I was surprised to hear about my togs stealing exploits – but kudos to Samsung and their agencies for an excellent campaign.I received a link to a fake NZ news site…. Cleverly my details are inserted into the video, along with the name or the perpetrator that dobbed me in. It all links back to …
Category Archives: Life
When money isn’t enough: Getting an iPhone
Michelin play hard to get, and it is the same with Apple. Their iPhone (and let’s face it pretty much all of their products) is so damn good that I simply must have one to satisfy my technolust. Yet by partnering with buffoons like Vodafone NZ, Rogers Telecommunications in Canada and pretty much all of …
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When money isn’t enough: Michelin Deserts
Michelin Deserts. I’d love (not even like) to buy each of these right now, but it seems that Michelin are determined to make it hard, or even impossible, for me. So hard in fact that I feel obliged to go elsewhere because I am so annoyed, but the product is so good that I really …
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Overworked: NZ and Australia
4th and 5th worst in the developed world. That’s where NZ and Australia stand in an ILO survey of the percentage of workers that work more than 48 hours a week. NZ scores 23.6% and Australia 20.4%. Despite my belief, the USA scored lower at 18.1%. But we have it easy (as I sit here …
Banks? Real estate? the worst is yet to come
a Little bank story for kids, courtesy of the WSJ, and as told to writer Brian M Carney by billionaire and Private Equity pioneer Ted Forstmann. Once upon a time, when credit conditions and the costs of borrowing money were normal, the bank opened at 9:00 a.m. and closed at 5:00 p.m. For eight hours …
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How not to launch a political blog: “F$%k you”
NZ Left Wing election site 08Wire launched, it seems with an interesting group of backers and is based overseas. It is good to see new discourse emerge, but I see a couple of issues. First, in the launch article they do their best to turn prospective readers off: Some analysis is sensationalized. Like David “cut-and-paste / …
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WordPress. First signs of uncoolness, evilness even.
I’m annoyed at WordPress. Up until now their stunning blogging application has made it wonderfully simple to get writing and posting pictures on the web. Their ethos has been true – make it free, make it simple and open to everyone. Their source code is available at WordPress.org, and their WordPress.com site hosts for free. …
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Getting the KTM 950 ready for safari
So the two giant Safari tanks arrived the other day and so I went ahead and emptied the bike… got rid of the old tanks (there are 2 on a KTM 950 adventure) and installed the new 40+ litre Safari Tanks. Yes -the bike looks pretty ugly now, or as I like to think of …
Goodbye NZ, nice to have helped, but I gotta go
So David Skilling does a fantastic job leading the NZ institute, influencing massive policy changes in saving (Kiwisaver), economy, climate change and broadband. So now that his 4 year stint is up, what does he do? Leave. Yup – David is off to Singapore. It sums everything that is right and wrong with NZ very …
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Go Fug yourself
I’ve been following go Fug Yourself for a while – a comic look at the paparazzi world and fashion disaster. Today’s effort is priceless. Interestingly from what was a simple blog, go Fug Yourself now seems to be part of Celebuzz – a bunch of celebrity site. This is big business folks – the lowest …
Are you easy to manage? 10 ways to be
Today I sat on the train on the way home, in a crowded carriage. A woman got on board, talking on her cell phone, and rather than hanging up she talked through the entire 30 minute journey. That wasn’t so much the issue in the crowded carriage. The issue was that she spent the entire …
Child Drugging and Evil Psychiatrists
I was walking the streets of Fremantle the other day, and I saw this ad go past me several times: It was attached to the back of this truck: By the amount of airtime the ad was being given, I figured that whoever was putting on the show really wanted people to see it. Human …
Half year Portfolio update
so – am I following Baupost‘s advice in my own investments? I try to. It pays to be reminded again and again though, as like most people investing is a very part time game for me. But I’m happy about some of my decisions, like my short position on EQR, which I regard as vastly …
The Baupost story
Imagine making over 20% a year since 1983. Safely. $10,000 invested then would be worth about $1m now, but the original investors had $27m, and they have made over 6,100% after fees. Sounds like the sort of place you’d like to put your money right? Especially as Baupost boss Seth Klarman’s mantra is “Don’t lose …
Around Australia madness take 2
On the one hand guys at work here in Perth say that the roads I’ve chosen to traverse are liable to get me killed if I go in unprepared. They are right – so I will be prepared. They also tell me that doing all of the route in a couple of months is lunatic …
Lance Wiggs 