Chris LaHatte

France’s National Assembly has passed a tax amendment that would add cryptocurrency to “unproductive wealth” category, which includes gold, coins, antique cars, yachts, and artwork. The amendment imposes a 1% tax on the assets for individuals who hold more than €2 million worth of them-Le Monde

Wellington City Council v Woolworths (No 2)
[1996] 2 NZLR 537 (CA)

Richardson P made it clear that political accountability is through elections, not fiduciary obligation. I think that would likely be followed without any doubt. There are occasions where an MP is entitled devote on their conscience, and it would be impossible to derive a fiduciary duty

Try me 😊

I have no idea how that link attached to my post nor what it is for

Thank you @marthawells.com and @philippullmanreal.bsky.social for adding to my TBR pile as I prepare to travel. Very different books!

It reminded me a little of Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, although the world you have built it seems to be rather bleak

You have left the question of good or evil ambiguous, which I think is appropriate. Is your level of morality dependent on your status within a society – as a minister or guard or ordinary person? if it depends on status, then I think the soul might change

I would love to buy from them, but at this time they don’t sell outside the US and UK. I did buy the kindle version and will review when finished

My neighbour says this is mean and awful to his kind

My neighbour says this is mean and awful to his kind

Please open to sales outside the US especially for e books. Some of us are not keen on the big company

Ezra Klein Just Showed Us Everything Wrong With Secularized Meditation There’s a moment in Ezra Klein’s recent interview with Ta-Nehisi Coates that’s been bugging me.

lizbucar.substack.com/p/ezra-klein...

Sila means ethics—following precepts, moral guidelines for how to live in community.
Bhavana means mental development—meditation and mindfulness practice.

Something I read from a Liz Bucar substack on meditation-pointing out many only follow the 3rd leg
Dana means generosity and action directed toward others—social engagement, service, addressing collective suffering. /1

Horst Wessel - Wikipedia

So I read the Wikipedia page about Horst Wessel and now I am having nightmares

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horst_W...

NZ judge's Hong Kong role shows need for ethics overhaul – report Foreign judges working in Hong Kong – including a Kiwi – are 'whitewashing an increasingly repressive and compromised legal system', says foundation

The second New Zealand judge

newsroom.co.nz/2025/09/04/n...
I leave it to people to compare the ethics with his former colleague

Two New Zealand judges in the news

www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/3608...
/1

Only if you want to, I feel like an examiner! There is a shortage of classical readers where I live

Did I understand your ideas? I’m always a bit diffident about that

Done a review

Voice recognition-I meant wean not blame 🙄

I tried them, but as yet they cannot send e books out of the US

I am trying to blame myself off the use of Amazon, but where I live it is difficult to get real books so I am reduced to getting Kindle versions, although that does make it very easy to buy them. A quiet Friday and with a book, but yes I am enjoying this new spin on Rome

Which I am now reading 😊

I’ve read and loved Ada’s book but now I have to read the others on that shelf!

Where I live, which is the Pacific country of Tonga, people use Facebook rather than websites. This surprised me at first, but not everyone has access to web designers as you have in 1st world countries

Power firms set to pay a record $1.4 billion to shareholders It’s been a tough 12 months for electricity users, but payouts to shareholders in the big four power companies aren’t expected to miss a beat. Have your say in the comments.

Power prices for the consumer and for businesses have all increased dramatically this year, but there is no sign of the power companies ensuring that the price of electricity and gas is kept to a reasonable level, and the profits all go overseas to foreign investors
www.thepost.co.nz/business/360...

Parliament passes Whistleblower Protection Bill 2025 Nuku'alofa, Tonga: The Legislative Assembly has unanimously passed the Whistleblower Protection Bill 2025, the first law of its kind in Tonga, designed to protect individuals who expose serious miscon...

Some work we have been doing at the Anti-Corruption Agency in Tonga. We are one of the safe places to report, the other being the Ombudsman
matangitonga.to/2025/08/11/p...

It is a happy coincidence that I am reading Eve McDonald on Carthage and @joycedidonato.bsky.social is releasing a new recording of Dido and Aeneas