Could some unscrupulous businesses as a business strategy possibly be intentionally sneaking on extra charges onto selected customers hoping the customer not notice it? And if the customer does notice the discrepancy such as an unusual charge (or line item) and queries it, simply say sorry, correct the billing error and say it was a mistake?

Been a few cases recently when procuring products or services, errors have been spotted in either the quote or with a given invoice and have usually given the business the benefit of the doubt. I like to think (and still believe) the vast majority of these have been genuine and innocent mistakes, but the increasing frequently of such experiences in recent years has left me to question, is it a possibility that some businesses could be feigning mistakes? Particularly in these more challenging economic conditions?

My concern is that it can be extremely difficult if not downright impossible to determine between what are genuine billing mistakes that any business (despite the best of intentions) could still make and what could be feigned billing mistakes undertaken willfully as a business strategy by less than honest businesses.

Government agencies and Government appointed authorities in my view need be very careful about increasing the amount of ‘Strict Liability’ offenses on offer, particularly in light of recent reporting in the media about other crimes (such as Ram Raids, Assaults) being left unresolved / unpunished with offenders of these crimes getting off with merely a few months of home detention or even just a warning.

’Strict Liability’ supposedly does away with the need prove a ‘Guilty Mind’ (intention).

As the “infringement fines” base increases and the net widens, we are now seeing more and more otherwise Law abiding people getting pinged over an ever increasing array of ‘Strict Liability’ offences.

While arguably in many cases, the punishment may be warranted, This brings to light a number of issues and considerations…

• Where ordinary people who otherwise have the best intentions and have no intent on causing harm are now no longer able to go about their lives without worrying about the the state coming down on them for what is often an innocent mistake.

• This also comes on the back that of many events recently where people who are perceived to be committing real crimes with greater social and public harm are getting away with a slap on a wrist or just a warning while the ordinary member of the public who drove a few metres too long in the bus lane are slapped with a hefty  $150 NZD fine which anecdotally is extremely difficult to get out of. This is the same monetary penalty as someone running a red light which by all accounts is a much more serious act with more material consequences.

• Another issue this situation brings up is that instead of the state being seen as an ally out to assist the lives of the ordinary tax-paying citizens, the state are increasing instead seen as an adversary out to get at them at any means possible in turn causing public to distrust those in power

• It potentially normalizes offences and offending. We are now seeing more and more people regard certain fines as just another tax and revenue generation (or “revenue raisers” more commonly used in Australia / Across the Tasman). It is also ultimately has the real potential of reducing the public’s regard or “respect of authority”.

• More significantly, the fixed nature of this penalty means those on the lowest incomes are the most impacted by the imposition of such fixed value monetary penalties. For those on low incomes, a $150 may mean a weeks worth of groceries and the inability to feed one’s family. For a more financial well off it may be a little mere a minor slap on the wrist.

The imposition of Automatic fixed camera bus lanes enforcement at fines of $150 is I feel a slippery slope in the wrong direction, a step too far already. This also confirms my anxiety as it were over what I originally saw back in Melbourne, Victoria Australia with respect to Victoria being a fine state increasingly being applied to New Zealand as well.

This post is purely my personal opinion as a layman regarding the Influenza Vaccine specifically and is no way a shot against Vaccines or vaccinations in general.

I’m wondering if my body’s immune system even responds effectively to the annual influenza vaccine at all? Been Steamrolled by influenza like symptoms again (Starting Friday Morning). Unlike the COVID-19 vaccine where I do get a noticeable reaction after each shot, I do not get any appreciable reaction at all after receiving the influenza vaccine.

Yeah, it could be something else other than influenza that has rolled me, but the hit rate on any given year where I come down with flu-like symptoms such as high fever, body aches, itchy lungs (dry cough) which come on rather suddenly and swiftly versus the years where I don’t get this affliction appears to be rather poor for me. 7 out of the last 12 years, I’ve come down with “influenza-like” symptoms above that have bed stricken me at least over a few days and sometimes in those years, ended up with flu-like symptoms twice.

My GP (at least in the past) will base diagnosis of “The flu” based on the IFI (“Influenza-Like Illnesses”) symptoms I’ve given above alone. I guess that question should be asked… Is there anywhere we can get an influenza test to definitively confirm or deny this? And how much does it cost?

Yes, I’ve taken a few COVID Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT), and they have come back negative. I still have my smell and taste, so further indicates that it’s less likely to be COVID. It’s possible I picked up this Influenza-like affliction at my work’s “All in day” last Wednesday as that was the only time that week I ventured out of the house.

With that out of the way, I hear that from the CDC over in America suggests that the Flu Vaccine wasn’t a good match for 2021 and 2022. I feel I’ve been hearing that assessment more often in recent years. I wonder if the Influenza vaccine on average is losing it’s effectiveness as years go by? Do we need to reconsider how we produce this vaccine and the messaging that the public is given in terms of it’s actual effficacy?

As mentioned previously, there appears to be suggestion that getting your annual flu vaccine each year may blunt effectiveness. Yeah, may be a I should try giving the flu shot a rest for a year or two. But who knows? We just don’t know enough and it may take a few years before we all learn more. All I know is that I’m quickly losing my faith in the Flu shot as providing me any real effective protection against Influenza-Like Illnesses (ILI) and feel the Industry may be overstating the Influenza Vaccine’s efficacy.

I believe at best, the Flu Vaccine may reduce the overall disease burden on society (as in, reduce hospital admissions, etc) and right now, that is perhaps the largest argument in favour of getting this vaccine. In terms of individual protection against Influenza-Like Illnesses (ILI), the Flu shot has at least for me personally (and quite a few others) been infuriatingly ineffective and I call upon the industry to at least look into and perhaps acknowledge the Influenza Vaccine could be falling short in it’s delivery of expected outcomes for the public.

Got a new Android tablet and noticed that Spotify has been continuously phoning home to places such as api2.branch.io and app.adjust.com (every few seconds). If I force close the App, the DNS calls immediately cease.

Have flicked Spotify support an Email about this asking how I can turn this off on the Android version of their App. However, If I get no joy, will most probably move forward with ending my Spotify Premium subscription.

Annie Crummer at Matariki Vibes 2022. Effectively walked into this on a leisurely local neighbourhood afternoon walk without realising there was even this free concert on.

The free concert also had House of Shem, Che Fu, Herbs, among other acts. Hosted by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei.

Wasn’t particularly packed at all. That said it wasn’t widely publicised either and had to really search for it online upon returning home from my walk.

Well what did the world expect? An uptick in interest rates has caused asset prices to fall, and some quite substantially. The recent sustained boom was indeed credit fueled and a correction has finally arrived albeit several long years overdue (delayed by the ridiculous amount of money printing by Central Banks world over)

As asset prices continue to ease, I’ve started seeing opportunities emerge for the first time in frankly a too long a time.

Fantastic Planet on it’s last evening prior to it’s departure from Auckland. Click photo to access gallery on NUI.NZ

Apart from AA landlord insurance / Vero, will be interested to hear what other insurers are also offering a reduced inspection interval requirement of six months or longer at least when tenants have been in a given place for over a year or two.

The current 3 month inspection I feel is a bit over the top if a tenant has stayed in a place for beyond a year and has kept the place in good condition in that time. One primary reason I hear for the 3 monthly inspection requirements is to pick up meth use or manufacture, however am unconvinced that more frequent inspections is likely to materially increase the chances of picking this up.