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America's new ambassador loves New Zealand already because it has most of his favourite vices.

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:46:20 GMT

clipped by: hotdoge3

America's new ambassador loves New Zealand already because it has most of his favourite vices.

David Huebner held a press conference at his new home in Lower Hutt shortly after his arrival in Wellington yesterday, and immediately established his credentials as a Kiwiphile.

The Flight of the Conchords, wine, cheese, beer and rugby are just a few of his favourite things.

Previously a Shanghai-based lawyer, Mr Huebner followed the rugby sevens in Hong Kong, eschewing American football as too effete.

"I respect the fact that even at the highest levels you don't wear all that armour plating."

In a break from the usual diplomatic protocol, Mr Huebner shook the hand of every journalist and camera operator before – and after – the conference, also scoring points by speaking to reporters even before calling on Prime Minister John Key.

He had practised lines on the "excellent" state of the bilateral relationship and his hope to advance trade, military, and social ties.

Tags: america's, new, ambassador, loves, n-z, favourite, vices.

NZ neutral on 'Danish text'

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:26:05 GMT

clipped by: hotdoge3
clipper's remarks: leaked draft

Clip Source: www.stuff.co.nz

NZ neutral on 'Danish text'

LATEST: New Zealand is keeping out of a controversy over a leaked draft proposal which was circulated amongst select nations at crucial climate change negotiations in Copenhagen.

Climate change ambassador Adrian Macey, New Zealand's top official at the negotiations, said the country did not support or oppose the so-called "Danish text".

However he admitted it did not contain everything New Zealand wanted.

"There's a lot of stuff that we'd want differently, I think, as most countries would."

The text has been seen as a snub to developing countries because it has only been circulated amongst a select group of nations, including New Zealand.

Macey confirmed New Zealand was consulted on part of the proposal after it attended an exclusive ministerial meeting called by the Danish government last month.

"We're not spending a great deal of time doing analysis on something like that because it's probably not what they'll present," he said.

Tags: nz, neutral, on, 'danish, text'

Greek museum bares all on sex in ancient times

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:18:04 GMT

clipped by: hotdoge3

Clip Source: www.stuff.co.nz

Greek museum bares all on sex in ancient times

Phallic-shaped lamps, love letters engraved in clay and erotic symbols on lucky charms dating from 7 BC to 4 AD are just a fraction of what visitors will see at an exhibition dedicated to the Greek and later Roman god of love.

The exhibition surveys the changing perceptions of Eros (known as Cupid to the Romans) from the eighth century BC when he was viewed as an influential god to the Roman period when he became less potent and a mere companion to Venus.

Exhibition organisers say visitors should check the modern world's sense of decency at the door when entering, because the ancients had very few qualms about erotic art.

"In ancient Greece, one could see a sexual scene on a public or a private building's crest. . . people were not prudes," said professor Nicholas Stampolidis, director of the Cycladic Art museum.

"I don't see why children should learn about love only from magazines, from friends and not through art," Stampolidis said.

Tags: greek, museum, bares, all, on, sex, in, ancient, times

It's scientifically proven (well, sort of): dogs have got cats licked

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:11:11 GMT

clipped by: hotdoge3

Clip Source: www.stuff.co.nz

It's scientifically proven (well, sort of): dogs have got cats licked

Prepare for the fur to fly – dogs have beaten cats by a whisker as the superior pet.

Scientists compared research between dogs and cats and found the canine leads the pack, according to an article in New Scientist magazine.

While admitting there were problems in comparing two different animals, they decided on 11 categories to determine who was best in show.

They compared brain capacity, history, ability to bond, popularity, comprehension, problem-solving skills, use of voice, training ability, senses, eco-friendliness and actual usefulness.

Dogs came in by a nose – beating cats by taking out six of the categories.

However, cats were found to be technically smarter, more popular and have better control over their use of vocals.

"They're so much more loyal. You can take them places, you can train them, you can go play in the park."

Tags: it's, scientifically, proven, dogs, have, got, cats, licked

'Patients' swanky rides a cheap deal

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:05:41 GMT

clipped by: hotdoge3

Clip Source: www.stuff.co.nz

Patients' swanky rides a cheap deal

Timaru Hospital patients have been travelling in limousines – but the move is saving money.

Over the past financial year, the South Canterbury District Health Board spent $9009 on transporting 31 patients by limousine around the South Island.

Board chief executive Chris Fleming said limousines were significantly cheaper for transferring patients than the ambulance service.

The average cost per trip by limo was $290. To move a patient by ambulance from Timaru to Christchurch Hospital cost $768, he said.

The service was used only when a clinician decided the patient could sit in the limousine as opposed to needing to lie down in an ambulance.

Fleming said patients were usually accompanied by a clinical staff member.

