Capitalism

Yesterday I received $364 from the electrical network. Not paid but received. Sounds odd, I know. But in NZ, you can sometimes get not just tax refunds, but also dividends (without investing).

It was hard for me to comprehend - my whole life experience suggested it was impossible. So I looked into the history. Here’s what I learned:

In 1993, the National (centre-right party, the ones now recovering the country after the previous left-wing Labour government) helped establish a trust to own a large part of Auckland's electrical network.

This trust owns about 75% of the network, earns profits from it, and pays annual dividends to eligible residents (those living in the areas it serves).

Why does the trust pay money to people? Because that’s how it was created - it exists to benefit citizens and is not controlled by the government.

That’s how "cruel capitalism" looks in action - privatisation, reducing of government, and in result more money to people.

(Russian)

Video version of my post on socialisation.

MP3 version of the video above.

The most honest people

A few years ago, researchers visited 355 cities across 40 countries and "lost" 17,303 wallets. They then calculated the return rates in each country to identify the most honest people.

Cash in the wallets was adjusted for each country’s PPP ($13-90), and all contents localised for authenticity. The study took six years and accounted for as many variables as possible to ensure a fair comparison.

The results are shown above. NZ ranked 8th for wallets without money and 3rd for wallets with money - not bad, and consistent with my experience.

Counterintuitively, people in most countries were more likely to return wallets containing money. The researchers suggest this is because people don’t want to see themselves as thieves. Those who didn’t return wallets without money simply saw themselves as lazy, which feels less bad.

PS: Thanks to CEODen for sharing the study. The PDF version in the comments.

(Russian)

Video version of the post on why the 2022 wave of migrants is returning to Russia.

MP3 version of the video above

Baby mantises

One of the cutest creatures on Earth is the baby mantis.

The older ones are barely moving, large, well camouflaged, and look serious and dangerous (in fact, they can't harm humans at all).

But the young ones are funky. They are tiny and super fragile - about the same size as mosquitoes. They happily run around without any purpose, rocking non-stop and jumping a few centimetres when they feel threatened. They are so silly and childlike that, in my opinion, only an evil soul could harm them. They are truly awesome.

It's the first time I’ve seen such a cute insect. Jumping spiders come in second place (I’ll film them one day too).

(Russian)

AI comparison

I made this for myself to test my AI setup and decided not to delete it straight away, but to share it in case it might be useful to someone.

I needed to convert a list of films from Russian into English with the correct titles, directors, and IMDb ratings. Of course, instead of doing it manually, I let several AIs handle it. I ran a small test across the main free AIs: ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini, and DeepSeek. The screenshot shows the results: green for correct, yellow for minor mistakes, and red for incorrect.

Conclusion: As of this month, Gemini and Grok are gradually surpassing ChatGPT based on this and other tests. DeepSeek still excels at out-of-the-box thinking and programming (in Deep Think mode) but, as we can see, isn’t as strong with routine tasks. ChatGPT still leads in proofreading.

PS: It’s a list of Quentin Tarantino’s best films of the century, by the way.

(Russian)

Sun in NZ

I wanted to write a post about how dangerous the sun is in New Zealand. The plan was to check a few other countries and cities in the Southern Hemisphere (since it's summer here now) and compare their UV indices with Auckland's to clearly show the difference.

I took screenshots of the weather forecasts for hot December days in Auckland, Johannesburg, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, and Montevideo, and to my surprise, realised I was wrong.

The peak UV indices turned out to be the same (see images).

I was confused. My first thought was - the UV index doesn't fully reflect the situation. I checked, and it turns out it does. The UV index shows how much solar energy reaches your skin, and the same UV index in different cities means the risk to your skin is identical.

Then I checked...

(Continued in comments)

(Russian)

Ikea is here

Yesterday, the first Ikea in New Zealand opened. I would like to take this opportunity to write about the company. This is not an ad, nobody paid me for writing this.

As you may know, I like to check, calculate, and compare things. When Ikea’s products featured in my comparisons (office chairs, mattresses, pillows, etc.), they consistently showed the best value for money. Their goods are neither the best nor the worst – they are fair. Ikea always sells items at the lowest possible price for the quality, labour, and materials involved, without trying to trick the customer. I respect this approach and use them as my default choice in any situation.

I also had the chance to work with Ikea's team and can say their internal culture is equally fair - they do practise what they preach. Unfortunately, I missed the opportunity to work with them on this store, but hopefully another chance will come.

Congratulations to Aucklanders. Ikea is here and will surely improve the market.

(Russian)

Relocatable homes

It turned out some houses in Auckland are movable. Entire houses can be lifted, placed on a track, and relocated to another plot. The number of houses that move like that isn't large (~3,700 per year), but it's still interesting that they exist.

