Mike Riversdale

Oh, this is astounding how Seymour wants to have smaller government and yet has created a whole new department and is wrapping so much shite around a system that works just fine. Update 14-Jan-2024: Did I Miss The Submission? (spoiler, no) -------- More: Explanation & Submission Guidance & Assistance [Updated] What Is A "Person" It's all libertarian bollocks eh, just like they always publicly shout that the government should stay out of everyone's lives, especially in "the market", but siphon off as much of the public purse as they can and go running back to their Nanny State when it all gets a bit too hard.

You've done  your Treaty Principles Bill submission , and that was a piece of cake eh. If that's what all Bill submissions are like then bring it on, the voice of the masses can be finally heard. Update 14-Jan-2024: Did I Miss The Submission? (spoiler, no) -------- Submission form:  https://consultation.regulation.govt.nz/rsb/have-your-say-on-regulatory-standards-bill/consultation/intro/ Email your submission to:  RSBconsultation@regulation.govt.nz More: Submission Guidance & Assistance [Updated] What Is A "Person" Hmmmm, seems it's different for each Bill, which sort of makes sense. The Treaty Principles Bill is something that's not going anywhere no matter what happens, so it's been made very much a, "Tell us what you think and what could be done", expecting a tsunami of, "It's crap, throw it away". The response is gonna be, "Ok, we asked and we're gonna throw it away, as we were gonna anyway." There are Bills t...

Good luck. A S K C T O C I L

A Tree growing on a Rock as a big Wave crashes onto the beach.

Further to my 2025 theme of Backfill , I'm also going to step up my militancy against unfairness that I see. I'll (probably) focus on three things which are so broad they might touch on everything, in no order: Anti-racism Women's rights  Society v immense personal profit None of these should be a surprise to anyone that knows me. Expect to see me, by the end of 2025, on protests and maybe even being arrested as I refuse to come down from a tree or something similar ... maybe, it'll build over the next year and into my sixties. As for the biggies and specifics I'll be supporting them financially (Amnesty International & Greenpeace, and journalism) as I always do.

I was about to use the phrase "clinging on" but who knows, this lichen might be living the best lichen life possible. How do you pronounce it, "ly-kin", "ly-chin", or, "li-chin"?

It's quite the moment when you're pondering, cogitating, think think thinking about something and then, *pop*, the answer comes into your mind. 2024 was a "Foundational" year for me. One of working out what I want to do with the final third of my time on this planet. And that has worked out well, I have moved on from tech and finding my feet in sustainable "community work". I want 2025 to be less, dramatic. I've been reflecting for the past few days what it should feel like and it slooooowly dawned upon me, I want this year to be a bedding in year. A quick Google of the stages one goes through when moving a tree from one spot to another and the word "backfill" is used a lot. Once you've uprooted the tree, put it into its new hole home then you need to backfill with soil and compost, pat it down, give it water, and settle it into its new place. That's me. Over 2023/4 I have uprooted the tree of my life and I'm now safely / happily in...

The best thing about  bonkers "science" books like this is that they're so old it's free to download and actually read them. So I did. INDEX. 1 The aeronaut sees for himself.   2 Standing water level.   3 Surveyors’ “allowance.”   4 Flow of Rivers—the Nile .  5 Lighthouses—Cape Hatteras.   6 The sea-shore.—“Coming up.”   7 A trip down Chesapeake Bay .  8 The model globe useless.   9 The sailor’s level charts.   10 The mariners’ compass.   11 The southern circumference.   12 Circumnavigation of the Earth.   13 Meridians are straight lines.   14  Parallels of latitude—circles.   15 Sailing down and underneath.   16 Distance round the South.   17 Levelness required by man.   18 The “level” of the astronomers.   19 Half the globe is cut off, now!   20 No “up” or “down” in nature?   21 The “spherical lodestone.”   22 No falsehoods wanted!   23 No proo...

How advertising jingles influence our buying choices (and why we can still sing them decades later) Recent market research found that several of the ten most recognisable jingles for UK adults dated back three or even four decades. While comparison site Go Compare topped the list, Mars’ “work, rest and play” jingle (axed in the mid-1990s) and even Shake ‘n’ Vac “put the freshness back” (1980) are still buzzing about in the heads of those polled. ... Research has shown that the period when we are around ten to 25 years old tends to be remembered most vividly. Music cues are also best at tapping into memories of this period, which is known as the “reminiscence bump”.

The slightly smug look always makes me giggle, sitting there like a palace guard to take your little bag of poo off your hands.

🎶 Her love shines over my horizon, she's a slice of heaven 🎶 Happy Christmas to all those that read my blog, thank you, and I hope you have a wonderful day wherever you are in the world. (tap for moving fun)

It's March 2024 and a stalwart of the Wellington bar scene, Hashigo Zake, closes its doors for the final time. (click/tap to open the Photosphere and others to relive the main bar area one more time)

Having your birthday any time between the 20th December to January 3rd is quite the struggle eh. My ex-sister-in-law has her birthday on December 24th and I always think of her during these times. This goes out to you Sarah! And if you're celebrating your birthday over the Yuletide then many celebrations to YOU, enjoy your time and make sure others carve some 'you time' amongst all the other stuff.

