Long Covid must be taken seriously as Omicron dominates – experts
Professor Harvey White, a cardiologist and director of the Green Lane Cardiovascular Research Unit, also warned that the development of long Covid should not be trivialised.
"You could have heart attacks or strokes in the future, or brain fog affecting your memory and thinking, or fatigue affecting your ability to work or take part in recreation."
The behaviour of Highlanders players who ignored requests from cabin crew to wear masks on a flight home from Wellington has been labelled "unacceptable".
A person on the flight, who wished to remain anonymous, said players were walking around the plane without wearing masks and some were continually asked to put their masks on, but ignored the cabin crew.
One player was said to have walked on the plane without a mask and ignored requests to put one on.
If a member of the crew deems behaviour disruptive, they have the right to take measures they think reasonable to prevent the passenger from continuing that behaviour. When the aircraft lands, their actions may include:
making the passenger leave the aircraft, possibly under police escort
refusing to carry the passenger on the remaining sectors of the journey shown on their ticket, and
reporting the incident on board the aircraft to the relevant authorities with a view to prosecuting them for any criminal offences that may have been committed.
At this point, you would think the seriousness does not need to be explained.
We are two years, six million deaths and countless cancelled events into a pandemic. New Zealand is at the height of its Covid-19 outbreak.
Yet there were still some Highlanders players who ignored requests to wear masks on their flight from Wellington last weekend, just days before it was revealed Covid-19 was in the camp.
For sure. Not only literally letting the side down, but they role model for kids ! Were they really that boofheaded? Hope theres some consequence for them.
Behind the Herald's paywall is a Hosking assertion that Luxon has made Ardern look out of touch. I bet he hasn't been able to prove it. I reckon she did it all by herself. He just happened to be standing around nearby at the time.
Trotter goes deeper:
Though they dare not admit it, the Neoliberals have lost control of the machine. All they are capable of now is presenting increasingly implausible explanations for why everything has gone so very badly wrong. https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2022/03/10/reports-of-labours-death/
National & Labour locked in a battle to the death, each trying to out-bland the other. Death via boredom. Nobody else notices because same old shit is normal.
But haven't you, as a sensible centrist, always argued for bland incrementalism? Nothing too drastic otherwise the pendulum might swing too far from safety.
I've presented here as a radical centrist. If I happen to accidentally advocate something sensible it's likely due to pragmatism – serving the cause of the common good does often involve pragmatic compromise in the middle ground.
The problem with the middle way is that incrementalism often doesn't solve a serious social problem in a suitable time-frame. Thus climate change. Radical action to prevent it caused sheeple to go "Gah!" and mill around nervously in the middle of the road with the whites of their eyes in a mass showing.
A radical wearing sheeple clothing can herd them towards the gate incrementally. Another could bark at them to get a hurry-up. So what we need from Labour & National is individuals capable of steering the bland majority in the right direction. That function could be performed by the Greens and ACT but they're both intent on also fronting as sheeple currently.
No need to worry though. Back to the future is getting another re-run via the free- trade deal with Britain. Sheeple can therefore hallucinate electric-powered tankers heading north full of mutton just like in the old days…
Biden fumbles ball, but hasn't quite dropped it yet:
So it was striking on Tuesday when first the Pentagon described a Polish offer to send planes to the US airbase in Ramstein as “untenable”, and then the deputy US secretary of state said the US had not been consulted about the plan. Part of the problem was that the Polish proposal was subtly but critically different to a scheme that had previously been discussed in private.
In its original, US-conceived iteration, the proposal was a trilateral deal whereby Poland would hand over the MiGs to Ukrainian pilots to fly into their homeland, and the US would then provide some substitute planes. Boris Johnson, an enthusiast, described the plan as “rent a MiG”.
So instead, in a game of diplomatic pass the parcel, Poland tweaked the proposals so the planes would be sent free of charge to the US airbase in Ramstein, Germany, rather than being flown out of Poland into Ukraine. The move would literally take Poland out of the line of Russia’s fire since the plan could be labelled as that of the US, Nato or the EU.
Poland also suggested other frontline Nato countries with MiG planes should match its plan, a proposal directed at Slovakia and Romania. If executed it would mean Ukraine had 70 extra planes at its disposal.
