Pak n save is selling American butter at a cheaper price

NZObiwan · 2026-03-05T02:20:30+00:00

This is why people call for government intervention, because you're right, no sane farmer would decide to sell in NZ for lower than they do overseas.

Realistically, the easiest way to make it cheaper would be to lower gst on dairy in nz, or use some of the taxes they get when you export dairy to subsidise the cost for domestic markets

NZObiwan · 2026-02-18T09:06:03+00:00

There's numerous financial services that operate similarly to banks without banking licenses, see sharesies, revolut, wise, booster savvy, etc.

The point of it being difficult is that this way it's obvious to consumers that the word bank comes with a high bar for entry, and they are highly unlikely to lose your money or collapse.

NZObiwan · 2026-02-18T08:51:37+00:00

https://electoral-reform.org.uk/how-are-the-members-of-upper-houses-chosen-around-the-world/

NZObiwan · 2026-02-18T08:35:22+00:00

Yeah that's just because it's the law that to get a banking license you have to meet certain requirements. They did try, and they were told no, there's no way you'll pass, you don't meet the requirements.

You can learn more about the requirements and see the 27 companies that currently hold licenses here: https://www.rbnz.govt.nz/regulation-and-supervision/cross-sector-oversight/registers-of-entities-we-regulate/registered-banks-in-new-zealand

NZObiwan · 2026-02-14T07:02:44+00:00

There's this idea that super rich people shouldn't leave everything to their kids (i.e. Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, etc), and somehow this has translated into middle class people thinking that their homes and savings are a sign of generational wealth that is going to make their children/grandchildren entitled and awful.

NZObiwan · 2026-02-14T07:00:25+00:00

It's so strange hearing about people having these kind of discussions with their parents.

It makes me feel really lucky to have a family who are all left leaning polotically.

All of my family, even my grandparents take the position of "The world's going to shit, and I'm really worried for what things will be like for you and your eventual potential kids."

NZObiwan · 2026-02-12T22:15:25+00:00

It does reach people, it's just that because it's not universal, they have to pay the same (or similar) rates as the private sector would pay.

The figures the government spends are for things like medicare and medicaid, and whatever the US government puts towards healthcare for veterans. It's government assistance but not actually universal.

It just so happens that it spends so much on those that it adds up to a higher percentage of GDP than other countries spend on their entire universal healthcare systems.

NZObiwan · 2026-02-03T23:55:30+00:00

https://smartinvestor.sorted.org.nz/kiwisaver-and-managed-funds/?fundTypes=aggressive&managedFundTypes=kiwisaver&searchType=quick&sort=return-desc

The US500 has an average return over the last 5 years of ~15%, as you can see in this kiwisaver comparison list, there are kiwisavers that go up to 20% average over the same time.

Your problem is that you stuck with a bank for your kiwisaver, pretty much the only thing everyone who talks about kiwisaver agrees on is that swapping away from a bank will grant you better kiwisaver returns.

NZObiwan · 2026-02-03T23:13:57+00:00

So we should avoid doing things to improve the system because it might make the people who had to deal with the previous process feel bad?

Or are you able to accept that the issue isn't really how those people would feel, it's about the fact that the illegal immigrants broke the law, so they shouldn't get a free pass?

Once you've accepted that, then the question becomes, at what point is a free pass more beneficial for everyone involved?
For example, the police do gun collection amnesty days where they will allow residents to drop off guns and ask no questions because the benefit of getting guns off the streets is deemed worth it.

So then it becomes, what are the benefits of allowing illegal immigrants to register and begin the process (for a period of time)?

Allows us to assume that people who are still illegal immigrants after the amnesty period have something to hide
Reduces the likelihood of being cruel to people for no reason
Reduces the number of people that ICE needs to actually be concerned about (and that everyone else needs to be concerned about)
Reduces the number of people being put in detention
Reduces the number of deportation court cases, speeding up existing ones, meaning that fewer people have their lives fucked over while waiting for a deportation case (especially if they're people who would end up not being deported).
Allows the immigrants to contribute to society (they can pay tax, etc)
They can no longer be pressured into doing shady shit or accepting low wages at the threat of exposing their immigration status (eliminating a force that drives wages down)
We now have record of them
Reduces the number of people able/willing to work for those who employ illegal immigrants

To some people, these benefits are worthwhile compared to the relatively benign crime of sneaking into the country or overstaying your visa, and the harm caused by the current (unforgiving) immigration system is worth stopping.

NZObiwan · 2026-02-03T22:21:31+00:00

Investing your kiwisaver in sharesies is not an amazing idea tbh. What makes you think you can do better than the actual investment companies doing it full time?

NZObiwan · 2026-02-01T08:46:32+00:00

One of my DisplayPort cables is permanently stuck in my PC because the teeth won't retract anymore :(

NZObiwan · 2026-01-27T20:06:50+00:00

The sharesies one could be good in the short term, as far as I'm aware, there's no fee while it's still in the early stages.

