“Amnesia is a song about the John Banks donation saga in New Zealand.
For details watch this news story by John Campbell: http://bit.ly/Itv7OY
Share & play the song anywhere you like – It’s free.”\\
The presidential polls have just closed in France, mass celebrations have begun in Paris.
Tax Justice is on Europe’s agenda
Though the full count is not in, exit polls and the early count have put Francois Hollande way out in front.
Sarkozy aides have all but admitted defeat, saying, “it would take a miracle for him to win”.
Hollande has run on anti-austerity platform, promising to raise taxes to 75% on those earning 1 million Euros per annum to fix the budget deficit.
Hollande’s programme is in direct contradiction to Euro leader Angela Merkel of Germany who has alongside attacks on wages, employment, and social welfare, has demanded that crisis torn E.U. countries go into further debt to the rich bankers who caused the crisis in the first place.
Well, let’s see if this is the beginning of an international shift that NZ parties, especially those/that previously of the left, cannot ignore or resist.
Masses of people in lots of places are coming out and expressing their dislike at the cruel, damaging and democratically unnecessary policies of austerity.
The outcome of the Greek elections is going to be even more interesting. Including the fact that the ultra right wing, neo-nazi sympathetic Golden Dawn Party might get 7%.
In Germany it appears that the Pirate Party has got 8% in recent state elections.
+1 about the Greek elections. I still can’t work out who can do the numbers. I’m thinking the 2 main parties might try for a grand coalition, but they still fall short.
One option looks like a left-wing coalition – a ‘national unity government’. In that case Pasok will have to ease-up on austerity. The right are looking to form a ‘national salvation government’ – one of the minor parties might have to change it’s stance on anti-austerity and we all know what happens to minor parties when they betray the voters…. either way it’ll probably all fall apart in a year.
If I remember correctly, Rosy, the Greek electoral system gifts 50 seats to the largest party (New Democracy, this time, PASOK last time). That takes the two of them to the brink of being able to form a Government.
It does. They need 35%, but who can they bring with them? Any of the smaller parties allying with them is going to be crucified and given the dire conditions at the moment this could bring civil unrest way beyond what has been seen so far. But yeah, if your saying you think there’ll be a grand coalition, I agree that seems the most likely outcome. Important to keep Golden Dawn out of it but.
Ta, hadn’t spotted that. ‘The Grauniad’ – haven’t heard that for years. A mainstream slur, that was. But still it made them lift their game to be above the rest đ
hehe. I wondered about it’s orgins – I knew it was about type-setting mistakes, but that’s all. When I was working in London I was given so much stick for reading that newspaper – I guess I should have hidden it when I worked for a big corporate đ
That link is the 2 minute version. If you like Peter Cook’s dead pan delivery plus a story about a million nude ladies down a mine led by one Beryl Jarvis here is the link to the full sketch which takes 9 minutes and finishes up explaining his deeper feelings about whether he prefers being a miner to being a judge.
“Hollande has run on anti-austerity platform, promising to raise taxes to 75% on those earning 1 million Euros per annum to fix the budget deficit”
–Jenny, I think the prudent position to take would be caution. France is financially in a mess, which leaves it very open to “market attack”. Of course you will know that politicians will say anything to get elected, this is nothing new, and Hollande is no different.
People got very excited about Obama, and here people were excited over Key, both of which have been monumental failures, as they were designed to be, for the country!
Lets see how things play out in France over the next few months…
Bush fucked America, Obama has been trying to save it.
A good start, would be ending all the small and large wars, and Obama seems totally uninterested in doing that…
I was never disillusioned with Obama, as I was never illusioned in the first place! He never stood a chance of being any different from Dubya…
Jenny
A one term socialist government for sure! . A person works really hard builds up a great business ,and for doing that only earns 25 cents in every dollar they earn. Sound realistic ,and fair to you ? Whilst the Socialist Government spends money wastefully with merry glee (this sound familiar to you)
I know it’s the dream of Socialists to try and tax the wealthy into submission trouble is with your pipe dream is that you end up hurting the worker in the end. Businesses close down , workers get laid off to cut over heads down. Will be interesting to watch it develop they are a rebellious lot in france remember the Farmers with their tractors blocking the streets. I don’t believe this new Government will last one term
So many mistakes in such a short comment, Jim Jim! Is this a new PB for you? For starters, there is no proposal to tax all business income at 75% and this is a presidential election, not a general election.
“A one term socialist government for sure! . A person works really hard builds up a great business ,and for doing that only earns 25 cents in every dollar they earn. Sound realistic ,and fair to you ? Whilst the Socialist Government spends money wastefully with merry glee (this sound familiar to you)
I know itâs the dream of Socialists to try and tax the wealthy into submission trouble is with your pipe dream is that you end up hurting the worker in the end. Businesses close down , workers get laid off to cut over heads down. Will be interesting to watch it develop they are a rebellious lot in france remember the Farmers with their tractors blocking the streets. I donât believe this new Government will last one term”
This is probably the dumbest post I’ve ever read…that includes pete george’s posts.
BTW, yes, getting taxed 75% in the dollar for the top earners sounds about right to me. But that would mean returning to the tax system which put NZ around the top of the developed world – you obviously want the opposite and enjoy seeing us slide down? The French are most likely to be rebellious against the selfish/upper class. At the moment, in contrast to NZ, they are not worshiping the ignorant rich wankers who hog resources and force people into poverty. This election was the protest you dumbass…or are you expecting the French to soon come out and protest that the poverty producing, fat & lazy upperclass should get to keep even more of their unearned money?
As opposed to the Japanese and NZ’ers bounding ahead with their 55 hour weeks? Or is it just the corporates and the shareholders who benefit from all that extra work?
Good point gosman…the 35 hour week in France was a sham cause their neoliberal tax system prevented the trickled down and created a torrent up. The 35 hour week exasperated economic inequality, it needed to be implemented alongside other ethical policies, but it was not.
No point in cutting hours to the average worker if your economy is still based on greed.
Its obvious to me, the mighty Gos intellect has swung into action and has decreed….France has gone socialist…hmmm..they will be like Zimmers within the week. Cuba will do a better job of handling the economy than France under Hollande.
Labour ran away at the mouth with its election promise to raise the pension age. What a knife in the back from this speculative proposal for people who will die before they experience their pension rights, the populations of manual workers, other poor and shorter lived people, people with disabilities, Pacific and Maori, and others (what % of the population is this?).
And why? Because Labour does not have the courage to stand against the idea that New Zealand should balance ‘it’s books’. Why again? Because it’s still got a neoliberal political stripe that runs the length of its back.
Until I see it’s money where it’s mouth is then Labour, if they win the next election, will return with the same austerity agenda. Assets including a right to the pension, will be undermined unless Labour commits to creating jobs and creating new assets irrespective of the state of ‘the books’.
And older people? We will continue to earn our keep as we always have. We aren’t a drain on the economy anymore than we ever have been. We pay up front.
And a true economics to replace the self seeking from banking and finance (the deficit bean-counters)?
Government spending (deficits if needs be) grow the economy when the government has let the economy flounder by permitting unemployment. A labour government must run a deficit if needs be, until all of our proper economic capacities are put to work. Government must guarantee full employment (even by creating real green socially needed employment itself). And framed by this, democracy must be about our long term real economic and social priorities.
Balancing the books sound a desirable outcome in a zero growth or declining GDP world BUT it has a serious impediments. Balancing the books implies you control the books i.e that you have some sovereignty.
NZ isn’t a business or a household, and NZ government doesn’t really need to ask banks for money. Our government has sovereign control of its own currency and can always pay its bills if they are in $NZ. We use our own currency to settle accounts abroad i.e. we always use $NZ to do this.
For some reason (maybe because we still think we’re on the gold standard) we give the banks low interest loans when the government spends. But we don’t have to do that. I think we should stop giving the banks a free lunch because they speculate and create massive financial instability.
NZ doesn’t even have a problem in raising investment finance. The government could take that away from private banking and do it itself.
Sometimes NZ has a deficit, but that’s not a debt we owe that can’t be paid because as I’ve said government spending is in $NZ. Deficits can be run indefinitely as many countries do – it doesn’t lead to inflation (when the economy is under utilising labour evidenced by unemployment) nor to national bankruptcy.
Private debt issued by banks, on the other hand, is the stuff of global financial crises. That’s where governments have let the banks run riot. That’s the real problem but you won’t hear banks talking about that.
Ooops CV, should have said ‘sustainable’ rather than proper. Food can be grown sustainably, and a good diet is an excellent aim. That’s just one example.
@Jenny
“Hollande has run on anti-austerity platform, promising to raise taxes to 75% on those earning 1 million Euros per annum to fix the budget deficit. ”
Hollande has shot himself in the foot with a policy like that. France cannot afford to alienate the wealthy when their economy is in tatters. With Hollande at the wheel France will crash in the next 12 months, watch that space.
France cannot afford to alienate the wealthy when their economy is in tatters.
Yes they can especially when you consider the fact that their economy is in tatters due to the rich. Same goes for NZ and the rest of the world. The rich are the problem.
France cannot afford to alienate the wealthy when their economy is in tatters.
Why not? The very wealthy aren’t afraid to alienate everyone else, have you noticed that?
Hollande has been very clear about this point. The extremely wealthy are free to leave France if they don’t like the new President, but they can still expect their income and wealth in France to be taxed just the same.
Hollande has run on anti-austerity platform, promising to raise taxes to 75% on those earning 1 million Euros per annum to fix the budget deficit.
Well, now we know he won! đ
Matthew Hooten was incandescent with rage about it on RNZ this morning, and Kathryn Ryan was rather unhappy as well. (I always knew she was a rightist.) Hooten outdid himself with insulting remarks about the ‘lazy, welfare-loving French’…
David Shearer was in Dunedin in the weekend and ODT’s Dene Mackenzie interviewed him – I think giving Shearer a fair go, headlining “Shearer confident in role”. He seems to do well on the small stage although he’s yet to master the big stage.
If you’re not a fan of Shearer you don’t have to read it or the comments. Dunedene on Shearer.
But for Shearer to succeed he needs more obvious party support.
And where is the Link to the ODT?? and not your little linkwhoring site???? Fucking troll. Puts up an article but butchers the links for his own design.
MS, why is it people are seemingly so hung up on party politics still. This is in no way a dig, but do you feel obliged to support a party that has almost zero % likelyhood of halting its movement right, let alone stop, turn and head back in the direction of its roots.
Its ok to admit our parliamentary system is not our own, in fact it would be a great first step to accepting people need to get off their butt and take change in their own hands..
Doggedly supporting a party and or its leader, is endorsing our stolen democracy!
The current system is not going to change, unless it is forced to, its as simple as that!
I certainly oppose a rightward drift by the party. Â I believe that in the past Labour has achieved great things for New Zealand and ordinary people and that it can do this in the future.Â
And that members including our elected politicians are the trustees of a movement and owe it a duty to respect its history and to support its principles.Â
“I certainly oppose a rightward drift by the party. I believe that in the past Labour has achieved great things for New Zealand and ordinary people and that it can do this in the future. ”
— A very long time ago MS, but yes they did. I’m afraid to say, that going forward short of something extraordinary happening in the mindset of the electorate, and the selection processes of those who are “chosen” to stand in general elections, be it in a constituency, or as a list MP changes to become all enagaging, and people engage, then we will continue to see the lowering of the bar of those who are the “choices” on the ballot.
So unless ordinary people take a stand, the ordinary people will continue to suffer!
“And that members including our elected politicians are the trustees of a movement and owe it a duty to respect its history and to support its principles”
–Absolutely they do, but how is that looking over the past few decades MS, and what chances to you rate it to self change, should it be left to the current apparati! I think the evidence in the seel out that has become NZ politics is plainly obvious for all to see!
Shorts beat ya to it, ms. Speaking of amnesia, does anyone remember Ernest Saunders? A Tory crook who weaselled his way out of a well earned stay in prison by claiming amnesia. Happily the condition cleared up immediately on his release, which suggests that all Banksie needs is a short stay in Mt Eden prison to sort out his memory loss!
Listened to the song, got me chuckling on a Monday morning, Key was unaware of Dotcom? believe that you believe anything, the big man barreling through ShonKeys electorate in a pink â59 Caddy to his definitely not state house?
Great article here on the myth of Bio fuels ,and how they only exist because of a generous government subsidy. Have driven up the price of food products as well as producing more green house gases per say than fossil fuels
Idiot, two minutes tells me that the Frontier Foundation is funded anonymously and senior fellow Tim Ball was one of 60 ‘accredited experts’ who in April 2006 wrote to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper denying climate change. And in 2006 Ball claimed that “CFC’s were never a problem, it’s only because the sun is changing.
Idiot dispute the facts!
Have corn prices gone up because of Bio fuels yes/no?
Are Government subsidising production yes/no?
