Posts by James Green
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The thing I particularly like about the bizarre time-shifting thing where the alternative is available, is that it assumes that people all have access to broadband...
I'd really like to try downloading a TV episode on dial-up. -
Ben, I'm glad that you see Libraries as core business of Local Authorities :)
Incidentally, the DCC is, I believe, planning to replace both the main town library and possibly build a new satellite library in South DunedinAnd to rates. I guess I see them going up every year as "normal", in that year on year, the costs of most things gradually crawls up (except for K-Bars). Since when was 600mL of coke $2.70? And how long ago was it $1.50? Makes it very easy not to purchase.
Partly I think it is to do with NZ's savings/retirement mentality. You own the house (mortgage free) that you live in and get super. If people also had a block of shares or another income stream, I think they'd get less prickly. Certainly rate rises shouldn't be outrageous, and shouldn't be much ahead of inflation, but it seems unreasonable to expect that they won't rise.
In Dunedin's case, I think part of the baggage is being the biggest city, and all the infrastructure it (didn't) inherit from the smaller boroughs and councils etc. There's been a lot of money stuck into providing facilities for the rural areas (like libraries on the north coast etc.) -
Kyle, don't tell me you are not happy with the facilities offered by the Big Chill?!
Aaah, The Big Chill. Ben, I'm sure you'll be disheartened that not only might the DCC contribute toward a new Carisbrook, but that they also contributed toward a new Olympic size ice rink and adjacent curling rink.
NB: I'm not sure how much they contributed exactly.
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Ben -- Personally, I've always been about Willowbank ice-creams (they're a lot less stingy than most other dairies around the area).
As for the water, I'm a coffee and wine man, so I don't pay a great deal of attention to the stuff, but I think their 12 year program is now done, so I assume the quality is near much better. Similary, the council is midway through a fairly large capex for sewerage.
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I remember one sad day I drove to get some food, then when I returned 10 minutes later I couldn't find a park, so i had to sit double parked in my car (didn't have the petrol $$ to do endless circuits looking for parks)
Ummm. Having lived for four years right in the midst of things (including on Dundas), this made me smile. I do hope that you drove to countdown or pak'n'save. If you went to maccas or somewhere, well it's just amusing. And to be honest, the reason for living in that area is because you don't have to drive, and it doesn't exactly take long to realise that if you leave in your car during the day, there is a very slim chance of finding a park.
I do, however, take your points on the narrowness of Butts Rd. We had one really good crash, and a few near misses right outside our flat on Dundas. Somewhat ditto on the behaviour of post-match crowds.
I guess the real thing for me with the stadium is that people are always building things I don't want with my money, so I very much see it as swings and roundabouts. There are certainly some great things that have been built that I used, but many that I don't. It would be easy enough to be super-bitter about the university using the money from when I was studying to build the new central library that later students got the benefit for. But then that will always be the case...
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Rob - I'm certainly not against the Dunedin student life at all. I just think that there should be more creativity in it. There seems to be a lack of imaginative stunts these days. I did, however, think that this dam was pretty cool
I'm also for closing George St (though maybe allowing buses?)
And I'm broadly pro the stadium as well. And it's probably not too strong to say that I hate rugby. Or at least aspects of rugby culture so therefore have no interest in the game. However, I think that Dunedin is marvellously endowed with various emininent facilities, and that developing the Logan Park area as a sporting hub makes sense. The new cricket oval (once the wicket beds in a bit more) is great, and the new Caledonian ground is a lot nicer than the old one.
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I read James K. Baxter's novel Horse recently, and was suprised and amused to see how in many ways little has changed in Dunedin in the last 50 years. However, one thing that I think has changed is the consumerisation of education. With EFTS funding, it's something that the university bought into in the '90s, and with along with the advent of student fees, an education is now something to be consumed, rather than a process. It's changed student expectations about what they expect from the university.
But I think alongside this, scarfie has become a brand. It's no longer used exclusively in Dunedin, and indeed uni has superceded varsity, but the university's marketing campaign still sells this brand. And I think with the same kind of consumer expectations that make students demand certain things within the education process, they now have a kind of consumer expectation for student life. I guess my point is that sure, back in the day, people did occasionally burn couches; but now a couch burning is part of the product that's sold. So it's changed from an occasional thing, to something that has to happen at every weekend. It's no longer a spontaneous thing to ward off the cold, but part of the package.
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I was listening to "New Zealand's Rhema" yesterday morning, and, er, the breakfast announcer had his 12 year old coming in to beat him with various things, including jug cords. Tragically, I couldn't bear to stay listening to see how it turned out, but I'm kinda curious about what the hell they were up to.
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For a little bit of different thought, it's also really worth considering the reality of murder in New Zealand. The reality is that if you're going to be killed, it'll probably be your kids, your partner, ex, parents, or similarly related party.
No offence to any of you guys, and I'm sure as PA readers you're all model parents, but you're far more of a threat* to your own children than Mark Burton. I can't be bothered doing the research just now, but when is the last time a random actually killed a kid?
*Although almost an infintessimally small threat. So don't go quibbling about this. You know what I'm getting at. And of course, road accidents still beat homicide 10:1...
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I think the other strategy to influence impact factors is pre-publication. Some journals are now putting accepted manuscripts (pre-proof stage) on the web. This means that people effectively can read and cite them before the impact factor's 2 year window starts.