And from the "only in New Zealand" file...

[Shamus]

Mercury is the retail arm of one of two state-owned power companies. The Govt owns them but has decreed them as being profit driven. Both companies, (the other is Genesis) have arbitrarily changed their billing rules and cut-off times last month. It'll be interesting to see if it was because of a ministerial directive....
And I've just changed from Genesis to a private power company.

Holy Mother of God Pari,that contractor deserves to go to jail. I work for the phone company(at&t)here in the states and even we give a customer multiple options for bill payment.It is customers like this poor woman that I would take a call-out at 2am to go fix her phone line so she would be able to call if she had an emergency.Another case of profit winning out over a customer's need.Disgusting

[Parihaka]

Holy Mother of God Pari,that contractor deserves to go to jail. I work for the phone company(at&t)here in the states and even we give a customer multiple options for bill payment.It is customers like this poor woman that I would take a call-out at 2am to go fix her phone line so she would be able to call if she had an emergency.Another case of profit winning out over a customer's need.Disgusting

The minister in charge of the State Owned Enterprises (SOE's) should resign and there are already calls for him to do so, but the standard mealy-mouthed excuse which will be used here as well is that 'as SOE's, the minister has no responsibility to interfere with their operation'. C*nts.

[Tasman]

Holy Mother of God Pari,that contractor deserves to go to jail. I work for the phone company(at&t)here in the states and even we give a customer multiple options for bill payment.It is customers like this poor woman that I would take a call-out at 2am to go fix her phone line so she would be able to call if she had an emergency.Another case of profit winning out over a customer's need.Disgusting

What an appalling case of officialdom gone made. Surely the person or persons responsible must face a manslaughter charge!

Cheers

[Ray]

I read that too today in our newspaper!

Sad.

Big business at work! That statement is influenced by the book "Rainmaker" which I have just finished reading where an insurance company does not pay and in the bargain a person who has leukaemia dies, even though it would have been possible to have saved his life! The book indicates how Big Business only looks at profits and does not even pay their legitimate dues!

[Parihaka]

Massive slip creates new lake 2km long

The Press | Thursday, 27 September 2007

ADDING A WATER FEATURE: A massive slip in Mount Aspiring National Park has created a new lake, thought to be about 2km long and at least at least 50m deep.

A helicopter pilot who discovered a massive slip that has created a new lake said he had never seen anything like it.

Helicopter pilot Harvey Hutton, who knows Mount Aspiring National Park well, said he was completing a venison recovery operation about 7.30am yesterday when he discovered half a mountainside had collapsed and a lake had formed behind the slip.

"It's the first major one (slip) I've seen and probably the biggest in my lifetime," Hutton said.

He believed the lake was at least 50m deep and would need to be filled a bit more before it overflowed.

Hutton contacted the Department of Conservation and flew staff and a geologist back into the area to view the slip.

Debris has completely dammed the North Branch of the Young River, 3km upstream of the confluence with the South Branch.

The slip came off what is known locally as Haunted Spur.

The slip started at 1500m and travelled about 900m to the valley floor.

The dam it created is thought to be up to 70m high and the water backing up behind it is currently 30m below the top.

The still-rising lake is now estimated to be 2km in length and 500m at its widest point. The North Branch of the Young below the obstruction is currently dry.

DOC staff and an independent geologist, Geoff Bryant, of Alexandra, flew in to the Young late morning and came out mid-afternoon.

Bryant said the dam was made up of massive rocks and that the water would settle and eventually flow over the top.

Because of the size of the rocks in the obstruction he doubted that there would be a catastrophic failure.

Lying below the obstruction is a swing bridge and some 9km of a popular tramping track, part of the Gillespie Pass Circuit.

This is a three to four-day tramp that connects the Young and Wilkin valleys.

DOC staff have checked the track's intention book and are confident no-one is in the area.

DOC's Wanaka area manager, Paul Hellebrekers, said warning signs had been erected at the track entrances, in all the huts and visitor centres.

"We strongly advise that people stay well away and not travel in the Young at present."

[Parihaka]

Mt Ruapehu strikes again

Mount Ruapehu erupted unexpectedly last night, with the crater glowing orange in the dark and rocks and ash crashing down the northern and eastern slopes in two lahars from the crater lake.

