It’s been a really tough year for a lot of people under this bloody awful government, so well done to all the authors and commenters* here who keep pushing for a better, fairer NZ.
A special Christmas greeting to Lynn the Grinch đ for your tireless work keeping the site running and keeping this a safe place to speak where people know their privacy is respected.
*To all those who read the site but don’t comment, you also play a big part in making the site one of the most popular, and increasingly one of the more influential beyond the blogosphere. Don’t be afraid to add your voice to the mix either.
To all those who read the site but donât comment, you also play a big part in making the site one of the most popular, and increasingly one of the more influential beyond the blogosphere. Donât be afraid to add your voice to the mix either.
That’s me for the most part. Even though I rarely posted before, and haven’t since leaving New Zealand this past July (currently in the US and will be in Southeast Asia next week to start a new job), I still check in daily to read one of New Zealand’s finer political blogs.
Yep. Conservatives across the world are busy pushing neo liberal propaganda. Left blogs play an important role, as the MSM bash Labour and the Greens daily. It is nice to have something like the Standard to read, kudos to the Standard and commentators for keeping things positive. đ
Merry Christmas, Frohe Weinacht and thank you moderators, techos (looking at you, Lynn), post authors, and commenters on The Standard. It’s been a treat and an education.
All the very best over the holidays and in the new year.
A big ups on this day to all those who will spend their day giving those less fortunate a Christmas day, i havn’t been able to celebrate Christmas for so many years i’ve lost count,
There’s a couple of reasons why it’s a non-starter in my world, the first being my rebellious nature just doesn’t allow me to be told by ‘them’ when,what, and how to celebrate ‘anything’, the other reason of course is that i refuse to take part in an exercise that has been specifically designed to remove from me copious amounts of money when i have always lived under the strains of a tight budget,
My Christmas ‘wish’, both Slippery the Prime Minister and Dave Shearer went into the Christmas break saying that next year, 2013, was going to be all about ’employment’, the wish is just for once that they both come back to the Parliament and openly admit that the economic system we labor under does not and can never deliver anything near full employment for all those who are able to and seek work,
Only when ‘our leaders’ stop bullshitting us about employment can there be some form of intelligent discussion where the ‘punishment’ of those who cannot find work stops….
The Standard has become my wee corner on the net because of Lynn Prentice, and a whole group of people I’ve come to admire and respect for their experience and knowledge. Over the years we’ve had a huge number of people contribute, many of whom have passed on to other things …. but a handful such as Irish, zetetic, Eddie and felix have pretty much been with us all the way.
The current group of authors, James Henderson, r0b, karol, QoT, Bill, yourself and others are carrying the torch forward with fabulous energy and commitment. I’d write more often, but frankly I spend enough time moderating as it is, and not being on the inside loop of the political system I tend to only post when I feel I have something I really want to say. I’m humbled by the sheer effort and capability you guys bring and I’m always learning from you.
And to the commenters who breath life into this place. While I love to moan about the sheer number to trawl through each day … I also love reading you all. There’s a real heart and spirit you bring.
And to all of you who read us but never comment; yes I understand. Sometimes the threads must seem like a bit of a cliquey shark-pool to the uninitiated. It takes time to find your voice; but it’s the flak and crap that you have to wade through which refines and sharpens your thinking.
Nothing would delight me more than to have to wade through 1000 comments a day. We’ve become a bit of a tribe. A very loose, nomadic one … but loud, energetic and fun.
Whatever happens in 2013 I’d love for you to all remember these two things:
1. It’s about values. What is important to you? What is important to the other person?
2. It’s about people. We’re all different and while we put boundaries around behaviour, it is our diversity which is our strength and source of inspiration.
And I Ă m really happy with having other people moderating, especially since I only seem to write posts when I am irritated. While I mix it in with work, mostly while compiling after header changes or updating target hardware, there are getting to be too many comments. I’m sure we have already had days with more than a thousand comments.
There have been days when I only get to read comments before work, and after I crawl home after an 11 hour day. But on those days I mostly just read what other moderators did with their varying styles. It works pretty well having a number of people with a little time to spare to read and modate the comments stream… And we never have to organize it – it just happens….
To all those at The Standard you are the church bells of the 21st C.
Snoopy’s Christmas
The Baron had Snoopy dead in his sights
And reached for the trigger to pull it up tight.
Why he never fired
Will we never know?
Or was it the bells from the village below
Why the elites fear the internet.
