Bruce Buckman
@brucebuckman.bsky.social
Probationary curmudgeon. 🇳🇿
Reposted by Bruce Buckman
“Helsinki hasn’t registered a single traffic-related fatality in the past year…Citing data that shows the risk of pedestrian fatality is cut in half by reducing a car’s speed from 40 to 30km/hr, city officials imposed the lower limit in most of Helsinki’s residential areas & city center in 2021.”
Helsinki just went a full year without a single traffic death
The capital city is Finnish’ed with car-related fatalities.
www.politico.eu
November 17, 2025 at 6:31 AM
“Helsinki hasn’t registered a single traffic-related fatality in the past year…Citing data that shows the risk of pedestrian fatality is cut in half by reducing a car’s speed from 40 to 30km/hr, city officials imposed the lower limit in most of Helsinki’s residential areas & city center in 2021.”
Reposted by Bruce Buckman
Reminder that juror fees have not been increased since 2004 (yes 21 years ago). The maximum payable is $127 for more than 3 hours and beyond 9 pm.
The usual daily rate is $62 for more than 3 hours but not beyond 6 pm.
Jury duty is obviously nowhere near as important as being on a board.
The usual daily rate is $62 for more than 3 hours but not beyond 6 pm.
Jury duty is obviously nowhere near as important as being on a board.
😡 #NZ Neoliberal RW Govt approves HUGE pay hikes for #CrownBoard, #authority members after fee framework changes, in many cases doubling the amount they receive, despite huge cuts in pay for teachers, nurses, carers & others #pay #inequality #AtlasNetwork #nzpol www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/...
'Absolutely huge': The pay hikes Crown bosses got after recent changes
The Government is defending it, but Labour's not impressed.
www.nzherald.co.nz
November 20, 2025 at 10:44 PM
Reminder that juror fees have not been increased since 2004 (yes 21 years ago). The maximum payable is $127 for more than 3 hours and beyond 9 pm.
The usual daily rate is $62 for more than 3 hours but not beyond 6 pm.
Jury duty is obviously nowhere near as important as being on a board.
The usual daily rate is $62 for more than 3 hours but not beyond 6 pm.
Jury duty is obviously nowhere near as important as being on a board.
Reposted by Bruce Buckman
Keep this in mind when people claim cars mean business — closing Central #Madrid to cars over holidays resulted in a 9.5% boost in retail spending on its main shopping street: STUDY.
There was also a 71% drop in air pollution.
Via @carltonreid.com in @forbes.com. #citymakingmath #citiesforpeople
There was also a 71% drop in air pollution.
Via @carltonreid.com in @forbes.com. #citymakingmath #citiesforpeople
Closing Central Madrid To Cars Resulted In 9.5% Boost To Retail Spending, Finds Bank Analysis
City of Madrid significantly boosted the takings of its shops and restaurants last Christmas by banning cars from the CBD, finds an analysis by Spain's second largest bank.
www.forbes.com
November 20, 2025 at 6:21 AM
Keep this in mind when people claim cars mean business — closing Central #Madrid to cars over holidays resulted in a 9.5% boost in retail spending on its main shopping street: STUDY.
There was also a 71% drop in air pollution.
Via @carltonreid.com in @forbes.com. #citymakingmath #citiesforpeople
There was also a 71% drop in air pollution.
Via @carltonreid.com in @forbes.com. #citymakingmath #citiesforpeople
So having turned off Gmail’s smart features it does indeed remove a whole swathe of useful features. But in the other hand it made me realise how much crap I’m subscribed to & now I’m on an unsubscribe safari to clean up my inbox.
November 21, 2025 at 12:31 AM
So having turned off Gmail’s smart features it does indeed remove a whole swathe of useful features. But in the other hand it made me realise how much crap I’m subscribed to & now I’m on an unsubscribe safari to clean up my inbox.
Reposted by Bruce Buckman
FYI: turning off "Smart features" also turns off spell check and the promotions and social tabs. And more.
