Posts by Rich of Observationz
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Cricket isn't a team sport in the sense of continuous co-operation => it's a game played by a group of individuals.
When Freddie is on form, he's excellent - when he's not - hmmmmm
If you're trying to win cricket matches, and especially if you've got the paucity of talent that afflicts England, you need to field anyone who can get wickets / runs. Even if they're a personal disaster area.
(Of course part of the reason for that affliction is that English pro cricketers have a Very Bad Attitude. Basically cricket is the averagely well paid job that they do because their golf isn't good enough for a pro career).
At least Gower was sober when he buzzed the team hotel in that biplane - and Botham played better stoned (allegedly) than anyone else did when straight.
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I'm thinking that a service offering those overseas VPN access through an NZ IP address might become popular.
I might have to look further into whether it's possible to have a New Zealand allocated IP block set up to route to a US-located server.
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While the RCP is definitely wrong on global warming, I wouldn't regard every idea that they have as wrong headed.
I think their ideology stems from anti-authoritarianism (hence opposition to immigration controls, internet censorship). They have a view, which I share, that western governments (especially Britain) are willing to sacrifice individual freedom all to readily in order to rectify "risky" situations - and that the risks have been overexaggerated.
Their views on the war on terror seem quite reasonable to me, for instance.
Their wishful thinking approach seems to be based around the idea that to prevent global warming, governments are going to do things (like preventing developing countries from industrialising, forcing people to stop using cars, etc) that will make people worse off and less free. Thus any evidence that these measures are unnecesary is to be seized on.
Unfortunately global warming *is* real...
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We (putting my English hat on) *did* invent cricket.
We don't, however, have any expectation of winning the world cup. Beating Australia in the tri-series will do..
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Dance vinyl has an inherently better dynamic range than CDs. I'm not sure that any traditional 33rpm vinyl albums are getting pressed any more? Most "albums" are multi-platter sets these days - cost about twice that of a CD but much better quality - I'm assuming they get separately mastered??
Incidentally, the 70's vinyl LP was typically a particularly poor effort. It's interesting to compare an old LP with a dance record - the latter will have much better dynamic range, noise immunity and general quality - much heavier grade vinyl helps.
With DVD, there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to get albums in a lossless 24-bit format (e.g. Flac). Not seen many though..
The other option is to buy music in U-Myx or Yourspins format, which lets you remix the track to your own tastes, or choose someone elses mix. There isn't much choice though...
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Isn't Roskill one of the old "dry suburbs" like Mt Eden? Or are there just no pubs there?
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I think an important think to bear in mind when thinking about the environmental impact of migration is that the world is all one ecosystem. So when someone moves from Delhi to Auckland, it's not increasing the load on the planet, it's spreading it. I agree totally with Deep Red that density (within limits) is good for the planet.
I'd recommend this book, BTW:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Immigrants-Your-Country-Needs-Them/dp/product-description/0316732486Paul: I don't really see a problem with potential migrants failing to find work. The solution is to treat them as visitors - require adequate cash and a return air ticket.
Juha: I'm a migrant and I like NZ enough to stay. I didn't ask the High Commission for advice though - I came here on holiday, liked it and eventually moved here.
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Ben: all immigration policy is indeed racist - it's predicated on the fact that people who are born in a country are in some way intinsically *good* and those from outside have to prove their *goodness*.
Having said that there are unfortunate, pragmatic reasons why countries like NZ need an immigration policy of some sort.
- If we were the only English-speaking country without one (I heard that Taiwan has no immigration restrictions) we would possibly attract everyone who couldn't get into Australia, Canada, etc. All at once.
- People overseas (mostly in developing countries) develop an unrealistic view of what western countries are like. It's wrong to encourage migration by people based on a fantasy that will soon be dashed (quote from a 19th century migrant to the US: "__I heard the streets were paved with gold - when I got here, not only were they not paved with gold, they weren't paved at all and I was expected to pave them__").
I'd favour losing most of the system of language tests, shortage job lists and so on and have a simple system: new immigrants get a work permit when they find a skilled job (= one with above average wages or in a socially useful profession) or start a business. After two years taxpaying, they get residence.
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Is there any whisky distilled (commercially) in NZ?
Do South Islanders slam into "party drams" in the same way as "party pills"?
And on the subject of the some-Maori Party:
- does Tariana realise that at least one new immigrant to NZ I met last year is Maori - his mum moved to the UK many years ago - I'm sure there must be others. -
A couple of points:
Teachers have, as David points out, been banned from hitting kids for many years. A typical teacher doesn't have one or two kids to control - they have 30+ of the little sods - and they don't have the parental displeasure thing that brings a lot of recalcitrant brats into line. Yet they mostly manage. They do of course have training - and maybe that's what's needed to help parents manage without bashing kids.
On the argument that we "shouldn't have laws that we don't intend to enforce" - this is a very NZ idea. Other countries have lots of such laws. Driving between 70-90mph on a UK motorway springs to mind, as does trading cannabis in the Netherlands, working excessive hours in Germany, etc.