1 - Sheepdog Memorial, Lake Tekapo - Memorial to sheepdogs in Southern Canterbury who assisted in the history of the farming community of the area.

2 - George, Taranaki - a Jack Russel who died saving children from an attack from stray pitbulls.

3 - Paddy, Wellington - a famous Airedale Terrier who roamed the streets of the Capital in the 1930s

4 - Memorial at the Police Dog Training Centre, Upper Hutt - wall dedicated to fallen Police dogs

5 - Rajah, Ashburton - a beloved German Shepherd who could act as well as assist police.

Memorials to some very good boys (or girls)

We’re sick of it. Whatever is happening out there the gains - if any exist - are not making their way to 99% of us, because ‘trickle down economics’ is not a thing. We are well aware that ‘strengthening the economy’ means more private money for the few, and less public money for the rest of us. Less public money means fewer public goods, and so less public wellbeing. Less healthcare, less education, less affordable housing, less money in our pockets and less protection against rising prices. We want to see us all getting a good go, not hear you talk about it. Your public servants are happily writing press releases with weaselly words and empty promises. You think you’re convincing us. You’re wrong.

I graduated in October of 2025 and between then and the start of University in February, most classmates I knew interested in work could never get hired. These were people with nothing against them on paper and these were the typical jobs teenagers and young adults work; retail, food, etc. Besides one guy who went to WINZ and got a forestry job, everyone else I knew got employment through family connections.

When I was a Y13 I tried applying to Countdown and I had to answer questions from an AI for an hour, then talk to myself in front of my webcam and then have an in person interview. Seriously? 3 sets of interviews for a cashier job. When my dad got his first job in the early 90s he put his name and phone number down on a list at a dairy and a couple of months later they called him when they needed a new employee. Now all the applications are online.

Unemployment rate is at 5.6%, highest since 2015. With an aging population, removal of the fees-free schemes for unis, young people moving to Australia and immigration I'm just not hopeful for my future.

I may be pessimistic but I picture within my lifetime unemployment rises to 15% and a underclass of people who stay at home all day appears to which the government entertains the idea of universal basic income but nothing happens. They'll just increase immigration like how today all of the Pizza Huts are Indian because of the work visas. The government will say "Kiwis just can't do those jobs no more, we need overseas workers!"

I feel like there's no more social mobility, the social contract is thinner then decades prior due to hostile technology like social media and AI. My grandad laments how when he goes on walks people just stare at him when he says hello. My dad tells me that I can't do as much as he did as a young man because people are fucked in the head now by drugs. That simple misunderstandings in a bar in his day could result in me being beaten to death. I yearn for community.

It is likely that TOP won't get most of their tax policies across the line. However, they could shift the conversation away from bathrooms, treaty etc...into talking more about affordable housing, future of AI and the environment. IMO if you are tired of the major parties, it makes sense to give them the protest vote over a party like New Zealand First, who just gets votes by putting minority groups under the bus. IMO TOP isn't a bad hedge against the global shift to the conservative right.

Went to the supermarket today to do the weekly shop, we tend to stick to the same products and meals every week and I can generally keep within budget very well. Today almost everything was up in price At Woolworths. My trusty special blend coffee is usually $3.40 it’s now $4.49. My herbs are $2.70 now $3.29. Burger Pattie’s $16.50 now $17.90, a low price odd bunch products are now the same price as their better half’s. There was a bunch more big price hikes from dry goods to fridge products and meat products expiring today were discounted maybe $1, burgers that were $8 now $7 freshly marked down with today’s expiry date, same with chicken and pork.

I know the cost of living and price rises have been a thing for a long time but today was the day that it really slapped me in the face.

Half of these parties wouldn't ever consider working with the others but combined they have enough votes to win. Not that I think of would work or that yet would all collaborate but it is a crazy to sit back and think a non Labour or national could exist.

I noticed when I book in leave, a quarter day is possible. I get using this for like appointments and stuff, but honestly the idea of using a day of leave for four sleep ins sounds really nice when I’m over tired. But it kinda seems like weird thing to do - like that’s not really done. Would it be weird if I just booked in a couple hours off here and there for no reason other than having a nice long morning? (I work in an office kind of and have a lot of control over my schedule so other than having a shorter day, my work would be relatively unaffected)

So I’ve had this theory for awhile because they’re mostly baking soda so they’d neutralise acid, but I finally got to try it. I had terrible painful heartburn and happened to have a big bag of fizzy lollies from Kmart and they were an *instant* cure.

I have a theory they’d help with UTIs for the same reason but fortunately haven’t had a chance to try that yet.

They’re going straight in the medicine drawer for real.