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Nov. 28th, 2007

01:01 pm - Today, Tats is Bored At Work

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And, to save myself from writing ranty letters to the Editor (which editor? ANY editor in a storm, I say).. um, anyway, to avoid that which may just place me securely within cantankerous middle age, I've been working on Kiwiburn stuff.

You would be amazed what Regional Authorities require before you can bung on a festival. I mean, it's not like we're doing anything out of the ordinary! *hides 50-foot flame cannon, naked men in bondage, 4000W sound system and homebrewed absinthe behind back*



So anyway, over the last week or two I've been doing my job on the Crew, which mostly involves being anally retentive about safety (remember the 50-foot flame cannnon?) and gathering official-looking bits of paper together into a large wad, which I can then throw at council people and authority people and anyone else who asks. Hopefully it'll hit them in the solarplexus and they'll be too breathless to say "OMGWTFBBQNOWAYCANYOUDOTHATPUTTHATFLAMECANNONAWAY!" until after the festival.

Here is my unspecified list of what needs to be supplied:



Yep, I reckon that's enough paper to do someone an injury if I throw it hard enough, yeah? But I'm feeling rather pleased with myself, because last year this stuff all got sent on 9 January, this year it's not even December and it's sorted. This may have something to do with not having to spend November looking for a new venue after the wankers officials at Tokomaru told us we could use their land but couldn't camp on it - this 4 months into the application process after numerous emails, letters and phonecalls making it clear that camping was required.

There's a conspiracy theory that they got cold feet when they realised we were organised and meant business and yes we would be burning giant art structures. I think they thought we'd just disappear in a puff of enthusiasm and disorganisation, and when we didn't, they scrambled to get rid of us. But, thanks to their withdrawal, we searched for and now have the wonderful site at Whakamaru, support from Taupo District Council and the Mangakino community, and I get to get my paperwork in with 2 months to spare instead of 2 weeks.



Everything happens for a reason, I reckon.


Yerp, so I'm feeling pretty chuffed with this. I fully expect there will be more hoops to jump through, some narrowly averted disasters, and probably we'll skate close to a total fire ban (which was 2 days off last year, when it rained and saved the day), but it's good to know the bulk of the boring stuff is done with, and I can get on with organising my art and the theme camp I'm involved in.

Speaking of which, there was a sighting of the rare Pink Moa last night. Next time, I'll have my camera ready..

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Comments:

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From:[info]whatifitworks
Date:November 28th, 2007 12:38 am (UTC)
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homebrewed absinthe ? hahaha
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From:[info]tatjna
Date:November 28th, 2007 12:39 am (UTC)
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For intestinal parasites, you understand. Purely medicinal. *nods*
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From:[info]whatifitworks
Date:November 28th, 2007 12:54 am (UTC)
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actually that public liability sounds really low, compared to the UK (I think we had 1.5 million for a sports event in a public park once. £s that it), seems like a couple of burned arms and legs and it would all be spent. ok, that sounds gross, but you know what I mean.
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From:[info]whatifitworks
Date:November 28th, 2007 12:57 am (UTC)
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but mebby you're not populated by people who'll sue you for a stubbed toe :)
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From:[info]tatjna
Date:November 28th, 2007 01:04 am (UTC)
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The ticket also has a liability disclaimer that basically says - "You acknowledge you are entering a hazardous area. We take all care but no responsibility. If you climb a tree and fall out, it's your own silly fault - etc."
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From:[info]pombagira
Date:November 28th, 2007 01:07 am (UTC)
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no if they gets a stubbed toe, they get ACC, and no sueing for them.. *shakes head* nope nope nope...


just saying..

*beams*
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From:[info]tatjna
Date:November 28th, 2007 01:03 am (UTC)
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In New Zealand, ACC pays for medical costs related to burned arms and legs. This is to cover things like if we set fire to the Pony Club shed, or if Farmer Kev's bulls get out and go on a crop-squashing rampage because we left the gate open.
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From:[info]pombagira
Date:November 28th, 2007 01:10 am (UTC)
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cause OMG kev's bull are huge.. OMH just huge...