Although fictitious, the song recalls a historical event. During World War I, in 1914, “The Christmas Truce” was initiated not by German and British commanders, but by the soldiers themselves.[2] The length of the cease-fire varied by location, and was reported to have been as brief as Christmas Day or as long as the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Trench-bound combatants exchanged small gifts across the lines, with Germans giving beer to the British, who sent tobacco and tinned meat back in return. No Man’s Land was cleared of dead bodies, trenches were repaired and drained, and troops from both sides shared pictures of their families and, in some places, used No Man’s Land for friendly games of football.[3] The song even has the initiator correct as it was generally the German soldiers who called over to the British and initiated the truce and, in the song, it is the Red Baronâa German WWI heroâwho extends the hand of Christmas friendship to Snoopy.
“Snoopy’s Christmas” reached the #1 position in the New Zealand pop charts in 1967, and remains a popular Christmas song in that country.*
Wikipedia
Before the internet there was only one borderless means of communication heard by all and that couldn’t be censored.
Christmas truces 1914, 1915, 1916
Richard Schirrmann, who was in a German regiment holding a position on the Bernhardstein, one of the mountains of the Vosges, wrote an account of events in December 1915: “When the Christmas bells sounded in the villages of the Vosges behind the lines ….. something fantastically unmilitary occurred. German and French troops spontaneously made peace and ceased hostilities; they visited each other through disused trench tunnels, and exchanged wine, cognac and cigarettes for Westphalian black bread, biscuits and ham. This suited them so well that they remained good friends even after Christmas was over.” He was separated from the French troops by a narrow No Man’s Land and described the landscape as: “Strewn with shattered trees, the ground ploughed up by shellfire, a wilderness of earth, tree-roots and tattered uniforms.” Military discipline was soon restored, but Schirrmann pondered over the incident, and whether “thoughtful young people of all countries could be provided with suitable meeting places where they could get to know each other.”.
Christmas bells, those Christmas bells ringing through the land.
While the church bells were spreading their message of peace and goodwill, heard across the front line, giving soldiers the courage to defy their officers, the mainstream media were playing their usual role.
The events of the truce were not reported for a week, in an unofficial press embargo which was eventually broken by the New York Times on 31 December. The British papers quickly followed, printing numerous first-hand accounts from soldiers in the field, taken from letters home to their families, and editorials on “one of the greatest surprises of a surprising war”. By 8 January pictures had made their way to the press, and both the Mirror and Sketch printed front-page photographs of British and German troops mingling and singing between the lines. The tone of the reporting was strongly positive, with the Times endorsing the “lack of malice” felt by both sides and the Mirror regretting that the “absurdity and the tragedy” would begin again.
Coverage in Germany was more muted, with some newspapers strongly criticising those who had taken part, and no pictures published. In France, meanwhile, the greater level of press censorship ensured that the only word that spread of the truce came from soldiers at the front or first-hand accounts told by wounded men in hospitals.[21] The press was eventually forced to respond to the growing rumours by reprinting a government notice that fraternising with the enemy constituted treason, and in early January an official statement on the truce was published, claiming it had happened on restricted sectors of the British front, and amounted to little more than an exchange of songs which quickly degenerated into shooting
Now just imagine if there had been an internet in 1914
*That “Snoopy’s Christmas” reached the #1 position in the New Zealand pop charts in 1967, and still remains popular is not an accident.
This was at the height of the Vietnam war, when New Zealand politicians, following Australia’s example were contemplating bringing in conscription. It was also at a time when pirate radio was taking off, breaking through the MSM monopoly control of the airwaves was able to give “Snoopy’s Christmas” message of peace, the airtime denied it in other countries.
It’s always been one of my favourites despite the fact that many people seem to loathe it (inexplicably).
If you want an interesting read on the same topic, try a chapter in Robert Axelrod’s famous book ‘The Evolution of Cooperation’. As a political scientist, one of the examples he looked at was the ‘outbreak of peace’ between the troops in WWI. He analysed it in terms of the conditions that allowed cooperation to occur. He also noted how the ‘High Command’ recognised the subversive nature of the cooperation and eventually twigged to how to undermine it – by altering one of the important conditions for cooperation to emerge amongst humans.
Merry XMas to the Standard, it’s captains, it’s crew and all who sail in her. The Standard has been a mainstay for me, a supportive community in a time of political nastiness. Shipley made me depressed, Key makes me angry but not depressed and that is mainly due to the balancing haven that the Standard represents. Thank you.
