RobiNZ Personal Blog

Microsoft Copilot: Ai'lies or time Co'fusion?

So I asked Microsoft Copilot: December 11th @ 12:00 PM Pacific US in NZ time? Sure thing! 12:00 PM on December 11th in Pacific Time (PT) converts to 9:00 AM on December 12th in New Zealand Standard Time (NZST). If you need any more conversions or have other questions, just let me know! But December is not Standard Time so I asked: What about daylight saving? Great question! Daylight Saving Time (DST) in New Zealand means that the clocks are adjusted twice a year: ○ Spring Forward: On the last Sunday in September, clocks are moved forward by 1 hour... Read more →

It's simple, when you know how | simplicity living . kiwi

It was great to visit the Simplicity Living Productivity Hub today and learn more about how they are building high quality affordable rental (they'll own), and rent to buy (they'll fund) housing that I own 0.0000[insert many more zeros]001% of via a portion of my Simplicity Kiwisaver (retirement fund) and separate small Simplicity Homes and Income Fund investment %) Two pours today on their Te Reiputa site with 297 new one and two-bedroom apartments in Mt Wellington, Auckland. Introducing Te Reiputa - Simplicity Living's biggest project yet | Simplicity Simplicity Living's Te Reiputa Mt Wellington Site Even better all their... Read more →

The best GBU mention ever!

Last night I posted this comment (without the image) on a 'The Intercooler' article by Mel Nichols about the history of the iconic Car Magazine Good, Bad, Ugly (GBU) pages: My favourite* GBU line was the 1983 (still have the August issue) 'Sum up' for a Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham d'Elegance: "As flash as a rat with a gold tooth". I loved the GBU, kept a few key Car issues over the years including my first purchased, for a pocket money killing $1.20! The Feb 79 issue had a Fiat 131 Sport on the cover, alongside a RS2000 Escort but who... Read more →

Wonderful memories of Antarctica, watching Karl Watson's recent trip

I went to Antarctica thanks to a Karl*, was reminded of so many memories watching Karl Watson's recent (November 2023) trip which went to several of the places we visited at the same time of year (so very similar snow etc). Watching them kayaking at Orne Harbour (ep 2) I still can't really believe have done the same. Nothing gets close to experiencing Antarctica, but this is a brilliant effort at capturing it. * I went with Dr Karl Kruszelnicki in November 2019, our trip was 13 days and we had even better weather! Read more →

A fine tribute to 'New Zealand's Unknown Genius', Beatrice (Hill) Tinsley

A brilliant video, a fine tribute to a remarkable life. Years, no decades!, ago I vaguely knew of Beatrice Tinsley's work, on the life of galaxies, but would not have been able to name her. Then The Warehouse, who I worked for, rented some factory space in Beatrice Tinsley Cresent (Rosedale, Auckland) and I wondered who it was named for. Looked that up, made the connection and never forgotten. Several years ago I saw a wonderful performance of the 'Bright Star' stage play in Auckland. It was brilliant and portrayed the personal/career challenges she faced. I try and get to... Read more →

Impressive service for an affordable AIRROBO P20 Robot Vacuum Cleaner

I'd long thought about getting a robot vacuum cleaner to do 'between real clean tidying' but wasn't up to spending the sort of money the market leader's command. My 'real' home vacuum is a commercial backpack PacVac Superpro 700. It is powerful and has a mega-long cord so can clean the house, garage, even cars on the drive outside, without changing plugs. It's awesome but the arrival of a cat with long white, seemingly always shedding, fur meant fairly constant light cleaning was needed... When I saw the AIRROBO P20 at Jaycar NZ, for a couple of hundred dollars, I... Read more →

Capper Peak, Jenny Island, Antarctica!

I forget how many years ago Harry Capper and I connected, well over a decade and initially on LinkedIn, due to our shared (but no close relation) surname. We've kept in touch, over the years, and I was amazed to get this Facebook Message after he saw an Antarctic post I had shared: Harry's Facebook Messenger Message (shared with permission) Linda Capper and Capper Peak Although I had done lots of research (I thought!) for my 2019 Antarctic trip I didn't know of Linda or her long career with the British Antarctic Survey: Hi Robin, I know how much Antarctica... Read more →

Andrew Powell And The Philharmonia Orchestra... A Sony D50, Forty years on...

