kiwidollar.com

Japanese history: Index of articles

2012-01-24T14:14:00.000+13:00

The Japan Times, 1966
Kazushige Hirasawa: Non-editor of The Japan Times
Wartime headlines from The Japan Times
Japan Times reports end of Pacific War
Japanese wartime propaganda
Wartime cartoons of Etsuro Kato
Three views of the British in India
The strange case of John Holland
Japan Today, 1945-47
National Geographic goes to Japan, 1946 (Part 1)
National Geographic goes to Japan, 1946 (Part 2)

Reserve Bank's forecasts discouraging

2011-12-31T15:34:00.001+13:00

"Worsening global economic conditions have led the Reserve Bank [to] shave nearly 1% off its growth forecasts for the next three years," Rob Hosking reported in The National Business Review of December 8.

"GDP growth is now expected to total 8.3% over the next three years: back in September the Reserve Bank's forecast was for 9.1%. Volatility from the Eurozone and a 'modest' downturn in the hitherto booming Asia-Pacific export markets are all cited as reasons for a more restrained growth path.

"A 'soft' domestic economy is the other main reason.

"Several factors are driving this: the almost daily news diet of economic crises in the north Atlantic economies is having an effect on consumer and — to a lesser extent, surprisingly — business sentiment. The noises of financial panic from offshore will also have a more tangible impact on retail interest rates."

The cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of December 17, 2011.

Kids queue with Christmas wishes

2011-12-31T15:29:00.000+13:00

Cartoon from the Manawatu Standard of December 7, 2011.

NZ Government generous: building more jails

2011-12-31T15:23:00.004+13:00

"Compared with other Western democracies, New Zealand seems to be keen on sending its citizens to prison," Roger Brooking comments at Pundit.

"Our prison population has been rising for the last 50 years, and in October 2010 reached a total of 8,892 inmates. New Zealand now locks up 199 people per 100,000 of its population.

"According to the International Centre for Prison Studies at Kings College in London, this gives us the second-highest rate of imprisonment out of 29 countries in the Western world. This is higher than Britain and Canada, even though those countries both have greater rates of violent crime than New Zealand. And it puts us in the company of Third World countries like Gabon, Namibia and Libya (currently in a state of civil war), which have very similar rates of imprisonment to ours. It even puts us higher than Colombia, despite the drug-related murder and violence going on there."

The cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of November 8, 2011.

National and Labour square off

2011-12-31T12:47:00.005+13:00

"Show me the money [that will pay for Labour's policies]," Prime Minister John Key snarls at the hapless Phil Goff, leader of the opposition, shortly before the November 26 general election.

The response comes in no uncertain terms from the electorate (which returned Key's National Party to power nonetheless).

The cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of November 7, 2011.

A referendum on the operation?

2011-12-31T12:40:00.002+13:00

A good point, even though the analogy doesn't really work. If you believe in democracy, you can't oppose the right of the people of any country to have a say on their future. Or do we now believe that democracy is "a luxury we can no longer afford" — like the rule of law?

The cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of November 4, 2011.

New Zealand's clean, green image fouled

2011-12-31T12:31:00.003+13:00

Two farmers survey the MV Rena, which ran aground on Astrolabe Reef, off Tauranga, on October 5, spilling large amounts of oil. Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

The cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of October 14, 2011.

New Zealand badly tarred

2011-12-31T12:13:00.002+13:00

The world's financial situation is compared to that of the MV Rena, stuck on Astrolabe Reef, off Tauranga, since October 5. Oil from the stricken container ship has fouled local beaches.

The cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of October 11, 2011.

Think Big makes a comeback

2011-12-31T11:23:00.002+13:00

"Hekia" is Hekia Pareta, currently the Minister of Women’s Affairs, Minister for Ethnic Affairs, the Acting Minister of Energy and Resources, and Associate Minister for ACC and for the Community and Voluntary Sector.

Think Big was an interventionist state economic strategy that saw the government borrow heavily overseas and use the funds for large-scale industrial projects. "Some commentators believe the schemes delivered net benefits to the private sector only," says Wikipedia.

The cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of August 31, 2011.

Only the (ignorant) poor pay tax

2011-12-31T11:17:00.000+13:00

Cartoon from the Manawatu Standard of August 26, 2011.

New Zealand and India get engaged

2011-12-31T11:05:00.001+13:00

"The talks between John Key and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [in New Delhi on June 28] were supposed to be all about a free trade deal, but they took a detour to defence," Patrick Gower, of 3 News, reported on June 29.

"We now have what is being called a 'deeper relationship' with a nuclear superpower.

"It has helped New Zealand almost close a deal that could double trade by one billion dollars virtually overnight and be as big as that with China over time.

" 'The India-New Zealand relationship is poised for all round expansion,' says Mr Singh.

"John Key says that both nations see 'potential for far deeper and richer cooperation'.

"Translated, that means opening up the 10th-biggest economy in the world to Kiwi exporters is 'oh so close'.

"India has certainly been welcoming, even if the opening tune was a little offbeat.

"But New Zealand had to give something back — and this was the surprise.

"Mr Key revealed that New Zealand and India will also be working together to deepen their defence relationship.

"India is a nuclear superpower whose armed forces number one and a half million; New Zealand's number just 14,000."

The cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of June 29, 2011.

Rich pickings for building industry

2011-12-24T22:34:00.000+13:00

On June 8, Fairfax News reported:

"Contractors carrying out property inspections of quake-damaged Christchurch homes are being paid about $4000 a week.

"The Earthquake Commission (EQC) has employed 414 contractors to carry out the assessments on its behalf, Radio New Zealand reported.

"Builders and contractors had inspected almost 20,000 damaged homes in Christchurch, EQC said.

"Contractors are paid $75 an hour, while the builders, who inspect the damage, receive $60 an hour, the broadcaster said.

"Contractors who are not from Christchurch are put up in EQC-selected hotels and given a daily allowance of $70.

"If they choose to arrange their own accommodation they receive $130 a day to cover expenses."

The cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of June 9, 2011.