To all the Standardistas and all the commentators a happy Festivus and may all of you be there next year to spar with and annoy the shit out off. Peace out!
Happy Christmas Standardistas and to all who have contributed ever since those long ago kiwiblogblog days, especially Lynn, r0b, the Bills and all other fearless and generous commenters and posters since Robinsod, and thank God too for the courageous Tapu Misa (linky thing below, read her and weep), John and Gordon Campbell, Chris Trotter and the Hickeys, Orams et al who dare to put others before themselves and carry on the unstoppable two millenia legacy of Progression whose birth we celebrate today. The point is tipping, brothers and sisters, peace and strength to you all.
I rarely comment as others at the Standard do a far better job than me discussing the reality of life for most of us in NZ under the Key /Nact government. But the Standard is an important part of my day and my political understanding would be lost in a sea of public relations propaganda without my daily dose of the country’s best blog. Compliments of the season to everyone.
Big ups to all who keep The Standard functioning – you guys are awsome! The next 2 years will see this shitty neo liberal government in its death throes, but the challenge for the Left will be to present to voters,cohereht Social Democratic policies focusing on full employment, poverty elimination, social justice, equality of opportunity & environmental enhancement.
Let’s never forget that the first Labour Government, coming out of the 1930’s Deopression & heading into WW2, had abolished entrenched poverty within 7 years of gaining office – if we did it once, we can do it again.
Yes a mighty big merry christmas to all. I am trying to waste less time with you lot but its pretty hard to ignore when things pop up and go astray or our elected reps run amok in all sorts of naughty ways.
i have turned over yet another leaf; clean for the first time in a wee willie winkie while.
(so i will not be forgetting this birthday, and look forward to spending my prudent resources on some Real Serious political commentary and satire in the new year)
-Rock On (Machine) and i liked your comment ak(79?)
Merry Christmas from James the Hebe đ Turn The Page-Metallica
So where does debt come from if it isnât naturally a part of human societies? Again it is the imposition of scarcity by the ruling class â designed to extract and hoard wealth in the hands of a powerful elite â that creates the notion of debt. Does this sound familiar in todayâs context? Many countries were âmodernizedâ throughout the 20th Century by introducing market systems that structure debt into the economies of newly founded nations. These nations now must pay tributes â in the form of interest payments â to external banks that extract wealth from the poor countries and hoard it in the coffers of wealthy countries.
It’s worth remembering that almost all the problems we have are man-made. Therefore they can be unmade.
Kia ora have a great kiwi christmas best wishes for 2013. May it hold better things for all people not just the 1%.
Ma Ihowa koe e manaaki, mana koe e tiaki.
Merry Xmas and wishing you all happy times. Thanks to each and every one of you for making The Standard the great blog that it is. I read daily and appreciate the time, effort and thought that goes into making it such a treasure.
Ah yes. The bottom of the South Island certainly got the most summery weather yesterday.
However, Auckland, after a gloomy start to the day, turned out not so bad in the end. Not very summery, but it was fine, warm and humid. I enjoyed a bit of a walk along a beach in the East Coast Bays, in a refreshing and bracing wind – kind of like this NZH author recommended:
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Rob MacCullough writes –Â Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
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The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labourâs environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our countryâs most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Governmentâs Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a âget out of jail freeâ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealandâs good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National governmentâs lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for TÄmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Governmentâs democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Governmentâs proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change thatâs great for the planet and great for consumers after her memberâs bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the countryâs books after Teanau Tuionoâs membersâ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his memberâs bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Todayâs advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Governmentâs newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealandâs urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. âOur Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealandâs hydrogen future, with the opening of the countryâs first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. âI want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealandâs own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealandâs energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. âThe report shows that New Zealandâs emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,â Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where heâll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Governmentâs work to restore law and order. âAttending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealandâs human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the worldâs largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. âThe reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealandâs wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin  NgÄ mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho  Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today.  I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. âOur Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealandâs overseas missions.  âOur diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealandâs interests around the world,â Mr Peters says.  âI am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. Â âOver 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. âIt is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. âOur coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
âChina remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,â Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.  Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. âRecently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachersâ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.  âThe Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. âScience, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During todayâs meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. âThe Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in TaupĹ as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the TaupĹ International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. âAnticipation for the ITM TaupĹ Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. âThe coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. âThis project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sectorâs productivity,â Mr Jones says. âThe project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Governmentâs plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. âBenefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Governmentâs commitment to doubling New Zealandâs renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealandâs latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. âOur Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. âNew Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Governmentâs intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. âThe introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Todayâs announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Governmentâs plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. âInflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sectorâs role in the export-led recovery of the economy. âI am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Governmentâs support for the revitalisation the sector.  "New Zealandâs wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. âThe inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. âMy meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathryn Willis, Postdoctoral Researcher, CSIRO Xavier Boulenger/Shutterstock In the two decades to 2019, global plastic production doubled. By 2040, plastic manufacturing and processing could consume as much as 20% of global oil production and use up 15% of the annual carbon ...
