Paul H :tinoflag:

An ageing pākehā with middling sensibilities. Embracing the new Aotearoa. Born in Ōtepoti, educated in Tāmaki Makaurau, living in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Worked at IBM for decades. Was contracting to the government. Left-wing. INFJ. Liverpool fan. Strong Hungarian links.

#Ōtepoti #Aotearoa #INFJ #YNWA #Hungary

🇭🇺 🇳🇿

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Last Notes

2026-04-12 21:04:56 UTC

Crowds are chanting 'Ruszkik' haza! right now in Budapest as the city celebrates the downfall of Orbán and FIDESZ.
#hungary

2026-04-08 03:22:22 UTC

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@nprofile…5w5c I am sure this is their strategy. It's maddening and frustrating - and perhaps rather cowardly - but I can understand why they have decided on this milquetoast approach. Trouble is, it makes really hard to make radical changes that are absolutely required when you haven't investing in bringing the public along with you.

2026-04-06 03:18:41 UTC

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@nprofile…agj7 Orwell was very wise and prescient. This is a great extract. The worry is that Orbán's main challenger, Peter Magyar, is from the ranks of FIDESZ and shares many of their values. We hope he is not as corrupt nor as pro-Russian. Maybe he will follow the same trajectory. But that is for the future to decide. Now, we just need change.

2026-04-04 21:41:58 UTC

Budapest, 1989
A young Viktor Orbán at a FIDESZ party event. FIDESZ, most of whose members at that time were young people - it's name is an abbreviation of the Hungarian for the Alliance of Young Democrats - helped Hungary get rid of the old, corrupt Communist political system that had outlived its usefulness. It's now time for another renewal and for his old and corrupt regime to be gone.
Fortepan [ 310619] / Árpád Krizsán
#fortepan #Hungary #Orbán #HU
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/116/348/602/527/182/367/original/8fb817ef9e265754.jpg

2026-04-01 21:58:19 UTC

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@nprofile…agj7 That's an open question according in the blurb I saw. But in my view, given the nature of the assignment, you need a 'war room' approach and have everyone together in the same area, working closely and collaboratively. I appreciate the irony of requiring people to come into the office, but that would be my call if I ruled the world!

2026-04-01 20:44:19 UTC

In Public Sector land, more secondments to work on the National Fuel Plan are being advertised. It's well over a dozen positions. Secondments are now for three months, as opposed to the original 6 weeks. Lots of policy and data analyst roles, plus some senior leadership roles. 7-day roster so you can expect to work on any day of the week. Routine days off are promised though. And of course, an immediate start!
#NZPol

2026-03-31 22:48:20 UTC

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@nprofile…nqtz @nprofile…pp76 @nprofile…wj33 @nprofile…dt95 Yes, I generally find Aprils Fools jokes pretty naff and these days we have enough to worry about without putting up with more stupidity. But this was clever and quite believable on first reading.

2026-03-31 19:33:16 UTC

Well played, Otago Daily Times!
"Albatross colony may be relocated after mineral find"
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/albatross-colony-may-be-relocated-after-mineral-find

2026-03-28 20:58:14 UTC

This photo was taken in a bathroom at my Unnamed Government Agency a few days ago. It always reminds of what it was like to have a government that led us through the crisis of COVID and could communicate so clearly and so well. The sign, which must be 6 years old by now, remains in great condition and is standing the test of time very well. Bit of a metaphor really.
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/116/308/803/165/599/723/original/23e7cf94a1e6d7b8.jpeg

2026-03-27 22:32:52 UTC

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@nprofile…e8mx Happy Birthday and congratulations! I hope have a great day and your whānau spoil you rotten.

2026-03-27 06:18:55 UTC

Incredible really. Bishop tells an infrastructure sector audience today that the fuel crisis could ugly. "It's a scary prospect and I'm not 100% sure the public have quite worked it out yet". (Business Desk, sadly paywalled.) Well whose responsibility is that, do you think? We have banged on about this before, but Luxon is incapable of showing anything remotely like leadership and it is literally his job to do so. That comes with the title, 'Prime Minister', mate Doesn't matter that the situation is not of his doing or that tough, difficult decision will need to be made. That comes with the territory. But his job is to model the behaviour, set the vision, inspire people to give of themselves, that kind of stuff. Instead he is missing in action and his own Ministers are saying, in effect, people don't understand what is going on. Fuck me, it is frightening how bad he is.
#NZPol
https://businessdesk.co.nz/article/infrastructure/fuel-crisis-could-get-ugly-bishop-warns-infrastructure-sector#Echobox=1774552848

2026-03-27 03:46:44 UTC

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@nprofile…unhv I agree, we shouldn't as a country put up with this sort of thing. The thing is, any government here in Aotearoa has very little power over Watties. It's owned by an American company and all but one of its five Directors are Australian. I am not sure what we could do, short of nationalising the company, which is another kettle of fish altogether. You can bet our international treaties and free trade agreements that involve US, protect and allow their corporations to do pretty much whatever they like.
I don't say this to be contrary or a pedant - and apologies if that is how this sounds - but rather to point out that modern capitalism has reduced the power nation states have over their own destinies, especially small countries like ours, to very little. There is very little we can actually do about Watties, and that is the real problem.