"Another benefit of using the limousine is that we are not tying up an ambulance in transporting non-urgent patients out of town when the ambulance needs to be on-call for emergency work at home."

Tags: 'patients'swanky, rides, a, cheap, deal

Distracted train driver rolls on for 9km

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:00:28 GMT

clipped by: hotdoge3

Clip Source: www.stuff.co.nz

A report issued yesterday says the empty coal train rolled on for 15 minutes past the stop while the driver was caught up in a conversation about the line.

"... onboard discussion most likely distracted the locomotive engineer, meaning that he forgot the limit of his track warrant as it approached and passed," the report says.

They began discussing operational features on the line, and soon after, the driver forgot to make a radio call. The discussion continued, and the train drove through Reefton, where it was required to stop.

The driver eventually realised his mistake, stopped the train and notified train control.

The KiwiRail employees – a resource supervisor and a crew adviser – had been given cab passes which instructed them not to distract the driver.

Between 1999 and 2007, the commission investigated nine track over-runs.

Tags: distracted, train, driver, rolls, on, for, 9km

Car of the Year? You must be joking

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:47:27 GMT

clipped by: hotdoge3

Clip Source: www.nzherald.co.nz

Car of the Year? You must be joking

The Car of the Year jury has judged. Fifty-nine members across Europe, including me, voting for the oldest, most prestigious and most coveted annual car award of all.

Their task? To agree upon the "most outstanding car for 2010", a car which must have been launched in 2009, of which at least 5,000 examples will be made each year, and which will be available for sale in at least five European countries by January.

VW's Polo was named Car of the Year in Europe. Photo / Supplied

And yes, the most outstanding car for 2010 is the Volkswagen Polo.

You're right, that is not a sentence which seems to make sense. But by a process almost self-destructively democratic, the Polo is Car of the Year 2010.

There's a super-frugal Bluemotion version too. All of this is admirable, but Ford's Fiesta is overall a better, more joy-giving car and yet it missed out on last year's COTY award by just one point.

Tags: car, of, the, year?you, must, be, joking

China tops migration queue to Australia

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:09:47 GMT

clipped by: hotdoge3

Clip Source: www.nzherald.co.nz

China tops migration queue to Australia

The new reluctance of Kiwis to desert hearth and home has helped propel China to the top of Australia's migration queue.

For the first time, more Chinese have settled across the Tasman than Kiwis and Britons, traditionally the biggest sources of migrants.

New Zealand migration, which is not regulated by visa conditions, has traditionally been sensitive to economic conditions.

And Australia's slowdown, accompanied by rising unemployment, appears to have convinced Kiwis to stay put for the time being.

Statistics NZ said the annual net loss to Australia had been falling since the record highs of 35,400 last December and January.

But Australians and New Zealanders have been flocking to each other's country for a break.

Helped by a strong dollar, cheap flights and cash handouts from Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's economic stimulus, more than 570,000 Australians headed overseas for a holiday in October.

Tags: china, tops, migration, queue, to, australia

All the flavour of being a girl

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:05:29 GMT

clipped by: hotdoge3

Clip Source: www.nzherald.co.nz

Sideswipe: All the flavour of being a girl

A reader has found himself buying Yoplait smackers yoghurt despite knowing the strapline on the packet: "I happen to be quite fond of strawberries and not once while eating a strawberry has it reminded me of a girl or being a girl. I have been with a girl who reminded me of pineapples, but I think this may have had something to do with the six Bacardi and pineapple's she had consumed. Maybe Yoplait need some help with market research, to find out that boys like strawberry yoghurt, too. The sales will increase 50 per cent instead of giving boys (and grown men) a complex every time they buy a pack."

Tags: all, the, flavour, of, being, a, girl

Survival celebrity chefs roasted after serving rat risotto

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 23:58:51 GMT

clipped by: hotdoge3

Clip Source: www.nzherald.co.nz

The show is set around a forested camp at Dungay, inland from Coolangatta.

It is portrayed in the series as a remote and dangerous jungle, inhabited by venomous and deadly spiders, snakes and reptiles.

Many do thrive there, but the show went too far when it claimed crocodiles infested rivers well south of their actual range.

The RSPCA, which monitors the treatment of animals on the show, was not impressed. The animal welfare watchdog's New South Wales chief inspector, David O'Shannessy, told BBC radio that the rat's fate was outside the code of practice governing the use of animals in theatrical productions and films.

"The killing of a rat for a performance is not acceptable," he said.

"The concern is this was done purely for the cameras."

The offence carries a maximum penalty of three years' jail.

The show's producers have been ordered to surrender film showing the death of the rat and its British distributor, ITV, may also be charged.

