Hard News: Some Week
118 Responses
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I generally see them at six in the morning, a time when I would be filled with semi-murderous rage for simply having to be conscious, let alone at work.
I obviously don't travel at the right time, but hey... any addition to the world's supply of happiness and calm is not to be sneezed at.
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And OTOH, the last time I arrived in the US of A, I was hectored, interrogated and treated like a potential criminal. Come to think of it, leaving was nearly as bad.
Pshaw... of course, you're a potential criminal. Everybody is, but there's no reason to act like you're in a mediocre Tom Cruise/Steven Spielberg movie about it.
If you want a nice shirt, go to Strangely Normal. They're wicked.
And not that terribly expensive, all things considered.
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I have to agree - customs/immigration in Auckland (and NZ in general) are some of the best around.
Auckland airport on the other hand sucks tghe big one - especially the recent change to force incoming passengers to traipse through a duty free shop - it's so tacky, to the point of being embarrassing - and always leaves me arriving at immigration with my eyes streaming from being forced through a cloud of perfume reminiscent of sitting next to that little old lady on the bus who's lost her sense of smell - place needs a well signed "duty free shop bypass" door
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Moana Mackey seems to have the hang of this blogging thing.
From Hansards past:
Phil Heatley: I was disturbed to hear the Hon Chris Carter say that he was rushing this bill through Parliament and wanting a commencement date of July next year, because the councils wanted certainty. That member has forgotten that councils are there as servants of the people, and those people are the ratepayers. They are the ones who pay the bills, and the ones who will foot the bill for the consultation required because of this document. So the Hon Chris Carter might like to rush the bill through this Parliament to suit those regional and district councils and unitary authorities, but he should remember that it will be the ratepayers who pay the bill. To date, those ratepayers have not been given the chance to consider the 300 changes to the 600 clauses in this bill. That is what concerns me.
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Dr Wayne Mapp: His third position is, as far as I can see it is: “Auckland is a mess. We’ll impose a solution, and basically it can go to hell, because the Government knows best.”
There are some compensations in being in Opposition ...
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Geoff, as a good Auckland I should just to point out that I wouldn't pay those prices for ill fitting mass produced garments. - I go bespoke.
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Waterview is a local issue being thrown out over the national news. It only affects people that drive around Auckland. Transmission Gully has some actual national interest, if you ever want to get around the country, particularly from one end to the other without a plane.
Er... while the alignment of, and construction details of the waterview connection of SH20 are indeed only a local issue... Surely, the completion of the western ring route... (of which it's the only un-started part) which provides an alternative to going through the CBD for anyone bypassing Auckland, has EXACTLY as much national importance as Transmission Gully... which achieves much the same thing... an alternative route on a heavily used and frequently blocked SH1, no?
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Moana Mackey seems to have the hang of this blogging thing.
Sure, but Claire Curran seems to need a bit more work on poli-tweeting. Things like "[Sue Ked]gley is talking about "expunging" and the dmeonic Rodney Hide trampling on the rights of Aucklanders. Great stuff." don't exacty help the perception that all the maturity in Parliament is concentrated in the creche.
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which provides an alternative to going through the CBD for anyone bypassing Auckland
And a much more efficient route to the airport from the North Shore.I like to think I'm being pretty staunch about that, given that it's really going to mess up the Northwestern motorway for we Pt Chevalians.
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And before anyone comes back with "of course you would say that...", let me retort. Demonic? FFS...
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All I can say to joshua is ... thanks, Jarbury.
All I can say to Craig is ... it matters to us.
All I can say to the mainlanders who were over it before it began, is just be bloody thankful it's us they're doing it to, not you.
Yup, she's a hard road son, finding the perfect media story.
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I tell you has got the hang of this blogging thing - Trevor Mallard. Like a duck to water, as they said at the Standard.
He even engages Whaleoil. I want to buy tickets for the Slater evisceration.
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All I can say to Craig is ... it matters to us.
"Us" is entitled to worry about whatever the hell "we" wants, but doesn't have any right to presume "them" do -- or should.
He even engages Whaleoil. I want to buy tickets for the Slater evisceration.
And I look forward to Trev opening his mouth and sticking a beer bottle somewhere unfortunate. They deserve each other.
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Leaving aside the irrelevant detail of whether or not people living elsewhere give a shit, I just don't get the whole Waterview connection at all.
I get that it will get people from the New Lynn to Dressmart and back fairly smartly. Ok. But the north shore???
Anyone who believes that SH16 has any spare capacity at peak hours has clearly nevery actually driven on the darn thing at those times.
To get from - say - Forrest Hillk to Oranga via Greenhithe and SH16 at peak time? That is a truly vomitorious prospect.
Can someone please enlighten? Joshua?
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<quote>"us."</unquote>
Fair enough. Me. And others. I'd have thought anyone who wasn't interested would go and find another tree to scratch.
