RobiNZ Personal Blog

NZ Media complain about losing advertising revenue they handed to social media

'Media actively drove their readers to social media and the advertisers followed. Every time you said "Visit our Facebook, Instagram, Twitter" to comment or feedback you were accelerating your own demise. They didn't take your readers, you handed them over willingly.' My response to: 'Media bosses challenge Government to recognise damage of social media advertising' where media bosses accuse social media of 'taking' , 'stealing', 'scooping up' revenue for eyeballs they actively sent to social media. Look where they are... Read more →

The balloon seller in Hanoi

I was watching a documentary on architecture, Supersize Structures, and in one part (about the density of cities) they showed a picture of Hanoi. It was a passing shot but looked familiar, very familiar. In 2008 I had taken the same shot, of a balloon seller in the traffic, from a roof top open air café overlooking an intersection in Hanoi. It wasn't my favourite from that location. This one for me captures the manic calm of crossing the road in Hanoi. Just walk and know they’ll miss you, just. Read more →

Brian Greene only explains The Universe @bgreene @bourdain

Browsing Amazon Prime Video and it seems Physicist Brian Greene needs to lift his game. He’s only explaining The Universe! To be fair Anthony Bourdain explains includes “the best scrambled eggs” and “the perfect steak” which are harder than explaining the Universe. Read more →

Roots, then and now

Quite sobering watching the 2016 version of “Roots” having visited the US plantation location used for episode one. I saw Evergreen Plantation, Wallace, Louisiana in 2007 when I was in New Orleans as part of a tour. Still privately owned it was rather unusual in retaining real evidence of the slave era which built these places. They had retained the less salubrious accommodation the slaves ‘enjoyed’ and evidence of their trade. I particularly remember a tax return on display; people valued, listed as assets. So elegant and lovely on a sunny day, such a bleak history. The only resident there... Read more →

TEDx Auckland 2014, unexpected Himalayan cycle tour preparation!

When I saw TEDx Auckland 2014 announced I really wanted to go but was a bit torn. I loved the 2013 event but it meant a precious day of weekend gone. Weekends were crucial as I was trying to get fit for a rather demanding cycle tour in the Himalayas. The TEDx 2014 theme was ‘Ascending’: Ascending is about individuals and society rising to a higher level of consciousness. Ascending is about finding the positives in any situation and building on them to make our lives, community, business and planet better. As it turned out, the day spent at TEDx... Read more →

Dr Who'syjet lost the plot?

I'm catching up with old Dr Who so can start watching the current series. Thankfully this is just a mixed up DVR description and not a severe decline in plot standards for The Doctor! Read more →

TVNZ7 scrapped in favour of One DVR with an hour delay

Brilliant, TVNZ7 quality replaced by delayed screenings of cooking and reality shows. i.e. TVNZ One Meanwhile, NZ On Air fund the GC… TVNZ7 scrapped in favour of repeats channel | Stuff.co.nz The scrapped TVNZ7 channel will be replaced with a "plus one" channel that will be a duplicate of TV One run an hour later…. Read more →

Sky NZ Formula 1 2012 coverage sucks

As sent to Sky New Zealand: Do you offer a discount for my Sky Sport Subscription due to poor quality product? The F1 coverage from Melbourne was absolute rubbish. No intro, vast chucks with no commentary and mismatched sound (car engine noise after all the cars had stopped running?). In a year when Sky U.K. are promising better than ever coverage it appears Sky NZ have got the cheapest possible package. Regards, Annoyed F1 Fan On the upside, looks like (Ferrari aside) the racing is going to be great. Read more →

Doctor Who, Religious Programme?

Noticed this MySky Guide description while catching up with Doctor Who. It has devoted fans, worshipers maybe?, but never really thought of Doctor Who as a religion! Read more →

Kiwi humour meets celebrity - Ben Boyce from WANNA-Ben

Ben Boyce decides he want to be… A rock star, stuntman, superstar actor, rapper or whatever then goes & interviews real ones to find out how. These are the highlights from WANNA-Ben, the full interviews are on his WANNA-BenTV YouTube Channel Read more →