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Posted at 9:58AM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

Re the Cycleway

Is it $30 million or $3 million ? It makes a difference as to whether I'd support it or not.

Posted at 10:00AM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

The "good bacteria" capsules work out at about $1 each? That sounds like a lot, but they have something like 25 billion bacteria in each one. Per bacterium, that's really quite reasonable! ;-)

Posted at 10:29AM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

Scientists, can you please tell me if after nearly five decades of taking my antibiotics neat, I might now benefit from these pills and their promise to "help restore beneficial flora"?

For every course of antibiotics I have to take, I buy a potted ficus. Always worked for me.

Posted at 10:30AM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

In Christchurch my niece went to the pharmacy over some matter. While there an assistant (pharmacist?) offered to test her for zinc deficiency, and waved a "tool" over niece's palm. "Yes!" the assistant said. "you are deficient in zinc. If you take a course in these pills you will feel much better. The pills will only cost $60 per month."
"I will think about it," said Tanya as she walked out the door.

Posted at 10:32AM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

My bicycles and I are with you in spirit, David.

Posted at 10:34AM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

Part of the problem is that in NZ Pharmacy's main purpose is as a dispensary for free drugs for the government - it's hard to make a profit doing that - on the other hand you have a way to get people in the door for an up-sell.

It's also why it's hard to buy that really really cheap generic bottle with 400 ibuprofens in the supermarket the way you can in the US

(I give up - who is the 3rd guy?)

Posted at 10:43AM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

If the vitamins were demonstrably neccesary or effective, your doctor would prescribe them and Pharmac would fund them.

Posted at 10:45AM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

Also, Shapeshifter featuring Lydon! When? I must find a record shop!

Posted at 11:00AM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

Is it $30 million or $3 million ? It makes a difference as to whether I'd support it or not.

I believe NZTA said $30m full on, the pro-cycle-friends said $3m for a simple alternative.
Possibly somewhere on the lower-end of inbetween then?

Posted at 11:03AM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

(I give up - who is the 3rd guy?)

Mr Steve Braunias.

Posted at 11:11AM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

Possibly somewhere on the lower-end of inbetween then?

Right so far we've got ...

A group of engineers and specialists from the government agency who do this sort of estimating for major civil works all the time say it'll cost $30 million.

A group of lycra wearing enthusiasts (one of whom clearly has some decent photshop skills or access to someone who does because that cycleway looks great with the Auckland cityscape in the background through the glass) "reckon" they can do it for $3 million.

Gareth reckons it's somewhere in between but probably towards the lower end for some reason.

Anyone else care to hazard a guess ?

Posted at 11:13AM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

NZ Pharmacy's main purpose is as a dispensary for free drugs for the government

No, their main purpose is to sell lots of cosmetics, hair product and cheap sunglasses. Somewhere down the back, most of them have some medicine.

Speaking of which, has there actually been a ban on over-the-counter pseudoephedrine-based medicine? I'd heard talk of bans in places like Gisborne, but the last time I took cold medicine it did sod all, and it was only then that I noticed that all the codral, sudafed, day & night etc had suddenly become "new formula".

Posted at 11:14AM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

Is it a coincidence that this chameleon used to have a column entitled Page 94? I think we should be told...

Fantastic stuff.

Also, I will be there on Sunday morning, possibly with bell on. Do we have any numbers on the possible size of the PAS contingent?

Posted at 11:18AM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

Antibiotics do tend to kill useful bacteria as well as evil bacteria. This is especially true of broader spectrum antibiotics. For example, amoxicillin clavunate (Augmentin) is very commonly prescribed, and in addition to making you well terminates the lives of 1kg of bacteria resident in your GI tract (explaining the commoness of diarrhoea as a side effect). The medsafe datasheet describes this as 'may affect gut flora', which sounds less icky. Coming off antibiotics, there is a chance that instead of the usual bacteria re-colonising you, you might end up with unwelcome visitors, which is what the probiotics are supposed to prevent. I'm not sure how big the chance is.

It's worth noting too, that the total cost of the antibiotics is much higher than $3, but also that yoghurt containing good bacteria, is much cheaper than $14. Whether the yoghurt works as well as the probiotics, I'm not sure.
________________

And just while we're talking about 'good' bacteria, bear in mind that the anti-bacterial handwashes that kill 99% of germs, are mostly killing the ones that you don't want to kill.

Posted at 11:21AM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

has there actually been a ban on over-the-counter pseudoephedrine-based medicine

No. The new phenylephrine products are mostly not as effective, but you might have to push a bit harder to get the good stuff. Note, in case of an emergency, P, other amphetamines, and cocaine will also work, but are now unfortunately not available for decongestant purposes.

Posted at 11:24AM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

Having said that, I think pharmacies can choose not to stock pseudoephedrine, but I'd have to check.

