New Zealand Listener Issue 12 2019

No wonder the mooted capital gains tax on property is slow to gain traction with voters. It now turns out we’re getting steadily worse at saving and paying off our debt, so more of us are betting the ranch on capital gains alone. A large proportion of New Zealanders are irretrievably dependent on their property values to fund their retirement, which makes any tax reform politically fraught. Now there’s a new kicker: it turns out fewer and fewer of us will have even paid for those properties by the time we retire. Fitch Ratings reports that this country has one of the world’s highest household debt levels, at 93% of GDP. It’s estimated 70% of homeowners are mortgage-free, which sounds a solid number. But the trend is steeply in the wrong direction. Of…

The Listener has done a remarkable job over the years at keeping the public informed of developments in climate change and March 9’s cover story (“Code red”) is no exception. The article is timely, with such movements as Extinction Rebellion, which seeks much stronger action, arising around the world. Local governments are declaring “climate emergencies”, the Green New Deal’s proposed stimulus programmes to address climate change and economic inequality are gaining popularity in the US, and schoolchildren are striking for the climate. But all this has been a long time coming. We can go back nearly 50 years to 1972 when it became clear that lifestyles were threatening our future. That year, the Club of Rome launched its Limits to Growth book and the UN held the Conference on the Human Environment. Since…

Claudia Freeman, Gisborne FINALISTS Theresa May: “Aha, is that the ‘brick exit’ that everyone is looking for.” – Tony Bevin, Raumati Beach May: “I’ve been framed!” – Hans Zindel, Palmerston North May: “Nice to see a tonne of bricks not on me.” – Rex McGregor, Auckland May: “See EU later.” – Paul Kelly, Palmerston North May: “Some think I’m stonewalling but actually I’m bricking it.” – Owen Marshall, Lynfield, Auckland Caption: St Theresa of the Separatists Church. – Ann Love, Nelson May: “Thank God, the exit!” – Phoebe Wray, Christchurch Caption: Brexit, stage left. – Mark Bradley, St Clair, Dunedin May: “Oh, look, there IS a way out.” – Richard Presling, Auckland May: “That will be where those Europeans sneak in.” – David Sellars, Honikiwi May: “All in all, I’m just another brick in the wall.” – George Martin Tinker, Whangārei Caption: Another…

“The Trump presidency at this point is like when you’ve solved the puzzle at home but the contestants on TV keep on spinning the wheel.” – screenwriter Alex Baze“I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death what I have to say.” – comedian Phil Wang“The most important shot in golf is the next one.” – US golfer Ben Hogan“Social media, quite frankly, is the toilet of the internet.” – Lady Gaga“There are only two tragedies in life: one is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it.” – Oscar Wilde“They say if you want to go somewhere fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” – film director Peter Farrelly“Two of our kids have just moved out…

The beauty of the All Blacks winning ugly Independent Herald, 14/11/18 “There have been possums in the roof for very many years – we need to get rid of them. At the moment the pest control – an air rifle in the roof – is not satisfactory.” Akaroa Mail, 9/11/18 Two people have been arrested for the ram-raid of Bishop Brothers Public House … Video footage showed two women, one dressed in a sheep onesie, directing a car into the window. Star, 8/11/18 The approach involves an “open streets” approach, which means opening the streets to pedestrians and other users by closing them to traffic. NZ Herald, 28/11/18 They had lambs turn up at the homestead in cars “because their mothers ran away”, young men chasing sheep, vehicles stuck in fords and other issues to deal with. Otago Daily…

1. True or false? In chess, the best humans can still defeat the top computer programs. ❑ True ❑ False 2. Which of these is not a marsupial? ❑ Platypus ❑ Tasmanian devil ❑ Wombat ❑ Bandicoot 3. Blackwater fever is a complication of which disease? ❑ Tuberculosis ❑ Malaria ❑ Plague ❑ Influenza 4. Nations that signed the Tripartite Pact during World War II were known as what? ❑ The Axis❑ The Allies 5. In 1995, which very old institution was sent into bankruptcy by a rogue trader? ❑ South Sea Company❑ Medici Bank ❑ East India Company ❑ Barings Bank 6. Which actor starred in the films Ruthless People, Hocus Pocus and The First Wives Club? ❑ Demi Moore ❑ Bette Midler❑ Sharon Stone ❑ Kirstie Alley 7. What kind of mythical object is Yggdrasil, a central aspect of Norse…