If National wins ...

[elZorro]

No doubt you see something wrong with that situation, given that you seem to think there's something wrong with everything that happens when the socialists are not in control. Obviously population shifts around and follows employment. The reason here is the previously high level of non-jobs.

Hi FP, yes you're right, that post was marked for your attention.., and I'd have added some words but my 'broadband' was like a dialup modem this morning.

Unemployment: it's not working.

I've worked through the figures before: by the time an employed person pays all their various taxes and levies on power and petrol etc, they pass a big chunk of their earnings to the state (maybe over 50%). If they are unemployed, the state pays them a small amount and gets a smaller amount back, but with no useful or measurable output for the common good. In what political arena is this a good outcome?

David Shearer on 13% as preferred PM, Labour on 32% in latest poll. So not bad progress for Labour. Now I'd like to see some good policy announcements.

[fungus pudding]

David Shearer on 13% as preferred PM, Labour on 32% in latest poll. So not bad progress for Labour. Now I'd like to see some good policy announcements.

Wouldn't we all.

[slimwin]

Good luck on that.

[elZorro]

National and Act supporters on shaky ground at the moment.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=10803976

Here's the Dotcom song..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CvRSZxqk_I

[slimwin]

Most of the world cares very little about NZ politics. Our politics are world famous in New Zealand only. Despite what one news tells us.

[slimwin]

Really, I spent 12.5 years in EU, but not England, and it's of very little interest to people there. I travelled with my work through-out Africa,Urals and South America and most had heard of Australia but not New Zealand. Played rugby with the expat business community in Luxembourg/France and it also meant little to them but a nice place to visit. Have to say there are a few very smart Kiwis doing well in the financial circles over there though.
The good thing over there is the news actually shows the news and not just an extended weather forecast. I prefered Euronews channel but also watched BBC,CNN and Al Jazeera for a balance. In fact thats all that was on in most hotels i lived in! I do remember seeing the Hikoi to wlg over foreshore and seabed and the arrest of Tame Iti and co training with weapons. That raised a lot of comments about NZ.

[elZorro]

I think the problem with the news over here is the lack of funds. Not enough paid ads to cover good reporting. Fairfax gave up, and invested in TradeMe instead, they followed the money. Lots of journalistic hacks were made redundant, or are scratching a living with commissioned articles.

This news I find interesting though, considering National swept to power 3.5 years ago decrying the "nanny state". Now Paula Bennett, recently married ex solo mum, is announcing free contraceptive advice and gear for solo mums. Just solo mums and their daughters, others need not apply. Along with the new rules about finding a job when their first child turns 5, this is a pointed effort at reducing the terrible burden of a few solo mums on the state purse.

This is not a new cost. When I was flatting decades ago, there was a solo mum in 1/3 of the house we were in. I have a neice in this situation too. It doesn't keep me awake at night, I know this is not a dream situation for them, and I have seen some (like Paula Bennett did) move through this stage and do very well in the workforce. Sure, some won't make that move.

But this is all another step in the concept of austerity for the state - the government has given up on a smarter economy to get ourselves out of this declining situation. Batten down the hatches, it's going to be a long winter.

http://www.3news.co.nz/Paula-Bennett...8/Default.aspx

http://thestandard.org.nz/contraception-debate/

[Major von Tempsky]

That's not the Nanny Socialist state el-Zorro, its the return of the Nazi Party. Next, forced sterilisation....

Nanny Helen Clark state works in different ways, specified light bulbs, compulsory Maori, forced acceptance of homosexual marriages, enforced politically correct thinking in the Education system, accusations of racism on the slightest invalid pretext....

[elZorro]

That's not the Nanny Socialist state el-Zorro, its the return of the Nazi Party. Next, forced sterilisation....

Nanny Helen Clark state works in different ways, specified light bulbs, compulsory Maori, forced acceptance of homosexual marriages, enforced politically correct thinking in the Education system, accusations of racism on the slightest invalid pretext....

MVT, I don't agree with you on all of the last part of your post. We have steadily changed most of the bulbs in our house to the new type warm colour fluoro bulbs. They give off good light, identical to a standard old bulb, but are a lot more efficient. I was shocked to see how poor incandescent efficiencies were. In the last two years, the cost to have a 3kW solar PV system for a domestic house has dropped to about a third of the earlier cost. About $13,000. With that you'd sell power to the grid sometimes. Hot water from evacuated tubes is even cheaper. The govt looked at the bulb change as a way of staving off the cost of a new power station, a thermal one like Huntly is about $3billion. Back then we sometimes ran out of power in a dry winter. If you look at the big picture, most of these decisions were very smart, but we are all resistant to change. Labour tried too many of these in their last term.

[fungus pudding]

MVT, I don't agree with you on all of the last part of your post. We have steadily changed most of the bulbs in our house to the new type warm colour fluoro bulbs. They give off good light, identical to a standard old bulb, but are a lot more efficient. I was shocked to see how poor incandescent efficiencies were. In the last two years, the cost to have a 3kW solar PV system for a domestic house has dropped to about a third of the earlier cost. About $13,000. With that you'd sell power to the grid sometimes. Hot water from evacuated tubes is even cheaper. The govt looked at the bulb change as a way of staving off the cost of a new power station, a thermal one like Huntly is about $3billion. Back then we sometimes ran out of power in a dry winter. If you look at the big picture, most of these decisions were very smart, but we are all resistant to change. Labour tried too many of these in their last term.

Hydro electric is still the cheapest and certainly the most reliable and convenient. Solar just doesn't stack up. Energy efficient bulbs are certainly good in some applications, but not all. they will find ther way into homes where they are the best choice. The consumer will decide.