Island Life by David Slack

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Island Life: Q+A. Fill in the blanks.

145 Responses

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  • Sacha,

    the old fart escaping from it

    His choice of new digs supports your supposition. Rotorua. Heh.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Sam F,

    This just in: Harley Davidson folds, major shareholdings go to the Hells Angels and Vespa.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report

  • Tom Semmens,

    Just remember: like President Schwarzenegger, Paula was elected to lead, not to read.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report

  • George Darroch,

    Garth George could not be further from the truth. The bicycle is one of the most efficient machines ever invented. Up to 98.6% of energy applied at the pedal is converted to forward motion.

    Not only curmudgeonly, but utterly wrong.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report

  • Sam F,

    Garth George could not be further from the truth.

    He's not the kind of man to accept your limits.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report

  • George Darroch,

    He's not the kind of man to accept your limits.

    Try this site for a laugh.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report

  • Don Christie,

    "experts can say what they like, but we think they work."

    That was pretty much Murray McCully's line to the NZIIA where he announced NZAID's closure. He was pretty disparaging about "unaccountable faceless bureaucrats and development experts".

    He also didn't take questions from his audience of overseas and local diplomats, academics and, presumably, development experts. This was rather unusual for speakers to the NZIIA.

    He was willing to hold a press conference afterwards. Presumably we can rely on the media to give him their usual insightful and thorough ride.

    For some reason he brought Elton John along as well:

    http://twitpic.com/4b69p

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    He's not the kind of man to accept your limits.

    Ouch, that's gotta hurt.
    George, Darroch that is, or any other cycling aficionado.
    Question. When cycling uphill is it better to be in the highest gear that allows you to stand on the pedals or the lowest possible gear without your legs disappearing into a blur?

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    Hurry up, I'm nearly at the top of the hill and the battery is going on the iPhone.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Mike Graham,

    Question. When cycling uphill is it better ...?

    My osteopath says the lower gears are good - more revolutions is better!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 206 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    Herald reports McCully:

    It was taxpayers' money and "its expenditure should be overseen by elected office holders able to be held to account at the ballot box - not by faceless, unelected, unaccountable aid bureaucrats."

    The current aid focus on poverty alleviation was "too lazy and incoherent" to make the best use of the money.

    The aid mandate would now focus on sustainable economic growth with objective measures such as trade and tourism statistics as indicators of success.

    Yep, that poverty reduction is lazy stuff all right. Not crisp and clear enough either, according to my pal Rodney.

    Thank goodness for our bold, decisive hero who (unlike them so-called experts) knows that aid just needs to be reduced to a matter of attracting more tourists like himself. Should work a treat in Fiji. Next.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Islander,

    O neat site George Darroch! quite cheered me up - thankyou (am onsending to scientist mates who also need cheering up-)

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Paul Litterick,

    Thank goodness for our bold, decisive hero who (unlike them so-called experts) knows that aid just needs to be reduced to a matter of attracting more tourists like himself.

    A cheap holiday in other people's misery, as someone once said.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report

  • Sam F,

    He's not the kind of man to accept your limits.

    Ouch, that's gotta hurt.

    I meant limits on wrongness, just to be clear... damn irony on the Internet.

    And my legs say the higher gear is better, as long as you're not getting actual severe pain, at which point change down of course!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic,

    A cheap holiday in other people's misery, as someone once said.

    The same someone who said the Queen ain't no human being, of course.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Q How much longer can John Key keep saying anything he feels like to please his audience, before people begin to notice that his leadership is flakey?

    A. No problem.wont happen. Don't you know they're all a bunch of sheep in NZ?

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    we'll end up with numerous local cycle ways of varying quality (depending on how much the councils opt in).

    And that will be it pretty much.

    Could I just ask that the Megabeggardropapopamiss build it's local cycle way at spots that only go down hill. I plan on buying a bike and reading further up, low and high gear can be good or bad.:) Plus can they make sure that all the councils join up with the next one.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    My osteopath says the lower gears are good - more revolutions is better!

    And your Osteopath wouldn't want you to have to be going back to them all the time would they? ;-)
    I can't see why an Osteopath would say that. The faster you move your legs the more ware your joints would have, surely? Plus, if I have read the research correctly, the slower the muscle contractions the more efficient the muscle behaves, not to mention the lactic acid build-up. However, having said that I see more cyclists using the low gear option than the high gear one. Could that be because the low gear seems less effort it is perceived to be better when in fact the same amount of work is done either way?.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Sam F,

    Revising my post from last night, I'd say it's probably best to shift down on hills, unless you're at the point where there's nothing to push against and you're actually windmilling your legs too quick to remain stable.

    The taller gears do produce more speed from each revolution, so it's sometimes tempting to carry on regardless in top gear (both for speed and for the macho "didn't need to shift" payoff), but I think it puts as much strain on your joints as windmilling in too low a gear. Plus you're increasing the chance of bending the crank if you're strong/heavy enough, or causing other drivetrain grief.

    For people used to riding bikes with a lower range of gears, or singlespeed/track bikes, it might work differently, but they're likely to have built up a lot more flexibility in their legs than the average cyclist, IMO.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    Hmmm, here's an interesting site
    It seems to indicate that pedaling at around 2 strokes per second produces the optimal power/torque ratio. That seems quite fast pedaling to me. But if you just look at the torque graph (which is more applicable in terms of climbing hills, I think) then the pedaling speed is less important and actually drops off at that rate.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    Anyhoo. If we are going to have a cyclepath may I be as bold as to suggest we get Mr. Eshcer to design it.
    It could be downhill all the way.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Kerry Weston,

    And a supplementary question from Bob-the-baby: "Why is the Prime Minister sitting on that lady's [Judith Durham] knee?"

    How on earth did Bob spot that?? Does this mean JK is Judith's lovechild? Alert Woman's Day immediately.

    Manawatu • Since Jan 2008 • 494 posts Report

  • Rob Hosking,

    Always understood lower gears mean its more efficient because it brings more muscles into play and you get more power.

    How on earth did Bob spot that?? Does this mean JK is Judith's lovechild?

    Nah. Neil Sedaka's.

    South Roseneath • Since Nov 2006 • 830 posts Report

  • Rich of Observationz,

    I don't believe the USSR had this level of Socialism in its heyday.

    I think you'll find that *all* car factories in the former USSR were entirely owned by the state.

    I fail to understand why they are rescuing Chrysler *again*. They have never really made cars people want to buy, with the possible exception of the Jeep, which people shouldn't want, but do (that includes me).

    The US makes plenty of useful stuff, so why waste resources making shite cars nobody wants?

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    I fail to understand why they are rescuing Chrysler *again*.

    Me, I'm trying to come to terms to the fact that it's being rescued by FIAT. That's like being told how to keep on the straight and narrow by Satan.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

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