With our collective remembrance, and steadfast belief in our common humanity, we strengthen our hope and resolve to do what we can to foster dialogue and understanding, and to heal divisions in our pursuit of peace. ...
Principal reasons for the opposition is the loss of the publicâs democratic right to have âa fair sayâ and the vital need for a government free from corruption, said Casey Cravens of Dunedin, president of the New Zealand Federation of Freshwater ...
Never mind the scoreboard â in the 2000 Bledisloe Cup decider, the real trans-Tasman battle was won before kickoff.First published in 2016. The dawn of the new millennium was a dark time for the All Blacks. Their final game pre-Y2K was a 22-18 loss to South Africa in the ...
Iâm on the wrong side of 40, I never pursued creative work and now my job is killing my soul. Help! Want Heraâs help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,May I start with the least original conversation opener youâre likely to hear around the motu at the moment, particularly in Wellington: ...
âNever again - No AUKUSâ was the message of the wreath laid at this morningâs national ANZAC Day commemorative service at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park this morning by the Stop AUKUS group. ...
Until this month, Auckland swimmer Hazel Ouwehand had never met a qualifying time in an Olympic event for a New Zealand team, even as a junior. Now sheâs very likely off to the Paris Olympics after swimming well under the qualifying standard in the 100m butterfly twice â both in ...
While Anzac Day has experienced a resurgence in recent years, our other day of remembrance has slowly faded from view.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand. Original illustrations by Hope McConnell.First published in 2022.The high schoolâs head girl and ...
Australian and New Zealand volunteers fought together in the Waikato War, yet still its place in the Anzac tradition is unacknowledged by our defence forces or Returned Services Association.First published in 2018.When I was a boy cub I attended Anzac Day services in the South Auckland suburb of ...
A poem by Wellington writer Tayi Tibble. Â Hoki Mai She kisses him goodbye with her eyes still wet and alight from their last swim in the Awatere river. At the train station celebration, she leads the Kapa Haka but her voice keeps breaking under and over itself like waves. ...
A poem from Bill Manhireâs 2017 book of verse Some Things to Place in a Coffin.  My World War I Poem  Inside each trench, the sound of prayer. Inside each prayer, the sound of digging.  Image courtesy of Auckland War Memorial Museum. ...
There are three books I have wolfed down in one sitting over the last two years. Colleen Maria Lenihanâs gorgeous and sad debut KĹhine, Noelle McCarthyâs memoir Grand about becoming her mother and then unbecoming her, and now Hine Toa, a staunch yet gentle self-portrait by living legend NgÄhuia te ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 25 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Asia Pacific Report Students and activist staff at Australiaâs University of Sydney (USyd) have set up a Gaza solidarity encampment in support of Palestinians and similar student-led protests in the United States. The camp was pitched as mass graves, crippled hospitals, thousands of civilian deaths and the near-total destruction of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James B. Dorey, Lecturer in Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong Australian teddy bear bees are cute and fluffy, but get a look at that massive (unbarbed) stinger! James Dorey Photography Most of us have been stung by a bee and we ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jen Roberts, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, University of Wollongong Aussie~mobs/FlickrVictor Farr, a private in the 1st Infantry Battalion, was among the first to land at Anzac Cove just before dawn on April 25 1915. Victor Farr ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Gregory Moore I had the good fortune to care for the sugar gum at The University of Melbourneâs Burnley Gardens in Victoria where I worked for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australiaâs inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and itâs now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Ong ViforJ, ARC Future Fellow & Professor of Economics, Curtin University Just when we think the price of rentals could not get any worse, this weekâs Rental Affordability Snapshot by Anglicare has revealed low-income Australians are facing a housing crisis like ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tracey Holmes, Professorial Fellow in Sport, University of Canberra When the news broke last weekend that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive to a banned drug in early 2021 and were allowed to compete at the Tokyo Olympic Games six months later ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cally Jetta, Senior Lecturer and Academic Lead; College for First Nations, University of Southern Queensland Australian War MemorialAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains names and images of deceased people, as well as sensitive historical information ...
