Best products from r/newzealand

Thanks for the reply. There are a few points in here which deserve looking into so apologies if this gets long.

Firstly, you pointed out the pricing of the mobile industry in NZ. Thats certainly a problem with a duopoly and one that needs regulation. While I think that pricing is unrelated, in this case, to innovation I absolutely agree that lack of competition will lead to less innovation. Which is perhaps what you were trying to say. But this isnt to do with size its more to do with competition. 2Degree hasnt innovatated as such, it is just undercutting leading to a price war. Which is good.

Telecommunications is actually a great example of big (enormous) businesses doing the innovating. Companies like Cisco have the size and means to spend billiions on their technologies. They will defend those technologies with every ounce of legal power they have and they will attempt to extract as much profit as possible for them. Which as you say is what they are there for and what their investors expect of them. I wouldnt be too impressed if I bought Cisco shares and found they were giving away their IPR to competitors because they thought it would be good for society. In the early days of corporations this was actually possible and management teams constantly ripped off shareholders. Read Niall Fergurson's The Ascent of Money for more on that. So absolutely agree that society needs to create laws to protect society from necessarily amoral business. But back to big business and innovation.

So besides the 'rare' examples of Apple, Google and Cisco mentioned so far (i'll get to the NZ ones in a moment) what other large businesses would possibly be considered innovative. Looking at the Top 500 you see a whole lot of businesses that make the economy possible through materials or sevices (oil, mining, banks, insurance) whihc you dont associate with innovation. Fair enough, although Im sure if you talk to people from the industry they may disagree. You see at the top Wal Mart. Disgraceful company that destroys communities you are most likely thinking. Agreed but wow that company is one of the most innovative in the world. It redefined the concept of logistics. Its supply chain management is the most advanced in the world and getting better every day. They are doing for efficient logistics what Henry Ford did for efficient production.

Now I am only talking about innovation here. I am not trying to argue for the goodness of these companies, just that they can innovate and in many areas only big companies can. Look through that list and see all the tech companies. These companies innovate or die. The Sonys, LGs, Duponts, IBMs, Nokia (went from a forestry company to the worlds biggest manufacturer of phones and helped connect the globe - although hasnt innovated enough it would seem!).

The drug companies are an interesting one. These companies spend billions developign cures to diseases. These cures wouldnt exist without that spend but then these fuckers charge for the pills in the third world where people are dying. But would the pills exist if they didnt? Thats a tough one to argue either way and not on subject at the moment. These big drug companies spend billions developing cures that no small company would have the resource to adequately create and test. Yes they do it for huge profit but it also has enormous benefits.

The simple fact is that average human lifespans and quality of life has increased hugely in the time that corporations have been around. Its impossible to argue against that.

So big companies certainly innovate, and in many cases are the only organisations with the ability to.

Ahh and my NZ examples. Im disappointed that you dont know about these! I think all NZers should be proud when NZ companies are out there battling with companies from local markets 100x the size of ours.

Fonterra not sexy but have a read through here

Air NZ. Well they are a fantastic company and we should all be proud of them being (probably) our most famous global export. Read this especially after point one.

Interested to hear more from you on this statement.

>However, there are many other avenues which yield better returns, at least at this point in time and based on current economic models.

Im not quite sure what you are referring to.

A cheap alternative is used boots from a military surplus store. I used to do all my tramping in old army boots, they did me well. An example. I've had many bad experiences with new boots in the $150 NZ price range that were fresh from the Chinese factory - glue dissolving on the first trip out, soles coming loose etc. etc. Having to duct tape your boots together so that you can walk out is never fun. So yeah, $100 for used army boots is better than $150 for new boots.

Something to be aware of is how your boot's sole's tread will go in different terrain. My Tibet's tread, for example, (the Vibram Masai) is fantastic on scree and mud, but does poorly on some wet rocks and wet tree roots, whereas a boot with larger sections of rubber in the tread will stick to rocks better, but might clog up with mud easier, making muddy conditions more slippery for you. So it's worth your while getting to learn your boots once you have them, so you know what they're good at and bad at.

After boots, I'd prioritise any gear you don't have in the following order:

• Topographical map of region you're tramping in - these are cheap, and essential. Can be purchased from many locations.
  
• Compass? This really depends on where you're tramping. In the Southern Alps, tramping on a compass bearing is near impossible as your available directions of travel are usually upstream, downstream, up the side of the mountain, or down the side of the mountain. But in the North Island, a compass is a lot more essential, especially in places like the Ureweras where the hills are lower and rolling.
  
