “We know that the building and construction sector suffers from a lack of innovation. According to a recent report, productivity ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour welcomes the PPTA putting a proposal to members at its annual conference to change its constitution and allow membership of teachers who work in charter schools. “The PPTA has had a come to Jesus moment on charter schools. This is a major departure from the ...
David Clarke has been announced as the Chief Commissioner of the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC). David Clarke is a barrister specialising in corporate and commercial law and he has over 20 years experience in governance roles in commercial, public and charitable sectors. He also is a current TAIC Commissioner. ...
The Government has secured market access for New Zealand blueberries to Korea, unlocking an estimated $5 million in annual export opportunities for Kiwi growers Minister for Trade and Agriculture Todd McClay today announced. “This is a win for our exporters and builds on our successful removal of $190 million in ...
Partnership and looking to the future are key themes as Defence Ministers from across the South Pacific discuss regional security challenges in Auckland today, Defence Minister Judith Collins says. The South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM) brings together Defence Ministers, Chiefs of Defence and Secretaries of Defence from New Zealand, ...
In a triple whammy of good news, 1 October heralds the beginning of the funding of two major health products and a welcome contribution to early childhood fees, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “Keytruda is the first drug to be funded and made available from the $604 million boost we ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti today opened the refurbished Children’s Unit at Rotorua Hospital, which will provide young patients and their families in the Lakes District with a safe, comfortable and private space to receive care. “The opening of this unit is a significant milestone in our commitment to improving ...
It is now easier to make small changes to building plans without having to apply for a building consent amendment, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Previously builders who wanted to make a minor change, for example substituting one type of product for another, or changing the layout of ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced seven diplomatic appointments. “Protecting and advancing New Zealand’s interests abroad is an extremely important role for our diplomats,” Mr Peters says. “We are pleased to announce the appointment of seven senior diplomats to these overseas missions.” The appointments are: Andrew ...
The first iteration of the SuperGold Information Hub is now on-line, Minister for Seniors Casey Costello announced today. “The SuperGold Hub is an online portal offering up-to-date information on all of the offers available to SuperGold cardholders. “We know the SuperGold card is valued, and most people know its use ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ganna Pogrebna, Executive Director, AI and Cyber Futures Institute, Charles Sturt University Olena Yakobchuk/Shutterstock In dusty factories, cramped internet cafes and makeshift home offices around the world, millions of people sit at computers tediously labelling data. These workers are the lifeblood ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Iris Lim, Assistant Professor in Biomedical Science, Bond University 9nong/Shutterstock In a recent TikTok video, Australian media personality Abbie Chatfield shared she was starting a vaccine to protect against urinary tract infections (UTIs). Huge news for the UTI girlies. I ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John L. Hopkins, Associate Professor of Management, Swinburne University of Technology Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock Less than a month after Amazon announced employees would need to give up their flexible work arrangements and return to the office full-time, new research has reinforced the value ...
Can you make your way around the country via expedited transport, housing, energy and mining projects? First released by Holdson’s Educational in 1955 and still available in “retro edition” at all good board game retailers, Tour of New Zealand invites players (two or more, aged 6+) to race their way ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thomas Newsome, Associate Professor in Global Ecology, University of Sydney You don’t have to look far to see what climate change is doing to the planet. The word “unprecedented” is everywhere this year. We are seeing unprecedented rapidly intensifying tropical storms ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tashi Dema, PhD Candidate in Language and Politics, University of New England Deki, a 23-year-old resident of the remote town of Armidale, NSW, has been sleepless with excitement since the Bhutanese embassy in Canberra announced an upcoming visit from Bhutan’s fifth monarch, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Prudence Flowers, Senior Lecturer in US History, College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, Flinders University It might seem surprising today in the era of Donald Trump, but Republicans in the United States once championed immigration and supported pathways to citizenship for ...
A $35 million upgrade to immigration identity systems has been deferred until after the busy summer period - despite officials' own advice about the risks of doing so. ...
Hikes to ACC levies will see owners of electric cars paying up to $40 more than owners of hybrids or small petrol cars, says an electric vehicle lobby group. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonny Williams, Climate Scientist, University of Reading Getty Images Climate change is usually discussed in terms of rising temperatures. But scientists often use a different measure, known as “equilibrium climate sensitivity”. This is defined as the global mean warming caused ...
While reports of oil leaking from the capsized Manawanui may be unfounded, that doesn’t mean the wreckage won’t cause lasting damage, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
A global shortage means imported olive oil is more costly than it’s been since the late 90s. Can local producers compete on price now? The past couple of years have seen olive oil prices spiking higher than a Mariah Carey top note. Heat waves and drought in the Mediterranean, particularly ...
Flat and surrounded by hills and rising tides, it’s no surprise that South Dunedin is at risk of flooding. But nine years of preparation meant last week’s deluge wasn’t as bad as it could have been – and a future here still seems possible. Standing in her living room, Faye ...
At the heart of everything Kate Parr does is a deep commitment to inclusion, something she has a knack for explaining.“I’m the kind of person who gives a shit. Those are the words I use: ‘Do you give a shit? I give a shit’,” she says.“My staff and I care ...