Celebrities blamed for misleading adverts

2011-12-24T22:07:00.000+13:00

The most misleading advertisements of recent times were those in which Richard Long, who fronted One News between 1988 and 2003, promoted Hanover Finance, which in 2008 froze repayments to investors owed $554 million.

Long's voiceover ads ran several times each night late in 2007 saying, "This One Weather update is brought to you by Hanover, a New Zealand business with the size and strength to withstand any conditions."

At the time of writing, there is a possibility of legal action being taken against Long. But even if it isn't, there is no chance of Long endorsing anything again. He has zero credibility.

The cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of June 4, 2011.

When the ship sinks, the rich survive

2011-12-23T21:16:00.000+13:00

"First Officer Key" is New Zealand Prime Minister John Key — an extremely wealthy man, by the way. The cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of June 3, 2011.

High dollar makes things tough for some

2011-12-08T20:33:00.000+13:00

Throughout the year, the Kiwi dollar has ranged between .73c and .87c in value, in relation to the US dollar.

The cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of June 1, 2011.

Funny photos from uberhumor.com

2011-12-03T22:22:00.014+13:00

"A hearty laugh lengthens your life."

That's the comforting assurance of a Swedish proverb that is gaining increasing support from the medical profession.

So a sense of humor is possibly as important, as we grow older, as diet, exercise, and "good, wholesome living" — as my abstemious grandmother used to call it.

But where does one go, on a daily basis, for a guaranteed chuckle, if not always the kind of convulsive laughter that will have everyone within earshot wanting to know what you have discovered?

Well, the answer could be "to uberhumor.com" — a site that bills itself as "the funniest on the Net", where you will find galleries of funny pictures, videos and photos that are constantly expanding.

I have just spent half an hour browsing in its "Top FAILs of the day" gallery, where I found several of the journalistic gaffes that every headline and/or advertising copy writer prays to avoid.

"The average North American consumes more than 400 Africans" reminded me of a newspaper headline that appeared shortly after the end of World War II: "Hitler's body not yet found. Famine looms."

I was also amused by the photo, labeled "Ultimate Laziness FAIL", which shows a roadside white line — designed to keep errant drivers out of the ditch — carefully skirting a protruding fallen branch. This reminded me of a similar white line along the side of a New Zealand road, which had gone right over the top of a dead possum.

But whatever your interest or flight of fancy, you are sure to find plenty to keep you entertained at uberhumor.com. It's a site that will lighten the dullest day — as the 212,789 people who have liked it at Facebook will surely agree.

Chinese vulture wears a panda mask

2011-12-02T23:18:00.000+13:00

"China's enormous sovereign wealth fund, the China Investment Corporation, may have set aside up to 1.5 per cent or about $6 billion of its massive foreign exchange reserves to invest in New Zealand assets, including government bonds, companies and potentially dairy farms," the New Zealand Herald reported on May 26, 2011. Some see Chinese investment as predatory, despite outward appearances. The cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of May 31.

All will be well if we keep our fingers crossed

2011-12-02T23:00:00.000+13:00

On May 19, the New Zealand Treasury said the economy was expected to gather momentum through 2011 and into 2012, and grow by an average of around 3% a year during the next four years. In this cartoon, from the Manawatu Standard of May 21, the Government keeps its fingers crossed.

New Zealand worker caught in a vise

2011-12-02T22:32:00.000+13:00

Cartoon from the Manawatu Standard of May 19, 2011. It followed the announcement on March 21, by New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, that the Government would cut $800 million in new spending from the May budget in a bid to reduce the country's debt level.

New Zealand not so bad after all

2011-09-30T22:47:00.005+13:00

Cartoon from the Manawatu Standard of April 1, 2011.

Get with it . . . with GeekAlerts

2011-07-07T12:45:00.005+12:00

Want to make a statement? Want to stand out from the crowd? If the answer to these questions is "yes", head over to GeekAlerts' Gadget Blog. You will find more than enough there to tickle your fancy and fire your imagination — from bamboo keyboards (all the rage in China at the moment) to Hello Kitty Backpacks (sure to appeal to young girls everywhere).

I can't think of a better blog to follow, if you're the kind of person who likes to keep up with quirky innovations in the constantly expanding world of gizmos, computers, design and consumer electronics. But the blog does more than provide the latest news and information about these. It also helps you to save money through its online coupons, promotion codes, and discounts for some of the best online stores and services. Click on Office Depot coupon and Vistaprint coupon, and you will see what I mean.

Finally, this is a blog that is updated on a daily basis, and one that invites its followers to submit tips. If you know of something new that has been missed by GeekAlerts, get in touch with the team via their contact page. It's a great way to ensure that the products of the brightest minds get the publicity they deserve.

Quake fault line runs through NZ budget

2011-06-30T21:15:00.000+12:00

Cartoon from The Dominion Post of March 23, 2011.

Quakes a body blow to business

2011-06-30T20:49:00.004+12:00

Cartoon from the Manawatu Standard of March 23, 2011. Companies have been prevented from entering the devastated central business district of Christchurch even to retrieve vital equipment.

Second Canterbury earthquake drains NZ Treasury

2011-05-06T20:37:00.001+12:00

The second Canterbury earthquake, which struck the Christchurch region on February 22, 2011, cost insurers an estimated US$12 billion (NZ$16 billion). The cartoon is from The Dominion Post of March 8, 2011.

Earthquake deals New Zealand a body blow

2011-02-28T21:37:00.001+13:00

In the wake of the devastating earthquake that struck the Christchurch area on February 22, the country struggles to put its "lost star" back into place. Sadly — from my point of view, as a lender — the quake has also precipitated a rush of predictions the Reserve Bank will slash the official cash rate.

Whenever there is a crisis, the elderly, who rely on the interest they receive on their savings, are sacrificed. Yet one rarely hears anything said about this. One does, however, hear constant exhortations to save more — despite the pitifully low return the diligent saver receives.

The cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of February 26, 2011.

Is industry to have a charitable role?