Activity was first noticed in the crater lake at about 8.30pm, said police communications centre spokesman Sergeant Bruce Mackay. It came with no warning.

Ash clouds plumed, causing aviation authorities to keep planes clear of the area. Ash landed on the Turoa and Whakapapa skifields, which were evacuated.

Emergency services upgraded the event to a full eruption as the lahars began spilling down the sides of the mountain, closing the Desert Road and the Waiouru-Ohakune road, and shutting down the main trunk railway.

All emergency and related services were activated and began operating under the lahar plan created for the huge lahar mudslide on March 18 this year.

GNS Science duty volcanologist Craig Miller said there was no warning.

"Looking at our seismic instruments, it was pretty much from nothing to full-on in a minute," he said. "This is probably most similar to the 1969 or 1975 eruptions which occured without warning and when the lake was cold - as it is at the moment."

Mr Miller said the eruption was accompanied by a magnitude 2.9 quake and shaking which lasted seven minutes, with no precursor tremors to give warning.

One lahar ran down through the western boundary of the Whakapapa skifield, which led to the Whakapapa Stream, he said.

GNS had lost the signals from its equipment at the Dome Shelter, 700m from the crater edge, which indicated there had been some significant action at the top of the mountain.

One of two climbers in the Dome Shelter was reported to be injured by falling debris. Mr Miller said the ash cloud was below the 15,000 foot level but rising.

"The MetService have recorded some signatures from an apparent ash cloud on their radar and aviation authorities are already keeping planes clear of the area," he said.

The roads were reopened at 11pm.

The eruption came only days after fears were voiced that the the next Mt Ruapehu lahar generated by an eruption could hit the whole mountain, putting lives at risk on the ski-slopes.

Scientists said the lahar could flow down five catchments, not just one as it did on March 18 when the crater rim burst, sending 1.3 million cubic metres of water and debris down the Whangaehu River.

Conservation Department scientist Harry Keys said the lahar warning system, or Erlaws (Eastern Ruapehu Lahar Alarm Warning System), performed well.

But it would be redesigned to cope with an emergency covering the whole mountain, not single catchments.

So the downside is the Young river which is a brilliant walking track is out for the time being, the upside is that the new lake, if it survives, will provide some magnificent fishing for those of us capable of walking in. The ski season in the Nth Island is buggered with Ruapehu burping again but I'm done for the year anyway so who cares.
Ain't nature grand

[Parihaka]

OoE'll love this one

Police shoot and miss dog 12 times during domestic
New 2:31PM Wednesday October 03, 2007
By Hamish Stuart

Police shot at - and missed - a snarling dog up to 12 times outside a Porirua house last night, after a man tried to incite the animal into attacking the officers.

The 19-year-old man also threw a tomahawk axe, logs and bottles at police who had come to arrest him, before hiding behind a fence and turning to use his partner's rottweiler on the officers.

Police were called to the house, on the corner of Mungavin and Warspite Avenues, about 10.40pm to attend a domestic incident involving the man and the dog-owner.

The officers searched the property, finding the man in the back yard. He began throwing objects at police, before leaping over the back fence and re-arming himself with an axe and a baseball bat.

Inspector John Spence said the man then took his partner's rottweiler and "hyped it up, pulling its lead and screaming at the dog", and set it on police.

Officers at the scene tried to pepper spray the "large, lunging rottweiler", but the spray had no effect.


The young officers at the scene then began shooting at the dog as it ran around the property, he said.

When asked why police fired so many shots at the dog, Mr Spence said shooting at moving things in real life was different to shooting at targets at the range.

"It was a small, fast moving target. I am satisfied no members of the public were put at risk [by the shooting]," he said.

The dog was returned to its owner, and police are not asking for the dog to be put down.

"It belongs to the woman at the house, and we do not want to victimise her further by killing her dog."

The 90-minute stand-off ended when police set their own dogs on the man, inflicting leg wounds serious enough to warrant surgery at Wellington Hospital. Police had three dogs at the scene.

Detectives were still at the house this afternoon, examining the scene and questioning witnesses.

A 19-year-old man will appear in Porirua District Court tomorrow, charged with a number of weapons offences including using a dog as a weapon, and for damaging his neighbour's car.

