New Zealand - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

[intern]

Your knowledge base is expanding exponentially! First squeakers and now frogs

 

There is nothing trivial in which I do not have an interest (signed, not knowledgeable, but opinionated A-hole...yes I know nobody likes a smartass, doesn't stop me though  ).

[davetapson]

Turns out frogs are pretty good thermometers and will get out of the pot if the temp exceeds something like 25C. 

This is, like, the best comment I've seen in, like, whoa, the whole day, man.

 

All those dumbasses who said/say/will say "it's just like frogs..." - no dumbass, frogs are cleverer than YOU... even a cold blooded reptile knows when things are too uncomfortable not to move... and it doesn't wait long either.

 

Edit: they also make damn fine bait as far I can remember... 

Edited July 30, 2020 by davetapson

[Delarey]

There is nothing trivial in which I do not have an interest (signed, not knowledgeable, but opinionated A-hole...yes I know nobody likes a smartass, doesn't stop me though ).

ENTP perhaps?

[travisza]

Some harsh realities being shared here. All the best guys, sometimes life comes at you hard. WP made a telling comment though, you have to act for the next generation.

 

Also, a word on frogs in pots. I looked this up. Turns out, someone (probably a Frenchman  ) tested the theory. Turns out frogs are pretty good thermometers and will get out of the pot if the temp exceeds something like 25C. Thermoregulation is necessary for survival, apparently.

Very true, and very much appreciated. I would certainly rather hear them here and have a chance to consider them fully rather than stumbling into them on the other side once its too late.

 

In terms of other realities, do you guys ever feel like the NZ economy suffers from being a bit small and far away from everything? 

[arabsandals]

Very true, and very much appreciated. I would certainly rather hear them here and have a chance to consider them fully rather than stumbling into them on the other side once its too late.

 

In terms of other realities, do you guys ever feel like the NZ economy suffers from being a bit small and far away from everything? 

Seems like you already know the answers to your questions. If you didn't have your dogs would you have jumped ship? Separate the emotions from the facts. Emotions can be dealt with and are subjective, but facts don't change no matter how you feel about them.

[davetapson]

Very true, and very much appreciated. I would certainly rather hear them here and have a chance to consider them fully rather than stumbling into them on the other side once its too late.

 

In terms of other realities, do you guys ever feel like the NZ economy suffers from being a bit small and far away from everything?

I've been supporting a charity that takes boxes of food up to destitute pensioners in Zim. They probably were like you or me in terms of making a plan for old age but the multiple economic crashes in Zim have wiped them out - several times.

 

I can't see any of them saying 'Yep, I'm glad I didn't get out when I could have because it would have meant leaving my (now 20 year dead) dogs behind...

Edited July 30, 2020 by davetapson

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

I've been supporting a charity that takes boxes of food up to destitute pensioners in Zim. They probably were like you or me in terms of making a plan for old age but the multiple economic crashes in Zim have wiped them out - several times.

 

I can't see any of them saying 'Yep, I'm glad I didn't get out when I could have because it would have meant leaving my (now 20 year dead) dogs behind...

 

Brutal assessment but so true........

[davetapson]

I've been supporting a charity that takes boxes of food up to destitute pensioners in Zim. They probably were like you or me in terms of making a plan for old age but the multiple economic crashes in Zim have wiped them out - several times.

 

I can't see any of them saying 'Yep, I'm glad I didn't get out when I could have because it would have meant leaving my (now 20 year dead) dogs behind...

Following on from which, I couldn't see who would be sending me food boxes when I'm 90 and SA is properly farked - hence emigration.

 

Dogs come real low on the list.

[intern]

Very true, and very much appreciated. I would certainly rather hear them here and have a chance to consider them fully rather than stumbling into them on the other side once its too late.

 

In terms of other realities, do you guys ever feel like the NZ economy suffers from being a bit small and far away from everything? 

 

On the latter part, yes most certainly. Scale is an issue as is distance. These factors are a part of why the cost of living here is astronomical.

 

But on the up side, everyone knows one another. It's like Brakpan on a slightly larger scale.

[intern]

BTW Travis, don't know if you've seen Flight of the Conchords. In one scene Murray has a poster promoting NZ...says 'It's like Scotland, but further away' 

[Wayne Potgieter]

On the latter part, yes most certainly. Scale is an issue as is distance. These factors are a part of why the cost of living here is astronomical.

 

But on the up side, everyone knows one another. It's like Brakpan on a slightly larger scale.

Sure, the NZ Economy "suffers" because of size and location. But perhaps a better question is how does the NZ economy compare to another economy?

 

My opinion is that things are far better here than RSA (even with the NZ challenges)

 

Perhaps I am biased. Owning my own business in RSA and having to deal with BBBEE and a struggle to obtain payment from customers along with a workforce that was more concerned with stealing than working has left me a little jaded.