Does that mean that Bio fuels are really sustainable if they weren’t subsidised yes/no?
Do they actually end up producing more green house than fossil fuel yes/no?
If you’re not sure how to answer any of the questions ask your full-time carer for help with the big words!
Bored
Well un like some thing I dont think it lies in Bio fuels. Electric ,and better battery research for cars. Diesel for heavy transport or other types of combustable oils.
Well getting your feeble wee Jimmie mind around the threading system seems beyond you but here goes.
It’s a press release about a study titled The Green Plague by an organisation that’s anonymously funded and fronted by people who are tied too anti-green organisations.
The paper itself is little more than a missive about the merits of fossil fuels and a beef about subsidies for the development of alternative energy.
From the paper: Overall, tax subsidies and grants come to $7-billion a year.#
Joe 90
Im glad you got your hand out fo your pocket and finally let some blood flow to your brain. So we agree that it doesnt work without subsidies . Which in turn force up the price of food for people to eat. Bio fuels are a fantasy ideas just like wind power which is the dearest power to produce on a per MW basis
Agree with J3 here. EROEI for biofuels is absolutely rotten, and generally makes no sense unless the raw materials are nearly free and were going to go to waste in the first place.
They can also take large amounts of water to produce – in the Midwest US they are using irrigation from aquifers which is outstripping the ability for the aquifers to recharge.
Its “solving” one problem and creating another one.
Sugarcane is a better source of biofuel but it can’t be grown in as many places as corn etc.
But I agree, biofuels are a crock – they have low EROEI and have a lot of inputs to produce (e.g. all the herbicides and pesticides)
Indeed. You can’t substitute a barrel of oil or a tonne of coal storing a million years of sunlight, pressure, heat, gravity with corn which has been above ground for just a few months.
A 2009 study by the Environmental Law Institute[5] assessed the size and structure of U.S. energy subsidies over the 2002â2008 period. The study estimated that subsidies to fossil-fuel based sources amounted to approximately $72 billion over this period and subsidies to renewable fuel sources totaled $29 billion.
Perigee Moons and natural disasters. Thank goodness this one appears to have passed without too much incident … fingers crossed mind you. What price the Transit of Venus?
Hopefully not this expensive …. this requires some discussion .. harm to the mutton birds, only 20% returned this year to the South Island and in possibly unsurvivable condition from migration grounds just out of Tokyo; thousands of pelicans and nearly 1000 dolphin dead without known causes on Peru coast …..
I’m interrupting our normal email schedule to bring you an urgent alert that makes everything else seem insignificant by comparison.
The issues of GMOs, fluoride, food freedom and vaccines won’t matter at all if we don’t solve this far bigger issue that threatens human civilization: Fukushima reactor No. 4.
Right now, the reactor’s spent fuel pool is just one earthquake away from a structural failure that could set off a chain of events leading to the release of anywhere from 10 times to 85 times the Cesium-137 released in the Chernobyl disaster.
Such circumstances caused one of Japan’s former ambassadors to make the following extraordinary statement:
“It is no exaggeration to say that the fate of Japan and the whole world depends on No. 4 reactor.” – Mitsuhei Murata, Former Japanese Ambassador to Switzerland and Senegal, Executive Director, the Japan Society for Global System and Ethics.
A failure of the reactor — and the subsequent catastrophic release of Cesium-137 — would decimate human life across North America, killing off crops, polluting groundwater, causing widespread infant stillbirths and unleashing an explosion in cancer rates. North America could become uninhabitable by humans for centuries.
Cesium-137 has a half-life of 30 years, meaning that if North America is blanketed with a layer of radioactive dust in 2012, that radioactivity will still be half as strong in the year 2042. It will drop by half again by the year 2072. By the year 2102, it might be low enough to where humans could start to re-colonize the continent, but even then, rates of cancer and birth defects would likely be off the charts.
Yet, as we speak, the mainstream media is running a total media blackout on this story. Governments are pretending there is no problem, and the corporations that built these nuclear facilities (like GE) are quietly running disinfo campaigns to convince everybody there is no problem.
The Herald in its article Justice in the firing line attempts to paint a picture of a dysfunctional Court System.
It is no surprise to find that the push towards specialization is a pet project of Chris Finlayson
And also no surprise to find the Herald is giving the cheerleaders of this approach an opportunity to slag off the Judiciary.
Finlayson refers to a Scottish review by Lord Gill as evidence that specialization has passed consultation hurdles elsewhere:
During the consultation period of the review, practitioners and court users were found to be strongly in favour of a greater degree of specialisation in the courts, especially in commercial law, personal injury, consumer and housing cases. The review considered a number of submissions on this topic and recommended in its final report that a system be introduced .where a number of sheriffs in each sheriffdom should be designated as specialists in particular areas of practice, including solemn crime, general civil, personal injury, family and commercial.
New Zealandâs legal fraternity is not so keen on it however.
The principle drawback of specialization is a narrowing of views brought to bear in rulings â this is not necessarily so, however in the eventuality that there are fewer numbers of âqualifiedâ speciality Judges then this is a logical consequence. Even if more Judges were to be appointed any new âexpertâ appointments would need to be closely scrutinized so as to negate the influence of cronyism. Some argue that hearing a succession of speciality cases may in itself lead to inequitable outcomes â after all each case requires a unique balancing between circumstance and the law, an effort which may be compromised by sentencing via repetition reflex. This are not issues which should be so lightly disregarded by the Attorney General.
Our ready familiarity with injustice in the setting of the âSherriffâ reflects the fact that history tells us that those with great authority are more likely to abuse it if there are few in a position of equal power/ position/ expertise to challenge them. One of the great strengths of the Judiciary is the diversity of backgrounds and values that exist, all underpinned by a respect for and knowledge of the law. This diversity is constantly in tension with the consistency that the law strives for â and rightly so. The test of Justice is that diversity does yield this consistency, not by solely by design or edict but through commonly held values. The Judiciary are our representatives – we are no better served with less representation in this context than we would be in Parliament.
The Law Commission is of a similar disposition saying:
the generalist nature of the High Court is âone of its great strengthsâ and that formal specialisation âcould have the effect of excluding some judges from exercising parts of the Courtâs jurisdiction entirelyâ.
Looking at the people who are critical of the status quo or are promoting specialisation (DPF & ex-ACTiod Stephen Franks) one could be forgiven for thinking that their comments are designed to erode faith in a system which is actually working very well, with the intention of placing ever more of our legal system outside of our sovereign control or placing its delivery into the hands of an even smaller elite group:
Stephen Franks: âWe need to send cases to the High Court of Australia, or to take on outside judges on the Supreme Court when the people on our top court know too many of the parties, or have worked for them, or have relatives or close friends with such complicating interests, or have investments that will be affected by a decision, or are known to have longstanding friendships (or the opposite) with parties or their counsel, or have passionate known views on issues.â
Attorney General Chris Finlayson: âThe last sub-rule is that the existing principle of the rule of law requires compliance by the state with its obligations in international law, the law which, whether deriving from treaty or international custom and practice, governs the conduct of nations.â
Our agenda pushing Herald is only too happy to jump on the bashing bandwagon quoting barrister Anthony Grant who in the online magazine NZ Lawyer said:
“I can’t recall a time when our most senior local court – the Court of Appeal before 2004 and the Supreme Court since then – has been the subject of so much criticism,”
However the Herald has not just asked him his opinion, this quote dates back to an NZ Lawyer article dated 7th October 2011! (and was quoted by DPF Dec 15th 2011) Talk about having (yet another) another go at itâŠ
In quoting James Farmer QC the Herald seems to have overlooked the reservations that he had earlier expressed regarding overstating problems with the Supreme Court:
â Reasoned debate is what we should all aspire to and we should not shrink from making that debate public on occasion. But I do emphasise the word âreasonedâ. An unqualified statement that the skids are under the Supreme Court because one barrister has criticised two of the Courtâs decisions hardly meets that standard. – James Farmer
So by his own measure, it is not reasonable for the Herald to assert âJustice in the firing lineâ simply because there is criticism from two QCâs, an ex-appeal Judge and two no-names. Extending that logic further and adding his concerns regarding consultation processes becoming simply the rubberstamping of agendas one would think that he would prefer to make his comments via a more formal process. To be fair to Mr Farmer he most probably did not ever intend being placed by default into the same camp as Mr Franks again, at least not going by this:
âI was reminded of this when I read the interpretation to the Court Report broadcast given by Stephen Franks (a former commercial lawyer, ACT party MP and now lawyer again) on his web site. His discussion of the programme and in particular of my contribution to it begins with the heading âHeat Builds on Supreme Courtâ and then immediately suggests that the âskidsâ are under the Supreme Court in its current form.
What nonsense! And it is just this kind of destructive and emotive and irresponsible language from someone who is well known that makes constructive debate that much more difficult.
What a coincidence â I am looking forward to his equally vehement condemnation of the Heralds more recent attempt at manufacturing a crisis.
On radionz this am there was a report about a mock sojourn on Mars carried out in the Nevada Desert. Interesting how in a world where the financial system is in turmoil and people are as a result suffering in large and small ways, that the appetite for space exploration and programs is still strong. The world may be poor they say, but we will deliberately look away from that and concentrate on our resource-gobbling studies of space with ever-increasing projects a la sci fi writers imaginations.
After the Second World War the USA put effort into setting up Peace Corps and their people went and served in developing countries (not always successfully but most things that the USA does carry a sting in them). Now that sort of thing is in the backroom and shooting money into space is the favoured occupation, and talking in a disjointed way with the present and our own realities, the thinking is about events millions of light years away.
Yes NASA gets to spend over a billion USD a month, but that pales in comparison to the US$2B to $3B per week the US spends in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Overall though your point is correct. A fraction of that money spent directly on the people would do so much more good. In NZ its like saying that there isn’t $25M for a brand new community hospital, but there is $2500M for a new stretch of bitumen.
I was trying to remember how much the US Defence spends on PR a year – something tremendous that goes into millions, billions, a speaker on Radionz referred to it the other day.
But I did discover some long numbers on Global Security.org site about military spending in 2011.
GDP Rank %ofGDP Rank Military spending
United States $14,120,000,000,000 2 5.2% 25 $741,200,000,000
China $8,818,000,000,000 3 4.3% 23 $380,000,000,000
Japan is next with 0.8% of GDP on military spending and rank 150 $33,192,000,000
India next 2.5% and rank 62 $92,000,000,000
Thanks CV The NASA budget was sky-high, ha, in the intoxicating days of 1964, but has been shelved as attention has turned to other ventures I guess. What a lot of info is out there. How do we/you keep up with it all?
Well, it requires special herbs and spices combined with frying in a high pressure cooker.
The trick of course prism is knowing how to transform raw data into actionable information. Part of that is being able to apply context, perspective and objectives – which the progressive Left should have available in spades. In theory anyway.
The world may be poor they say, but we will deliberately look away from that and concentrate on our resource-gobbling studies of space with ever-increasing projects a la sci fi writers imaginations.
The world isn’t poor (it’s over populated) and space exploration doesn’t gobble up huge amounts of resources. Then there’s the fact that the resources it does use pretty much can’t be used for anything else (maybe a few extra planes but do we actually need more planes?). Then we would need to consider the idea that resources could be brought back.
You’re falling into the same trap as most others and confusing money with resources.
@DTB I wonder if there is a sensible cost benefit analysis on the project of bringing resources
back from space. Isn’t money the grease required to get more resources, which will then be likely to be sequestered by a corporation or private equity king? When a space vehicle leaves earth isn’t it using a lot of fuel? Isn’t it made from special materials that have to be obtained by paying money that could be spent elsewhere?
There will always be poverty in the world, I have surmised, not so much because we are overpopulated with which statement I agree, but because of certain people’s insatiable desire to get lots of tradeable things, money, gems whatever and hold as much as possible exclusively.
And not even to enjoy spending it, the individual can end up a recluse living on chicken soup like Howard Hughes.
I wonder if there is a sensible cost benefit analysis on the project of bringing resources back from space.
I would assume that the company in the Reuters article is looking at it. I would like it even more if our government was also doing so. One major benefit I can think of is that mining asteroids would decrease environmental damage.
When a space vehicle leaves earth isnât it using a lot of fuel?
Most of which comes back to Earth. There maybe an argument about the electricity used to get the LOX/LH but even that could be addressed by making more efficient houses and renewable generation.
Isnât it made from special materials that have to be obtained by paying money that could be spent elsewhere?
Think about what that actually means. There are limited resources and we have to consider their distribution but not all resources can be used for the same end. Using aluminium, LOX/LH and the people for research to explore space doesn’t mean that people are being made poorer because the resources are different to what’s needed to ensure people have a decent living standard (food, housing, clothing). The other way to look at it is that spending the money on space exploration won’t increase poverty.
IMO, the biggest problem with modern economics is that it fails to distinguish between resources which is why I tend to think of it as a monetary theory rather than an economic one.