2026-03-26 19:54:10 UTC

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@nprofile…xzsh Wow, that's an frickin' awful lot of rain in a short amount of time. Yikes indeed! (I had to convert 42mm to 'old money', i.e 1.7 inches. Weirdly I still need to convert any small linear measurements like this. Everything else I am metric fluent.)

2026-03-25 06:31:51 UTC

If you thought string quartets only play stuffy and irrelevant music, check out the NPR's latest Tiny Desk Concert, featuring the renown Kronos Quartet. Their version of 'Ohio' by Crosby, Still, Nash, and Young was a revelation and really shone new light on this song. You could sense the outrage of the original in their playing. Marvellous. And their playing of 'Strange Fruit' sung so brilliantly by Billie Holiday, was very affecting and very moving. I thought those two pieces were quite stunning in particular. Well worth a listen.
#NPR #TinyDesk #KronosQuartet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWigCEcb4LA

2026-03-25 04:11:07 UTC

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@nprofile…6g3g Oh no! That's sounds unsettling to say the least.

2026-03-24 20:18:13 UTC

The emotional junior staffer is at it again.
#NZPol
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/590544/erica-stanford-accused-of-sending-national-party-video-to-principals-through-ministerial-email

2026-03-22 23:16:05 UTC

Ah dear. So, according to Luxon it's everyone for themselves, and damn your neighbour, when it comes to saving fuel in response to the current crisis.
According to the Stuff article below, "Asked what the government was asking Kiwis to do to save fuel, Luxon said it would be up to each person on how they navigate it."
So hoarding petrol's OK, is it? So, fuck you I've got mine, is how we are going to get through this?
Honestly, he is just the pits.
#NZPol
https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360954513/luxon-points-hamilton-saturday-night-explain-what-matters-most-kiwis

2026-03-22 20:09:24 UTC

I saw this social media post from Luxon on Reddit (Unfortunately I can't tell either the source or the date of the extract but maybe Facebook? Full text in the alt-txt)
The man is seriously delusional. His dig at Labour's response to Covid ignores the thousands of lives saved. And if he thinks we can 'austere' our way out of the crisis, he will only make things worse. The man has no heart, no vision, and his without an iota of inspiring leadership to rally the country behind the difficult decisions that will inevitably be required.
We all suspected he was incapable of anything beyond platitudes and corporate-speak and would be found out in a time of crisis. Now we know for sure.
#NZPol
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/116/274/626/475/380/091/original/4c3bc5d7e0475ce8.jpeg

2026-03-22 06:40:44 UTC

Willis is cosplaying as someone who knows what they are doing by getting all dressed up in workers kit at the Marsden Oil Refinery as an oil tanker arrives. Photos in the article if you are of a mind. Cringeworthy quite frankly.
"At a press conference at Northland’s Marsden Point on Sunday, Willis said ships carrying fuel to the country were “continuing to turn up, as expected”.
#NZPol
https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360954436/nicola-willis-says-we-have-enough-fuel-now-economists-are-sceptical-it-will-stay-way

2026-03-22 01:09:07 UTC

Lunch today was a Spinach, Goat's Cheese and Beetroot Tartine. Or something similar anyway. Nice and tasty but I suspect feta might have been a better choice because I like salt! [Recipe in the alt-txt.]
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/116/270/153/449/865/189/original/6560a4cfba5f62fb.jpeg

2026-03-18 22:01:21 UTC

The cookers are firmly in charge. What a disgrace. Look at the company we are keeping.
"Of the 11 other nations which have rejected the rules changes, only four – the United States, Italy, Israel and Argentina – did so without indicating they still intended to accept them at a later date, but needed more time to do so. The United States has since left the World Health Organization entirely.
“New Zealand is aligning itself with the Trump administration and with [US health secretary] RFK Jr in particular, who is of the conspiracy type,” Clark said."
#NZPol
https://newsroom.co.nz/2026/03/18/nz-aligns-with-fringe-rfk-jr-in-rejecting-who-pandemic-rule-changes/

2026-03-10 03:58:58 UTC

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@nprofile…xvcz And, oh, sorry you are unwell!

2026-03-10 03:57:21 UTC

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@nprofile…xvcz Moar screens!

2026-03-09 23:28:54 UTC

Number 10 COVID vaccination done!
It always impresses how quickly your vaccination record is updated. I know it entered at the pharmacy’s computer in real time but it still a bit of a wonder.
#covid
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/116/201/797/324/782/369/original/9687be39834eda47.jpeg

2026-03-07 20:08:18 UTC

We watched Hamnet last night, the much lauded film about the death of William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway's son and the supposed influence of this on the play, Hamlet. The real star of the movie, and its focus, is not Shakespeare however, but Agnes, aka Anne Hathaway, played brilliantly by Jessie Buckley. Her grief at the death of her son almost unbearable to watch. Surely she must win the Oscar for best actress. And as always when you have some context as to what Shakespeare was writing about, even fictionally, his plays really do come alive. Thoroughly worth watching. Five stars.
#MovieReview
#Hamnet
https://www.rnz.co.nz/life/screens/movies/the-explosive-grief-and-relief-of-hamnet

2026-03-05 19:13:14 UTC

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@nprofile…92lc A tangle of eels?

