Roger Douglas has been wheeled out of his crypt to give us all the way forward for Labour by those caring folks at the Herald.
The Herald slaps the left yet again with a wet fish called Douglas.
Douglas thinks we should all adopt the ACT way and things will get much better to concise it.
How did we go wrong folks, if only we had followed Sir Shitforbrains we would get elected.
Now I’m not saying there is a little hatred on the left for Sir Moron, but please take a deep breathe after reading this. Don’t go to the Herald, you might have a stroke or worse.
But if anyone of you want a good gut laugh this morning here’s the link.
Granny continues its fine work as a national party rag, I guess hooten is too busy with all his other media gigs and prebbles a bit compromised after his act campaign leadership worked so well.
I read it yesterday but the comments should be a hoot if they haven’t been censoring them. Only 35 comments in a day, they must have been using the big delete button, as they didn’t want the shrivelled one to have a heart attack. But you need to have a heart first.
@ Richard aka Rawshark 1
Here is a good fishgut laugh. I couldn’t resist bringing some mirth into your day. Doctors recommend a laugh to keep the mind healthy and functioning. Here is your morning dose if you choose to accept it – from Monty Python – fish slapping dance 27 sec and 2nd longer of Palin pontificating. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9SSOWORzw4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLdK9zaLaG8
Ebola in Spain: slack procedures, poor discipline, lacksadaisical attitude, poor equipment and official lies
Nurse contracts ebola from infected (now dead) patient in Spain. Several others now hospitalised.
Decades of BS managerialism and under funding dangerously worsens performance when it actually matters.
Who do you believe – officials who say strict quarantine was instituted straight away, or the hospital staff who say patient was just kept in a general ward surrounded by others.
Not being sarcastic much here CV, but if we ever get an Ebola case the way Nastinal are behaving they would take the patient on a meet the people tour. Poor people.
As with all these things the difference will be definitional.
A quarantine procedure was initiated. It is strict relative to just dumping everyone in a pile. But it involves people probably getting a lot closer to each other than we would be comfortable with.
Then there was the photo that was allegedly of the man cleaning vomit off the pavement from the Texas Ebola patient. No hazard suit, people walking past and through the area.
One thing that interests me is given the relatively high placement on public health priorities (epidemic prevention), countries like the US and Spain are repatriating people with Ebola rather than treating them in the country where they contracted it.
just looking at that Tues humour link, while I agree that there are issues around degradation of hospital services, I think the article is a bit unhelpful where it implies you need high tech to contain Ebola. If it were airborne, I would agree, but it’s not, so lower tech protocols would actually work if done properly (whether overworked, underfunded hospitals systems can do lower tech protocols is another matter).
Yes, but the fatality rate for influenza is much lower than that for Ebola. Having said that, the Spanish flu was far worse in terms of the combination of lethality and ability to spread than Ebola will ever be.
please see my reply below. Maybe we’ll look back on this ebola scare in 12 months and think it was an interesting but short lived minor fizzle. And maybe we won’t, with infected numbers currently rising exponentially, killing hundreds of healthcare workers this year alone.
As long as you realise that the current outbreak is around 15x more severe than the one you remember from your younger days, in terms of probable fatalities and cases, and was isolated to provincial rural villages, not million person cities like Freetown and Madrid.
@ McFlock
I understand that was how the Aids virus spread so effectively. It was transmitted by itinerant truck drivers having a quickie along their route. It was supposed to start off between males, but wasn’t long before it showed up in females.
The desire for a short break results in known locations being places for prostitutes to wait. I saw in Italy a truck driver hop down, near a roundabout, leave his engine running, and then back again and drive off, and a prostitute then waiting at the roadside. So I think that it could be surmised that sex would have taken place, and perhaps a pee after, a relief stop.
Well, the big example is the Spanish flu 1918, which was partially related to troop movements and civilian relocations from late WW1.
Basically, travel networks affect how quickly a disease spreads geographically. Economic or war refugees (or refugees from the disease itself in an established epidemic), standard migration, and the close quarters of travel and shared facilities increase transmission, and population density increases opportunities for transmission, too.
ISTR that the first few ebola outbreaks within local populations were in relatively isolated areas, so could burn themselves out more quickly.
As a rule of thumb, once you hit a city or traffic route, you need stronger artificial controls, education, and quarantine efforts. The NZ Health Act, for example, gives the Health minister dictatorial powers that would make CERA-brownlee cum at the thought.
The passing time might have generated a really virulent strain?
The Guardian ran a Q and A with one of the researchers who identified Ebola in 1976 in which he was asked about it becoming more infectious through mutation:
‘Yes, that really is the apocalyptic scenario. Humans are actually just an accidental host for the virus, and not a good one. From the perspective of a virus, it isn’t desirable for its host, within which the pathogen hopes to multiply, to die so quickly. It would be much better for the virus to allow us to stay alive longer.
Could the virus suddenly change itself such that it could be spread through the air?
‘Like measles, you mean? Luckily that is extremely unlikely. But a mutation that would allow Ebola patients to live a couple of weeks longer is certainly possible and would be advantageous for the virus.
Hi Tracey, to be honest I struggle with this kind of comment, which I see all the time for instance on Twitter. To me it represents a misunderstanding of both risk and uncertainty. The format is “x phenomena kills more people a year than Ebola ever has in its history.”
This is usually true as well, given that in its known history Ebola has killed only a few thousand people.
The difference is this – things like influenza or traffic accidents or gun violence in the USA are a very well described, thoroughly understood, self limiting phenomena which have been observed over long periods of time.
None of these descriptions match what is happening now re: ebola.
I am referring to the media fixation Cv. When we are not being kept in fear by media focus on killings, murder, car accidents and acts of war, we are kept cringing for fear of our own bodies.
Of course have strategies to deal with Ebola… Develop vaccines… But blast it in every paper news and radio report? Nah its just a continuation of keep the sheeple fearful. Its the fear de jour.
I agree with your general point and usually I would back it 100% as I saw the media/govt nonsense around swine flu etc.
However I understand the mathematical power of exponential growth in infections with an ebola R0 infection rate currently rated at ~1.75 (ea infected person is currently infecting 1.75 more) and until that comes down much closer to 1.0 (or of course ideally less than 1.0), the western world will have a serious problem within the next 6 months.
Currently, the number of cases is doubling every 3 weeks.
To stop this outbreak, more needs to be done to implement – on a much larger scale – well-known protective and preventive measures. Abundant evidence has documented their effectiveness
I don’t think we can trust our governments to run any real hazardous disease outbreak to the necessary level. In the USA he private profit approach will prevent whole-hearted effort there and then worries about affordability by states, especially the poorer ones, when viewing the lists of tasks government needs to do, also what private companies need to do and the bills that the patients and their family will have to face.
USA citizen Michael Katakis spoke to Wallace Chapman on Sunday 6th about his despair of the USA. He quotes the venality of the country there in a tale relating to his wife’s hospitalisation. While she was home recovering the hospital billing department phoned and asked when they could expect payment for $1200 that was outstanding. He explained that the insurance company had advised that $75,000 had been paid, and that a further $80,000 was pending. The clerk explained the bill was for doctors’ fees, and they were separate from the hospital fees paid by the insurance company. This was after paying $1,000 a month for a health insurance cover, and a $10,000 excess on hospital charges. So he had to manage finding $27,000 before the company would agree to cover them. He also had to sell most of their goods to cover all the costs including living costs before his wife eventually died.
Michael Katakis – Traveller ( 22′ 31″ ) Sunday, 6.10.2014 http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday
In NZ we have hospitals under stress with managers with a grab bag of practices they can use to appear to be managing efficiently which includes employing contractors for ‘short’ periods instead of having permanent staff doing the work for less. At present we have doctors leaving a lower south island hospital because they can’t practice effectively and are under budget pressure all the time. The managerial style that sets targets and controls from above, rather than working with the doctors and staff is a barrier to efficiency and effectiveness.
This radionz piece refers to a debit sum of $16 million at the Southern District Health Board. http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/256398/%27changes-needed%27-at-southern-dhb
At the end related pieces with a list of woes:
DHB takes dispute to Serious Fraud Office
Ryall credits targets for stable ship
Southern DHB deficit over $15m
DHB’s funding below inflation – Labour
DHB: crackdown won’t affect care
In 2006 Swann an IT professional at the Otago DHB was charged with fraud of $16 million. What’s the bet that this huge cost is still weighing down the unfortunate hospital board ever since…. Further details of an alleged $16.9 million fraud at the Otago District Health Board were revealed in Parliament yesterday.
Mr Ryall told Parliament that Swann had bought a 50m former marine research vessel in Hawaii and refitted it to be a luxury launch.
The Otago Daily Times recently reported that the board was seeking to recover its losses through a High Court civil claim, which names Swann and 19 other defendants and lawyers, trustees, company directors and companies….
Swann served 1 month in prison for each $300K he defrauded society. Sounds like a sweetheart deal compared to what people might get for stealing a car or pinching $10,000 from their employer.
Colonial Rawshark
Did you know that or just know where to look it up? You are so well informed. Are you a …savant or have a photogenic/graphic memory? Or just lay newspapers on the floor and soak up facts through your soles??
Tell the Kurdish people that Phillip, that their innocence is not worth protecting. As the U S solutionis not palatable prey tell what is a more acceptable solution ?especially given the lack of the UN’s ability to solve any conflict or to successfully take any action against any leaders in regard to genocide or crimes against humanity.
All well meaning comments. And the Peshmerga would be able to hold off ISIS no problem if ISIS weren’t now equipped with the latest in US armour and artillery. And supported by many many Sunni ex-Iraqi Forces only recently trained up by the USA.
Whilst Isis have acquired equipment from the army I would expect the Turkish army to be better trained & better equiped than this group.
The Isis forces would be exposed if they do face the turkishy army around Kobani, which to me looks likely would take a more traditional & conventional battle, with air support working in co ordination with a ground force attack.
Unfortunately in such cases there is almost the justification othat the means of addressing such conflicts as by viewing the response by ” the lesser of 2 evils”. The problem I see is that “our” tradional view that of winning a conflict are not relevant in today’s world, or that those in the US even have an idea of what a successful outcome is
Yes the Kobani battle could be won by a major mobilisation of Turkish forces. But the Turks are unlikely to do that because they see what is happening there as a fortuitous case of ISIS taking out a long standing enemy for them, the Kurds.
Whilst the U.S. have their problems in their Wild West , john Wayne gun ho attitude, unfortunately with all their short commings, there appear no other alternatives, as what other confederation is willing to enter to attempt to halt any crimes against humanity ? the UN ha straditionally been lacking
As Obama does not confide with me as to his strategy and what outcomes he desires I cannot comment as to why the U.S. allowed the Syrian situation, perhaps they were unwilling to enter Syrian territory for obvious reasons.
Should the Isis issue be solved the Kurds situation will not have progressed and they will continue to be a culture persecuted 🙁
..mind you..going on parkers/labours ‘consent’ to this plan..they wd have been no different to key..
Parker’s statements remind me of the kind that a junior policy analyst would draft, that of a rambling weather-vane type which would be pointing there, pointing here, pointing somewhere in between, actually going nowhere and just pointing out as many directions as possible while rotating in the same spot.
AHH no P U you went off track there. Putting word in my mouth and claiming I had a pro USA stance. That was not in my comment at all. I think you owe me an apology for that.
perhaps I should have been clearer. I did not mention the war mongering USA and I agree with you on them. But and it’s a big but, Isis is a total different kettle of bad.
I only want ISIS wiped out to the last man if possible.
As for bush and Blair I’m still waiting for the Haig to charge them., as for the USA the people for the most part are ok, there political structure is not. Won’t delve into it I suspect you know as much as I do or more on that score regarding military manufacturing and the links to government.
In Albania, My Grandfather pre Hoxha was a top ranking general for King Zog,
He’s famous there so are my family for it, so am I. So much so the then President wanted to meet the son of the son of him.
During WW2 he led the Bali Kombatar fighting 3 invaders the Italians, the Germans, and later hoxha’s communists, My whole family was eventually after a 1 month fight from their castle estate, finally defeated by a bomb blowing the castle doors off.
Then they shot all of them that we’re of age, I’ve met all the survivors 8 years ago, as they had been looking for my father who escaped, but found me as he passed away years ago, reunited I found a shocking story.
The things they did to the survivors was so shocking I havn’t the time to tell you.
So when you don’t want to help, you think it’s not your business, you end up leaving REAL stories of REAL atrocities.
I care, I care a lot about all people, what I don’t care about, is people with no empathy what so fucking ever for the plight of others.
I have a Albanian doco on what happened as told by grandfathers daughter, my fathers, sister, she retells the story of their final stand, what they did to her would shake your foundations.
If you ever want to see it i’ll get it translated for you. At my cost, eventually when I get a pay rise.