There will always be poverty in the world, I have surmised, not so much because we are overpopulated with which statement I agree, but because of certain peopleâs insatiable desire to get lots of tradeable things, money, gems whatever and hold as much as possible exclusively.
Which actually means that we need to stop such sociopathic individuals from accumulating so much.
DTB That’s a really thorough reply thanks. That’s an idea – that our government should be thinking about space mining? They can’t think of anything till there is a crisis, and only if Australia has thought about it first, and soon the USA too when their shoes are sufficiently clean..
Is there a particular resource that could be obtained efficiently from asteroids such as rare earth minerals? What happens when space travel requirements clash with resources needed for useful things for people?
And on a ‘lighter’ note, personally I would like aluminium to be still available to the masses.-My ladder is a lot lighter and stronger than the wooden ones from the past. I would definitely be poorer if I had to employ a tradesman to do anything high because I couldn’t lift my ladder and though I might lend it I would want it returned to me exclusively.
I don’t think that makes me a sociopath but another big question is how people are directed as children so they go on a humanity path, not the psycho or socio path. These traits seem to crop up too often. We don’t understand how important it is to control and channel our natures so our energies are turned to good outcomes, and how to decide what the best outcome is from what’s offering. That could be more important than space travel, and in the short term rather than next century.
Is there a particular resource that could be obtained efficiently from asteroids such as rare earth minerals?
In theory the asteroids/moons have the same make up as Earth – they did, after all, accrete from same stellar gas/dust cloud. It’s not quite thatsimple butâŠshrug.
What happens when space travel requirements clash with resources needed for useful things for people?
Well, if we’ve got good economics going (we don’t ATM) then the people would decide how much would go to the people and how much for the space exploration. Looking at the composition of the moon I don’t think you would have any concerns about your ladder.
Many of the chemical compounds and minerals found on earth are as a result of our biodiversity – Earth didn’t come equipped with them from the git go.
Planets without life would not provide us with many of the minerals we value today. Planets with that level of biodiversity are likely to be inhabited.
Only a dozen minerals (crystalline compounds) are known to have existed among the ingredients that formed the solar system 4.6 billion years ago, but today Earth has more than 4,400 mineral species.
Earthâs diverse mineralogy developed over the eons, as new mineral-generating processes came into play.
Remarkably, more than half of the mineral species on Earth owe their existence to life, which began transforming the planetâs geology more than two billion years ago.
Remarkably, more than half of the mineral species on Earth owe their existence to life, which began transforming the planetâs geology more than two billion years ago.
You mean the ones we know about?
We have bugger all knowledge of anything from the mantle downwards and the massive numbers of pressure/temperature zones through to the core will form massive numbers of differing minerals of which we know only a few that survive in pipes. We know very little about even the crustal minerals because we only see them in the low pressure zones in the upper km or two.
Similarly it is daft to talk about mineralogy in space in the stylized form of the simple. We only know of a few rocks that drop on us, some regolith from the moon, and a few impacts with asteroids. This is in the geological terms of a solar system that spans light months out past the Oort and Kuiper belts – and they are still largely theoretical.
You really need to investigate a bit more about the limits of what we know before making such simplistic statements.
For those that aren’t blog snobs and interested into David Garrett’s insights and predictions on the Act Party here’s Decline and Fall Part III (with links to I and II).
Garrett often joins in on Kiwiblog and usually makes worthwhile contributions to interesting discussions. That’s a lot more than I can say for you, more often than not you’re being snarky about other posts, far more than adding anything to discussions.
Once Garrett jumped to a conclusion and snarled at me, I called him on it and he came back and apologised. There’s a few here that could learn from what he says and his normally reasonable blog etiquette.
You mean you’re showing your true colours takethegreg. I’ve seen Garratt involved in a lot more meaningful discussions than you.
And again you fail to understand that it’s possible to have good discussions, even rip snorting debates, without agreeing with everyone and everything. You seem to prefer circle jerking and avoiding showing enthusiasm for your party’s leader.
And you can’t be trusted. You said you weren’t going to t-droll me today.
I had this maybe naive belief that on a political blog some people may be interested in an interesting insight into a significant political story. I thought that normally most people visiting here wouldn’t be normally visiting Whaleoil.
To minimise excuses for snotty responses I made it clear where the link was going.
But I’ve learnt that prople make snotty comments here whatever I do. Not sure whether it’s more sad than funny or not.
Yes. That’s right.
It’s our fault you’ve lost damned near all respect possible here. /sarc [SUPER-OBVIOUS SARCASM TAG] {sarcastic use of sarcasm tags tag}
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I wasn’t aware you speak for everyone here. I presume you don’t talk for those who simply ignore what doesn’t interest them, nor those who contact me off blog, nor those who choose to follow links – I see how many do that. It’s not just you and a few intolerants who use TS, but I guess you’re too busy doing sensible stuff here to notice things like that [SUPER-OBVIOUS SARCASM TAG].
The trouble Petey is that the post bears no resemblance to reality. Â It does not discuss Garret’s own contribution to the party’s downfall after his theft of a dead baby’s identity became public. Â It does not discuss National’s takeover of ACT or the role of money. Â It does not talk about the Hide-Roy civil war or the frankly misogynist attitudes that were very apparent.
It is a very sterilized self serving commentary on what happened. Â But I am not surprised.
It is anything but interesting. Â Do you think that Garrett had a responsible part to play in our political history?
He claims a fair bit of responsibility for three strikes. That hasn’t proven calamitous as some claimed it would, and I’ve seen a few lawyers offering reserved praise for it.
It was a cop out. Â It does not kick in for about 10 years or so. Â Then after that the Californian “stole a piece of pizza and then gets life imprisonment” cases start to kick in.
No one who knew anything claimed it would be calamitous. Â Please, please provide links to those who did. Â Go on, no further debate necessary, just provide the links …Â
Provide the bloody link Petey. Â I put the proposition up. Â You respond. Â This is why you get such a hard time. Â This is the invitation to you to actually engage in the argument. Â Go on, put the links up.
I said the calamitous arguments will kick in 10 or more years later. Â They are not happening now because that is how the law is drafted. Â Show me where I am wrong.Â
You’ve already illustrated the calamitous argument. Stealing a piece of pizza doesn’t apply with our three strikes, it’s a typical calamitous overstatement in lieu of a reasoned argument. How many lawyers do you want me to get to confirm that for you?
No one who knew anything claimed it would be calamitous.
…Kim Workman on Morning Report. He made the very good point that if we had a âthree strikesâ law and a person had just committed their third strike then they would become extremely dangerous and would in all likelihood kill to avoid being caught. After all, what do they have to lose?
“Does âinanelyâ mean showing a lawyer up on the basics of a law?”
Nope it means that the Tips in PG Tips could be reversed and would still accurately describe your postings here.
Your posts rarely have substance or depth, rarely give us any inkling as to what your opinion is (posing questions is not expressing an opinion) and consist of a he said / she said style of expression.
At the same time you are apologist and supporter of the right, the corporate and the current government (despite your occasional protestations to the contrary) and for that in itself your posts are a pointless trolling for many.
I didn’t say there would be an immediate effect either.
You haven’t responded to being called on your claim of Then after that the Californian âstole a piece of pizza and then gets life imprisonmentâ cases start to kick in.
As my link showed, theft doesn’t apply with the New Zealand three strikes law. It’s hard to believe you are that ignorant of the law, that leaves deliberate misleading as the reason for making a calamitous claim?
Um er – can you give possible examples that are actually in the list of offences that apply? The included offences seem to be mostly quite serious offences, like murder, rape and other crimes of significant violence. Not theft.
It is possible that a third offence is at the lower end of the scale of offending for that offence so the resulting three strikes sentence may appear like an anomaly, but the offender will have already been convicted of two probably reasonably serious offences at least prior to that.
I would rather chew my toenails than continue this “discussion”. Â To the standarnistas community can I apologise for allowing Petey to contaminate another thread …
I wouldn’t call you a bitch, at least not without knowing you a lot better and I’ve no inclination to go there.
I still call snotty on that. I don’t care about snottiness aimed at me, I’ve seen a lot worse, but don’t you think you should let each person here make up their own minds? I come across quite a few people on blogs who read quite a variety to keep up with what’s going on. Even takethegreg does that a bit, without admitting it much.
I wouldnât call you a bitch, at least not without knowing you a lot better and Iâve no inclination to go there.
My dearest Pete, I don’t give a fuck what you’d call me. I am quite happy to label myself a bitch, knowing precisely what the word is meant to convey in a patriarchal society.
And since, you know, I don’t actually have the power to erase your comments via telepathy, I fail to see how pointing and laughing at your sad pretence to “stimulating conversation” in any way stops other people making up their minds. Of course, you might be worried that these days your every comment is met with a gale of snark from the regular commenters here, and that will almost certainly affect the view newbies have of you, but you’ve really no one to blame but yourself for that one.
David Fisher is an active explorer. What did the PM know or should know:
Through the Official Information Act, it has emerged the Government’s lawyers at the Crown Law Office began working on the case in July 2011.
Prime Minister John Key carried out a lengthy television interview last Friday to deny any knowledge of Dotcom until the day before the raids even though his senior ministers, a string of senior civil servants and his own electorate staff were involved in matters relating to him.
It has emerged that staff in the Prime Minister’s own department were aware of Dotcom and his bid through the Overseas Investment Office to buy the mansion in which he lived with his family.
The purchase was approved by Overseas Investment Office officials and Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson in April 2011.
A spokeswoman for the Prime Minister said: “The Prime Minister’s office was briefed by Hon Power’s officeof the minister’s decision as acourtesy.
“The briefing was a brief phone call between two staff members – one from Hon Power’s office and one from the Prime Minister’s.”
She said Mr Key was not told any details of the briefing.
Any details… fair enough, but interesting wording. Surely he was told there was a briefing. That’s basic – especially for an apparently ‘no surprises’ government.
So touching to see that some people actually think it will make a blind bit of difference what the French Government does. Although I can imagine the Brits and Swiss are going to be happy with imminent influx of high earners from France.
If Gos is correct and nothing changes (a la Obama) then we may see the reappearance of Jacobinism and the Committee of Public Safety. If the French get austerity foisted on them expect to see the haircut performed by the “National Barber”.
The entry page does scream the obvious question, why does the United States get such special mention? Last time i checked the Atlas there were a whole bunch of countries other than NZ and the USA. or is it a Winston moment ,( no not him, the other one) there only is the United States, there only ever was the United States and only ever will be the United States.
But seriously for a second . . for the elucidation of us all . . can anyone give a clear and accurate explanation as to why the page has this particular and specific declaration ?
oh and where is the mention of only keeping 51 % of the voting shares whilst selling everything else not welded down?
But hang on – the reason public sector pay rates have increased so spectacularly recently is because apparently the two can be compared and the public lot should match the private lot.
So if that is the case then make it match the private lot i.e. none of this annuity bullshit.
Or is that just another question and logic which can be ignored?
this morning’s PRESS has an article describing some incidents over the weekend where the police were called in to controll 100’s of disorderly youths, “mostly students”. “..the message about responsible drinking did not seem to be getting through to students…”
50 years ago students could not afford to drink. It was the well paid labourers who caused the trouble. Even youth on an apprenticeship wer short of cash. Why am I paying income tax for the youth down the road to leave broken glass in my drive, pull out my letter box, etc. The Studend Army, who went out and helped CH after the EQ, demonstrated that there is a different student.
Ask the rich parents whose clever accountants organise for their kids to get the student allowance.
And maybe read this mate:
Hundreds of Dunedin tertiary students are already living “day to day” and facing serious financial hardship, student leaders and student welfare organisers say.
The New Zealand Union of Students Associations (NZUSA) said yesterday (FRI) about 15 per cent of the New Zealand university student population were suffering “absolute financial distress”.
Very interesting you mention the rich and the accountants who manage to get their kids student loans
What about the Unversity Student Union presidents who steal from others
Denis Tokunai President of the Waikato Student Union
Has just been found guilty of stealing a lap top, and a smart phone ,and asked to hand in his passport. The Student loan was obviously not enough for this guy he decided to take from others
Matthew Hooting this morning was almost incoherent on the bad of tertiary education for the masses. It is a marvel how somebody with such a right agenda gets so much air time. All people with an ambition to get on in politics, and in business, should take lessons in public speaking at an early age and aim for a confident, fast-speaking style of speech. It doesn’t matter then what quality of mind and thinking is behind the mouth.
His attitude is set on his favourite ways of supporting right-wing policies so much that he can’t contemplate another point of view and be willing to change his stance. And why? Because he does not support a government or economy that gives all people opportunity for advancement and which finds ways to continue that when there is a shortage of cash as at present.
He of course wouldn’t say that the tax cuts on high marginal income should be reversed so easing ‘our’ government’s money shortage, forcing us sadly, crocodile tears here, to sell off some of our infrastructure which, run successfully under present regimes, are prime earning assets.
