Mastodon's Billionaire Owner

Mostly just here to read the news.
I don't suffer fools - and so experience the psychological equivalent of an autoimmune disorder.

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Last Notes

2026-10-26 02:03:12 GMT

" Luxon predicts 'one or two points' will decide election as he votes in Auckland "
Rubbish!! National have this election in the bag. Anyone thinking of voting for them may as well save themselves a job and stay home.
#nzpol

2026-09-27 22:05:47 GMT

Brilliant cartoon!! And another reason why we shouldn't be encouraging super-rich people to come to NZ or worrying when they leave in response to fair taxation. They tend to be antisocial, as demonstrated by research.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/picture/2026/sep/26/vaughan-tomlinson-billionaires-kids-cartoon
#inequality #nzpol #tax

2026-09-27 00:20:22 GMT

If NZ Labour had a clue, they would increase tax on the ultra wealthy and lower tax for everyone else - and lead the chant "LOWER TAXES!!!"
Instead we get National making the brain-dead chant of "No New Taxes!" while making everyone except the super-rich worse off.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics_election-2026/1603176/live-election-campaign-kicks-off-with-national-and-labour-launches
#nzpol

2026-08-18 05:30:22 GMT

New Zealand leaders (which in this case includes a former Labour leader, plus current NACtional) debate how much more ordinary people need to contribute, or cut back, to pay for everyone's aged care.
Both sides of the political divide are united as they discuss minute details, totally ignoring the elephant in the room - the small handful of citizens who have extracted enough money from society to pay for the aged care of many, many, many thousands of people. No suggestion they should contribute even one cent more.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/health/1041531/aged-care-report-calls-for-major-systemic-reform-but-at-what-cost
They want to introduce a lower threshold for means-testing - which means more people at the bottom pay more, while a billionaire (already above the threshold) will not be impacted at all - they can still just pay for one (1) person.
#nzpol #inequality #tax

2026-08-16 06:52:45 GMT

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@nprofile…ywj0 @nprofile…25tr
I'm assuming,...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Mosquito

2026-08-07 23:58:52 GMT

I like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren - but why the hell are they voting to support russia in its evil war against Ukraine???
Both opposed the new russia Sanctions Bill.
#ukraine #uspol

2026-08-06 08:04:19 GMT

New Zealand's richest man makes the largest single donation this cycle, to National.
This is the death of democracy, outright corruption and is one way our political system gives outsized influence to the super-rich, to the detriment of everyone else.
Donations to political parties should be outright BANNED . Only small membership fees should be allowed (e.g. maximum $100 per person per annum). Such fees are fundamentally democratic, because significant money can only be raised with significant population support.
Then - tax the rich and fund political parties from the state budget. The rich still get to contribute to the political process, just can't do the choosing for all the rest of us.
Unfortunately the response of Labour and other parties is "No Fair - rich people - donate to us too!!!!".
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics/647946/rnz-political-donations-tracker-national-s-war-chest-climbs-by-dollar440-000
#nzpol #tax #inequality

2026-08-04 13:58:51 GMT

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@nprofile…3jwj
Predictably, we got a pack of wankers. And everything getting rapidly worse.

2026-08-02 11:17:22 GMT

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@nprofile…r769
....well it'll have to be Chloe, then!

2026-07-28 10:25:17 GMT

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@nprofile…wj33
Libertarian and intent on smashing the poor by gutting our already poverty-level benefit rates. IMHO

2026-07-26 02:29:05 GMT

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@nprofile…r769 They are associated with huge concern and problems in USA, so pressing pause is a great idea!