2026-03-05 18:44:08 UTC

A bad week for Luxon and the National Party just got worse.
"Curia poll due today to show National down from 31% to 28%, the lowest level since Bridges and Collins; Luxon leadership talk returns; Jet fuel prices up 12%; Hardship rejections up 66%."
#NZPol
https://thekaka.substack.com/p/dawn-chorus-national-slumps-to-28

2026-03-05 04:52:13 UTC

One of the hallmarks of a leader is to provide moral clarity in the time of crisis - what are the right and the wrong things to be doing. Spain's PM, Pedro Sánchez, has clearly demonstrated that in his response to the US and Israel war on Iran. I liked that he said, paraphrasing, "It is the function of a government to protect and to improve the lives of its citizens." and that should be the test of any government's response, especially, but not only, in a time of crisis. That's it, political leadership in a nutshell. Anything a government does, any piece of legislation it passes, any regulations it promulgates - that's the test. Does it improve the lives of its citizens? And that does not always mean "economic growth". Our lives have far deeper and richer dimensions than just economic wealth - although clearly that is very important.
By this measure, our government is a failure. You can apply Sánchez’s test to so many of this government’s policies and you will struggle to see how they improve the lives of us as citizens. Deep sea mining? Codifying English as an official language? Debasing Te Tiriti? Restricting voting enrolments? Building mega roads? The list is endless.
Arggghhh!
#NZPol

2026-03-05 04:31:22 UTC

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@nprofile…rp72 Thanks for the reminder as I find myself in the same boat. I think @nprofile…urmy may have also mentioned that there was a "new" vaccine variant so I am now good to for next Tuesday. I am certainly hearing ancedotally of more COVID cases around.

2026-03-02 21:07:38 UTC

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Luxon has now walked back what he said about "any action". He is such a numpty. So embarrassing to have him as our PM.
"Chris Luxon says he misspoke yesterday saying “any action” was supported if it stopped Iran developing nukes. He says he should have said “action”.
https://bsky.app/profile/henrycooke.bsky.social/post/3mg45mcind22c

2026-03-02 18:17:54 UTC

If you have a minute, take a look at this clip from yesterday's press conference and watch Luxon utterly flounder when asked, as a follow-up question, if New Zealand would support "carpet bombing" of Iran. He is so far out of his dept, it's embarrassing. (The clip is from Henry Cooke on Bluesky but you shouldn't need an account to watch it.)
#NZPol
https://bsky.app/profile/henrycooke.bsky.social/post/3mg2kdiv47c2c

2026-03-02 06:33:15 UTC

This is a great blog post on the importance of regulations or perhaps of a "well regulated society".The right would have you believe regulations are somehow constricting and affront to 'our' freedom. But as @nprofile…td4u succinctly states, "Companies that stand to make a huge profit by dumping their waste and harming their employees and innocent bystanders are the ones that want regulations removed." Well worth a read.

2026-03-01 19:34:16 UTC

I never quite understand how people can dress in shorts and short-sleeved shirts in weather like this (cold, wet, feels like 3). Is it a form of being staunch? Or do some people genuinely not feel the cold?
#OfficeLife

2026-02-27 20:59:16 UTC

I am not surprised that Ardern has chosen not to live here in Aotearoa. Many of our best and brightest have made the same choice. But what I find really sad is that she is being driven from her homeland by the rank, vile misogyny that passes for everyday discourse among the right. An academic, Dr Sanjana Hattotuwa, studied social media comments following Ardern's decision to move to Australia. He reported a surge in rampant, unhinged hateful abuse of Ardern. Even Erica Standford, who is of a similar age, made some snarky, belittling comment. We really a pathetic little country sometimes.
#NZPol
#Ardern
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/588036/former-prime-minister-dame-jacinda-ardern-moving-to-australia

2026-02-27 04:25:10 UTC

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@nprofile…nlzd Such a stirring song. It's a pity it has been co-opted by the little englanders when at its heart it calls for a radically different, better England than that which existed at the time. Great choice.

2026-02-25 19:08:38 UTC

A fascinating chart towards the bottom of this article in The Post on the recent approval ratings of key figures.
It comes as no surprise to me that Ardern remains the most widely favoured (recent) politician in Aotearoa, nor that Hipkins has the highest rating of the current crop. Nor that of the current party leaders, Seymour has the highest unfavourability rating. Never forget he and his party are deeply unpopular with the vast majority of voters.
Disappointing that Te Pāti Māori rates so low. Racism no doubt plays a large part in that but they have not helped themselves with their internal divisions.
#NZPol
The Post via Archive.today (unpaywalled).
http://archive.today/hSUYn

2026-02-21 06:08:56 UTC

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@nprofile…wj33 @nprofile…58r0 Regardless Bob, that's an impressive score!

