An ageing pākehā with middling sensibilities. Embracing the new Aotearoa. Born in Ōtepoti, educated in Tāmaki Makaurau, living in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Worked at IBM for decades. Was contracting to the government. Left-wing. INFJ. Liverpool fan. Strong Hungarian links.
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npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Profile Code
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2026-04-16T07:04:37Z Event JSON
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Last Notes npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: When life comes at you fast. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…k7pl Wonderful! That's a very moving piece of writing and captures the joy so many felt - and are still feeling. Great link too. Thank you. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…5cz0 I would go with MOD-jar. MOD rhymes as in 'cod', and jar as rhymes with 'far'. Emphasis on the first syllable. The 'gy' is the hardest part for an English speaker. It's a letter of the alphabet so has its own unique sound. But 'MOD-jar' is very close to the right pronounciation. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: I have watched quite a number of short videos from social media of election night in Hungary, especially Budapest. The thing that struck me was the sheer joy everyone felt. People were so unbelievable happy. Singing on the metro, high-fiving each other as the went up and down the escalators, cars stopping and people hugging strangers. You could feel the absolute happiness people felt at the defeat of Orbán and the success of Magyar. Such a wonderful night. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: A fascinating article about the concerns of EU members - and the activities of their intelligence agencies - about the soon-to-be-former Hungarian Foreign Minister, Péter Szijjártó, and his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. The EU and their agencies were worried that Szijjártó was an asset of the Russians, and were 'listening in' to his calls. The release of a transcript of Szijjártó and Lavrov just before the elections were likely a warning shot by the EU and their intelligence agencies that they would play 'hard ball' if FIDESZ was re-elected. No doubt they have more transcripts. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: Life was different back then. An advert for Cadbury's Continental Chocolates. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: A gentle plea not to re-center the victory of the Tisza party and the defeat to FIDSEZ to be about other countries or their politicians. This is a victory for Hungary and Hungarians and should be celebrated as such. While it will reverberate more widely in the coming months, let's not make it about other countries, especially the US. Not tonight anyway. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: Such a joy to hear and see this! npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: My daughter said to me as we shared a train ride into work this morning, "Today's the first day I feel proud for what Hungary has done." npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: I wonder if there will be a run on shredders in Hungary over the coming days? npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: Crowds are chanting 'Ruszkik' haza! right now in Budapest as the city celebrates the downfall of Orbán and FIDESZ. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…xpw3 Nice! npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: One of the significant features of the election was that the winning Tisza Party won 93% of the electoral seats which are decided on a 'first-past-the-post' basis. Many of these seats are rural and in small towns which are typically conservative in outlook. The result is a country-wide rejection of FIDESZ and the way it has run the country. Especially the corruption and the attendant increase in inequality (sound familiar?). The Tisza Party is a centre-right party so many of its actual policies won't be that different to FIDESZ. But people overwhelmingly have had enough a corrupt, corpulent party that has enriched itself by feasting on the lives of ordinary Hungarians. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…vvev Thanks, Phil. Family is positively buzzing this morning! npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: Orbán has conceded! 🇭🇺 npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: Isten, áldd meg a magyar! npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…7an5 @nprofile…5mvz This is the reason I now top up at a snapper kiosk as these don't attract that outrageous fee. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: Last update before I retire for the night. 38% of people have voted already - that’s about 3 million voters. That’s still at about 50% up on last election, and the highest ever at this stage of the day. Lots of people who have never voted before are voting for the first time. And there are still long queues in Budapest. Polls close at 7:00pm local time or 5:00am here in Aotearoa. I hope to get results before I head to work in the morning! npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…xpw3 Absolutely! But I still recall thinking Trump could never be elected - twice - and that the British would never be so stupid as to vote to leave the EU. So I have to prepare for the worst. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…pp76 Not sure, but I am hoping to know before I go to work at 8:00am tomorrow! npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: lol. There is an article in the Hungarian weekly magazine, HVG - roughly equivalent to The Economist with an article about a local Hungarian driving to Wellington to vote. The article includes a very similar photo to the one I posted earlier in the day 🤣. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: That’s about 50% more than at the same time in the last election where it was about 10.5% npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: Hungarian media are reporting that by 9:00am this morning local time (7:00pm here in Aotearoa) the turnout was 16.89%. Very high. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…xvcz Not the same theme, but I always dreamed of touring the UK based on song titles I liked, especially Ireland: Carrickfergus, Raglan Road', 'Coney Island', 'Skye Boat Song', 'Road to Dundee', and many more! npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…5cz0 Interesting, as I too have been struggling with the site's recent performance/availability. I hadn't heard of Vivaldi.net but I'll check it out. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: Budapest, October 1956. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…grvd Yes, it's a fail by Metservice not to be prepared for an event that Metservice is saying everyone should be prepared for. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: Spot on! npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…kxuf It's too good not to have multiple posts! npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…kxuf *snap* npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: Let's Dance by David Bowie npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: Peligro by Gotan Project npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: Getting ready for Sunday when we will visit the local Hungarian Embassy and lodge our postal vote in the elections! npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: You can't make this stuff up. A US Vice-President openly and publicly campaigns for Orbán, all the while decrying EU "interference" in Hungary. The world's gone mad. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…wj33 I had an Airbnb for one night in Otureha a couple of years ago. Went this pub hoping to have a meal but they were booked out with people riding The Otago Rail Trail. They were looking to sell then too I recall. A lovey place but at night in my ‘former miners cottage’ it was as cold as a freezer on overdrive. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: Nice to see Heather Simpson, Helen Clark's former Chief of Staff and widely known as 'H2', is still making a contribution to public affairs. A highly capable person. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…5w5c I am sure this is their strategy. It's maddening and frustrating - and perhaps rather cowardly - but I can understand why they have decided on this milquetoast approach. Trouble is, it makes really hard to make radical changes that are absolutely required when you haven't investing in bringing the public along with you. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…zejv @nprofile…qe8y If ever this a day when I could use a timeline cleanser, it was today. Thank you for this so much and, Happy Anniversary! npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: The annoyances of office life: A fire drill/alarm on a rainy day. Sigh. And I was just about to have my morning coffee! npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…n3k7 No, not really. My in-laws though lived the 'liberation' of Hungary in 1945 and were refugees after 1956. They despised the Russians. Times change I know, and that generation is fading away rapidly. But Russia has never been a friend to Hungary. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: Unsurprising, but still shocking to see Orbán so subservient to Putin and Russia. These words are the sorts of things Rákosi, Hungary's worst leader by far, would have said to Stalin as he willingly put Hungary under the Soviet's thumb after WWII. These words are a betrayal of the Hungarian nation. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: The train conductors still count passengers with their mechanical counters. Click, click, click as the conductor walks through the carriages. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…5w5c I don’t miss watching Liverpool play these days. They are a tough watch too. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: This is doing the rounds on social media but in case you have seen it, watch Luxon make an absolute meal of answering questions about Māori representation in his party. To think we once had one of the most eloquent, respected PMs ever in Ardern and now we have sunk to this abysmal level. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…agj7 Orwell was very wise and prescient. This is a great extract. The worry is that Orbán's main challenger, Peter Magyar, is from the ranks of FIDESZ and shares many of their values. We hope he is not as corrupt nor as pro-Russian. Maybe he will follow the same trajectory. But that is for the future to decide. Now, we just need change. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: The end of the Orbán regime can't come soon enough. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: Hungary, 1952 npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…xpw3 I don't have any specific experience of using a TV for this purpose but maybe one of those digital photo frames might be another option. Pretty sure there are ones where you can control the content remotely, thus obviating the need for your uncle to have any involvement at all. The reality is that technical issues will only become a greater stressor for him as time goes on. Downside is these frames are a bit small compared to a TV screen. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: Budapest, 1989 npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…t3ug A bit too obscure for me today and of course, like you, I immediately fell for the obvious misdirection! npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…xpw3 😂 npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: Fortepan has many family photos in its collection many of which, without any accompanying context, can be somewhat uninteresting. But this recently added family photo is an absolute gem. There is a lot of detail to look at it and most people are firmly in focus - there's always one who moves! They seem a well-off and happy family. But it is the two figures at the upper left and right-hand edges that really intrigue me: the maid at the left, arms folded, apart from everyone, but still part of the scene. And the rather ghostly neighbour on the right hand edge, peering into the scene from a distance. Wonderful! npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…vvev Agreed. This is the most impactful change in the reshuffle and does not bode well for the future. Brown is heavily into culture wars so will be very much 'moar roads'! npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…agj7 That's an open question according in the blurb I saw. But in my view, given the nature of the assignment, you need a 'war room' approach and have everyone together in the same area, working closely and collaboratively. I appreciate the irony of requiring people to come into the office, but that would be my call if I ruled the world! npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…7760 I found this useful - a countdown clock to launch time. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: In Public Sector land, more secondments to work on the National Fuel Plan are being advertised. It's well over a dozen positions. Secondments are now for three months, as opposed to the original 6 weeks. Lots of policy and data analyst roles, plus some senior leadership roles. 7-day roster so you can expect to work on any day of the week. Routine days off are promised though. And of course, an immediate start! npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…nqtz @nprofile…pp76 @nprofile…wj33 @nprofile…dt95 Yes, I generally find Aprils Fools jokes pretty naff and these days we have enough to worry about without putting up with more stupidity. But this was clever and quite believable on first reading. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: Well played, Otago Daily Times! npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…hsuf Same here. Frustrating. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…urmy That's great photo, Ali. Looks like a nice day there today, although chilly too I imagine. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…kfxr It certainly looks like someone got a job lot of mushrooms! It's a lovely cafe that - we went there last time we were down that way. Sounds like a nice trip. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…69x8 It rang a bell with me too and being an inveterate factfinder, I had to check PapersPast. The Achille Lauro did sink in 1994 off the coast of Kenya. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…7760 It's a staggering exchange and confirms that Luxon has no idea as to what his role actually is. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…l6v6 I vividly recall in the very days of COVID having a bottle of light antiseptic spray by the front door so we could spray courier parcels before bringing them inside for fear of getting the virus! Then, as you say, hand washing became outdated advice. So the government followed the science, adapted the messages to the true nature of the virus, and we adapted our behaviours accordingly. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…fh5u It's so embarrassing to see them stumble around without much, if any, clue as to what they are, or should be, doing. About the only thing they appear certain of is that their response won't be like the COVID response. This is for purely ideological reasons and not rooted in reality. So they will come unstuck. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…wk87 Raven is so lucky to go to such a good home! npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: This photo was taken in a bathroom at my Unnamed Government Agency a few days ago. It always reminds of what it was like to have a government that led us through the crisis of COVID and could communicate so clearly and so well. The sign, which must be 6 years old by now, remains in great condition and is standing the test of time very well. Bit of a metaphor really. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…xvcz Had a friend who worked at Civil Defence maybe 15 years ago and they did modelling on what would happen to Wellington if there was a major disaster that cut off food supplies. It would not take long at all for the supermarket shelves to be empty, 2-3 days at most. But the interesting thing was who would be least affected. Turns out it is the middle-class. The worst off would be the poor, students, renters, and beneficiaries who tend not to stockpile food because of the lack of the physical space and, of course, of money to do so. The very well-off would also run out of food quickly because they tend to eat out more and store less 'staples' like rice, etc.. The increase in food delivery services since then probably acerbates the problem at both ends of the scale. The middle-class have enough financial resources to stockpile and the room to do so as they tend to own their own homes, and therefore could 'survive' for longer. As I say, that was 15 years ago so perhaps the modelling has changed. But it makes a lot of sense. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…e8mx Happy Birthday and congratulations! I hope have a great day and your whānau spoil you rotten. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…grvd I think you are right that most people sense is more than likely to get ugly sooner rather than later. I read that something like 30-40% of oil and gas refinery infrastructure in the Middle East is already destroyed/damaged. That will take *years* to repair and restore, even assuming the war ended today - which it won't. We are facing a massive fossil fuel crisis for years. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: Incredible really. Bishop tells an infrastructure sector audience today that the fuel crisis could ugly. "It's a scary prospect and I'm not 100% sure the public have quite worked it out yet". (Business Desk, sadly paywalled.) Well whose responsibility is that, do you think? We have banged on about this before, but Luxon is incapable of showing anything remotely like leadership and it is literally his job to do so. That comes with the title, 'Prime Minister', mate Doesn't matter that the situation is not of his doing or that tough, difficult decision will need to be made. That comes with the territory. But his job is to model the behaviour, set the vision, inspire people to give of themselves, that kind of stuff. Instead he is missing in action and his own Ministers are saying, in effect, people don't understand what is going on. Fuck me, it is frightening how bad he is. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…unhv I recall Jane Kelsey warning us about this sort of thing and I'm afraid at the time I thought her views were rather extreme. But she was right all along. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…unhv I agree, we shouldn't as a country put up with this sort of thing. The thing is, any government here in Aotearoa has very little power over Watties. It's owned by an American company and all but one of its five Directors are Australian. I am not sure what we could do, short of nationalising the company, which is another kettle of fish altogether. You can bet our international treaties and free trade agreements that involve US, protect and allow their corporations to do pretty much whatever they like. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…xzsh Wow, that's an frickin' awful lot of rain in a short amount of time. Yikes indeed! (I had to convert 42mm to 'old money', i.e 1.7 inches. Weirdly I still need to convert any small linear measurements like this. Everything else I am metric fluent.) npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: This is a good news story on many levels. Wonderful recognition for a song from Aotearoa and it seems Hollywood went about acquiring rights to use 'Pō Atarua' in Project Hail Mary in the appropriate manner. And for the importance of digitising our cultural assets where possible. That has ensured that this song, its performers (the Turakina Māori Girls Choir) and the copyright holders have been properly recognised and rewarded. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…fh5u It always struck me as strange that Luxon thought "laser focused" was necessarily a good thing to be. Turns out the world is a complex and unpredictable place with a lot of moving parts many of which barely visible, let alone understood. Surely the role of the PM is to have the bigger, broader, picture in mind. Focusing on just one thing, even if it is the cost of living, blinds you and distracts you from understanding how the world actually works. Reducing our dependence on fossil fuel is a good thing, with many benefits beyond the obvious. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…2jkj A fascinating thread, thank you. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…xzsh Evergreen. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…4j0z See article below. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: You may recall the Government's recent decision to reject the WHO changes to global health rules, rules that our own Sir Ashely Bloomfield helped frame, the rules that were near-unamioulsy approved by all members except for a handful of far-right states. According to this article on Newsroom, sadly behind a paywall, this decision was made only by two Cabinet Ministers, Winston Peters and Simeon Brown, and not by Cabinet. Members of a future National Cookers Party maybe? npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…0z4m only a pāhekā male could utter those words. And besides, what does it mean to “reasonably oppressed”? Dork. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: If you thought string quartets only play stuffy and irrelevant music, check out the NPR's latest Tiny Desk Concert, featuring the renown Kronos Quartet. Their version of 'Ohio' by Crosby, Still, Nash, and Young was a revelation and really shone new light on this song. You could sense the outrage of the original in their playing. Marvellous. And their playing of 'Strange Fruit' sung so brilliantly by Billie Holiday, was very affecting and very moving. I thought those two pieces were quite stunning in particular. Well worth a listen. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: I have been regularly participating in the The New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study, an annual survey of, well, our attitudes and values. Their latest survey results are out and make for fascinating reading. There is a lot to unpack in the results but I did note that the older you get the more settled and happy you become. Maybe happy is not quite the right word - maybe content and comfortable in your own skin is more accurate. Gender differences matter a lot too. Fascinating to see that women over 70 are becoming less conservative/more liberal, but for men it is the other way. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…6g3g Oh no! That's sounds unsettling to say the least. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: For those following alone at home, the electrician has now been called and they are on their way. No disrespect to tradies, but "She'll be fixed in an hour", doesn't fill me with much confidence. We are told to expect further updates. Still no clear directive as whether to stay or to go though. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: A fine example of an individual navigating their way through the fuel crisis, as suggested by Luxon. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: The emotional junior staffer is at it again. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…vvev Great post, Phil. The lack of leadership is striking - this government can barely show management ability, let alone leadership. I recall Ardern telling public sector leaders to take a temporary pay cut during COVID. That's leadership. It may not have made any substantive difference to the public purse, but it did show that we were all in this together. The government could, for example, show leadership by announcing that in future 80% of all ministerial cars will be electric. Or ask MPs and Ministers to reduce unnecessary journeys by the Parliamentary fleet. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: Another crowded journey on a reduced capacity train while more and more take the train. At least I got a seat. And arrived at work to find toilets are out in our building. If not resolved by 10, the building with close and we will head home. In the meantime, we must either 'make do' or use public toilets nearby. Luckily I made it to the Library, 'just in time' as they say. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: Word on the the public sector street is that MBIE (Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment) is urgently seeking a number of policy staff to work on the National Fuel Plan - which does already exist, see link below. Start straight away and there will be a 7-day roster. MBIE has experience at this sort of thing because of the excellent work they did with the COVID response. I have no doubt that the public sector is up to this, despite the lamentations of the right-wing about 'bureaucrats' and 'red tape'. It's the political leadership that I worry about. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…xpw3 He acted like a real prat at yesterday's post-Cabinet press conference. When asked about Matt Watson's views, he uttered some vague, incomprehensible insult and walked out without taking any more questions. Sadly, this is yet another example of the corrosive effects of Trumpism: those without shame can act like complete dickheads without consequence. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…8myj That's a great achievement. You should be very proud of yourself. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…7ndt lol. And I understand that today’s petrol has a load of additives and as such has quite a short shelf life. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: Ah dear. So, according to Luxon it's everyone for themselves, and damn your neighbour, when it comes to saving fuel in response to the current crisis. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: I saw this social media post from Luxon on Reddit (Unfortunately I can't tell either the source or the date of the extract but maybe Facebook? Full text in the alt-txt) npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: Willis is cosplaying as someone who knows what they are doing by getting all dressed up in workers kit at the Marsden Oil Refinery as an oil tanker arrives. Photos in the article if you are of a mind. Cringeworthy quite frankly. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: Lunch today was a Spinach, Goat's Cheese and Beetroot Tartine. Or something similar anyway. Nice and tasty but I suspect feta might have been a better choice because I like salt! [Recipe in the alt-txt.] npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: The cookers are firmly in charge. What a disgrace. Look at the company we are keeping. npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…xvcz And, oh, sorry you are unwell! npub1vdxhsq5e69dxudaf0lx35vg57xj5jf9mdvcn7w6n7v6rpr2fd8aqpy84ug Paul H :tinoflag: @nprofile…xvcz Moar screens!