RNZ News Melissa Lee has been ousted from New Zealandâs coalition cabinet and stripped of the Media portfolio, and Penny Simmonds has lost the Disability Issues portfolio in a reshuffle. Climate Change and Revenue Minister Simon Watts will take Leeâs spot in cabinet. Simmonds was a minister outside of cabinet. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Lindenmayer, Professor, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University laurello/Shutterstock Some reports and popular books, such as Bill Gammageâs Biggest Estate on Earth, have argued that extensive areas of Australiaâs forests were kept open through frequent burning by ...
Analysis - Christopher Luxon framing the demotion of two ministers as the portfolios getting "too complex" is a charitable way of saying they weren't up to the job. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra With Jim Chalmersâs third budget on May 14, Australians will be looking for some more cost-of-living relief â beyond the tax cuts â although they have been warned extra measures will be modest. As ...
Analysis: Melissa Lee has lost the media portfolio and her spot in Cabinet after multiple failed attempts to find solutions for a media industry in crisis. On Wednesday, the Prime Minister announced Lee would be losing her spot in Cabinet along with her media and communications ministerial portfolio. The job ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Wilmot, Senior Lecturer, Film, Deakin University Among the many Australian who served during the second world war, there is a small group of people whose stories remain largely untold. These are the Muslim men and women who, while small in number, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Saunders, PhD Candidate, University of Canberra There has been much analysis and praise of Justice Michael Leeâs recent judgement in Bruce Lehrmannâs defamation case against Channel Ten. Many people were openly relieved to read Leeâs âforensicâ and ânuancedâ application of law ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathy Gibbs, Program Director for the Bachelor of Education, Griffith University zEdward_Indy/Shutterstock Around one in 20 people has attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Itâs one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood and often continues into adulthood. ADHD is diagnosed ...
The Fairer Future coalition of anti-poverty groups say Whaikaha must be properly funded going forward, and that to argue that poor financial management of the new Ministry is a red herring by the Prime Minister. ...
The Taxpayersâ Union is today congratulating Hon. Paul Goldsmith on his appointment as Minister for Media and Communications and urges him to rule out state intervention in the private media sector. ...
Asia Pacific Report The West Papuan resistance OPM leader has condemned Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Joe Biden, accusing their countries of âsix decades of treacheryâ over Papuan independence. The open letter was released today by OPM chairman Jeffrey P Bomanak on the eve of ANZAC Day ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits and quirks of New Zealanders at large. This week: writer and one of Time Magazineâs 100 most influential people of 2024, Lauren Groff.The book I wish Iâd writtenIf I wish Iâd written a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Fechner, Research Fellow, Social Marketing, Griffith University mavo/Shutterstock Imagine having dinner at a restaurant. The menu offers plant-based meat alternatives made mostly from vegetables, mushrooms, legumes and wheat that mimic meat in taste, texture and smell. Despite being given that ...
âThree Strikes is a dead-end policy proposed by a dead-end government. The Three Strikes law ignores the causes of crime, instead just brutalising people already crushed by the cost of living.â ...
By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist An Australian-born judge in Kiribati could well face deportation later this week after a tribunal ruling that he should be removed from his post. The tribunalâs report has just been tabled in the Kiribati Parliament and is due to be debated by MPs ...
With its clear mandate for police use, political nuances, and nuanced public trust, Denmark's insights provide valuable considerations for Australia and New Zealand. ...
Books editor Claire Mabey reviews poet Louise Wallaceâs debut novel. A famous poet once said to me that heâs always suspicious when a poet publishes a novel. I never really understood why but maybe itâs something to do with cheating on your first form. Louise Wallace is a poet. Sheâs ...
For a few months at the turn of the millennium, TrueBliss burned bright as the biggest pop stars in the country. Alex Casey chats to two superfans who still hold the flame. During a humble backyard wedding in Nelson, 1999, one of the cordially invited guests had to excuse themselves ...
How will the recent wave of job cuts impact ethnic diversity in the media? In November last year, I was working a very busy day in the newsroom of a large online news site, interviewing whÄnau about their concerns over the imminent closure of one of the few puna reo ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ruth Knight, Researcher, Queensland University of Technology Have you ever felt sick at work? Perhaps you had food poisoning or the flu. Your belly hurt, or you felt tired, making it hard to concentrate and be productive. How likely would you be ...
