I have to admit I'm moving off Twitter/X these days - it seems just about every left-leaning or even kind tweet gets hammered by right-wing trolls / bots / Hoskinites. Too hard to read as it makes me sad for the country seeing that vibe. Keep up the hard work Nick - it's a breath of fresh air.
Yes Nick, I think that all the moves so far ‘to get NZ back on track’ have meant gauging the poorer people in our economy, and I don’t see much contribution from the more wealthy.
Examples - removing the prescription subsidy - more wealthy can probably claim on health insurance which the poorer don’t have; taking away the tax on fuel in Auckland so that people in Auckland need to pay higher rates; axing 3Waters so that people have to pay higher rates; taking away subsidies for public transport so people have to pay more; causing high numbers of redundancies causing huge stresses which probably doesn’t affect more wealthy people. It seems to me all of these things have been caused by our current government. Other cost headaches are coming from climate change effects, higher insurance costs etc. and then there’s the constant talk about what a bad economic situation we are in, causing people to feel depressed, and that together with all the cost issues above, mean that we are getting in a downward spiral of despondency. I don’t like how our Country is feeling. Thank goodness for good music of every genre. I’m not sure what else to recommend, other than flavourful winter soups and good friends. And great insights from your Kōrero and your subscribers.
What a beautiful song - pretty damn sure Penk doesn’t follow Marlon Williams on (anti)social media. I don’t do twitter etc but as an observer I wonder how many of the Penk-pals are paid to be arseholes and how many are just hate filled amateurs?
The lower photo of Luxon says it all. Merciless eyes. The eyes of a CEO. The eyes you will see in unguarded moments from psychopaths. Not that I'm saying Luxon is a psychopath. I don't know the guy and have no intention of knowing him. Only certain personality traits make it to the top job. He has a version of them. An utter contempt for the lower orders. A drive to look after his own class at the expense of everyone else. For a man who professes Christianity I strongly suspect he needs to review his behaviours and views.
Yes Nick, writing for many of us is easy and most enjoyable but marketing is a pain. Writers tend to be quiet souls, in their own heads a bit, pursuing their art. Translating that into putea does not come easy. Having had to hawk two books myself I know your pain. Its not a natural fit for people who prefer their own company and thoughts. Whose only companion for hours of the day is their computer. Don't despair, keep going. People read your stuff and enjoy it. In time the subs will arrive.
Yes. The dead eyes. Always look at the eyes for true expression. And then there’s the lip curl/sneer which also is autonomic. He probably doesn’t know he’s doing it. Like a lot of other things he does.
Yes, Luxon is a psychopath Rob. If you have been on the receiving end of them as I have, you come to quickly recogniise them. He may not be at the serious end of the scale, but his lack of empathy for other people, other than his own, is glaringly obvious. A sure sign of psychopathic tendencies.
I did an analysis this Wednesday (rained all day) of the election results and the two goons in the photo both won their seats also scorded a simple majority of all votes cast in their electorates. Of the 72 electoral seats only 27 were won with such a majority and of that 37.5% of electorates the vast majority are National seats. It left me realising that there are large pockets of this wonderful country that simply don't operate from the same moral compass as me. A country that values its citizenry will ensure that personal and company taxation is set at a sliding rate to ensure that everyone is adequately housed, education is totally free from cradle to the grave, along with health-care, public transport, school lunches,dental care AND every person post education is on a Universal Basic income https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/basic-income.asp nothing ensures a feeling of pukuriri in me than when I read or hear people say there is no alternative to neoliberalism.
I absolutely agree Nick that there needs to be a shift of mindset about paying for your content. I hate it when you have to ask for subscribers, as if we value your hard work then we should pay for it. After all it isn't much to ask. Luxon is the most superficial egotistical twat that ever entered Parliament and that's saying something.
Thanks Nick, It is hard to see through all of this now, with at least one wtf a day from current government, to a positive future but we must try, As they say this too will pass.
Resting hyena* face Luxon is the real one behind the fake veneer.
*been search for a male equivalent of the rbf. This is as good as I've got to.
Re commuting costs. In 2015 I spent time in Hong Kong. There I met a guy (age 59) at the University who delivered internal mail, emptied rubbish bins, and other office chores. He made 15000 HKD per month and paid 1000 per month to commute to work and 10K for rent. But his income was tax free, unlike us. Is this what we're on track to?
I understand about asking for some remuneration I've been asked from time to time to teach people to ride horses etc but I can't bring myself to ask for money so I just say no but I'll help you out if you like as soon as the money thing gets talked about I feel pressure.
I have to admit I'm moving off Twitter/X these days - it seems just about every left-leaning or even kind tweet gets hammered by right-wing trolls / bots / Hoskinites. Too hard to read as it makes me sad for the country seeing that vibe. Keep up the hard work Nick - it's a breath of fresh air.
I left twitter just before the election - your comment and Nick's post reminded me that it was the right move.
Yes Nick, I think that all the moves so far ‘to get NZ back on track’ have meant gauging the poorer people in our economy, and I don’t see much contribution from the more wealthy.