• Thermal underwear - polypropylene is cheap, warm, and doesn't absorb water. The only real downsides are a) it tends to hold body odour well and b) it melts and/or burns very easily, so when you're working around campfires / hut fires, you have to be careful. Merino wool thermal underwear is also popular, it's definitely warm, it doesn't hold body odour, and it is safe around fire. However, it will absorb water - this doesn't compromise the warmth at all, but it does make you heavier. I typically carry around 2 - 3 thermal tops and 1 - 2 thermal leggings.
  
• Survival blanket - cheap, small, light, these things can save your life.
  
• Windproof layer of clothing - you can avoid the rain when tramping by watching the forecast and picking good days. But you'll never be able to avoid the wind. Windchill can be significant, especially when you are above the bush-line and stop moving for a rest.
  
• Rainproof layer of clothing - Typically people buy a jacket that is windproof and rainproof. I consider rainproofing lower priority, because most of the tramping I do involves river crossings (very few bridges in the Southern Alps) in terrain where if it rains, the rivers flood. So I'm never tramping in the rain anyway.
  
  Lastly, a special word about Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs). These are expensive to buy, but can and do save lives. Most of our mountains have no cellphone coverage, and the Department of Conservation has started removing radios from huts due to funding issues. Luckily, you don't need to buy one, as you can rent them. I strongly urge you to rent one if no-one in your tramping party has one. http://www.locatorbeacons.co.nz/hireoutlets.aspx
  
  Oh, and to reiterate a point someone made elsewhere - sun protection. The NZ sun is very harsh due to the ozone holes Antarctica spawns and throws at us. You will burn rapidly, so a sunhat, sunglasses, and a good sunscreen are essential. I personally use Neutrogena 70+ SPF sport spray because I'm a red-head in the worst hemisphere to be a red-head in, and it's the only sunscreen I've found that I don't immediately sweat off my forehead into my eyes.

> Money is a technology. And just like every technology it can be made obsolete.

Depends on the technology really. Wheels have been around for bloody ages and still aren't obsolete.

> To allocate resources, direct effort, divide and rule, sure it's useful - especially to the few in a central controlling authority.

> There are some alternatives though.

I used to think community currencies (including time based) were a good idea. But I started learning about the history of money. Two books I recommend are Debt: The First 5000 Years and Money: The Unauthorised Biography

As a form of money time based currencies would most likely have the same flaws as a currency backed by precious metals. Money is more than just a "thing" that you trade for goods and services, unlike what the introduction to economics text books propose it isn't really just a commodity created as a means of exchange. If you think about money as a network of credit exchange that reflects the confidence of the people participating in the economy (rather than as a commodity) the current fiat system makes a lot more sense. Money is basically an IOU, but the important thing with money is that a third party will also accept that IOU as payment for debts some one else owns. If you are really interested read those books (I would start with Money: An Unauthorised Biography first since Debt is about 500 pages)

> Money could be way more powerful and useful to everyone, not just those in control of it.

I agree. That's why I think it would be a good idea to keep money as it is, but have the government create the money (and not the banks).

My advice is:

• Do self project and make a portfolio on git. You are more likely to be hired employer's know you strive to learn something knew everyday.
  
• If you can, read this book Design Patterns Its old but is gold. Its an abstraction of patterns commonly found on any company's code base.
  
• Don't assume you know everything and anything. Employers tend to like people who admit it when they don't know anything. Nobody likes a "know it all"
  
• Learn how to google. Stack overflow will be your best friend
  
• Learn how to debug someone else's code
  
• Be friendly and show to interviewers that you are approachable and open. The IT world is not a one man job. You will be working and be part of a team.
  
• Learn to be able to say/express how and what you think. You will need that skill to convey your thoughts to colleagues, especially to product owners / stake holders.
  
• Don't assume you'll be making this kickass app/program/web service/database from scratch. Chances are, you are highly likely to be maintaining someone else's code.
  
  I was in the same boat as you 3 years ago. CS degree anddd thousands applying for the same position as me. Luckily i got a job in the end. Started applying 3 months before i finished my exam. Ended up getting a job straight after finishing my exams as a junior software developer. :)

The NZ dollar is lower than it's been in a few years making importing components much costlier. We're talking up to 88c high to 63c currently against the US dollar.

Even when the dollar is high, the cost of shipping plus the potential for duty would often nullify any gain or reduce them to be rather minimal. Of course, for stuff bought overseas getting some level of service can also be difficult.

