Someone got caught and was trying to extricate herself ASAP.
Saturday, 24 November 2007
Tuesday, 20 November 2007
Hypocrisy defined
This morning I walked past parliament to have a catch up with someone from church. As I went past the main gate a new Crown car rolled up and drove in.
In New Zealand we seem to be on a big ting about "being green" and "zero emissions" and "carbon footprints". This has been spouted by our various ministers and this current government is making this issue a key platform for the next election.
So what do you think this new Crown car was...
A Prius??? No. Too small.
Maybe an LPG powered Falcon??? No. Obviously too Australian.
Well at least it wasn't a Hummer.
BUT it wasn't far short of it...
It was a new Chrysler 300..
That's anything up to 6.1L of V8 fuel sucking, environment bashing grunt.
Now personally, apart from them being butt ugly, I have no probs with such a vehicle. However if you are running an "everyone should be reducing their emissions" message... it is a bit rich buying these.
In New Zealand we seem to be on a big ting about "being green" and "zero emissions" and "carbon footprints". This has been spouted by our various ministers and this current government is making this issue a key platform for the next election.
So what do you think this new Crown car was...
A Prius??? No. Too small.
Maybe an LPG powered Falcon??? No. Obviously too Australian.
Well at least it wasn't a Hummer.
BUT it wasn't far short of it...
It was a new Chrysler 300..
That's anything up to 6.1L of V8 fuel sucking, environment bashing grunt.
Now personally, apart from them being butt ugly, I have no probs with such a vehicle. However if you are running an "everyone should be reducing their emissions" message... it is a bit rich buying these.
Friday, 16 November 2007
All set for Siberia
We are all set for Siberia. The Chinese visas came through. The tickets are waiting for us at the travel agents. All systems go.
Sunday, 11 November 2007
Crawling and Laughing
Katya is now a very movable hazard. She can get herself most places although it is a struggle.
This is the insanely happy laugh.
Thursday, 8 November 2007
Siberia Update
All our travel seems to be coming together well. The tickets are a bit more expensive than in previous years but still not too bad. The visas came through the other day for Russia. Now all we need is the Chinese transit visas and we will be sweet. The Chinese visa applications go in tomorrow.
We also have had news that we may be joined by another couple from church for part of the trip. This will be great because it will help with looking after Katya. It will also make the trip more of a team thing. These people have already been to Irkutsk so will not need minding.
One piece of not so good news is about our baby back pack. It is 124cm in W+H+D. AirNZ only allow carry on of 115cm. We are going to try and wing it. Once we are past AirNZ the other airlines allow 150cm. The back pack is very important as this will be Katya's primary transport. We are not taking a pram as we do not think this will work in the ice environment.
We also have had news that we may be joined by another couple from church for part of the trip. This will be great because it will help with looking after Katya. It will also make the trip more of a team thing. These people have already been to Irkutsk so will not need minding.
One piece of not so good news is about our baby back pack. It is 124cm in W+H+D. AirNZ only allow carry on of 115cm. We are going to try and wing it. Once we are past AirNZ the other airlines allow 150cm. The back pack is very important as this will be Katya's primary transport. We are not taking a pram as we do not think this will work in the ice environment.
The Logical Song
This is an old song done new. Pretty cool.
And this is the same song put to some awesome rally action
And this is the same song put to some awesome rally action
Tuesday, 6 November 2007
Smoking increases
This morning there was an interesting article in the Herald. It is included below.
Basically it says a study is showing smoking is on the rise. But people are surprised.
I am not surprised. If you have walked in Wellington CBD recently you will have noticed the increase in walking chimneys. In the last three years smoking has increased significantly. I tried to see if there were any long term studies or data sets to prove this. I could not find anything. I would have thought the Ministry of Health and Stats would have such information as tabacco sales. But no.
I put it down to the "cool"/rebel thing and ALSO an increase in workplace stress. People are working a lot more recently and in more corrosive work and societal conditions.
Anyway... watch this space. I think we are in for a lot more issues in this smoking area.
>>>>>
Young rebel over tobacco health alerts
5:00AM Tuesday November 06, 2007
By Simon Collins
Young New Zealanders are reversing smoking trends by smoking more. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Smoking has become more popular among younger New Zealanders, possibly reversing a 30-year decline in an apparent backlash against a Government drive to stamp out the habit.
A Massey University survey for the Ministry of Health has found the number of people aged 15 to 45 who have smoked at least once in the previous year has increased from 31.1 per cent in 2003 to 35.8 per cent.
"There seem to be social negative connotations with tobacco use and that is contributing to less lifetime use, but there may have been some backlash since 2003," said researcher Chris Wilkins.
"It may be there was a general decline in lifetime use for tobacco, but the groups that were picking up smoking were doing it because it was seen as 'cool' and somehow anti-establishment. That included some young people, particularly young women, who were reacting to the Government regulation and the social intolerance that was developing for smoking."
Hospitality Association chief executive Bruce Robertson said the findings were surprising.
"I think there is a possibility of a sort of backlash against the welter of public health information that New Zealanders as a population are being bombarded with,' he said.