Sometimes you have to fight for democracy, the way things are going we may need to fight here.
So harden up and grow a pair. Peace has to be fought for sometimes.
I’m happy to see ISIS wiped out – but sending troups over there may not help at all. ISIS is the renamed alquaeda in iraq which only exists as a significant issue because the west decided to go over there and blow stuff up in the first place.
Beheadings are bad – but they are only beheading these people on videos to ask you to come and bomb them. (and to get advertising so that they can recruit more soldiers). They need the bombing to distract the people from the fact that they can’t run the country and that they are made up largely of foreign invaders.
So to state phil’s point in pragmatic terms – will sending troups make the situation better or worse? So far it has made it worse.
Its hard to see how more killing will help but doing nothing while people are executed and people are killed in their homes from the various bombings around the world will help either.
More killing has not proven successful to date…
We tried to kill taleban… Then we tried to kill al quaeda and now IS has sprung up…. So more killing doesnt solve the problem.
Parker is talking like cullen, who would have been at home in national.
FFS grow a pair. On this I’m right your feeble don’t start another war , blow what I said all out of proportions is a joke.
Far out, they say there’s infighting amongst lefts, well all you lot do is argue for the sake of it sometimes. You lot like nothing more than rounding on people and I’ve had a hard day so fucking shut up.
If your family was about to be wiped out , your girls sold to some fighter for sex, and told to convert or die, or you had to run away, you’d be wanting some fucking help to.
The optimal strategy would be to mostly leave them be. If necessary use defensive airstrikes to prevent expansion at the periphery. Otherwise, leave them alone and the people who they purport to rule will get tired of them in no time or the movement will split. Intervention just gives them what they want – foreign devils to blame everything on.
…and Iraq was chock full of weapons of mass destruction.
How can you fall for it every time?
The problem with using biological agents is that at least some the people delivering them typically don’t want to be infected themselves. Given the biosecurity needed for this and the indiscriminate nature of the weapon, such bioweapons are really a non-starter.
The same goes for chemical weapons. Terrorists don’t need ISIS to supply them as they can make them themselves as the Aum Supreme Truth cult did. The problem with chemical weapons is that they aren’t suited for terrorism. The Aum cult would have killed far more people with a couple of nail bombs than it did with its home made nerve gas. Gas is a battlefield weapon for use against unprotected mass infantry formations (which is why Saddam had it). It’s next to useless as a weapon of terror.
This is all talk. Terrorists don’t use these weapons because they don’t work. They’ve tried before, and in the end you are better off using conventional weapons.
They did seem to be talking about biological weapons in relatively enclosed places for the distribution, not chemical weapons on a battlefield.
In terms of delivering them by people who don’t want to be infected these groups don’t seem to have much trouble getting enough people to be suicide bombers to cause a lot of trouble. The four planes involved in 9/11 had about 20 al Qaeda people involved who were by definition suicide forces. The didn’t have any trouble finding them did they?
The West has played its part in cultivating new generations of extremists in the middle east. Best to change course, don’t you think.
BTW in terms of casualties, the west has killed 1,000x more Muslims in middle eastern countries than Muslims have killed westerners in western countries.
They did seem to be talking about biological weapons in relatively enclosed places for the distribution, not chemical weapons on a battlefield. In terms of delivering them by people who don’t want to be infected these groups don’t seem to have much trouble getting enough people to be suicide bombers to cause a lot of trouble. The four planes involved in 9/11 had about 20 al Qaeda people involved who were by definition suicide forces. The didn’t have any trouble finding them did they?
If you were to successfully create an epidemic of bubonic plague in Britain or the United States, you would have to be able to do it on a scale that would render their first world health systems ineffective at responding to infections. But if their containment systems fail to cope, then it would automatically become a worldwide epidemic that would affect the poorer countries where the terrorists come from far worse than the targets. That makes no sense given the goals of groups like IS.
You also need to securely transport the biological agents to the target area and find a way to release them that will be effective. This is really hard to do. Chemical weapons have to be released on a grand scale to work (such as Saddam’s artillery barrages against Iranian infantry). Biological agents need a similarly wide spread to be effective if they’re ever going to be, and terrorists don’t have that luxury.
If chemical and biological weapons were of any use, the major powers would spend a lot of money on them. They don’t. They buy nukes, because nukes work. As for terrorists getting hold of a nuke. The very idea is risible.
1. There is documentation missing from the 9/11 investigation – which many suspect, (including the us military, which is not a bastion of left wingers by the way) points the finger at Saudi Arabia.
2. The problem with blaming al Qaeda was always the lack of technical ability. Yes al Qaeda were good at fight a guerrilla war, with people willing to die, but they lacked the skills to coordinate what we call 9/11. I:E- Piloting and logistical skill set to perform said attacks. Now go back to point 1.
So the question for me, is why do we want to fight a rag bag bunch of criminals? When there is a rogue state, which is supposed to be our allie, who attacked our other supposed allie?
We look to be entering a perpetual state of war economy, to prop up a failing economic system. Rather than look at the underlying social and economic issues.
Mr Ure, I hope you also want ISIS wiped out. Do you? Do you?
Or are you a secret supporter of these criminals? Maybe your hatred of America is even bigger.
@ Mr Ure: your “reply” does not answer my questions: are you for or against ISIS?
So, you believe this is a “muslim sectarian war” that poses no risk to the rest of the world. Incredible!
Maybe your anti-West position is supported by other reasons unknown to the readers.
Which makes me just a little suspicious that Clean power is some sort of SIS Black Ops type.
His (or her – probably his) framing of the issue as “Are you for or against ISIS” reminds me very much of an Israeli apologist called Hans who used to inflict various gotcha-style propaganda/rhetorical strategies on unsuspecting participants in The New Statesman discussion threads a few years ago (so much so that I used to refer to him as Hasbara Hans).***
Whenever people were discussing an article / opinion piece on Israel’s bombing or starvation of Gaza, dear old Hans would pop up to ask everyone whether they were For or Against the Evil Hamas. A very clear propaganda technique.
A year or two back, we all heard about SIS black ops, aiming to sew dissention on Left-leaning Blogs (although you’d have to wonder why they bother, there’s enough in-fighting going on as it is). Impossible to be sure, but there’s just a slight whiff of trouble-making underlying Clean power’s comments (taken collectively) since he suddenly turned up here in April.
He’s mainly focussed on making anti-Cunliffe comments (arguing the need for a leadership change 3 months out from the election and, ironically enough, accusing Cunliffe of sewing dissention in the Party) and anti-Hager comments as well as accusing Matt McCarten of being a “Mana Mole”, attacking sections of the Labour Party as representing “Left-wing extremism” and numerous comments on The Greens’ alleged “insanity”, suggesting Len Brown will go down in history as a philanderer and an incompetent, while pushing the Tory meme that Labour risks becoming a minor component of the Opposition after the 2014 Election. All the while playing the role of concerned Labour supporter.
I can’t help but notice a few signs of trying to create dissention – attacking Cunliffe and his advisors and demanding he stand down before this years Election, attacking the Left, but at the same time also making numerous comments blaming the ABCs for various things and attacking Mallard and King – before going on to change his tune somewhat after the Election (June 18: “The dirty hands of King and Mallard are all over this” / Sep 30 “Mallard knows loyalty to no one” / October 4 on Mallard “It seems the Labour Party and his voters love the man !”)
Clean power may just be a Right-leaning Labour bloke who advocates for Shane Jones one minute, then attacks Jones’s ABC faction the next, but I’ll be keeping an eye out for any more Hasbara-style techniques.
***Hasbara = Various Propaganda techniques / Rhetorical strategies that Israel’s supporters in the West are expected to carry out on social media and in the MSM (letters to the Editor etc) on behalf of Israel.
swordfish 3.31
Interesting.
While we are thinking of that sainted country – 1 June 2014 Israel renews restrictions on nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu
Despite serving 18 years in prison, including 11 in solitary confinement, Vanunu is forbidden from traveling and speaking to the media. Recently, he was denied a permit to speak before the British Parliament, following an invitation by 54 MPs. http://972mag.com/israel-to-renew-restrictions-on-nuclear-whistleblower-mordechai-vanunu/91564/
@ clean power
Why don’t you go and fight in the war. Offer yourself to the forces when they decide to go and fight in the Middle East. Your motto – have convictions, will fight and die and kill for them. And this feeling of yours will remain whether it is helpful to solving the problems and bringing world peace or not. It is a feeling, it is not real thought or understanding of the problem and the disaster unfolding. People like you don’t make me feel safer from menace, you just increase it.
..i have lived there..new york is my favourite city..
..i think americans are the most open/friendly people in the world..(nz’ers cd learn a thing or two from them in that area..tight-lipped little ‘i don’t know you!’s that we are..)
..like everyone else i am steeped in american culture/music etc..
..i do however admit to ‘hating’ their blood-thirsty/cynical abuses of their global-power..
But Isis are not Mulsim, I have many Muslim family in Albania, I’m non religious. However true Muslims would never do this sort of thing. Isis have earned their wiping out. Islamic state my arse.
The US defended Saudia Arabia and pushed them back. Bush senior had the decency to halt there, but along came the war monger Bush Jnr with an agenda like I’d not seen in a while. I reiterate Bush Jnr and Blair should be done at the Haig.
“..can we conclude you are just a serial war-monger..?..easily swayed/driven to blood-lust..?..”
Knowing how you like to bang on about an issue when you think it has mileage, it’s not all about the deaths of 5 westerners.
Paraphrasing the fighting Kurdish women on TV, actively engaging isis on a daily basis in a fight for their survival, it’s ‘kill or be killed’. And they are fighting a well equipped, combat experienced, motivated ruthless murderous enemy.
You are happy to leave them to it to fend for themselves, knowing the consequences of failure are rape and slavery as bounty of war?
Maybe you don’t have enough invested to to get over being right on for the sake of it, but I support those brave women and hope they get all the protection the UN have to offer.
Quick, Clean-power, take this test. If your score is above room temperature in Fahrenheit, we might be able to explain why the situation is a little more complicated.
I suspect we won’t, though.
There should be worldwide condemnation of America and their continued intervention in other countries affairs. These invasions by the yanks leave nothing but carnage. How many times have they invaded a country, taken out a so called despot dictator, only to pull out leaving the place in ruin and creating a civil war in their wake. Look at Sadam and the weapons of mass destruction nonsense, and the US backed tooling up of Bin Ladin, only for him too turn on them. Now this latest mess in Syria where they once supported the former leader to the tune of billions, only too take him out.
The whole American economy revolves around their war machine where 1 in 5 (last time I looked) jobs are military/arms related.
Your right Phil, our involvement does make us a very likely target for some nasty terrorist attack. What on earth Key thinks he is doing by telling the World “Our SIS will have a role like identifying targets for drone strikes and bombing missions.”
Most of us shudder to think if that happens we can expect to be a target, bringing the doors wide open for Uncle Sam to setup shop here, Key-National are already smoothing the way by the looks of our likely involvement.
“.. How many times have they invaded a country, taken out a so called despot dictator, only to pull out leaving the place in ruin and creating a civil war in their wake..”
..that..or similar..over 50 times since the end of the second world war..(57 ..i think..)
..each of them of course ..black and white battles of ‘good’ against ‘evil’…eh..?
Be careful what you ask for Skinny. Theres a small but growing group in the US who seem to think the way forward is to pull all the US troops home, leave the Middle East to sort its own crap, and use the newly home troops to actually enforce their border with Mexico, to upgrade the war on drugs, and evict all the non residents from the US, and then seal their borders. No money for illegals, no medical help for illegals – the only help they would get was to get them back to their home country.
And change the rules and get the oil out of Alaska and live independent of the rest of the world. And invite the UN head office to go to somewhere nice like Somlia.
Hey 50 years of that and the USA would be like an upsized Japan. 🙂
As one wag said recently “why spend all that money fighting “them” in the Middle East and having them hate us, when we can pull out and do nothing and they can still hate us for free”
you mean 5-6 westeners don’t you Phillip? Syrians and Iraqis are people too although their (mass) executions don’t get the headlines. IS are bad guys. However, the worst guys, Bush/Blair et al started this whole mess. National wanted a piece of that too. Thank God Helen had the sense to keep us out of it.
I don’t know what the answer to the problems in Iraq and Syria are, but given what Western military interventions have achieved in that region in the past, I’m pretty sure it’s not sending troops. The problems there now are happening on a stage mounted by the US and UK, and they have no ideas of doing anything except what hasn’t worked in the past.
Israeli atrocities in Gaza were far worse. Why didn’t the US bomb Tel Aviv, if that’s the way to stop vicious extremists?
Ex Wall Street banker John Key is very keen to rush us into the latest round of murderous blood letting in the Middle East.
Have you wondered why?
Just listen in horror as an outraged John Key delivers a screaming skull pro war speech in 2003, to know.