This article suggests that Banks was involved with the Sky City / convention centre whole scenario from the start. Scoop has asked Sky City a range of questions re this but without success in getting any detailed answers.
New evidence has come to light which offers a motive for why John Banks may have asked SkyCity to have donated anonymously to his campaign – namely he didn’t want to be seen to be a hypocrite during the Mayoral election campaign.
And did Mayoral Candidate John Banks make a convention centre for Auckland an election commitment to give himself wriggle room to change his position on the pokies after the election?
The new evidence consists of a combination of a little-seen Youtube video posted during the Mayoral campaign (around the time of the anonymous donations from Kim Dotcom), John Banks strident opposition to Casinos expressed in 1997, SkyCity’s record in making political donations (it didn’t before 2010), and the timing of Prime Minister John Key’s intervention in the National Convention Centre policy debate. …..
The mud gets murkier and murkier â and the dots start to connectâŠâŠâŠâŠ..
The article also provides a useful timeline summary.
A millionaire naturalised Chinese New Zealander who used senior political connections to win citizenship has gone on trial in the High Court, Auckland, today on five charges linked to claims he created a false identity.
[deleted]
[lprent: Oh dear oh dear.. Provide links. See the policy. ]
Annnnnd the latest Roy Morgan is out. It is better than the last one which I thought was a bit of a rogue but not as good for Labour as the recent digipoll.
Â
Labour up 2 to 28.5%
Greens up 2.5 to 15%
National down 2.5 to 47% (the Banks effect is seeping through)
NZ First on 5%
United Follicles and Association of Crooks and Thieves are on 0.5% each.
Â
The trends are all in the right direction. The next couple of months will be fascinating.
[lprent: Tucked in the graphs because it was a pain last time with moronic trolls with no links. Now to sharpen the banning button if I see repetitions of the irritating behaviours from last time. ]
The Govt vs Opposition is still looking mint. Only 2 of 8 polls since the election have had NACTM better than the actual election result, six show the opposition well on top.
Â
If this poll was replicated in an actual election, I beleive the Nats would have 48 seats, Labour would have 36/37, Greens 19/20 and NZF 6. 51-53 against 48 plus whatever is left of the corpses of ACT and the Maori Party.
On August 4th 1914, the German Socialist Party voted in favour of credits for the war. The statement that went with casting their votes in The Reichstag ended with:
“We hope that the cruel lesson of war will arouse in many more millions of people a horror of war and will convert them to the ideals of socialism. Guided by these considerations, we vote for the war appropriations”
29th July 1914 the Kaiser threatened to declare a state of emergency and “have the (socialist) leaders arrested, the lot of them”
The lessons I draw from this are that the NZ consitution should not allow the possibility of rule by decree to be vested in one person or a small non-accountable group.
Socialist parties need to be seen to walk the talk as ruthlessly as the righties.
Socialists should have a means of avoiding betrayal by their leaders.
Passive resistance on a large scale was not tried in August 1914 and perhaps it could have worked.
I got the quote from “Dance of the Furies. Europe and the outbreak of World War 1” by Michael S Neiberg, Harvard University Press, 2011.
So many people look at history and think “It is quaint. It is history. It can not happen to me. ” They will not accept that each day we are creating history. So many people stop thinking when they see something they do not like. Posts on The Standard illustrate this when people change the subject again and again, rather than discuss the original subject. Even personal critisizim is just “changing the subject” and admitting that you can not debate the original point.
As I see it, Austerity might be part of the solution to Europe’s economic problems but the majority of the population are not prepared to accept the hardship caused by Austerity so no government will be able to enforce Austerity. In the Western World, many in this generation are reluctant to work. Such people have always been present BUT they have not always been tolerated by their peers. France has real problems now. This was reflected in the price of the NZ dollar on Monday. We need Europe for trade.
How many people abuse bennefits today to avoid work? This is a principle. There are thousands of documents covering the detail.
Old cabbage-for-brains looks to be safe (for now at least), but all signs point to him being out come 2014. Though the filthy rich god-botherer Mr Craig, and his merry band, could demand kooky stuff like the throwing out of evolution from our schools, tightening up on divorce laws, a complete ban on abortion, and perhaps the prohibition of homosexuals from teaching, etc in a C & S arrangement. The clock will be turned back to 2012 BC by lunchtime.
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Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund â When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayersâ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund â and ...
Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 âredesign of the welfare stateâ â which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty â various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being âWorking for Familiesâ, introduced in 2005. ...
Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing âon why Melissa is muteâ. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Leeâs ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last yearâs severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
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. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
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 TaupĆ as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the TaupĆ International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. âAnticipation for the ITM TaupĆ 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 ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singaporeâs outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.  Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpartâs almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During todayâs meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
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 ...
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 AwekĆtuku; the two knew each other at the University of Auckland in the early 70s, when they were both took on leadership roles in the ...
COMMENTARY:By Murray Horton New Zealand needs to get tough with Israel. Itâs not as if we havenât done so before. When NZ authorities busted a Mossad operation in Auckland 20 years ago, the government didnât say: âOh well, Israel has the right to defend itself.â No, it arrested, prosecuted, ...
NEWSMAKERS:By Vijay Narayan, news director of FijiVillage Blessed to be part of the University of Fiji (UniFiji) faculty to continue to teach and mentor those who want to join our noble profession, and to stand for truth and justice for the people of the country. I was privileged to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Three weeks from now, some of us will be presented with a mountain of budget papers, and just about all of us will get to hear about them on radio, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Lowry, Ice Sheet & Climate Modeller, GNS Science Hugh Chittock/Antarctica New Zealand, CC BY-SA As the climate warms and Antarcticaâs glaciers and ice sheets melt, the resulting rise in sea level has the potential to displace hundreds of millions of ...
The government's plan to reintroduce a three strikes regime is being strongly opposed by lawyers, who argue there is no evidence it reduces crime or helps people rehabilitate. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Jerker B. Svantesson, Professor specialising in Internet law, Bond University Do Australian courts have the right to decide what foreign citizens, located overseas, view online on a foreign-owned platform? Anyone inclined to answer âyesâ to this question should perhaps also ask ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giovanni E Ferreira, NHMRC Emerging Leader Research Fellow, Institute of Musculoskeletal Health, University of Sydney Last week in a post on X, owner of the platform Elon Musk recommended people look into disc replacement if theyâre experiencing severe neck or back pain. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Hayward, Emeritus Professor of Public Policy, RMIT University anek.soowannaphoom/Shutterstock NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey caught the headlines yesterday, courtesy of a blistering speech condemning the latest GST carve-up. New South Wales, he claimed, would be A$11.9 billion worse off over the ...
While police are "broadly in favour", the government's proposed anti-gang laws are facing pushback from lawyers, rights groups and former gang members. ...
While police are "broadly in favour", the government's proposed anti-gang laws are facing pushback from lawyers, rights groups and former gang members. ...
By Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has arrived at Kokoda Station, Northern province, at the start of his state visit to Papua New Guinea. Both Albanese and Prime Minister James Marape will meet with the locals and the Northern Provincial government before they begin their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Wallace, Professor, School of Politics Economics & Society, Faculty of Business Government & Law, University of Canberra Shutterstock An important principle was invoked by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last week in defence of the governmentâs Future Made in Australia industry ...
A poll last August found that just 16% of New Zealanders oppose bringing back the âThree Strikesâ law. The nationwide poll of 1,000 New Zealanders was commissioned by Family First NZ and carried out by Curia Market Research. ...
The solo show from Ana Scotney is both sprawling and intimate, and a must-see, writes Mad Chapman. In the opening moments of Scattergun: After the Death of RĆ«aumoko, writer and performer Ana Scotney lays out the groundwork, literally. Silently moving around the square stage, Scotney is not so much dancing ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Burridge, Professor of Linguistics, Monash University Who makes the words? Why are trees called trees and why are shoes called shoes and who makes the names? – Elliot, age 5, Eltham, Victoria Good question Elliot! Letâs start with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne at amRawpixel.com/Shutterstock Roles of health professionals are still unfortunately often stuck in the past. That is, before the ...
COMMENTARY:By Malcolm Evans Last weekâs leaked New York Times staff directive, as to what words can and cannot be used to describe the carnage Israel is raining on Palestinians, is proof positive, since those reports are published verbatim here in New Zealand, that our understanding of the conflict is ...
In the case of New Zealand, the results confirm that there is no popular support for the vicious austerity program being imposed by the National Party-led government, which is backed in all fundamental respects by the opposition Labour Party. ...
The âVampireâ singer has never visited our part of the world, but that might all be about to change. We assess the evidence.Olivia Rodrigoâs Guts World Tour is pulling in massive crowds as it whips around the US and Europe, even helping to catapult regular supporting act Chappell Roan ...
Testing of drinking water in rural Canterbury over the weekend by Greenpeace revealed that several public town supplies were reaching levels of nitrate above 5 mg/L - the threshold which a growing body of scientific evidence has linked to increased ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rohan Fisher, Information Technology for Development Researcher, Charles Darwin University It may come as a surprise to hear 2023 was Australiaâs biggest bushfire season in more than a decade. Fires burned across an area eight times as big as the 2019â20 Black ...
Responding to the Governmentâs announcement of changes to resource management laws, Taxpayersâ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, said: âThese changes are a step in the right direction in terms of removing ideological and unworkable ...
More than two years after the Human Rights Council called for the establishment of a national human rights commission, such a body has yet to be formed. ...
Comment:An emergency management system with wide variations in performance, significant capability gaps, funding shortfalls and above all a setup that is not meeting the needs of New Zealanders at times of crisis. The Governmentâs inquiry into the response to Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events in the North ...
Welcome to the whirring wonders of one brain trying to align its actions with its beliefs within a system it thinks is evil. My brain has been spiralling in a woke conundrum ever since I found out a bookshop Iâve never been to was shutting down. Good Books, a bookshop ...
We repeat our call for criminal justice policy to be based on evidence, something the three strikes regime neglects to recognise â with no evidence that it either reduces crime or assists with rehabilitation. ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor in Honiara With only four more seats in the 50-member Parliament yet to be officially declared, there is no outright winner in the Solomon Islands elections. As of Monday, the two largest blocs in the winnerâs circle, independents and the incumbent Prime Minister Manasseh ...
Two/fiftyseven is a multi-purpose space hidden in the heart of Wellington that is paving a way for sustainable building and responsible landlording in Aotearoa and beyond.By 2060 the world is predicted to double its entire building stock, which equates to building an entire New York City every 34 days, ...
Popstars wasnât just a reality television revolution, it was also a huge moment for Y2K fashion.Itâs 25 years since girl group TrueBliss was formed on New Zealand national television, breaking new ground for both the reality television industry and the shiny clothing industry. With the first episode on NZ ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Pepping, Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology, Griffith University Marvin / Shutterstock Are all single people insecure? When we think about people who have been single for a long time, we may assume itâs because single people have insecurities that make ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By William Geary, Lecturer in Quantitative Ecology & Biodiversity Conservation, The University of Melbourne Trismegist san, Shutterstock Landscapes that have escaped fire for decades or centuries tend to harbour vital structures for wildlife, such as tree hollows and large logs. But these ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Gladstone-Gallagher, Lecturer in Marine Science, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Shutterstock/S Curtis Why are we crossing ecological boundaries that affect Earthâs fundamental life-supporting capacity? Is it because we donât have enough information about how ecosystems respond to change? Or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Crocker, PhD Student in Economics, Deakin University Hereâs something for the board of the Reserve Bank of Australia to ponder as it meets next month to set interest rates. It has pushed up rates on 13 occasions since it began its ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a charity director outlines how sheâs saving for retirement and buying secondhand. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here.Gender: Female Age: 45 Ethnicity: PÄkehÄ Role: Charity director, mum of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sophie Yates, Research Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Many Australians with disability feel on the edge of a precipice right now. Recommendations from the disability royal commission and the NDIS review were released late last year. Now a ...
Itâs been called a failed experiment and a judicial straightjacket but the government says the revised three strikes law will be a more workable regime, 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. Three ...
New Zealandâs Palestinian community and Palestinian Youth Aotearoa are voicing alarm and disappointment with the lack of factual rigour present during the Israeli Ambassadorâs appearance as a guest on TVNZâs Q+A With Jack Tame Sunday (21/04). ...
Both ACT leader David Seymour, who played a key role in drawing up the assisted dying law, and hospice leaders say it's time the legislation was changed. ...
Public submissions on proposed gang control laws are being heard today. Rising gang membership has been cited as rationale for a crackdown â but what do we actually know about how many people belong to gangs in New Zealand?Whatâs all this then?A rise in the number of gang ...
