Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: A news site where you can find the news!

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  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Tax Cuts + Kiwisaver (2+2) for single (no WFF) = tax exemption canned for employee, now only for employer, and I think others are more versed than me on this, but it stinks for single folk. I am sooo confused now. Also, add 90 days,employee fired without being offered a reason why, 13 weeks stand down for unemployment.The future looks so bright. Is that right?

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    This shows a complete, arrogant disregard for the huge number of folks in this country who're on dialup. When you've got 800-ish-thousand dialup connections in a population of 4.2 million, you don't just ignore them!

    Some people did a dial-up speed test of all the major local news sites a couple of months ago. From memory, they were all ~1MB. The odd thing is, the TVNZ site could very obviously be smaller if some fairly straightforward things were done..

    The guy who's always got this is Sam Morgan. As CEO, he'd reject display advertising that could affect the experience of his dial-up users, who constitute an important chunk of Trade Me's user base, especially in the regions.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole,

    The TVNZ site is perfectly usable from home. Obviously anything that's Flash-reliant doesn't work, but the site can be used to get news and programming information just fine. It's slow, as expected, but definitely functional.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole,

    Some people did a dial-up speed test of all the major local news sites a couple of weeks ago. From memory, they were all ~1MB

    "Everyone else is doing it" doesn't make it any more acceptable, though. They should all be hunting for designers who actually understand the demographics of the NZ internet. It's not primarily people on stinking fast fibre or DSL, it's mostly people on connections of, at their very notional best, 8Mbps, or less, or on dialup. ADSL2+ is not the predominate connection. And that 8Mbps sure as hell ain't happening at this hour on a week day!

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    13 weeks stand down for unemployment

    Bloody hell! Is there a source for that?

    If they knew how much hardship is caused by the present 2 week stand-down period... but they have no intention of knowing.

    I remember when my family had to wait 6 weeks in the 1990s - we weren't paying rent, so I have no idea how someone who was could have survived. 13 is just unthinkable.

    We're going Back to the Future!

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Something here Bear in mind Yoof will be dealt with differently soon as National has stated.I am pretty sure 13 weeks if you cant say why you lost your job, which the new law will create.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    It's not primarily people on stinking fast fibre or DSL

    And let's not forget the shift to mobile browsing...

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    Ah, yes, I'd forgotten about that. Resignations and firings mean you're stood down for 13 weeks.

    And the fact that under 25s have to live on $165 rather than $199. Cause, y'know, rent, bills and food is cheaper when you're 24.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    And Cheeses almighty, $3000.00 fine if your kid isn't enrolled in school. $300.00 to start, then $3000.00 if you don't do as you're told. What if you just get here, want to check out the choice of schools?Time is definitely of the essence. Will be Law by Saturday. F*#kn Hell :(

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    $3000.00 fine if your kid isn't enrolled in school.

    Does that outlaw homeschooling then?

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Does that outlaw homeschooling then?

    Or correspondence? Tolley says consultation will happen after the law is passed so in answer to your question, you will have to ask her next week.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Tolley, Minister of Education.....asked"What does a Vice -chancellor do?"Tolley, What does a dictionary do?

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole,

    13 weeks stand down for unemployment

    Bloody hell! Is there a source for that?

    If you resign, or get fired for misconduct, s60H of the Social Security Act 1964 mandates a 13-week stand-down period before payment of a benefit may commence. It's mandatory in the case of resignation, but discretionary in the case of termination.

    So it's possible that it'd apply in the case of employees terminated out of a trial period. I'm sure the lawyers will have fun arguing it.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    I'm sure the lawyers will have fun arguing it.

    Which Lawyers? The ones on the front bench of the National party, the middle bench or the back bench?, or the ones representing the unemployed, (oh that's right they wont exist) and meanwhile, just hope you are not 17. This sux already and it's only day 3.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Idiot Savant,

    Whereupon they form their own micro-party, convince the voters of Stupidville to keep electing them despite their having left the Nats/Labour, get a nice job as Minister-outside-Cabinet and allow their ignorant pomposity to reach whole new levels.

    I'm sure there's a TV comedy in that...

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report Reply

  • Idiot Savant,

    BTW, if you want to see the rest of the bills National has been tryign to keep secret, the Greens have put them up here.