“Our traditional allies are in there, (in this agreement). We, in our name are missing.
“MIA, just like it was in the war in Iraq. Missing.
“And this country will… This country will pay for that, don’t you worry about that. Don’t you worry about that!
“There will be no free trade arrangement here in New Zealand.
“There will be one thing we won’t have to worry about, that is container ships going to America, because there will none of them leaving from out of this country, because there will no free trade arrangement……”
John Key, Parliament, 2003
In 2003 in parliament on behalf of his US masters John Key impotently screams and threatens trade sanctions against New Zealand to force us into war. (Threats that were never carried out).
In a nightmarish reversal we now have this disgusting quisling in charge.
John Key’s 2003l Hitler like rant in support of war and demands that we submit to his hollow threats of trade sanctions, should never be forgotten.
How many more New Zealand families would be mourning their war dead now if we had given in to this traitor’s threats.
And what for?
After ten years of incessant war and ten New Zealand dead, Iraq and Afghanistan are worse than ever.
[lprent: I am not sure why you are getting put in auto-moderation all of the time. I suspect the ‘ in O’Dea. It will probably be the weekend before I can check. ]
If Al Qaeda are the bad guys, why is the U.S. arming them?
And is the A.P. a news organisation or a propaganda arm of the government?
In the 1980s the United States funded and supported the fanatics who became Al Qaeda. Now it’s bombing them AND arming them at the same time. The media, loyal and unquestioning as ever, are solidly in behind the Obama regime on this. Not only the bloodthirsty chickenhawk outlets like Fox News, but virtually all the media. The following Associated Press article is typical of the unquestioning support for whatever the government does. I’ve highlighted the first few examples of odious hypocrisy in bold, italicised type…..
Obama praises House vote on arming Syrian rebels
by JOSH LEDERMAN and DARLENE SUPERVILLE, 17 September 2014
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama praised a House vote Wednesday granting him authority for the U.S. military to train and arm moderate Syrian rebels, calling it an important step toward confronting the Islamic State group.
The Republican-controlled House voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to authorize the program. Final approval in the Senate was expected Thursday.
Obama said in a statement that the House vote shows there’s bipartisan support for a critical component of his strategy to confront Islamic State extremists, who have seized territory in Iraq and Syria. He said the training won’t be conducted in Syria and U.S. military personnel won’t be on the ground in Syria as part of the program, adding that the U.S. has learned from fighting al-Qaida that it’s better to use America’s capabilities to help partners on the ground defend themselves.
At a White House picnic later Wednesday for members of Congress and their families, Obama singled out House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., for helping shepherd the legislation quickly through the House. He said the U.S. had gone through a difficult time recently with terrorist attacks and the financial crisis, but said the House vote showed that “when it comes to America’s national security, America is united.”
Seeking to build on the brief moment of bipartisanship, Obama said if Republicans and Democrats can come together over the Islamic State threat, there’s no doubt they can work together to improve schools, cure diseases and rebuild the nation’s infrastructure.
Won’t be long before he calls on his BFF John Key to provide help. Here we go again. Will we never learn.
Might be a good time to go watch the great Bobby Darin and what he had to say about war https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL8GeX43MrU
If data is not property WTF were the plods looking for when they turned Hager over?.
.
In a decision released by the court today, it concluded the convictions should be quashed.
“We conclude that the convictions entered in the District Court should be quashed, but only on the ground conceded by the Crown, namely that computer data is not ‘property’ as defined.
“Having rejected all other grounds of appeal, it is now necessary for us to address the Crown’s submission that we should substitute convictions based on obtaining a ‘benefit’.”
However, the court said it would not enter substitute convictions.
“We consider the grounds for substituting new verdicts are not met in the present case.”
It looks like property needs to be redefined in the statutes. If the data had been in written form and he’d photocopied it, would that have been property?
I’m not going to cry any tears for TAG oil. In fact I wish he’d wiped their database, but this troubles me. It opens a whole can of worms about IP.
Australian couple tell Pope about joys of sex etc.
A good article for a paradigm shift, understanding and enlightenment in the catholic church boldly spearheaded by the present pope. A good thought provoking article. Includes the homosexuality issue.
That news about Alex Sweeney Auckland identity, owing millions in tax. Now I find his name is spelt Alex Swny or Swyney. or something. The obvious answer to the charge here is that he has been paying his tax correctly, under his peculiarly spelt name. It will be just an administrative error . The credit has gone to the normally-spelled name.
So all you people called Smth and Brwn and Hne had better check.
Textor is actually in defence mode. It was Ev that was in right wing attack mode in her weird post that extrapolated Textor’s part time gig writing for an specialist Aussie business mag being a sign that he totally controls Fairfax in NZ. Like it or not, Textor had her pinned exactly right when he suggested she was probably into chemtrails etc. And yes, Ev, you are batshit crazy, but then, you already knew that, eh?
Ha ha! Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after Ev! While you’re probably correct that Textor already knew she was a flake, he wouldn’t need a file. Ev’s home page is chock fulla nuts, so he would have seen that when he read the original half arsed story.
Batshit, just a point of perspective, if She’s batshit , key and English are barking mad and howling at the moon. As for Textor. just another bully who if confronted would run away from the repercussions of his crap like any other bully.
but Putake, since I’m sure your very close to him tell him to bring the shit to my door if he’s got the kahuna’s. but no eh? he sends dogs like you to defend him. Tiny balls.
Adobe’s Digital Editions 4 e-reader gathers user’s content and metadata and transmits it in the clear back to Adobe.
My source told me, and I can confirm, that Adobe is tracking users in the app and uploading the data to their servers. (Adobe was contacted in advance of publication, but declined to respond.)
And just to be clear, I have seen this happen, and I can also tell you that Benjamin Daniel Mussler, the security researcher who found the security hole on Amazon.com, has also tested this at my request and saw it with his own eyes.
Adobe is gathering data on the ebooks that have been opened, which pages were read, and in what order. All of this data, including the title, publisher, and other metadata for the book is being sent to Adobe’s server in clear text.
I am not joking; Adobe is not only logging what users are doing, they’re also sending those logs to their servers in such a way that anyone running one of the servers in between can listen in and know everything,
I’m reading activist Margaret Thorns book Stick Out Keep Left. The great days of Labour and the thoughts of an intelligent dedicated couple serving their fellows.
A bit about the heady Labour days of 1920s and 1930s. Looking back, the enormous party propaganda…is hardly believable. Radio broadcasting had not yet arrived and big crowds would gather in halls and on street corners….The Empress Theatre could be filled on Sunday nights easily, and there was a plethora of capable and well-informed speakers. The Labour Party headquarters at 80 Manners Street was the scene of…lectures, debates, drama classes, socials and dances….
We watched as Ramsay MacDonald formed a Labour Government in London in 1924 but the same pattern of post-war unemployment and declining prices prevailed, and no easement could come from a government without real power. Misery deepened… perhaps deepest of all in Germany. We read Maynard Keynes’s Economic Consequences of the Peace. That startled the horses.
Why high tax rates have a negative effect on jobs and real wages, and tend to lower productivity, which is essential if wages are to rise.
Now let see, I have just become CEO of widget corp, and I decide to sell off my best dividend producing assets, downsize my service delivery, and raise more of my tax revenue from the poorer stockholders while giving the top few shareholders a huge bonus. Sure, it looks like a tax cut to the wealthiest, but was anything but.
Our economy will continue to fail when people like Roger Douglas fail to see what happened right before their eyes, the massive reallocation of wealth from middle and lower NZ to the upper few. Strangely most of the TV medai who would have seen the tax cut boost their take home pay. You know their names, Henry, Campbell..
You see productivity is a problem, and it starts with the productivity of our media to talk truth to power. That Key’s legacy of shorting us all, will increasingly cause pain across the NZ economy and into every household.
Pro-weed party gets over twice votes that United Future got! Are we in Israel now? Dunne becomes minister, most outspoken minister in favor of industrial highs which would directly compete with natural weed. Imagine that, say, Pepsi being banned and more voters voting Pepsi yet Mr Industrial Coke gets a ministerial position.
Greens gain one MP in final count, back to 14. Labour lost two MPs from last election. Espom still has three MPs, Seymour, Goldsmith and Genter. And nobody in Labour has a clue about how MMP works, since most Labour constituencies have just one member of parliament, and they like it that way.
The Herald always writes headings like that
“PM : NZ won’t be a target.”
Well if Key says so, it must be right.
Go back to sleep New Zealand……The Block is on TV
I haven’t seen any discussion about the Te Tai Tokerau judicial recount, but then again I may have missed it (as I’ve mainly had TS open in a background tab while concentrating on other things rather than musing over every comment these last few days). I’m just surprised that it’s not Waiariki & Ikaroa-Rāwhiti (or in fact; all the Māori electorates), as well – seeing as the MANA movement has shown itself willing to question the methods of those employed by the Electoral Commission. I would have expected Ōhāriu too, but that’s down to Labour or the GP (rather than the IMPs who stood no candidate in that electorate).
“I have applied for a judicial recount of the votes in the Tai Tokerau election because it is one step in trying to restore credibility to the electoral process in the north, and, I suspect, in all other Maori electorates as well” said MANA leader Hone Harawira.
“Irrespective of whether the recount changes the result of the election in Te Tai Tokerau, these issues need to be independently examined and substantial improvements made ahead of the next election to ensure our people’s basic rights are respected and their participation in the democratic process is encouraged and affirmed.”
Being predicted by Davis (and thus his associates), there may not be much evidence left to find in Te Tai Tokerau; other electorates may have been less well scrubbed. But this is the only electorate that I know of that is facing even moderately independent scrutiny. Scrutineers were, in my experience, limited in the actual amount of scrutiny they could do. This recount is still in the “electorate’s returning office in Auckland”, but at least this time; “overseen by District Court Judge Tom Broadmore”: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11338559
I’ve read stuff on Mana’s FB pages about it. It doesn’t seem designed to get Hone a seat, not this time around anyway. What Mana is concerned about is the way Maori voters have been treated by electorate officials in the north. People were told they couldn’t vote in Whangarei and had to go to Waipu, for example. It’s all anecdotal at the moment, but it looks like a lot of rubbish went on. It reminds me of the lengths they go to in the US and A to stop minorities voting. If correct, the stories are extremely concerning. As someone who lived in Whangarei until I was 15, they ring true.
“I agree entirely with Michelle.”
The dismal double act of Boag and Edwards is back. The Panel, Radio NZ National, Tuesday 8 October 2014
Jim Mora, Michelle Boag, Brian Edwards, Zara Potts
Brian Edwards is like Josie Pagani, Deborah Mahuta Coyle and Mike Williams: he says he’s a Labour supporter, but he’s more concerned about currying favor with whatever scowling right winger happens to be in the vicinity. This afternoon, the scowling right winger was the National Party power-broker—and mortal enemy of the Slater faction—Michelle Boag.
Edwards seems bewitched and bewildered by the charms of the Prime Minister, and he’s not shy about expressing just how much he admires him…..
BRIAN EDWARDS: Cundliffe’s performance is Shakespearian, you know. It’s big, grand, over the top. His interruptions of the Prime Minister led to Hosking having to intervene, and say “David you’re shouting.” The adjudicator had to stop him interrupting. And people DON’T LIKE THAT. MICHELLE BOAG:[approvingly] Ex-ACT-ly! BRIAN EDWARDS: Whereas John Key, on the other hand, is someone I’d be happy to have a beer with. MICHELLE BOAG: I can arrange that for you. BRIAN EDWARDS: Ha ha ha ha ha! But Key is easy and relaxed. The reality of television is that there are two people talking quietly in a studio. It’s an intimate medium.
Later on….
MICHELLE BOAG: Auckland Council should sell off its assets, such as the Ports of Auckland. BRIAN EDWARDS: I agree. MICHELLE BOAG: It should cease this ideological opposition to selling off assets. JIM MORA: Brian, what do you think? BRIAN EDWARDS: I agree entirely with Michelle.
Perhaps the nadir of the program came in the course of a learned discussion about ISIS, just after Michelle Boag called it “totally evil” and averred: “These people don’t UNDERSTAND democracy like we do.” Mora paused for effect, then earnestly asked Professor Al Gillespie to answer the sort of moronic question that usually gets aired on Rupert Murdoch’s barking mad Fox News….
JIM MORA:[with utmost gravitas] Are we looking at a great clash of civilizations?
Or WAS it the nadir? Incredibly, Mora—or his producer—seems determined to make this show even lighter, even more trivial than what you hear on NewstalkZBigot. Just before the end of the show, Jim Mora raised the subject of tonight’s total eclipse (the “Blood Moon”). To learnedly discuss this, he wheeled on an astrologer, Don Murray.
Edwards exercised his trademark sarcasm against Murray for a while, but clearly his heart was not in it.