 

Do I think NZ could do better - ABSOLUTELY.

[intern]

Sure, the NZ Economy "suffers" because of size and location. But perhaps a better question is how does the NZ economy compare to another economy?

 

My opinion is that things are far better here than RSA (even with the NZ challenges)

 

Perhaps I am biased. Owning my own business in RSA and having to deal with BBBEE and a struggle to obtain payment from customers along with a workforce that was more concerned with stealing than working has left me a little jaded.

 

Do I think NZ could do better - ABSOLUTELY.

 

Haha, we obvs think it is better here because, well, here we are. The distant memory of BBBBBBBBEEE bulldust, everyone on the take, etc, is not a pleasant one, though of course we have our own special people here.

 

One thing you will notice though is that outside of corporate, there is a lot of nickeling and diming. People don't like spending money and haggle on price (SMEs). And the market is limited - it has to be, there's only a Brakpan load of us here.

 

But we're a LEKKER Brakpan load. And that's what makes us awesome, right? Right?

[patches]

On the latter part, yes most certainly. Scale is an issue as is distance. These factors are a part of why the cost of living here is astronomical.

 

But on the up side, everyone knows one another. It's like Brakpan on a slightly larger scale.

 

And classier... only slightly and only if you live in Wanaka

 

Sure, the NZ Economy "suffers" because of size and location. But perhaps a better question is how does the NZ economy compare to another economy?

 

My opinion is that things are far better here than RSA (even with the NZ challenges)

 

Perhaps I am biased. Owning my own business in RSA and having to deal with BBBEE and a struggle to obtain payment from customers along with a workforce that was more concerned with stealing than working has left me a little jaded.

 

Do I think NZ could do better - ABSOLUTELY.

 

Do you think small business and entrepreneurs stand a better chance in NZ?

 

Take BBBBEEEBBEBEBEE aside, and just purely from the view of the market willing to support a local, small business, possibly providing a bespoke product or service?!

 

Having only ever worked for corporate and having a fear of job insecurity and the lack of steady income (drilled into me from years in living in SA), I still tend to lean in that direction, BUT I do genuinely believe (perhaps through rosy coloured glasses) that a small business or half decent idea has more of a chance in becoming a dependable income earner than it does in SA?!

 

What say you as a man of vast entrepreneurial experience?

 

 

Haha, we obvs think it is better here because, well, here we are. The distant memory of BBBBBBBBEEE bulldust, everyone on the take, etc, is not a pleasant one, though of course we have our own special people here.

 

One thing you will notice though is that outside of corporate, there is a lot of nickeling and diming. People don't like spending money and haggle on price (SMEs). And the market is limited - it has to be, there's only a Brakpan load of us here.

 

But we're a LEKKER Brakpan load. And that's what makes us awesome, right? Right?

 

A while back when buying a new TV I used PriceSpy to keep tabs on who had the best price, what the lowest historic price was for that particular model, and all that. During that time Harvey Norman had a "Massive Never to be repeated" sale which included that very model I was after. But the sale was a farce as the price was about $200 MORE than their regular price and nearly $1000 more than the best historic price. When I asked them about it, they simply stated that they adjust their pricing according to the competition and they were cheaper than all their competitors at that specific date and time. That's a pretty low bar to attach a "BIGGEST EVER MASSIVE SUPER_FANTASTIC" sale banner to...

 

...2 weeks later Noel Leeming dropped it back down by the nearly $1000 and I swooped in then.

 

Moral of the story... in NZ things are nearly always "On Sale", so ignore that. It pays to know what something is actually worth.

Edited July 31, 2020 by patches

[intern]

Ahh the endless, endless, never to be repeated, endless 'sales'. Everything is on sale, all the time. Clearly we're sheep or they are marketing to the livestock, because we apparently fall for it every time (if we aren't engineers like Patches).

 

It is FAR easier to do business here. For one thing, while you might get nickel and dimed, you will also more than likely get paid. And quite often on time, too.

 

Then of course setting up and administering a business is a fast, easy process which can be done from your desk in minutes. And as you probably know, any dealings with the govt are often as good or better than your dealings with the private sector....

[Hairy]

Some harsh realities being shared here. All the best guys, sometimes life comes at you hard. WP made a telling comment though, you have to act for the next generation.

 

Also, a word on frogs in pots. I looked this up. Turns out, someone (probably a Frenchman  ) tested the theory. Turns out frogs are pretty good thermometers and will get out of the pot if the temp exceeds something like 25C. Thermoregulation is necessary for survival, apparently.

Fake news, a Frenchman would never let the frog out the pot and loose a meal!

[Rocket-Boy]

 And as you probably know, any dealings with the govt are often as good or better than your dealings with the private sector....

That must take some getting used to. I think us Saffers left here have just resigned ourselves to avoiding anything public wherever possible.