2011-02-28T20:18:00.001+13:00

The ETS issue aside, I think it's a little unrealistic to expect a domestic producer of an item to sell it for less than he/she can make for it overseas. The cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of February 21, 2011.

Economic crisis knocked for six by cricket

2011-02-28T20:07:00.000+13:00

I read somewhere that while Rome was being sacked, the Romans were at the Games. Well, why shouldn't they have been there? After all, nothing is more important than entertainment. The cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of February 19, 2011.

BMW: Better make way (for your superiors)?

2011-02-28T19:53:00.001+13:00

Cartoon from the Manawatu Standard of February 18, 2011. It's an allusion to the Government's recent upgrading of its fleet of BMW limousines — a perceived affront to all those queuing at the food bank these days.

Wealth gap widening in New Zealand

2011-01-31T22:01:00.000+13:00

I wasn't in New Zealand in the 50s and 60s. (I was in England in the 50s, and in Japan in the 60s.) But I do remember the decades in which society seemed to be moving in a more egalitarian direction. The cartoon is from The Dominion Post of January 26, 2011.

Drought and flood hit Australasia

2011-01-31T21:44:00.000+13:00

Sign of the times: Drought in New Zealand, flood in Australia (after a decade of drought). Since this cartoon was published — in the Manawatu Standard of January 13 — parts of New Zealand have also been hit by heavy rain and flooding. It's all a bit depressing, as a constant cycle of drought and flood eventually creates a desert. Stand by for rocketing food prices.

Sharks cut out fast food

2011-01-31T20:21:00.002+13:00

Cartoon from the Manawatu Standard of January 6, 2011.

Property developers snap up choice coastal spots

2011-01-31T19:40:00.002+13:00

Cartoon from the Manawatu Standard of January 5, 2011.

Gas hits $2 a liter in New Zealand

2010-12-22T21:53:00.000+13:00

And what will the car do when gas reaches $10 a liter? Slash its tires? The cartoon is from The Dominion Post of December 16, 2010.

Manic Santa is after your money

2010-12-07T20:30:00.003+13:00

Christmas is a curse. It's always a relief when December 26 dawns. The cartoon is from The Dominion Post of December 6, 2010.

Get Paid to Promote

2010-11-14T20:17:00.003+13:00

I am now trying this. I have placed their promotional code at The virtual world of adilbookz. To go directly to Get Paid to Promote, click here.

Decision Points

RIP: The eight-hour day

2010-11-03T20:20:00.002+13:00

Cartoon from the Manawatu Standard of October 25, 2010.

Book Depository ships free of charge

2010-10-21T21:36:00.002+13:00

Why didn't I find this service before I ordered a whole heap of books from Amazon?

November 14: So far, I have bought two titles from the Book Depository, and have found that books arrive more quickly than they do from Amazon. Although I haven't worked out my savings, I estimate I would pay at least $10 more per book if I made my purchases through a local bookshop.

Currency exchange service

2010-10-19T22:38:00.005+13:00

I'm going to use this to transfer money from Alertpay to PayPal. As far as I can see, you can't buy anything useful with Alertpay funds.

Foreign ownership issue still to fore

2010-10-19T20:27:00.001+13:00

Cartoon from the Manawatu Standard of October 18, 2010. The gent with the specs in the corner is Paul Henry, the TVNZ Breakfast show co-host who lost his job over racist remarks he made about Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand. See my other blog at tweetextensions.com for further information about Henry.

My PayBox balance soars

2010-10-17T17:46:00.004+13:00

I have just checked my account at PayBox, and found that I have a balance of $669.53. As I haven't put any real money into this account, I wonder whether I will ever be able to use my balance to buy anything. I would, however, recommend that you sign up for this new payment processor. After all, what do you have to lose?

No escape from debt

2010-10-17T16:58:00.007+13:00

Cartoon from the Manawatu Standard of October 15, 2010.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

Banks have it all their own way

2010-10-16T17:00:00.009+13:00

Prime Minister John Key has expressed concern at the prospect of New Zealanders becoming "tenants in their own land". It's a concern that is shared by most New Zealanders, although many overlook the fact that all the big trading banks, including the Bank of New Zealand, are Australian-owned.

Cartoon from the Manawatu Standard of September 29, 2010.

Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6" Display, Graphite - Latest Generation

Pay Per Post: Get paid for posting

2010-09-21T22:09:00.005+12:00

I am in the process of creating an account at Pay Per Post, which will enable me to blog from time to time on behalf of advertisers. If you follow me in doing this, you will find that, as part of the account-creation process, you have to "claim your blog" (i.e. prove ownership of it) by posting a randomly generated sentence in a blog entry and then going back to the PPP site and clicking on the "Claim" button. My randomly generated sentence is: How will a pulp result?

Fat cats continue to enjoy the cream

2010-09-03T13:22:00.006+12:00

Cartoon from the Manawatu Standard of September 1, 2010.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Plenty of money . . . under the mattress

2010-09-03T13:16:00.002+12:00

"Mr Hubbard" is Allan Hubbard, the founder of South Canterbury Finance — the latest New Zealand finance company to fail. (It was put into receivership on August 31.) The money under the mattress is a reference to the Hubbards' "low-tech" procedures and parsimonious lifestyle, which belied their great wealth. For several nights in a row on national television, we saw them sitting at what appeared to be the kitchen table and leafing through chaotic stacks of documents. They looked like a couple in a home for sufferers of senile dementia.

The cartoon, by Tom Scott, is from The Dominion Post of September 1, 2010.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Worries continue about land sales to foreigners

2010-09-03T12:15:00.003+12:00

The "treaty" is an allusion to the Treaty of Waitangi, 1840, which was to have protected the lands of the native Maori from further "alienation". Needless to say, the Maori continued to have their lands taken by one means or another. The cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of August 24, 2010.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Meanwhile, back at the gang headquarters . . .

2010-09-03T12:06:00.002+12:00

Prime Minister John Key and his gang, including Minister of Social Development Paula Bennett, relax at their headquarters. Cartoon from The Dominion Post of August 16, 2010.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Fraud increases in New Zealand

2010-08-15T16:03:00.001+12:00

A total of $72 million was taken in frauds during the six months to June, 2010, compared with $22 million in the first half of 2009.

The cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of August 13, 2010.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Eve offers Adam a New Zealand apple

2010-08-15T15:45:00.000+12:00

On August 10, 2010, the World Trade Organization said Australia was breaching international trade laws by refusing to allow New Zealand apples to cross its borders, and rejected the 80-year-old Australian claim that there is a risk of fireblight and other diseases being introduced to Australian orchards.

The cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of August 12, 2010.

Unemployment rises in New Zealand

2010-08-15T15:29:00.000+12:00

"New Zealand’s unemployment rate climbed by more than economists forecast in the second quarter, driving down the currency and adding to the case for the central bank to pause interest-rate increases later this year," Bloomberg reported on August 5, 2010. "The jobless rate rose to a seasonally adjusted 6.8 percent from 6 percent three months earlier, Statistics New Zealand said in Wellington today. That exceeded the 6.2 percent median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey of 11 economists."

The above cartoon is fromThe Dominion Post of July 19, 2010. Prime Minister John Key addresses the National Party conference while Finance Minister Bill English fumbles with papers in the background.

The pen is mightier than the sword

2010-08-15T15:00:00.000+12:00

Cartoon from the Manawatu Standard of July 7, 2010.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

NZ doing its bit to stem global warming

2010-08-15T14:38:00.000+12:00

Keep up the good work, Nick (Environment Minister Nick Smith). Cartoon by Tom Scott from The Dominion Post of July 2, 2010.

Maybe the whole country is now owned by China

2010-06-28T22:19:00.000+12:00

Cartoon from the Manawatu Standard of June 14, 2010.

Building consensus for the sale of Kiwibank?

2010-06-28T22:10:00.000+12:00

And if they did put it up for sale, would it be bought by one of the big banks and then closed down? (Remember the fate of the Post Office Savings Bank, which disappeared into the maw of the ANZ?) Seem to remember making some comments like these a couple of years ago.

The cartoon is from The Dominion Post of June 10, 2010.

The New Zealand Budget, 2010

2010-05-31T22:08:00.007+12:00

The cartoon above is from The Dominion Post of May 21, 2010, and is a comment on this year's Budget from the National Government of Prime Minister John Key (left) and Finance Minister Bill English (speaking). The editorial below, which is more sympathetic, is also from the paper's May 21 edition.

The 'weight' of 15% GST

2010-05-31T21:59:00.002+12:00

This cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of May 21, 2010, and is a comment on the Government's announced rise to 15 percent in the goods and services tax.

15% GST a 'reward' for forbearance

2010-05-31T21:54:00.005+12:00

This cartoon, from The Dominion Post of May 17, 2010, anticipates the Government's announcement in the Budget of a rise to 15 percent in the goods and services tax. The dude with the long nose, pointed ears and horns is Prime Minister Kohn Key. To his right — i.e. to the left of the picture — is Finance Minister Bill English.

Privatization: For some, things never change

2010-05-31T21:48:00.003+12:00

Cartoon from the Manawatu Standard of May 11, 2010.

Water (itself) won't be privatized, says Rodney

2010-05-31T21:44:00.005+12:00

Cartoon from The Dominion Post of May 7, 2010. Commenting on this issue, Sue Kedgley of the Green Party said on May 5:

Every New Zealander should be worried about Rodney Hide’s latest bill on local government — which will allow our water supplies to be controlled and managed by private companies for 35 years, and will force Councils to focus only on ill-defined ‘core business’ (which excludes, amongst other things, the environment).

Multinational corporations are scouring the world, looking for water supplies they can take over and run for a profit. They know that water is going to the be the oil of the 21st century — a scarce resource that wars will be fought over — and they are keen to get their hands on as much of it as possible.

Now they have New Zealand in their sights, aided and abetted by Rodney Hide and the Key government.

This Bill will allow the management of our water resources to be transferred to private corporations, and will transform the provision of water services from a public good to a source of private profit. It will also transform water from something that is essential to human life, into a commodity to be traded for profit.

Once a Council has entered into one of the 35 year public private partnerships, the driving influence on all decisions relating to water will be the return to the shareholder, not the public interest.

Many of these sorts of public private partnerships or water privatisations, have proven disastrous overseas. They have resulted in soaring profits for shareholders — and soaring price rises for consumers. Instead of upgrading infrastructure, companies use the savings to maintain and increase their dividends, so they have resulted in widespread under-investment in water infrastructure (as happened to rail when Faye Richwhite took over its running).

Reaction to proposal to mine in national parks

2010-05-04T22:13:00.005+12:00

Cartoon from the Manawatu Standard of May 3, 2010.
Dark Tide, The

Angst over farm sales continues

2010-05-04T21:55:00.008+12:00

Cartoon from the Manawatu Standard of May 1, 2010.

Cat is out of the bag: The rich don't pay tax

2010-04-28T12:29:00.007+12:00

Tom Scott's cartoon in The Dominion Post of April 22, 2010.

Two days earlier, Fairfax Media carried an article headlined "Trade Me founder Sam Morgan says tax burden falls on workers". It began as follows:

One of New Zealand's richest men says he effectively pays no tax.

Sam Morgan, who created online auction website Trade Me in 1999 and sold it in 2006 for more than $700 million, has criticised the tax system as unfair to "working people".

Flush with tax-free cash from the sale of Trade Me, he said the system meant he effectively dodged the tax man. "I was lucky enough to sell my company in a country with no capital gains, so I paid no tax on the sale.

"Now I've got no income effectively, because I don't have a proper job, so the tax that I pay is minimal.

"The tax I do pay, I throw money into my charitable foundation. I can't touch that money, it is for charitable purposes. I pay basically no tax. And that's not right, but what am I supposed to do?"

Mr Morgan, 32, was estimated to have made at least $227m from the sale of his business to Australian media company Fairfax, publisher of The Dominion Post.

He is now a member of the Fairfax Media board. According to the last annual report, a non-executive director earns about $155,000 (A$120,000) a year.