Having just read the latest post on NRT’s blog I expect him to come out shortly announcing that the ACT party leader during the election has been dreadfully maligned and the NRT s going to vote ACT in future! http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/
RNZ The Panel this afternoon – good to hear the bossy, somewhat bawling Michelle Boag forthrightly corrected on her claim (apparently a significant factor in first home buyers’ housing difficulties) – “All these young couples expect to be able to get their first home in Herne Bay……” or some such throwaway rubbish. What ???
So that’d be why there aren’t any busy high street real estate agencies south of Onehunga then ?
Guest contributor Mark Graham (name?)…….an apparently qualified voice on the topic…….”No Michelle, that’s just not correct”. The dear lady chose not to argue.
Such contemptibly dishonest spin from the National Party corner. Apparently……as long as you say ‘something’, however patently stupid…….lo, no problem. Or if undeniably there remains a problem – “Well, it’s their own fault !”
And then she waxes lyrical about “Mang-a-ree Bridge” as fertile ground for the would-be home buyer. Oh really madam ? Not to dis’ Mangere Bridge at all but has she ever been there ? And has she ever seen current prices there ?
Abbott in Australia is reported as having been angry that some Muslims are visiting and holding meetings critical of the US intervention. Apparently he calls it hate speech.
I hope that criticism, even strong criticism, isn’t inflated to meet the hyperbole about terrorism.
The great majority of the New Zealand public saw the entire Dirty Politics prices, and decided that it was not sufficiently important to alter their vote.
We need to accept that.
Not saying it will be easy.
National now have a further term to permanently install a new level of ethics, legal tests for slander, journalistic intimidation, renew every single public sector board to tilt governance their way for a generation, instal favorable judges for decades, and crushing the remaining parliamentary opposition.
If we want an alternative government to form, it will include winning – and including people like Nash – despite all of that.
The great majority of the New Zealand public saw Key’s description of Dirty POlitics as a left wing smear campaign, and thinks Dirty Politics is when Labour does something wrong. The serious stuff of the inquiries has yet to happen. When it does, Nash will be toast.
I think the dirty politics thing did have some impact – just it was not enough to change most people’s votes because people were already going to vote right. It instead just made them want to vote NZfirst and Conservatives in the same way that a major labour scandal of corruption would probably not result in a huge defection to National (but might result in a significant defection to green).
So I think one can say the public was taking it seriously and yet it not make a significant difference in the election due to other more significant factors.
Don’t like the look of all those mouthful of white teeth on Nash – couldn’t be rawshark could it. And I think Bomber is concentrating on Labour getting onto the government benches. I don’t want a new crop of right-wing oriented types carrying forward the soiled red banner worn down since 1984.
Can’t we actually get a crop of young Labour guys and girls who are involved in the politics and get trained and would have been thoroughly vetted? And then we will have some newcomers with broad interests and background coming forward. If it already happens, make it better.
I suspect that most NZ politicians have an ugly side where they have sacrificed ethics for political progress in some sense.
Overseas they talk about how if you were ethically clean you could never even get off the ground in politics. Maybe it isn’t quite as bad here but I’m sure it still applies to an extent
The problem is that if you turn on your advocates for this, you will cripple your own pool of advocates (which is relevant if one considers Nash an advocate of their general position).
We need this whole collective mind to start debating what an effective and coherent opposition would look like. The opposition is too scattered to do it themselves.
The goal is an alternative government. This is not going to be evident in Parliament until either late this term or early the next one, because they’re still reeling from the evident distance from attaining power.
So absent anyone else able to span the divides, we here are the default ground for thinking through an alternative government.
Personally I would like to see more post from MPs from Labour, the Greens, and NZFirst. Could the Moderators reach out to the parties to do this?
I have yet to hear how the left, and labour in particular intend countering two track strategy and cult key. Until that is addressed it wont matter who leads, the left wont be back in power til national shoots itself through the heart.
I imagine the labour politicians have a “hope he retires” strategy.
One could try ones luck with a One track Muldoon strategy I suppose. then undermine the faith of the public in politicians and then see if people will vote for the rat or the snake.
They have a precedent for corrupting, like they did Shane Jones they seem to be playing a game with this Nash fellow I’ve never heard of until recently.
Does he have a wiki page yet? Who is this Nash fellow, some National MP planted to cross the floor if Labour won?
I was reading that pathetic piece by the treacherous Roger, decided to step out to look at the moon, and then stood under the clear skies baying for blood 🙂
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Tuesday, March 19:Kāinga Ora’s dry rot The Spinoff DailyBill McKibben on ‘Climate Superfunds’ making Big Oil pay for climate damage The Crucial YearsPreston Mui on returning to 1980s-style productivity growth NoahpinionAndy Boenau on NIMBYs needing unusual bedfellows Urbanism SpeakeasyNed Resnikoff's case ...
Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
Bryce Edwards writes – It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played.“Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I- Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka KotahiThe fact that a ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st CenturyThe SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims StuffSteve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
David Farrar writes – We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how labour went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promiseThe result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
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Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
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See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
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Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
The government’s attack on Māori health this week is committing tangata-whenua to a premature death, says Te Pāti Māori. “The government have begun their onslaught on Māori health with the abolishment of the Māori Health Authority and smokefree laws in the same day” said health spokesperson and co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. ...
"The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
Chumbawamba have reportedly issued the deputy PM a cease-and-desist notice after he used their song 'Tubthumping' before his state of the nation speech. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Lupton, SHARP Professor, Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney kitzcorner/Shutterstock The assertion from Queensland’s chief health officer John Gerrard that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Why are musicians so keen to get played on the radio? It can’t be because of the money. In Australia they are paid at rates so low they ...
"Farmers make a point not to tell our urban cousins how to live, yet Chlöe from central Auckland is hell-bent on having her say about farmers," says ACT Rural Communities spokesman Mark Cameron. “On her first day in the House as Green ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Curran, Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images/Gerald Corsi In the latest move to reform environmental laws in New Zealand, the coalition government has introduced a bill to fast-track consenting processes for projects deemed to ...
Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to ...
What can and can’t be purchased by disabled people or their carers has been slashed in an effort by the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha to save money. The purchasing guidelines, a set of rules that sets out what can be purchased using the various streams of Government disability funding, ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Tod Wright and Hien Nguyen, Fiscal incidence in New Zealand: The effects of taxes and benefits on household incomes in tax year 2018/19 . Analyses of the distributional impact of taxation and government ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Cory Davis, Boston Hart and Benjamin Stubbing, Household cost-of-living impacts from the Emissions Trading Scheme and using transfers to mitigate regressive outcomes . This Analytical Note ...
A coalition of public transport and climate organisations, united as ‘Transport for All’, is actively opposing the government’s transport proposals. The draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) includes plans for higher fares for public transport, ...
Greater Wellington is inviting feedback on proposed changes to its Revenue and Financing Policy. The Revenue and Financing Policy covers the Council’s various sources of funding, and how the cost of services is shared across the region. This includes ...
Labour has conceded it could have done more to deal with disruptive state housing tenants while in government but says the current coalition is going too far. ...
The band has asked their record label to issue a cease and desist to stop the NZ First leader using their 1997 hit to support his ‘misguided political views’. “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” blared through the speakers on Sunday as Winston Peters took the stage ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
Opinion: In a move that has shocked road safety advocates across the country, the new Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, is poised to abandon the previous government’s speed limit reduction policy, particularly around schools. Even more alarmingly, he wants school speed limits to be variable rather than full-time, arguing ...
Auckland Council is opposing a fast-track development backed by Sir John Kirwan and Spark NZ, because it doesn’t meet stringent new climate adaptation requirements The post Surf-data centre faces new 3.8C climate warming rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
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Roger Douglas has been wheeled out of his crypt to give us all the way forward for Labour by those caring folks at the Herald.
The Herald slaps the left yet again with a wet fish called Douglas.
Douglas thinks we should all adopt the ACT way and things will get much better to concise it.
How did we go wrong folks, if only we had followed Sir Shitforbrains we would get elected.
Now I’m not saying there is a little hatred on the left for Sir Moron, but please take a deep breathe after reading this. Don’t go to the Herald, you might have a stroke or worse.
But if anyone of you want a good gut laugh this morning here’s the link.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11337963
Granny continues its fine work as a national party rag, I guess hooten is too busy with all his other media gigs and prebbles a bit compromised after his act campaign leadership worked so well.
I read it yesterday but the comments should be a hoot if they haven’t been censoring them. Only 35 comments in a day, they must have been using the big delete button, as they didn’t want the shrivelled one to have a heart attack. But you need to have a heart first.
The Herald did not publish my comment!
I’d suggest to people that they also post a copy here, after they upload their comments on that rag and indicating here that is what they have done.
Douglas should worry about the popularity of ACT instead of advising us. What an arrogant fool.
And where was Douglas while writing that? Where is he these days, while drawing on the NZ people’s money?
@ Richard aka Rawshark 1
Here is a good fishgut laugh. I couldn’t resist bringing some mirth into your day. Doctors recommend a laugh to keep the mind healthy and functioning. Here is your morning dose if you choose to accept it – from Monty Python – fish slapping dance 27 sec and 2nd longer of Palin pontificating.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9SSOWORzw4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLdK9zaLaG8
🙂 ahh you know what I like.
Monty Pyhon fan since a kid.
Best is the silly walk by Cleese which Colin thunderbirds Craig has adopted a style of.
Ebola in Spain: slack procedures, poor discipline, lacksadaisical attitude, poor equipment and official lies
Nurse contracts ebola from infected (now dead) patient in Spain. Several others now hospitalised.
Decades of BS managerialism and under funding dangerously worsens performance when it actually matters.
Who do you believe – officials who say strict quarantine was instituted straight away, or the hospital staff who say patient was just kept in a general ward surrounded by others.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/07/ebola-crisis-substandard-equipment-nurse-positive-spain
Not being sarcastic much here CV, but if we ever get an Ebola case the way Nastinal are behaving they would take the patient on a meet the people tour. Poor people.
As with all these things the difference will be definitional.
A quarantine procedure was initiated. It is strict relative to just dumping everyone in a pile. But it involves people probably getting a lot closer to each other than we would be comfortable with.
Maybe this will be comforting
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-10-07/tuesday-humor-spains-ebola-containment-protocols
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-10-07/spain-warns-something-went-wrong-suspected-ebola-cases-rise-madrid
Then there was the photo that was allegedly of the man cleaning vomit off the pavement from the Texas Ebola patient. No hazard suit, people walking past and through the area.
One thing that interests me is given the relatively high placement on public health priorities (epidemic prevention), countries like the US and Spain are repatriating people with Ebola rather than treating them in the country where they contracted it.
just looking at that Tues humour link, while I agree that there are issues around degradation of hospital services, I think the article is a bit unhelpful where it implies you need high tech to contain Ebola. If it were airborne, I would agree, but it’s not, so lower tech protocols would actually work if done properly (whether overworked, underfunded hospitals systems can do lower tech protocols is another matter).
Lots more people die annually from influenza
Yes, but the fatality rate for influenza is much lower than that for Ebola. Having said that, the Spanish flu was far worse in terms of the combination of lethality and ability to spread than Ebola will ever be.
Am not sayong Ebola isnt bad but the fixation is out of proportion to the many other lesser diseases killing millions more.
please see my reply below. Maybe we’ll look back on this ebola scare in 12 months and think it was an interesting but short lived minor fizzle. And maybe we won’t, with infected numbers currently rising exponentially, killing hundreds of healthcare workers this year alone.
The key word in my comment is fixation…
I was alive thirty odd years ago when Ebola last hit the headlines in a major way.
As long as you realise that the current outbreak is around 15x more severe than the one you remember from your younger days, in terms of probable fatalities and cases, and was isolated to provincial rural villages, not million person cities like Freetown and Madrid.
The passing time might have generated a really virulent strain?
4 strains of Ebola with the Zaire strain having more than 80% fatality rate.
Nah. It’s hitting populated areas with good road communications.
@ McFlock
I understand that was how the Aids virus spread so effectively. It was transmitted by itinerant truck drivers having a quickie along their route. It was supposed to start off between males, but wasn’t long before it showed up in females.
The desire for a short break results in known locations being places for prostitutes to wait. I saw in Italy a truck driver hop down, near a roundabout, leave his engine running, and then back again and drive off, and a prostitute then waiting at the roadside. So I think that it could be surmised that sex would have taken place, and perhaps a pee after, a relief stop.
Well, the big example is the Spanish flu 1918, which was partially related to troop movements and civilian relocations from late WW1.
Basically, travel networks affect how quickly a disease spreads geographically. Economic or war refugees (or refugees from the disease itself in an established epidemic), standard migration, and the close quarters of travel and shared facilities increase transmission, and population density increases opportunities for transmission, too.
ISTR that the first few ebola outbreaks within local populations were in relatively isolated areas, so could burn themselves out more quickly.
