iamaelephant

Okay guys I propose we all get together (preferably in Tauranga) before Martin heads back down to Christchurch. It's not very often that we can all get together so it would be awesome to try and do so before Martin leaves. I'm thinking this weekend (the 6th) or the next (13th).

Thoughts??

Dave and a couple of other people are looking at doing a few running events this year, and I'm gonna do some too - starting with the Xterra 1/2 Marathon in Rotorua in April. Here is the calendar Dave put together and emailed me - I hope he doesn't mind me posting it? If anyone is interested in doing any of these, give Dave a call.

Here is the calendar, viewable by anyone: http://bit.ly/cbKhvh

Hey Guys,

As some of you may know, I have recently handed in my notice.....my question, what should i do?

Who here has an awesome job, if so whats the industry?

I kinda have a blank slate. I want to start my own thing, and I will...but I need to learn some more skills....You know, like nunchuck skills, bowhunting skills, etc., so am evaluating some part time positions in Auckland/Singapore.

Any huge problems in your industry, business or job, (problem == opportunity) that would be worth trying to solve?

Any comments or recommendations....open to it all,

Thanks

Apple's new tablet was announced today, with the world's worst name - iPad. Anywho, here's a summary of its features:
Basically an oversized iPod Touch.
Fits squarely within the zone of suck.
No HD video.
Closer to 4:3 than 16:9 with a screen resolution of 1024x768.
No TV-output.
No expansion slots, USB or basically any IO except a headphone jack.
No kickstand so it can't stand up.
Massive screen bezel makes it look less than slick.
Capacitative screen which means it can't use a pen/stylus.
No multitasking ability.
No camera.
No Flash support.
No GPS on non-3G models.
New apple bookstore, iBooks, available in USA only.
No phone calls.

I don't think I'm missing anything. I really can't see how this device has any practical use. An iPhone has more functionality and is more portable than this device.

edit: Oh and yeah, starts at US$500 for a non-3G 16gb model. Largest capacity is just 64gb.

Thoughts?

....and the first for 2010.

Those with SKY/Freeview, and who are up late enough on a Wednesday to catch TVNZ 7's Back Benchers programme, hosted by an Aucklander called Wallace and filmed near Parliament in Wellington, might like to know they're bringing their side show to Tauranga this coming Saturday.

Wallace, Damian, and assorted other tag-alongs and guests will begin filming at 7pm at the Cornerstone. Loud supporters of each member of the panel are welcome.

The panel of MPs will be:

Jacinda Ardern, list MP (Labour, maj. N/A)
Simon Bridges, MP Tauranga (National, maj. 11,742)
Todd McClay, MP Rotorua (National, maj. 5,065)

If you're in Tauranga and feel like a beer, then pop along while the sun's still shining...

Darren Hughes's reply to the government motion effectively closing the parliament until February next year was quite amusing, certainly better than the "witty" exchange between Gerry Brownlee and David Parker as a result of Wednesday's eleventh question.

The speech included some stats Opposition members have been keeping tabs on:

1. 38% of parliamentary sitting time has been under urgency since the last election.
2. 25% of all bills passed into law were bills from the previous (Labour) government.
3. National introduced 59 bills, but 60% of them had a truncated select committee process, i.e. didn't go to the committee for the full length of time, or committees had to meet at the same time the House was sitting.

Darren says:

He also spoke about John Key's personal brand of leadership:

He also rounds Bill English up as the gift that keeps on giving, or "the gift that keeps on taking" at least.

There were also some interesting stats to emerge from Lockwood's own speech:

1. The House sat for 565 hours and 49 minutes, 88 hours longer than last year.
2. 66 government bills have been passed.
3. No private members' bills have passed.
4. 22,920 written questions were submitted.

Lockwood had this to say about Auckland's super city trials in the House:

This year's been very good for the government. While they can't take all the credit, it's apparent Key's broadly relaxed manner (the antithesis of Clark's style, particularly in the last 3 years) has served him well. Whether this pragmatism will translate in his second year remains to be seen.