Despite heavy criticism and an ongoing select committee process, the Police Minister says the Government will forge ahead with a ban on gang patches. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Whiting, Lecturer – Creative Industries, University of South Australia Shutterstock Everyone has a favourite band, or a favourite composer, or a favourite song. There is some music which speaks to you, deeply; and other music which might be the current ...
A new survey says âoutlook not greatâ for those charged with building infrastructure, while RMA changes delight farmers and depress environmentalists, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoffâs morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. First RMA changes announced ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olli Hellmann, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Waikato Getty Images When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day on April 25, itâs not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also ...
A leaked document shows the Canterbury/Waitaha arm of health agency Te Whatu Ora is scurrying to save $13.3 million by July. The âfinancial sustainability targetâ, which was âallocatedâ to Waitaha, is consistent with whatâs happening in other districts, says Sarah Dalton, executive director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. ...
A look at the state of the previous governmentâs affordable housing scheme, and what could come next.Remind me: Whatâs KiwiBuild again?First announced in 2012, KiwiBuild was a flagship policy of the Labour Party heading into both its 2014 and 2017 election campaigns. With Jacinda Ardern as prime minister, ...
Labour in opposition will be shocked to learn which party had six years in power but squandered any chance to make real change. Grant Robertsonâs valedictory speech was a predictably entertaining trip down memory lane. The acid-tongued incoming Otago University chancellor administered a sick burn to the coalition government. He ...
Taiwanâs semiconductor industry is seen some as its ‘silicon shield’ against invasion – but how will overseas expansion affect that protection? The post The state of Taiwan’s silicon shield appeared first on Newsroom. ...
There’s relief for building owners bending under the weight of earthquake strengthening rules â and costs â that came into force seven years ago. Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has announced a scheduled 2027 review of the earthquake-prone building regulations will now start this year. Owners will also get ...
Opinion: It has been announced that nine percent of roles at Oranga Tamariki will be disestablished, presumably to help fund the tax cuts promised by the coalition Government. I am reminded of the graphics used to illustrate pandemic events, where five thousand people are standing in a field and then ...
After more than two sleepless days, running through savage terrain, Greig Hamilton didnât know if he was going to finish one of the most gruelling psychological assaults in sport. He was metres away from the finish line, a yellow gate made famous in a Netflix documentary; a race heâd dreamed ...
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The following interview with former Green Party MP Sue Kedgley came about because she features in the new memoir Hine Toa by activist NgÄhuia te AwekĹtuku; the two knew each other at the University of Auckland in the early 70s, when they were both took on leadership roles in the ...
Merry Christmas all.
It’s been a really tough year for a lot of people under this bloody awful government, so well done to all the authors and commenters* here who keep pushing for a better, fairer NZ.
A special Christmas greeting to Lynn the Grinch đ for your tireless work keeping the site running and keeping this a safe place to speak where people know their privacy is respected.
*To all those who read the site but don’t comment, you also play a big part in making the site one of the most popular, and increasingly one of the more influential beyond the blogosphere. Don’t be afraid to add your voice to the mix either.
Peace out.
That’s me for the most part. Even though I rarely posted before, and haven’t since leaving New Zealand this past July (currently in the US and will be in Southeast Asia next week to start a new job), I still check in daily to read one of New Zealand’s finer political blogs.
Yep. Conservatives across the world are busy pushing neo liberal propaganda. Left blogs play an important role, as the MSM bash Labour and the Greens daily. It is nice to have something like the Standard to read, kudos to the Standard and commentators for keeping things positive. đ
Merry Christmas, Frohe Weinacht and thank you moderators, techos (looking at you, Lynn), post authors, and commenters on The Standard. It’s been a treat and an education.
All the very best over the holidays and in the new year.
A big ups on this day to all those who will spend their day giving those less fortunate a Christmas day, i havn’t been able to celebrate Christmas for so many years i’ve lost count,
There’s a couple of reasons why it’s a non-starter in my world, the first being my rebellious nature just doesn’t allow me to be told by ‘them’ when,what, and how to celebrate ‘anything’, the other reason of course is that i refuse to take part in an exercise that has been specifically designed to remove from me copious amounts of money when i have always lived under the strains of a tight budget,
My Christmas ‘wish’, both Slippery the Prime Minister and Dave Shearer went into the Christmas break saying that next year, 2013, was going to be all about ’employment’, the wish is just for once that they both come back to the Parliament and openly admit that the economic system we labor under does not and can never deliver anything near full employment for all those who are able to and seek work,
Only when ‘our leaders’ stop bullshitting us about employment can there be some form of intelligent discussion where the ‘punishment’ of those who cannot find work stops….