2026-02-20 23:48:24 UTC

Another fun game. Can you remember colours and recreate them? In this game you get shown a colour for about 5 seconds and then you have to recreate it using three sliders. It's harder than you think.
Via Kottke.
https://dialed.gg

2026-02-13 04:30:19 UTC

Fire and Rain, by James Taylor
One the of the greats. Written after Taylor was told of the death of a childhood friend.
🎵Just yesterday morning they let me know you were gone
Suzanne, the plans they made put an end to you
I walked out this morning and I wrote down this song
I just can't remember who to send it to 🎵
#JukeboxFridayNight
#FireSmokeAndHeat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSb7fmPR5CM

2026-02-06 18:33:03 UTC

Post boxes at Norsewood
#OnTheRoad #WaitangiDayWeekend
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/116/025/116/805/661/747/original/7afa59db62c68737.jpeg

2026-02-05 03:06:36 UTC

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@nprofile…thu3 I went to Moore Wilson's this morning and was surprised how quiet it was. Normally before a long weekend it is pretty busy.

2026-02-04 23:27:44 UTC

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@nprofile…k8p2 @nprofile…wj33 @nprofile…xpw3 Because I am 'time rich' these days, I downloaded a dataset of documents relating to the Epstein case. So many! And virtually all of the documents have some redactions. Based on my experience at Kāinga Ora it must have taken a lot of people a lot of time to do these redactions.

2026-02-04 22:34:48 UTC

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@nprofile…k8p2 @nprofile…wj33 @nprofile…xpw3 One time when working at Kāinga Ora I was tasked, along with others, of redacting non-relevant personal information from 100s on emails connected with an employment dispute. We started off my printing them off and using a black highlighter to redact information - because that was the way it had always been done in HR. I quickly realised this was madness and got a full license for Adobe Acrobat so we could use its redact feature. So much more efficient. My point is that many people have no idea about this sort of stuff and IT departments need to be aggressive in providing tools and processes to manage it.

2026-02-01 23:38:45 UTC

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@nprofile…pp76 A family member has a friend who works in this space (Predator Free) and thinks the move of the company into DOC is a good thing. By all accounts a largish sum part of the funding went into the inevitable overheads of having a seperate company. Bringing the work more fully into DOC will help concentrate what funding there is and leverage off the larger organisation. From my time in DOC there were a lot of passionate and smart people doing great work in the predator free space. Mind you, the overall funding for DOC remains an issue given our terrible government so you are right to be concerned about that.

2026-01-29 00:27:39 UTC

This is extremely concerning, if not entirely surprising. It reflects very poorly on Sanford of course but let's not forget that the MP for Epsom is also Associate Minister for Education. It would be no surprise to me if he is having an out-sized influence on the politicisation of the curriculum. Classic Atlas Network strategy.
"A former Education Ministry employee says development of the new school curriculum was heavily politicised, causing extensive rewrites and sidelining subject experts. [...]
"As a curriculum writer, I was asked to disregard the evidence, the research, and decades of my own experience.
"I watched colleagues run back and forth to the Beehive for approval, watched academics and sector experts be removed from writing teams in favour of corporate resource creators, and saw curriculum documents change radically over a matter of hours in response to the latest red-pen notes from ministers.
"Public servants and their expertise were routinely disregarded, bullied, and removed for not aligning with a predetermined outcome."
#NZPol
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/585317/ex-education-ministry-staffer-says-new-school-curriculum-heavily-politicised

2026-01-23 20:04:01 UTC

Samarkand, Uzbekistan, 1971.
Returning to one of my favourite photographers on Fortepan, Sándor Kereki, this is an impressive image of the Jewish cemetery in Samarkand.
Source: Fortepan [204761] / Sándor Kereki
#fortepan #Samarkand #Uzbekistan #JewishLife #cemetery
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/115/942/054/821/760/439/original/48179d2d0ef8b503.jpeg

2026-01-23 06:22:46 UTC

Maybe it would have been OK if she signed the letter in her personal capacity. Seems OK when Peters does it.
"Reserve Bank Governor Anna Breman sorry for signing international letter without seeking advice."
#NZPol
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/360928909/reserve-bank-governor-anna-breman-sorry-signing-international-letter-without-seeking-advice

2026-01-22 01:17:52 UTC

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@nprofile…eahp The word is, apparently, used in many contexts, exactly as you describe. One of my favourites is a 'fapados home office' which describes working with your computer on your lap while sitting on a dining room chair :-) But, yes, we are increasingly getting a 'fapados' health service!