Weirdly I had heard/read about the 'Nun study' before the wonderful Dave Moore and Neil Delamere got their teeth into it. It's a brilliant science story and we're learning so much from these Nuns and their brains.  btw: Neil Delamere is one of my favourite comedians, he is awesome on radio shows, and I hope he comes out to Aotearoa New Zealand at some point. The Why Would You Tell Me That?! podcast is fantastic, listen along and if you're on Apple Podcasts make sure you leave a review, doesn't matter what you say 😁 Anyway, on with the Nuns and their brains in jars ...

Every boys dream, to be on stage with your mates and a guitar in your hand, thrashing out a solid tune as the crowd bounce around. Ok, not just a boys dream, girls also dream the same. And not everybody's dream at all, for some being on stage would be an absolute nightmare. I can't remember the name of this band at the 2024 Newtown Festival but I enjoyed them, as did the crowd bouncing around.

From the sign outside: THE WĒTĀ FX SEASON OF TANIWHA TIME MACHINE Dreamgirls Art Collective Long ago, Te Whanganui-a-Tara was an enclosed lake, but Ngake forced his way out into the sea by battering through the clenched teeth of the fish of Maui to allow the fish to breathe. Whātaitai was washed down the throat of the fish, causing it to cough, and Whātaitai and three morsels flew out. The morsels became islands in the harbour, but Whātaitai was stranded and grew weak and died, becoming part of the land around the harbour. - EXCERPT FROM NGAKE ME WHĀTAITAI BY BEN NGAIA Two special visitors have travelled back in time to when Te Whanganui-a-Tara was a lake cut off from the sea... Ngake and Whātaitai, the legendary taniwha who formed the landscape of Te Whanganui-a-Tara, haven't seen each other since they ended up in different worlds, unable to reconnect. Until now that is, as the stars have aligned, and Dreamgirls Art Collective have weaved their artistic magic to reunite the duo. M...

It was an easy match for Australia as they finished the test in  four days and won by 172 runs .

A for 'orses (hay for horses) ... My favourite is M for 'sis (emphasis) The Cockney alphabet : The Cockney Alphabet is a recital of the English alphabet intended to parody the way the alphabet is taught to small working class children. The ostensible humour comes from forming unexpected words and phrases from the names of the various letters of the alphabet, mocking the way people from East London speak. Cockney is a name given to the working class of East London by the middle and upper classes.  

In addition to the large machinery, a Patent Slip of this size is exceptional; from the 1870s it was common to maintain large ships by dry-docking. A number of engineers have identified the construction of such a large slip facility, from scratch, with primitive machinery and in such a difficult location as being an outstanding engineering feat. In addition, it is undoubtedly the first large scale underwater construction in New Zealand. Read all, and I mean ALL, the details of this at Heritage New Zealand / Pouhere Taonga: Evans Bay Patent Slip (Former)

Just helping a rock out.

Ha ha ha - Jack Hodges and Everything Is Fresh as mimed by Spike Milligan and John Bluthal from the 1977 'Q7' series .

The sun lighting up the pine leaves always put me in mind of the electric green highlighter pens from offices and schools.

International singing sensation and comedienne extraordinaire Meow Meow is accompanied by the full force of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Hamish McKeich, for a glorious night of sublime entertainment and orchestrated chaos. The Pandemonium was sublime, gorgeous, hilarious, slapstick, and my lordy lord meow meow (Melissa Madden Gray) has an amazing singing voice. What a glorious Christmas present from my brother, thanks Rob.

  M e r r y C h ri s tmas a n d H a p p y N e w Y e a r Keeping this blog's tradition  going ( what's yours? ), this is my Yuletide posting about all that you should know for Christmas. But let's just take a moment in the busy day to remember what it's all about - the people you love. I'm thinking of the people you love right now ... are you thinking of mine? Of course, it's not just about family and friends (if that's who I was thinking of) but also presents, alcohol and oodles of sitting around in front of the TV (or under the the sun coz we are lucky Southern Hempishpereans!). If Jesus is your thing, I mean, if he's your bag, what you're into man then do the religious thing as well. Just don't get all "God" over Christmas and try to remember that it was  originally a pagan festival  around the longest day, certainly don't want you Christians foisting your ideas on people and trying to subvert the real message! Fun. that's t...

