eagleeyedtiger

I don't know if we'll ever get a UBI, but we don't have one now and is the Govt helping you right now?

I get the impression this happens a fair bit with change to social programmes that is designed to send project an ideology. Sometimes it almost feels like there are two NZs, one that wants to help everyone become a prosperous society and one that wants to not have social support at all.

I think social media, algorithms and the huge influence American media and culture has is what has driven a lot of this. It's definitely gotten worse over time. I really do wonder what the future holds for the next few generations.

Sadly we can see an example of it in action with the rubbish Family Boost scheme National came up with. They've spent more money administering it than actually providing rebates. Poor people can't afford to pay for ECE first and then apply and wait weeks or months for a rebate. Was the original free ECE hours perfect? No and absolutely a lot of private ECE centers were abusing it. But Labour's plan to extend free ECE hours to two year olds would have benefited far more people.

I think my problem is I have a mindset of scarcity

I don't think this is uncommon, particularly in western culture as a lot of western society places importance on individual wealth building rather than society as a whole.

I always think of this proverb:

A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.

We need to try to build a future society for those that come after us. Not just to reap the benefits in our own lifetimes.

In my opinion, any kind of social safety net or financial support system will always have cases of abuse or edge cases taking advantage of it. It would be almost impossible to make it completely foolproof against abuse without having many who do need it falling through the cracks as well. Kind of like removing the benefit because some people abuse it. The vast majority that need it would ultimately suffer.

I agree on making tertiary free though.

I wonder what the procedure is when you’re 18-19 and not on good terms with your parents

I bet they haven't thought that far ahead yet. Just increasing the hoops to jump through might be enough to stop them from trying.

Student allowances were also means tested when I was studying, and that didn’t seem fair to me at all at the time.

It's ridiculous isn't it. If you commit a crime at 18 or 19 they'll try you as an adult. You can vote, drink and join the military. But if you want to further your education or require help from jobseekers while looking for employment, nope sorry! You're a child and your parents should be paying for you.

People would still complain. There is never ending complaints about any kind of traffic calming measures in Hamilton. Hamilton isn't even that big, I never understand why everyone here needs to drive so fast everywhere they go. I think it barely even saves time.

It does sound like much more notice should have been given to residents, on the other hand it also sounds like the council gets a lot of local complaints of speeding on that road.. I'm not sure what the locals there are expecting them to do besides traffic calming measures?

If only younger generations voted more often, but I can understand it. I was one of those foolish ones who never bothered voting all through my twenties.

Winston is two years older than Trump. Do we really need senior citizen's like him in politics? There should be an age limit.

I'd guess NZ First will fade to irrelevancy without him, and it couldn't come soon enough.

That's probably a factor too. Although we did have a young kid before the pandemic as well, but I was also 10 years younger so it probably evens out.

Curse the weakness of my flesh! Need cyberpunk upgrades or nanomachines or something, it's 2025 already!

You know thinking about it, up until I had covid a couple of years ago I was never really getting very sick. The only times I can remember getting sick before that were from food poisoning. I think there may be something to the whole long term damage it does to your immune system. I've been sick more in the last 3 or 4 years than the previous 10. Obviously anecdotal evidence I know... or maybe I'm just getting older. The body is taking much longer these days to recover from strains and injuries.

Oof yeah that price for the shingles vaccine isn't helpful!

I did read about Coxsackie A6 but it doesn't seem like my symptoms match.

If adults getting it are asymptomatic, how do they know they have it? I always wonder how they get the data as asymptomatic people aren't going to the doctor or getting diagnosed. They wouldn't even be thinking they're sick would they?

I've had hand foot and mouth as a child and chicken pox twice too ☹️. The Mrs thinks my immune system might be weak as I had glandular fever last year as well. Not to mention covid a couple years ago.

I don't know why all the online literature states that adult cases of hand foot and mouth disease are usually mild.. it's been hell for the last week. Googling other peoples experiences, most say they also had a terrible time.

Spent most of the week unable to eat or drink due to the blisters in my mouth and throat. Even drinking water would send stabbing pains through my mouth. So dehydration and hunger on top of feeling horrible. Finally starting to recover yesterday being able to eat with only mild discomfort. I honestly preferred having covid to this, the spots and blisters on the hands and feet I can live with, but the mouth ones are insanely uncomfortable.

Sounds like you should've had a coffee before you made your coffee 😁