The Pentagon’s response – “it is simply not clear to us that there is a tangible justification for this” – was swift. Passing the parcel back, it said any decision to hand over planes ultimately rested with the Polish government, although it did not kill off the proposal altogether.
Buck-passing is a novel way to win a war, so I guess we have to credit the Democrats for clever tactics. Putin will be baffled, never having heard of pass the parcel. Explaining that it is actually a buck won't improve his advisor's standing either. Shuffling stuff around is confusing enough. Pretending to do so without actually doing it ramps up the effect.
Either way the public spat is a setback. Over the weekend the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, had said a plan involving planes was under active consideration. The upshot after this mini-debacle is Russia retains air superiority. Ukrainian pilots who were being trained in Poland to fly the planes are now grounded with no machines with which to defend their country.
Keeping Putin guessing is good. The uncertainty principle. Lulling him into a false sense of security by rolling over & playing dead. Who said Democrats are thick?
The episode may have lessons for both sides.
That's profound. It raises the hypothetical possibility of such lessons being learned. Back in the real world, action man looks glum. "What the hell am I meant to be doing??"
The possibility of making the MiG-29s available first appeared publicly on 27 February, when the EU made the unprecedented decision to provide military aid to a country outside the bloc. The first tranche of equipment for Ukraine is expected to amount to €500m (£417m), but up to €5bn is to be spent under the European Peace Initiative. It was then that the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, said that aid for Kyiv would also include offensive weapons, including planes. At that point it became clear that the planes would only be MIG-29 and Su-25, because Ukrainian pilots only have experience with these machines.
Right, so a fortnight has passed while western political leaders have twiddled their thumbs, trying to figure out how to turn this plan into action.
I think they should just leave the MiG-29s on the border with the keys in the ignition and let Ukraine's farmers and their tractors do the rest. “Yuri! Do you see what I see???”
Good thinking, but it may not be required. Breitbart is reporting a u-turn by Poland's govt:
The Polish government confirmed on late Tuesday that it has made its entire fleet of MIG-29 fighter jets available “immediately and free of charge” to Ukraine.
Poland will send its entire fleet of MIG-29 fighter jets to the U.S. Air Force base at Rammstein in Germany, the Polish government said in a shock statement Tuesday evening… Although the MIG-29s are not the most advanced or effective fighters NATO could theoretically supply to Ukraine, they have the key advantage of being an airframe Ukraine already operates, so Ukrainian pilots, ground crews, and supply chains would be ready to operate donated aircraft straight away.
The deal the yanks were proposing was Poland gives fighters to the Ukraine, then the US helps out a nato partner to get new jets. That's two separate actions, so deniable as a "nato" move. The poles don't like it because the Russians will be very pissed at them.
The "deal" the poles tried to switch it to was the poles giving planes to the yanks who would give them to the Ukrainians. That's a multilateral action from nato nations, thereby an escalation in direct military assistance from nato. That escalates tensions in a big step rather than a cautious tiptoe to the brink, so increases the likelihood of mushroom clouds.
*ok, a bit harsh, but the line is a good one. Preferably yelled by someone in a tv show with a white house setting
Yeah I get that. Thing is, European nations can do their solo thing regardless of any NATO constraint, right? So it looked like Poland was doing so, plus presuming Germany would also, to help Ukraine.
Think of it as doing an end-run around the US blocking position. And re multilateral action from nato nations – don't we have to see formal declarations from NATO officials to believe that's happening? Yes!
So seems like unilateral helping of Ukraine by some European states is proceeding on the basis of expediency. Biden's paranoia re nuclear threat is understandable but his timidity re appropriate helping isn't…
Nah, Poland's offer was to send the planes to Rammstein (not the band).
That requires the explicit blessing of the yanks.
Whereas if the Ukrainians just fly the reflagged planes home from Poland, the yanks just go "gee, pal, you seem to be short a few aircraft. How'd that happen? Here, have some Gen4's on us, and be more careful next time".
True. What if the Poles get the Germans to host the planes temporarily though? In an airport of their own, I mean. Hypothetical at this stage.
I suspect the Poles may feel apprehension about dealing with Ukraine direct, lest Putin enter them onto his list of next invasions at #2. But you could be right.
I wonder how weak the German leader currently feels. His armed forces chief declared himself "pissed off" last week. I gather things are alarmingly run-down due to the peace dividend from the end of the Cold War. Caught between not liking deference to the USA and being realistic, I guess…
Oh, the poles definitely don't want to piss off russia too much. Especially if dolt45 gets re"elected", Nato ain't going to be much protection with him pissing in the pool.