My friends were once the lucky recipients of the following series of messages, ha ha ha. So, I walked Tressilick Park along Kaiwharawhara stream, very nice ondeed About 80% way on I'm thinking I could do with a poo I get to the end and we're now on trouble The map says there is a public toilet just at the end of a street as you come out of the park I walk, it's going up, I'm clenching, CLENCHING I get out, turn the wrong way and then I'm in a cul-de-sac Oops And that's when I let lose Luckily there was no-one around and it was surrounded by trees I disrobed, threw the undies away (too far gone), used as much grass and leaves as I could to clean myself up Got an Uber, got home In the shower I nearly fainted, I think I had heatstroke or something, which is weird I'm upstairs now, sitting Wowsers, what an afternoon Better work stories I know I shit myself on the streets of Wadestown, who else can say that!?

THIS is so so useful - thanks @exlibrarykris@cloudisland.nz for her annual share . The popular conception of what drowning looks like is not accurate. Unlike this photo, drowning people usually can’t call out for help, and there is very little splashing or waving. Drowning is actually a very quiet and undramatic action. Photo by Stephen Frink Drowning does not look like what we’re conditioned to think of as drowning. In an article in the Fall 2006 issue of the U.S. Coast Guard Search and Rescue’s On Scene journal, Pia described the instinctive drowning response as follows: Except in rare circumstances, drowning people are physiologically unable to call out for help. The respiratory system was designed for breathing. Speech is the secondary or overlaid function. Breathing must be fulfilled before speech occurs. Drowning people’s mouths alternately sink below and reappear above the surface of the water. The mouths of drowning people are not above the surface of the water long enough f...

Consisting of three mōuri (vitality) markers, two carved pou (carved posts) flanking the steps of Parliament House and a pare (carved lintel) above the main entrance to the Beehive, they are physical recognition of Parliament’s significant relationship with Te Āti Awa Taranaki. ... The two pou flanking the steps of Parliament House, named Tupua-horo-nuku and Tupua horo-rangi , are a gesture of welcome and protection for the public, parliamentarians, and staff on the parliamentary precinct.  ... Te Āti Awa Taranaki Whānui has named the two pou (carved posts) which flank the steps of Parliament Tupua-horo-rangi (the western activation) and Tupua-horo-nuku (the eastern activation) in honour of the path (Te Ara Tupua) that Ngake and Whataitai followed when they created Te Whanganui-a-Tara. The area on which Parliament and the Bowen Precinct reside is within the ancient pathway of Tupua-horo-rangi. [sources: New Zealand Parliament,  Te Kāhui Mōuri: the clan of vitality  and T...

Amongst the daily photos, the silly videos, and the day to day things there is a fair amount of personal articles on this blog, especially under the #MentalHealth label. Here's the thing that you need to remember about those blog posts, they are written with three audiences in mind. 1: Myself   This is often a way for me to acknowledge something, something serious, something funny, something. It's often starts off as a way to get my thoughts sorted, to have a good think, to try and express myself to myself. This is the writing part, that no-one sees, the editing the getting the words down etc. There are a few drafts that haven't made it out yet, may never. And that's often because I can't define the other two audiences and whether it would be on any actual use, or am I just navel gazing. 2: Rav & Meg I do a lot of these sorts of posts to pass on to them. For them to have something now but mostly in the future so that they aren't left wondering "What w...

Not smack back in the actual centre but bloody near . What an amazing city Te Whanganui a Tara is eh.

Brilliant idea from, someone on FB as a meme, I think. Do you have any idea what your mates do when they go to work? Heck, you might not really know what your partner does, or your kids. But your friends, what do they actually do? Most of us will have a rough idea that they're a Programme Manager, or perhaps an Accountant, or a Service Desk Manager. But what does that actually mean, what do they do in a typical day. This isn't about making a judgement, just curiosity, and understanding ya mate a little better. Take Your Mate To Work Day (and if you have a mate called Kate you are in!) Let's pick a day - I always say do things on a Tuesday because nothing exciting happens on a Tuesday. How about the second Tuesday in February. That would make the next one Tuesday 11th February, 2025 . Who's up for it? I am, once I start my job in the new year and settle in I'm gonna invite a mate to come watch what I do, just for shits and giggles tbf Apparently this is absolutely no...

The Waimakariri River is a classic example of a braided river , as seen above Aotearoa New Zealand .

At least I can feel them marching forward and it's time to tell the wobbly brain duo Depression & Anger to turn around and head back to where they came from. The story so far. I had a life of safety and loveliness, then Dad left at the time the hormones were flooding the teenage boys body. It was all a bit rough and a lot of feelings were never discussed let alone faced. A total breakdown in 2016 lead to the triple tactics of drugs, exercise, and support.  That much we all know. Life became peaceful, I worked hard , I became a different man. Recently the support has been strong, my relationship with my kids grew, friends were and are amazing, and I really leant into the exercise especially after the Diabetes Type 2 notice from the Dr. During my recent physical moves around the bottom of the North Island I misplaced the drugs. That's ok, let's see if I still need them. And for months it's been fine and dandy. "A little angrier in the car than I remember Mike...