For the rest of the article, click here.

New Zealand farmers caught in a vise

2010-04-28T11:51:00.002+12:00

Cartoon from the Manawatu Standard of April 13, 2010.

Drought hits New Zealand farms

2010-04-28T11:43:00.004+12:00

In Manawatu, in the west of the North Island, we always seem to get some rain. But it's a different story in the east, on the other side of the dividing ranges. And interestingly, the subtropical north has this year been hit by a severe drought.

The above cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of April 12, 2010.

White man squeals as foreigners snap up NZ farms

2010-04-28T11:31:00.002+12:00

Cartoon from the Manawatu Standard of April 7, 2010.

Bank robberies increase in New Zealand

2010-04-06T11:33:00.003+12:00

I have no time for criminals. If everyone were criminal, society wouldn't function. It would collapse in chaos. There would be no banks, or anything else, to rob. So the criminal, in the pursuit of his criminal activities, relies on the fact that most people are honest.

The above cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of March 31, 2010.

The work-at-home experts

2010-04-05T21:18:00.009+12:00

Here is another useful gadget:

The code for this is:
<br /><script language="javascript" src="http://www.smartwebgadgets.com/import.php?id=16" type="text/javascript"></script><br />
At the time of writing, the links in the gadget don't work. I am trying to find out why.

Code for currency converter

2010-04-05T20:58:00.003+12:00

I have just found this gadget, which you can easily place on your website:

Just copy and paste the following code:

<br /><script language="javascript" src="http://www.smartwebgadgets.com/import.php?id=25" type="text/javascript"></script><br />

The rich always find poverty disgusting

2010-03-30T22:09:00.003+13:00

I love the way this cartoonist, Hodgson, incorporates champagne bubbles in his caricatures of the rich and powerful. The cartoon is from The Dominion Post of March 29, 2010.

Hong Kong buyers chase NZ farms

2010-03-30T21:18:00.005+13:00

As populations rise and resources dwindle, we will see a lot more interest, in the Asian economies, in buying substantial chunks of New Zealand. These farms will then become Chinese, Japanese and Korean farms — in effect, parts of China, Japan and Korea — and will produce food for the folks back home. I don't think New Zealanders have grasped the possible implications of this.

The cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of March 27, 2010.

New Zealand economy shows 'a pulse'

2010-03-30T21:01:00.004+13:00

The consensus seems to be that the recession has bottomed out in New Zealand, and that things will improve from now on. But as the National Government tightens up on sickness and unemployment benefits, and moves to reform the tax system in ways that will almost certainly hurt low-income earners, I think there a lot of anguish ahead. These days, the most I can get for my six-month term deposits at the bank is 5 per cent, compared with 8 per cent before the recession struck.

The above cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of March 26, 2010.

When does a game become a career?

2010-03-30T20:45:00.002+13:00

A cartoon that reflects the changing status of/attitude to rugby in New Zealand. Once a game, it is now a career — and a very lucrative one at that.

On March 24, 2010, TVNZ reported:

Carl Hayman is making no apologies for turning his back on the All Blacks to play for French Top14 club Toulon.

With his contract rumoured to be in excess of $1.2 million a season, Hayman said he has moved on from the national side.

Speaking on Sky Sport's Northern Exposure, Hayman said the time has come to be a bit selfish, whereas everything used to be about the All Blacks and his province.

He said while the World Cup was an attraction, the last one didn't exactly go too well.

The cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of March 23, 2010.

Jobs exported to Asia

2010-03-30T20:26:00.002+13:00

Jobs can also be internally "exported". In the Fairfax chain of newspapers, for which I work, nearly all the subediting is now done at two "hubs" — in Wellington and Christchurch. The Manawatu Standard, which published the above cartoon on March 18, 2010, no longer has any subeditors who work exclusively for the Standard (with the exception of myself, in the advertising features department). There are some subeditors sitting in the office, but they are technically part of the Wellington hub. To emphasize their changed status, they have been separated from the reporters by a no-man's-land of vacant desks.

Seniors' Super Gold Card could be clipped

2010-03-30T19:58:00.007+13:00

The "ghost" rising from the grave is New Zealand First Party leader Winston Peters, who lost his seat in Parliament in the last election. It was he who introduced the Super Gold Card for seniors (those aged 65 and over), who can get free trips on public transport if they produce it.

On March 11, 2010, an article by Duncan Garner, of TV3 News, reported:

The Government is looking at cutting back the free ferry and bus trips offered to pensioners through the Super Gold Card.

Transport Minister Steven Joyce says the card will remain but it's exceeding the budget, and the former political leader behind the card is furious.

The Super Gold Card gives the elderly free off peak travel. It's been so popular it has blown the Government's budget.

“The Government of the day didn't understand or know the demand — it was an educated guess,” says Mr Joyce.

Two million dollars alone has been spent on the Waiheke Ferry from a total budget of $18 million.

So the services — the free off peak travel and other subsidies on offer — are now under review.

The Gold Card was Winston Peter’s idea — his reaction is unsurprising.

“Penny pinching behind closed doors,” is how Mr Peters referred to it.

At the time of writing, I think I have used my Super Gold Card only once — to take the bus into town.

The cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of March 17, 2010.

Increase in fraud predicted in New Zealand

2010-03-28T21:00:00.003+13:00

Surely, financial and other deregulation, at a time when even the leaders of society often have little respect for the rule of law, leads almost automatically to fraud. In the absence of an ethical bedrock in society – a society in which greed is often held to be the greatest good – there obviously have to be limits to laissez-faire.

The above cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of February 16, 2010.

Goodbye to cheap electricity

2010-03-28T20:26:00.005+13:00

Among those complaining about the inexorable rise in electricity prices is Age Concern – the organization that represents the interests of the elderly. On March 17, it said:

"The relentless rise of domestic electricity prices is not caused by normal market forces. It is a direct result of market power, which permits ever-increasing profits by gentailers.

"These are the dominant generator-retailers – Meridian, Genesis, Mighty River Power, Contact, and Trustpower. Their excess profits come from retail customers least able to afford them.

