Energy efficient lightbulbs unlikely to be compulsory

The arrogance of the previous government was highlighted by their announcement to ban traditional incandescent light bulb sales from October 2009. What started off as a warm and fuzzy announcement quickly turned into a public relations disaster that demonstrated the "do as I say" Nanny State always knows best"culture of old. See our post HERE 

We have been using energy efficient bulbs in our motel for many years, particularly in outside areas where continuous overnight lighting is required.

In recent years the purchase price for energy efficient bulbs have fallen and the light output and quality have improved immensely. After testing several brands, we made the decision some time ago to replace all light bulbs with energy efficient bulbs and dumped all of our "old style" incandescent bulbs.

For us this was a simple business decision. The ROI was appealing, we are lucky that our light fittings could accept the new style bulbs and are happy with the look, longevity and light performance. 

While we made this decision, we respected others that do not wish to use energy efficient bulbs in their specific circumstance.

It is pleasing that the present government looks likely to return freedom of choice to businesses and households. Believe it or not, most people aren't stupid. Some people may chose to save money and buy new energy efficient light bulbs, but being bullied into it by smug bureaucrats rankles.

Dec 02 2008
New Zealand Herald

By Maggie Tait

A proposal to phase out incandescent lightbulbs is extremely unlikely to go ahead under the new National Government.

Prime Minister John Key stood by National's policy in opposition against the Labour Government's plan to implement a new standard for lightbulbs, which would see old incandescent lightbulbs phased out by the end of next year.

"We have real concerns about telling people that they have to move to energy efficient light bulbs by decree," he said. "We want to encourage people to do that, we think there may be benefits for them to do it, but it should be a choice they make as consumers."

Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee last week said he had asked Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority officials to look into a proposed phase out of incandescent lightbulbs. Yesterday he said officials' work was continuing and an announcement would be made "in due course". "It's our policy to get rid of it and we are working towards that."

Labour Party climate change spokesman Charles Chauvel last week said the standard was a sensible policy developed with the Australians. "If we are going to take our obligations seriously, we do have to do work in this area so we'd be pretty disappointed if there was a retreat from the policy."

Australia plans to ban the sale of incandescent light bulbs from next year, when Britain will start phasing them out. China, which makes 70 per cent of the world's lightbulbs, recently agreed to phase out incandescent bulbs.

The minimum efficiency performance standard for lightbulbs was developed with Australia.
Under the standard people can use halogen bulbs, which look like incandescent bulbs, or compact fluorescents.

The new bulbs are more expensive but are about 30 per cent more energy efficient.

There has been argument over whether the new bulbs were not as good to read by, or more flammable.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10546106&ref=rss

Keep a closer eye on the neighbours

I am part of Generation X that had to adapt to technological advancement. Unlike my children, I am part of a generation that were not brought up with technology and do not take it for granted.

Google Maps held me mesmerised for longer than I care to admit this morning with its new street level view. Users can now zoom down to street level and take a "drive"

The quality and scale of this project is astounding. Even my 12-year old boy was impressed!

What does this mean for moteliers? Besides wasting hours zooming around the streets of your competitors, friends and family members; potential guests can now assess your property by taking a virtual curbside drive-by before they make a reservation!

By CLAIRE McENTEE
The Dominion Post 02
December 2008

The free online service lets internet users "walk" down city streets and view the scene from any angle on their computer screens.

The free online software has sparked controversy in other countries because people and vehicles can be made out in some photos, while others show people in offensive or potentially embarrassing situations.

Google New Zealand product manager Andrew Foster said Google had consulted the Privacy Commission and offered to blur people's faces - a concession made in other countries. Users could also ask for inappropriate images to be removed.

Google had previously said it would ensure licence plates were not identifiable but had decided against blurring them because most were not legible in Street View images, he said.
Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff has said she was pleased Google had taken steps to protect individual privacy.

Wellington privacy lawyer John Edwards said that, under New Zealand law, people did not have a reasonable expectation of privacy while in public, but Street View made it more difficult to keep their business to themselves. " I don't know that there's any great objection. Google will still be liable if they do anything or show anything really offensive and people will still have a remedy."