[Parihaka]

yes, life in NZ really is this boring

A rapidly rising lake formed by a massive landslide in the Mount Aspiring National Park will overflow in the next two days, authorities warn, causing a major flood in a sparsely populated valley.

Frenzied media excitement at the discovery of the lake in the northern branch of the Young River last week has turned to concern as heavy rain in the area pushed the lake level to within 3m of overflowing by yesterday afternoon – a rise of 9m since Friday.

The rate of increase slowed yesterday as water started pouring from the bottom of the slip area.

The Department of Conservation (DOC) closed the Young Valley on Monday and Makarora Valley residents and tourism operators, a few kilometres downstream from the confluence of the Young and Makarora rivers, were warned at a public meeting yesterday to stay away from the rivers.

Farmers with low-lying paddocks have been told to move stock and machinery.

Otago Regional Council (ORC) chief executive Graeme Martin said the flood, which is expected to happen in the next few days, would completely reform the valley river flats but would not threaten homes or State Highway 6 between Wanaka and Haast.

"This is going to be a major flood and debris event that will spill out a lot of water, debris, trees and other things from the Young River into the Makarora."

It may take months or even years to be stabilise parts of the flood-affected area, he said.

Geologists and representatives of the Queenstown Lakes District Council, DOC and ORC checked the lake twice by helicopter yesterday. Monitoring cannot take place beside the lake because the narrow valley is unstable, DOC has said.

DOC Wanaka's area manager, Paul Hellebrekers, said all agencies concerned were taking every precaution.

"There is disagreement between experts as to how much the overflow will scour or erode the slip area which formed the lake, but at 2km long, and up to 500m wide and 100m deep, it is expected to be a permanent geographic feature in the area."

The New Zealand Geographic Board, an independent body responsible for the naming of natural features around the country, confirmed yesterday an approach had already been made regarding a possible name.

Board secretary Wendy Shaw said assigning place names involved submissions, consultation with government agencies, iwi and affected parties, and listing in the NZ Gazette.

Names should avoid duplicates, be in good taste, and those which have historic, geographic or particular local significance are favoured, according to the board's criteria.

Rugby enthusiasts may be interested to know the lake cannot be called Richie McCaw – no-one can have a feature named after them while they are alive.

I do wish someone would set up a webcam

[Parihaka]

And our latest sporting triumph over those Aussie buggers

Transtasman bus driver of year from Christchruch
11:40AM Monday October 01, 2007

A New Zealand bus driver has shown he is the best behind the wheel, winning first place in the inaugural trans-Tasman bus drivers' "roadeo" on the weekend.

New Zealand and Australian bus and coach companies pitted their driving, bus knowledge and customer service skills against each other at the Wigram Air Base in Christchurch on Sunday at the Tranzqual ITO Australasian Bus Roadeo.

Sixteen New Zealand drivers and three Australians took part.

Mike North from Red Bus in Christchurch was named Bus Driver of the Year.

Second place went to Australian driver Roy Ida from Parramatta, and third place was won by Ranui Hui from Ritchies Transport in Swanson.

The award for best customer service went to Palmerston North driver Matthew Best from Tranzit Route Services.

Organisers said the drivers were chosen to compete in the event because of their low complaint and accident rates, customer service skills and professionalism.

[Parihaka]

NZ women 'promiscuous'

4:37PM Saturday October 13, 2007

A new survey suggests that New Zealand women are the most promiscuous in the world.

The survey, by condom firm Durex, has found New Zealand women have an average of more than 20 sexual partners in their lifetimes. The global average is just 7.3 partners.

New Zealand is also unusual for being the only country where women report having more sexual partners than men.

"NZ women 'promiscuous"
Gee, ya think

[Debbie]

She falls off - that is gonna hurt and they will deflate. All that silicone all over the road. Messy. He seems to be enjoying himself though.

[glyn]

A modern Lady Godiva, and as usual there had to be a Peeping Tom.

[Parihaka]

and on the other side of the coin

Anti-terror raids in New Zealand

New Zealand police have allegedly discovered weapons training camps in a series of anti-terrorism raids under way today.

Prominent Maori activist Tame Iti was among those taken in by police, his lawyer Louis Tekani told Fairfax Media.

He is facing arms charges this afternoon in the Rotorua District Court and Mr Tekani denied any terrorism connection.