"The Electricity Industry Bill (currently being considered by a select committee) proposes only minor reforms. These are wrongly focused, and will benefit the suppliers at the expense of consumers...

"Successive Ministers of Energy have failed to act to prevent excessive price rises. Government agrees with gentailers, saying that average wholesale prices must be high enough to ensure new power stations are profitable.

"Domestic price rises are paying disproportionately for new power stations, because the increase in power demand is not coming mainly from them, but from commercial and industrial consumers.

"New Zealand’s electricity market design has failed its promise of being good for consumers. The spot market was designed to drive wholesale prices down, not up. They should reflect the cost of running existing power stations, not building new ones..."

In the above cartoon, from the Manawatu Standard of February 12, 2010, the indifferent dowager on the right represents Gerry Brownlee, (National) Minister for Economic Development and Minister of Energy and Resources.

What did you expect from a Tory government?

2010-03-28T20:02:00.005+13:00

That a right-wing National government would want to mine in national parks, reduce/restrict welfare benefits, raise the goods and services tax (GST), and introduce tax cuts for the wealthy should come as no surprise to anyone. Yet I'm sure that many people who voted for National in the last election, because it was "time for a change", are surprised – and perhaps even hurt and angry. They need to understand that changing a government is not exactly like changing the furniture in your living room.

The above cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of February 10, 2010.

Sharesight plans rapid expansion in Australia

2010-02-26T22:01:00.003+13:00

Sharesight's aspirations to become Australasia's pre-eminent share portfolio management service have received a major boost in the form of equity funding from angel investor Sparkbox and the New Zealand Government's Venture Investment Fund.

Sharesight (www.sharesight.co.nz) is an online share portfolio management system targeted at individual share market investors and their accountants.

Sharesight managing director Tony Ryburn said that Sharesight now had the resources to grow much more rapidly in Australia.

"We realised that a go-it-alone strategy would not allow us to expand overseas as quickly as we would like," he said.

Receiving support from Sparkbox, New Zealand's leading angel investor in the technology sector, and from the Venture Investment Fund was a huge vote of confidence in Sharesight said Mr Ryburn. "It's not just about equity capital; Sparkbox has already provided us with valuable contacts and advice".

"We can now build partnerships with a number of organisations in Australia that have already indicated that they are keen to work with us as well as promoting Sharesight directly to individual share market investors".

Mr Ryburn said that one of Sharesight's goals was to enable share market investors and their accountants to dramatically cut down on the time and costs associated with the accounting, tax and administration requirements of investing in shares.

As well as providing all the information required for tax and accounting purposes, Mr Ryburn said Sharesight provided a wealth of other information about exactly how shares had performed during the customer's period of ownership.

Performance data is annualised and includes dividends and exchange rate impacts. Sharesight's aim is to provide a comprehensive, fully automated portfolio service that requires minimal input from the user.

Mr Ryburn said Sharesight was working to contribute to a total solution for its clients by building linkages with related services such as brokers, investment providers and accountants.

"Sharesight recognises the major shift to web based applications and personal productivity tools both for SME's and private individuals.
Partnering with similar next generation applications such as Xero, is very complementary and opens up new opportunities in growing markets. For example Sharesight clients can already request that their investment data is automatically transferred into their Xero accounting system".

Sparkbox General Manager Greg Sitters said Sharesight was a welcome addition to the Sparkbox portfolio.

Mr Sitters said "Sparkbox has been impressed by the innovative approach that Sharesight has taken with its share portfolio management service. We see huge potential for Sharesight to expand not only in Australia but further afield".

The above press release was received on February 24, 2010.

Anyway, who cares about nature?

2010-02-14T17:17:00.001+13:00

Tom Scott's cartoon from The Dominion Post of February 11, 2010.

Those tantalizing minerals

2010-02-08T20:57:00.004+13:00

Cartoon from The Dominion Post, February 8, 2010.

A business suit works wonders

2010-02-08T20:50:00.001+13:00

Cartoon from the Manawatu Standard of February 8, 2010.

Crime pays ... for some

2010-02-08T20:35:00.002+13:00

Cartoon from the Manawatu Standard of January 29, 2010.

A blog that is going places

2010-01-31T20:44:00.009+13:00

Somewhat to my surprise, my blog at adilbookz.com has started to attract advertisers (through the agency of Text Link Ads). Although I call this a blog, its entries are not in any chronological order – and may be moved from page to page, in accordance with the priority I wish to give to each. Another characteristic of the blog is that each entry is accompanied by an illustration.

If the word "adilbookz" is too difficult to memorize, there is another domain that redirects to the site: twitnz.com

Graffiti, graffiti and more graffiti

2010-01-31T20:15:00.004+13:00

The above cartoon, from the Manawatu Standard of December 31, 2009, is a good illustration of the graffiti problem in New Zealand. After having several goes at the long white wall in front of my property, the "artists" have recently turned their attention to the streetlight poles. Generally, I can remove their "creations" with turps. But if the paint is too dry, I have to use silver paint to get rid of the eyesore(s).

Is Your Opt-In Form Driving Away Customers?

2010-01-20T19:19:00.002+13:00

Over the years, we've all been taught that the best way to grow a sizeable mailing list is to give our visitors a great offer they can't say no to. And the most common way to attract more traffic and readers is to pay or trade with another marketer to have a popup window or hover ad on their site with your offer and hope that the visitors will be intrigued enough to sign up.

But more recently, we're learning that popup ads, hover ads and all those other gimmicks are simply driving visitors AWAY and leaving us with no sales and an unresponsive list.

Until now, there wasn't a sure-fire way to get your ad noticed without getting on people's nerves. One ad network is looking to change that – and do it all for free.

It's called SlideUpAds – SlideUpAds.

SlideUpAds is a unique, eye-catching way to advertise your site across an entire network without having to resort to distracting popups or banners.

With SlideUpAds, your ad appears at the bottom frame of the user's screen, so they can still scroll on the web page without being interrupted on whatever they're viewing. Since your ad slides up from the bottom gradually (and quickly), it's more likely to get noticed without being distracting and abruptly closed.