Climate activists are setting their sights on an unpopular target, and hoping to bring lots of the public with them. Itâs hard to miss the Majestic Princess: the enormous cruise ship, docked at Aucklandâs Princeâs Wharf, looms over the nearby buildings. The ship, which can fit nearly 6,000 people, ...
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Kim Dotcom… freaking legend
“Amnesia is a song about the John Banks donation saga in New Zealand.
For details watch this news story by John Campbell: http://bit.ly/Itv7OY
Share & play the song anywhere you like – It’s free.”\\
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CvRSZxqk_I
Hehe do not stuff around with Dotcom …
And notice how Key’s photo is prominent.
Damn you beat me. This vid should be promoted to a post guys!!!
done.
Cheers!
Nothing to Hide. I bet there is a Hide who is chuckling and can see something for Hide. Oh dear.
The presidential polls have just closed in France, mass celebrations have begun in Paris.
Tax Justice is on Europe’s agenda
Though the full count is not in, exit polls and the early count have put Francois Hollande way out in front.
Sarkozy aides have all but admitted defeat, saying, “it would take a miracle for him to win”.
Hollande has run on anti-austerity platform, promising to raise taxes to 75% on those earning 1 million Euros per annum to fix the budget deficit.
Hollande’s programme is in direct contradiction to Euro leader Angela Merkel of Germany who has alongside attacks on wages, employment, and social welfare, has demanded that crisis torn E.U. countries go into further debt to the rich bankers who caused the crisis in the first place.
Contrast France with New Zealand
As the global economic crisis laps at our shores, the two main parties are in battle with each other over which type of Austerity to impose on us.
Well, let’s see if this is the beginning of an international shift that NZ parties, especially those/that previously of the left, cannot ignore or resist.
Masses of people in lots of places are coming out and expressing their dislike at the cruel, damaging and democratically unnecessary policies of austerity.
The outcome of the Greek elections is going to be even more interesting. Including the fact that the ultra right wing, neo-nazi sympathetic Golden Dawn Party might get 7%.
In Germany it appears that the Pirate Party has got 8% in recent state elections.
+1 about the Greek elections. I still can’t work out who can do the numbers. I’m thinking the 2 main parties might try for a grand coalition, but they still fall short.
One option looks like a left-wing coalition – a ‘national unity government’. In that case Pasok will have to ease-up on austerity. The right are looking to form a ‘national salvation government’ – one of the minor parties might have to change it’s stance on anti-austerity and we all know what happens to minor parties when they betray the voters…. either way it’ll probably all fall apart in a year.
Interesting times.
If I remember correctly, Rosy, the Greek electoral system gifts 50 seats to the largest party (New Democracy, this time, PASOK last time). That takes the two of them to the brink of being able to form a Government.
It does. They need 35%, but who can they bring with them? Any of the smaller parties allying with them is going to be crucified and given the dire conditions at the moment this could bring civil unrest way beyond what has been seen so far. But yeah, if your saying you think there’ll be a grand coalition, I agree that seems the most likely outcome. Important to keep Golden Dawn out of it but.
Nice graphic from the Grauniad. Got the percentages and the conversion to seats.
Ta, hadn’t spotted that. ‘The Grauniad’ – haven’t heard that for years. A mainstream slur, that was. But still it made them lift their game to be above the rest đ
Lifted it from Private Eye, Rosy. Lord knows when they started using it. Possibly one of Peter Cooks efforts? Here he is down the mine.
Â
hehe. I wondered about it’s orgins – I knew it was about type-setting mistakes, but that’s all. When I was working in London I was given so much stick for reading that newspaper – I guess I should have hidden it when I worked for a big corporate đ
Rather cleverly,
http://www.grauniad.co.uk
goes to the real Guardian website.
That link is the 2 minute version. If you like Peter Cook’s dead pan delivery plus a story about a million nude ladies down a mine led by one Beryl Jarvis here is the link to the full sketch which takes 9 minutes and finishes up explaining his deeper feelings about whether he prefers being a miner to being a judge.
“Hollande has run on anti-austerity platform, promising to raise taxes to 75% on those earning 1 million Euros per annum to fix the budget deficit”
–Jenny, I think the prudent position to take would be caution. France is financially in a mess, which leaves it very open to “market attack”. Of course you will know that politicians will say anything to get elected, this is nothing new, and Hollande is no different.
People got very excited about Obama, and here people were excited over Key, both of which have been monumental failures, as they were designed to be, for the country!
Lets see how things play out in France over the next few months…
Muzza
Obama has been an epic fail Key is doing OK
Bush fucked America, Obama has been trying to save it.
Key is fucking NZ. Someone else will have to save it.
US politics is completely dysfunctional. And with 47M on food stamp support, the only people that Obama has definitively helped are the bankers.
Should I add that US war spending has continued unabated and Guantanmo Bay is still open?
A good start, would be ending all the small and large wars, and Obama seems totally uninterested in doing that…
I was never disillusioned with Obama, as I was never illusioned in the first place! He never stood a chance of being any different from Dubya…
Jenny
A one term socialist government for sure! . A person works really hard builds up a great business ,and for doing that only earns 25 cents in every dollar they earn. Sound realistic ,and fair to you ? Whilst the Socialist Government spends money wastefully with merry glee (this sound familiar to you)
I know it’s the dream of Socialists to try and tax the wealthy into submission trouble is with your pipe dream is that you end up hurting the worker in the end. Businesses close down , workers get laid off to cut over heads down. Will be interesting to watch it develop they are a rebellious lot in france remember the Farmers with their tractors blocking the streets. I don’t believe this new Government will last one term
So many mistakes in such a short comment, Jim Jim! Is this a new PB for you? For starters, there is no proposal to tax all business income at 75% and this is a presidential election, not a general election.
“A one term socialist government for sure! . A person works really hard builds up a great business ,and for doing that only earns 25 cents in every dollar they earn. Sound realistic ,and fair to you ? Whilst the Socialist Government spends money wastefully with merry glee (this sound familiar to you)
I know itâs the dream of Socialists to try and tax the wealthy into submission trouble is with your pipe dream is that you end up hurting the worker in the end. Businesses close down , workers get laid off to cut over heads down. Will be interesting to watch it develop they are a rebellious lot in france remember the Farmers with their tractors blocking the streets. I donât believe this new Government will last one term”
This is probably the dumbest post I’ve ever read…that includes pete george’s posts.
BTW, yes, getting taxed 75% in the dollar for the top earners sounds about right to me. But that would mean returning to the tax system which put NZ around the top of the developed world – you obviously want the opposite and enjoy seeing us slide down? The French are most likely to be rebellious against the selfish/upper class. At the moment, in contrast to NZ, they are not worshiping the ignorant rich wankers who hog resources and force people into poverty. This election was the protest you dumbass…or are you expecting the French to soon come out and protest that the poverty producing, fat & lazy upperclass should get to keep even more of their unearned money?
Excellent, we should see France bounding ahead in economic development just as they did when they introduced the 35 hour working week.
As opposed to the Japanese and NZ’ers bounding ahead with their 55 hour weeks? Or is it just the corporates and the shareholders who benefit from all that extra work?
Good point gosman…the 35 hour week in France was a sham cause their neoliberal tax system prevented the trickled down and created a torrent up. The 35 hour week exasperated economic inequality, it needed to be implemented alongside other ethical policies, but it was not.
No point in cutting hours to the average worker if your economy is still based on greed.
Its obvious to me, the mighty Gos intellect has swung into action and has decreed….France has gone socialist…hmmm..they will be like Zimmers within the week. Cuba will do a better job of handling the economy than France under Hollande.
Dream on Gos.
Fatty
Time for you to go out and spend your food stamps now
Food stamps program administered and profited by CitiGroup.
Jturd a Republican senate and house hardly socialist
Take flush
Hm, I think this is more realistic.
I agree Jenny.
Labour ran away at the mouth with its election promise to raise the pension age. What a knife in the back from this speculative proposal for people who will die before they experience their pension rights, the populations of manual workers, other poor and shorter lived people, people with disabilities, Pacific and Maori, and others (what % of the population is this?).
And why? Because Labour does not have the courage to stand against the idea that New Zealand should balance ‘it’s books’. Why again? Because it’s still got a neoliberal political stripe that runs the length of its back.
Until I see it’s money where it’s mouth is then Labour, if they win the next election, will return with the same austerity agenda. Assets including a right to the pension, will be undermined unless Labour commits to creating jobs and creating new assets irrespective of the state of ‘the books’.
And older people? We will continue to earn our keep as we always have. We aren’t a drain on the economy anymore than we ever have been. We pay up front.
And a true economics to replace the self seeking from banking and finance (the deficit bean-counters)?
Government spending (deficits if needs be) grow the economy when the government has let the economy flounder by permitting unemployment. A labour government must run a deficit if needs be, until all of our proper economic capacities are put to work. Government must guarantee full employment (even by creating real green socially needed employment itself). And framed by this, democracy must be about our long term real economic and social priorities.
+1
Apart from the fact that “growing” the economy is not going to be very achievable or sustainable as energy and resource depletion bites harder.
Balancing the books sound a desirable outcome in a zero growth or declining GDP world BUT it has a serious impediments. Balancing the books implies you control the books i.e that you have some sovereignty.
NZ isn’t a business or a household, and NZ government doesn’t really need to ask banks for money. Our government has sovereign control of its own currency and can always pay its bills if they are in $NZ. We use our own currency to settle accounts abroad i.e. we always use $NZ to do this.
For some reason (maybe because we still think we’re on the gold standard) we give the banks low interest loans when the government spends. But we don’t have to do that. I think we should stop giving the banks a free lunch because they speculate and create massive financial instability.
NZ doesn’t even have a problem in raising investment finance. The government could take that away from private banking and do it itself.
Sometimes NZ has a deficit, but that’s not a debt we owe that can’t be paid because as I’ve said government spending is in $NZ. Deficits can be run indefinitely as many countries do – it doesn’t lead to inflation (when the economy is under utilising labour evidenced by unemployment) nor to national bankruptcy.
Private debt issued by banks, on the other hand, is the stuff of global financial crises. That’s where governments have let the banks run riot. That’s the real problem but you won’t hear banks talking about that.
Nor the politicians who seem to be in the banksters pockets.
Ooops CV, should have said ‘sustainable’ rather than proper. Food can be grown sustainably, and a good diet is an excellent aim. That’s just one example.
@Jenny
“Hollande has run on anti-austerity platform, promising to raise taxes to 75% on those earning 1 million Euros per annum to fix the budget deficit. ”
Hollande has shot himself in the foot with a policy like that. France cannot afford to alienate the wealthy when their economy is in tatters. With Hollande at the wheel France will crash in the next 12 months, watch that space.
Bullshit. Let’s see what an actual billionaire has to say on the subject:
“People invest to make money, and potential taxes have never scared them off.”
Warren Buffett.
Why do you right-wingers rely on so many false assertions? Don’t you realise it renders everything you say irrelevant?
But that makes no sense Kevin because France and countless others have crashed already under their current leaders. You silly egg.
Kevin
It’s the Euro that has made Eurozone countries at risk of default. If they went back to their own individual currencies, they’d sort the problem out.
The 99% don’t need the wealthy. It’s the other way round.
Yes they can especially when you consider the fact that their economy is in tatters due to the rich. Same goes for NZ and the rest of the world. The rich are the problem.
Why not? The very wealthy aren’t afraid to alienate everyone else, have you noticed that?
Hollande has been very clear about this point. The extremely wealthy are free to leave France if they don’t like the new President, but they can still expect their income and wealth in France to be taxed just the same.
Well, now we know he won! đ
Matthew Hooten was incandescent with rage about it on RNZ this morning, and Kathryn Ryan was rather unhappy as well. (I always knew she was a rightist.) Hooten outdid himself with insulting remarks about the ‘lazy, welfare-loving French’…
David Shearer was in Dunedin in the weekend and ODT’s Dene Mackenzie interviewed him – I think giving Shearer a fair go, headlining “Shearer confident in role”. He seems to do well on the small stage although he’s yet to master the big stage.
If you’re not a fan of Shearer you don’t have to read it or the comments. Dunedene on Shearer.
But for Shearer to succeed he needs more obvious party support.
And where is the Link to the ODT?? and not your little linkwhoring site???? Fucking troll. Puts up an article but butchers the links for his own design.
That’s one of the most common purposes of a blog, to link to other information and comment on it (and to provide any reference links there).
Your comment is more like trolling – grizzling and swearing simply to be abusive. Just skip what doesn’t interest you like most people manage to do.
Consider yourself skipped.
I intend to have a Pete George free day today and others may wish to do the same.
As a Labour party official in Auckland do you support David Shearer as Labour leader?
Others may wish to also show support for Shearer here.
I support the leader and the party. Â
And see 4.0.
Exactly; DNFTT.
Funny that the resident trolls of a leftish Labour orientated blog see David Shearer topics as trolling.
Topics don’t troll mate, you do.