2026-07-22 00:38:46 GMT

NZ government gifts $60m of public money to a private corporate which has $7b annual revenue. The details of this welfare are being hidden from the public, but equate to gifting $400,000 per job at the plant in question.
I don't necessarily have a problem with supporting NZ cement manufacture - but if the public is paying for it, the public should own it. Or spend the $400k per employee on retraining and support - not a donation to a profit-making private business.
This coalition keeps pushing our hard-earned public money into the greedy paws of layabouts and bottom-feeders - i.e. people who think they shouldn't have to work, but instead be handed cash for just owning things.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/749001/government-moves-to-keep-cement-production-in-nz-with-up-to-60m-in-financial-support
#nzpol

2026-07-21 00:50:26 GMT

Completely agree with NZ Labour and Damien O'Connor on this one - the voter suppression changes introduced by ACT and National are an attack on NZ democracy and a disgrace. They should be reversed by the next government.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics/758888/absolute-bulls-labour-mp-blasts-coalition-over-evil-voting-changes
#nzpol #NZlabour

2026-07-19 06:35:08 GMT

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@nprofile…wj33
This is all about sending a culture war signal, I reckon.
What total losers.

2026-07-19 06:15:15 GMT

Just as solar + sodium batteries look like they might massively reduce our need for fossil fuels, the fossils in NZ First propose blowing $1B on fossil fuel development.
Presumably they are doing it to own the libs, plus donor money. Imagine what you could do spending that on solar and energy storage!
#nzpol #climateChange #energy

2026-07-15 22:41:10 GMT

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@nprofile…xpw3 @nprofile…5w5c @nprofile…ycjt
Yes, my hope is that the current Green proposal is a start, and can be built on later.

2026-07-11 00:46:42 GMT

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@nprofile…xpw3 Agree!! And I just hate that CEO-speak.
With "Stakeholders" being those making a fortune from underpaying the majority, of course.

2026-07-11 00:03:44 GMT

Wage growth in NZ is terrible, which most working people already knew.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/personal-finance/700162/new-zealand-wage-growth-worst-in-the-world-oecd-report
#nzpol

2026-07-10 22:26:58 GMT

Apparently there's this WILD conspiracy doing the rounds that Count Binface is in fact just a man with a bin on his head!!!!
A man!!
Whatever next
#ukpol #binface

2026-07-02 10:04:59 GMT

Just made my submission on the proposed Summary Offences (Move-on Orders) Amendment Bill (aka abuse the homeless bill).
Subs close TONIGHT at midnight!!
https://www3.parliament.nz/en/ECommitteeSubmission/54SCJUST_SCF_27DD41AB-ACD3-4AFA-A59F-08DEB151B1C7/CreateSubmission
Submission:
All our focus should be on supporting and assisting people who have housing insecurity. This mean-spirited bill, which aims to punish and control homeless people, is the exact opposite of what we should be doing.
A government "duty to assist" homeless people, as implemented in Wales, is a much better approach. Experience in Finland found that spending money to house the homeless actually saves money overall.
Our 16 billionaires have $129 billion and enjoy lower tax rates than factory workers. About 100,000 New Zealanders experience homelessness. Spending $1000 per week on every homeless person would cost $5.2b per annum, which would be covered by a 4% wealth tax on just 16 people - who would all remain unimaginably wealthy regardless. We are a rich country and having thousands homeless is entirely avoidable.
A country is correctly judged by its treatment of its most vulnerable. This bill is a nauseating embarrassment and if passed, would shroud New Zealand in shame.
Recommendation:
Scrap the bill entirely. Put resources into supporting homeless people.
#nzpol #tax #inequality

2026-06-24 06:59:16 GMT

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@nprofile…fh5u
*Private* schools and hospitals, perhaps.

2026-06-23 22:55:04 GMT

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@nprofile…7nkt @nprofile…ug6h @nprofile…k9lj
What does HOA mean? Does it mean a failure to define obscure acronyms or....?