Only when you find a real deal on small things (for the shipping) or things hard to get in NZ is it typically worth it, for example a 1TB SSD for $199 during Black Friday sales. As the lowest price in NZ was still $540 at the time, this was a clear win of $250 or so saved after conversion. Now it's $250, (plus shipping) - $255.43 US, or $400 NZ, and the NZ price is down to $479. Getting quite a bit narrower, but still probably worth it as it's unlikely to require duty. A top end graphics card on the other hand, it going to cost more in shipping, and also certainly attract duty.

Ultimately, I tend to buy a lot of stuff from Computerlounge.co.nz who have amazing service, typically great prices. They also have 7-10% off sales on any excuse, regularly. gpforums.co.nz have a fairly comprehensive ranking of the stores you would find on pricespy.co.nz: http://www.gpforums.co.nz/threads/297771-Experiences-with-Online-Retailers

Never buy from Expert Infotech. Holy shit. If it doesn't show up or it breaks, you're stuffed.

"NZ invention" is a stretch. Here's one on Amazon for $19.99 (or $213.32 for a pack of 10! ???)

https://www.amazon.com/Squatty-Potty-Original-Bathroom-Toilet/dp/B00ESKVN7W/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1542696554&sr=8-3&keywords=toilet+foot+stool

> "The Original Squatty Potty - Made in U.S.A. As seen on Shark Tank and The Howard Stern Show

> If you are a new squatter, the 7” is a great place to start or if consider yourself an advanced squatter, a 9" Squatty Potty will work best. Younger children should use a 9 inch Squatty Potty while teenagers tend to prefer the 7 inch height

> The Squatty Potty may feel different at first, but the body quickly adjusts and the new healthy way of eliminating quickly becomes second nature

> Doctor recommended / endorsed, Strong & durable, Family-friendly and weight capacity-350 pounds"

Would legit recommend, though!

The simple answer is that a better distribution is significantly less unequal than 1/10th = 50%+ of wealth.

There is a really large base of empirical data that shows a clear trend that more unequal societies have diminishing returns on aspects of quality of life for EVERYONE including the most wealthy and their lifespan (See: https://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Level-Equality-Societies-Stronger/dp/1608193411 )

Inequality is associated less societal trust, empathy, effectiveness of social institutions and social services. Rich people in super unequal places have to spend money on security services and other things that rich people in places with well funded, distributed transport and social services etc. don't have to deal with.

I failed level one, two and three. Now I'm working on a Computer Science degree and have won 2 awards from my uni this year.

NCEA doesn't mean jack in the long run. You can just turn 20 and rock up. People start uni at 28, and they're not looked badly on at all.

Keep in mind there are so many options out there. The idea that college is the only way to success is increasingly becoming a myth. Skills will always come ahead in any field. Loving to learn inside or outside of school is important if you want to go far.

If you are looking at alternatives, look here.

Figure out why you failed. Figure out solutions to these problems, and demonstrate these solutions before you're at uni.

Find ways to discipline yourself to learn before university; a free course on Coursera or edX perhaps. This is a good book on study skills.

If you've done Level 1 and 2 though, you obviously have a fair few study skills.

Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions.

It's a difficult term, yeah

I use it as I believe most people do from a gut level these days. Usually elements of control - generally centralised - teaching people to obey and not to question, teaching admiration or following a human person or persons at the top, and often some sort of practice that deviates from the more common, garden-variety religious practice.

So arguably Scientology is a cult, whereas most Baptist churches (who generally don't do those things) are not.

Open Brethren are generally taught to test whatever they hear against the Bible, and not to necessarily trust what they hear from the pulpit. Note this is not to be literalist - they tend to encourage Biblical research and theological learning. (The Laidlaw College in Lincoln Road is where a lot of them study, and they get visiting lecturers from around the world.) So they're more interested in what the latest research suggests about the Bible and what was meant by the original author and what the original audience would have understood - as well as whether that then has relevance today.

The book Reframing Paul is a great example of this - it's all about the Greco-Roman culture at the time and therefore what Paul's letters would have meant in the context of culture and events. E.g. the talk of "head coverings" in church originally came from Paul's discussion with the people of Corinth, in a political climate where the Roman governor's daughter was rebelling by shaving her head to look like a prostitute (because prostitutes then, there, had shaved heads). So Paul's admonition for women to have long hair as a covering was basically "Try to look respectable and not draw unwanted political attention to your religious community lest the Romans crack down on you" - not a general command that women should wear head coverings in church, something it only came to be interpreted as centuries later.

> There needs to be a balance between protecting the environment and economic growth

The problem is that capitalism is inherently imbalanced because it favors growth over everything else.

