The fire department is sorry, but there is an unfortunate delay into the report on the unfortunate delay in the response to a fire . . .
Glad they're getting that sorted out, but naturally one can only sympathise with the unfortunate officials who have these blasted fires interfering with their well established routine.  Unfortunately . . .

Hmm, humanoid robots to do all the work. What could possibly go wrong...


https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202311/1301137.shtml


"China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued a guidance opinion on Thursday to promote the nation's innovative development of humanoid robots, setting key goals to be achieved by 2025 and 2027.

By 2025, China aims to establish an initial humanoid robot innovation system, achieving breakthroughs in crucial components such as "brains, cerebellum, and limbs," while ensuring a safe and efficient supply of core components. The production level for these robots is expected to reach an advanced international standard, with mass production occurring. These robots are anticipated to demonstrate their effectiveness across various fields, from manufacturing to livelihood services.


The 2025 goal also includes the cultivation of two to three globally influential ecological enterprises, along with several specialized small and medium-sized enterprises.


By 2027, the technological innovation capability of humanoid robots is slated to significantly improve, forming a safe and reliable industry supply chain with globally leading comprehensive strength and internationally competitive ecology. The industry will expedite large-scale development with a wider array of application scenarios, with related products deeply integrated into the real economy, becoming an essential new engine of economic growth.


The guidance outlines five key tasks aimed at industrial development, including achieving critical technological breakthroughs, nurturing important products, expanding application scenarios, creating industrial ecology, and bolstering support capacity.

The innovative potential of humanoid robots is poised to further stimulate economic development. With support from the nation's technology and policy efforts, humanoid robots can find applications in industries like healthcare, family services, and more. It's projected that by 2030, China's market scale for humanoid robots will reach 870 billion yuan, as reported by the Xinhua News Agency."

I was looking up the Carrington Event, but a lot of the search results were worthy of a Suzanne Paul commercial
This was lurking under a rock, although it may have clobbered the narrator about the region where actual people keep their little grey cells.
A fairly interesting subject,  but alas totally trashed by the sort of person that has a clickbait title that is neither relevant nor mentioned in the video. It is really better suited to being seen on TV, or at ACT conferences. (If "better" can logically co-exist with "ACT" in the same sentence.)
If the next drastic solar event does whack the internet like a curious mole, the absence of content like this twerp dribbles out may actually soften the blow.

For those of us who recall BloodyRogerBloodyDouglas & all that he & his mates did, this makes deeply scary reading. May the radicals NOT prevail.


https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/30100154...cal-change

ttps://www.newsroom.co.nz/an-ode-for
Bard Billot on the first meeting of the Baron, the Toad and the Vamp 

ThreeÔÇÖs Company

Baron Luxon,

King In Waiting,

Former Air Marshal of the National Hot Air Balloon Fleet,

Moisturiser in Chief to the Gangs of the Realm,

Shines his cuff links,

Slaps on some brisk aftershave,

And checks his toupee.

His suit is impeccable.

His blue suede shoes cut a dash.

Nothing has been left to chance.

The Baron rattles across town

In his peasant subsidised Tesla jalopy,

Carefully avoiding the giant potholes

And battalions of road cones.

He is armed with a bottle of champagne

And a dozen velvety red roses

He arrives at his destination.

He sweeps up the front path.

He rings the bell confidently.

He does not feel confident.

The moment of truth!

The door slowly swings open.

There, in a slinky black gown,

Cigarette in long holder,

Stands Winnie the Vamp,

Femme Fatale, Siren, Enchantress,

Heart breaker of a thousand coalitions.

The nervous suitor standing on the doorstep

Is granted an appraising glance.

But WinnieÔÇÖs roving eye stops on a magenta toad,

With a rose held between its flubbery lips,

Perched on the BaronÔÇÖs right shoulder.

ÔÇ£WhatÔÇÖs with the gooseberry?ÔÇØ snaps Winnie.