2026-06-21 00:52:21 GMT

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@nprofile…r769
I agree, and I'll vote green because their economic policy is the best on offer.
However I was disappointed, and this policy won't move the dial by that much, and won't make such an obvious change to poorer people to be compelling. If it were really compelling - then it could mobilise votes, as-is, I'm not sure it will.
For example:
Proposed income tax thresholds provide very little relief to those on the minimum wage. I calculate their income tax will decrease from 15.3% to 14.1%, or $11/week. Useful but not compelling - and easily swallowed up by the next rent / grocery etc increase. The gain is better for people working half-time for the minimum wage etc.
At the top end, our richest 26 people increased their wealth by 26%, to $129B, last year. A 2.5% wealth tax above $10m barely touches the sides and won't significantly reduce burgeoning inequality. Why not another threshold at say $100m, to 10%?
Good start, but bolder would be better!
#nzpol #inequality #tax

2026-06-15 23:15:00 GMT

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@nprofile…xpw3
Another thing to check, go to software updates and look at the history. Do any line up suspiciously with the start of the problems?
But I'm totally only guessing

2026-06-15 23:11:05 GMT

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@nprofile…xpw3
Weird! I assume was working properly before all this.
I've twice had software updates break hardware drivers in my mint installation. If you use timeshift, you could try rolling back to before the problems started?

2026-06-01 02:52:16 GMT

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@nprofile…5w5c
Agree. Funding everything, including what should be essential services (e.g. ambulances) via charity, is the billionaire's dream - sure beats them contributing.
#inequality

2026-05-29 20:48:28 GMT

America!!
Could you please start renaming your trash heaps, sewage treatment plants etc after your orange god?
"The Donald J Trump Sewage Pumping Station"
"The Donald J Trump County Landfill"
Etc
Take the lead and grab some headlines for the cause of good, for once!
#uspol #trump #nokings

2026-05-29 01:01:00 GMT

ACT getting record donations.
This is the death of democracy and all political donations above a very low threshold (say $200 per annum) should simply be BANNED.
A pity Labour is complicit in perpetuating this disastrous practice. Hurts them in the long run, but too fearful to do anything.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/596721/act-gets-600-000-donations-surge-in-20-days-doubling-campaign-year-contributions
#nzpol

2026-05-13 23:55:44 GMT

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@nprofile…wj33
Act and national are trying to import rightwing culture war and immigrant blaming to Aotearoa, evil bastards.

2026-05-01 22:24:57 GMT

New Zealand help open the Strait of Hormuz??
This government can't even open the Strait of Cook!!
#nzpol

2026-04-23 00:40:11 GMT

Paraphrasing Nicola Willis:
"The economy is doing well, so now is the time to cut public services and give tax cuts to rich people.
Now the economy is doing badly, so now is the time to cut public services and give tax cuts to rich people."
#nzpol

2026-04-21 03:48:33 GMT

I'll be going to the National Kiwi Hui in Nelson. Unfortunately both DOC and the Save the Kiwi charity have only publicised via Facebook, which I block.
Below is the post (in two parts), for everyone who doesn't do Facebook and other nasty stuff:
Save the Kiwi and the Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai are pleased to announce that registrations are now open for the National Kiwi Hui, to be held at the Rutherford Hotel in Nelson from Tuesday 9 to Wednesday 11 June 2026. To register, please click on the button below. A reminder that we need a registration form completed for every person attending. With the larger conference venue this year, there is NO restriction on the number of attendees from each organisation attending.
Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/2026-national-kiwi-hui-tickets-1979677693272
#conservation #DOC #kiwi #KiwiHui
1/2

2026-04-06 19:49:41 GMT

Excellent new discussion from Gary's Economics on how and why crises (like current Iran war, covid etc) usually result in massive transfer of wealth from the public and from poorer people, to the very rich.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi265I48MdI
#inequality #taxtherich

2026-04-05 04:11:22 GMT

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@nprofile…xpw3 @nprofile…3e6m
...imagine how much worse this could get with AI coding! New levels of unmaintainable.

2026-03-25 00:52:57 GMT

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@nprofile…m2xn
When you can issue the currency, you can't become insolvent.
You can have problems, but that one is misinformation.