*cackles*

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From:[info]whatifitworks
Date:November 28th, 2007 01:13 am (UTC)
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yeah, in the UK, as you probably know, everyones medical costs are covered but \people can still sue you for, what's the word? ... um... negligence, though. It's for quality of life, missed days of work, costs of getting to and from hospital etc. etc. all that stuff that isn't covered by health care. And that's what the public liability has to cover. Disclaimers don't cover negligence. Not that you'd mean to be negligent but it's impossible to keep a track of everything all the time, o course...

I'm not an expert by any means, I just took legal advice for a whole bunch of events I ran in the UK and was interested in the comparisons :)
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From:[info]tatjna
Date:November 28th, 2007 01:31 am (UTC)
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Negligence is an interesting conundrum. That's what the safety and risk assessment plan is for. Basically, if we have one and it's approved by the folks wot are the Powers That Be, and we adhere to it, it'd be pretty hard to do us for negligence unless there's something really glaring that we all missed - which is unlikely given the number or people who have to look at it before it's approved.

Also, in NZ there isn't really a culture of suing.

Edited at 2007-11-28 01:31 am (UTC)
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From:[info]whatifitworks
Date:November 28th, 2007 01:39 am (UTC)
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there didn't use to be in the UK ...it was something that sprung up in the late 80s and 90's and has reached plague proportions ... not so long ago I heard of a community group getting sued because someone didn't screw the top on some cooking oil (I think) for a bbq, properly. This was negligent, see (o_O). Anyway, some one kicked it and some spilt and some spark from cooking lit it and some kid got burned in the tiny fire on the ground and got a few facial scars. They were only suing coz they could, if it had happend at someones home they couldn't but at a public event with public liability insurance. Ack, some people ... *yawn*
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From:[info]whatifitworks
Date:November 28th, 2007 01:40 am (UTC)
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also, is this comment editing malarkey new ?? I'm sure I couldn't do it last time I wanted to!!!
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From:[info]tatjna
Date:November 28th, 2007 02:08 am (UTC)
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Fairly new (maybe four weeks), yeah. And only on paid accounts. And it means I get to go back and close brackets and quote marks and fix up my finger dyslexia.

You can't edit a comment that's been replied to though, which is only fair.
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From:[info]alphamatrix
Date:November 28th, 2007 03:09 am (UTC)
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I was going to stop paying my paid account... but I now think it may all be worth it for comment editing :-)
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From:[info]richdrich
Date:November 28th, 2007 02:43 am (UTC)
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Personal injury litigation is statute barred in NZ - there might be some sort of exception for gross recklessness, but you aren't insured against that, either.

And yay for that, I say!

(We pay for it in the form of around 0.5% on income tax, a levy on employers depending on how dangerous they are, and about half of the NZD180 or so we pay to register/use a car. Which is cheap, I tell you. UK car tax is three times that and then you pay compulsory insurance (maybe NZD2,500) on top of that. So there!).
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From:[info]whatifitworks
Date:November 28th, 2007 02:48 am (UTC)
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"Personal injury litigation is statute barred in NZ"

ahh, yes that'd be the difference then. UK car tax is in catagories according to emmisions though :) and part of it a a tire tax to pay for recycling instead of dumping. Can't know that, eh? Anyhows, I never paid anywhere near that much for my catagory A tiny Lupo. Can't discuss the up to date details though, haven't like in the UK for years and years and years... Twas only that that's the only that it's only place I've taken out public liability stuff and nonsense... & I hope never to do it ever again, thanks :)
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From:[info]richdrich
Date:November 28th, 2007 03:03 am (UTC)
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http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/HowToTaxYourVehicle/DG_10012524

Looks like the base rate for a standard pre-2001 1600cc car is GBP185, which is about 2.5x what we pay here. A new Toyota Avensis, which I guess is like a Corolla, is GBP165.
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From:[info]whatifitworks
Date:November 28th, 2007 03:13 am (UTC)
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I'm sure there are heaps of things you can compare about costs of living between countries. It's all relative to how many people live there, what the density is, what the economy is based on, what your taxes pay for, how much you recycle, how much people earn, etc. etc. But, like I said, I don't live in the UK. And I don't have any emotional, economic & certainly no nationalistic attachment to it. If you say NZ car tax is better then it probably is but it just doesn't mean anything to me. Sorry!!! Personally, I'm a lazy ass when it comes to that kind of thing & I have enough trouble motivating myself to figure out taxes *yawn* for the countries I do have economical ties to (Australia and Canada at present) :)
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From:[info]richdrich
Date:November 28th, 2007 03:15 am (UTC)
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Actually, all that stuff was aimed at tatjna coz she was being a typical Kiwi and whinging (in a nice way) about how much road tax we pay.
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From:[info]whatifitworks
Date:November 28th, 2007 03:17 am (UTC)
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oh, haha! then tell her to dump the car & get a bike
*ducks from abuse*
;D
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From:[info]tatjna
Date:November 28th, 2007 03:57 am (UTC)
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Kiss my Kiwi ass, Brit Boy.