SlideUpAds costs nothing to join and there's no charge for any advertising. You simply fill out a short form and get the details of your account, then upload your ad and you're ready to go! It's simple and straightforward and most ads can be online within a few minutes.

For a limited time, SlideUpAds is also opening the doors to what they call a "Viral Marketing Avalanche". If you refer a friend and THEY join, you get 100% of that person's credits. If your friend refers a friend, you get 100% of THEIR credits too! Of course, your friends still get to keep their credits, but it's like getting double or even triple the exposure without doing any extra work!

Many people are reporting terrific success with SlideUpAds, particularly where popups and hover ads simply haven't performed well in the past. Consider testing your current opt-in form with SlideUpAds and gauge the response for yourself – you may be pleasantly surprised at the results!

To learn more, visit SlideUpAds – it's free to join and there's no membership fee.

An argument on the Titanic?

2009-12-30T22:25:00.001+13:00

Cartoon from the Manawatu Standard of December 10, 2009.

Santa leaves carbon footprint

2009-12-30T22:15:00.001+13:00

Cartoon from the Manawatu Standard of December 9, 2009.

Tough times for polar bears

2009-12-30T22:01:00.001+13:00

Tom Scott's cartoon from the Dominion Post of December 2, 2009.

New Zealand's (largely invisible) pollution

2009-12-30T21:33:00.006+13:00

It's amazing how successful New Zealand has been in marketing its "clean, green" image, when one considers the reality. In an article headlined Manawatu River Gets Black Mark for Pollution, dated November 26, 2009, TVNZ had this to say:

The Manawatu River has been rated as one of the most polluted in the western world.

According to new research by a Nelson science institute, the waterway is heavily fouled with treated sewerage and farm run-off.

Cawthorn Institute says the Manawatu is now near the top of a list of 300 rivers and streams across North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand when it comes to detrimental changes in oxygen levels.

Dirty dairying practices and poor sewage treatment are considered the culprits for the alarming ranking.

In May this year a prominent Manawatu businessman and farmer, Ken Thurston, was fined nearly $200,000 for polluting the river.

In 2007, the Horowhenua District Council pumped five millions of litres of partially treated waste, including tampons and condoms, directly into the river for 48 hours.

Health officials now fear the water is so dirty it will make swimmers sick.

Horizons Regional Council is proposing to clean it up by regulating the amount of effluent farmers can discharge into the river.

"We know that for the Manawatu while it's not safe all year round for swimming, it is for the most of the time. Inside 20 years, our target is to give the people complete confidence that it's in the right type of place," says council spokesman Greg Carlyon.

And the council is rejecting accusations that it is not doing enough stop the pollution.

"It'd be a great news story if it was true but it's not, what Horizons did is commission the research that's been commented on in the media and is telling us that around dissolved oxygen particles for water quality we had some really elevated levels," says Carlyon.

Farmers say the council-commissioned research will now be used to stage further attacks on their livelihood, with Horizons due to implement new stricter regulations next year.

That, say farmers, will further impact their earnings.

"They need a consent to farm for a lot of these farmers and some of the costs involved will put them out of business...for others it's just a cost that could have been spent directly to do the work instead of just playing the bureaucrats," says Federated Farmers spokesman Gordon McKeller.

The full Cawthorn report will be formally presented to the regional council next month.

(Tom Scott's cartoon is from the Dominion Post of December 1, 2009.)

Christians deny global warming

2009-12-30T21:10:00.002+13:00

I assume Messrs Barrett and Salt are Christians, as I don't think non-Christians read the New Zealand Christian newspaper Challenge Weekly. Their views certainly accord with the view of many Christian fundamentalists that God is in charge of the planet, which he has given to us as a glorified playground, and that we don't really have to worry about its future.

Click on the above image to enlarge it.

Maori holding NZ back, say letter writers

2009-12-30T20:50:00.001+13:00

Click on the above image to enlarge it.

Penguins seek global warming asylum

2009-11-29T16:15:00.005+13:00

The following article, from NZPA, is dated November 19, 2009:

Four icebergs sighted off the Auckland Islands, 400km south of Bluff, are slowly heading toward New Zealand.

Expedition leader on the tourist ship Spirit of Enderby, Rodney Russ said it was the first time in almost 40 years of visiting the area that he had seen icebergs among the islands.

"They currently appear to be moving north at about 1.25kmh," he said in a statement.

"It is possible that they might reach New Zealand intact -- but they are showing signs of deteriorating and breaking up."

Three years ago, a flotilla of icebergs -- including one 1km long -- drifted to Southland's Catlins coast, with some coming as close as 25km to land.

It was 1931 when icebergs were last reported so close to the mainland. One Otago helicopter company charged $500 a seat for flights to the ice.

In the latest flotilla, the largest iceberg so far sighted was 80m long.

"We first sighted them 10 (nautical) miles off the eastern entrance to Carnley Harbour in the Auckland Islands," he said.

Improved weather conditions today allowed the ship to sail close by the icebergs, which had travelled 19 nautical miles to the north.

The Spirit of Enderby left the Auckland Islands on Wednesday to sail to Macquarie Island, 600km to the southwest, and is expected to encounter more icebergs.

The crew of the vessel has been put on special `iceberg lookout' as these icebergs pose a significant risk to ships, Mr Russ said.

"We have never had `iceberg alerts' in the Subantarctic islands before," he said.

Australian scientists last week reported another mass of 20 icebergs drifting north past Macquarie Island.

Glaciologist Neal Young said satellite images showed a group of icebergs, roughly spread over an area of 1000km by 700km, moving with the ocean current away from Antarctica.

The larger icebergs looked as though they had recently been calved off one of the massive icebergs which originally broke off Antarctica's Ross Ice Shelf and the Ronne Ice Shelf in 2000.

The cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of November 21, 2009.