2026-03-19 23:52:18 GMT

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@nprofile…5mvz
... trying to change the direction of Labour would be a better bet than TOP, imho

2026-02-23 07:30:16 GMT

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@nprofile…fh5u
..I keep thinking of the bit in "The Front Fell Off"....
'It's been towed *beyond* the environment...it's no longer in the environment."

2026-02-05 22:54:53 GMT

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@nprofile…fh5u
Is John Key in there? He seems the type, although perhaps too small a fish...

2026-01-19 12:13:38 GMT

Excellent summary of how tax, spending, deficits and money actually works. I wish all politicians had this understanding, instead of the garbage that makes up public discourse.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J6ZUJbl829E
#nzpol #economics #money #tax

2025-11-14 20:17:47 GMT

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@nprofile…p7rx
Yes, this is part of the bigger picture of the super-wealthy moving wealth around to avoid all forms of tax. I see Norway has implemented the Exit Tax you mention, which has helped:
https://www.canadianaffairs.news/2025/10/24/norways-wealth-tax-drove-out-the-rich-without-breaking-the-bank/
You could argue that having antisocial rich people exit your country is a good thing. Also, they can take their money (bank balances etc), while productive assets (factories, land etc) stay behind.
Needs international coordination. Wealthy people like living in countries which have good social investment and infrastructure - you don't see them living in third-world countries with really low tax. Just need to make them pay for it, like everyone else!

2025-11-07 01:53:19 GMT

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@nprofile…p7rx
Could repair with self-amalgamating tape. After 24h forms a more-or-less solid piece of durable rubber. Don't need to slide it past the ferrite choke.
Expensive locally, cheap on aliexpress etc (and the aliexpress stuff works fine, in my experience).

2025-10-29 02:51:14 GMT

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@nprofile…sp74
Classic CEO move

2025-10-28 11:39:07 GMT

russia increasing its propaganda budget by 54% in its new budget is showing here!
The #ukraine hashtag is swarming with russian bots and troll accounts, mostly posting the same kremlin lies repeatedly across multiple newly-created accounts.
Going to become like Whack-a-Mole shortly...
Be great if you could include "account creation date" in filters!
#propaganda #russia

2025-10-27 00:41:38 GMT

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@nprofile…p7rx
You should be OK! I've successfully replaced a few laptop screens myself. Not too hard. Splitting the plastic casing apart is the most difficult step I found.
Some laptops have a little board below the screen called an inverter (also cheap on aliexpress) - I've had those fail. But probably not your issue, symptom is very dim screen.
Colour bar might be a bad wire in the connecting harness - they sometimes fail where the cable bundle goes through the hinge (flexing). I once fixed one with a solder job...or just buy a new cable. One test would be if problem changes when you move the lid.
Did it run a secondary screen via HDMI OK (=test graphics card)?
I have zero expertise on any of this - just desperate fixes of my own gear while trying to spend nothing!

2025-10-20 03:53:16 GMT

Labour signalling it will stay hard neoliberal and continue to pretend that our biggest problem, extreme inequality, doesn't exist.
Cluelessly locked to trickle-down thinking.
Funding for business growth usually means public money going to the already-wealthy. Public funding for business all goes to those who happen to already own a business (rich people!) - and the workers benefit nothing at all. I've seen it first hand in my many years working for billionaire-owned businesses.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/576428/labour-announces-future-fund-as-first-key-election-policy
#inequality #nzpol #labour

2025-10-16 01:04:06 GMT

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@nprofile…4z7j
Christ, another chrisist!

2025-10-15 04:31:38 GMT

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@nprofile…59ss
I agree he is a fundamentally decent person, might be the best choice at present.
Down side (IMHO):
Like most of Labour he doesn't believe inequality is as important as it is. I think extreme inequality is the most essential challenge in NZ today, driving a fall in living standards for much of the population, damaging the economy and corroding our politics and society generally. Hipkins has no intention of addressing this or fixing our regressive tax system. If he doesn't address these, most of NZ will see life get worse, and we will likely see further drift to the right and political extremes.