I saw a Facebook post on an Alan Parsons Project (APP) group wishing Andrew Powell Happy Birthday and remembered a lifetime of entertainment. As an industrial design student in 1983/84 I was fascinated by the brand-new CD technology being launched at the time. Went to look at the first of the Sony & Philips players on display at a hifi store in the Auckland, NZ, CBD. They had a tiny range of imported CDs on sale to support the launch and one was 'Andrew Powell & the Philharmonia Orchestra Plays the Best of the APP". I was already a fan... Read more →

Socially media influenced by Webworm's David Farrier!

Recently Substacker (Webworm), Podcaster (Flightless Bird), Director (Tickled, Dark Tourist, Mr Organ), former TV3 Journalist, David Farrier posted about dyeing his hair... (Quote from subscriber locked post used with permission) WEBWORM WITH DAVID FARRIER - The Origins of Rage I dyed my hair pink - then the angry comments began. DAVID FARRIER | MAR 30, 2024 | PAID Hi, I dyed my hair pink* this week. If I was being pretentious I’d say it was an art project. I’d used a pink-hair filter on social media earlier this month, which had people evenly split between “Oh my God you dyed... Read more →

My best car from the 1990s?

Guess, or click the link to see, which one I picked... Surprised they say ~6 left in the U.K., probably that many still in NZ? One, albeit the later 2001 year 155, in my garage. The best cars from the 1990s, but which is your favourite? - Autocar With the 80s having been well and truly plundered for affordable classics, the 90s is next up. Here’s your ultimate guide to the cars to buy now – before their prices soar out of reach... Read more →

2023 Blogging Highlights

See 2023 Blogging Highlights on the other blog. Read more →

A GBU letter to Car Magazine (U.K.)

Sent to the 'letters to Editor' email 2023-12-23: CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK IN A BROWSER THE GOOD: Content, photography looks so good on screen THE BAD: Web layout and user interface. SLOW loading times even on fibre, why do I ever see a spinning load wheel? THE UGLY: Poor reading experience the way pages respond in a browser. PDF magazines from car clubs better emulate reading a high quality publication. THE ONE TO BUY: Yes, but get the pulp format if you don't live on the other side of the planet* * where it often arrived weeks late and (if on a wet... Read more →

A form I'll never fill out... UOA Body Bequest Section Two

Part of my 'doing things I should have done long ago' was actually organising donating whatever collection of atoms I comprise of at the end for a useful purpose. I'm not religious so consider once dead the container I formerly occupied is just that. Now the medical school get first refusal, then transplant donations etc. if they don't want it. Still felt a bit odd to look at part two of the UOA Body Bequest form and wonder when and how it will be filled out... Read more →

Tern BYB P8 Bike in a box, the Tern Airporter Slim ready for the world

The BYB in my Tern BYB P8 folding bike mode name stands for 'Bring Your Bike'. The wonderful thing about a folding bike is taking it, anywhere. When I saw the Tern Airporter Slim case, on their site, the idea of an easily flyable bike really appealed. It isn't for point-to-point touring, more 'hub and spoke' (day rides from a base) but that is the type of cycle touring I like. Photo from Tern Website Trying to buy one... None of the local Tern dealers had one in stock. Rouleur, where I got my bike, were happy to order it... Read more →

The Lancia Delta, Big Car YouTube and me!

Big Car recently released his comprehensive video on the history of the Lancia Delta and I was happy to give a small hand to the production. As a Patreon supporter, I saw an early cut of it and recognised some concept design images he'd used. Back in the 80s, when I was studying Product Design (at what is now Unitec) I used to cycle around the car dealers in Great North Rd and Newmarket to see the new cars (and still do!). When the Delta arrived in their showroom Continental Cars had some books (more than a brochure) about the... Read more →

Recalling a ride in the only Porsche 911 I've ever liked

A post by Swade, asking 'A question from a reader….. Which Porsche 911 should he buy?', had me remembering the only Porsche 911 I've ever liked. For some reason I'm immune to '911 desire'* as they really do nothing for me except for memories of one experience. Back in 1999 I had the fastest auto ride in my life around the Pukekohe track as a passenger in a Lighting Direct Porsche 911 GT Le Mans Turbo with Kiwi race driver Owen Evans driving in 'one arm mode'. Owen's left arm was crushed in a horrific land speed record attempt crash... Read more →

A new home for my blogs, Me Dot Net?

My blog is still on TypePad but now, after nearly twenty years of procrastination, are accessed via www.robincapper.net. The story of how that happened is here... A new home for my blogs, Me Dot Net? - RobiNZ CAD Blog (robincapper.net) Updated 2024-09-01: Something broke and seems TypePad can't fix so now back to https://rcd.typepad.com Read more →