In effect, a lot of traditional tools in gmail are switched off if you don't let them upload your contracts, love notes, and sad messages to your friends into their plagiarism machine.
In effect, a lot of traditional tools in gmail are switched off if you don't let them upload your contracts, love notes, and sad messages to your friends into their plagiarism machine.
If you use GMail, AI (Gemini) was turned on yesterday by default and now scans all of your content for machine learning. To turn off, go to Settings>General and scroll down. Uncheck the box for "Smart features."
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
November 20, 2025 at 10:05 PM
FYI: turning off "Smart features" also turns off spell check and the promotions and social tabs. And more.
In effect, a lot of traditional tools in gmail are switched off if you don't let them upload your contracts, love notes, and sad messages to your friends into their plagiarism machine.
In effect, a lot of traditional tools in gmail are switched off if you don't let them upload your contracts, love notes, and sad messages to your friends into their plagiarism machine.
🎶 Then gov, gov will tear us apart again
Gov, gov will tear us apart again 🎶
Gov, gov will tear us apart again 🎶
November 20, 2025 at 11:45 PM
🎶 Then gov, gov will tear us apart again
Gov, gov will tear us apart again 🎶
Gov, gov will tear us apart again 🎶
Reposted by Bruce Buckman
I'll just note this inquiry has noted that with 20/20 hindsight the UK should have acted... pretty much exactly as New Zealand did.
Which a good portion of NZ's media and political class have spent 5 revisionist years trying to paint as an overreaction. Overwhelmingly, it wasn't.
Which a good portion of NZ's media and political class have spent 5 revisionist years trying to paint as an overreaction. Overwhelmingly, it wasn't.
‘Chaotic and indecisive’: key findings of report on UK’s Covid response under Tories
Second pandemic report focuses on decision-making, organisation and messaging by senior politicians including Boris Johnson
www.theguardian.com
November 20, 2025 at 6:06 PM
I'll just note this inquiry has noted that with 20/20 hindsight the UK should have acted... pretty much exactly as New Zealand did.
Which a good portion of NZ's media and political class have spent 5 revisionist years trying to paint as an overreaction. Overwhelmingly, it wasn't.
Which a good portion of NZ's media and political class have spent 5 revisionist years trying to paint as an overreaction. Overwhelmingly, it wasn't.
Reposted by Bruce Buckman
If you use GMail, AI (Gemini) was turned on yesterday by default and now scans all of your content for machine learning. To turn off, go to Settings>General and scroll down. Uncheck the box for "Smart features."
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
November 20, 2025 at 5:32 PM
If you use GMail, AI (Gemini) was turned on yesterday by default and now scans all of your content for machine learning. To turn off, go to Settings>General and scroll down. Uncheck the box for "Smart features."
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
I’d say that ‘admin tasks’, for a doctor are in fact a core part of patient care not some burdensome chore and patients should expect that ensuring the ‘admin’ is done correctly is part of the consultation.
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
November 20, 2025 at 8:17 PM
I’d say that ‘admin tasks’, for a doctor are in fact a core part of patient care not some burdensome chore and patients should expect that ensuring the ‘admin’ is done correctly is part of the consultation.
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Reposted by Bruce Buckman
Shane Jones is wrong says a Boston Consulting Group commissioned by NZ’s big energy companies.
No 'gas renaissance' in landmark report charting NZ's energy future newsroom.co.nz/2025/11/19/n... #nzpol
No 'gas renaissance' in landmark report charting NZ's energy future newsroom.co.nz/2025/11/19/n... #nzpol
No 'gas renaissance' in landmark report charting NZ's energy future
NZ is on track for a 98 percent renewable power system by 2030, a sweeping new report on the energy system has found.
newsroom.co.nz
November 20, 2025 at 6:05 AM
Shane Jones is wrong says a Boston Consulting Group commissioned by NZ’s big energy companies.