2025-10-13 03:11:27 GMT

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@nprofile…eqt6 @nprofile…sxdw @nprofile…sa67
Correct name for "user pays" is "poor can't use", of course.

2025-10-05 21:03:31 GMT

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@nprofile…6t6n
In my case, copilot was the last straw that made me:
- Cancel my office subscription, after using Office for >25 years. I have now discovered LibreOffice is GREAT!
- Decide my next computer is definitely Linux, not Windows 11
#enshittification

2025-10-03 05:15:39 GMT

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@nprofile…6t6n I really like it!

2025-10-02 23:53:16 GMT

Auto carrot socks

2025-10-02 00:17:25 GMT

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@nprofile…6t6n Yes, the coop model is quite common and works well in other countries.
Problem is the initial capital. A lot of NZ can't afford to buy in. Maybe a public supermarket could eventually be converted to a coop owned by the shoppers and staff.

2025-10-01 11:48:37 GMT

A plague of russian bots / trolls on here at the moment. Latest trick is for them to include some ambiguous material, rather than immediate 100% obvious and ridiculous propaganda.
I wish you could make a filter that included "account creation date" as a parameter. Then I would hide all posts with 'russia' or 'ukraine' etc from accounts that are less than 1 week old, for example.

2025-10-01 11:34:35 GMT

Now THIS is a good idea - a public supermarket chain for NZ.
Let's do something significant and impactful for once, instead of all this business-as-usual crap that just sees most people get poorer.
"... could see gross profit margins driven down into the 4-7 percent range, compared with margins of 55 percent or more on individual items enjoyed by major retailers.
The main priority of such an enterprise would be to move commodities efficiently from producers to consumers. "
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/574712/price-check-how-a-public-grocery-chain-would-disrupt-nz-s-supermarket-duopoly

2025-09-04 22:53:07 GMT

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@nprofile…wjwm
Way to go, privatisation. So many benefits.

2025-08-27 01:20:31 GMT

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@nprofile…6t6n Me too

2025-08-15 04:18:18 GMT

Best way to think of putin's 'negotiations' is simply as just another assault in his war of aggression.
There is no peace on offer, just more war. He will only stop when he is defeated.
#ukraine

2025-08-09 22:39:10 GMT

Insightful comments from former Lithuanian minister Gabrielius Landsbergis on the current situation in Ukraine. He notices that "a Chamberlin moment" isn't the best analogy from the era of WW2 for the current Trump stupidity
https://landsbergis.com/never-a-good-time-to-allow-the-altering-of-borders-by-force/
#ukraine

2025-08-07 00:07:45 GMT

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@nprofile…6t6n It's totally inexplicable. It's almost as if those industries directly contributing money to those political parties has influenced them....but that is absolutely and utterly impossible!

2025-08-06 23:08:40 GMT

Another step backward from our useless government.
In any case, roads need to be paid for.
But replacing petrol tax with road user charges destroys the incentive to move away from fossil fuels and to move to more efficient vehicles. Now someone with a gas-guzzler will pay the same as someone with an efficient vehicle, all else being equal. What is better about that?
#nzpol

2025-06-12 05:39:28 GMT

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@nprofile…jc9n
That is a stark warning from the judge!
But is an example of billionaire money being used to stifle public comment, even when she loses.

2025-06-05 13:14:29 GMT

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@nprofile…cgjt
Awesome! I hadn't heard that version - loved it.

2025-02-06 22:15:36 GMT

I couldn't stand it anymore, so I installed the "Trump-to-Babbling-Idiot" extension in FireFox. Much better now.
https://mastodon.nz/system/media_attachments/files/113/959/241/286/207/845/original/aae8d83aac1a0729.jpeg

2024-12-09 20:56:54 GMT

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@nprofile…f2sx
Estonia has provided aid to Ukraine out of all proportion to its size.
https://vm.ee/en/estonias-aid-ukraine
All Baltic states have - they know what it means to be brutalized by russia.