(in other words, like i said and like [info]nicolachampagne said, what happens in the UK is zero relevant to here, and i'll whinge if i like, whether it's reasonable or not. my farming blood demands it)
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From:[info]richdrich
Date:November 28th, 2007 06:03 am (UTC)
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LOL!
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From:[info]tatjna
Date:November 28th, 2007 06:27 am (UTC)
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LOL back atchya.

(i'm not quite old enough for NZFirst yet)

(i hope)
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From:[info]anna_en_route
Date:November 28th, 2007 03:04 am (UTC)
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ACC will also compensate for 80% of lost income in some cases...go the ACC!
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From:[info]richdrich
Date:November 28th, 2007 03:14 am (UTC)
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Yes, that sort of insurance is bastard expensive overseas, like 1% of salary or more.
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From:[info]nessaneko
Date:November 28th, 2007 07:49 am (UTC)
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ACC earners levy is 1.3% deducted along with income tax, so it's not technically part of the tax but since it's deducted with PAYE, most people just lump it in with the tax.
(IRD phone-bitch - I have to explain this to people for 8 hours a day.)
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From:[info]tatjna
Date:November 28th, 2007 07:56 am (UTC)
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That sounds like loads of fun. *sympathy*

I can remember as a self-employed shepherd, my levy was more than that (apparently shepherding is a dangerous life) - but I can't remember how much.
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From:[info]ehintz
Date:November 28th, 2007 11:24 pm (UTC)
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Disclaimer: I don't know a thing about the location. That said, I'd suggest by far your biggest risk item would be the fire getting out of control and going rural. Once the helicopters get involved, the costs go up quite quickly.
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From:[info]tatjna
Date:November 28th, 2007 11:34 pm (UTC)
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Yep. The land on which the festival is held is very rarely affected by a total fire ban. However, right across the lake (maybe 500m) starts the pine forest area that goes all the way to Tokoroa to the north and Rotorua to the East with no real breaks, and the fire ban threshold for that is a lot lower. Setting fire to that would make our $1million look like a drip in the ocean.

Because our festival involves burning large scale art, we pay attention to any bans affecting the forestry (it's just prudent) and we also have the local volunteer fire crew in attendance at the burns with their pump. They get final say on whether or not we burn.


Edited at 2007-11-28 11:35 pm (UTC)
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From:[info]fuvenusrs
Date:November 28th, 2007 01:25 am (UTC)
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I'm sorry, did someone say 50 foot flame cannon?
*grins*
*grins more*
*head pops off because grin is now officially too large for my head*
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From:[info]anna_en_route
Date:November 28th, 2007 03:07 am (UTC)
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Eeeeep!

I for one welcome our new flame-wielding Rhi overlord....
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From:[info]ferrouswheel
Date:November 28th, 2007 01:53 am (UTC)
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Hmmm yeah, I heard people at the Ecological Society muttering about rare Moa species last week too. I think we'd become a keynote speaker if we got a photo of the rare Pink Moa, last of the Moa species still in existance.
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From:[info]richdrich
Date:November 28th, 2007 02:46 am (UTC)
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vi is a good editor, but you need to type A or I before writing to it. And hit [ESC] when you're done.
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From:[info]t_c_da
Date:November 28th, 2007 07:49 pm (UTC)
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I once used the default editor on Multics (which name I have long since forgotten!), but these days I settle for EditPad on Windows and nano on Linux - I'm getting lazy in my advanced years...

Go the vi-emacs wars!!!
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From:[info]richdrich
Date:November 28th, 2007 03:43 am (UTC)
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I have this rare picture of the Moa:

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