Posts by Patrick Reynolds
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Well this is rash; predictions are of course difficult, especially about the future. [Boom, boom!] But here goes: ABs not to win the cup, and no clear result at the election. How do you like them apples?
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OnPoint: Election 2011: GO!, in reply to Neil Morrison,
But Neil, and this is Keith's point, those companies are giving us a better return on investment now, so to sell them down will impoverish NZ inc. over the medium and long term. Especially if that ownership, or part of it, goes offshore. Which it will.
Of course Key and Joyce aren't planning to hang around in govt. too long, so money now is better than long term viability: this is stealing from the kids, again.Also if we-the-people still own 51% all brave or crazy moves by these companies will still have to be approved by a minister so I fail to see how they can change let alone certainly improve their performance dramatically. Especially as they are currently not run like Soviet tractor factories, which is to say like a Muldoon era Govt. department.
What will certainly happen is that any ability by these strategic assets to act over the long term instead of chase short term 'share-holder value' will diminish. This is simply using a false panic to further enrich their people, this is not about governance but about moving wealth from all of us to a few of us. And even more of them, ie offshore.
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Hard News: Because it's about time we…, in reply to Tom Beard,
Tom Beard, above, is completely on the money, what prompted this article? Did the performance of Starbucks mess up Restaurant Brands numbers? Pulling down the silly money they make selling heart disease at KFC? Did our 'analyst' have his calls spoiled by our simple desire for a decent cup of coffee not in a paper cup? He could always go and do something useful instead of taxing us all with this parasitic activity posing as meaningful employment.
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Hard News: Because it's about time we…, in reply to Russell Brown,
The Hubcap Cafe, on Symonds St, can't remember the guy, but he was a punter at the Diner... that's how it worked... crazy isn't it? can't move for espresso bars in NZ now..... the coffee idea has spread like a disease. I guess the stuff freights so much more than just a refreshing drink- there's a thesis there for someone......
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Hard News: Because it's about time we…, in reply to Simon Grigg,
yes Francis was there, and Simone Horrocks who is now a film director.... do you remember all of A Certain Bar staggering down Albert St at closing time and swamping the Diner? AK was soooo small....
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Hard News: Because it's about time we…, in reply to Russell Brown,
Domino's was later, that was Judy Millar too, and Markman and I worked there as well, as The Diner had closed by then. There was never a K'rd one, not sure what you're referring to there.
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Funny read wasn't it, I guess he can't stand the success of businesses he can't advise investment in..... I was delighted when the Starbucks Milkbar closed on Ponsonby Rd last year.
The recent resurgence in real coffee in Auckland well predates DKD, it really started with John's Diner on Albert St 1981-83. There artist John Reynolds ran a 1970s boxy coffee coloured Faema, and before that along with fellow artist Judy Millar, had Starship downstairs in Vulcan Lane. I know this because I worked in both places- they got me through Elam and gave me a coffee habit at a time when NZ was still really part of the tea culture world [along with Britain and East and South Asia]. Millar is no relation to Craig Miller, of Millers Coffee, who I've always understood as the initiator of the Flat White. Which is, in my view, a way better morning coffee than you'll ever get in France or Italy.
For a cracking history and analysis of the 'The Coffee House' follow the link below and read with your next 'dish of coffee'. Written by University of London professor and fellow ex John's Diner Barista Markman Ellis, who has also written the definitive book on the subject, THE COFFEE HOUSE:
http://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/8/coffeehouse.php -
Richard great to see you here. But why the odd prejudice against trains? Repeating the false idea about AK's density, while also implying that you need Tokyo before a train will work. Not true, Ak's trains are working OK now despite savage underinvestment and various attempts at killing them off. Growth in use has been a staggering 248% since Britomart opened. And here are to two great things about them: 1. they don't run on the roads or park on the street. Without the current deeply limited rail system AK would grind to a total halt,. There is simply no possibility for the city to grow into the vibrant place it can be without moving people in and out by building more roads. And the current ones are full. Also you've tasted the air and seen the streetlife down from your office... it's filling up with low tech fume belching inhuman buses. And 2. the trains will soon be running on silent, renewable, powerful, modern, electricity. A very tricky thing to achieve with our bus fleet. Only rail has the capacity to transform the urban fabric of the city AND make living in the 'burbs for those that choose it more efficient and pleasurable. If only the trucking lobby wasn't running the country we would be well on the way to really making this work now. Of course buses are vital for feeding the rail network and the Northern Busway is great until it reaches capacity but can then be upgraded to rail. Until then it still has a few downsides: 1. it still shares the bridge with general traffic [although that has fallen since the busway opened] 2. it clogs downtown with dozens of unpleasant vehicles. and 3. it isn't connected with the rest of the network, when it is rail it will really link the Shore to say, Manukau and of course the Airport [Michael Barnett and his vested interests notwithstanding]. Come over to the light side Richard... or are you after some motorway work from NZTA and Joyce? [sorry] cheers Patrick R
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Hi Angus I agree totally with your second paragraph, but giving the system somewhere to go out of the 'garage' that is Britomart is the essential first step to spreading the network. The whole network is a sad stunned thing because ALL our money has gone on roads.
You're right we urgently need to address the complete failure to provide any transit in the vast and expanding areas of South Eastern Auckland. ARTA are about to blow, and I mean blow. 1.3 Billion on making crazy highways to nowhere in Panmure that will not address this huge need. Where as linking the rail from Manukau, Botany, Highland Park, and a new Tamaki Crossing to join the network at GI, would really do much solve this problem. This would be expensive but hugely transforming for those suburbs AND for the quality of the CBD. Pakuranga would be but a couple of stops from Britomart + Midtown, and even K'rd. And the otherway actually connected to other Southern areas esp. Manukau City and on to the airport. ARTA's current scheme is both hugely wasteful and not nearly bold enough. Go here: http://transportblog.co.nz/tag/howickbotany-line/
The numbers that currently use AK's rapid transit are heroic given the incompleteness of the system and shitty old trains and lack of frequency. We know from response to recent upgrades and the Northern Busway [which is like a train as it is not sharing its road] that if it's there we will use it. Right now it's barely there.
You want to smell pork? Look at what the Minister for Trucking is making us pay for now to get his mates' gigantic killer trucks on our roads.... [while running down Kiwi Rail]
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Well that started an avalanche... can't really reply to all those posts but great to see such interest in architecture and urban design. I will continue here on this subject when I can, and Simon Wilson's Metro article is really good too... we mustn't let the politicians run the debate as their adgendas are no good for our cities. Bad enough having Mr Joyce determined to pave the entire place.... But right now I just want to strongly recommend THE GLASS ROOM a novel by Simon Mawer based on Mies's great Villa Turgendhat: love, betrayal, tradegy, and.... modernism! And that heroic idea when it was new and offered a possible way out of that ghastly century. Not just a style, a look.