Well it’s a cracker day here, we’ll be getting the bbq fired up and knocking the tops off a few with a few friends.
I’d just like to thank the stadardista community for making this site what it is and invigorating the left in New Zealand.
I’d also like to thank everyone who has to work today for looking after the rest of us – it’s much appreciated.
Cheers IB.
One eye on The Standard, the other on the job.
The Standard has become my wee corner on the net because of Lynn Prentice, and a whole group of people I’ve come to admire and respect for their experience and knowledge. Over the years we’ve had a huge number of people contribute, many of whom have passed on to other things …. but a handful such as Irish, zetetic, Eddie and felix have pretty much been with us all the way.
The current group of authors, James Henderson, r0b, karol, QoT, Bill, yourself and others are carrying the torch forward with fabulous energy and commitment. I’d write more often, but frankly I spend enough time moderating as it is, and not being on the inside loop of the political system I tend to only post when I feel I have something I really want to say. I’m humbled by the sheer effort and capability you guys bring and I’m always learning from you.
And to the commenters who breath life into this place. While I love to moan about the sheer number to trawl through each day … I also love reading you all. There’s a real heart and spirit you bring.
And to all of you who read us but never comment; yes I understand. Sometimes the threads must seem like a bit of a cliquey shark-pool to the uninitiated. It takes time to find your voice; but it’s the flak and crap that you have to wade through which refines and sharpens your thinking.
Nothing would delight me more than to have to wade through 1000 comments a day. We’ve become a bit of a tribe. A very loose, nomadic one … but loud, energetic and fun.
Whatever happens in 2013 I’d love for you to all remember these two things:
1. It’s about values. What is important to you? What is important to the other person?
2. It’s about people. We’re all different and while we put boundaries around behaviour, it is our diversity which is our strength and source of inspiration.
Best wishes and love to you all.
RedLogix
And I Ă m really happy with having other people moderating, especially since I only seem to write posts when I am irritated. While I mix it in with work, mostly while compiling after header changes or updating target hardware, there are getting to be too many comments. I’m sure we have already had days with more than a thousand comments.
There have been days when I only get to read comments before work, and after I crawl home after an 11 hour day. But on those days I mostly just read what other moderators did with their varying styles. It works pretty well having a number of people with a little time to spare to read and modate the comments stream… And we never have to organize it – it just happens….
đ
And so say all of us! ave a good day everyone.
Thanks to Lynn for all the hard work and smarts in making this blog work. Thanks to all the commenters, the lurkers and all the other authors.
Murky weather here in Auckland, which is pretty normal for this time of year.
To all those at The Standard you are the church bells of the 21st C.
Snoopy’s Christmas
Why the elites fear the internet.
Before the internet there was only one borderless means of communication heard by all and that couldn’t be censored.
Christmas truces 1914, 1915, 1916
While the church bells were spreading their message of peace and goodwill, heard across the front line, giving soldiers the courage to defy their officers, the mainstream media were playing their usual role.
Now just imagine if there had been an internet in 1914
*That “Snoopy’s Christmas” reached the #1 position in the New Zealand pop charts in 1967, and still remains popular is not an accident.
This was at the height of the Vietnam war, when New Zealand politicians, following Australia’s example were contemplating bringing in conscription. It was also at a time when pirate radio was taking off, breaking through the MSM monopoly control of the airwaves was able to give “Snoopy’s Christmas” message of peace, the airtime denied it in other countries.
on target! (synchronised)
Good comment Jenny.
It’s always been one of my favourites despite the fact that many people seem to loathe it (inexplicably).
If you want an interesting read on the same topic, try a chapter in Robert Axelrod’s famous book ‘The Evolution of Cooperation’. As a political scientist, one of the examples he looked at was the ‘outbreak of peace’ between the troops in WWI. He analysed it in terms of the conditions that allowed cooperation to occur. He also noted how the ‘High Command’ recognised the subversive nature of the cooperation and eventually twigged to how to undermine it – by altering one of the important conditions for cooperation to emerge amongst humans.
