That crane story is amazing. I'm surprised that sort of thing doesn't happen more often. We seem to be a weird situation with seemingly minor jobs requiring road closure and endless cones and fencing. But then last year the house diagonally across from us was demolished (the insurance company conceded after 9 years of fighting). A guy with a digger just showed up 8am one Tuesday morning and knocked it to the ground. No telling the neighbours, no fences, no traffic control. I stepped out to watch just as a piece of roofing iron was flung onto the footpath across the street. I assume the cowboys keep getting jobs because they can bid really low. Traffic control is apparently expensive. A neighbour on a hilly back section nearby found it was cheaper to get in a helicopter than have a crane block the road and for two days it was like being on the set of "Apocalypse Now". Yes, we only heard the justification after the fact.
I was also disturbed by the weekend's stories, including one by Virginia Fallon who I quite like as a columnist. There was a disturbing similarity to the stories:
1) I was angry and frustrated that my unilateral decisions in the face of global pandemic had consequences
2) Then I found these people who told me it's OK to be selfish in the name of Peace, Love and FREEDOM.
3) Nek minit I was setting fire to a playground to flush out the Freemasons.
4) On Wednesday I'm sitting on the Grand Jury to convict Jabcinda of crimes about humanity under the 23rd amendment of Global Citizen Law. It's costing me $1500 but we have to make sacrifices.
Mar 21, 2022·edited Mar 21, 2022Liked by David Slack
Oh, I may have extrapolated 3 and 4 a bit. But it frustrates me my Twitter feed is full of heartbreaking stories of disabled people and others immunocompromised who are terrified of the removal of mandates and other restrictions. I guess they just aren't as newsworthy for some reason. How are we going to "heal" their pain?
Mar 21, 2022·edited Mar 21, 2022Liked by David Slack
Wonder whether the 'Parliament Lawn Puffballs' and the 'Martyrs of Molesworth St' feel just a teensy bit embarrassed when they see Putin's police gang-dragging people off the streets in numerous Russian cities. S'pose in their highest state of anxious delusion that was the 'Jacinda police state' they were always all on about? They need to stop being spoiled little shits, get a life and count themselves undeservedly lucky!
Worth the wait! I suppose the SST articles provided some useful insight into those of our community and in our families who have lost the plot but I would have liked the articles to include a reminder of who was calling for mandates and who actually imposes them.
Mar 21, 2022·edited Mar 21, 2022Liked by David Slack
Epic crane story and great photos. Alternative ending to get attention from the weekend papers: you and your family were so enraged by the situation, and by not being listened to, that you started throwing strategically placed bricks at the contractors (who weren't to blame for the whole debacle). Passers-by called Police, so you threw some bricks at passers-by and Police too, yelling and swearing about your rights. At present you are all on remand with a few bumps and bruises of which you have posted multiple photos, and several journalists want to interview you. You are social media stars, under the tag #stopolicebrutalityjabcindafreemason5g1080
That Steely Dan tune awoke some memories - returning from England to NZ to stay in LA with a gtr player friend (Ron Craig from Tommy Adderley's Head Band) - the tune was pumping out of every Tower Records store. Strange thing - 50 years later...... Becker and Fagen still rule.
Mar 21, 2022·edited Mar 21, 2022Liked by David Slack
In my experience, the requirements for resource consents are rarely honoured unless there is attention brought to a particular project. The responsible authority gets their fee for the consent and then forgets about it. Strangely enough, I blame Rogernomics.
Sensational work uncle Dave. Going the extra mile to report first hand on the crane crash. And then the perfect Steely Dan track to jam the message home. Yessss
Thanks David....Not a pleasant experience....It will make me hesitant to walk near an active crane. Cranes do fall over from time to time! I guess MOE, Worksafe, the Crane owner and the Project Management company will be busy looking at their responsibilities! Perhaps too many involved parties meant no one took responsibility for talking to and informing the neighbours!
So much for Health and Safety in the workplace. One would expect that event to have been identified as a potential hazard because it is not that uncommon.
This is an unpopular POV which I find myself returning to very frequently, because I'm so old: whether it's arrogant construction companies, project managers, ute drivers, digger drivers, crane operators, warmongers, RWNJ opinionaters,, etc - it's always men. And the problem men have is that they have literally never had to do life from a different perspective, ever. Consider others, consider their actions' effects, consider consequences or even LIVE with consequences.