Examples - removing the prescription subsidy - more wealthy can probably claim on health insurance which the poorer don’t have; taking away the tax on fuel in Auckland so that people in Auckland need to pay higher rates; axing 3Waters so that people have to pay higher rates; taking away subsidies for public transport so people have to pay more; causing high numbers of redundancies causing huge stresses which probably doesn’t affect more wealthy people. It seems to me all of these things have been caused by our current government. Other cost headaches are coming from climate change effects, higher insurance costs etc. and then there’s the constant talk about what a bad economic situation we are in, causing people to feel depressed, and that together with all the cost issues above, mean that we are getting in a downward spiral of despondency. I don’t like how our Country is feeling. Thank goodness for good music of every genre. I’m not sure what else to recommend, other than flavourful winter soups and good friends. And great insights from your Kōrero and your subscribers.
What a beautiful song - pretty damn sure Penk doesn’t follow Marlon Williams on (anti)social media. I don’t do twitter etc but as an observer I wonder how many of the Penk-pals are paid to be arseholes and how many are just hate filled amateurs?
I think it comes naturally to those superficial arseholes
The lower photo of Luxon says it all. Merciless eyes. The eyes of a CEO. The eyes you will see in unguarded moments from psychopaths. Not that I'm saying Luxon is a psychopath. I don't know the guy and have no intention of knowing him. Only certain personality traits make it to the top job. He has a version of them. An utter contempt for the lower orders. A drive to look after his own class at the expense of everyone else. For a man who professes Christianity I strongly suspect he needs to review his behaviours and views.
Yes Nick, writing for many of us is easy and most enjoyable but marketing is a pain. Writers tend to be quiet souls, in their own heads a bit, pursuing their art. Translating that into putea does not come easy. Having had to hawk two books myself I know your pain. Its not a natural fit for people who prefer their own company and thoughts. Whose only companion for hours of the day is their computer. Don't despair, keep going. People read your stuff and enjoy it. In time the subs will arrive.
Sounds like good advice, thanks Rob. Yes, I'm not sure what he has learned from his religion, it's hard to fathom.
Yes. The dead eyes. Always look at the eyes for true expression. And then there’s the lip curl/sneer which also is autonomic. He probably doesn’t know he’s doing it. Like a lot of other things he does.
Yes, Luxon is a psychopath Rob. If you have been on the receiving end of them as I have, you come to quickly recogniise them. He may not be at the serious end of the scale, but his lack of empathy for other people, other than his own, is glaringly obvious. A sure sign of psychopathic tendencies.
I did an analysis this Wednesday (rained all day) of the election results and the two goons in the photo both won their seats also scorded a simple majority of all votes cast in their electorates. Of the 72 electoral seats only 27 were won with such a majority and of that 37.5% of electorates the vast majority are National seats. It left me realising that there are large pockets of this wonderful country that simply don't operate from the same moral compass as me. A country that values its citizenry will ensure that personal and company taxation is set at a sliding rate to ensure that everyone is adequately housed, education is totally free from cradle to the grave, along with health-care, public transport, school lunches,dental care AND every person post education is on a Universal Basic income https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/basic-income.asp nothing ensures a feeling of pukuriri in me than when I read or hear people say there is no alternative to neoliberalism.
I'll bet Michael Savage had that in mind to
Keep up hope Nick! There are a lot of us in sinc with you - we take heart from you!
I'm with Judith when she says:
"Some light up the world with their love and compassion, Some consume it with their greed and entitlement"
I know which kind of person I'd rather be ... that's why I love reading your letters Nick ❤️
Painting caption. “Still life with potato” Still as in motionless, frozen, unmoving etc…
Unfortunately “still” here.
I absolutely agree Nick that there needs to be a shift of mindset about paying for your content. I hate it when you have to ask for subscribers, as if we value your hard work then we should pay for it. After all it isn't much to ask. Luxon is the most superficial egotistical twat that ever entered Parliament and that's saying something.
So much to be depressed about and we all know it, so…… excellent video choice , young man, can’t go wrong with a wee bit of Marlon Williams :)
A massive thank you for braving the disgusting trolls on X to push our collective LW message.
(I think the Charles portrait is excellent.)
I don’t know how you do it Nick🤔 Ive never been on Twitter/X but it would do my head in😜
Haven’t used X since it was twitter but a look this morning suit is a hotbed of trolling and fake accounts. Dont think I will go there again soon
Thanks Nick, It is hard to see through all of this now, with at least one wtf a day from current government, to a positive future but we must try, As they say this too will pass.
Resting hyena* face Luxon is the real one behind the fake veneer.
*been search for a male equivalent of the rbf. This is as good as I've got to.
Take care
Re commuting costs. In 2015 I spent time in Hong Kong. There I met a guy (age 59) at the University who delivered internal mail, emptied rubbish bins, and other office chores. He made 15000 HKD per month and paid 1000 per month to commute to work and 10K for rent. But his income was tax free, unlike us. Is this what we're on track to?
I understand about asking for some remuneration I've been asked from time to time to teach people to ride horses etc but I can't bring myself to ask for money so I just say no but I'll help you out if you like as soon as the money thing gets talked about I feel pressure.