2026-01-21 19:07:01 UTC

Hungary, 1948
Fapados in Hungarian literally means "having wooden benches". It has now morphed into meaning something low-cost, often with a degree of physical discomfit. So flying on a budget, low-cost airline is now referred to as 'flying fapados'.
Source: Fortepan [204332] / Dr Miklós Somlói
#fortepan #Hungary #fapados
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/115/931/185/653/116/134/original/dd8c0cb2c6c8de14.jpeg

2026-01-20 20:21:02 UTC

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@nprofile…rzay Agreed. Everything is a question of money/wealth/value of whatever as far as Luxon is concerned. His state-of-the-nation speech was almost entirely focused on economics and very little else - other than the usual law-'n-order nonsense.

2026-01-20 19:48:33 UTC

Fascinating speech by Canadian Prime Carney at Davos on the new world order we are facing. He acknowledges we are facing a "rupture" and points to the ways Canada must diversify away from a reliance on a US-centric world order. That world-order has gone and won't be coming back. Canada is a middle power so has a lot more options compared to Aotearoa. But at least Carney is thinking strategically and facing up to the "rupture". Oh that we here in Aotearoa had politicians capable of such thinking and vision. It's a speech well worth reading if you are interested in international relations and the world we are now living in.
#canpoli #NZpol #carney
https://globalnews.ca/news/11620877/carney-davos-wef-speech-transcript/

2026-01-20 19:03:03 UTC

Budapest, 1934
"Come to the park", they said. "It will be fun”, they said. "Trust me", they said. Looks like Mum, daughters, and Granny aren't having a bar of that!
Source: [204422] / Gergő Somogyvári
#fortepan #Budapest #park
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/115/925/540/553/029/527/original/c81daa92829b8b8a.jpeg

2026-01-19 19:20:24 UTC

I missed this in the past day or so until I came across it on Bluesky but WTF? (Apologies if it has already been discussed here.)
#NZPol
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/584428/prime-minister-christopher-luxon-invited-to-join-trump-s-gaza-board-of-peace

2026-01-18 20:02:23 UTC

Budapest, 1969
A pair of proud fathers enjoying the sunshine at a park in central Budapest.
Source: Fortepan [294100] / Album091
#fortepan #Budapest #fathers
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/115/917/876/743/582/573/original/3774eff1257f22c0.jpg

2026-01-18 06:29:15 UTC

I see that Riot Women is starting on TVNZ 1 from Tuesday. I can thoroughly recommend this six-part drama from Sally Wainwright (of Happy Valley and Last Tango in Halifax fame). It's the story, set in pure Wainwright territory of Yorkshire, of a group of women dealing with elder care issues, selfish children, and menopause. They form a punk rock band to star in a local talent show. It's about how they want to be heard and seen and fight for a sense of who they are. Profoundly feminist, it shows how through their friendship, they bond to help each other deal with their lives, including men and their fragile egos - as well as, in some cases, the violence towards them. Superbly acted, it is well worth watching. Definitely 5 stars.
#RiotWomen #TVReview
https://theconversation.com/with-riot-women-sally-wainwright-is-turning-menopause-into-punk-rebellion-267045

2026-01-17 20:44:57 UTC

Budapest, 1948
A man soaking up the sunlight in Budapest's VIII District.
Source: Fortepan [78600] / Pál Berkó
#fortepan #Budapest #sunlight
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/115/912/387/508/499/792/original/5971f6cbc1357abc.jpg

2026-01-15 00:58:06 UTC

All is not well in the House of Rugby, clearly!
"Scott Robertson sacked as All Blacks coach"
#rugby
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360924860/scott-robertson-sacked-all-blacks-coach

2026-01-13 01:58:45 UTC

There has been a lot of recent comment recently about how Aotearoa, like many countries, is beholden to 'big tech'. Whether it is trying to regulate social media or where citizen's data is stored, governments, including ours of course, seem powerless to do anything about this. Cory Doctorow, tech commentator, advocate for human rights on the Internet, and coiner of the word, "enshitifcation" , wrote about this recently in The Guardian. He made the excellent point that when governments attempt to rein in 'big tech' they are threatened with US tariffs.
He wrote, "Because – inevitably – the US trade rep had beaten me to every one of those countries and made it eye-wateringly clear that if they regulated tech in a way that favoured their own people, industries and national interests, the US would bury them in tariffs."
I hadn't really comprehended that fully. Too naïve I guess. 'Big tech' has the US government - of any type - in their pocket and the US uses its economic muscle to enforce their hegemony. Frightening really.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jan/10/trump-beginning-of-end-enshittification-make-tech-good-again

2026-01-12 22:34:41 UTC

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@nprofile…eahp I thoroughly enjoyed it too but, like you, felt a sense of tiredness and repetition. The pressure on Herron to churn out yet another Slough House novel must be immense. But you can only 'rinse and repeat' so many times without becoming boring. Maybe it is time to finish Lamb off?