Kiwis flocking to Australia

2009-11-29T15:35:00.004+13:00

The following AAP article, dated November 12, 2009, gives background information:

Australia should shut the door to thousands of New Zealanders to help stabilise the nation's population at 26 million by 2050, federal Labor backbencher Kelvin Thomson says.

Migration from New Zealand is uncapped and the number of Kiwis permanently settling has jumped from 16,400 in 2002-03 to 47,800 last financial year.

Mr Thomson says if Australia is to avoid an "environmental disaster", net overseas migration needs to be slashed from 213,500 to 70,000 a year.

In particular, the trans-Tasman travel arrangement with New Zealand would need to be renegotiated to do away with "the open door", he said in a speech to a community group in Melbourne on Wednesday.

Instead, New Zealanders should be offered places made available when people leave Australia to live elsewhere.

Mr Thomson says population growth in Australia is now a "runaway train".

Official projections show the country having 35 million people by 2050, which is unsustainable, he said.

Stabilising the population at 26 million would address "the declining quality of life in our cities, the traffic congestion and the disappearing backyards and open spaces".

Mr Thomson also wants to cut the skilled migration and family reunion programs, allowing Australia to boost its refugee intake from 13,750 to 20,000 a year.

The baby bonus should be abolished and family benefit payments restricted to just two children per family, he said.

The savings made would allow Australia to invest more in skills and training domestically, and increase foreign aid "to enable us to be compassionate, decent international citizens".

Mr Thomson has delivered several speeches in recent months rejecting Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's assertion that population growth is good for Australia and the economic prosperity of the nation.

He has called for the rolling back of laws that allow international students to apply from Australia for a skilled permanent residence visa within six months of completing their course.

More controversially, in August he said the country's migration intake should be slashed so authorities could run more rigorous security checks on applicants.

The cartoon is from the Manawatu Standard of November 13, 2009. It shows Prime Minister John Key talking to Deputy Prime Minister Bill English.

Things look up for dairy farmers

2009-11-29T14:54:00.003+13:00

The depiction of smalltown New Zealand in the above cartoon, from the Manawatu Standard of November 12, 2009, is anachronistic. It shows what small towns looked like in the late 19th century. But in stressing the importance, in such rural towns, of dairy giant Fonterra's payout to dairy farmers, it is spot on.

The following article, from Top News of November 11, 2009, provides background information:

As confirmed by Fonterra in a recent statement, the company will be increasing its payout to dairy farmers by as much as 20%. The firm also shared that the price of solid milk products would increase by around $1.10 to $5.70 per kilogram. Distributable profit will also be lowered by 15 cents, to stand at 35 cents.

It has been calculated that the increase would add nearly $110,000 into the bank account of each dairy farmer.

"The improvement in global dairy markets reinforces that dairying is a business that’s in good heart with sound long-term prospects, both for Fonterra shareholders and the broader New Zealand economy", shared Fonterra Chairman, Sir Henry van der Heyden.

Fonterra's payout to farmers is made up of two parts - payout on milk solids and distributable profits. While the former is related mostly to milk powder rates, the latter is affected by price of product such as cheese and casein.

Fonterra has shared that recent trends have renewed the company's confidence in the global dairy market.

John Key and the national debt

2009-11-29T14:40:00.004+13:00

As transTasman noted on October 15, 2009:

Finance Minister Bill English who returned at the weekend from London, reports Aust and NZ are “flavour of the month” with overseas investment markets which see the two countries coming out of the recession in better shape than others in the OECD. Aust and NZ did not have a banking crisis, public finances are under control and both are benefiting from the Chinese slipstream. In this climate NZ should have no trouble raising debt, (it needs to borrow $250m a week over the next 3 to 4 years), but the cost of financing the debt will be around $700m a year and add significantly to the fiscal strains of the next decade. Having worked itself out of the last debt cycle over 30 years NZ now faces another debt cycle which may be just as long. Getting out of it won’t be helped by the public perception the Govt is throwing tax-payer’s money away on the free-to-air broadcast rights for the Rugby World Cup.

Tom Scott's cartoon is from The Dominion Post of November 3, 2009.

'Pay freeze in employees' best interests'

2009-10-31T15:43:00.004+13:00

Cartoon from the Manawatu Standard of October 21, 2009.

The article below, dated October 19, 2009, is a "joint media release" headlined "$29m Tui profit justifies pay freeze – Yeah right" from scoop.co.nz:

Tui workers in Timaru and Greymouth are giving a collective ‘yeah right’ to Dominion Breweries over the company’s attempt to impose a pay freeze.

More than 50 Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union and Service and Food Workers Union members began a four day strike this morning, while DB employees in other parts of the country are considering action of their own.

EPMU national secretary Andrew Little says workers are outraged that DB is trying to impose a pay freeze at a time when it’s still making healthy profits.

“Beer prices have gone up and frankly selling beer in New Zealand is as easy as organising a piss up in a brewery.

“DB posted a profit of $29 million for the last financial year, and while we’re all aware of the impact of the recession this is a business that can easily afford to give its workers a fair pay increase.

“Given their healthy profits it’s just not credible for DB to plead poverty. They shouldn’t be surprised when their workers say ‘yeah right’ to a pay freeze.”

SFWU assistant national secretary Neville Donaldson says workers have shown good faith in the company.

“Over the last few years our members have shown flexibility and productivity but are not seeing anything in return. This dispute is as much about respect as it is about money.

“Rather than use the recession to attack our members DB needs to recognise the steps its workforce has taken to help the business succeed and make them a fair offer.”

The strike started this morning and will continue until Thursday. Further action has not been ruled out.

How lucky are we!

2009-10-31T15:39:00.001+13:00

Industrial action a thing of the past?

2009-10-31T15:35:00.002+13:00

From the Manawatu Standard of October 7, 2009.

Is the recession really over?

2009-10-31T15:30:00.003+13:00

From the Manawatu Standard of October 1, 2009.

Text Link Ads pays me $15

2009-10-04T15:14:00.011+13:00

I have just been paid $15 by Text Link Ads for placing a text-link ad at adilbookz.com, one of my many websites. To make money in this way, click on the "Earn While Snoring" advertisement in the column on the right.