Police have been executing warrants under the Suppression of Terrorism Act and the Firearms Act in a series of co-ordinated raids.

The office of Prime Minister Helen Clark is being kept informed over what is going on.

Fairfax Media understands a top secret "O Desk" group met at the Beehive earlier this month to hear what was planned for today.

Weapons training camps were targeted by armed officers on properties throughout the country in this morning's raids, Police Commissioner Howard Broad confirmed.

Speaking at a media conference, Mr Broad said that police were acting on information that over 2006/2007 a number of people had been conducting and participating in training camps in the eastern Bay of Plenty involving the use of firearms and other weapons.

"Based on the information and the activity known to have taken place, I decided it was prudent that action should be taken in the interests of public safety."

More than 300 police staff were involved at the peak of the operation this morning. Many of them had now returned to their normal duties.

Searches of the scenes had resulted in the seizures of firearms and arrests for firearms offences.

He said that search warrants were obtained under the Summary Proceedings Act to search for evidence of offences being committed against the Arms Act and possibly the Terrorism Suppression Act.

Police would be gathering and assessing all available evidence before making a decision as to the nature of the charges to be laid under the TSA.

"We're aware that this is the first time that the Terrorism Suppression Act has been considered in terms of an operation.

"We are, therefore, proceeding with full care in talking to people and assessing information before we can determine whether there is sufficient evidence to seek the consent of the Attorney General through the Solicitor General to charge anyone under that Act."

Mr Broad said a number of firearms had been found in this morning's raids.

He said around 10 people had been arrested and police expected to lay charges against them.

Once the operation was over police would assess all information before them before charging anyone under the Terrorism Act.

He urged people not to jump to conclusions.

Investigation would take quite a bit of time before being completed. In due course the full facts would be placed before the courts.

Campaigners from various Maori sovereignty, environmental and "peace" groups are implicated.

"These guys are serious. They are talking of killing people," a source said.

Mr Iti was woken at 4am today.

"From what he's told me, he heard someone rustling outside and from there the police issued instructions for him to come out," Mr Tekani said.

"He's co-operated with the police and nothing untoward has happened."

Although he was in the Rotorua police cells no charges had been laid and Mr Tekani had seen no summary of facts. He said there was no suggestion of terrorism.

"If it wasn't so serious it would be laughable," he said.

"To charge someone for terrorism type offences is a serious matter. It will be interesting to see what the summary of facts says."

Mr Tekani said locals figured something was happening as early as Saturday because of unusual police traffic in the area.

The Terrorism Suppression Act 2002 requires the police to seek the approval of the Attorney-General before court proceedings are initiated.

More than 60 other people from around the country who have allegedly been recorded talking to, and in some cases training with, the arrested group will also be brought in for questioning.

Some of them are known to have pulled out once they realised the level of violence allegedly being planned.

Police units infiltrated the training camps during months of investigation - sometimes being within metres of those allegedly firing live rounds.

Investigators believe although the groups were training together, they were each planning to hit targets related to their own interests although all the hits would be co-ordinated to cause maximum chaos and stretching police resources across the country.

Rotorua lawyer Annette Sykes said this morning's raids were "overkill" and likened them to "the invasions last century".

"A lot of people had their homes entered this morning," she said.

Ms Sykes said she could not understand why police were using the Suppression of Terrorism Act to conduct the raids.

"They've screwed the people everywhere," she said.

[BD1]

A question for Kiwi about Keas : are they really that nifty ?
YouTube - kea parrot

Ever after reading about them in Durrell´s book I´d like to adopt one

[Parihaka]

A question for Kiwi about Keas : are they really that nifty ?
YouTube - kea parrot

Ever after reading about them in Durrellīs book Iīd like to adopt one

Yep, they won some discovery channel competition for what is the smartest animal hands down. As you can see they're cooperative and can solve multiple-stage problems. I've seen them virtually demolish a car (they always seem to go for the late model ones), take small animals on the wing (they behave more like hawks than parrots) and watched their North Island cousins the Kaka beat up adult cats.
They're protected which means you can't keep one which IMO is a mistake, I'd like to see cats slowly eradicated from NZ and Keas kept as pets instead.
Downside is that they will attack babies if given the chance.
They're smart beautiful wild creatures and I love them.