Record insolvencies continuing for the best part of 2026??? Trying to picture what polling will look like a year from now, given the state of businesses, employment, and the overall economy.

Toots turning maudlin into joyousness on your Sunday morning! An oldie but a goodie. Crank it up Aotearoa! music.apple.com/nz/album/let...

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOUR STOOPID VENAL GOVERNMENT ENGINEERS A RECESSION OUT-OF-SYNC WITH THE GLOBAL ECONOMY, LIAM.

“Critics say…” OMG this piece is so very very good. lithub.com/maybe-dont-t...

Andrea Vance has gotten her teeth into this useless, venal, no-ideas govt and she’s not letting go. www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...

In today’s Weekend Herald #nzpolitics

Saw someone here say they should review Seymour’s school lunches

Sometimes I see people like 20 tweets deep into an argument with Grok. Like, what are you doing brother? You are trying to win an argument with a vending machine.

Lorde this Michelin star idea is so tryhard wannabe cultural cringe I don’t even know where to start.

Paris’ best coffee shop, hands down. And your noisette will cost you less than $NZ3.50

How to be introduced to a city. 7:45am this morning, fresh off the sleeper train.

Platform 2, Montauban station waiting for the sleeper train to Paris.

Sorry, but that is this? 10 prefabs? www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

Much ado about nothing. open.substack.com/pub/mrjeffho...

Lover is Taylor Swift at her absolute paragon best. Her (own) backing vocals on Cruel Summer are perfection. It’s like being in a gallery full of 1860s Degas at the Musee D’Orsay. music.apple.com/nz/album/lov...

Strip away the Max Martin and there’s a pretty damn good song underneath music.apple.com/nz/album/the...

Not claiming to be the perfect parent (jfc so far off that mark it’s ridiculous!) but this one trick fills me with confidence about my adult kids’ vulnerability to the current measles outbreak.

Not claiming to be the perfect parent (jfc so far off that mark it’s ridiculous!) but this one trick fills me with confidence about my adult kids’ vulnerability to the current measles outbreak.

A new Regulatory Standards Act, except it measures and rates every Govt Bill against the goal of achieving economic parity with Australia.

music.apple.com/nz/album/rat... There is nothing not perfect about this song.

music.apple.com/nz/album/rat... There is nothing not perfect about this song.

Made the mistake of clicking a Stuff story about how Hamilton is Aotearoa’s fastest growing city & an underrated place to live. Absolute garbage journalism. Just fuck off with your “if we make the place sound nice enough maybe AKLers will move here & push-up property prices” bullshit please.

Made the mistake of clicking a Stuff story about how Hamilton is Aotearoa’s fastest growing city & an underrated place to live. Absolute garbage journalism. Just fuck off with your “if we make the place sound nice enough maybe AKLers will move here & push-up property prices” bullshit please.

“Wow you’re going to France to spend time on a boat that sounds so dreamy and relaxing.”

Gorgeous late autumn evening up here on the roof of Ruru. Just love how trains past the boat yard so close, and so frequently. That one’s an intercity carrying commuters between Toulouse and Bordeaux.

Reading Carole Cadwalladr’s columns, you could be forgiven for thinking you’re down a conspiracist wormhole, but then you remember she’s a highly respected journalist working with a team dedicated to holding the powerful to account. This is fearless journalism. open.substack.com/pub/broligar...

That entity, which used to be the most reliable in the world for learning about the state of it outside your window, is now dead. The Republican Party who are running the US govt have re-branded the NWS as the "Administration for Strategic Preparedness & Response."

What is it like inside your head?

Crikey the new Lily Allen album is full on! Not to mention absolutely fantastic on any level you want. music.apple.com/nz/album/wes...

Almost $NZ 7000 for a 30 year old boat motor…but it’s a bloody beauty! Driving all day in a white van to get it. So happy to be finally back aboard Ruru and its comfy bed.

When the climate storms come, will you want war helicopters or a well funded fire service?

This it’s quite a good article really. www.theguardian.com/film/2025/oc...

Roche using this interview to audition for a mash-up Monty Python/ Yes Minister/ Xmas pantomime role. Total drongo. If he was the best candidate for SSC we really are in trouble. www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

Not a Machiavellian political operative, but this must be a good opportunity to set up a spull while he’s overseas, junketing?

An early contender for this week's 'Game Not The Stakes' journalism prize, detailed bullshit that leaves the reader with zero ability to judge whether any of the policies being discussed are good ideas or not. What a waste of political reporting budget.

Transiting planes in Paris a couple of weeks ago, I discovered to my horror my much loved leather man multitool head found its way into my carry on bag. Amazingly all was not lost as it was possible to get it couriered to my final address for €20. Is this amazing service available anywhere else?

Not an economist, but I do feel discourse around rival political parties’ spending plans would be more productive if we all had a better understanding of the difference between an expense and an investment.

Trailer for season 4 of Lupin just dropped.

Slam dunk thread.

Es regnet.

Bernard Hickey wielding a Monday morning flamethrower.

I think the thing that unifies this truly incredible playlist is, to put it simply, drums and bass. music.apple.com/nz/playlist/...

Sitting up on Ruru’s top deck, watching the light disappear from the evening sky, listening to questlove’s peerless playlist, & across the boat yard about 50 m away a trio of DIY workers make eye contact with me. I erased my glass and a toast, they salute me back. Boat life.

When’s the strike, Aotearoa? Figuring out a way to represent over here at Sebastien’s boat yard.

The artist bring this gorgeous little track is the legendary Willie Mitchell. Just turn over a few Al Green albums & you’ll get my point. music.apple.com/nz/album/gro...

If you love Alicia Keys’ music, have a listen to this. Go on! music.apple.com/nz/album/let...

Make sure to always lock your bike. That way it's there when you return. #bikesky

Yes it looks like a dump. But it's a fun place, there's a Thursday street market with a great duck butcher, and some very good supermarkets just down the towpath. open.substack.com/pub/mrjeffho...

It's actually remarkably easy to not ever use ChatGPT.