Even with his popularity at almost record levels, his poll sensitivities will tell him that if 40% of the electorate think he's more style than substance (as reported in Wednesday's Dominion Post), there's a problem. Besides that, the free reign he's given some in his cabinet has cost him. Nick Smith's management of both the ACC and Environment portfolios is but one example of a growing problem with confidence in Key Inc.

It has been Key's dream since boyhood to be prime minister of Niw Ziland, and now he is. But where's the vision? The plan? The JPK dream? The reality is that John Phillip Key is without one.

But Don Brash isn't, he has a plan. And Bill English has a budget. Next year, and with Adult and Community Education behind them, the screws will come down on other 'non-essentials'. English will almost certainly be forced to reduce the level of borrowing and that will mean cuts. There's only so much fat to trim before you hit muscle. It'll be interesting to watch.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Chris and Jill got a new kitteh today Click photos to embiggen.

Shy

Sly

Playful

Don Brash's taskforce -- responsible for telling the government how to reduce the income gap between Kiwis and Australians by 2025 -- reported back today. The results aren't surprising:

1. Reduce Government operating spending to 29% of GDP by 2012/13 (it's currently around 36%)
2. Cap future spending to a pre-determined level set in the parliament and hold the government to that spending.
3. Establish "expert" taskforces to review each area of government spending.
4. Abolish KiwiSaver subsidies and progressively increase the age of eligibility for NZ Superannuation. Wrap up the Cullen Fund.
5. Abolish universal healthcare subsidies and provide for privatisation of the healthcare sector.
6. Reverse the "substantial" subsidies for early childhood education.
7. Abolish fee caps for university fees.
8. Introduce a flat tax.
9. Sell all state assets where those assets exist in a market where competition either already exists or is feasible.
10. Labour law should be amended to "strengthen" negotiating powers between employers and employees.
11. Restore the minimum wage to 1999 levels.

What a fucking surprise. A taskforce headed by Don Brash, avid disciple of neoliberal economists like Friedman and Greenspan, recommends gutting the state sector and regressing back to the dark days of "every man for himself".

n.b Some statements are made on assumptions that I assume Chris could possibly correct - please do!

After reading this http://quandyfactory.com/blog/31/challenging_the_mls_monopoly

It got me back into thinking about an idea I researched a couple of years ago - the seeming monopoly on information regarding real estate that companies such as QV, and I am assuming Realtors also have access to, through something similar to the aforementioned US system.

And like any good capitalist - it got me thinking about how this monopoly could be disrupted. From what I understand - from contacting NZ Statistics, the Gov't doesn't collect publicly available data regarding real estate transactions (is this true?). This seems absurd, in fact NZ Statistics referred me to QV.

Surely this sort of data should be freely available, I understand it isn't at present, at the very least it must be collated, a Gov't Office must record all sales, surely, but where?.
And How do QV and comparative firms collect it? Some firms I understand create a db using Property Valuers - but this would seem to be a round-about way of estimating property prices.

Appreciate any insights,

A story broke today about a pair of journalists who were kidnapped and held in captivity in Somalia for fifteen months, who were freed after their families reportedly paid US$1m in ransom to the kidnappers. Presumably these journalists aren't from rich families, or I imagine the family would have been much quicker to produce a ransom to secure their release.

Obviously this is a story with a happy ending, unlike many other stories of people held in captivity in Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq etc. I remember reading a story not long ago about a couple who were held in the Congo (I think) for something like 10 years before escaping.

I always find these stories incredible for two reasons - the story itself is amazing for obvious reasons. But I also find it amazing how long these people are often held captive before their release. The truth is that many kidnap victims from these countries could be freed much sooner if the perps were paid their asking ransom. The families can rarely afford the ransom, so often it goes unpaid for a long time. It worries me that if myself or a close friend/family member were ever subject to capture that my government wouldn't be willing to help pay a ransom.

I understand that governments are reluctant to do deals with criminals, but the life of a country's citizens be of utmost importance to the nation? Considering these ordeals are rare, I would have thought respective governments would be more willing to help their citizens, but obviously they aren't. Considering the brutal deaths that often follow failure to pay, this bothers me.

Penny for your thoughts?