Read The New Human Rights Movement. Clarifies all of the flaws that capitalism has to offer...

Btw, can you resolve these three questions/problems logically without realizing the need to remove the Market Economy?

1. Given the market economy requires consumption in order to maintain demand for human employment and further economic growth as needed, is there a structural incentive to reduce resource use, biodiversity loss, the global pollution footprint and hence assist the ever-increasing need for improved ecological sustainability in the world today?
   
   
2. In an economic system where companies seek to limit their production costs (“cost efficiency”) in order to maximize profits and remain competitive against other producers, what structural incentive exists to keep human beings employed, in the wake of an emerging technological condition where the majority of jobs can now be done more cheaply and effectively by machine automation?
   
   
3. In an economic system which inherently generates class stratification and overall inequity, how can the effects of “Structural Violence” - a phenomenon noted by public health researchers to kill well over 18 million a year, generating a vast range of systemic detriments such as behavioral, emotional and physical disorders – be minimized or even removed as an effect?

Yes, it was a silly thing to say. Genetic drift could happen very rapidly in an isolated environment (especially with something like facial features).

On the other side of the argument though, I see little to no reason to assume the Moriori were Maori, unless you first assume that humans only ever made it here five times, and left again/died out thrice.

5 times seems like a bold statement, for clarification:

1. 50,000+ YA some dude got volcanoed while cutting down a tree
   
2. 2,000 YA rats made it here
   
3. 750 YA the waka came in a series of migrations
   
4. In 1421: the year China discovered the world China definitely made it here, and definitely left again. (There is undeniable evidence of a meteor strike off the the southern coast of Stewart Island circa 1420, the same as described in the book)
   
5. Good old Cap'n Cook
   
   My comments about the celts and the south americans would be discoveries 1.1 and 2.1 on this list respectively, with the theory of 'Maui the Egyptian being comissioned by the Romans to circumnavigate the world' coinciding with discovery 2). I chose to disclude them from this list due to it being rather controversial.
   
   Edit: lots of edits to all my comments in this thread, I swear I'm sane guys! :p
   
   Most importantly though, it's not just the Maori that are rich with cultural transmission, we were just among the first to have reasonable proof of it. The old 'once out of africa in a straight line' theory is finally being ripped to shreds, I'm sure we'll get plenty more evidence of transmission before we cark it.

Not as much as it you it would appear!

Without googling it I don't know what TSA psychology is........

I like your other reply to the guy promoting meditation also.

The long unnumbered list is from Jordan B. Peterson and related to a condensed list/his book due out next year "12 Rules for Life":

https://www.amazon.com/12-Rules-Life-Antidote-Chaos/dp/0345816021

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJJClhqGq_M

The rest is some of the helpful quotes and sayings attributed to people far smarter than me (which is not hard and therefore basically means most people!) I've found really helpful in orienting my mind to accepting certain difficult parts of reality.

Thanks for the recommendations.

Oh gosh, I have all sorts of favorite NZ books.

Witi Ihimeara's The Whale Rider and Where's Waari? a collection of short stories are two of my favourite books. Ask the Posts of the House is another one. I love all Ihimeara's work. Another book I love is Keri Hulme's The Bone People.

The best one I would go with, if you can find it, is Where's Waari? He's collected short stories from throughout NZ's literary history and put them together in an anthology to tell the story of the Maori. It's one of my favourite books, right up there with Lord of the Rings.

There almost certainly would have been a VHS release back in the day (Wikipedia says LaserDiscs too) - I've got a DVD box set that I bought a couple of years back, was on special for I think $30 at JB HiFi one day so I grabbed it.

Found a couple of NZ sources for it (1, 2), but they're both special-order.

Sadly a lot of the original was shot on magnetic tape so there's never going to be an HD or widescreen re-release to wait for if you want a copy but there are at least PAL transfers; this UK-made version from Amazon is a better price too.

Scientifically the show still holds up pretty damn well, admittedly a lot of the CG is a bit period-cheesy but definitely makes up for it with Carl Sagan's narration. The 2014 Neil deGrasse Tyson Cosmos sequel includes his Pale Blue Dot speech about the Voyager 1 photo - which Sagan requested be taken - which I think captures it nicely.

Without a doubt, get a Stanley mug!

I saw a previous reply mentioning one, which will also be fantastic, but I've got the Stanley Classic Travel Press: https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-Classic-Vacuum-Travel-Press/dp/B00NONDBXI/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=stanley+coffee+press&qid=1550782699&s=gateway&sr=8-5


This thing is simply amazing. I once did a test and left hot water in it- after 22 hours, it was still too hot to touch.