Posted at 11:26AM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

Count yourself lucky they were just peddling microbes and vitamins.

I find it profoundly irritating that people who were made to study chemistry and microbiology every year of their degree peddle this crap. Either they believe the woo (depressing ignorance and gullibility, testimony to the lack of efficacy of a university education) or they don't (depressing hypocrisy, testimony to the broken nature of health model in NZ).

Part of the problem is that in NZ Pharmacy's main purpose is as a dispensary for free drugs for the government - it's hard to make a profit doing that.

If the state had to pay pharmacists a bit more in return for them not fostering the spread of ignorance around the country, it would be money well spent.

Posted at 11:27AM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

Well Glenn I think it's fair to say you've nailed your colours to the mast!
My reasoning for a lower end estimate is that (as I understand it), NZTA's version was a pretty full-on, over-the-top engineering project option whereas your "lycra-clad" reckoning is based on a much simpler idea. I wouldn't be surprised if their costing is slightly low-balled given they are pro, but if you can do the cheap version at all then it will be closer to the $3m than the $30m.

BTW I trust you are equally distrusting of the new Waterview Connection that is magically a few hundred million cheaper than NZTA's original estimates?

Posted at 11:31AM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

Vitamin tablets = expensive urine

However I find the fluorescent yellow entertaining especially when hung over.

You could just eat fruit and veges but you'd miss out on the opportunity to support our local economy, in particular help pay for your pharmacists new car which they bought from a struggling car dealer so it's got to be the right thing to do.

And besides fruit and veges just don't make your urine glow quite the same way as those pills do.

Trust the marketing guys they know what's good for you

Posted at 11:31AM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

Who'd be a pharmacist, though?

(I have a mate who's one, and after a year or so doing interesting stuff in a hospital, he went to work at Boots in the UK. A lot of his time was spent fixing cameras - on the grounds that they are technical thingys, and pharmacology should prepare you to mend one).

Posted at 11:34AM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

Well Glenn I think it's fair to say you've nailed your colours to the mast

Not at all, The point I'm trying to make is I would support the bridge cyle way but not at all costs and not at $30 million or anything approaching it.

Posted at 11:35AM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

Anyone else care to hazard a guess ?

I reckon $50k. All it needs is a big white line down the middle of the upstream clipon, a couple of accessways by the Curran St on-ramp and the old toll plaza, and some barricades to close the lane off.

Posted at 11:38AM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

How about $30k for an old transit van and say $40k year for the driver to run shuttles across for a year and see if it gets used ?

Posted at 11:44AM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

study chemistry and microbiology every year of their degree

FWIW, they take much less microbiology than that (one paper in second year @ otago). Although antibacterials are an important class of medicines, there's a lot of others that don't have too much to do with it.

Posted at 11:49AM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

Vitamin tablets = expensive urine

A little worse than that; some vitamins, in large doses, are not at all good for you.

General rule of thumb for medical stuff: if it uses the words "boosts your immune system", it's at least 50% woo. Possibly more. It's an almost unconfirmable, difficult to measure, but impressive-sounding claim - which is why it's so often used.

Posted at 12:00PM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

It's also why it's hard to buy that really really cheap generic bottle with 400 ibuprofens in the supermarket the way you can in the US

Grrrr - don't get me started ESPECIALLY when it comes to children's liquid paracetamol (aka "pamol". Anyone who has been parent will know the value of this stuff. However unless you get it on prescription, 100mls containing the equivalent of only about 10 standard paracetamol tablets will set you back about $15 from the chemist. No one as far as I know makes a generic non-branded version of it in NZ (happy to be corrected on this)

Posted at 12:06PM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

How about $30k for an old transit van and say $40k year for the driver to run shuttles across for a year and see if it gets used?

Offering an insulting shitty option, and then claiming that its rejection proves there's no demand for proper provision, is not cool. Hey, how about boosting commuter rail with disused cattlecars and see if uptake rises?

Also, they actually did something a lot like your white van man option before, and it failed, because it was slow, unpredictable and just plain rubbish which nobody wanted to use.

Posted at 12:08PM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

Nah, Steve Braunias is a West Ham fan, he'd be more likely to blow his own head off than someone elses. Lydon's 'No Future' makes more sense though.

Posted at 12:12PM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

Grrrr - don't get me started ESPECIALLY when it comes to children's liquid paracetamol (aka "pamol"

Most doctors that I've seen with my kids are good about asking you "and do you need some pamol? Just in case? How about I give you a script that you can have in case you need it?". You just about have to stop them pushing the print button to not walk out the door with one.

If your current doctor isn't helping out with those little things, maybe switch.

Posted at 12:14PM on 21 May 09. Permalink.

I reckon $50k. All it needs is a big white line down the middle of the upstream clipon, a couple of accessways by the Curran St on-ramp and the old toll plaza, and some barricades to close the lane off.

You forgot to budget for the green paint.