The Daily Blog Open Mic – Sunday 30th April 2017

1. I now have no emails since Spark illegally “Migrated” our 16yr account over to their own local “contacted” SMX server as they have switched from Microsoft after 13th April 2017.

   Apparently (according to Spark) 4000 customers like us have also had their services disrupted because Spark new “contracted” SMX server has made a disastrous flawed mistake, by overlooking not to include operation compatibility of older Email programs such as “Microsoft MS Outlook” other than 2016 models without firstly advising customers ahead of the switch so they have lost their emails now and their right to retain their email address if they move.

   Any customer should have the right to expect to be allowed to operate their older “2013,2010, 2007, or 2003 MS Outlook” through SPARK new SMX server or this is a valid complaint to be made.

   If your email “outlook” service has been disconnected, send a compliant into The Commerce Commission who may use the Fair Trading Act to prosecute traders who attempt to contract out of the Act.

   https://www.consumer.org.nz/articles/spark-vodafone-top-complaints

   Spark and Vodafone have again topped the Commerce Commission’s list of the most complained about traders.

   The commission’s latest Consumer Issues report shows it received 5073 fair trading complaints in 2015, up from 4377 in 2014.

   Putting it right

   If something goes wrong, you have the right to insist that the seller or service provider fixes things.

   Generally speaking, this means the retailer who sold you the goods or services must sort out the problem. If the stitching comes apart on your fairly new shoes, you don’t have to track down the manufacturer or importer, you simply take them back to the shop; if that fails then place a complaint to; https://www.consumerprotection.govt.nz/report-or-resolve-a-problem/faulty-products-or-services/faulty-products-and-services/

   Other sites to review also.

   https://www.consumer.org.nz/articles/making-a-complaint
   http://www.comcom.govt.nz/fair-trading/
   http://www.comcom.govt.nz/regulated-industries/telecommunications/

   • Hi Cleangreen … I have had a few issues with the Spark/Xtra email changeover also, although fortunately nothing as bad as what you have. The service should continue to serve on any programme that was set up and utilised prior to the changeover process. After all it was Spark’s idea to alter things, not the customer’s!

     Since the “improved” migration from Yahoo to SMX, my Xtra webmail account has gone to receiving no emails, to getting everything in duplicate now! Plus if I don’t move my latest emails to another folder fast, they quickly disappear all together from my inbox! I have set them up to go into an Archive folder. Anything received in my inbox and hasn’t been set to go into the selected folder, is likely to disappear into cyberspace forever, if I don’t move it right away!

     I have complained to Spark (after very long waits on the phone to speak to a representative) and told that it’s teething problems and will sort itself out in no time. That was in February! You can’t complain online, because there is no access to making contact with Spark, only set out questions with technical answers, which are supposed to relate to us all, but they don’t!

     So for me and obviously for you and I guess many other Spark account holders, the “flawless” changeover continues in some form or another! So much for progress eh?

2. @Mike Treen:
   In light of your previous article and some of the comments from those who profess to come from that “LEFT broad church”, there are some things I have difficulty in reconciling.

   – We (Aotearoa NZ aka NZ INC OF LIMITED LIABILITY) design an immigration system that exploits workers, enables scams without much penalty to its perpetrators but which penalises its victims. It provides the mechanism to exploit and play people off against one
   another.

   – We (that “LEFT”) chant various slogans such as solidarity; how capitalism, the elite, unscrupulous employers are oppressing us; the value of community; the social over the economic, etc etc etc. We even indulge in the same insular bubbles we protest the RIGHT and
   the fascists are guilty of.

   – We (the parents of Kiwi children) expect that they (and us) should be allowed to undertake the big O.E.if they want to, take advantage of higher value currenicies, and experience “the world”. Even that they should be allowed to marry other nationalities, have children, and settle down back at home when ready, or when things get tough.

   – We decry those bloody racist Okkers, breaking U.N. conventions, labelling people as queue jumpers and boat people, and express concern at the way they lock people up and attempt to outsource their responsibilities.

   – We moan about the inequity in the way Kiwis are treated in Australia compared with the way we treat Australians in NZ.

   – YET having been party to the NZ INC. system that exploits, degrades and enables all that to occur (including the slave labour on fishing vessels in ‘our waters’, or forced prostitution, or that bloody capitalist indebtedness that has been inflicted on us) – these
   bloody immigrants affected by it are ‘OTHERS’ and not worthy of our support.
   We cannot even see that the recent immigration changes announced are cynical and designed to keep exploitation, ticket clipping and a (sometimes very) shoddy export education sector
   going on a 3 year cycle. We’ll even establish a pecking order (as you allude to) making some of these ‘bloody immigrants’ special cases that are somehow different from others elsewhere even if they’re from the same circumstances – including many ‘of OUR own’.

3. This drug Fentanyl is legal in New Zealand and used in state hospitals for pain relief for the elderly….surely Medicinal Cannabis is a more benign form of pain killer, which doesn’t kill the person in pain.

   There needs to be a Commission of Inquiry in New Zealand .

   Where is the responsibility and ethics of the medical profession and politicians?

   ‘DEATH BY FENTANYL

   –THE NAKED TRUTH: A DRUG YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF IS KILLING THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS A YEAR.’

   http://interactive.fusion.net/death-by-fentanyl/intro.html

   …”In our investigation, we found multiple fentanyl companies have facing investigations and indictments for allegedly driving doctors and patients to prescribe the drug “off-label,” for reasons other than its approved use. Fentanyl companies have also gotten in trouble for paying kickbacks to doctors to get them to prescribe more of their potent drugs….