2026-01-12 22:28:52 UTC

I posted a few days ago that my ManageMyHealth account was one of those subjected to recent hack and one of my medical records had been stolen. That record was a referral from my GP to a specialist back in 2017. I have now been sent a copy of that referral from my GP at my request. (To the best of my ability, I couldn't find that referral on MMH myself.)
That referral is 10 pages of my entire medical history, blood test results, personal details, contact information, family history, and so forth. It is information that you only share with your doctor - and your life partner. I feel completely violated and in a state of shock to be honest at just how much highly personal information was stolen, all of which is now presumably in the hands of people wishing to exploit it.
#ManageMyHealth

2026-01-12 02:56:19 UTC

It's been months since I have completed a jigsaw puzzle and now that I've rejoined the ranks of the retired here is my latest puzzle. It was a gift at Christmas time.
#jigsaw #puzzle
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/115/879/875/611/769/448/original/b2de8e1f99f1c910.jpeg

2026-01-10 20:18:03 UTC

So I logged onto ManageMyHealth this morning to discover my account is one of those impacted, and one of the documents associated with my account has been taken by cyber criminals. According to MMH, the category of document was "PMS Specialist Referral," followed by an URL link to a PDF document with my surname and some numbers. When I clicked on the link, there was a “HTTP failure response for https://portalapiv2.managemyhealth.co.nz/api/HealthDocuments/DownloadFile: 404 OK" error message - so the document was not found. The date this document was uploaded to my account was back in November 2017.
Clearly, I have never had a referral from a PMS Specialist - unless PMS also stands for something other than premenstrual syndrome. I checked what I was doing back in November 2017, and there were no visits to any doctors or medical specialists of any kind. Indeed, I was actually in Ōtepoti doing family history research at this time.
So I rang the dedicated number and was put through after a 15-minute wait and quoted the reference number of the incident. I felt for the person as who wants to deal with this sort of thing on a Sunday morning? The call centre was only doing triage, and the person couldn't answer any of the many questions I had, but said they would pass it on to the next level of support. They will call me back with a day or so.
Shambles doesn't come close to describing this. I can only assume ManageMyHealth has misidentified the person associated with the breach - which in itself is as frightening as any part of this debacle. Just imagine if I had been able to access the PMS Referral document and it was for someone else!
I will keep you all posted.
#ManageMyHealth

2026-01-09 02:52:46 UTC

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@nprofile…nqtz Like others have said, scanning them yourself is an option. I have done about 50 rolls of film over the years. I have a Canon 9000F which came with a holder for film scans. I used Vuescan - available on Windows, macSO, and Linux - to do the actual scanning. I am more than happy with that scanner and software.
As others have noted, it can be tedious but rewarding. Based on the cost of getting a few boxes of slides scanned, it maybe quite expensive to get a 100 rolls of film done. It is the old dilemma of time v money v quality - typically you can get two of these, but rarely all three of them.
There is also work involved in adding the relevant metadata so that future generations can know where the photo was taken and who is in it. But you just think: in fifty years time someone may say, "I'm so glad Uncle Colin scanned these photos all those years ago." Good luck with finding the solution that works for you.

2026-01-08 20:58:51 UTC

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@nprofile…7lfv @nprofile…wj33 @nprofile…7jzt I suspect you are right. But, in the article below [paywalled but available via Archive.md] from Keith Ng has this comment, "No company is immune to cyber crime, but in my view, a company in the business of managing health data should not have fallen prey to hackers targeting “low-hanging fruit”. Ng details how the hacker, with a single stolen userid/password was able to "..trick the application interface into providing the files for 127,000 other users." In other words, this was dead simple for a hacker. This basic security incompetence, coupled, with MMH appalling response, tell me they are unfit for purpose and should not continue to exist in their current form. Yes, other providers face similar security issues and in a failed regulatory regime as you say, but surely none could be as bad as MMH.
https://archive.md/EXu2y

2026-01-08 19:55:22 UTC

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@nprofile…7jzt I have pondered whether to close my account or not. At this stage, I have decided not to pull the plug as I use MMH on a regular basis. As I get older, I can only see that use increasing. When I can log back in again, I will let my GP practice know that they move off MMH and on a secure platform - assuming the other platforms can provide that.

2026-01-07 22:36:40 UTC

We finished watching Season 3 of The Diplomat. We enjoyed Season 1, can't remember much about Season 2, and are glad Season 3 is over. The series, from Netflix, is about an American 'power' couple of the US Ambassador to Great Britain, played by Keri Russell of The Americans fame, and her husband, Hal Wyler as US Vice-President, played by Rufus Sewell, who manage to solve the world's geopolitical issues in no time at all. The plot requires you suspend belief for long periods, which given the current state of the world, takes some doing. However the increasing focus on the couple's martial relationship drags this season firmly into soap opera territory. The final episode screamed 'Season 4' is coming, presumably so everyone involved, including the 6 or so 'Executive Producers', can keep their pay checks coming. Two stars and half stars - mostly for the authentic locations used, including the actual US Embassy in London.
#TVReview #TheDiplomat
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Diplomat_(American_TV_series)

2025-12-31 07:22:13 UTC

We are over at our children’s for New Years. They are hosting a party, mostly with other public servants. My son loves his cooking so this is what we are having along with all the other guests.
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/115/812/961/098/957/346/original/6eb45f1be42b9042.jpeg

2025-12-31 07:16:04 UTC

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@nprofile…elr2 I wondered that too. Maybe someone who works in the office? That was my first thought.