People would first need to be aware of sensitive images before asking they be removed - by which time it would often be too late, he said. "Once something is brought to your attention because it's noteworthy, it's probably been picked up by somebody else and distributed around the Internet already."

Mr Foster said Street View's coverage of New Zealand was extensive, including cities, towns, regions and remote areas. Hokitika and Greymouth would not feature initially as poor weather prevented Google's camera-equipped cars from taking photos there.

The cars, which had multiple cameras mounted on their roofs, took a year to shoot images of New Zealand streets from all angles.

Street View is already available in six countries, including Australia, the United States, France and Japan. New Zealand is the seventh country featured.

A US couple tried unsuccessfully to sue Google for posting pictures of their home on Street View, claiming they were taken on a road marked "private property". An Australian woman was horrified to see a photo of her parents outside their house one month after her father had died.

Street View can be accessed through Google Maps, as well as being available on iPhones and BlackBerry phones.

Wellington company Terralink is also photo-mapping New Zealand's streets, but plans to sell the images to government agencies, utilities and emergency services.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4778985a28.html

Jasons Travel Media improves half year results

National Business Review
2 December 2008

Jasons Travel Media has announced an improved half year result but is wary of what effect a downturn in tourism might have on its customers.

Half year results, released today, for the six months to the end of September revealed a net surplus before tax of $2.195 million, compared to $1.978m for the same period last year.

Consolidated operating revenue was $8.22m (last half year $7.819m) and directors will be paying out an unchanged interim dividend of 1.5 cents per share, or a total of $297,500.

Jasons shares were worth 75c on the New Zealand stock exchange today.

The company, which produces accommodation directories, touring maps and guides, and has a travel channel and website, this year saw its chief executive Steven Joyce resign to successfully run for Parliament. He was replaced by Matthew Mayne in September.

Chairman Geoff Burns said the performance of major publications remained strong and ahead of last year's revenue.

Jasons was expected to declare a full year net surplus before tax of about 5 to 10 percent ahead of last year's result of $1.552m.

"However, the current economic climate is generally expected to have a negative impact on the travel, accommodation and activities businesses, which make up Jasons' customer base."

In the first half of the year Jasons bought a distribution franchise in Rotorua. The Rotorua Dining Guide and Rotorua What's On would be published for the first time in what is an important tourism market.

Commission-free instant online accommodation bookings was successfully launched and the development had been introduced into Australia.

Commission-free booking of visitor activities should be online before the end of the year.

http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/jasons-travel-media-improves-half-year-results-38471

Air New Zealand Crash

The man of the moment - Air New Zealand chief Rob Fyfe

We have to admire Air New Zealand chief Rob Fyfe. He acted quickly, fronted when it mattered and took it upon himself to escort family members of crash victims on a flight to France.

Hat tip to a man that has handled this tragedy with decorum and dignity in an understated Kiwi style.

The haunting image of the Air New Zealand A320 tail section below water off the coast of France near Perpignan

Confederate flag at Arkansas motel draws criticism

Yee - haa! 
Raising the rebel flag of the Old South in protest of a newly elected liberal president is probably not the smartest move that the owners of the Faubus Motel in Arkansas have done...


By: Associated Press - Texarkana 
Gazette Published: 30/11/2008

HUNTSVILLE, Ark.—The owners of the Faubus Motel in northwest Arkansas say they replaced Old Glory with a Confederate flag outside their business after the election of Barack Obama—but not because the new president is black.

Rather, owners James and Linda Vandiver say they raised the flag because they believe Obama is a Marxist.

“We think socialism is deeply rooted in him, and we’ll see it manifest in all areas,” Linda Vandiver told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. “This doesn’t have anything to do with Mr. Obama’s color. We’d like to celebrate the fact that for the first time we have a black president. But we can’t.”

The Huntsville motel was once owned by Orval Faubus, the Arkansas governor who became notorious for his efforts to keep Little Rock Central High School segregated in 1957. The Vandivers bought the motel in 1996.

The Vandivers say the United States has abandoned the principles of its founders by electing Obama. James Vandiver says he was troubled by Obama’s association with William Ayers, a former member of the Weather Underground. Obama has denounced Ayers’ terrorist actions in the 1970s.

“This is the only way I know to send a message to the people of our country that we are in protest of someone like this being in the position of president,” James Vandiver said.

