So, Cost of Living increases

[TheDemonLord]

It was already chronically understaffed before Covid, as this pre-Covid article suggests (apologies for the 'socialist' source material but they quote a lot of front line sources as well.)

https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE19...is-worsens.htm

With the people I've been speaking to - (some of whom have decades of experience in the Health system) - their take is something like this:

"Hospitals are always understaffed to some degree, Normally the change is gradual over time, so you don't notice it so much - with the Mandates, it was sudden and very noticeable"

(that's paraphrasing several people btw)

Also - It's always fun to see Socialists tearing into other Socialists - The Left always eats their own.

[eldog]

Back on topic. Threads always turn into politicking and people reaching for their Thesaurus to impress others with BIG WORDS.
I saw $5.99 for a small lettuce yesterday.

Roll on spring and I might just dig up the back lawn and plant veges. My Dad was a keen gardener and we had an excellent supply of all sorts of fresh vegetables. I doubt my parents hardly ever paid for potatoes in their life. For years I was in charge of feeding our chickens and I sold the surplus eggs to the local Dairy over the road for pocket money. Many families were quite self sufficient in the 60s and 70s when it came to growing their own food in the backyard. I guess my generation just got spoilt by the convenience of supermarkets. Now backyards are for spa pools and trampolines [guilty!]

Pleased I didn't upgrade the car a couple of years ago when I had the pipe dream of buying a Mustang. Happy to be still chugging along in the little fuel efficient hatchback. I notice more gas guzzler cars seem to be frequenting those road side places where people park up to sell their cars. I laugh at one everyday when I pass it that has been there more months. One of those early 90s Mitsubishi V6 saloons (Magna/Diamante?). A neighbour got one new in the 90s and often complained how greedy it was on fuel and said he regretted buying it.

I do think we are heading for tougher times financially but that's the cycle. I remember being worried about my staff Super fund plummeting after 1987 and again in 2008. That last one bounced back really well though after a few years. The recovery was even better than the fall so the long term trend was a bonus windfall.

Nothing wrong with having a garden.
Mum is into gardening and convinced dad to do all the heavy stuff when she couldn't. She tried, unlike a lot of snowflakes of today. She epitomized the WW2 women rolling up her shirt sleeves tee shirt "let's make it work". I brought her the tee shirt. She still wears it today.
Dad often tried to get us to help with his vege garden, although we considered it hard work(what kid wouldn't?) Looking back it brought quite a bit of good times working together and later reward. I don't have time for it ATM, maybe when I retire, stuff to do but unable to do it?

On the Mitsi Diamante. I had the pleasure of driving one of these "accountants cars" soft suspension and when cold the transmission had a delay.....
Long distance fuel economy was great if you were reasonable 650 km on a single tank was my record.
Around town it was 300-400.
When in sport mode could easily keep up with hoons....
In comfort. Good times. Gone but not forgotten.

one of the first Aussie built 3.5 v6 auto with intelligent transmission.
yep had to wait for torque converter to wake up, in the morning.
it cruised because it wasn’t a company vehicle, didn’t eat tyres, probably the way it was driven.

[pete376403]

On the Mitsi Diamante. I had the pleasure of driving one of these "accountants cars" soft suspension and when cold the transmission had a delay.....
Long distance fuel economy was great if you were reasonable 650 km on a single tank was my record.
Around town it was 300-400.
When in sport mode could easily keep up with hoons....
In comfort. Good times. Gone but not forgotten.

V6 Mitsi were used by MOT back in the Black & White days. They could get along ok. One of my work colleagues had one. Consumption was a tossup between gas and front tyres (company car, eh?)

[F5 Dave]

So I really don't get cars. Butt fuk, I drove a rental Mitz V6 abot 15 yrs ago over rough backroads. Jeezuz they just didn't care about suspension, it was so Fukn crude. I was used to my van and it was completely shite in comparison. I bought some generic mazda 2 yrs back after 30 yrs with vans and was surprised how good a car could handle . An ex bike salesman told me selling cars, people don't even want to drive them, just what colour do they come in and impress me with gadgets.

[R650R]

Had a 93 Aussie built 3L v6 v3000 5 speed manual. Nothing wrong with fuel consumption, like most vehicles any failings in performance are mostly due to the nut behind the wheel.
New (old) cage is 200kw 3.5L v6 and just did 800km road trip on about 57L 96.

