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random thought about the Google monopoly lawsuit
  • Yes, unfortunately, it still feels like there's really only two telcos in the country - with various rebadged products (skinny, et al - I've list track of who's actually who).

    Then again, our population density is probably off putting for any prospective telcos eyeing up the market!

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    More cuts to come: Health NZ asking for more voluntary redundancies
  • That certainly sounds like the work they've got me involved in (migrating staff onto a common computer platform)

    there's just no way moving the users and computers away from the hospital where all their data and systems reside is going to be an improvement for anyone...

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  • I was curious to hear what people think of the telecom breakup into chorus (and wasn't there a third party as well?) after all these years?

    I was working there at the time, so some of the staff training was entertaining. I felt like they seemed to be on board with the general thrust of the changes, which I was a little surprised about (I expected a little more lip-service, I guess?)

    Has it been a good change? I feel like the national fibre has been great but that's not actually related (but may have relied on the breakup as a precursor?)

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    Aotearoa Weekly Kōrero 8/7/2024
  • I hate how the music gets stuck in my head or has associations I'd rather not mix with my displeasure when dealing with.

    That and my cynical view of aussie companies trying to look local using kiwi music (while the call taker is wherever is cheapest)

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    Aotearoa Weekly Kōrero 8/7/2024
  • What would your ideal hold 'music' be?

    I've always hated these things and think music is a terrible choice as it can only ever reinforce the 'middle of the road' tastes (something I have big problems with in NZ).

    But the ringer sound just reduces your brain to mush after a few minutes as well...

    Would silence work, with the occasional 'you're _n_th in the queue' update? I think that's my best choice

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    Aotearoa Weekly Kōrero 8/7/2024
  • I've been looking at our electricity usage and discovered our meter stopped reporting it's usage a few months ago - that really skews things!

    I chucked in a manual reading which wasn't too far off their estimate, but I'm irked that 'something' has stopped talking. Gave it a few pokes to see but no new data. On the ph to provider now, jooyyyeeee. Powershop really do have some strangely funky hold music, it's quite enjoyable - pity it's mono and basically 8kHz or whatever the phone lines do to muddy everything!

    Also, is it just me or have many of the gentailers stopped publishing their actual rates / seeking new customers?

    My son bought a cold home last week which is working it's way through the house. Sucks...

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    Aratere ferry had steering overhaul three weeks before grounding in Picton
  • Sooo... Does that indicate it's not a steering issue?

    I'm wondering about drunk captains, but really that'd be more of a cruise ship thing, in all fairness

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  • www.rnz.co.nz Public Service Minister Nicola Willis defends job cuts before select committee

    Public Service Minister Nicola Willis was grilled at the governance and administration select committee today about the thousands of job losses.

    What got me the most was:

    > "I am really comfortable with asking government agencies to consider, are there ways that you can innovate to deliver the same level of service while taking less taxpayer dollars to do it."

    > "In fact, that should be how we conduct ourselves every day, not just in the lead up to a Budget"

    Honestly, we've been doing that every year for decades, now!

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    Fuel companies quick to hike prices, slow to drop them - Commerce Commission
  • I'm going to put my tin foil hat on here, stand back and all that...

    ...maybe that was the result of some 'influence' someone applied?

    These are the same muppets that have the great kiwi duopoly a free pass

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    Overhauling our drug policies
  • I thought this was a sad closing paragraph:

    "But if we keep asking the questions, and we keep agitating and we keep presenting the evidence, then hopefully we will get some traction sometime."

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    Govt to convert 35 state schools to charter schools
  • Oh sure, that's what the 3 horsemen are doing, but the schools could play this too... It's risky, but every teacher I've met had indicated things have been bad for decades

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    Govt to convert 35 state schools to charter schools
  • I'm starting to wonder if this is a chance for school boards/principles to get away from 'the MoE overreach' and constant curriculum alterations...

    I can see how it would be tempting to be given funds and get back to teaching how they think is the best way to do it (rightly or wrongly!).

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