As a rule of thumb, once you hit a city or traffic route, you need stronger artificial controls, education, and quarantine efforts. The NZ Health Act, for example, gives the Health minister dictatorial powers that would make CERA-brownlee cum at the thought.
The passing time might have generated a really virulent strain?
The Guardian ran a Q and A with one of the researchers who identified Ebola in 1976 in which he was asked about it becoming more infectious through mutation:
‘Yes, that really is the apocalyptic scenario. Humans are actually just an accidental host for the virus, and not a good one. From the perspective of a virus, it isn’t desirable for its host, within which the pathogen hopes to multiply, to die so quickly. It would be much better for the virus to allow us to stay alive longer.
Could the virus suddenly change itself such that it could be spread through the air?
‘Like measles, you mean? Luckily that is extremely unlikely. But a mutation that would allow Ebola patients to live a couple of weeks longer is certainly possible and would be advantageous for the virus.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/04/ebola-zaire-peter-piot-outbreak
Hi Tracey, to be honest I struggle with this kind of comment, which I see all the time for instance on Twitter. To me it represents a misunderstanding of both risk and uncertainty. The format is “x phenomena kills more people a year than Ebola ever has in its history.”
This is usually true as well, given that in its known history Ebola has killed only a few thousand people.
The difference is this – things like influenza or traffic accidents or gun violence in the USA are a very well described, thoroughly understood, self limiting phenomena which have been observed over long periods of time.
None of these descriptions match what is happening now re: ebola.
I am referring to the media fixation Cv. When we are not being kept in fear by media focus on killings, murder, car accidents and acts of war, we are kept cringing for fear of our own bodies.
Of course have strategies to deal with Ebola… Develop vaccines… But blast it in every paper news and radio report? Nah its just a continuation of keep the sheeple fearful. Its the fear de jour.
I agree with your general point and usually I would back it 100% as I saw the media/govt nonsense around swine flu etc.
However I understand the mathematical power of exponential growth in infections with an ebola R0 infection rate currently rated at ~1.75 (ea infected person is currently infecting 1.75 more) and until that comes down much closer to 1.0 (or of course ideally less than 1.0), the western world will have a serious problem within the next 6 months.
Currently, the number of cases is doubling every 3 weeks.
Ebola is easily contained and has an extremely low R0 when compared to Measles or the flu.
Damn facts.
/
The last sentence is the key point:
http://www.virology.ws/2014/10/06/who-on-ebola-virus-transmission/
http://www.virology.ws/ebolavirus/
I don’t think we can trust our governments to run any real hazardous disease outbreak to the necessary level. In the USA he private profit approach will prevent whole-hearted effort there and then worries about affordability by states, especially the poorer ones, when viewing the lists of tasks government needs to do, also what private companies need to do and the bills that the patients and their family will have to face.
USA citizen Michael Katakis spoke to Wallace Chapman on Sunday 6th about his despair of the USA. He quotes the venality of the country there in a tale relating to his wife’s hospitalisation. While she was home recovering the hospital billing department phoned and asked when they could expect payment for $1200 that was outstanding. He explained that the insurance company had advised that $75,000 had been paid, and that a further $80,000 was pending. The clerk explained the bill was for doctors’ fees, and they were separate from the hospital fees paid by the insurance company. This was after paying $1,000 a month for a health insurance cover, and a $10,000 excess on hospital charges. So he had to manage finding $27,000 before the company would agree to cover them. He also had to sell most of their goods to cover all the costs including living costs before his wife eventually died.
Michael Katakis – Traveller ( 22′ 31″ ) Sunday, 6.10.2014 http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday
In NZ we have hospitals under stress with managers with a grab bag of practices they can use to appear to be managing efficiently which includes employing contractors for ‘short’ periods instead of having permanent staff doing the work for less. At present we have doctors leaving a lower south island hospital because they can’t practice effectively and are under budget pressure all the time. The managerial style that sets targets and controls from above, rather than working with the doctors and staff is a barrier to efficiency and effectiveness.
This radionz piece refers to a debit sum of $16 million at the Southern District Health Board.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/256398/%27changes-needed%27-at-southern-dhb
At the end related pieces with a list of woes:
DHB takes dispute to Serious Fraud Office
Ryall credits targets for stable ship
Southern DHB deficit over $15m
DHB’s funding below inflation – Labour
DHB: crackdown won’t affect care
In 2006 Swann an IT professional at the Otago DHB was charged with fraud of $16 million. What’s the bet that this huge cost is still weighing down the unfortunate hospital board ever since….
Further details of an alleged $16.9 million fraud at the Otago District Health Board were revealed in Parliament yesterday.
Mr Ryall told Parliament that Swann had bought a 50m former marine research vessel in Hawaii and refitted it to be a luxury launch.
The Otago Daily Times recently reported that the board was seeking to recover its losses through a High Court civil claim, which names Swann and 19 other defendants and lawyers, trustees, company directors and companies….
A question asked – Is he [Mr Hodgson] telling the house that no one at the DHB asked how a former bankrupt and hospital manager on $200,000 a year could afford such extravagance over such a period of time?”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10411886
Swann served 1 month in prison for each $300K he defrauded society. Sounds like a sweetheart deal compared to what people might get for stealing a car or pinching $10,000 from their employer.
Colonial Rawshark
Did you know that or just know where to look it up? You are so well informed. Are you a …savant or have a photogenic/graphic memory? Or just lay newspapers on the floor and soak up facts through your soles??
parker on tv3 confirming that ..yes..!..labour too are keen that we go to war…
..against this latest version of ‘the bad guys’..
..(question:..how many innocent men/women/children have been blown to pieces by american drones…in the period of these executions by isis..?..
..i’m picking it is far more than the 5-6 people executed by isis..
..where is labours’/our indignation at that..?..no..?..)
..and from key i understand we will be doing ‘humanitarian work’..that we ‘specialise in’..
..which actually involves targeting sites to be bombed..
..(which is..one of the more unusual definitions of ‘humanitarian work’ i have heard in awhile..)
..and of course..this will make nz a legitimate ‘soft’ target for retaliation/terror-attacks..
..really great to see that labour didn’t just have a knee-jerk reaction there..eh..?
..and an unseemly rush to war…
..(oh..!..hang on..!..)
On this one PU I want Isis wiped out. I want to see them suffer. The beheadings are atrocious and innocent people are dieing.
Sometimes you have to fight.
at times war is appropriate.
On this topic I’m all for action. The bigger the better. I’d be prepared to defend them against slavery, forced prostitution and conversion or die.
They are beheading humanitarians just like most left people are.
@ richard..
maybe you need to see some videos of those innocent men/women/children that have been blown apart by american drones..?
..you may also find you find that ‘atrocious’…
..and yes..’innocent people are dieing’ (sic..) there too..
..eh..?
..and you are all gung-ho that we help ‘target’ those drones/bombers..
..as our ‘humanitarian’-effort in the region..?
..eh..?
..it’s all pretty black and white thru yr eyes..eh..?
..and america is the one wearing the white hat..eh..?
Tell the Kurdish people that Phillip, that their innocence is not worth protecting. As the U S solutionis not palatable prey tell what is a more acceptable solution ?especially given the lack of the UN’s ability to solve any conflict or to successfully take any action against any leaders in regard to genocide or crimes against humanity.
All well meaning comments. And the Peshmerga would be able to hold off ISIS no problem if ISIS weren’t now equipped with the latest in US armour and artillery. And supported by many many Sunni ex-Iraqi Forces only recently trained up by the USA.
Howxdo you see the problem being resolved?
I do not believe that there is any resolution; just awful choices and worse ones.
Whilst Isis have acquired equipment from the army I would expect the Turkish army to be better trained & better equiped than this group.
The Isis forces would be exposed if they do face the turkishy army around Kobani, which to me looks likely would take a more traditional & conventional battle, with air support working in co ordination with a ground force attack.
Unfortunately in such cases there is almost the justification othat the means of addressing such conflicts as by viewing the response by ” the lesser of 2 evils”. The problem I see is that “our” tradional view that of winning a conflict are not relevant in today’s world, or that those in the US even have an idea of what a successful outcome is
Yes the Kobani battle could be won by a major mobilisation of Turkish forces. But the Turks are unlikely to do that because they see what is happening there as a fortuitous case of ISIS taking out a long standing enemy for them, the Kurds.
@ hero..aahh..!..the ‘plucky’ kurds..we are there to help them..eh..?
..try and wrap yr head around this then..(a story/link i posted this morn..)
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/oct/07/us-kurds-iraq-isis-massacre-syria-kobani
“..Why did the US help the Kurds in Iraq – but leave Isis to massacre them in Syria?..
..The fall of Kobani is a microcosm for a policy that is doomed to fail.
It was an avoidable tragedy..”
(cont..)
..eh..?
Whilst the U.S. have their problems in their Wild West , john Wayne gun ho attitude, unfortunately with all their short commings, there appear no other alternatives, as what other confederation is willing to enter to attempt to halt any crimes against humanity ? the UN ha straditionally been lacking
As Obama does not confide with me as to his strategy and what outcomes he desires I cannot comment as to why the U.S. allowed the Syrian situation, perhaps they were unwilling to enter Syrian territory for obvious reasons.
Should the Isis issue be solved the Kurds situation will not have progressed and they will continue to be a culture persecuted 🙁
y’ see..hero..
..this little/latest clusterfuck is a direct outcome of the ‘crime against humanity’ that was the american invasion of iraq..
..(and if i am scratching for something good to say about clark.i can cite her standing up against the screaming/hysterical war-mongers of the time..
..and not making us part and parcel of that ‘crime’..)
..and at that time the tory armchair warriors were jonesing/frothing for war..
..and simon power coined/cribbed his defining political-statement..
..when he said we should be ‘all the way..with george w..!’
..key is also on record voicing his disgust at clark for not taking us to that war..
..so that now he can’t even wait to be asked..he is that eager to be a spear-carrier..comes as no real surprise..
..i knew/predicted that if key won the election..he would rush to take us to war..
..mind you..going on parkers/labours ‘consent’ to this plan..they wd have been no different to key..)
..and so..hero..us getting involved in another ‘long war’ in the middle east..
..is the answer..eh..?…
..btw..what was the question..?
..mind you..going on parkers/labours ‘consent’ to this plan..they wd have been no different to key..
Parker’s statements remind me of the kind that a junior policy analyst would draft, that of a rambling weather-vane type which would be pointing there, pointing here, pointing somewhere in between, actually going nowhere and just pointing out as many directions as possible while rotating in the same spot.
http://www.3news.co.nz/tvshows/firstline/caution-needed-in-dealing-with-foreign-fighters—parker-2014100905
He meets the grade for being an undertaker for the Labour Party.
AHH no P U you went off track there. Putting word in my mouth and claiming I had a pro USA stance. That was not in my comment at all. I think you owe me an apology for that.
perhaps I should have been clearer. I did not mention the war mongering USA and I agree with you on them. But and it’s a big but, Isis is a total different kettle of bad.
I only want ISIS wiped out to the last man if possible.
As for bush and Blair I’m still waiting for the Haig to charge them., as for the USA the people for the most part are ok, there political structure is not. Won’t delve into it I suspect you know as much as I do or more on that score regarding military manufacturing and the links to government.
In Albania, My Grandfather pre Hoxha was a top ranking general for King Zog,
He’s famous there so are my family for it, so am I. So much so the then President wanted to meet the son of the son of him.
During WW2 he led the Bali Kombatar fighting 3 invaders the Italians, the Germans, and later hoxha’s communists, My whole family was eventually after a 1 month fight from their castle estate, finally defeated by a bomb blowing the castle doors off.
Then they shot all of them that we’re of age, I’ve met all the survivors 8 years ago, as they had been looking for my father who escaped, but found me as he passed away years ago, reunited I found a shocking story.
The things they did to the survivors was so shocking I havn’t the time to tell you.
So when you don’t want to help, you think it’s not your business, you end up leaving REAL stories of REAL atrocities.
I care, I care a lot about all people, what I don’t care about, is people with no empathy what so fucking ever for the plight of others.
I have a Albanian doco on what happened as told by grandfathers daughter, my fathers, sister, she retells the story of their final stand, what they did to her would shake your foundations.
If you ever want to see it i’ll get it translated for you. At my cost, eventually when I get a pay rise.
Sometimes you have to fight for democracy, the way things are going we may need to fight here.
So harden up and grow a pair. Peace has to be fought for sometimes.
did you feel the same way about saddam hussein..?
..and about gaddaffi..?
..that we had to fight them there..so we don’t need to fight them ‘here’..
..(you are sounding like the hysterics who built the guns on north head..
..’cos the russians were coming..eh..?..)
..and if you find that thinking back that yes..you did support overthrowing those ‘evil’ men..hussein and gaddaffi..
..you need to look at yr own propensity to be suckered by the propaganda-du-jour..eh..?..