But to many in the Ozark Mountain town of 2,000 people, the Vandivers’ display is considered racist and offensive.

“I respect the freedom of speech, but this symbol of racism can’t be allowed to represent our community,” resident Steve Maher wrote to the town’s weekly newspaper, the Madison County Record. “If we do nothing, we are silently supporting or at least accepting the symbolism of that flag.” Alderman Terry Long said raising the flag at the Faubus Motel on the night of Obama’s election hurt Huntsville’s reputation. Huntsville already is thought of as a “backwoodsy and redneck type community,” Long said. “Him flying the Rebel flag is just making the situation worse.” The Vandivers said they should be allowed the right to freedom of speech.

“Our statement in raising the flag is ‘Barack Obama is not our president,”’ Linda Vandiver said. “If the Democrats can say that about President Bush, then we can say that about Barack Obama.”

http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/WireHeadlines/2008/11/30/confederate-flag-at-arkansas-motel-draws-57.php

World's weirdest hotel guest complaints

What is it about some guests that appear to disengage their brains when they are away from familiar surroundings?

I recieved a phonecall form a disgruntled lady guest last night whose husband was unable to work the spa bath in their room. 

Over the phone, I methodically went through the location of the spa switch that was required to be switched on to operate the jets in the spa bath (as in the instructions on the bathroom wall), however the location of the switch was eluding both guests.

In the end I offered to go down and show them where the the spa switch was. When I arrived at the unit the wife answered the door and lead me to the bathroom where the husband was nonchalantly sitting in the middle of the spa bath surrounded by a mountain of foam that almost filled the entire bathroom. No wonder they couldn't find the switch!

I quickly pointed and stammered the location of the switch and hightailed it out of there as the sound of the spa motor burst into life...

November 10, 2008
Sydney Morning Herald

A star footballer complained his ocean-view hotel room overlooking Sydney's Manly beach was unsuitable because the sound of the sea kept him awake.

A British tourist at an upscale Caribbean island resort had a similar gripe. While she could step from her room to the beach, she would have preferred cheaper accommodation because the sound of crashing breakers supposedly interrupted her slumber.

And what of the foreign tourist at a top African game lodge who occupied a much-in-demand high-priced perch overlooking a waterhole where wild animals came to drink? He moaned that one of the elephants was visibly aroused and that the sight of this rampant beast ruined his honeymoon by making him feel "inadequate".
Travel industry sources say some complaints are motivated by genuine misunderstandings. Others, however, are off-the-wall attempts to obtain compensation.

"By and large, Australians are pretty relaxed about travel and don't make many strange complaints or demands," says Haydn Long, spokesman for the big Flight Centre chain. "They're mostly good travellers who understand that things may be done differently to what they'd expect in Australia."

Peter Hook, spokesman for the country's largest hotel group, Accor Asia Pacific - with Sofitel, Pullman, Novotel, Mercure, All Seasons, Ibis and Formule 1 brands - agrees: "Outlandish complaints aren't common." Nonetheless, zany incidents do occur.

For instance, a panic-stricken woman called reception and angrily protested that she was locked in her room. Staff were initially puzzled. It turned out that she had never previously stayed in a hotel and, seeing a "Do Not Disturb" sign hanging on the doorknob, wrongly assumed that she should not open the door that would has allowed her to leave her room.

That's a bit like the wheeze - no, this one isn't a complaint - described by an American comedian, with an evident weakness for toilet humour, who regularly stayed at motels where toilet seats sported paper strips saying "Sanitised for your protection". His mischievous advice: remove the strip of paper carefully each time you use the toilet and replace it afterwards. Then, on the third day at the motel, buttonhole a member of the housekeeping staff and say: "I've been here for three days and I very desperately need to use a toilet. Is it all right to remove the piece of paper saying 'Sanitised for your protection'?"

I accidentally got out of the lift on the wrong floor at a Berlin hotel and tried to enter a room I thought was mine. A terrified-sounding English voice screamed from inside: "Go away - I've got a gun and I'll call the police!" Next morning in the lobby I heard a complaining British businessman telling the assistant manager: "I'm checking out a day early because of terribly lax security in this hotel. People try to get into your room in the middle of the night.