Tags: survival, celebrity, chefs, roasted, serving, rat, risotto

FTC has a word with Nvidia about Intel

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 01:09:36 GMT

clipped by: hotdoge3

Clip Source: www.theinquirer.net

FTC has a word with Nvidia about Intel

Former friend turns state's evidence

By Nick Farrell

Friday, 4 December 2009, 10:19

The FTC is interested to know what Intel has been up to in the graphics chip market and after hearing about Nvidia's whingeing has been wondering if the Green Goblin has something to complain about.

But despite the efforts of Nvidia and ATI to take market share away from Intel, Chipzilla has seen its market share actually increase, mostly at the expense of Nvidia.

Nvidia claims that Intel's "bundling" tactics are causing it undue harm. AMD just got a $1.25 billion settlement from Intel for much the same behaviour, and similar practices are also spelled out in a complaint filed by New York's attorney general last month.

Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang complained that Intel's tactics have been the most aggressive the company has ever seen by a competitor. Nvidia's Ion chipset that is used in laptops has been shafted by such Intel tactics, Huang claimed. µ

Tags: ftc, has, a, word, with, nvidia, about, intel

Windows 7: Seven Points of Imperfection

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 02:41:14 GMT

clipped by: hotdoge3

Clip Source: www.pcworld.com

Windows 7: Seven Points of Imperfection

In fact, in a survey conducted by Technologizer's Harry McCracken, a PC World contributor, a sizable majority of more than 550 Windows 7 early adopters said they're "extremely satisfied" with the new OS.

So what's not to like about Windows 7? Although the widely publicized Windows "black screen of death" issue has turned out to be largely a bunch of FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt), Windows 7 does have its flaws.

#1. Windows 7 doesn't include certain earlier Windows components.

#2. Windows 7 lacks support for older printers and other external devices.

#3. Windows 7 forces you to learn a new UI.

Clip Source: www.pcworld.com

#4. Windows 7 isn't impervious to viruses.

#5. Installation of Windows 7 can be a real bear, especially in upgrades from XP.

#6. Windows 7 pricing is both too high and too complex.

#7. Customer support for Windows 7 is too scanty.

Tags: windows7, seven, points, of, imperfection

New Zealand, land of coconut palms ?

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:39:20 GMT

clipped by: hotdoge3
clipper's remarks: New Zealand, land of coconut palms, I like that.

Clip Source: www.nzherald.co.nz

Sideswipe: New Zealand, land of coconut palms

Brent Miller writes: "Perhaps the German publisher of this board game should have undertaken a little more research before finalising the artwork. I don't think that coconut palms have quite made it to the beaches of New Zealand. The publisher's blurb describes the game as: "MAORI: at first, all we see is an endless sea. But wait, there!!! Land in site! It's an island. An isle with sumptuous palm trees. We must visit this island. There, we can trade what we have for the natives. Shells. With shells, we can explore more successfully to gain the islands we seek." Hmmmm ...

Tags: new-zealand, land, of, coconut, palms

Kiwi search engine to take on Google

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:35:10 GMT

clipped by: hotdoge3
clipper's remarks: Need to like PDF

Clip Source: pcworld.co.nz

Kiwi search engine to take on Google

A new search engine developed in New Zealand is promising to provide internet users with a higher quality of information and website owners with a better means of monetising their online content.

“It takes the browsing out of browsing,” Pingar managing director Peter Wren-Hilton said. “For example, if a user typed in ‘what investment opportunities exist in Wellington?’ they would probably get back a five page PDF document.”

The information in the PDF would be drawn from the websites of companies or individuals who had signed up, for free, to give Pingar access to their content. In return for signing on with Pingar the content owners would receive a cut of advertising revenue gathered from marketers that would pay to sponsor the engine's PDF result pages, Wren-Hilton said.

“I don’t think it will ever replace Google, but it will compliment it.”

Tags: kiwi, search, engine, to, take, on, google

Microsoft denies blame for 'black screens of death'

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:18:34 GMT

clipped by: hotdoge3

Clip Source: pcworld.co.nz

Microsoft denies blame for 'black screens of death'

Microsoft today denied that its November Windows updates are causing a widespread "black screen" lock-out of users' PCs.

The report Budd referred to stemmed from a blog post by UK-based security vendor Prevx last week that claimed recent Windows updates changed Access Control List (ACL) entries in the registry, preventing some installed software from running properly. The result, said Prevx, is a black screen, sometimes dubbed "black screen of death" in an allusion to the "blue screen of death" that Windows puts up after a major system crash.

"The conditions under which the actual black screen is triggered are spasmodic," admitted Dave Kennerley of Prevx's support team in an update to the original blog post of last week. "Some test systems always trigger the condition, others are less consistent. The windows patches which seem common to the issue arising are KB915597 and KB976098."

Tags: microsoft, denies, blame, 'black, screens, death'