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens,

    Look on the bright side of the fire-at-will legislation:

    It has irrevocably branded National as a bunch of worker hating, arrogant forget nothing learn nothing charlatans, and it has gifted Labour three years of media friendly fodder of tales of outrageously unfair dismissals, forced sexual relationships and the whole range of human interest stories so beloved by Close-Up, Campbell Live, etc etc.

    Drip-Drip-Drip...

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    This Education Bill has huge implications and it is crazy not to put it through the scrutiny of a select committee. One result is that is going to make it very hard for parents of children who are school refusers or school phobics. Watch out parents of kids with autism - they will be open to prosecution if their kids can't cope with all the stress of school and refuse to go.

    Kids with special educational needs and their parents better get ready for the humiliation of having their potentially poor achievement against inappropriate 'national' standards made public.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Ozstralian cheese! I 'spose I could support the packers but I'd rather buy some good NZ stuff.

    Yeah I wonder how 'Coon' cheese would go down here. It's not like Coonawarra is that hard to say.

    Re the Nats playing hardball: If they have been on honeymoon, then is this analogous to the first time they hit their wife? It could just be a little slap, but it sets the tone. Will the wife take it?

    Polls could answer the question. They'll certainly hint at exactly how clearly it was conveyed to the electorate that this kind of thing was what they were going to get. Could make for surprising results. Wouldn't want to pick it to be honest, since I couldn't find much to agree with in all the arguments folks put to me about why I should vote National - my intuitions must be sharply awry with a large chunk of NZers. Maybe middle NZ does want tougher workplaces, and more difficult bail conditions. I guess we'll have to see when the first among them gets laid off by the recession and has to undergo a stand-down and a long job probation.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Re the Nats playing hardball: If they have been on honeymoon, then is this analogous to the first time they hit their wife? It could just be a little slap, but it sets the tone. Will the wife take it?

    No, Ben. Just no.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    No, Ben. Just no.

    I think I'll wait to see what the wife says. Maybe they think it will just be this once...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Kerry Weston,

    One result is that is going to make it very hard for parents of children who are school refusers or school phobics. Watch out parents of kids with autism - they will be open to prosecution if their kids can't cope with all the stress of school and refuse to go.

    This is horrifying actually. So when the kids just say "No, not going" what then? Those supernanny tactics of reward/punishment, timeout, withdrawal of privileges etc just don't work with adolescents who are determined not to go. Especially when those adolescents are AS, social phobics, depressives. It is not Bad Parenting.

    And what are they going to do when a parent can't or won't pay a fine? throw them in jail? Who's going to take junior to school then?

    Perhaps they'll put all these kids onto Correspondence School - too bad if both parents are at work and it is illegal to leave them home alone if they're under 14. But of course - I'm forgetting - Boot Camp.

    Manawatu • Since Jan 2008 • 494 posts Report Reply

  • Christiaan,

    Can't believe they've used Flash. Who advises these people?

    Not that it matters to me. I get a message saying "This is video is for New Zealand viewers only." I still consider myself a New Zealander but there you go.

    Portugal • Since Dec 2006 • 121 posts Report Reply

  • Thrash Cardiom,

    I'm beginning to think I'm stupid but I cannot find a link to an RSS feed anywhere on the tv nz site. I have looked at the page that talks about feeds and it mentions RSS logos being on various pages but I go to those pages and there are no RSS logos anywhere. Mind you, this is what I get on the page that tells me how to subscribe to an RSS feed:

    You will find the orange RSS logo featured across the TVNZ websites. If you want to keep up-to-date with the latest politics headlines from ONE News for example, you'll find a RSS logo next to Headlines on the ONE News Politics section.

    You can subscribe to an RSS feed by:
    Advertisement

    TVNZ Yahoo Headlines Widget

    Click here to download the free Yahoo! Widget Engine

    Then

    Click here to install the TVNZ Headlines Widget

    That's it.

    Can anyone enlighten me?

    CHB • Since Nov 2006 • 55 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    This Education Bill has huge implications and it is crazy not to put it through the scrutiny of a select committee. One result is that is going to make it very hard for parents of children who are school refusers or school phobics. Watch out parents of kids with autism - they will be open to prosecution if their kids can't cope with all the stress of school and refuse to go.

    Because it's not like the system is suddenly going to start offering real options to those families. And frankly, it's not that hard to be declared truant in these circumstances.

    It's basically outrageous that something like this doesn't go through a select committee.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

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