Some good pictures here of people living a different life from us in NZ:

https://apnews.com/article/panama-island...9534405a84

Bryan Bruce on Luxon & this govt.

Probably the only chance we have of attempting to restrain some of this govt's more damaging policies.

Quote:There is a game show on TV ONE called┬áThe Chase┬áwhich IÔÇÖm sure many of you will have seen. When the contestants get a score that is just below 20 and it might not be enough to beat The Chaser, the cry is often ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖll need some pushbacksÔÇØ to set the Chaser back a step every time they get an answer wrong.
What we need to learn is to pushback against some of the things LuxonÔÇÖs ┬áCoalition Government is getting wrong through protests and select committee hearings.
A good example is the pushback on David SeymourÔÇÖs attack on the School Lunches programme. Public reaction made him back track ÔÇô at least enough to make sure it wasnÔÇÖt completely abandoned.
Pushing back on the Governments treatment of people with disabilities has helped a bit.
Pushing back on their failed promise to fund 13 new Cancer drugs is showing signs it will work.
Pushing back of SeymourÔÇÖs Treaty Principles Bill is unifying M─üori who are pushing back with protests that IÔÇÖm hoping will prove effective in persuading Luxon not to support it.
I say ÔÇ£hopingÔÇØ because Luxon is proving to be such a weak leader even his own party are worried he is being run by Seymour and Peters. Polls show his popularity has plummeted so quickly after becoming Prime Minister that this is starting to look like a one term government.So itÔÇÖs a good time to pushback on ACT and NZ First more extreme policies.

This could probably wortk well here, whether new builds or using older large homes.

Quote:https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjjjvnq4665o
Proponents of fourplexes, which include the Canadian government, hope they will spread out across the country. They want them to provide the ÔÇ£missing-middleÔÇØ between large apartment buildings and single residency houses.
It comes as fourplexes made headlines this year in Canada after Prime Minister┬áJustin Trudeau announced┬áthat the federal government would be making $CAN 6bn ($4.4bn; ┬ú3.4bn) in new money available to help provinces tackle the national housing crisis ÔÇô a lack of affordable properties.
Federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser has required allowing fourplexes as a condition for municipalities to collect their share of this federal housing money.
This has been welcomed by some provinces, such as British Columbia (BC). The BC government has passed legislation to require fourplexes, and even five and sixplexes, to be permitted in any city with a population of more than 5,000.

Thankfully, just for a couple of days.. all being well & we'd better pray all goes well because frankly Kermitthefuckingfrog is just about the last person we need as leader at this point...

I just hope they're not going on one of our ancient & frequent ailing, planes...

Quote:https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/it-ll-be-fine-david-seymour-to-be-acting-prime-minister-next-week/



David Seymour will be acting Prime Minister for a couple of days this week while Christopher Luxon and Winston Peters are overseas for diplomatic duties.
Prime Minister Luxon confirmed on Sunday he'd be out of New Zealand from Tuesday until Friday for visits to Fiji and Niue.
"The Government is committed to deeper and more comprehensive relationships in the region and this visit is an opportunity to reaffirm New Zealand's position as a trusted partner," Luxon said in a statement.

This what the Israelis are up against and they as well have just the same attitude which is why the conflict between the two warring factions has been going on for so long and will probably never end.

https://old.reddit.com/r/palestinenews/c...lestinian/

It's an insolvable problem I think.

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/po...235030964/

Well worth a read, especially what follows from the View Profile arrow on her picture. (7 slide out pages)

How truly fabulous! Our very generous govt has allowed pensioners a wonderful $4.50 a week enabling us to put a down payment on a loaf of bread or stretch to a few extra rice grains.!




As per usual, very little for those on low incomes, just the usual few crumbs - & they went back on their promise to fund new cancer drugs, so those people will either have to go into debt or give up & die.



They seem to have let people down quite badly.

https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU2405/S...s-need.htm

Quote:Budget 2024 is placing this governments ideological wants before real New Zealanders' needs.
ÔÇ£Tax cuts and spending cuts are favoured over addressing the cost-of-living crisis and delivering the investments that New Zealanders need," said NZCTU Economist Craig Renney.
ÔÇ£Nicola Willis has failed her own tests that she set herself, such as when she said her tax cuts would ÔÇ£not require any additional borrowingÔÇØ said Renney. According to Treasury, the Government will borrow an additional $17.1bn by June 2028. Tax cuts will cost nearly $10bn. Future taxpayers are going to pay for tax cuts today.
ÔÇ£Willis also claimed that she would be able to deliver on all NationalÔÇÖs election promises. Yet the tax cut programme doesnÔÇÖt include the Working for Families changes promised by National in opposition. The gambling tax changes were supposed to bring in $716m over the next four years. They now bring in $190m. ItÔÇÖs now clear that the tax package isnÔÇÖt being delivered as promised.

Might be wise to spend all those hard earned points.

I've received emails for both of our Trade Me accounts today announcing TM's introduction of a Multi factor authentification system. I'm wary of following the links through to this on TM's website as I fear that it will be a path of no return and I'm not interested in complicating my sign in procedure if I can avoid it.

I know many financial websites are bringing in MFA now but to be honest TM is just not worth the effort of phaffing around with text codes or whatever alternative ID procedure they have dreamed up, and the chances of it being bug free from the outset is not great based on their recent functionality overall.

Interested to see what hoops members are pressured to jump through and how seamlessly it goes. My hopes aren't high in either regard

He doesn't appear to think much of the orange one. That must have taken some courage; its a quite a  risk for anyone so well known to oppose Trump, especially when he could possobly lose work because of his stand, well done De Niro.

Quote:https://www.stuff.co.nz/world-news/350293881/two-bit-big-shot-robert-de-niro-unleashes-donald-trump-outside-hush-money


As closing arguments began in the former presidentÔÇÖs historic trial, De Niro made a surprise appearance in Lower Manhattan flanked by police officers who defended the US Capitol building during the January 6 riots in 2021.

Describing Trump as a ÔÇ£tyrantÔÇØ who New Yorkers tolerated ÔÇ£when he was just another grubby real estate hustler masquerading as a big shot two-bit playboy,ÔÇØ De Niro, a native of Manhattan, warned voters about the dangers of a second Trump presidency.
ÔÇ£People thought they could control Hitler, thought they could control Mussolini, it didnÔÇÖt happen,ÔÇØ said the Goodfellas star, as Trump supporters yelled profanities in the background.

ÔÇ£A dictator is a dictator, and thatÔÇÖs what Trump wants to do and be.ÔÇØ

De Niro recently lent his voice to an attack ad for Democrats that paints Trump as a threat to democracy, but his cameo at the court was the first major attempt by the Biden campaign to directly lean into TrumpÔÇÖs legal woes.