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I am well aware of the inverse relationship between the physical distance from an issue and the level of interest in it. Personally I cannot get too agitated over Transmission Gully - if Wellington were to be cut off by an earthquake I probably wouldn't leap in the car and drive there.
But from where I am sitting (literally opposite properties that may be taken for a construction yard for the Mount Albert motorway), I think I can be forgiven for taking a greater than average interest. (My colleague Joshua Arbury sits in the room next to mine and I am pretty damn proud of him!).
I believe, however, that the Mount Albert motorway (note - Waterview is only one end of it) does merit more widespread interest. It will probably be the first such project to be fast-tracked through the RMA, skipping the Council hearing phase. It will probably be the last big-arsed motorway, anywhere in the world, to be shoehorned through suburbs where there has been no route protection. There's peak oil and the likely demise of individThere are politics (one cannot help feeling that if Mt Albert had voted national, like Auckland Central did, we would get a tunnel like Victoria Park). There's a bizarre by-election, although the stupidity of Melissa Lee will have been forgotten long before the machines start up. And who knows what shape Auckland City will be in to represent the interests of its residents.
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Er... while the alignment of, and construction details of the waterview connection of SH20 are indeed only a local issue... Surely, the completion of the western ring route... (of which it's the only un-started part) which provides an alternative to going through the CBD for anyone bypassing Auckland, has EXACTLY as much national importance as Transmission Gully... which achieves much the same thing... an alternative route on a heavily used and frequently blocked SH1, no?
There are... a gazillion ways to get from one side of Auckland to the other. There's two ways to get into Wellington, and they go up different sides of a mountain range.
One good earthquake and everyone's driving to Levin via Upper Hutt and Palmerston North(I'm testing my North Island geography here, I think that's correct).
There's a motorway/ring route which alleviates traffic, and then there's traffic systems that are vital in a civil emergency. They're not the same thing, particularly in cities built on fault lines.
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James - I think that's where the $240 million of SH16 upgrades come in. Those apply to 8-laning between St Lukes and Te Atatu. I think there are already plans to 6 lane from Te Atatu to Westgate.
If the SH 20 tunnel ever is upgraded to 6 lanes those lanes will need to go somewhere, so SH16 between St Lukes and Te Atatu might go to 10 lanes and then we'd 8 lane to Westgate, but then we'd need to 6 lane SH18.....
Hmmmm..... anyone else see the problem here?
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Oh dear, got distracted and pressed post before finishing my train of thought..
should read "There's peak oil and the likely demise of motor vehicles transporting individuals."
It'll be the billion dollar bikeway (if you don't mind biking through tunnels).
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TV must cut costs, but must have a live cross. Hence, anything a short drive from the Auckland studio is a story.
Come along to the Death Star next week and watch the expensive American consultant from Magid (pronounced maggot) tell all and sundry that the reporters need to be more active in their live crosses. Cue twenty-somethings walking and talking in their live crosses for at least the next two months.
Phrases you wont hear from the consultant include context, history, Treaty of Waitangi, diversity, investigative journalism, depth, breaking stories, building contacts.
The news execs (failed on-air journos), dressed identically in relaxed black business trousers and open-necked business shirts will nod sagely and congratulate themselves.
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As far as I can see Transmission Gully is only of use to a small number of (possibly SUV driving) commuters from Paekakariki and points north to Wellington. Who value their creature comforts too much to use the perfectly adequate train service.
I drive that road less than 10 times a year and can live with the delays. Especially now I've found a way round Otaki...
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8 lanes
10 lanes
anyone else see the problem here?
I see it, and I feel it, and it's killing me, and my city.
It's even worse than that. SH16 already needs that upgrade, so any upgrade to accommodate more traffic (from the shore) already seems, ummm, too late. It's never-bleedin' endin'.
Motorways are an addiction. If alcohol causes too many road deaths, just think how many road deaths are cause by ... roads! Okay so now it's nearly time for the drinks trolley.
So all I can say to anyone in Mt Albert is ... get more muscle. Forget your traditional two party election thinking and vote for the guy in the party that will cure our roading addiction.
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everyone's driving to Levin
Have you been to Levin? Everyone certainly isn't driving there..
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And the thought of driving to Levin via Featherston, Pahiatua, Palmerston North and Shannon is truly something out of a doomsday horror movie.
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Waterview is a local issue being thrown out over the national news. It only affects people that drive around Auckland.
That's not what the authorities are saying. Apparently, the nation as a whole should be jumping for joy over the savings being made, and anticipating that totally significant saving being ploughed back into hospitals and schools. Assuming the savings exist, but let's not kill the mood here, right?
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Sam F, as someone said on another blog:
"If I want to spend $500,000 on a Ferrari but spend $20,000 on a Suzuki because that's all I can afford, have I really saved $480,000?"
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