Germany's a funny one. Chronic readiness problems, especially in the navy, from what I've read. But also some really interesting new equipment that is just coming to maturity and deployment – like the Puma IFV. And not in a "well, block A flies but can't fire the cannon" F35 or a "we can afford to make, like, six" way like the SU57.
Basically, so far shit like manpads and atms are defensive. NATO making a clear move to provide offensive weapons like jets is a step up, and the nuclear minefield is one place we really want potus to tread gingerly.
As it is, Russia's quick shunt "back to the USSR" with only state TV and no maccas might end up solving the Putin problem pretty quickly. Not sure where he can bail to in order to avoid doing a Ceaucescu, either.
“We are here to help our Ukrainian brothers and sisters in any way we can,” Raed Al Saleh, the leader of the White Helmets, told me in an interview. Putin’s goal is to break the will of the civilian population, he said, and there are no limits to the savagery of his troops. “The Russian military has no principles. They respect no human rights. They have no standards or ethics,” Saleh said. “The Ukrainians are facing the most ferocious, unethical, criminal killing machine that exists in the world today, which we have been facing for the last seven years.”
[…]
There are some things the Syrians have learned not to do. Do not give GPS locations of medical facilities to the United Nations, which may claim it needs the information to keep them safe. The Russians will use that information to target them. Never let Moscow have any say or control over how humanitarian aid is distributed, even when it’s a U.N. program. The Kremlin will use that power to starve out civilian populations, as it is doing in Syria now.
The Russians have been fought to a standstill/crawl in the north west, north and north east and in the south east the strong defenses erected by the Ukrainians post 2014 are also holding out against attacks from the Donets region.
In the south the situation is a lot worse for the Ukrainians, since they can't simply defend fixed urban defense zones and conduct guerilla warfare against logistics lines. The Russians hold a major advantage there in manoeuvre warfare. The Russians are attacking from the breakaway republics west towards Mariupol and east towards Mariupol from the Crimea, whilst simultaneously attacking west towards Odessa and northwest to secure their flank (and capture significant nuclear and hydroelectric energy generation infrastructure) along the lower Dnieper river along a line running roughly Kherson to Zaporizhzhia.
The concern is that capturing Mariupol will allow the thrusts from the Donets and Crimea to link up and thence thrust north to outflank and unhinge the Ukrainian fixed defenses facing Donetsk and Luhansk. which would force the Ukrainians into the open and into a general retreat to the northwest that would be threatened with defeat in detail by a double envelopment from a thrust developed from Zaporizhzhia aimed at Kharkiv and also from Mariupol towards the direction of Izyum/Chuhuiv. This is why the Ukrainians will hang to Mariupol as long as possible. Similarly, the fall of Odessa would release significant Russian forces for an attack either along the axis Uman – Vinnytsia and then either towards Kyiv or Lviv (or possibly both) or more likely (in my opinion) towards Cherkasy to secure the west bank of the Dnieper, link up with the attack that should develop along the Kharkiv-Poltava direction and on to Kyiv along both banks of the Dnieper – the control of which will also significantly reduce Russian logistics problems.
All in all, the position of the Ukraine is grim unless they can somehow mount some sort of significant and successful counter attack in the Mariupol battle that achieves something more than a short term tactical success.
There are a number of elements wrong about your analysis.
The Russian army's biggest weakness that is being shown up in this War is their logistic capability. They are struggling to supply the large force to the West of Kiev even though it is only about 150 km from the border with Belarus. The reasons behind this is that the Russian army relies heavily on railways to move the bulk of troops and supplies and they have far less road transport available.
Down south they have made a lot of progress across the lower Dnieper river towards Odessa and have linked up to the East with their forces based in the Donbas it is true however the further they move the more tricky their supply problems become and it is complicated by the fact that there isn't as extensive East – West rail network in the South as there is in other parts of Ukraine.
What this means is that the Russian army is vulnerable to attacks against their extended supply columns and will not be able to bring as much power to bear against opponents the further they go in to Ukraine. If they do not capture Ukraine from the North and/or East in the next two weeks what happens down south isn't going to make much difference.
Ukraine also has the entire West of the country around Lviv to fall back on if needed which will make the Russians job of eliminating military threats almost impossible.