..did you support them being overthrown – because they were the evil-du-jour..?
I’m happy to see ISIS wiped out – but sending troups over there may not help at all. ISIS is the renamed alquaeda in iraq which only exists as a significant issue because the west decided to go over there and blow stuff up in the first place.
Beheadings are bad – but they are only beheading these people on videos to ask you to come and bomb them. (and to get advertising so that they can recruit more soldiers). They need the bombing to distract the people from the fact that they can’t run the country and that they are made up largely of foreign invaders.
So to state phil’s point in pragmatic terms – will sending troups make the situation better or worse? So far it has made it worse.
Its hard to see how more killing will help but doing nothing while people are executed and people are killed in their homes from the various bombings around the world will help either.
More killing has not proven successful to date…
We tried to kill taleban… Then we tried to kill al quaeda and now IS has sprung up…. So more killing doesnt solve the problem.
Parker is talking like cullen, who would have been at home in national.
You just asked for another decade long, hundred thousand white troops on the ground in a Muslim country, war.
Just remember that was how we got here. And you want to do it again?
FFS grow a pair. On this I’m right your feeble don’t start another war , blow what I said all out of proportions is a joke.
Far out, they say there’s infighting amongst lefts, well all you lot do is argue for the sake of it sometimes. You lot like nothing more than rounding on people and I’ve had a hard day so fucking shut up.
If your family was about to be wiped out , your girls sold to some fighter for sex, and told to convert or die, or you had to run away, you’d be wanting some fucking help to.
Fuck pissed me off their you did.
The optimal strategy would be to mostly leave them be. If necessary use defensive airstrikes to prevent expansion at the periphery. Otherwise, leave them alone and the people who they purport to rule will get tired of them in no time or the movement will split. Intervention just gives them what they want – foreign devils to blame everything on.
You had better hope that they will just fade away then and that this story in The Telegraph is only a fairy story then.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/11064133/Islamic-State-seeks-to-use-bubonic-plague-as-a-weapon-of-war.html
If there is any truth in it will be vastly worse than Ebola or the 9/11 attacks won’t it?
…and Iraq was chock full of weapons of mass destruction.
How can you fall for it every time?
The problem with using biological agents is that at least some the people delivering them typically don’t want to be infected themselves. Given the biosecurity needed for this and the indiscriminate nature of the weapon, such bioweapons are really a non-starter.
The same goes for chemical weapons. Terrorists don’t need ISIS to supply them as they can make them themselves as the Aum Supreme Truth cult did. The problem with chemical weapons is that they aren’t suited for terrorism. The Aum cult would have killed far more people with a couple of nail bombs than it did with its home made nerve gas. Gas is a battlefield weapon for use against unprotected mass infantry formations (which is why Saddam had it). It’s next to useless as a weapon of terror.
This is all talk. Terrorists don’t use these weapons because they don’t work. They’ve tried before, and in the end you are better off using conventional weapons.
Read this. It doesn’t work.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorine_bombings_in_Iraq
Completely agree with your comments, Tom.
They did seem to be talking about biological weapons in relatively enclosed places for the distribution, not chemical weapons on a battlefield.
In terms of delivering them by people who don’t want to be infected these groups don’t seem to have much trouble getting enough people to be suicide bombers to cause a lot of trouble. The four planes involved in 9/11 had about 20 al Qaeda people involved who were by definition suicide forces. The didn’t have any trouble finding them did they?
The West has played its part in cultivating new generations of extremists in the middle east. Best to change course, don’t you think.
BTW in terms of casualties, the west has killed 1,000x more Muslims in middle eastern countries than Muslims have killed westerners in western countries.
If you were to successfully create an epidemic of bubonic plague in Britain or the United States, you would have to be able to do it on a scale that would render their first world health systems ineffective at responding to infections. But if their containment systems fail to cope, then it would automatically become a worldwide epidemic that would affect the poorer countries where the terrorists come from far worse than the targets. That makes no sense given the goals of groups like IS.
You also need to securely transport the biological agents to the target area and find a way to release them that will be effective. This is really hard to do. Chemical weapons have to be released on a grand scale to work (such as Saddam’s artillery barrages against Iranian infantry). Biological agents need a similarly wide spread to be effective if they’re ever going to be, and terrorists don’t have that luxury.
If chemical and biological weapons were of any use, the major powers would spend a lot of money on them. They don’t. They buy nukes, because nukes work. As for terrorists getting hold of a nuke. The very idea is risible.
Two things alwyn:
1. There is documentation missing from the 9/11 investigation – which many suspect, (including the us military, which is not a bastion of left wingers by the way) points the finger at Saudi Arabia.
2. The problem with blaming al Qaeda was always the lack of technical ability. Yes al Qaeda were good at fight a guerrilla war, with people willing to die, but they lacked the skills to coordinate what we call 9/11. I:E- Piloting and logistical skill set to perform said attacks. Now go back to point 1.
So the question for me, is why do we want to fight a rag bag bunch of criminals? When there is a rogue state, which is supposed to be our allie, who attacked our other supposed allie?
We look to be entering a perpetual state of war economy, to prop up a failing economic system. Rather than look at the underlying social and economic issues.
That and stopping arms being supplied to them.
Yes.
Mr Ure, I hope you also want ISIS wiped out. Do you? Do you?
Or are you a secret supporter of these criminals? Maybe your hatred of America is even bigger.
@clean power..
..you are seeking a simple answer to a complex issue/problem..
..an issue/problem that has been fuelled exacerbated by the west/invasion of iraq..etc..
..and an outcome that was predicted by many of those opposed to that initial-invasion….
..and that is at heart..a muslim sectarian war…sunni vs. shia..
..(b.t.w..where were you back then..?..c.p..?..
..were you one of those insistant we must ‘wipe out’ that ‘evil’ saddam hussein..eh..?
..followed by yr support for getting rid of that ‘evil’ gaddaffi..eh..?
..can we conclude you are just a serial war-monger..?
..easily swayed/driven to blood-lust..?..
.d’yareckon..?..)
@ Mr Ure: your “reply” does not answer my questions: are you for or against ISIS?
So, you believe this is a “muslim sectarian war” that poses no risk to the rest of the world. Incredible!
Maybe your anti-West position is supported by other reasons unknown to the readers.
@ clean power..
“..Maybe your anti-West position is supported by other reasons unknown to the readers…”
now i am fascinated..(and you seem to be breathing a bit heavier..)
..what on earth could those ‘reasons unknown’ be..?
please clean-power..i am on the edge of my seat here..!
..what..in yr mind..are these ‘reasons unknown’..?
..am i a ‘secret agent’ of some murky power..?
.(you aren’t confusing me with slater..are ya..?..
..he’s yr ‘secret-agent/murky-power’ go-to-person..eh..?..)
..(hang on..! i do have a copy of the koran on my bookshelf..!
..tho’..in my defence..it is one of a mix of different theological-tracts..whew..!..)
..please..!..do tell..!
..(and chrs 4 the belly-laffs..eh..?..)
And answer came there none.
Which makes me just a little suspicious that Clean power is some sort of SIS Black Ops type.
His (or her – probably his) framing of the issue as “Are you for or against ISIS” reminds me very much of an Israeli apologist called Hans who used to inflict various gotcha-style propaganda/rhetorical strategies on unsuspecting participants in The New Statesman discussion threads a few years ago (so much so that I used to refer to him as Hasbara Hans).***
Whenever people were discussing an article / opinion piece on Israel’s bombing or starvation of Gaza, dear old Hans would pop up to ask everyone whether they were For or Against the Evil Hamas. A very clear propaganda technique.
A year or two back, we all heard about SIS black ops, aiming to sew dissention on Left-leaning Blogs (although you’d have to wonder why they bother, there’s enough in-fighting going on as it is). Impossible to be sure, but there’s just a slight whiff of trouble-making underlying Clean power’s comments (taken collectively) since he suddenly turned up here in April.
He’s mainly focussed on making anti-Cunliffe comments (arguing the need for a leadership change 3 months out from the election and, ironically enough, accusing Cunliffe of sewing dissention in the Party) and anti-Hager comments as well as accusing Matt McCarten of being a “Mana Mole”, attacking sections of the Labour Party as representing “Left-wing extremism” and numerous comments on The Greens’ alleged “insanity”, suggesting Len Brown will go down in history as a philanderer and an incompetent, while pushing the Tory meme that Labour risks becoming a minor component of the Opposition after the 2014 Election. All the while playing the role of concerned Labour supporter.
I can’t help but notice a few signs of trying to create dissention – attacking Cunliffe and his advisors and demanding he stand down before this years Election, attacking the Left, but at the same time also making numerous comments blaming the ABCs for various things and attacking Mallard and King – before going on to change his tune somewhat after the Election (June 18: “The dirty hands of King and Mallard are all over this” / Sep 30 “Mallard knows loyalty to no one” / October 4 on Mallard “It seems the Labour Party and his voters love the man !”)
Clean power may just be a Right-leaning Labour bloke who advocates for Shane Jones one minute, then attacks Jones’s ABC faction the next, but I’ll be keeping an eye out for any more Hasbara-style techniques.
***Hasbara = Various Propaganda techniques / Rhetorical strategies that Israel’s supporters in the West are expected to carry out on social media and in the MSM (letters to the Editor etc) on behalf of Israel.
swordfish 3.31
Interesting.
While we are thinking of that sainted country – 1 June 2014
Israel renews restrictions on nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu
Despite serving 18 years in prison, including 11 in solitary confinement, Vanunu is forbidden from traveling and speaking to the media. Recently, he was denied a permit to speak before the British Parliament, following an invitation by 54 MPs.
http://972mag.com/israel-to-renew-restrictions-on-nuclear-whistleblower-mordechai-vanunu/91564/
@ swordfish..
“..And answer came there none…”
..and i am bummed about that..
..i mean..imagine finding out what yr ‘reasons unknown’ are..?
..i was so looking forward to the fevered imaginings of that little mind..
..i guess being anti-war..and in general..not believing/calling-out the bullshit..
..isn’t enough…
CP has probably got you pegged as one of the hash smoking assassins from that old Middle Eastern sect, Mr Ure. The evidence is in your own posts. 😛
@ clean power
Why don’t you go and fight in the war. Offer yourself to the forces when they decide to go and fight in the Middle East. Your motto – have convictions, will fight and die and kill for them. And this feeling of yours will remain whether it is helpful to solving the problems and bringing world peace or not. It is a feeling, it is not real thought or understanding of the problem and the disaster unfolding. People like you don’t make me feel safer from menace, you just increase it.
btw..f.y.i…i don’t ‘hate’ america…
..i have lived there..new york is my favourite city..
..i think americans are the most open/friendly people in the world..(nz’ers cd learn a thing or two from them in that area..tight-lipped little ‘i don’t know you!’s that we are..)
..like everyone else i am steeped in american culture/music etc..
..i do however admit to ‘hating’ their blood-thirsty/cynical abuses of their global-power..
..in everything there are nuances..eh..?
..’black and white’ are very rare..
@ phillip ure
You would find Michael Katakis interesting. Wallace Chapman interview on Sunday 5/10/2014.
chrs..
That’s better. I have the same mentality.
But Isis are not Mulsim, I have many Muslim family in Albania, I’m non religious. However true Muslims would never do this sort of thing. Isis have earned their wiping out. Islamic state my arse.
The US defended Saudia Arabia and pushed them back. Bush senior had the decency to halt there, but along came the war monger Bush Jnr with an agenda like I’d not seen in a while. I reiterate Bush Jnr and Blair should be done at the Haig.
“..can we conclude you are just a serial war-monger..?..easily swayed/driven to blood-lust..?..”
Knowing how you like to bang on about an issue when you think it has mileage, it’s not all about the deaths of 5 westerners.
Paraphrasing the fighting Kurdish women on TV, actively engaging isis on a daily basis in a fight for their survival, it’s ‘kill or be killed’. And they are fighting a well equipped, combat experienced, motivated ruthless murderous enemy.
You are happy to leave them to it to fend for themselves, knowing the consequences of failure are rape and slavery as bounty of war?
Maybe you don’t have enough invested to to get over being right on for the sake of it, but I support those brave women and hope they get all the protection the UN have to offer.
“.d’yareckon..?..)”
Quick, Clean-power, take this test. If your score is above room temperature in Fahrenheit, we might be able to explain why the situation is a little more complicated.
I suspect we won’t, though.
http://www.free-iqtest.net/
IQ tests mean fuck all.
That’s the only reasonable thing I’ve ever seen you post.
I concur Murray, I was shocked to read something sensible from BM, and had thoughts someone had hacked his computer.
Why is that? Because he finds himself unable to reason.
There should be worldwide condemnation of America and their continued intervention in other countries affairs. These invasions by the yanks leave nothing but carnage. How many times have they invaded a country, taken out a so called despot dictator, only to pull out leaving the place in ruin and creating a civil war in their wake. Look at Sadam and the weapons of mass destruction nonsense, and the US backed tooling up of Bin Ladin, only for him too turn on them. Now this latest mess in Syria where they once supported the former leader to the tune of billions, only too take him out.