No 'gas renaissance' in landmark report charting NZ's energy future newsroom.co.nz/2025/11/19/n... #nzpol
No 'gas renaissance' in landmark report charting NZ's energy future newsroom.co.nz/2025/11/19/n... #nzpol
Reposted by Bruce Buckman
FUCK YEAH, ARCHAEOLOGY!
November 20, 2025 at 5:28 AM
FUCK YEAH, ARCHAEOLOGY!
Reposted by Bruce Buckman
Fish have committed credit card fraud
November 19, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Fish have committed credit card fraud
Reposted by Bruce Buckman
Sad, from the perspective of a country losing good people, & esp. wāhine Māori, at pace. Also entirely unsurprising, given the study of hate targeting former Mayor of Wellington. | Tory Whanau says harassment ‘ongoing’ as she outlines reasons for moving to Melbourne www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3608...
November 20, 2025 at 3:35 AM
Sad, from the perspective of a country losing good people, & esp. wāhine Māori, at pace. Also entirely unsurprising, given the study of hate targeting former Mayor of Wellington. | Tory Whanau says harassment ‘ongoing’ as she outlines reasons for moving to Melbourne www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3608...
Reposted by Bruce Buckman
Begging labour to rule out Winston, literally begging for the love of all that is good and correct and not stupid. www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/...
'Getting ready to go with Labour again': Seymour reacts to Peters bombshell
Winston Peters has promised to repeal the two-day-old Regulatory Standards Act.
www.nzherald.co.nz
November 20, 2025 at 2:48 AM
Begging labour to rule out Winston, literally begging for the love of all that is good and correct and not stupid. www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/...
Reposted by Bruce Buckman
Some opposition MP should put a "Regulatory Standards Act Repeal Bill" into the biscuit tin, approach the NZ First backbench MPs to sign on in support of it, and then see what happens if it gets pulled from the lottery ... NZ First didn't promise not to vote to repeal it once enacted!
Winston Peters vows to repeal Regulatory Standards Bill; David Seymour hits back
"We did our best to neutralise its adverse effects and we will campaign at the next election to repeal it," Peters told Radio Waatea.
www.rnz.co.nz
November 20, 2025 at 2:57 AM
Some opposition MP should put a "Regulatory Standards Act Repeal Bill" into the biscuit tin, approach the NZ First backbench MPs to sign on in support of it, and then see what happens if it gets pulled from the lottery ... NZ First didn't promise not to vote to repeal it once enacted!
So Winston will make repealing a bottomline in any future coalition negotiations? ACT says it’ll never support that. So a future Nat/NZF/ACT coalition doesn’t happen, potentially forcing Labour to talk to Winston? Oh dear lord. Please let NZF’s vote collapse.
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/...
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/...
'Getting ready to go with Labour again': Seymour reacts to Peters bombshell
Winston Peters has promised to repeal the two-day-old Regulatory Standards Act.
www.nzherald.co.nz
November 20, 2025 at 1:58 AM
So Winston will make repealing a bottomline in any future coalition negotiations? ACT says it’ll never support that. So a future Nat/NZF/ACT coalition doesn’t happen, potentially forcing Labour to talk to Winston? Oh dear lord. Please let NZF’s vote collapse.
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/...
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/...
Reposted by Bruce Buckman
I remain of the view that the key issue here is that the government could not use Transport funding to build a footbridge everyone wanted, ministers included, because the same government has deliberately made that impossible. It's a point Audrey Young completely misses.
November 20, 2025 at 1:36 AM
I remain of the view that the key issue here is that the government could not use Transport funding to build a footbridge everyone wanted, ministers included, because the same government has deliberately made that impossible. It's a point Audrey Young completely misses.