There are companies that specialise in moving them. Sometimes houses are even cut in half for transport and reassembled on the new site. Installation on a new plot is straightforward - you just need to build a basic foundation (any type works), connect the house to utilities, and cover the exposed underfloor area. Fast and simple.

Auckland’s warm climate allows water and sewage pipes to be installed above ground (as in the photo). There is also no need to dig foundations below the frost line as in Russia. Everything is much simpler than in colder countries.

Prices for relocatable houses are surprisingly low and even comparable to cars, so anyone wanting to save a bit on building a new house can do so.

(Russian)

NZ housing

NZ cities work very differently from the high-density cities I was used to. They’re far more car-centric, and most people live in houses rather than apartments.

This changes what city living feels like - you start to value different things and see different types of housing in a new light. In this post, I'll list the main types of dwellings in NZ, along with my entirely subjective take on their pros and cons.

Standalone houses

About 69% of all dwellings in NZ. Typically 1-2 storey houses on a small section.
➕ Parking: You can park on your own section or on nearby streets. There’s usually space for multiple cars, which matters because most families have at least two.
➕ Car nearby: You park in your garage or just a few steps from the house. It’s very convenient and something you get used to quickly. Hopping in the car is fast, even for short trips, which is why you don’t see many pedestrians in Auckland suburbs.
➕ Space: Plenty of indoor and outdoor space for barbecues, tools, vehicles, and children’s activities.
➕ Privacy: Well separated from neighbours, so it feels private and relaxed.
➕ Flexibility: You can modify or rebuild the house. Major changes require Building Consent, but it is manageable.
➕ Nature: Suburbs have plenty of greenery, and most houses have pleasant natural views.
➕ Safety: Most suburbs (except for a few lower-income suburbs) feel very safe - people leave parcels on their porches for hours, children walk to and from school alone, there are no homeless people, little traffic, and so on.
➖ Price: Houses vary a lot; however, they are usually more expensive than apartments and townhouses of a similar size in similar areas.
➖ Maintenance: You will have to mow lawns, prune trees, remove weeds and leaves, and do repairs. It is quite a lot of work if you do it yourself, or costly if you hire someone.
➖ Public transport: Bus stops are usually within a 5-15 minute walk, but most routes go to the CBD (Central Business District, or city centre). If your destination is elsewhere, you will have to change buses or trains there and spend much longer than if you used a car.
➖ City vibe: There isn't much of a city atmosphere in the suburbs. It feels more like a village - very tidy, wealthy, and developed, but it still feels more like a village than a city.
➖ Stores nearby: There are some local shops and small centres with cafes and services, but in general you will have to use a car or public transport to access the full range of shops and services.

Townhouses, units, and flats

About 17% of all dwellings. They are a middle ground between houses and apartments, offering a mix of both.
➕ Parking: Similar to houses.
➕ Car nearby: Similar to houses.
➕ Space: Not all townhouses are spacious, but generally they have garages and small yards or terraces. You usually have enough space for a barbecue and the kids to play.
➕ Privacy: Neighbours are closer than in standalone houses, as you are separated from them by “intertenancy walls.” However, the separation is regulated. These walls must be sound-insulated, so you won’t hear your neighbours. Yards are separate as well.
➕ Nature: The same green suburbs, with even better views if you live in a two- or three-storey townhouse.
➕ Safety: The same as houses - generally good.
➕ Price: Cheaper than houses but more expensive than apartments. This is an upside for me.
➕ Maintenance: Much less than in a house. You maintain only your own part, while shared areas are maintained by service providers. The cost is lower because it is shared among a few townhouses.
➖ Flexibility: Harder than with a house. Any major changes usually require additional consent from neighbours.
➖ Public transport: Townhouses are in the same areas as houses, so the situation is similar. Going to the CBD is manageable, but travelling elsewhere can take two to three times longer than by car.
➖ City vibe: Not much.
➖ Stores nearby: The same as houses - not many.

Lifestyle blocks...

(Continued in comments)

Christmas mood

I’ve seen a few Christmas decorations here and there around Auckland, but, honestly, not many. To me, it feels like people here decorate their houses more for Halloween than for Christmas.

Maybe the summer weather dampens people’s enthusiasm for celebrating Christmas and New Year. That’s the only explanation I can think of.

It could also be that I’ve just been unlucky and haven’t seen the best examples of decorations. Please prove me wrong and share beautiful Christmas and New Year’s decorations in the comments, both from New Zealand and overseas.

(Russian)

Video version of the post about digitalisation in NZ and in RF.