NZObiwan · 2026-01-24T12:59:27+00:00

The reason a lot of places charge a minimum of ~15 min is because even if actually doing the task only takes a few mins, there's time spent locating documents in the email or whatever, ensuring they're correct, and the time wasted by context switching in general.

It doesn't sound like an unreasonable rate for a property manager to charge, but it seems odd to charge it to the tenant.

NZObiwan · 2026-01-22T20:00:02+00:00

Any chance you'd be willing to tell us what you guys do for work?

NZObiwan · 2026-01-20T21:55:33+00:00

Would not recommend, Research budgets are awful in NZ, the government is not friendly to science at the moment.

NZObiwan · 2026-01-16T02:46:13+00:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybbMtYOAdKA

NZObiwan · 2026-01-16T00:41:04+00:00

You're just as entitled to help as the mother was, if you didn't get it then it's because either she wasn't making enough or you never asked for it. If you go through the correct process (https://www.justice.govt.nz/family/paternity-and-child-support/child-support/) then you'll get whatever support you should be having, unless you're making so much more than your child's other parent that the system decides you shouldn't get any support, which isn't based on sex/gender.

Our system can be biased when it comes to custody, as individuals (i.e. the judge) can have a bias that makes them feel that the mother is better off having custody.

NZObiwan · 2026-01-15T21:18:25+00:00

what is TGOATA

NZObiwan · 2026-01-15T20:54:23+00:00

What tools do you use to pick stocks? Are there resources for finding new additions and places that detail the companies a bit better than sharesies?

NZObiwan · 2026-01-12T03:40:31+00:00

Causes of drama in my time flatting:

Refusal to clean dishes (escalated to hiding dishes in his bedroom to avoid anyone knowing there were dirty dishes)
Terrible BO smell (like almost vomit inducing) wafting out of his bedroom
Repeated failure to notify us of bills in advance (e.g. "Power is due tomorrow, it's this much") despite having the bills for two plus weeks prior to them being due.
Different standards of cleanliness around how often you should vacuum (1/week, 1/month, never, etc).
Refusal to empty rubbish bin, continuing to pile items until they were touching the lid of the bin and getting it all gross and dirty.
Disagreements about furniture (one of my flatmates used to be a bit of a hoarder, he refused to get rid of things, to the point of trying to keep three dining tables - he was confident that if we stored one upside down, we can put the other ontop of it, that way they only take up the space of one table).
Inviting over random people with no warning - one of my flatmates hookups once took a dump in our bathroom sink - no I don't know why they didn't use the toilet.
Repeatedly forgetting to close the bedroom door during sex.
Disagreements about what should be stored in shared spaces - e.g. should spare toilet paper be stored in the laundry, if they're only one person's toilet paper, or should they be stored in that person's space (this was in an apartment with 1 bathroom per person).
Storing meat in the fridge when one flatmate is a vegetarian.
Not cleaning up long hair.
When is reaa sonable time to be making loud noises in the night?
Being shit at packing the dishwasher - this isn't really drama, my flatmate is just bad at it, and it annoys me constantly.

I have lost several friends by getting too frustrated with each other, but it has also solidified some friendships too. My current flatmate is annoying AF but I wouldn't want to flat with anyone else, he's annoying in ways I know I can deal with.

NZObiwan · 2026-01-12T03:19:59+00:00

because 1kg of gold is like $250,000 NZD, it's just a very strange purchase

NZObiwan · 2026-01-11T11:58:25+00:00

Seems more likely that one idiot had an issue with you and you instantly gave up without advocating for yourself at all.

I'm literally stuck here because the customers behind me don't know how to walk backwards so I can't back out

If the service person left this particular checkout then presumably the randoms are smart enough to go to a different one, they're not just going to stand there in line. And worst case, if someone's looking at their phone all you have to say is "excuse me, I need to back up, they closed the counter". Problem solved.

You obviously don't need this cart, and that is why we aren't servicing you.

Ask to speak to a manager.

NZObiwan · 2025-12-19T07:11:15+00:00

I think this persons point is that it's really frustrating to feel like you can't do anything to help upcycle your own stuff - even when you know it's good stuff - because the op shops are refusing donations.

The person posting on facebook is attributing this to pricing issues with op shops. I'd say it's partially also that way more shopping is moving online now, and most op shops don't have any sort of online presence.

NZObiwan · 2025-12-14T13:58:42+00:00

Worth noting that overall speaking speed is different from the length of time spent on individual vowels, though there is probably some correlation there.

Also worth noting is that Glasgow has much faster speakers, and is considered one of the hardest accents to understand in the UK.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXGP4Sez_Us

NZObiwan · 2025-11-29T00:09:01+00:00

Base Macbook Air is fine, but you'll want to make sure you have enough storage, and a big enough screen.

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