:: zone3 ::

If you follow the editorials of a few papers, it appears the New Zealand political winds are changing.

No longer can National do no right, it seems it is no the case of Labour can do no right.

This is an interesting sign of currently international relations…

Putin revives Russia's long-haul bomber flights

For the 1st time in 15 years, nuclear strategic bomber are holding position ready to strike other countries. I read about this buried near the back of the Sunday Star Times today. Although this doesn’t have quite the short-term impact of the other World News headlines like hijackings and hurricanes, I would have thought such a serious deterioration warranted something a bit closer to the front of the paper.

It looks some companies haven't thrught the wording of their online shopping forms...
The Reading Cinemas online book form asks you for Cardholder and to "print" your name...

Don't recall many other option beside typing on most computers... :)

A couple of weeks ago, I complained about the lack of information around Kiwi Saver options going out to the average public. Well, the whole scheme has now started and although there is more information beginning to come out, but the complaint still stands…

Was reading the Sunday Star Times today. They had an article comparing the various Kiwi Saver funds and I can across the follow literary gem:

Past performance is a better indicator of future performance, and stats are available from the likes of FundSource and Morningstar, and are available in the newspaper, but beware: past performance is no indicator of future performance.

Without looking too closely at this multi clause eyesore, that I’m sure would give both Struck and White a hernia, lets look at the first and last clauses.
“Past performance is a better indicator of future performance” and “past performance is no indicator of future performance”.
Now I can assume what the author is trying to get at, but with ironic statements like that going out to the public around Kiwi Saver how can the average person make a sensible choice.

In New Zealand, a big deal is being made about Kiwisaver… If looking at this from overseas, or if in New Zealand and living under a rock, Kiwisaver is a national retirement scheme that is being introduced from 01/07/07. It involves money directed from peoples pay into a personal retirement account and has a few incentives to get people to join. Most of the incentives were introduced only a month or so ago.

Now in general, the whole thing is an OK idea and the public is being encouraged to sign up by the government and the fund providers. But, is it the right thing for everyone?