Magnetic undercoat paint FTW
November 20, 2025 at 1:40 AM
Magnetic undercoat paint FTW
Reposted by Bruce Buckman
Today, the Ministry of Health announced that puberty blockers would be further restricted, as they have not been categorically proven to be safe for our tamariki. However, let's unpack some of the statements and what happened:
(1/n)
(1/n)
November 19, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Today, the Ministry of Health announced that puberty blockers would be further restricted, as they have not been categorically proven to be safe for our tamariki. However, let's unpack some of the statements and what happened:
(1/n)
(1/n)
Reposted by Bruce Buckman
"When it came to Covid, we completely blew out what the value of a life was, completely, I've never seen such a high value on life.” - Brooke van Velden
"There are accidents that will happen. What I'm wanting to focus on is, how do I improve the overall economy and the situation that businesses and workers find themselves in?" - Van Velden. #PikeRiver
"She seemed to be focusing all the time on the employers and I sat and listened to it for a little while and then I just couldn't stand it" - Sonya Rockhouse. #PikeRiver
November 19, 2025 at 7:14 PM
"When it came to Covid, we completely blew out what the value of a life was, completely, I've never seen such a high value on life.” - Brooke van Velden
Reposted by Bruce Buckman
"There are accidents that will happen. What I'm wanting to focus on is, how do I improve the overall economy and the situation that businesses and workers find themselves in?" - Van Velden. #PikeRiver
"She seemed to be focusing all the time on the employers and I sat and listened to it for a little while and then I just couldn't stand it" - Sonya Rockhouse. #PikeRiver
Meeting with govt 'complete waste of time', Pike River families say
Anna Osborne and Sonya Rockhouse sat down with Brooke van Velden on the 15th anniversary of the disaster: "She seemed to be focusing all the time on the employers."
www.rnz.co.nz
November 19, 2025 at 6:21 PM
"There are accidents that will happen. What I'm wanting to focus on is, how do I improve the overall economy and the situation that businesses and workers find themselves in?" - Van Velden. #PikeRiver
Reposted by Bruce Buckman
You got ultra religious people as Ministers and a fringe minority party full of conspiracy theorists and this is what you get. They are in a symbiotic relationship based on hating queer people.
November 19, 2025 at 7:14 AM
You got ultra religious people as Ministers and a fringe minority party full of conspiracy theorists and this is what you get. They are in a symbiotic relationship based on hating queer people.
Reposted by Bruce Buckman
Absolutely fuck these people. Politicians overruling medical professionals is a shit position.
NZ First are actually evil. They don't care how many lives they may ruin to get the anti-trans vote.
November 19, 2025 at 5:07 AM
Absolutely fuck these people. Politicians overruling medical professionals is a shit position.
I’m not asking for much. Just to enjoy a little bit of schadenfreude. For just one of these pricks infesting our political life to fall flat on their face. Just once.
November 19, 2025 at 4:58 AM
I’m not asking for much. Just to enjoy a little bit of schadenfreude. For just one of these pricks infesting our political life to fall flat on their face. Just once.
Reposted by Bruce Buckman
Post-fire images along the "ditch track" between Whakapapa Village and the main Tongariro Alpine Crossing trail at Mangatepopo.
The challenge is to prevent upwind weeds dispensing seeds (dandelion, gorse, broom, blackberry) into the burn area...
#CruisingSh4 #RuapehuNZ #Tongariro
[DOC images]
The challenge is to prevent upwind weeds dispensing seeds (dandelion, gorse, broom, blackberry) into the burn area...
#CruisingSh4 #RuapehuNZ #Tongariro
[DOC images]
November 19, 2025 at 3:47 AM
Post-fire images along the "ditch track" between Whakapapa Village and the main Tongariro Alpine Crossing trail at Mangatepopo.
The challenge is to prevent upwind weeds dispensing seeds (dandelion, gorse, broom, blackberry) into the burn area...
#CruisingSh4 #RuapehuNZ #Tongariro
[DOC images]
The challenge is to prevent upwind weeds dispensing seeds (dandelion, gorse, broom, blackberry) into the burn area...
#CruisingSh4 #RuapehuNZ #Tongariro
[DOC images]