A dozen writers – some of them leading figures in New Zealand literature, some of them complete nobodies – have been shortlisted for the fairly glamorous, definitely long-winded and awesomely enumerated Surrey Hotel Writers Residency Award in Association with Newsroom and Dick and Jude Frizzell.The elite doz were selected from ...
Analysis: Recent advancements in diabetes management, particularly the decision by Pharmac – Te Pātaka Whaioranga to fund essential biotech devices such as continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps, have brought a sense of hope within the diabetes community.These innovative tools alleviate many burdens associated with managing diabetes, although it is crucial ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aaron J. Snoswell, Research Fellow in AI Accountability, Queensland University of Technology The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to scientists John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton “for foundational discoveries and inventions that enable machine learning with artificial neural networks”. Inspired ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government on Wednesday will introduce legislation to ensure the NBN remains in government ownership. The move is designed to set up a test for the Coalition, putting pressure on the opposition ahead ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Prashantrajsingh/Shutterstock It’s time to take Donald Trump seriously. Betting markets say it’s as likely as not he will be elected US president four weeks from today. And unlike in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Prashantrajsingh/Shutterstock It’s time to take Donald Trump seriously. Betting markets say it’s as likely as not he will be elected US president four weeks from today. And unlike in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra “Productivity” might sound a nerdy word to many, but improving it is vital for a more affluent life for Australians in coming years. At the moment it is languishing. Investigating ways in which our national ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Federal parliament has split on partisan lines over the Middle East crisis, just a day after the anniversary of the Hamas atrocities against Israelis. After discussions between Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton failed to reach ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elvis Okoffo, PhD candidate in Environmental Science, The University of Queensland M-Productions/Shutterstock When it rains heavily, plastic waste is washed off our streets into rivers, flowing out to the ocean. Most plastic is trapped in estuaries and coastal ecosystems, with a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew J Constable, Adviser, Antarctica and Marine Systems, Science & Policy, University of Tasmania The Albanese government has today declared stronger protections for the waters around Heard Island and McDonald Islands, one of Australia’s wildest, most remote areas. The marine park surrounding ...
Act Party leader David Seymour is set to face-off against iwi leader Helmut Modlik in a debate on Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Join us for live coverage from the debating chamber. David Seymour has accepted an invitation to debate te Tiriti o Waitangi and his party’s controversial Treaty Principles Bill, ...
ocean is still warm
everyone should swim in it
Don’t worry, when global warming kicks in it will be even warmer
Sometimes I start reading another book and read a chapter or so before realising I have already read it. Apart from fading memory I reckon that when getting a mental image of characters and settings, the images so formed can be so different from previous readings. Hard to explain. Clever people would write down or remember title/author but I never do.
Do others have such a problem with re-reading?
Yes ianmac.
I take a book out of the library and settle down for a good bedtime read and start to wonder why the story line is so familiar. Yep. I’ve taken it out before and read it.
I have a fascination with 17th and 18th century Britain and Europe – particularly the monarchal dynasties of the period because they played such a profound role in shaping subsequent world shattering events – so I don’t mind reading them again. I always find something new that I missed the first time around.
Sola Rosa at the Titirangi Music Festival tonight.
The place is jumping already.
Sola Rosa raised the roof.
Wait: what’s the difference between Titirangi people and Grey Lynn People?
A: About half a mil in equity.
End of the beans, gonna pull out the vines. Been a fabulous year in Wellington for broads, french and runners. Weathers amazing at moment, bound to crap out soon so makin hay. Reading Fukuoka on permaculture, fantastic.
Totally, almost the Summer that wouldn’t quite get going this year, my garden is back to boxes of dirt being fed with compost i have made from everything green that gets cut into little pieces here along with that which is swept up,
After a bad start my crop came out as good as last years,(the savior being that magic liquid, water)…
On the other side of the planet I’ve been looking for plants for the balcony now that Spring has sprung (and a warm one it is too) – I can buy Broom(!) for around 30 Euro. Also forget-me-nots and oxalis are popular. Only a NZer would find this strange, I guess.
Weather, at home and abroad, blame it on the quadrillion sneezing kittens to your right and the booty shaking dancer……………………………..
………….I think this is the hottest April I can ever remember.
…all the usual suspects
Leicester back in the premiership with kiwi chris woods hopefully being kept on next season, we need our overseas players in top leagues if we are to get to a wc again.
It’s been a productive week for me. I cancelled my sky sports package and switched from Vodafone to an uncapped isp, abandoning a landline in the process. That has saved me $50 a month. I have now done the jiggery-pokery to set up netflix (between that and a proxy costs about $15 a month). It is glorious. I may cancel sky altogether eventually if I could figure out a legal way to get Game of Thrones.
Ripping Vinyl to flac…..
Back in the day as a teenager in the 80’s I collected vinyl and spent most of my meagre pay on vinyl. Crass Discharge Vice Squad Dead Kennedys The Exploited GBH plus alot of Joy Division to name a few …..
Then they got put away as I grew out of listening to them..
I have sold them to a collector for far more than what I orig paid for them which as are imports I paid a fair whack…. time for them to move on……
Still. Punk is yet to pass away.