   Prescription-fentanyl companies are the ones “making away with murder,” in the words of Harak. At the same time, he says some addicts like him prefer the pharmaceutical grade drug to the street version.

   ..and from the Wall Street Journal

   ‘Fentanyl Billionaire Comes Under Fire as Death Toll Mounts From Prescription Opioids’

   https://www.wsj.com/articles/fentanyl-billionaire-comes-under-fire-as-death-toll-mounts-from-prescription-opioids-1479830968

   • ‘Billionaire’s Former Protege Arrested For Bribing Doctors To Prescribe Fentanyl’

     https://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2016/12/08/billionaires-former-protege-arrested-for-bribing-doctors-to-prescribe-fentanyl/#2add82b27e49

     ‘America’s Opium War: How Fentanyl Will Lead All Overdose Deaths in 2017’

     https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/02/americas-opium-war-how-fentanyl-will-lead-overdose.html

     ‘Danielle McLaughlin: Opioid addiction America’s indiscriminate killer’

     http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/90845862/Danielle-McLaughlin-Opioid-addiction-Americas-indiscriminate-killer

     “… it’s worth noting a study in The Lancet published last year. It revealed that, worldwide, use of prescription opioids more than doubled between 2001-03 and 2011-13 and that the biggest increases were seen in the US, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.

     …Although opioid addiction is a fairly stable public health issue at this moment, increased opioid prescriptions are a feature of New Zealand’s healthcare landscape.

   • @ Red Buzzard … you state …

     “This drug Fentanyl is legal in New Zealand and used in state hospitals for pain relief for the elderly….surely Medicinal Cannabis is a more benign form of pain killer, which doesn’t kill the person in pain.”

     Alarming to say the least! Sounds very much like state sanctioned and selective murder to me, by killing off the elderly! Could about call it a form of genocide perhaps if elderly patients are being given Fentanyl to relieve pain, but dying in the process as a result of the administration of the drug!

     I’m a supporter of Medicinal Cannabis, something which should be available to those who need it. This form of pain relief needs more positive promotion.

     The Fentanyl issue needs some serious investigation. Where is our msm on this one? Obviously no directive has been given to investigate! Might upset the drug company responsible for it’s use!

     • thanks Mary …yes !…where is the msm on this ?…how many elderly have died and will die because of Fentanyl?…legalised murder? ( where are the stats?)

       …people who have elderly suddenly die in hospital due to unexpected and unexplained heart failure should request hospital records through their elderly ‘s lawyers and make a complaint to the Health and Disability Commissioner as well as political parties/politicians concerned about the treatment of the elderly in New Zealand

       Fentanyl is so much more dangerous than Medicinal Cannabis which is disgracefully illegal except for the wealthy who can pay for it ( $1500 per fortnight)and those who can jump through the specialist doctor hoops …this is an absolute scandal and totally immoral!

       maybe a class action needs to be taken against the politicians and doctors responsible…as well as the institutions responsible

4. Elderly NZ women get prescribed the strongest opioids…Ageism and sexism in the prescribing of the strongest opioids? ( a reflection of values and ethics of the medical profession?)

   Is it acceptable that the prescribing of strong opioids is increasing?…particularly when Medicinal Cannabis is outlawed for common use?

   Opioids -‘Health, Quality and Safety Commission’ report 2016

   http://www.hqsc.govt.nz/our-programmes/health-quality-evaluation/projects/atlas-of-healthcare-variation/opioids/

   Key findings

   The number of people dispensed a strong opioid continues to increase

   A ‘strong’ opioid is one classed as step three of the World Health Organization (WHO) analgesic ladder.

   In New Zealand the following strong opioids are subsidised: fentanyl, methadone, morphine, oxycodone and pethidine.

   Excluding people receiving methadone for opioid substitution treatment, in 2015, an average of 16.4/1000 people in New Zealand received a strong opioid. There was a two-fold variation between DHBs.

   People identifying as European/Other ethnicity were dispensed a strong opioid 2–5 times more than other ethnic groups.

   Use increased significantly with each age group; on average, 1 in 9 people aged 80+ received a strong opioid in 2015.

   Women were dispensed significantly more strong opioids than men.

   Rates of fentanyl use is increasing but varies widely

   In 2015, an average of 1.7/1000 people received fentanyl. This was a significant increase from 2011 (0.8/1000). Use varied over 12-fold between DHBs.

   Of those given fentanyl, 24 percent took it for six or more weeks.

   ( Why is Fentanyl use increasing ?…given the dire warnings from overseas

   What are the death stats for use of Fentanyl in New Zealand public hospitals ?

   Which DHBs are prescribing the most Fentanyl?…why?…are they getting kick backs?)

5. MARY_A

   The support at SPARK are appalling and to think it was a public entity owned by us and Government sold it saying it would bring better services, bloody liars they are.

   Just lodge your complaint of all your issues with the;

   https://www.consumerprotection.govt.nz/report-or-resolve-a-problem/faulty-products-or-services/faulty-products-and-services/

   I have complained to Spark (after very long waits on the phone to speak to a representative) and told that it’s teething problems and will sort itself out in no time. That was in February!

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