OK, I'm off back to my man-free island in the middle of the man-free ocean :-/
That crane story is amazing. I'm surprised that sort of thing doesn't happen more often. We seem to be a weird situation with seemingly minor jobs requiring road closure and endless cones and fencing. But then last year the house diagonally across from us was demolished (the insurance company conceded after 9 years of fighting). A guy with a digger just showed up 8am one Tuesday morning and knocked it to the ground. No telling the neighbours, no fences, no traffic control. I stepped out to watch just as a piece of roofing iron was flung onto the footpath across the street. I assume the cowboys keep getting jobs because they can bid really low. Traffic control is apparently expensive. A neighbour on a hilly back section nearby found it was cheaper to get in a helicopter than have a crane block the road and for two days it was like being on the set of "Apocalypse Now". Yes, we only heard the justification after the fact.
I was also disturbed by the weekend's stories, including one by Virginia Fallon who I quite like as a columnist. There was a disturbing similarity to the stories:
1) I was angry and frustrated that my unilateral decisions in the face of global pandemic had consequences
2) Then I found these people who told me it's OK to be selfish in the name of Peace, Love and FREEDOM.
3) Nek minit I was setting fire to a playground to flush out the Freemasons.
4) On Wednesday I'm sitting on the Grand Jury to convict Jabcinda of crimes about humanity under the 23rd amendment of Global Citizen Law. It's costing me $1500 but we have to make sacrifices.
Oh, I may have extrapolated 3 and 4 a bit. But it frustrates me my Twitter feed is full of heartbreaking stories of disabled people and others immunocompromised who are terrified of the removal of mandates and other restrictions. I guess they just aren't as newsworthy for some reason. How are we going to "heal" their pain?
Wonder whether the 'Parliament Lawn Puffballs' and the 'Martyrs of Molesworth St' feel just a teensy bit embarrassed when they see Putin's police gang-dragging people off the streets in numerous Russian cities. S'pose in their highest state of anxious delusion that was the 'Jacinda police state' they were always all on about? They need to stop being spoiled little shits, get a life and count themselves undeservedly lucky!
I suspect they look at Russia and think "us next, this is where we're heading" etc - delusions are free
Worth the wait! I suppose the SST articles provided some useful insight into those of our community and in our families who have lost the plot but I would have liked the articles to include a reminder of who was calling for mandates and who actually imposes them.
Epic crane story and great photos. Alternative ending to get attention from the weekend papers: you and your family were so enraged by the situation, and by not being listened to, that you started throwing strategically placed bricks at the contractors (who weren't to blame for the whole debacle). Passers-by called Police, so you threw some bricks at passers-by and Police too, yelling and swearing about your rights. At present you are all on remand with a few bumps and bruises of which you have posted multiple photos, and several journalists want to interview you. You are social media stars, under the tag #stopolicebrutalityjabcindafreemason5g1080
Good reporting David. You shine when your hackles are up. 😎
That Steely Dan tune awoke some memories - returning from England to NZ to stay in LA with a gtr player friend (Ron Craig from Tommy Adderley's Head Band) - the tune was pumping out of every Tower Records store. Strange thing - 50 years later...... Becker and Fagen still rule.
Oh hell, is it 50 years? Mumblef**ksh*tohdear!!!
Welcome! 👵
In my experience, the requirements for resource consents are rarely honoured unless there is attention brought to a particular project. The responsible authority gets their fee for the consent and then forgets about it. Strangely enough, I blame Rogernomics.
Sensational work uncle Dave. Going the extra mile to report first hand on the crane crash. And then the perfect Steely Dan track to jam the message home. Yessss
Thanks David....Not a pleasant experience....It will make me hesitant to walk near an active crane. Cranes do fall over from time to time! I guess MOE, Worksafe, the Crane owner and the Project Management company will be busy looking at their responsibilities! Perhaps too many involved parties meant no one took responsibility for talking to and informing the neighbours!
YouTube: Idiots At Work. SO MANY CRANES 🤦♀️
And what is the common denominator? People with penises.
A bit unfair. There are as many stupid people as there are brilliant. It takes all sorts.
So much for Health and Safety in the workplace. One would expect that event to have been identified as a potential hazard because it is not that uncommon.
This is an unpopular POV which I find myself returning to very frequently, because I'm so old: whether it's arrogant construction companies, project managers, ute drivers, digger drivers, crane operators, warmongers, RWNJ opinionaters,, etc - it's always men. And the problem men have is that they have literally never had to do life from a different perspective, ever. Consider others, consider their actions' effects, consider consequences or even LIVE with consequences.
OK, I'm off back to my man-free island in the middle of the man-free ocean :-/
Good stuff again, David!!
But a near miss is really no laughing matter - as you say, if that woman had been upstairs, the story would be a great deal different.
Thanks for Steely Dan....it was part of the sound track of my early Auckland experiences.
That was so interesting! (Never thought I'd say that about a crane story). You should be a writer....oh. Wait.....
About the rabbitholers rather than the crane - this is long but worthwhile.
https://twitter.com/byroncclark/status/1505706571879583747