The whole American economy revolves around their war machine where 1 in 5 (last time I looked) jobs are military/arms related.
Your right Phil, our involvement does make us a very likely target for some nasty terrorist attack. What on earth Key thinks he is doing by telling the World “Our SIS will have a role like identifying targets for drone strikes and bombing missions.”
Most of us shudder to think if that happens we can expect to be a target, bringing the doors wide open for Uncle Sam to setup shop here, Key-National are already smoothing the way by the looks of our likely involvement.
@ skinny..
“.. How many times have they invaded a country, taken out a so called despot dictator, only to pull out leaving the place in ruin and creating a civil war in their wake..”
..that..or similar..over 50 times since the end of the second world war..(57 ..i think..)
..each of them of course ..black and white battles of ‘good’ against ‘evil’…eh..?
..the ‘evil’-du-jour…
Agreed PU but your mixing the issues, just because they previously fucked up big style doesn’t mean this time is wrong too.
Be careful what you ask for Skinny. Theres a small but growing group in the US who seem to think the way forward is to pull all the US troops home, leave the Middle East to sort its own crap, and use the newly home troops to actually enforce their border with Mexico, to upgrade the war on drugs, and evict all the non residents from the US, and then seal their borders. No money for illegals, no medical help for illegals – the only help they would get was to get them back to their home country.
And change the rules and get the oil out of Alaska and live independent of the rest of the world. And invite the UN head office to go to somewhere nice like Somlia.
Hey 50 years of that and the USA would be like an upsized Japan. 🙂
As one wag said recently “why spend all that money fighting “them” in the Middle East and having them hate us, when we can pull out and do nothing and they can still hate us for free”
+100 pu and Skinny…John Key is making New Zealanders and New Zealand a target…this is NOT in New Zealander’s interests!
you mean 5-6 westeners don’t you Phillip? Syrians and Iraqis are people too although their (mass) executions don’t get the headlines. IS are bad guys. However, the worst guys, Bush/Blair et al started this whole mess. National wanted a piece of that too. Thank God Helen had the sense to keep us out of it.
it is the execution of those 5-6 westerners that is being used to whip up war-fever…
..the west shrugs its’ shoulders at arabs killing each other..
Them, villages, towns, cities as ISIS continue to march on for more converts to their version of Islam. Will they stop, not until they are.
Your safe here in NZ be glad about that. But for those in the firing line that’s not an option.
I don’t know what the answer to the problems in Iraq and Syria are, but given what Western military interventions have achieved in that region in the past, I’m pretty sure it’s not sending troops. The problems there now are happening on a stage mounted by the US and UK, and they have no ideas of doing anything except what hasn’t worked in the past.
Israeli atrocities in Gaza were far worse. Why didn’t the US bomb Tel Aviv, if that’s the way to stop vicious extremists?
Kiwi Blood for US trade deal?
Ex Wall Street banker John Key is very keen to rush us into the latest round of murderous blood letting in the Middle East.
Have you wondered why?
Just listen in horror as an outraged John Key delivers a screaming skull pro war speech in 2003, to know.
Thanks to Travellerev @ A Wider Perspective
Direct evidence from John Key himself that he believes we must kill foreigners to be allowed to sell our wares in the US.
Disgusting.
What a lowly human being.
In fact, his beliefs and actions make him worse than the beheaders in IS.
In 2003 in parliament on behalf of his US masters John Key impotently screams and threatens trade sanctions against New Zealand to force us into war. (Threats that were never carried out).
In a nightmarish reversal we now have this disgusting quisling in charge.
John Key’s 2003l Hitler like rant in support of war and demands that we submit to his hollow threats of trade sanctions, should never be forgotten.
How many more New Zealand families would be mourning their war dead now if we had given in to this traitor’s threats.
And what for?
After ten years of incessant war and ten New Zealand dead, Iraq and Afghanistan are worse than ever.
[lprent: I am not sure why you are getting put in auto-moderation all of the time. I suspect the ‘ in O’Dea. It will probably be the weekend before I can check. ]
If Al Qaeda are the bad guys, why is the U.S. arming them?
And is the A.P. a news organisation or a propaganda arm of the government?
In the 1980s the United States funded and supported the fanatics who became Al Qaeda. Now it’s bombing them AND arming them at the same time. The media, loyal and unquestioning as ever, are solidly in behind the Obama regime on this. Not only the bloodthirsty chickenhawk outlets like Fox News, but virtually all the media. The following Associated Press article is typical of the unquestioning support for whatever the government does. I’ve highlighted the first few examples of odious hypocrisy in bold, italicised type…..
Obama praises House vote on arming Syrian rebels
by JOSH LEDERMAN and DARLENE SUPERVILLE, 17 September 2014
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama praised a House vote Wednesday granting him authority for the U.S. military to train and arm moderate Syrian rebels, calling it an important step toward confronting the Islamic State group.
The Republican-controlled House voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to authorize the program. Final approval in the Senate was expected Thursday.
Obama said in a statement that the House vote shows there’s bipartisan support for a critical component of his strategy to confront Islamic State extremists, who have seized territory in Iraq and Syria. He said the training won’t be conducted in Syria and U.S. military personnel won’t be on the ground in Syria as part of the program, adding that the U.S. has learned from fighting al-Qaida that it’s better to use America’s capabilities to help partners on the ground defend themselves.
At a White House picnic later Wednesday for members of Congress and their families, Obama singled out House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., for helping shepherd the legislation quickly through the House. He said the U.S. had gone through a difficult time recently with terrorist attacks and the financial crisis, but said the House vote showed that “when it comes to America’s national security, America is united.”
Seeking to build on the brief moment of bipartisanship, Obama said if Republicans and Democrats can come together over the Islamic State threat, there’s no doubt they can work together to improve schools, cure diseases and rebuild the nation’s infrastructure.
Read more if you can bear it…..
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/fd504e179697404ebcecec0f00448e30/obama-praises-house-vote-arming-syrian-rebels
Won’t be long before he calls on his BFF John Key to provide help. Here we go again. Will we never learn.
Might be a good time to go watch the great Bobby Darin and what he had to say about war
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL8GeX43MrU
All those muslims look the same to you eh, Moz? It must be the beards.
All those muslims look the same to you eh, Moz? It must be the beards.
?????
What on Earth are you trying to say?
Are you trying to be funny?
Workers become serfs and banksters as crooks…and threats to democracy in UK
See Keiser Report :
http://rt.com/shows/keiser-report/193724-uk-us-economy-windfall/
Keiser interviews:
1. Stacy Herbert on mythologies of Neoliberal Capitalism
2. Neil Mitchell who has staked his all on pursuing the corruption of the Bank of Scotland…with implications of threats to democracy
If data is not property WTF were the plods looking for when they turned Hager over?.
.
In a decision released by the court today, it concluded the convictions should be quashed.
“We conclude that the convictions entered in the District Court should be quashed, but only on the ground conceded by the Crown, namely that computer data is not ‘property’ as defined.
“Having rejected all other grounds of appeal, it is now necessary for us to address the Crown’s submission that we should substitute convictions based on obtaining a ‘benefit’.”
However, the court said it would not enter substitute convictions.
“We consider the grounds for substituting new verdicts are not met in the present case.”
The court also said it would not order a retrial.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/10589294/TAG-Oil-secret-stealing-conviction-quashed
It looks like property needs to be redefined in the statutes. If the data had been in written form and he’d photocopied it, would that have been property?
I’m not going to cry any tears for TAG oil. In fact I wish he’d wiped their database, but this troubles me. It opens a whole can of worms about IP.
Australian couple tell Pope about joys of sex etc.
A good article for a paradigm shift, understanding and enlightenment in the catholic church boldly spearheaded by the present pope. A good thought provoking article. Includes the homosexuality issue.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11339020
Quick one for the morning. Apologies if someone else has already posted it as I have not read every comment on TS in recent days:
TTIP (the Transatlantic version of the TPP): Six reasons to reject it
1. National Health Service
2. Food and environmental safety
3. Banking regulations
4. Privacy
5. Jobs
6. Democracy
Read:
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/what-is-ttip-and-six-reasons-why-the-answer-should-scare-you-9779688.html
That news about Alex Sweeney Auckland identity, owing millions in tax. Now I find his name is spelt Alex Swny or Swyney. or something. The obvious answer to the charge here is that he has been paying his tax correctly, under his peculiarly spelt name. It will be just an administrative error . The credit has gone to the normally-spelled name.
So all you people called Smth and Brwn and Hne had better check.
Seems Mark Textor read my article on him and Fairfax. Oops!
MMMmmm and straight into attack mode. These rightwing players are just so obvious.
Textor is actually in defence mode. It was Ev that was in right wing attack mode in her weird post that extrapolated Textor’s part time gig writing for an specialist Aussie business mag being a sign that he totally controls Fairfax in NZ. Like it or not, Textor had her pinned exactly right when he suggested she was probably into chemtrails etc. And yes, Ev, you are batshit crazy, but then, you already knew that, eh?
He would’ve simply pulled that content out of travellerev’s file at CT, and passed it off as his own off the cuff smart ass guessing.
Put another way, these guys are professionals and don’t fucking guess when they take a swipe, they know.
Ha ha! Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after Ev! While you’re probably correct that Textor already knew she was a flake, he wouldn’t need a file. Ev’s home page is chock fulla nuts, so he would have seen that when he read the original half arsed story.
Batshit, just a point of perspective, if She’s batshit , key and English are barking mad and howling at the moon. As for Textor. just another bully who if confronted would run away from the repercussions of his crap like any other bully.
but Putake, since I’m sure your very close to him tell him to bring the shit to my door if he’s got the kahuna’s. but no eh? he sends dogs like you to defend him. Tiny balls.
You are famous now.
Adobe’s Digital Editions 4 e-reader gathers user’s content and metadata and transmits it in the clear back to Adobe.
My source told me, and I can confirm, that Adobe is tracking users in the app and uploading the data to their servers. (Adobe was contacted in advance of publication, but declined to respond.)
And just to be clear, I have seen this happen, and I can also tell you that Benjamin Daniel Mussler, the security researcher who found the security hole on Amazon.com, has also tested this at my request and saw it with his own eyes.
Adobe is gathering data on the ebooks that have been opened, which pages were read, and in what order. All of this data, including the title, publisher, and other metadata for the book is being sent to Adobe’s server in clear text.
I am not joking; Adobe is not only logging what users are doing, they’re also sending those logs to their servers in such a way that anyone running one of the servers in between can listen in and know everything,
http://boingboing.net/2014/10/07/adobe-ebook-drm-secretly-build.html
Yep, it’s utterly shite and compromised. E-Books. In fact anything that you open and read with Adobe products needs to be considered suspect.
I’m reading activist Margaret Thorns book Stick Out Keep Left. The great days of Labour and the thoughts of an intelligent dedicated couple serving their fellows.
A bit about the heady Labour days of 1920s and 1930s.
Looking back, the enormous party propaganda…is hardly believable. Radio broadcasting had not yet arrived and big crowds would gather in halls and on street corners….The Empress Theatre could be filled on Sunday nights easily, and there was a plethora of capable and well-informed speakers. The Labour Party headquarters at 80 Manners Street was the scene of…lectures, debates, drama classes, socials and dances….
We watched as Ramsay MacDonald formed a Labour Government in London in 1924 but the same pattern of post-war unemployment and declining prices prevailed, and no easement could come from a government without real power. Misery deepened… perhaps deepest of all in Germany. We read Maynard Keynes’s Economic Consequences of the Peace. That startled the horses.
Why high tax rates have a negative effect on jobs and real wages, and tend to lower productivity, which is essential if wages are to rise.
Now let see, I have just become CEO of widget corp, and I decide to sell off my best dividend producing assets, downsize my service delivery, and raise more of my tax revenue from the poorer stockholders while giving the top few shareholders a huge bonus. Sure, it looks like a tax cut to the wealthiest, but was anything but.
Our economy will continue to fail when people like Roger Douglas fail to see what happened right before their eyes, the massive reallocation of wealth from middle and lower NZ to the upper few. Strangely most of the TV medai who would have seen the tax cut boost their take home pay. You know their names, Henry, Campbell..
You see productivity is a problem, and it starts with the productivity of our media to talk truth to power. That Key’s legacy of shorting us all, will increasingly cause pain across the NZ economy and into every household.
Did you just try and put Paul Henry and John Campbell in the same sentence? Come on man!!!
Pro-weed party gets over twice votes that United Future got! Are we in Israel now? Dunne becomes minister, most outspoken minister in favor of industrial highs which would directly compete with natural weed. Imagine that, say, Pepsi being banned and more voters voting Pepsi yet Mr Industrial Coke gets a ministerial position.