2025-12-31 01:44:11 UTC

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@nprofile…elr2 @nprofile…5hpn I knew someone who worked at the Health and Disability Commissioner as an investigator. There were a surprising number of cases where the issue arose because either the patient did not phone the medical centre for test results and assumed everything was OK, or medical centres failing to tell patients of their test results for whatever reason. Back then - about 12 years I think - this fostered the belief that it was completely the medical profession responsibility to communicate and let patients know their tests results. Apps like Manage My Health changed that. But I agree there should be alternative platforms - I wasn't aware of Myindici - and that the companies need to be held financially accountable for any breaches.

2025-12-31 01:07:40 UTC

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@nprofile…5hpn Wow. This will be very bad if true. I have always been a fan of Manage My Health as I felt it empowered me to take more responsibility for my health and be less reliant on the medical profession. All of my medical records are available for me immediately. But you assume, naively apparently, that that information will be taken care of appropriately. If this breach is true, it needs a response at the highest level with severe penalties. I do not want to go back to the days of having to ring my health centre and ask, "Do you have the results of my blood test yet?"

2025-12-26 20:55:32 UTC

Hungary, 1981
Almost probably, these men are part of a so-called 'socialist brigade', voluntary groups from factories that performed various collective labour tasks in construction, education, or agriculture.
Source: Fortepan [31871] / László Gábor
#fortepan #Hungary #socialism #workers
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/115/787/855/536/850/348/original/3697c060c905b94d.jpg

2025-12-25 21:50:07 UTC

I discovered the delights of corn ball at the family lunch yesterday. Who would have thought trying to throw a small bag of corn into hole in a piece of plywood would be so much fun. Truly fun for all ages!

2025-12-23 07:33:47 UTC

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@nprofile…gcsm That's awful and no place in Aotearoa. I feel for them both. Horrible.

2025-12-20 00:59:50 UTC

This looks like a lotta fun.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKvkNmdFKYo

2025-12-19 21:39:11 UTC

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@nprofile…qhz3 Congratulations!

2025-12-19 21:38:45 UTC

Lučenec, Slovakia, 1959. Roma Women
Members of a much marginalized - and maligned - community in this part of the world.
Source: Fortepan [53754] / Zsolt Zsanda / Károly Vajszada
#fortepan #Slovakia #roma #StreetPhotography
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/115/748/391/391/743/847/original/45bbf59f6252099c.jpg

2025-12-19 21:16:50 UTC

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@nprofile…cp03 I settled on Raindrop (macOS) and haven't been disappointed.
https://raindrop.io

2025-12-19 00:32:07 UTC

Lučenec, Slovakia, 1960. The mischief makers.
Don't you just love the look on the girl's face and that of the boy on the left? Such delight in whatever they are getting up to. And this photo is a another fine example of the strength of the Fortepan archive - amateur photos that, while technically not great, capture the essence and joy of an unfiltered moment in time.
Source: Fortepan [53730] / Zsolt Zsanda / Károly Vajszada
#fortepan #Slovakia #Vajszada #StreetPhotography
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/115/743/407/191/337/929/original/e401456820acc4a5.jpg

2025-12-19 00:08:57 UTC

Paul Goldsmith is a dick. And now the High Court confirms it in a pretty scathing judgment on his actions.
"The High Court has ruled that Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith unlawfully appointed Human Rights Commissioner Stephen Rainbow and Race Relations Commissioner Melissa Derby."
#NZPol
URL: The Post via archive.today
https://archive.ph/9gYy9

2025-12-15 23:19:55 UTC

While this proposed merger is pretty beltway news, the timing is shit. Right before the holiday season and when many people have had a difficult, fraught year implementing shit policies of a shit government. The merger itself may well be a good idea. However, there are many people in the capital who will be feeling anxious and upset right now.
#NZPol
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/581950/new-ministry-to-combine-housing-transport-and-environment

2025-12-14 06:32:57 UTC

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@nprofile…fymw Yes, it is strange how we saw things back in the day. I positively cringe when I think of some of the things I said/did/read/believed in as a callow youth. I might say, "Well, wasn't everyone like that back then?". Yes, but there were some, the "unreasonable ones" Bernard Shaw suggested of them, who saw it differently. I hope that these days I give more heed to those who appear unreasonable, on the margins, difficult, if you will. They re more likely to be right in the long term.

2025-12-11 18:42:09 UTC

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@nprofile…elr2 Judging my this photo which would have been taken on the same occasion, I don't think it is a military uniform, although I can see why you might think it is. The person photographed above can be seen on the far left.
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/115/702/400/834/850/798/original/dcb6aa73ef65aded.jpeg

2025-12-11 07:08:44 UTC

Fiľakovo, Slovakia, 1959. The photographer
Judging by similar, adjacent photos in the Fortepan archive, this looks like it was taken during a photography club outing at the castle ruins that sits atop the hill that overlooks Fiľakovo. Nice framing.
Fortepan [60259] / Zsolt Zsanda / Károly Vajszada
#fortepan #Slovakia #photography #photographer
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/115/699/669/345/841/756/original/171efabfa1aece5e.jpg

2025-12-08 04:51:57 UTC

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@nprofile…vca0 Wow. I am glad things have turned out so well all things considered.