ÔÇ£DaveÔÇÖs the name,ÔÇØ replies the beady eyed amphibian,

with an impertinent nod towards the mute Baron.

ÔÇ£And I do the talking for both of us.ÔÇØ


Victor Billot has previously felt moved to write Odes for such luminaries as David Seymour, Nicola Willis, Chris Hipkins and Mike Hosking.

What about cruise liner captains?   Surely they are a bigger threat than a few stray Skodas?

It sounds like TPM have gained another 2 seats, the Greens another 1 and National have lost 2 from election night's results. Long story short, Winston will be pulling Luxon's strings with Seymour also in the mix.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politic...s-imminent

Pass the popcorn

Arrested but not charged so far.



https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/australia/...three-dead


"Australian homicide detectives have arrested Erin Patterson, the woman at the centre of the investigation into the poisonous mushroom meal that resulted in the death of three people in Gippsland in eastern Victoria.

With regard to their idiocy around facial tattoos; the mob have hired lawyers. That might prove interesting - clearly Mark Mitchell & National are eager to appear tough, but perhaps they didn't consider that we already have one politician with a full Moko, nor that more & more Maori women are having  Moko Kauae. Can they legally apply such a daft law to just one section of the commmunity or will that prove illegal....


https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/mongrel-...BKJDDEV6Y/


"The Mongrel Mob has instructed a lawyer to look at NationalÔÇÖs gang policy and threats that Foul Masks - members who have gang regalia tattooed on their faces - will be forced to use makeup to cover up.
Free speech advocates, meanwhile, said NationalÔÇÖs policy was ÔÇ£bad and counterproductiveÔÇØ, likely to ÔÇ£push gangs further underground to festerÔÇØ.
Tokoroa lawyer Arama Ngapo confirmed that she had been asked by the Mongrel Mob to investigate the legality of NationalÔÇÖs election pledge.
ÔÇ£I can confirm that I have been asked for legal advice on that matter,ÔÇØ Ngapo told the┬áHerald.



ÔÇ£If Mr [Prime Minister-elect Christopher] Luxon thinks the solution to gangs in Aotearoa/New Zealand is to ÔÇÿThin LizzyÔÇÖ the problem away, he is ignoring over 100 years of colonisation and systemic racism which left M─üori in a cycle of poverty that led to the creation of gangs.ÔÇØ



Last week potential incoming Police Minister Mark Mitchell announced that National - the majority party of the incoming coalition Government - may ban gang facial tattoos if its planned ban on gang patches does not work.
Mitchell said gang members will be made to apply foundation when they wake up in the morning or face arrest."

So much for Israel telling Gaza refugees to go south because they'd be safe.


https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67264703


[b]"Since the Israeli military issued the first of several instructions for civilians to evacuate north Gaza, hundreds of thousands of Gazans have moved to the south of the strip. But the south has continued to come under Israeli bombardment, leading the UN and other aid organisations to warn that nowhere in Gaza is safe for civilians.[/b]
To better understand the risk to civilians in south Gaza, BBC Verify has identified and analysed four specific instances of strikes in that region. We also looked at some of the warnings and evacuation instructions that were issued to Gazan civilians, including some advising them to move to certain areas in the south.


Some of these warnings were accompanied by maps with arrows pointing to vaguely defined areas to move towards. Three strikes we examined hit within, or close to, those areas in the days after the warnings were issued
The BBC has examined a strike on that day in central Khan Younis to understand the location and the scale of the damage. Video footage published in the aftermath of the attack shows rubble and collapsed buildings in the city centre. We have verified its location using visual clues such as the minaret of the Grand Mosque in Khan Younis.
We have also examined photos showing destroyed buildings, and people picking through what remains of cars and homes. We know the photos show the same location as that seen in the video because the same pharmacy sign can be seen in both. We also used reverse image search to check that the photos were not from an earlier incident.

We cannot discount the possibility that there were then subsequent different instructions, but the BBC has not found any evidence of this."