Greens gain one MP in final count, back to 14. Labour lost two MPs from last election. Espom still has three MPs, Seymour, Goldsmith and Genter. And nobody in Labour has a clue about how MMP works, since most Labour constituencies have just one member of parliament, and they like it that way.
Grrrrr.
classic double think from the men @ the ministry
We have to go to war because of the threat to New Zealanders from terrorism
but dont worry because
Isis fight: NZ won’t be a target – PM
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11339239
The Herald always writes headings like that
“PM : NZ won’t be a target.”
Well if Key says so, it must be right.
Go back to sleep New Zealand……The Block is on TV
we call that show “mortgage porn” at home
I haven’t seen any discussion about the Te Tai Tokerau judicial recount, but then again I may have missed it (as I’ve mainly had TS open in a background tab while concentrating on other things rather than musing over every comment these last few days). I’m just surprised that it’s not Waiariki & Ikaroa-Rāwhiti (or in fact; all the Māori electorates), as well – seeing as the MANA movement has shown itself willing to question the methods of those employed by the Electoral Commission. I would have expected Ōhāriu too, but that’s down to Labour or the GP (rather than the IMPs who stood no candidate in that electorate).
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1410/S00087/recount-just-one-step-to-restoring-credibility.htm
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=11339030
Being predicted by Davis (and thus his associates), there may not be much evidence left to find in Te Tai Tokerau; other electorates may have been less well scrubbed. But this is the only electorate that I know of that is facing even moderately independent scrutiny. Scrutineers were, in my experience, limited in the actual amount of scrutiny they could do. This recount is still in the “electorate’s returning office in Auckland”, but at least this time; “overseen by District Court Judge Tom Broadmore”:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11338559
I’ve read stuff on Mana’s FB pages about it. It doesn’t seem designed to get Hone a seat, not this time around anyway. What Mana is concerned about is the way Maori voters have been treated by electorate officials in the north. People were told they couldn’t vote in Whangarei and had to go to Waipu, for example. It’s all anecdotal at the moment, but it looks like a lot of rubbish went on. It reminds me of the lengths they go to in the US and A to stop minorities voting. If correct, the stories are extremely concerning. As someone who lived in Whangarei until I was 15, they ring true.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYFZ8M5NX0o
How will the recount address that?
I don’t know, but maybe publicity around it can have some effect.
“I agree entirely with Michelle.”
The dismal double act of Boag and Edwards is back.
The Panel, Radio NZ National, Tuesday 8 October 2014
Jim Mora, Michelle Boag, Brian Edwards, Zara Potts
Brian Edwards is like Josie Pagani, Deborah Mahuta Coyle and Mike Williams: he says he’s a Labour supporter, but he’s more concerned about currying favor with whatever scowling right winger happens to be in the vicinity. This afternoon, the scowling right winger was the National Party power-broker—and mortal enemy of the Slater faction—Michelle Boag.
Edwards seems bewitched and bewildered by the charms of the Prime Minister, and he’s not shy about expressing just how much he admires him…..
BRIAN EDWARDS: Cundliffe’s performance is Shakespearian, you know. It’s big, grand, over the top. His interruptions of the Prime Minister led to Hosking having to intervene, and say “David you’re shouting.” The adjudicator had to stop him interrupting. And people DON’T LIKE THAT.
MICHELLE BOAG: [approvingly] Ex-ACT-ly!
BRIAN EDWARDS: Whereas John Key, on the other hand, is someone I’d be happy to have a beer with.
MICHELLE BOAG: I can arrange that for you.
BRIAN EDWARDS: Ha ha ha ha ha! But Key is easy and relaxed. The reality of television is that there are two people talking quietly in a studio. It’s an intimate medium.
Later on….
MICHELLE BOAG: Auckland Council should sell off its assets, such as the Ports of Auckland.
BRIAN EDWARDS: I agree.
MICHELLE BOAG: It should cease this ideological opposition to selling off assets.
JIM MORA: Brian, what do you think?
BRIAN EDWARDS: I agree entirely with Michelle.
Perhaps the nadir of the program came in the course of a learned discussion about ISIS, just after Michelle Boag called it “totally evil” and averred: “These people don’t UNDERSTAND democracy like we do.” Mora paused for effect, then earnestly asked Professor Al Gillespie to answer the sort of moronic question that usually gets aired on Rupert Murdoch’s barking mad Fox News….
JIM MORA: [with utmost gravitas] Are we looking at a great clash of civilizations?
Or WAS it the nadir? Incredibly, Mora—or his producer—seems determined to make this show even lighter, even more trivial than what you hear on NewstalkZBigot. Just before the end of the show, Jim Mora raised the subject of tonight’s total eclipse (the “Blood Moon”). To learnedly discuss this, he wheeled on an astrologer, Don Murray.
Edwards exercised his trademark sarcasm against Murray for a while, but clearly his heart was not in it.
Rating for today’s show: D.
Thanks for listening to the Panel, Morrissey.
It saves me bothering.
This is our national broadcaster.
Groan.
Try sticking to foreign media.
Try sticking to foreign media.
????
Is there a problem with our coverage of local media?
Having just read the latest post on NRT’s blog I expect him to come out shortly announcing that the ACT party leader during the election has been dreadfully maligned and the NRT s going to vote ACT in future!
http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/
Meanwhile the west uses Isis as a war cry and reasons for more survailence.
While innocent people suffer.
Can’t win on that one. Totally wrong.
Freaking UN should do something about Isis not the bloody western democracies using it for political purposes.
Some people will be against helping them(those suffering and about to suffer ISIS) for that reason.
But my opinion is still they need help, we just have to find the honest and un political way to do it.
Meanwhile the west uses Isis as a war cry and reasons for more survailence.
While innocent people suffer.
Can’t win on that one. Totally wrong.
Freaking UN should do something about Isis not the bloody western democracies using it for political purposes.
Some people will be against helping them(those suffering and about to suffer ISIS) for that reason.
But my opinion is still they need help, we just have to find the honest and un political way to do it.
Is there any chance nats are trying to shaft Nash to force a buy election.
@ b waghorn
a buy election. Very witty.
RNZ The Panel this afternoon – good to hear the bossy, somewhat bawling Michelle Boag forthrightly corrected on her claim (apparently a significant factor in first home buyers’ housing difficulties) – “All these young couples expect to be able to get their first home in Herne Bay……” or some such throwaway rubbish. What ???
So that’d be why there aren’t any busy high street real estate agencies south of Onehunga then ?
Guest contributor Mark Graham (name?)…….an apparently qualified voice on the topic…….”No Michelle, that’s just not correct”. The dear lady chose not to argue.
Such contemptibly dishonest spin from the National Party corner. Apparently……as long as you say ‘something’, however patently stupid…….lo, no problem. Or if undeniably there remains a problem – “Well, it’s their own fault !”
And then she waxes lyrical about “Mang-a-ree Bridge” as fertile ground for the would-be home buyer. Oh really madam ? Not to dis’ Mangere Bridge at all but has she ever been there ? And has she ever seen current prices there ?
Abbott in Australia is reported as having been angry that some Muslims are visiting and holding meetings critical of the US intervention. Apparently he calls it hate speech.
I hope that criticism, even strong criticism, isn’t inflated to meet the hyperbole about terrorism.
So that Nash story on 3news.
Him and Lusk are denying that Nash ever paid Lusk, but Nash’s mates did. So that’s that story.
The other story is how and why this came out.
Bomber had this post 4 hours ago:
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/10/08/nash-lusk/
It included an image of a section of the email. So there’s that.
And Andrea Vance says she was shown the story a while back but didn’t touch it because:
https://twitter.com/avancenz/status/519716850674855937
So there’s that.
and nash saying people have had enough of this dirty politics, meaning stop talking about it, made him sound just like Key…
People have been discussing the lusk/nash connection on this site for ages.
Glad hes not in the leadership race. He seems to be another pretending hes not in the wrong party cos he wants to return labour to its Douglas days.
The great majority of the New Zealand public saw the entire Dirty Politics prices, and decided that it was not sufficiently important to alter their vote.
We need to accept that.
Not saying it will be easy.
National now have a further term to permanently install a new level of ethics, legal tests for slander, journalistic intimidation, renew every single public sector board to tilt governance their way for a generation, instal favorable judges for decades, and crushing the remaining parliamentary opposition.
If we want an alternative government to form, it will include winning – and including people like Nash – despite all of that.
lol
I agree.
NZ isn’t some pommie/unionist outpost any more, if Labour ever wants to gain power again they have to completely change their approach.
First thing I’d do if I was making the decisions is neuter the party member input, those ass hats have no idea.
Bunch of myopic train spotters, they’ll be the death of labour unless you get them under control.
Did you vote for this government?
The great majority of the New Zealand public saw Key’s description of Dirty POlitics as a left wing smear campaign, and thinks Dirty Politics is when Labour does something wrong. The serious stuff of the inquiries has yet to happen. When it does, Nash will be toast.
I think the dirty politics thing did have some impact – just it was not enough to change most people’s votes because people were already going to vote right. It instead just made them want to vote NZfirst and Conservatives in the same way that a major labour scandal of corruption would probably not result in a huge defection to National (but might result in a significant defection to green).
So I think one can say the public was taking it seriously and yet it not make a significant difference in the election due to other more significant factors.
I presume Nash is hoping that NZ first implodes and he can set up a middle party and be the king maker.
Don’t like the look of all those mouthful of white teeth on Nash – couldn’t be rawshark could it. And I think Bomber is concentrating on Labour getting onto the government benches. I don’t want a new crop of right-wing oriented types carrying forward the soiled red banner worn down since 1984.
Can’t we actually get a crop of young Labour guys and girls who are involved in the politics and get trained and would have been thoroughly vetted? And then we will have some newcomers with broad interests and background coming forward. If it already happens, make it better.
And put them through years of this?
Best of luck.
I suspect that most NZ politicians have an ugly side where they have sacrificed ethics for political progress in some sense.
Overseas they talk about how if you were ethically clean you could never even get off the ground in politics. Maybe it isn’t quite as bad here but I’m sure it still applies to an extent
The problem is that if you turn on your advocates for this, you will cripple your own pool of advocates (which is relevant if one considers Nash an advocate of their general position).
We need this whole collective mind to start debating what an effective and coherent opposition would look like. The opposition is too scattered to do it themselves.
The goal is an alternative government. This is not going to be evident in Parliament until either late this term or early the next one, because they’re still reeling from the evident distance from attaining power.
So absent anyone else able to span the divides, we here are the default ground for thinking through an alternative government.
Personally I would like to see more post from MPs from Labour, the Greens, and NZFirst. Could the Moderators reach out to the parties to do this?
We are the collective base.
I have yet to hear how the left, and labour in particular intend countering two track strategy and cult key. Until that is addressed it wont matter who leads, the left wont be back in power til national shoots itself through the heart.
Forget Labour for now.
It’s years before they recover into a believable fighting force.
How would you do it?
How can we start it?
I imagine the labour politicians have a “hope he retires” strategy.
One could try ones luck with a One track Muldoon strategy I suppose. then undermine the faith of the public in politicians and then see if people will vote for the rat or the snake.
Expel Nash immediately.
Expel Nash immediately.
Expel Nash immediately.
Why, he’s one of labours stars?
He will be a competent and popular MP and member of the opposition.
Deal with it.
We don’t need more self interested right wingers in the Labour Party caucus.
It may be that he was set up by Lusk et al. Can’t find the 3 News item om it tonight, but this tweeted by Gower was the bit I was looking for:
As I recall from 3 News tonight, Bowker was a banking associate from Key’s bankster days overseas.
They have a precedent for corrupting, like they did Shane Jones they seem to be playing a game with this Nash fellow I’ve never heard of until recently.
Does he have a wiki page yet? Who is this Nash fellow, some National MP planted to cross the floor if Labour won?
Special issue on Piketty’s Capital
real-world economics review
Anyone else staying up for the blood moon eclipse later on?
Time Weka? Wouldn’t mind avid astronomer, but bad night here, spotted the moon earlier for a brief glimpse.
It’s happening now, about half the moon is black. Full eclipse starts at 11.27pm.
It’s meant to be a reddy colour, but looks black to me. Maybe it looks better through a telescope.
The full eclipse should be red.
Binocs bring out the colour.
flipping from a screen to themoon doesn’t help, either 🙂
Even better when listening to ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ playing in the background. 🙂
I was reading that pathetic piece by the treacherous Roger, decided to step out to look at the moon, and then stood under the clear skies baying for blood 🙂
The Blams sum it up pretty well to round the night off.
Love the old NZ scenes half way through. Good old, bad days.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0TAnFWLsco
Excellent. I have the cassette release of that concert. Wish they would rerelease it on digital!
“there is no spying in New Zealand,
we can all keep perfectly calm”