At a Novotel in Australia, a guest complained that there was cheese on the cheese platter and demanded a replacement without the offensive dairy product.

A customer in one of the same hotel chain's restaurants complained his soup was too thick and strong. He was inadvertently slurping the gravy at the time.

Weird indeed was a group of security-conscious UFO-believers who held a conference at a Novotel and complained of a risk their gathering would be infiltrated by aliens from outer space because the locks on meeting room doors hadn't been changed.

One recent complaint from an Australian male traveller was that his hotel room "was decorated in a feminine manner".

Another opted to travel by train at night because doing so was cheaper - then complained of an inability to see the European scenery.

Or, there was the traveller who accidentally managed to board an aircraft to the wrong destination and wasn't detected before take-off. He later complained his baggage was not on the same flight. He had checked in correctly so his bags had gone to the right destination.

After making a reservation at a cheap $12-a-night hotel in Bali, a couple were annoyed because it didn't provide free bottled water.

Elizabeth Clarke, cruise manager at Brisbane's The Cruise Centre, a Travelscene American Express affiliate, has heard many strange complaints - as well as fielding distinctly odd questions. Among her favourites: "Are port-holes cabins above the waterline?"; "If we book a balcony cabin, will there be anybody walking past?"
An oft-heard question from first-time cruise passengers unfamiliar with the industry's usual all-inclusive format is whether any meals are included.

But it's not just novice travellers who ask unexpected questions. Sharen (Sharen) Shelnutt, general manager of Travel Specialists in Sydney's Mosman, which is also in the American Express Travelscene stable, recalls an experienced and infuriated corporate traveller calling from the Qantas check-in desk. The road warrior noted he was booked at a Best Western hotel in Washington, DC, but how would he know which of numerous Best Westerns in the city held his reservation? The travel agent patiently pointed out that the hotel's address was clearly printed on the itinerary from which he was reading.

Complaints at times leave staff in the travel industry speechless.

According to one British travel company's survey, some travellers complain of not enjoying going away on holiday because foreigners "didn't want to speak English".

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/the-worlds-weirdest-hotel-guest-complaints/2008/11/10/1226165443355.html

Locals fill visitor gap left by foreigners

A more positive story in today's New Zealand Herald. 

Hopefully more Kiwis will be encouraged to hit the road and stay in the country's most popular accommodation choice - motels.

It is interesting that Tim Cossar, chief executive of the Tourism Industry Association (TIA) appears to be the new self-appointed spokesman for New Zealand's accommodation industry.

Nov 28, 2008
New Zealand Herald
By Jarrod Booker 

It may be all gloom for tourist operators as the global economic crisis bites, but many are finding a silver lining by looking closer to home.

They are finding that as international visitor numbers drop off, New Zealanders are increasingly looking to explore the attractions in their own country.

Cheaper petrol is making travel within more enticing, while tax cuts and falling interest rates are leaving many consumers with more cash in their pockets.

The International Antarctic Centre in Christchurch is on track for 255,000 visitors this financial year - a 5 per cent increase on the previous year.

Director Richard Benton said that while overseas tourist numbers were falling, he expected any shortfall would be offset by an increase in visitors from within New Zealand.

The number of Christchurch visitors had risen by 8 per cent, while North Island visitors were up 10 per cent.

"While the international tourism market is undoubtedly going to be very challenging over the next few months, there are some positive factors that we should not lose sight of," Mr Benton said. "It is highly likely that New Zealanders are going to take advantage of much lower petrol prices to travel around their own country, and the drop in interest rates and personal taxes are going to leave some discretionary money available to spend on leisure activities."

Any increases in domestic tourism will be welcomed by the industry when trends over recent months have been all bad.

For the year ended June 2008, the overall number of domestic overnight trips fell 5.5 per cent to 14.36 million, while the number of visitor night stays dropped 4.3 per cent to 42.94 million. Spending by domestic tourists fell 6.4 per cent to $7.389 billion for the year.

Tim Cossar, chief executive of the Tourism Industry Association, said domestic tourism was now a big focus as international markets came under pressure. "There are some encouraging signs for domestic tourism across the summer season. We are getting some regions in some parts of the industry reporting some quite good forward bookings."

Domestic markets make up about half the tourism turnover - about $26 million a day.

