#but kiwi patriotism is a disease

[violetsandshrikes]

How can you complain about living in NZ when some of us literally live in America lol

TW for mentions of mental health, suicide, sexual abuse, abuse, violence, family harm and other topics that may be very upseting for people.

As of 2021, Aotearoa NZ ranks at 35th out of 41 developed countries for child wellbeing outcomes (x).

One in six New Zealand women experience sexual violence from an intimate partner during their lifetime. Child sexual abuse rates: 1 in 5. Non-partner sexual assault: 1 in 14. (x)

Research suggests that one in three (33%) of New Zealand women have experienced physical or sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetime. When psychological abuse is added (where economic harm sits), it increases to one in two (55%). One in eight men reported being victims of family violence. Gay, lesbian and bisexual adults experience intimate partner physical and sexual violence more than twice as often as other New Zealanders. (x)

One in three (29%) young people (15-19) reported being hit or harmed by a partner and up to 60% of high school students are recorded as having been in an emotionally or physically abusive relationship. (x)

As of 2017, New Zealand has the highest rate of teen suicide in the OECD. New Zealand has the 6th highest teen pregnancy rate in the OECD. New Zealand has the 7th highest rate of child homicide in the OECD. (x)

New Zealand’s youth suicide rate for adolescents aged 15-19 years was reported to be the highest of 41 OECD/EU countries. (x)

One in four New Zealand workers is flourishing. (x)

Bullying is quite common in workplaces across Aotearoa. Nearly two in ten respondents of the 2020 Workplace Barometer Survey said they had experienced bullying and nearly 40% had seen others being bullied. Another report from the same year revealed that 84% of surveyed workers had experienced cyber abuse, and 48% more than one form of it. 75.5% didn’t report the abuse to their organisation, believing it wouldn’t make a difference. (x)

A survey of Australian and New Zealand workplaces by Hays found that 56% of respondents felt their chance of being accepted for a job was lowered because of their sexual orientation, ethnicity, age, gender or disability, and 63% felt the same about their chances for career progression. (x)

As of June 2022, 1 in 9 (12.0 %) of New Zealand children lived in low-income households that had less than 50 percent of the median equivalised disposable household income before deducting housing costs. 1 in 7 (15.4%) children lived in low-income households that had an after-housing-costs income that was less than 50 percent of the baseline year’s median after-housing-costs equivalised disposable household income. 1 in 10 (10.3%) children lived in households experiencing material hardship. A household is experiencing material hardship if they are going without six or more of 17 items most people would regard as essential. (x)

As of June 2022, average annual household income from wages and salaries increased from $72,794 to $79,128 (8.7%), average annual household income (gross) increased from $111,168 to $117,126 (5.4%) average annual household equivalised disposable income (after tax and transfer payments) increased from $50,561 to $53,031 (4.9%. ) 32.2 percent of households perceived their income as ‘not enough’ or ‘only just enough’ (no change). (x)

And just to drive home what I'm saying above, $79,128 NZD (annual household income in wages/salaries) is $48,455 USD or $45,604.63 in the Euro.

As of June 2022, average weekly expenditure on total rent payments increased from $391.50 to $410.90 (up 5.0%). (x)

Research released June 2021 shows that 93 percent of Māori in Aotearoa experience racism every day, and even more - 96 percent - say racism is a problem for their whānau. (x)

Aotearoa New Zealand has had a very long struggle with high rates of domestic violence, suicide, poverty (particularly child poverty), mental health and addiction crisis on top of the cost of living - which is currently high everywhere but people tend to forget that we also have 1) a mildly shitty conversion rate when you look at places like the States and Britain and 2) the added costs of shipping and transport when you're on an island in the middle of nowhere. These are tiny snapshot of statistics that reflect the reality of life here.

While a lot of people seem to think that this country is a much better place than their own western nation, the reality is that Aotearoa NZ is also built on all the shitty ideals that dog everywhere else + there isn't even easing of financial strain to live here.

[raydmss2-blog]

Best Diacetyl-Free E-Juices

Many vapers made the change from cigarettes for health reasons but stayed with vaping for the fantastic clouds of vapor and the myriad of flavors. It is no surprise that some vapers want to make sure that their vaping experience is as healthy and flavorful as possible, and recently a number of vapers that I know have been asking about diacetyl- What is it? What does it do? Is it bad for me? Can I get e-juices that don't have diacetyl? The purpose of this article is to answer these questions and give vapers a rundown on the best Diacetyl free e-juices that money can buy.

10 Best Top 10 best diacetyl-free-e-juices So, if you want to avoid diacetyl and use a safer e-juice, there are many options available to you. To help you out, here is a rundown of our top ten favourite diacetyl-free e-juice flavours. All of the following e-liquids are certified diacetyl free by independent laboratories.