I seen an article other day sped tickets are about to get “adjusted” for inflation first time since 1992 or something. Nothing at all to do with this govts out of control spending....

[eldog]

Had a 93 Aussie built 3L v6 v3000 5 speed manual. Nothing wrong with fuel consumption, like most vehicles any failings in performance are mostly due to the nut behind the wheel.
New (old) cage is 200kw 3.5L v6 and just did 800km road trip on about 57L 96.

I seen an article other day sped tickets are about to get “adjusted” for inflation first time since 1992 or something. Nothing at all to do with this govts out of control spending....

The old Diamanté could have done with another cog, 800 km might have been achievable.

My current bike the same, 100 kph could do with a different ratio box to get fuel eco up.
it was obviously designed for a higher long distance kph

[MD]

- My Dad still maintains a sizeable herb/vege garden.

Perhaps I should force myself to have an interest in Gardening...

Springs to mind the words of our most famous NZ Philosopher who may well have been predicting our current woes and even a vailed hint at Covid.

If it weren't for your gumboots, where would ya be?
You'd be in the hospital or infirmary
'coz you would have a dose of the 'flu, or even pleurisy
If ya didn't have yer feet in yer gumboots"

Lets all get into gardening.

[R650R]

The old Diamanté could have done with another cog, 800 km might have been achievable.

My current bike the same, 100 kph could do with a different ratio box to get fuel eco up.
it was obviously designed for a higher long distance kph

I forgot to add... diamanté’s has a 500kg weight penalty over the v3000 versions due to a combination of the twin cam heads, electric seats and other people xtras.

[jellywrestler]

An ex bike salesman told me selling cars, people don't even want to drive them, just what colour do they come in and impress me with gadgets.

shows you the lack of ability of most motorists to even know the difference, and their lack of desire to improve their journies. Still, what doesn't do well at our road speeds these days?

[TheDemonLord]

I seen an article other day sped tickets are about to get “adjusted” for inflation first time since 1992 or something. Nothing at all to do with this govts out of control spending....

Something I saw elsewhere, on a different topic, but I feel is relevant:

"If the punishment for an offence is a Fine, then it is in effect a Tax on the Working Class"

Not a position I had heard before nor one I entirely agree with, but it's certainly got some merit to it.

[eldog]

shows you the lack of ability of most motorists to even know the difference, and their lack of desire to improve their journies. Still, what doesn't do well at our road speeds these days?

It's what I have been saying for ages.

Transport is a method of getting from A to B.
Most people don't care.
They go about the place and life with little regard for others. Put their hand up for everything. And are the first to condemn others.
Getting worse by the decade.

[onearmedbandit]

An ex bike salesman told me selling cars, people don't even want to drive them, just what colour do they come in and impress me with gadgets.

While it's been a couple years since I've been active in the industry I still have many good friends who either own or manage dealerships, from yards that sell 15 per month to ones that sell 180 per month. And nothing has changed, over 90% of sales still involve a test drive.

[george formby]

Something I saw elsewhere, on a different topic, but I feel is relevant:

"If the punishment for an offence is a Fine, then it is in effect a Tax on the Working Class"

Not a position I had heard before nor one I entirely agree with, but it's certainly got some merit to it.

Pretty sure that Switzerland has an income adjusted system for speeding tickets. The more you have, the more you pay.

"In Switzerland – perhaps surprising for a country that is normally rich-friendly – speeding fines take into account the motorist’s income as well as the speed.

The Swede is now facing the maximum possible penalty of 300 days of fines at SFr3,600 a day – a total of SFr1,080,000 ($1.02 million)."

https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/driver-...-fine/23091098

[TheDemonLord]

Pretty sure that Switzerland has an income adjusted system for speeding tickets. The more you have, the more you pay.

"In Switzerland – perhaps surprising for a country that is normally rich-friendly – speeding fines take into account the motorist’s income as well as the speed.

The Swede is now facing the maximum possible penalty of 300 days of fines at SFr3,600 a day – a total of SFr1,080,000 ($1.02 million)."

https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/driver-...-fine/23091098

Interesting - I can see the reasoning - the English side of me though feels that the punishment should be the same, regardless of who it is.

[george formby]

Interesting - I can see the reasoning - the English side of me though feels that the punishment should be the same, regardless of who it is.

Interesting comment. The English are a renowned bunch of Bankers, too.

For the sake of my countrymen, I hope Boris does not cotton onto this..