"It's a critical market and very, very important for the future. But one thing we have got to remember is that one size doesn't fit all here. There's regions that do really well out of it and those that don't."

The international crisis is also having other spinoffs for New Zealand.

The Christchurch and Canterbury Convention Bureau has recently fielded inquiries from two Australian companies who are rethinking their plans to hold conferences in long-haul destinations because of the cost, and are now considering New Zealand as an alternative venue.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10545426&ref=rss

Report Tells Councils to Focus on Core Services

Local authorities have blossomed beyond their original brief and have increased rates at an unacceptable level ahead of inflation. 

Motels have been disproportionately targeted, seemingly based on a perceived ability to pay rather than actual use of goods and services. 

Over the years, motels throughout the country have endured  general rate increases and the introduction of pan tax, capital rating, tourism tax, road user tax, CBD retail tax....the list goes on. As a commercial business, motels are expected to cross subsidise local authority business operations from port companies to farms.

The Local Government Forum has produced a report that states the obvious: Coucils should stick to their knitting!

The Local Government Forum comprises organisations that have a vital interest in the activities of local government. Its members include Business New Zealand, the Electricity Networks Association, Federated Farmers of New Zealand, New Zealand Business Roundtable, New Zealand Chambers of Commerce and New Zealand Retailers’ Association.

Sounds like the sort of company the Motel Association of NZ should be keeping...

27 November 2008
Press Release: Business New Zealand

Local authorities have strayed, at great cost, far beyond their core role of providing certain vital services to their local communities, according to a new report released today by the Local Government Forum.

The report, Local Government and the Provision of Public Goods , examines the services provided by councils. It assesses which services can be regarded as essential activities that can only practicably be provided directly or under contract by local bodies (these are termed public goods) and which can readily and more efficiently be provided by the private sector.

Local Government Forum chairman Don Nicolson said the report would be a valuable tool for everyone involved in local government, particularly given the reality that demands for services are unlimited, but resources are scarce.

"Local authorities have got into the habit of steadily expanding their brief to provide a whole range of services that could easily be provided by the private sector. The end result has been an explosion in rates. "Part of the problem is confusion over what a 'public good' actually is. It is not whatever might be deemed 'good' for people, or anything at all that might be regarded as in the public interest.

"A public good, for example street lighting or civil defence, is something that no-one else would provide because it can't be 'user-paid'. You couldn't stop non-payers from using it, nor could you limit access to it to those who've paid. As a rule of thumb, if it is feasible and cost-effective to charge directly for a service it is not a public good.

"The role of local government is clearly spelt out in legislation: it is to uphold local democratic processes, set rules and regulations to govern local activities, and ensure the provision of certain local services and infrastructure, with recourse to local taxation and charges to recover costs.

"If local bodies are to serve their communities well they should be clear about which are the vital services they need to provide, and they should excel at them.

"Many other services communities need are in the nature of private goods and can be provided more capably either in partnership with private firms or by the private sector exclusively," Mr Nicolson said.

The report provides helpful criteria for determining what functions should be performed by local government and recommends stronger legislative constraints to ensure that decisions that are made are consistent with local authorities' core roles.

"We see this as an essential primer on public goods that everyone involved in local government should read", said Mr Nicolson. "We are meeting with the new Minister of Local Government Hon Rodney Hide today to offer our support for a reform programme that streamlines local government and gets rate burdens down."

The publication can be downloaded here or from www.businessnz.org.nz (under 'commentaries)

Vintage motel neon

What hides behind the faded glamour of motel neon?

Anger, heartache, guilt, despair, anticipation, desire, hope, joy...

The no-tell motel has many untold stories from those that stand in front and behind the motel office counter.

Crank up the speakers and enjoy classic Motel Americana, cruising Las Vegas Boulevard and Fremont Street. The soundtrack is Chris Isaak's "Blue Hotel"

The World's First Zero-Star Hotel

Housed in a subterranean fallout shelter in Switzerland, the Null Stern Hotel bills itself as the world's first zero-star hotel.

Accommodations are cheap but spartan: No TV, no private bathrooms and, most jarring of all, no daylight. The official opening isn't until 2009, but the hotel recently hosted volunteers for a test run.

For more click HERE