"As a sector we are certainly seeing that amongst our patrons - that they are expressing around the bars a view that they're getting a bit sick of the constant barrage of public health messages, whether it's gaming, alcohol, eating, drinking or smoking."
The Ministry of Health and Dr Wilkins warned that the survey might be a statistical "rogue" result that would need to be confirmed or disproved by future data.
Other sources, including last year's Census and annual surveys by AC Nielsen, continue to show a declining trend in tobacco use since at least 1976.
Censuses show a consistent reduction from 36 per cent of the total adult population in 1976 to 24 per cent in 1996 and 21 per cent last year.
They show a continued fall even in the 20 to 29 age group, where smoking remains most popular, from 32 per cent in 1996 to 30 per cent last year.
The ministry's chief adviser on public health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, noted that the Massey figure of 35.8 per cent of 15- to 45-year-olds was virtually the same as in Massey's first two surveys in 1998 and 2001, suggesting the low 2003 rate of 31.1 per cent was a statistical quirk in the sample for that year.
"There is still a concern there from a policy perspective that it's not coming down, apparently, but our particular interest is in regular smokers because that's where we get the long-term harm."
Smokefree Coalition director Mark Peck said the survey showed the need to raise taxes on roll-your-owns.
Tax is based on the weight of tobacco. Roll-your-own cigarettes average only half the weight of tobacco in ready-made cigarettes.
Mr Peck said roll-your-owns' share of the tobacco market had risen as a result from 30 per cent to 48-49 per cent, while ready-made cigarettes had dropped to 43-44 per cent, with pipe smoking accounting for the balance.
Associate Health Minister Damien O'Connor acknowledged that there was an "anomaly" in the current tax regime, which makes the effective tax on a ready-made cigarette about twice the tax on a roll-your-own one.
Basically it says a study is showing smoking is on the rise. But people are surprised.
I am not surprised. If you have walked in Wellington CBD recently you will have noticed the increase in walking chimneys. In the last three years smoking has increased significantly. I tried to see if there were any long term studies or data sets to prove this. I could not find anything. I would have thought the Ministry of Health and Stats would have such information as tabacco sales. But no.
I put it down to the "cool"/rebel thing and ALSO an increase in workplace stress. People are working a lot more recently and in more corrosive work and societal conditions.
Anyway... watch this space. I think we are in for a lot more issues in this smoking area.
>>>>>
Young rebel over tobacco health alerts
5:00AM Tuesday November 06, 2007
By Simon Collins
Young New Zealanders are reversing smoking trends by smoking more. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Smoking has become more popular among younger New Zealanders, possibly reversing a 30-year decline in an apparent backlash against a Government drive to stamp out the habit.
A Massey University survey for the Ministry of Health has found the number of people aged 15 to 45 who have smoked at least once in the previous year has increased from 31.1 per cent in 2003 to 35.8 per cent.
"There seem to be social negative connotations with tobacco use and that is contributing to less lifetime use, but there may have been some backlash since 2003," said researcher Chris Wilkins.
"It may be there was a general decline in lifetime use for tobacco, but the groups that were picking up smoking were doing it because it was seen as 'cool' and somehow anti-establishment. That included some young people, particularly young women, who were reacting to the Government regulation and the social intolerance that was developing for smoking."
Hospitality Association chief executive Bruce Robertson said the findings were surprising.
"I think there is a possibility of a sort of backlash against the welter of public health information that New Zealanders as a population are being bombarded with,' he said.
"As a sector we are certainly seeing that amongst our patrons - that they are expressing around the bars a view that they're getting a bit sick of the constant barrage of public health messages, whether it's gaming, alcohol, eating, drinking or smoking."
The Ministry of Health and Dr Wilkins warned that the survey might be a statistical "rogue" result that would need to be confirmed or disproved by future data.
Other sources, including last year's Census and annual surveys by AC Nielsen, continue to show a declining trend in tobacco use since at least 1976.
Censuses show a consistent reduction from 36 per cent of the total adult population in 1976 to 24 per cent in 1996 and 21 per cent last year.
They show a continued fall even in the 20 to 29 age group, where smoking remains most popular, from 32 per cent in 1996 to 30 per cent last year.
The ministry's chief adviser on public health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, noted that the Massey figure of 35.8 per cent of 15- to 45-year-olds was virtually the same as in Massey's first two surveys in 1998 and 2001, suggesting the low 2003 rate of 31.1 per cent was a statistical quirk in the sample for that year.
"There is still a concern there from a policy perspective that it's not coming down, apparently, but our particular interest is in regular smokers because that's where we get the long-term harm."
Smokefree Coalition director Mark Peck said the survey showed the need to raise taxes on roll-your-owns.
Tax is based on the weight of tobacco. Roll-your-own cigarettes average only half the weight of tobacco in ready-made cigarettes.
Mr Peck said roll-your-owns' share of the tobacco market had risen as a result from 30 per cent to 48-49 per cent, while ready-made cigarettes had dropped to 43-44 per cent, with pipe smoking accounting for the balance.
Associate Health Minister Damien O'Connor acknowledged that there was an "anomaly" in the current tax regime, which makes the effective tax on a ready-made cigarette about twice the tax on a roll-your-own one.
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