2025-12-06 23:23:12 UTC

We watched 'The Thursday Murder Club' [Netflix] last night - the 'cosy crime' murder mystery film based on Richard Osman's best seller of the same name. Very English and good fun overall, provided you don't over-think it. Nothing 'noir' about this film. Helen Miriam stars and she is worth the price of admission alone. She is sensational - as is Celia Imrie. A fun four stars.
#MoveiReview #TheThursdayMurderClub

2025-12-06 19:43:56 UTC

Fiľakovo, Slovakia, 1960. A boy and his dog.
Source: Fortepan [53942] / Zsolt Zsanda / Károly Vajszada
#fortepan #Fiľakovo #boy #dog #StreetPhotography
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/115/674/332/198/512/183/original/99bfe1cfdc991d22.jpeg

2025-12-04 19:27:24 UTC

As seen on my way to work this morning. One of those signs, like 'Spare Bread', that only us oldies will know what they mean.
#OldPeopleOfMastodon
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/115/662/935/087/056/177/original/587fb5642a3e4031.jpeg

2025-12-04 06:48:41 UTC

Fiľakovo, Slovakia, 1959.
Who amongst us doesn't relish playing in mud?
Source: Fortepan [53790] / Zsolt Zsanda / Károly Vajszada
#fortepan #Fiľakovo #children #play #StreetPhotography
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/115/659/957/569/744/652/original/12832d79e382a411.jpg

2025-12-03 06:52:14 UTC

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@nprofile…va2z That sounds like a very good day, Trudie. Must be great to have presented your report and finish the year off on a high.

2025-12-02 04:47:00 UTC

Fiľakovo, Slovakia, 1959. Everyone needs a big sister to guide us.
Source: Fortepan [53720] / Zsolt Zsanda / Károly Vajszada
#fortepan #Slovakia #Fiľakovo
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/115/648/150/856/122/035/original/c28d9bca3c64d79b.jpg

2025-11-28 19:21:17 UTC

Lučenec, Slovakia, 1959. Sharing is caring. A lovely photo of friendship and childhood.
Source: Fortepan [53706] / Zsolt Zsanda / Károly Vajszada
#fortepan #Slovakia #Lučenec #childhood #StreetPhotography
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/115/628/941/148/003/560/original/4cef9786b9be0815.jpg

2025-11-26 06:54:32 UTC

Slovakia, 1959. The old lady. I am fascinated by this photo and the woman at its centre. She appears to be well-to-do, or once was. Her slippers, for example, look new and not well-worn. There's a lovely clock on the wall and some paintings of note too. That sideboard is a thing of beauty as well.
Fortepan [53846] / Zsolt Zsanda / Károly Vajszada
#fortepan #Slovakia #portrait
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/115/614/682/144/546/392/original/13a87f17306954bc.jpeg

2025-11-24 20:00:04 UTC

Fiľakov, Slovakia, 1959. The street sweepers. Notice how all of the people in this photo are stooped forward, as if carrying a weight. And spot the communist star on top of the monument.
Source: Fortepan [53822] / Zsolt Zsanda / Károly Vajszada
#fortepan #Slovakia #Fiľakovo #StreetPhotography
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/115/603/210/051/652/059/original/acfadb38b7689724.jpeg

2025-11-24 08:59:27 UTC

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@nprofile…zvnh I have never forgotten that back in 2005 he insulted a number of female politicians with the slur, "front-bums". A real piece of work, as you say, Phil.

2025-11-24 04:55:46 UTC

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@nprofile…udtx Monday isn't the best day for fish 'n chip shops generally I think. Our local one is closed today.

2025-11-23 20:00:04 UTC

Slovakia, 1959. Best mates.
Source: Fortepan [53839] / Zsolt Zsanda / Károly Vajszada
#fortepan #Slovakia #childhood
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/115/600/377/756/173/725/original/216e6996599e1540.jpeg

2025-11-23 04:35:11 UTC

Slovakia, 1959. The simplicity and joy in this photo makes me happy.
Source: Fortepan [53811] / Zsolt Zsanda Zsolt / Károly Vajszada
#fortepan #Slovakia #writing #chalkboard
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/115/597/143/937/740/673/original/09c36aa124102e8b.jpg

2025-11-23 01:49:44 UTC

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@nprofile…sp74 Agreed. They say politics is all about choices - who gets what, when and how. Labour, however timid and hesitant their natural instincts are, need to make these choices as stark as possible, "Landlord tax cuts, or more nurses. You chose."

2025-11-22 19:25:21 UTC

Remember the name Hollie Davidson. The first female to referee an AllBlacks test match.

2025-11-22 04:30:08 UTC

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@nprofile…zvnh That's.....a long way!