Kanzi

 The headline:

• 
  
• Dr Michelle Dickinson: nanotechnologist on what a recent bonobo study reveals about imagination

A bonobo's pretend tea party has scientists rethinking imagination

I find this story fascinating.

 

A bonobo named Kanzi was sitting at a table across from a researcher. On the table are two completely empty clear cups and an empty clear jug. The researcher pretends to pour juice into both cups. Then she pretends to dump the juice out of one of them, turning it upside down and shaking it as if to show it’s empty. 

Then she asks Kanzi, “Where’s the juice?” 

There is no juice, but most of the time, Kanzi points to the cup that is supposed to still contain the imaginary juice. 

 

Maybe where research should be. 

I do note that Kanzi is a bloke.

I bet the report doesn't highlight that! 

Fire Damage

 I refer you to the top story here:

 Govt to use funds from Visitor Levy to restore fire-damaged parts of Tongariro National Park

The government will use $3.5 million from the International Visitor Levy to help  restore fire-damaged parts of Tongariro National Park

Conservation minister Tama Potaka said Tongariro was a taonga, and restoring its mauri was essential.

 Fire is nature's way of resetting balance and natural areas left alone after a fire invariably restore themselves stronger than they were pre-fire.

Attempting to  restore fire-damaged parts of Tongariro National Park is not just unnecessary, it's a fucking make-work scheme for thieving racists.

Rather than pouring time, effort and my money into this part of Tongariro National Park Minister Potaka should be charging the local group of racists for the costs of limiting the fire to the national park.

Wine?

 I had to stop at a pedestrian crossing outside a school last week while a cacophony of children crossed, my guess is, on the way to a swimming pool.

I was reminded of this when I saw this headline on the NewstalkZB site:

Teacher poured wine into her drink bottle and drank it while on lunch duty

 The tone of the headline is disapproving and I agree.

 Wine wouldn't cut it. I would need at least a good Scotch blend to put up with that noise - and I'm deaf.

 

 

Chilli - Red

 I picked my first green Wildfire chilli this season on Christmas Day.

Since then I have had a profusion of Wildfire chillies, some up to 8" in length, that were reluctant to change colour.

I have been eating Habanero and Cayenne while I wait.

Today I picked my first red Wildfire of the season, chopped about half (2") of it and added it to cheese, salami and tomato on bread and cooked it in an air-fryer.

It was worth the wait! 

Again

 Example no. 4,386: 

The headline: 

The Teaching Council and the rot at the heart of NZ’s public sector

 Once again they put a sheila in charge instead of the best man for the job.

Once again failure and corruption results. 

Once again the poor bloody taxpayer bears the cost! 

 

Sun Strike

 The headline: 

• 
  
• Norsewood tradesman Tony Saunders crashed van while blinded by sun, coroner finds

'No way of knowing': Tradie killed in sunstrike crash wouldn't have seen road work signs

Another day, another un-worldly wanna-be judge makes a foolish statement. 

" The coroner recommended that drivers take care when driving at sunrise or sunset, and be extra careful in winter when the sun is lower in the sky, wear sunglasses, keep the windshield clean and if drivers still can’t see, pull over until visibility improves. "

The coroner obviously has never driven a vehicle. She should have consulted her chauffeur.

Sunstrike happens instantly, it is not driving into the sun but being hit, unexpectedly, by very bright light.

Quite literally it blinds. 

Only VERY good, VERY expensive sunglasses can help in such cases, no matter how aware a driver is.

No mention in the report of traffic mis-management that created this dangerous situation by not having sufficient warning devices placed before the sun-danger area hanging from convenient lamp-posts/trees etc.

Shame! 

Ice

 The headline: 

Antarctic expedition collects evidence that ice sheet melted during previous warm period

23 Million years.

It's going to be fucking hard to blame that on the SUVs.