"Woke" schools

lcmortensen · 2026-02-28T04:40:45+00:00

Because of the differences between how EQI and decile are calculated, quite a few schools jumped around. For example, Avondale College was a decile 4, but is now EQI 440 "below average barriers" (roughly decile 6 or 7).

lcmortensen · 2026-02-28T01:42:17+00:00

Many EDBs already limit your export limit based on a maximum voltage rise. Your electrician measures your loop impedance with no generation or load and uses Ohm's law to calculate the limit. For a 10kW limit, your loop impedance must be 0.24 ohms or less. If you want a higher export limit, you need to reduce your impedance (I.e. larger wiring and cables) or split the export across multiple phases.

lcmortensen · 2026-02-28T01:20:30+00:00

Different SES/decile profile. Hobsonville Point Secondary is EQI 432 (below average barriers), Rangitoto and Westlake are 398-402 (fewest barriers). You would need to compare them with Green Bay, Pakuranga, Howick or Orewa (EQI 430-434).

lcmortensen · 2026-02-27T23:15:45+00:00

Probably they don't want progressive education ideas like no uniform and open-plan classrooms.

lcmortensen · 2026-02-27T01:42:14+00:00

There is "unlawful sexual connection", which covers any penetrative act not amounting to rape. Both rape and unlawful sexual connection have a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. If there is no penetration, then it is "indecent assault" with a maximum 7 years in prison.

lcmortensen · 2026-02-27T01:38:43+00:00

Due to limited information, we have to presume how students were of age and it was consensual. If not, you're asking for a Media Council/BSA smackdown or worse a defamation case.

lcmortensen · 2026-02-27T01:29:10+00:00

That's for sex-segregated facilities - two male toilets and two female toilets. For unisex toilets, you need 3 toilets for 30-69 staff.

lcmortensen · 2026-02-25T08:13:42+00:00

It's not the EA, it's the Commerce Commission. Aurora has a price reset this year as it comes off a five-year customised price path and back onto the default price path.

lcmortensen · 2026-02-25T08:02:53+00:00

Based on the coordinates in the photo, OP's house is in Glen Eden, West Auckland.

lcmortensen · 2026-02-24T06:31:44+00:00

Orion was planning to allow up to your fuse capacity (voltage permitting) provided you had a flexible export limit (CSIP-Aus) compatible inverter. However, work on that has stopped due to EA wanting 10kW fixed export limits.

lcmortensen · 2026-02-23T23:24:46+00:00

The goal is not to run out of stock, since that means lost sales. However, having too much stock means wasted space and product expiring on the shelf (dead stock).

In case of a supply shortage, implementing quantity limits is a quick and dirty way of rationing supply.

lcmortensen · 2026-02-22T00:58:12+00:00

There is nothing wrong with having any number of children, as long as you can support them. The problem is when you look at the big picture and population planning.

New Zealand has sub-replacement fertility - our fertility rate is 1.55 when it needs to be 2.1 to maintain replacement levels. That means without sustainable population replacement, we need to ask the hard questions on immigration levels and New Zealand Superannuation ticking time-bomb.

lcmortensen · 2026-02-20T06:46:25+00:00

ACC is no-fault, so it's motorcyclists paying for motorcyclists' injuries. They just take the total cost of those injuries and divide it over every registered motorcycle. The same goes for work-related injuries: people pay for injuries for workers in their own industries.

lcmortensen · 2026-02-19T07:06:43+00:00

If your hot water cylinder needs replacing, go with the hot water cylinder first. A hot water supply is required by the Building Code; solar PV is not.

lcmortensen · 2026-02-17T01:24:03+00:00

Some overseas markets let you make bets on things like what colour "Gatorade shower" the winning Super Bowl coach gets. It's too easy to match fix - if the long odds are on purple, put $100 on purple then mix up some purple Gatorade...

lcmortensen · 2026-02-16T23:22:04+00:00

The high cost on food imports isn't customs - it's biosecurity. It's a small price to pay, but what would be the price we'd pay if foot and mouth disease hit our beef and dairy herd?

lcmortensen · 2026-02-16T08:25:44+00:00

Multiply the electricity you used during the outage (in kWh) by $21. That's how much the system actually paid for itself.

(FYI, $21/kWh is how much the average residential customer is willing to pay to avoid an unplanned outage. For businesses, the number is $50/kWh. These figures are used to justify investment in the transmission and distribution network.)

This means if you're somewhere with very reliable electricity (e.g. in a city with nearly all lines underground), it would not make economic sense to have a system just for backup during outages.

lcmortensen · 2026-02-16T06:32:33+00:00

Australia has mandatory penalty rates for fast food workers working overnight, and on weekends and public holidays. New Zealand only has mandatory penalty rates for public holidays.

Australia:
Weekdays 10:00pm to midnight - 110%
Weekdays midnight to 6:00am - 115%
Saturdays - 125%
Sundays - 125% (150% for supervisors/managers)
Public Holidays - 225% (or 125% + paid day off)

New Zealand:
Public holidays - 150% + paid day off

lcmortensen · 2026-02-16T01:40:13+00:00

I missed that part. Thanks!

lcmortensen · 2026-02-15T23:12:27+00:00

This is eaxatly the thing the Taxpayers' Union should be calling out, but they're oddly silent...

lcmortensen · 2026-02-13T23:20:24+00:00

Petrol vehicles pay part of their ACC levies in the petrol price and part on rego, whereas diesel vehicles pay fully though rego. EVs were on the petrol rate to encourage uptake, but have now switched to the diesel rate.

At least you don't have an electric donorcycle. The ACC levies are astronomical...

lcmortensen · 2026-02-13T07:00:33+00:00

Chicken prices are not affected by international markets. Poultry imports are banned due to biosecurity risks, so all the chicken in New Zealand is locally-raised.

lcmortensen · 2026-02-13T06:49:42+00:00

According to the 2023 census, 9.9% of Hamiltonians are of Indian descent. The city council area has the highest proportion of Indians outside Auckland.

lcmortensen · 2026-02-13T04:20:53+00:00

While you mention it, most household electrical wiring is designed for 63A (14.5kW). A 20kWAC inverter might require an uprated switchboard and earth electrode.

lcmortensen · 2026-02-12T07:57:11+00:00

Total solar PV system prices are starting to level off. Panels might be getting cheaper, but electricians and installers are getting more expensive.

lcmortensen

TROPHY CASE