No more enthusiasm than that? Can you bring yourself mention his name?
There’s some doubt as to who is really leading.
MS, why is it people are seemingly so hung up on party politics still. This is in no way a dig, but do you feel obliged to support a party that has almost zero % likelyhood of halting its movement right, let alone stop, turn and head back in the direction of its roots.
Its ok to admit our parliamentary system is not our own, in fact it would be a great first step to accepting people need to get off their butt and take change in their own hands..
Doggedly supporting a party and or its leader, is endorsing our stolen democracy!
The current system is not going to change, unless it is forced to, its as simple as that!
Muzza
I certainly oppose a rightward drift by the party. Â I believe that in the past Labour has achieved great things for New Zealand and ordinary people and that it can do this in the future.Â
And that members including our elected politicians are the trustees of a movement and owe it a duty to respect its history and to support its principles.Â
I suspect Muzza was talking about National.They are the only party doggedly moving to the right.
Labour’s following close behind them.
“I certainly oppose a rightward drift by the party. I believe that in the past Labour has achieved great things for New Zealand and ordinary people and that it can do this in the future. ”
— A very long time ago MS, but yes they did. I’m afraid to say, that going forward short of something extraordinary happening in the mindset of the electorate, and the selection processes of those who are “chosen” to stand in general elections, be it in a constituency, or as a list MP changes to become all enagaging, and people engage, then we will continue to see the lowering of the bar of those who are the “choices” on the ballot.
So unless ordinary people take a stand, the ordinary people will continue to suffer!
“And that members including our elected politicians are the trustees of a movement and owe it a duty to respect its history and to support its principles”
–Absolutely they do, but how is that looking over the past few decades MS, and what chances to you rate it to self change, should it be left to the current apparati! I think the evidence in the seel out that has become NZ politics is plainly obvious for all to see!
+1 today and most days!
Many, many +1s from me.
Excellent idea, MS. Do Not Feed the Tory.
I’m more likely to have a PG free week or, possibly, month.
Kim Dotcom has put out a rap song about Banksie’s difficulties with his memory. Â I sense that Dotcom is not someone that anyone should annoy …
EDIT Oops Shorts bet me to it.
Shorts beat ya to it, ms. Speaking of amnesia, does anyone remember Ernest Saunders? A Tory crook who weaselled his way out of a well earned stay in prison by claiming amnesia. Happily the condition cleared up immediately on his release, which suggests that all Banksie needs is a short stay in Mt Eden prison to sort out his memory loss!
a longer stay one would be ânice to haveâ
Listened to the song, got me chuckling on a Monday morning, Key was unaware of Dotcom? believe that you believe anything, the big man barreling through ShonKeys electorate in a pink â59 Caddy to his definitely not state house?
But how often, if ever except at election time, is ShonKey in his electorate?
Great article here on the myth of Bio fuels ,and how they only exist because of a generous government subsidy. Have driven up the price of food products as well as producing more green house gases per say than fossil fuels
http://www.fcpp.org/publication.php/4191
Idiot, two minutes tells me that the Frontier Foundation is funded anonymously and senior fellow Tim Ball was one of 60 ‘accredited experts’ who in April 2006 wrote to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper denying climate change. And in 2006 Ball claimed that “CFC’s were never a problem, it’s only because the sun is changing.
Idiot it doesnt mean that anything he is saying isnt true debate the article and facts rather than use personal abuse
Idiot means you’re stupid enough to parrot the utterings of Ball and his ilk.
Idiot dispute the facts!
Have corn prices gone up because of Bio fuels yes/no?
Are Government subsidising production yes/no?
Does that mean that Bio fuels are really sustainable if they weren’t subsidised yes/no?
Do they actually end up producing more green house than fossil fuel yes/no?
If you’re not sure how to answer any of the questions ask your full-time carer for help with the big words!
Jimmy, yes the whole bio-fuel thing is a crock from every way you look at it. Your suggested remedy is?
Bored
Well un like some thing I dont think it lies in Bio fuels. Electric ,and better battery research for cars. Diesel for heavy transport or other types of combustable oils.
And where are you going to get the energy for the electricity?
Just comes out of the wall. You know, the holes.
Well getting your feeble wee Jimmie mind around the threading system seems beyond you but here goes.
It’s a press release about a study titled The Green Plague by an organisation that’s anonymously funded and fronted by people who are tied too anti-green organisations.
The paper itself is little more than a missive about the merits of fossil fuels and a beef about subsidies for the development of alternative energy.
From the paper: Overall, tax subsidies and grants come to $7-billion a year.#
(# No link to his source)
Compared to referenced figures:
2010 US Corn subsidises: $3,519,507,154
2010 US Wheat subsidies: $1,744,199,117
2010 US Soybean subsidies: $1,561,095,329
Joe 90
Im glad you got your hand out fo your pocket and finally let some blood flow to your brain. So we agree that it doesnt work without subsidies . Which in turn force up the price of food for people to eat. Bio fuels are a fantasy ideas just like wind power which is the dearest power to produce on a per MW basis
Agree with J3 here. EROEI for biofuels is absolutely rotten, and generally makes no sense unless the raw materials are nearly free and were going to go to waste in the first place.
They can also take large amounts of water to produce – in the Midwest US they are using irrigation from aquifers which is outstripping the ability for the aquifers to recharge.
Its “solving” one problem and creating another one.
Sugarcane is a better source of biofuel but it can’t be grown in as many places as corn etc.
But I agree, biofuels are a crock – they have low EROEI and have a lot of inputs to produce (e.g. all the herbicides and pesticides)
Indeed. You can’t substitute a barrel of oil or a tonne of coal storing a million years of sunlight, pressure, heat, gravity with corn which has been above ground for just a few months.
With around a sixth of the subsidies fossil fuels receive alternatives appear to be the best use of public money.
Same could be said of fossil fuels.
not unlike the road user subsidies we pay truckies and holiday highways
Perigee Moons and natural disasters. Thank goodness this one appears to have passed without too much incident … fingers crossed mind you. What price the Transit of Venus?
Hopefully not this expensive …. this requires some discussion .. harm to the mutton birds, only 20% returned this year to the South Island and in possibly unsurvivable condition from migration grounds just out of Tokyo; thousands of pelicans and nearly 1000 dolphin dead without known causes on Peru coast …..
NaturalNews Insider Alert ( http://www.NaturalNews.com ) email newsletter dated today
Dear NaturalNews readers,
I’m interrupting our normal email schedule to bring you an urgent alert that makes everything else seem insignificant by comparison.
The issues of GMOs, fluoride, food freedom and vaccines won’t matter at all if we don’t solve this far bigger issue that threatens human civilization: Fukushima reactor No. 4.
Right now, the reactor’s spent fuel pool is just one earthquake away from a structural failure that could set off a chain of events leading to the release of anywhere from 10 times to 85 times the Cesium-137 released in the Chernobyl disaster.
Such circumstances caused one of Japan’s former ambassadors to make the following extraordinary statement:
“It is no exaggeration to say that the fate of Japan and the whole world depends on No. 4 reactor.” – Mitsuhei Murata, Former Japanese Ambassador to Switzerland and Senegal, Executive Director, the Japan Society for Global System and Ethics.
A failure of the reactor — and the subsequent catastrophic release of Cesium-137 — would decimate human life across North America, killing off crops, polluting groundwater, causing widespread infant stillbirths and unleashing an explosion in cancer rates. North America could become uninhabitable by humans for centuries.
Cesium-137 has a half-life of 30 years, meaning that if North America is blanketed with a layer of radioactive dust in 2012, that radioactivity will still be half as strong in the year 2042. It will drop by half again by the year 2072. By the year 2102, it might be low enough to where humans could start to re-colonize the continent, but even then, rates of cancer and birth defects would likely be off the charts.
Yet, as we speak, the mainstream media is running a total media blackout on this story. Governments are pretending there is no problem, and the corporations that built these nuclear facilities (like GE) are quietly running disinfo campaigns to convince everybody there is no problem.
I’ve just published an urgent feature story on this issue, outlining the facts about Fukushima reactor No. 4:
http://www.naturalnews.com/035789_Fukushima_Cesium-137_Plume-Gate.html
The Judge, the Sheriff, and echoes of Nottingham.
The Herald in its article Justice in the firing line attempts to paint a picture of a dysfunctional Court System.
It is no surprise to find that the push towards specialization is a pet project of Chris Finlayson
And also no surprise to find the Herald is giving the cheerleaders of this approach an opportunity to slag off the Judiciary.
Finlayson refers to a Scottish review by Lord Gill as evidence that specialization has passed consultation hurdles elsewhere:
New Zealandâs legal fraternity is not so keen on it however.
The principle drawback of specialization is a narrowing of views brought to bear in rulings â this is not necessarily so, however in the eventuality that there are fewer numbers of âqualifiedâ speciality Judges then this is a logical consequence. Even if more Judges were to be appointed any new âexpertâ appointments would need to be closely scrutinized so as to negate the influence of cronyism. Some argue that hearing a succession of speciality cases may in itself lead to inequitable outcomes â after all each case requires a unique balancing between circumstance and the law, an effort which may be compromised by sentencing via repetition reflex. This are not issues which should be so lightly disregarded by the Attorney General.
Our ready familiarity with injustice in the setting of the âSherriffâ reflects the fact that history tells us that those with great authority are more likely to abuse it if there are few in a position of equal power/ position/ expertise to challenge them. One of the great strengths of the Judiciary is the diversity of backgrounds and values that exist, all underpinned by a respect for and knowledge of the law. This diversity is constantly in tension with the consistency that the law strives for â and rightly so. The test of Justice is that diversity does yield this consistency, not by solely by design or edict but through commonly held values. The Judiciary are our representatives – we are no better served with less representation in this context than we would be in Parliament.
The Law Commission is of a similar disposition saying:
Looking at the people who are critical of the status quo or are promoting specialisation (DPF & ex-ACTiod Stephen Franks) one could be forgiven for thinking that their comments are designed to erode faith in a system which is actually working very well, with the intention of placing ever more of our legal system outside of our sovereign control or placing its delivery into the hands of an even smaller elite group:
Stephen Franks:
âWe need to send cases to the High Court of Australia, or to take on outside judges on the Supreme Court when the people on our top court know too many of the parties, or have worked for them, or have relatives or close friends with such complicating interests, or have investments that will be affected by a decision, or are known to have longstanding friendships (or the opposite) with parties or their counsel, or have passionate known views on issues.â
Attorney General Chris Finlayson:
âThe last sub-rule is that the existing principle of the rule of law requires compliance by the state with its obligations in international law, the law which, whether deriving from treaty or international custom and practice, governs the conduct of nations.â
Our agenda pushing Herald is only too happy to jump on the bashing bandwagon quoting barrister Anthony Grant who in the online magazine NZ Lawyer said:
“I can’t recall a time when our most senior local court – the Court of Appeal before 2004 and the Supreme Court since then – has been the subject of so much criticism,”
However the Herald has not just asked him his opinion, this quote dates back to an NZ Lawyer article dated 7th October 2011! (and was quoted by DPF Dec 15th 2011) Talk about having (yet another) another go at itâŠ
In quoting James Farmer QC the Herald seems to have overlooked the reservations that he had earlier expressed regarding overstating problems with the Supreme Court:
â Reasoned debate is what we should all aspire to and we should not shrink from making that debate public on occasion. But I do emphasise the word âreasonedâ. An unqualified statement that the skids are under the Supreme Court because one barrister has criticised two of the Courtâs decisions hardly meets that standard. – James Farmer
So by his own measure, it is not reasonable for the Herald to assert âJustice in the firing lineâ simply because there is criticism from two QCâs, an ex-appeal Judge and two no-names. Extending that logic further and adding his concerns regarding consultation processes becoming simply the rubberstamping of agendas one would think that he would prefer to make his comments via a more formal process. To be fair to Mr Farmer he most probably did not ever intend being placed by default into the same camp as Mr Franks again, at least not going by this:
âI was reminded of this when I read the interpretation to the Court Report broadcast given by Stephen Franks (a former commercial lawyer, ACT party MP and now lawyer again) on his web site. His discussion of the programme and in particular of my contribution to it begins with the heading âHeat Builds on Supreme Courtâ and then immediately suggests that the âskidsâ are under the Supreme Court in its current form.
What nonsense! And it is just this kind of destructive and emotive and irresponsible language from someone who is well known that makes constructive debate that much more difficult.
What a coincidence â I am looking forward to his equally vehement condemnation of the Heralds more recent attempt at manufacturing a crisis.
Nice work. Thanks.
On radionz this am there was a report about a mock sojourn on Mars carried out in the Nevada Desert. Interesting how in a world where the financial system is in turmoil and people are as a result suffering in large and small ways, that the appetite for space exploration and programs is still strong. The world may be poor they say, but we will deliberately look away from that and concentrate on our resource-gobbling studies of space with ever-increasing projects a la sci fi writers imaginations.