1. Dragonberry Kiwi This fruity favourite from The Clean Vape is a mix of dragonfruit, strawberries and kiwi. It is a fruit fusion with a tart aftertaste. The flavor is dominated by the fresh dragonfruit taste and is best enjoyed outdoors on a sunny day lounging next to the pool. If you close your eyes, you can almost smell the sea.

2. Ripe Vapes Pear Almond Do you like dessert flavors? If so, then this is a perfect choice for you. This is not just your average dessert flavor. It has a strong marzipan flavor that tickles the taste buds and is complimented by the aroma of pastry and pear. It is a perfect flavor for those of you out there with a sweet tooth

3. VaporFi Cuban Cigar It doesn't need to be a special occasion to enjoy the classic flavor of a hand-rolled Cuban cigar. This classic e-liquid has all the flavor and aroma without the drawback. Throw the hammock up in the yard, lie back and enjoy this perfect tropical treat in your own backyard

4. Absinthe by Decadent Flavors With the world of e-liquids packed with similar flavours, this fantastic offering from decadent flavors is truly unique. This e-liquid explosion of spice that replicates the myriad of diverse elements of absinthe without the burn. If you think you have tried everything, then you really must try some Absinthe.

5. Cosmic Fog's Milk and Honey Cosmic Fog is one of the most successful vaping companies in the world, renowned for the quality of their e-juices. My personal favorite is Milk and Honey, a light, fluffy sweet flavor with a creamy aftertaste, this is the perfect e-juice for your everyday vape. It really does take you to a land of milk and honey.

6. Patriot's Brew Natural Tobacco Patriots Brew is the second tobacco flavor on this list and is truly unique. A mix of tobacco, maple, bourbon, whiskey, vanilla and oak this complex flavor is smooth, mellow and flavorful. The perfect e-juice for an evening by an open fire with a nice glass of something strong. Sit back, fill your vape, and feel like a real patriot.

7. Crystal Panther by 0m Vapors This beautiful blueberry menthol flavor is cool refreshing and delicious. It's a mix of three different berry flavors with a refreshing ice aftertaste; this is a perfect all day vape for those of you who like cool sweet fruity e-juices.

8. Cali Colada by Liquid state The ideal summer vape, Cali Colada is an explosion of flavor in your mouth. With a creamy pina colada base, it is the fruity mango, pineapple and guava tastes that really take the prize. This is an extremely smooth e-juice that you can enjoy anytime, anywhere. This is, without a doubt, my favourite fruity flavor.

9. Bed of Roses by Kai's Virgin Vapor This fantastic all natural organic flavor is like nothing else you have ever vaped. It is almost like inhaling rose petals with its stunning floral aromas. Unlike many floral flavors, Bed of Roses does not have that overpowering perfume taste, and instead, it is just perfectly sweet and smooth. What better gift for your loved one on Valentines Day.

10. The Drop by Motley Brews Our number on diacetyl-free e-juice on this list is the sensational The Drop from Motley Brews. A fountain of lime floats over its sweet cookie base and vanilla body to delight the taste buds. It is without doubt one of the tastiest and unique dessert e-juice flavors on the market today. It is very worthy in its place at the top of this list of fantastic diacetyl-free e-juices. What is Diacetyl Diacetyl is a chemical that is used as a flavouring in many different foods from margarine to snack, as it has a very rich and buttery flavor. It is also used in cigarettes. Most recently it has been identified that it is present in up to 75% of e-liquid brands. Why vape diacetyl-free e-juice? Although diacetyl is safe to eat, when it is inhaled, it can cause a terrible lung disease called popcorn lung. This disease is extremely rare and was initially discovered in employees of a popcorn factory who were breathing in high levels of diacetyl fumes all day during their shift.

When Harvard University discovered that diacetyl was present in most e-juice flavors, many people worried that this could cause health problems among vapers. While this has not happened to date, many vapers prefer to avoid the risk and opt for diacetyl-free e-juice.

Why aren't all e-juices diacetyl-free? E-juice producers do not intentionally add diacetyl to their flavours. The issue is that many e-juice producers use a range of food flavourings to create those wonderful diverse flavours that we enjoy so much. Unfortunately, many of these flavors contain small amounts of diacetyl that are described as natural flavorings. The only way to establish if there are traces of diacetyl in a flavor is to test it in a lab, and many e-juice manufacturers are small businesses with no access to these facilities.

Additionally, the levels of diacetyl found in e-juice are minimal, less than 10% of that found in cigarettes and a fraction of the amount discovered in the Popcorn factory, and no one is suspected of getting popcorn lung from vaping. This leads to many e-juice brands being unable to see a significant benefit to testing their flavours and removing the diacetyl as the risk seems minimal. However, if you want to ensure that your e-juice is as safe as it can be, then it is best to go for a diacetyl free e-juice that is laboratory certified, like the ones in the top ten above.