The coffee press also allows for freshly brewed coffee on the fly, which I find super convenient on hikes and camping trips - since I got this mug, I never used my other collapsible hiking coffee drip again.

Sci fi/fantasy books nearly always live up to the hype I find. Grabbed Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal which just won a Hugo Award and it’s super good. Also only $3 right now.

It’s an alt history sci fi where a meteorite hitting in 1952 increases the worlds efforts to go to space. It deftly handles racism and sexism without feeling preachy, with well realised characters and a fascinating concept.

Makes the bus commute so much better

Just my 2 cents here, but if you want to understand our history a little more, I recommend Fairness and Freedom. It compares NZ and the US so will help you to understand our culture and indigenous rights history against the background of your own history, which in turn might help you to understand the comparison a little more.

http://www.amazon.com/Fairness-Freedom-History-Societies-Zealand/dp/0199832706

I read it. It's a short book that disgusts you with every page - these are not the people I want influencing government. I strongly recommend everyone read it - especially National supporters: among other things, it documents an attempt from an extremist right-wing faction to hijack the party and drag it further and further to the extreme.

The media coverage has focussed on juicy "allegations" which do not do the book justice, and give Key single things which he can deny and then make blatantly untrue statements like "Hager's claims are dissolving before his eyes".

If you're not sure that you want to read it, try the free Kindle sample: http://www.amazon.com/Dirty-Politics-poisoning-political-environment-ebook/dp/B00MP7GKZU

It is a left control stick for the Joy Con controller.

Here is a link on Amazon for a seller in the US.

https://www.amazon.com/Veanic-Replacement-Joystick-Nintendo-Controller/dp/B07GM5MP6M/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=joy+con+control+stick&qid=1556409992&s=gateway&sr=8-1

​

I can always order from here but just thought I would rather give a NZ business my money and avoid shipping fees etc. Also good to be in the know for NZ electronics solutions for any future issues.

​

Thanks for any advice!

The resistence you're facing has to be overcome, this isn't just a matter of providing a more sustainable alternative, and not taking into account convenice etc... Fortunately, you seem to already have a handle on the reasons why the throw-away cups "work" in your situation, so the alternative needs to provide those same conveniences.

Simply using mugs sounds like it's not going to work for two reasons, (1) the size problem with your machines and (2) the problem with washing not happening.

One suggestion would be to assign individual cups to staff, kinda like they do in some pubs with "regular" customers. Get a hook board maybe along a wall, and maybe label each hook with an employees name (being sure to consider how tall people are so shorter people and less abled staff can reach their hooks!) and then either (1) encourage people to bring their own mug to use at work, or (2) find a supply of mugs that fit your drinks machines - preferably mugs which can be user-customised in some way.

People are far more likely to wash their own mugs after use if they have sole responsibility for that mug.

Those old school "tin"/ enamel camping mugs can be really popular. I recently stated using one at work to replace all the daily throw-away coffee cups I was using. I even take it with me to the cafe where I buy my morning coffeee. A lot of people in trades like them too, because they don't smash when dropped.

https://www.amazon.com/TeamFar-Coffee-Drinking-Camping-Classic/dp/B01MZ9GV6R/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=tin+camping+mugs&qid=1557819157&s=gateway&sr=8-5

However, despite all this, remember that permamnet-use mugs also have envionmental cost in terms of thier production-related impacts, and their ongoing washing. If you live in a water-short area (Hawkes Bay as an example), constant washing of cups can add to environmental stress.

I have read the book published by the scientists who gave the TED talk I linked, which is probably the best-known book on this subject. In the introduction they dealt with the question of causality at length. If you are truly interested in the subject matter then I would highly recommend giving it a read.

E: Also note that this discussion is about inequality, not poverty. The two are not synonymous. Incidentally, an interesting feature of inequality is that its negative impacts are not confined to the poor but reach right across society.

It's only $20 on Amazon.

Let's support local publishers and authors.

You might be interested in checking out Fairness and Freedom.

E-book edition: http://www.amazon.com/Dirty-Politics-poisoning-political-environment-ebook/dp/B00MP7GKZU

I wouldn't expect the Warehouse to stock anything more serious than the latest ghost-written All-Black autobiography on special for Father's Day.

Are they going to burn Kindles too?

If you can't be bothered to type the vowels in "people", why should we be bothered to do your research for you.

Read Fairness and Freedom

> there is no eBook available.

http://www.amazon.com/Dirty-Politics-poisoning-political-environment-ebook/dp/B00MP7GKZU/