After the Second World War the USA put effort into setting up Peace Corps and their people went and served in developing countries (not always successfully but most things that the USA does carry a sting in them). Now that sort of thing is in the backroom and shooting money into space is the favoured occupation, and talking in a disjointed way with the present and our own realities, the thinking is about events millions of light years away.
Poor old NASA is quietly being starved.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:NASA_budget_linegraph_BH.PNG
http://articles.businessinsider.com/2009-07-17/wall_street/29980802_1_moon-landing-golden-age-space-age
Yes NASA gets to spend over a billion USD a month, but that pales in comparison to the US$2B to $3B per week the US spends in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Overall though your point is correct. A fraction of that money spent directly on the people would do so much more good. In NZ its like saying that there isn’t $25M for a brand new community hospital, but there is $2500M for a new stretch of bitumen.
I was trying to remember how much the US Defence spends on PR a year – something tremendous that goes into millions, billions, a speaker on Radionz referred to it the other day.
But I did discover some long numbers on Global Security.org site about military spending in 2011.
GDP Rank %ofGDP Rank Military spending
United States $14,120,000,000,000 2 5.2% 25 $741,200,000,000
China $8,818,000,000,000 3 4.3% 23 $380,000,000,000
Japan is next with 0.8% of GDP on military spending and rank 150 $33,192,000,000
India next 2.5% and rank 62 $92,000,000,000
Russia$2,116,000,000,000 8 3.9% 27 $82,500,000,000
Interesting Saudi Arabia ranks 23 on GDP scale but spends 10% on its military
Thanks CV The NASA budget was sky-high, ha, in the intoxicating days of 1964, but has been shelved as attention has turned to other ventures I guess. What a lot of info is out there. How do we/you keep up with it all?
Well, it requires special herbs and spices combined with frying in a high pressure cooker.
The trick of course prism is knowing how to transform raw data into actionable information. Part of that is being able to apply context, perspective and objectives – which the progressive Left should have available in spades. In theory anyway.
The world isn’t poor (it’s over populated) and space exploration doesn’t gobble up huge amounts of resources. Then there’s the fact that the resources it does use pretty much can’t be used for anything else (maybe a few extra planes but do we actually need more planes?). Then we would need to consider the idea that resources could be brought back.
You’re falling into the same trap as most others and confusing money with resources.
@DTB I wonder if there is a sensible cost benefit analysis on the project of bringing resources
back from space. Isn’t money the grease required to get more resources, which will then be likely to be sequestered by a corporation or private equity king? When a space vehicle leaves earth isn’t it using a lot of fuel? Isn’t it made from special materials that have to be obtained by paying money that could be spent elsewhere?
There will always be poverty in the world, I have surmised, not so much because we are overpopulated with which statement I agree, but because of certain people’s insatiable desire to get lots of tradeable things, money, gems whatever and hold as much as possible exclusively.
And not even to enjoy spending it, the individual can end up a recluse living on chicken soup like Howard Hughes.
I would assume that the company in the Reuters article is looking at it. I would like it even more if our government was also doing so. One major benefit I can think of is that mining asteroids would decrease environmental damage.
Most of which comes back to Earth. There maybe an argument about the electricity used to get the LOX/LH but even that could be addressed by making more efficient houses and renewable generation.
Think about what that actually means. There are limited resources and we have to consider their distribution but not all resources can be used for the same end. Using aluminium, LOX/LH and the people for research to explore space doesn’t mean that people are being made poorer because the resources are different to what’s needed to ensure people have a decent living standard (food, housing, clothing). The other way to look at it is that spending the money on space exploration won’t increase poverty.
IMO, the biggest problem with modern economics is that it fails to distinguish between resources which is why I tend to think of it as a monetary theory rather than an economic one.
Which actually means that we need to stop such sociopathic individuals from accumulating so much.
DTB That’s a really thorough reply thanks. That’s an idea – that our government should be thinking about space mining? They can’t think of anything till there is a crisis, and only if Australia has thought about it first, and soon the USA too when their shoes are sufficiently clean..
Is there a particular resource that could be obtained efficiently from asteroids such as rare earth minerals? What happens when space travel requirements clash with resources needed for useful things for people?
And on a ‘lighter’ note, personally I would like aluminium to be still available to the masses.-My ladder is a lot lighter and stronger than the wooden ones from the past. I would definitely be poorer if I had to employ a tradesman to do anything high because I couldn’t lift my ladder and though I might lend it I would want it returned to me exclusively.
I don’t think that makes me a sociopath but another big question is how people are directed as children so they go on a humanity path, not the psycho or socio path. These traits seem to crop up too often. We don’t understand how important it is to control and channel our natures so our energies are turned to good outcomes, and how to decide what the best outcome is from what’s offering. That could be more important than space travel, and in the short term rather than next century.
In theory the asteroids/moons have the same make up as Earth – they did, after all, accrete from same stellar gas/dust cloud. It’s not quite that simple butâŠshrug.
Well, if we’ve got good economics going (we don’t ATM) then the people would decide how much would go to the people and how much for the space exploration. Looking at the composition of the moon I don’t think you would have any concerns about your ladder.
Many of the chemical compounds and minerals found on earth are as a result of our biodiversity – Earth didn’t come equipped with them from the git go.
Planets without life would not provide us with many of the minerals we value today. Planets with that level of biodiversity are likely to be inhabited.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=evolution-of-minerals
Only a dozen minerals (crystalline compounds) are known to have existed among the ingredients that formed the solar system 4.6 billion years ago, but today Earth has more than 4,400 mineral species.
Earthâs diverse mineralogy developed over the eons, as new mineral-generating processes came into play.
Remarkably, more than half of the mineral species on Earth owe their existence to life, which began transforming the planetâs geology more than two billion years ago.
Remarkably, more than half of the mineral species on Earth owe their existence to life, which began transforming the planetâs geology more than two billion years ago.
You mean the ones we know about?
We have bugger all knowledge of anything from the mantle downwards and the massive numbers of pressure/temperature zones through to the core will form massive numbers of differing minerals of which we know only a few that survive in pipes. We know very little about even the crustal minerals because we only see them in the low pressure zones in the upper km or two.
Similarly it is daft to talk about mineralogy in space in the stylized form of the simple. We only know of a few rocks that drop on us, some regolith from the moon, and a few impacts with asteroids. This is in the geological terms of a solar system that spans light months out past the Oort and Kuiper belts – and they are still largely theoretical.
You really need to investigate a bit more about the limits of what we know before making such simplistic statements.
It wasn’t my statement it was Scientific American’s.
Take it up with them.
For those that aren’t blog snobs and interested into David Garrett’s insights and predictions on the Act Party here’s Decline and Fall Part III (with links to I and II).
http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2012/05/guest-post-david-garrett-5/
I cannot see how this rubbish advances the cause of any man, woman or child anywhere in our land in any way whatsoever.
If we’re so-called blog snobs are you a blog slut?
Haha. I’ll try socialite instead. Bloglialite?
Or maybe blog lobbier. Blobbier? Bloggier sounds better.
@Pete George
That’s funny. You can stay for today. Of course others mightn’t agree.
I thought we weren’t feeding the troll today…
Sorry. It’s a twitch I just can’t get rid of.
David Garrett posting on WhaleOil? I assume this is some clever ploy to make your own linkspamming look less irritating by comparison?
Hehe
Garrett is possibly the only blogger in NZ that would make Slater look semi rational …Â
Garrett often joins in on Kiwiblog and usually makes worthwhile contributions to interesting discussions. That’s a lot more than I can say for you, more often than not you’re being snarky about other posts, far more than adding anything to discussions.
Once Garrett jumped to a conclusion and snarled at me, I called him on it and he came back and apologised. There’s a few here that could learn from what he says and his normally reasonable blog etiquette.
Sorry Petey, Garrett and worthwhile in the same sentence is a misnomer unless the word “not” is in the middle somewhere.
You are showing your true colors. Â Garrett fanboy, there are not many around …Â
You mean you’re showing your true colours takethegreg. I’ve seen Garratt involved in a lot more meaningful discussions than you.
And again you fail to understand that it’s possible to have good discussions, even rip snorting debates, without agreeing with everyone and everything. You seem to prefer circle jerking and avoiding showing enthusiasm for your party’s leader.
And you can’t be trusted. You said you weren’t going to t-droll me today.
That’s snotty isn’t it?
I had this maybe naive belief that on a political blog some people may be interested in an interesting insight into a significant political story. I thought that normally most people visiting here wouldn’t be normally visiting Whaleoil.
To minimise excuses for snotty responses I made it clear where the link was going.
But I’ve learnt that prople make snotty comments here whatever I do. Not sure whether it’s more sad than funny or not.
Yes. That’s right.
It’s our fault you’ve lost damned near all respect possible here. /sarc [SUPER-OBVIOUS SARCASM TAG] {sarcastic use of sarcasm tags tag}
   Â
    Â
Â
I wasn’t aware you speak for everyone here. I presume you don’t talk for those who simply ignore what doesn’t interest them, nor those who contact me off blog, nor those who choose to follow links – I see how many do that. It’s not just you and a few intolerants who use TS, but I guess you’re too busy doing sensible stuff here to notice things like that [SUPER-OBVIOUS SARCASM TAG].
Thanks Pete. It’s been a long while since I’ve seen that one. It’s a classic, as this little ditty from just prior to the turn of the century shows:
Pooter George?
The trouble Petey is that the post bears no resemblance to reality. Â It does not discuss Garret’s own contribution to the party’s downfall after his theft of a dead baby’s identity became public. Â It does not discuss National’s takeover of ACT or the role of money. Â It does not talk about the Hide-Roy civil war or the frankly misogynist attitudes that were very apparent.
It is a very sterilized self serving commentary on what happened. Â But I am not surprised.
It is anything but interesting. Â Do you think that Garrett had a responsible part to play in our political history?
He claims a fair bit of responsibility for three strikes. That hasn’t proven calamitous as some claimed it would, and I’ve seen a few lawyers offering reserved praise for it.
It was a cop out. Â It does not kick in for about 10 years or so. Â Then after that the Californian “stole a piece of pizza and then gets life imprisonment” cases start to kick in.
No one who knew anything claimed it would be calamitous. Â Please, please provide links to those who did. Â Go on, no further debate necessary, just provide the links …Â
Then after that the Californian âstole a piece of pizza and then gets life imprisonmentâ cases start to kick in.
You’ve just illustrated the calamitous argument. You provide the links to support that claim.
You do know New Zealand law is different to California law don’t you?
Provide the bloody link Petey. Â I put the proposition up. Â You respond. Â This is why you get such a hard time. Â This is the invitation to you to actually engage in the argument. Â Go on, put the links up.
I said the calamitous arguments will kick in 10 or more years later. Â They are not happening now because that is how the law is drafted. Â Show me where I am wrong.Â
You’ve already illustrated the calamitous argument. Stealing a piece of pizza doesn’t apply with our three strikes, it’s a typical calamitous overstatement in lieu of a reasoned argument. How many lawyers do you want me to get to confirm that for you?
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/bill/government/2009/0017/latest/DLM1845322.html
No one who knew anything claimed it would be calamitous.
Aargh I broke my resolution of today of not arguing with idiots.
There is no immediate effect. Â There is an effect down the line.
Workman did not say there would be an immediate effect. Â He was talking about their third strike … Â
EDIT: a relevant quote for Petey …
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level then beat you with experience.
On a day with a tea party post and Pete George continuing to post inanely it must be time for Pete to have his own section on this site.
This would mean that those that wish to peruse his posts and respond can do so and the rest of us can blithely ignore them.
May I suggest this section be called “PG Tips”
Suitable photo found in link below:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14113765@N00/2443448785/
I second this motion so hard I’ll ruin it for all future supporters.
Does “inanely” mean showing a lawyer up on the basics of a law?
“Does âinanelyâ mean showing a lawyer up on the basics of a law?”
Nope it means that the Tips in PG Tips could be reversed and would still accurately describe your postings here.
Your posts rarely have substance or depth, rarely give us any inkling as to what your opinion is (posing questions is not expressing an opinion) and consist of a he said / she said style of expression.
Of course we’ve seen your type before.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQFKtI6gn9Y
At the same time you are apologist and supporter of the right, the corporate and the current government (despite your occasional protestations to the contrary) and for that in itself your posts are a pointless trolling for many.
I didn’t say there would be an immediate effect either.
You haven’t responded to being called on your claim of Then after that the Californian âstole a piece of pizza and then gets life imprisonmentâ cases start to kick in.
As my link showed, theft doesn’t apply with the New Zealand three strikes law. It’s hard to believe you are that ignorant of the law, that leaves deliberate misleading as the reason for making a calamitous claim?
Um er I was talking about relatively minor transgressions attracting severe consequences.