Merry belated Christmas to all!
happy xmas to ‘The Standard’ and all who fly its colours
NZ would be a far worse place without you all
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8Vfp48laS8
Aroha nui
Merry XMas to the Standard, it’s captains, it’s crew and all who sail in her. The Standard has been a mainstay for me, a supportive community in a time of political nastiness. Shipley made me depressed, Key makes me angry but not depressed and that is mainly due to the balancing haven that the Standard represents. Thank you.
Merry Christmas to all of you who celebrate Christmas.
Happy midwinter festival, to the pagans.
Happy family get together time for the atheists.
Happy Helios for the sun worshipers.
And to everyone else my best wishes and may your boxing day bargains be a steal.
And Merry Christmas to the Standards crew for all their hard work making this a relevant and interesting forum.
To all the Standardistas and all the commentators a happy Festivus and may all of you be there next year to spar with and annoy the shit out off. Peace out!
Happy Christmas Standardistas and to all who have contributed ever since those long ago kiwiblogblog days, especially Lynn, r0b, the Bills and all other fearless and generous commenters and posters since Robinsod, and thank God too for the courageous Tapu Misa (linky thing below, read her and weep), John and Gordon Campbell, Chris Trotter and the Hickeys, Orams et al who dare to put others before themselves and carry on the unstoppable two millenia legacy of Progression whose birth we celebrate today. The point is tipping, brothers and sisters, peace and strength to you all.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10855864
(ps Lynn was thatthe Lyn Prentice on TV3 news last night?)
Nope. Not me…
I rarely comment as others at the Standard do a far better job than me discussing the reality of life for most of us in NZ under the Key /Nact government. But the Standard is an important part of my day and my political understanding would be lost in a sea of public relations propaganda without my daily dose of the country’s best blog. Compliments of the season to everyone.
Yes, Merry Marxmas, David Shearer.
Big ups to all who keep The Standard functioning – you guys are awsome! The next 2 years will see this shitty neo liberal government in its death throes, but the challenge for the Left will be to present to voters,cohereht Social Democratic policies focusing on full employment, poverty elimination, social justice, equality of opportunity & environmental enhancement.
Let’s never forget that the first Labour Government, coming out of the 1930’s Deopression & heading into WW2, had abolished entrenched poverty within 7 years of gaining office – if we did it once, we can do it again.
Merry Christmas to all Standardistas.
And lprent and the authors do deserve special praise and recognition. Something for the rest of us to contemplate in the new year.
Merry Christmas to all. May its message of peace, mercy, charity and fellowship live on.
Happy whatever-you-celebrate-at-this-time-of-year, everyone.
From me to you all, Merry Christmas.
And thanks to all for the stimulating posts and comments, I’m learning every day. Awesome!
This is a community of people trying to make our little country a better place for everyone, keep up the good work.
Yes a mighty big merry christmas to all. I am trying to waste less time with you lot but its pretty hard to ignore when things pop up and go astray or our elected reps run amok in all sorts of naughty ways.
i have turned over yet another leaf; clean for the first time in a wee willie winkie while.
(so i will not be forgetting this birthday, and look forward to spending my prudent resources on some Real Serious political commentary and satire in the new year)
-Rock On (Machine) and i liked your comment ak(79?)
Merry Christmas from James the Hebe đ Turn The Page-Metallica
In the spirit of Marxmas:
It’s worth remembering that almost all the problems we have are man-made. Therefore they can be unmade.
Nice work folks.
Best wishes
Kia ora have a great kiwi christmas best wishes for 2013. May it hold better things for all people not just the 1%.
Ma Ihowa koe e manaaki, mana koe e tiaki.
Merry Xmas and wishing you all happy times. Thanks to each and every one of you for making The Standard the great blog that it is. I read daily and appreciate the time, effort and thought that goes into making it such a treasure.
Brilliant day in Sunny Dunedin. Ho ho ho.
Ah yes. The bottom of the South Island certainly got the most summery weather yesterday.
However, Auckland, after a gloomy start to the day, turned out not so bad in the end. Not very summery, but it was fine, warm and humid. I enjoyed a bit of a walk along a beach in the East Coast Bays, in a refreshing and bracing wind – kind of like this NZH author recommended:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/news/article.cfm?c_id=7&objectid=10855957
Some were swimming and playing on the beach also (I’m not so much into swimming these days, in our not-so-100% pure waters).
Today, whoever, is back to gloomy and wet.
Hop you’re making the best of your summery weather, r0b.
Colonial Viper, I miss you. Come back soon.