Um er – can you give possible examples that are actually in the list of offences that apply? The included offences seem to be mostly quite serious offences, like murder, rape and other crimes of significant violence. Not theft.
It is possible that a third offence is at the lower end of the scale of offending for that offence so the resulting three strikes sentence may appear like an anomaly, but the offender will have already been convicted of two probably reasonably serious offences at least prior to that.
I would rather chew my toenails than continue this “discussion”. Â To the standarnistas community can I apologise for allowing Petey to contaminate another thread …
I assure you, Petey, “maybe naive” is about the most charitable opinion anyone could have of your actions given your previous form.
And I’m not snotty. I’m a bitch.
I wouldn’t call you a bitch, at least not without knowing you a lot better and I’ve no inclination to go there.
I still call snotty on that. I don’t care about snottiness aimed at me, I’ve seen a lot worse, but don’t you think you should let each person here make up their own minds? I come across quite a few people on blogs who read quite a variety to keep up with what’s going on. Even takethegreg does that a bit, without admitting it much.
I wouldnât call you a bitch, at least not without knowing you a lot better and Iâve no inclination to go there.
My dearest Pete, I don’t give a fuck what you’d call me. I am quite happy to label myself a bitch, knowing precisely what the word is meant to convey in a patriarchal society.
And since, you know, I don’t actually have the power to erase your comments via telepathy, I fail to see how pointing and laughing at your sad pretence to “stimulating conversation” in any way stops other people making up their minds. Of course, you might be worried that these days your every comment is met with a gale of snark from the regular commenters here, and that will almost certainly affect the view newbies have of you, but you’ve really no one to blame but yourself for that one.
David Fisher is an active explorer. What did the PM know or should know:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10803977
Any details… fair enough, but interesting wording. Surely he was told there was a briefing. That’s basic – especially for an apparently ‘no surprises’ government.
Viva la France!
So touching to see that some people actually think it will make a blind bit of difference what the French Government does. Although I can imagine the Brits and Swiss are going to be happy with imminent influx of high earners from France.
I can imagine the French will be happy with any exodus of the greedy from France.
If Gos is correct and nothing changes (a la Obama) then we may see the reappearance of Jacobinism and the Committee of Public Safety. If the French get austerity foisted on them expect to see the haircut performed by the “National Barber”.
@Bored As long as they don’t start lashing out around the world at anyone who annoys them, sending agents out to sink boats and stuff.
“I can imagine the French will be happy with any exodus of the greedy from France.”
Too true…they’ll be better off without their ‘wealth creators’ (poverty producers)
“Too trueâŠtheyâll be better off without their âwealth creatorsâ (poverty producers)”
and there’ll be less piss to trickle down on the heads of the middle and lower classes, which will be a nice respite
.
..
@ImperatorFish
http://www.governmentshareoffers.govt.nz
quick get in now, never to be repeated offer!!! Not open to those pesky americans or australians… ACT NOW!!!
>you are not in the United States nor are you acting for the account or benefit of any person in the United States;
This a condition to allow entry to the website.
Why only the US?
Seems odd.
Don’t really know but I would assume it is because of the US’s securities laws which are far more intensive than anyone elses
The entry page does scream the obvious question, why does the United States get such special mention? Last time i checked the Atlas there were a whole bunch of countries other than NZ and the USA. or is it a Winston moment ,( no not him, the other one) there only is the United States, there only ever was the United States and only ever will be the United States.
But seriously for a second . . for the elucidation of us all . . can anyone give a clear and accurate explanation as to why the page has this particular and specific declaration ?
oh and where is the mention of only keeping 51 % of the voting shares whilst selling everything else not welded down?
François Hollande victory speech.
http://www.france24.com/en/livefeed
Great that the Greens exposed this, John Key has no shame!
http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz/2012/05/pigs-and-troughs.html
But hang on – the reason public sector pay rates have increased so spectacularly recently is because apparently the two can be compared and the public lot should match the private lot.
So if that is the case then make it match the private lot i.e. none of this annuity bullshit.
Or is that just another question and logic which can be ignored?
Commonsense and logic, vto? Now that’s an interesting approach. đ
I wonder if Key realises how neatly it highlights the fact that his focus is now on retirement…
And with all his millions, why would Key be concerned about having a guaranteed income for life?….
…unless, he’s expecting to lose a lot of his wealth in some future global economic crash?
and greed
Nah, maximizing his own position is just his default setting, regardless of need.
That’s why he has all those millions.
this morning’s PRESS has an article describing some incidents over the weekend where the police were called in to controll 100’s of disorderly youths, “mostly students”. “..the message about responsible drinking did not seem to be getting through to students…”
50 years ago students could not afford to drink. It was the well paid labourers who caused the trouble. Even youth on an apprenticeship wer short of cash. Why am I paying income tax for the youth down the road to leave broken glass in my drive, pull out my letter box, etc. The Studend Army, who went out and helped CH after the EQ, demonstrated that there is a different student.
Ask the rich parents whose clever accountants organise for their kids to get the student allowance.
And maybe read this mate:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10800457
Plenty of those students got pissed up at parties afterwards, if you were there. All in all, I don’t think you know much about these young people.
Very interesting you mention the rich and the accountants who manage to get their kids student loans
What about the Unversity Student Union presidents who steal from others
Denis Tokunai President of the Waikato Student Union
Has just been found guilty of stealing a lap top, and a smart phone ,and asked to hand in his passport. The Student loan was obviously not enough for this guy he decided to take from others
Hey he got his time in court, I guess you hope that all those children of fraudulent rich pricks do too eh?
Still no clue about using the threading Jimmie.
Here it is in stuff
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/6851087/Student-leader-charged
What’s your point?
http://www.odt.co.nz/118535/sfo-charges-kapiti-accountant-over-2m-fraud
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/5054121/6m-family-trust-fraud-case
http://www.interest.co.nz/news/57876/lawyer-ed-sullivan-and-retired-accountant-bob-white-named-last-five-charged-over-south-ca
Accueillir la nouvelle France . . . ÎÎźÏÏ Î· ÎœÎα ÎλλΏΎα !!!
Marine Le Pen took 18% of the vote.
Matthew Hooting this morning was almost incoherent on the bad of tertiary education for the masses. It is a marvel how somebody with such a right agenda gets so much air time. All people with an ambition to get on in politics, and in business, should take lessons in public speaking at an early age and aim for a confident, fast-speaking style of speech. It doesn’t matter then what quality of mind and thinking is behind the mouth.
His attitude is set on his favourite ways of supporting right-wing policies so much that he can’t contemplate another point of view and be willing to change his stance. And why? Because he does not support a government or economy that gives all people opportunity for advancement and which finds ways to continue that when there is a shortage of cash as at present.
He of course wouldn’t say that the tax cuts on high marginal income should be reversed so easing ‘our’ government’s money shortage, forcing us sadly, crocodile tears here, to sell off some of our infrastructure which, run successfully under present regimes, are prime earning assets.
Did John Banks ask SkyCity to donate anonymously?
I posted this link on the Dotcom song post earlier to an article on Scoop this morning.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1205/S00056/did-john-banks-ask-skycity-casino-to-donate-anonymously.htm
This article suggests that Banks was involved with the Sky City / convention centre whole scenario from the start. Scoop has asked Sky City a range of questions re this but without success in getting any detailed answers.
New evidence has come to light which offers a motive for why John Banks may have asked SkyCity to have donated anonymously to his campaign – namely he didn’t want to be seen to be a hypocrite during the Mayoral election campaign.
And did Mayoral Candidate John Banks make a convention centre for Auckland an election commitment to give himself wriggle room to change his position on the pokies after the election?
The new evidence consists of a combination of a little-seen Youtube video posted during the Mayoral campaign (around the time of the anonymous donations from Kim Dotcom), John Banks strident opposition to Casinos expressed in 1997, SkyCity’s record in making political donations (it didn’t before 2010), and the timing of Prime Minister John Key’s intervention in the National Convention Centre policy debate. …..
The mud gets murkier and murkier â and the dots start to connectâŠâŠâŠâŠ..
The article also provides a useful timeline summary.
A millionaire naturalised Chinese New Zealander who used senior political connections to win citizenship has gone on trial in the High Court, Auckland, today on five charges linked to claims he created a false identity.
[deleted]
[lprent: Oh dear oh dear.. Provide links. See the policy. ]
Links to the above story.
Will be interesting to see how it plays out.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10804143
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10582518
The secret diary of John Banks:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/opinion/columnists/6864044/The-secret-diary-of-John-Banks
brilliant !!! simply brilliant .. thanks for posting it ..
Annnnnd the latest Roy Morgan is out. It is better than the last one which I thought was a bit of a rogue but not as good for Labour as the recent digipoll.
Â
Labour up 2 to 28.5%
Greens up 2.5 to 15%
National down 2.5 to 47% (the Banks effect is seeping through)
NZ First on 5%
United Follicles and Association of Crooks and Thieves are on 0.5% each.
Â
The trends are all in the right direction. The next couple of months will be fascinating.
[lprent: Tucked in the graphs because it was a pain last time with moronic trolls with no links. Now to sharpen the banning button if I see repetitions of the irritating behaviours from last time. ]
Interesting that a few more than last time, don’t name a Party to vote for. A little bit of uncertainty perhaps?
The Govt vs Opposition is still looking mint. Only 2 of 8 polls since the election have had NACTM better than the actual election result, six show the opposition well on top.
Â
If this poll was replicated in an actual election, I beleive the Nats would have 48 seats, Labour would have 36/37, Greens 19/20 and NZF 6. 51-53 against 48 plus whatever is left of the corpses of ACT and the Maori Party.
BSA ruling on that child poverty doco pre election. You remember, tories bleating, etc:
http://www.bsa.govt.nz/decisions/show/4340
Hope National doesn’t see fit to use Urgency to ban such issues during Election zone? They wouldn’t – would they?
heh.
“That awkward moment when the National Party launch their Hutt Valley branch 20kms away from the Hutt Valley.”
http://bit.ly/IGFCMO
That’s going straight to the pool room.
Speaks volumes …
O
On August 4th 1914, the German Socialist Party voted in favour of credits for the war. The statement that went with casting their votes in The Reichstag ended with:
“We hope that the cruel lesson of war will arouse in many more millions of people a horror of war and will convert them to the ideals of socialism. Guided by these considerations, we vote for the war appropriations”
29th July 1914 the Kaiser threatened to declare a state of emergency and “have the (socialist) leaders arrested, the lot of them”
The lessons I draw from this are that the NZ consitution should not allow the possibility of rule by decree to be vested in one person or a small non-accountable group.
Socialist parties need to be seen to walk the talk as ruthlessly as the righties.
Socialists should have a means of avoiding betrayal by their leaders.
Passive resistance on a large scale was not tried in August 1914 and perhaps it could have worked.
I got the quote from “Dance of the Furies. Europe and the outbreak of World War 1” by Michael S Neiberg, Harvard University Press, 2011.
‘Australia in grim shape. Retailers are going under, home prices are sinking, and there is an enormous collapse in the entire service sector.’
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.jp/2012/05/spotlight-australia-collapse-in-service.html
And they want to introduce a big fat Carbon Tax. Timing is everything I guess.
And our only economic plan is to ride their coattails. Ignorance is everything I guess
Hey PPNG
Extractive industries can only stay highly profitable if they don’t have to pay in full for the damage they cause the environment.
After all its not hard to be profitable when you only pay for a fraction of the expenses yourself, and make society pay for the rest.
On the other hand, Australia’s retail sales rose for the third month in a row in March (0.9% mom as compared to a revised 0.3% mom rise in Feb)
And building approvals rose sharply in March (7.4% mom rise after a 8.8% fall in Feb)
So many people look at history and think “It is quaint. It is history. It can not happen to me. ” They will not accept that each day we are creating history. So many people stop thinking when they see something they do not like. Posts on The Standard illustrate this when people change the subject again and again, rather than discuss the original subject. Even personal critisizim is just “changing the subject” and admitting that you can not debate the original point.
As I see it, Austerity might be part of the solution to Europe’s economic problems but the majority of the population are not prepared to accept the hardship caused by Austerity so no government will be able to enforce Austerity. In the Western World, many in this generation are reluctant to work. Such people have always been present BUT they have not always been tolerated by their peers. France has real problems now. This was reflected in the price of the NZ dollar on Monday. We need Europe for trade.
How many people abuse bennefits today to avoid work? This is a principle. There are thousands of documents covering the detail.
Old cabbage-for-brains looks to be safe (for now at least), but all signs point to him being out come 2014. Though the filthy rich god-botherer Mr Craig, and his merry band, could demand kooky stuff like the throwing out of evolution from our schools, tightening up on divorce laws, a complete ban on abortion, and perhaps the prohibition of homosexuals from teaching, etc in a C & S arrangement. The clock will be turned back to 2012 BC by lunchtime.
Be careful what you wish for….