Its entirely possible the Russians are in no hurry to end the conflict in Ukraine and stalled convoys to Kiev are by design….they certainly dont appear to be under threat.
There's a headline on the Herald online today: "Top school failed to safeguard students, says complainant." It's to do with allegations over sexual harassment by a teacher.
Last week they had a story, " Top school…" something or other. Today's one is Tauranga Boys' College last week it was Westlake Girls' High.
They have a way of describing some schools as "top" schools.
I wrote to the Herald last year and asked them if they had a list on the wall of the office which classified schools. And if there was a list of institutions which were to be called "top" schools whenever they were referred to. I asked what criteria were used to determine which was a top school and which were just 'schools.'
I don't think they printed my letter. (I do understand that online stories and headlines might not be in the print edition and so the letter may not have been relevant in the print environment.)
So what is a top school? A story comes up and someone whips through examination results? Checks out Education Review Office reports? Goes through results of sports competitions and representative team lists? Dips into their prejudice and pre-conceived notions baskets?
The funny thing is that searching the Herald site for 'top' schools easily brings up stories about sexual abuse, bullying of pupils, bullying of staff, drunk pupils, poaching top sports kids from other schools, fighting and assaults.
How many incidents of very concerning behaviour have to happen before a school isn't a top one? Is there a severity graph? How many decades of not having any untoward claims against it and how many mountains of positive achievement behind it before an ordinary, no adjectives needed school gets to graduate to being a 'top school'?
Today's story described the school as a "prestigious all-boys school." How much of the prestige is down to organs like the Herald continually defining it as a top school?
Good on you for asking that question of the Herald. You won't get an answer though because "top school" just means one that archetypal National-voting Herald readers would consider sending their kids to. It's a loose constellation of characteristics that may include but is not confined to: not many brown kids; in a suburb with relatively expensive houses as this is a form of triage that excludes non-professional parents; good aggregate exam results; offers a prestigious alternative to NCEA; has family connections; has a reputation for sporting prowess.
'Top' schools do not need to be private – extremely expensive housing in some suburbs is just as effective as an exclusionary device as private school fees. In both cases, wealthy parents are using their money to buy a supposed advantage for their kids over the kids of less wealthy parents. (These same parents probably believe they have a principled commitment to equality of opportunity.)
The proper response to this is to a.) attack excessive wealth and b.) ensure that the education system is so good that any supposed advantage gained by going to a 'top' school is illusory.
They could have bought half an insis computer nearly or some shares in South Canterbury Finance a lemon carrier a hospital computer system that doesn't work some Charter schools.
I don't know how long the west will be able to refrain from intervening in this conflict, despite the risks of a direct confrontation with Russia. The Russians are committing some dreadful human rights variations, and could be on the verge of pushing this conflict to another whole level.
For instance, Russian forces have just bombed a maternity hospital in Mariupol:
And yet they did (and still do ) in Syria…no western power will involve itself in direct military conflict with Russia unless they (Russia) cross the Rubicon….and I doubt even Putin is that foolish.
The US assistance was to one side in a civil war that did not involve direct confrontation with the Russian military….and was probably pre cleared with the Russians (as an anti ISIS move) not unlike the pre warning of the cruise missle strikes on the Homs airfield.
It would be interesting to see how manay companys have a 'don't get tested, just call in sick' procedure in place.
The milkman that i spoke to today basically states that night shifts had to be cancelled and others run at 2 – 4 staff where it should be double the staff.
Nevermind, it does not matter actually what we do, keep restrictions its fucked, undo restrictions and its fucked also – see the UK where cases are up again, as is hospitalisation and death. And Oh, yeah, its the 'Stealth' variant that is on the rise Omicron 2.0 with a much higher viral load. Some of the stats in my link above to the DK diary on Covid. https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/3/9/2084438/-28-MONTHS-LATER-The-Hidden-Toll-of-COVID-Not-Being-Discussed
Russia is being squeezed out of the capitalist system:
Last month, Russia's central bank more than doubled its interest rate to 20% in an attempt to stop the value of its currency from sliding further.
Fitch Ratings downgraded its view of the country's government debt, warning a default is "imminent"… The ratings cut – to C from B – is the second time this month Fitch has downgraded its view of Russia's ability to pay its debts.
The announcement from Fitch came after the US and UK said they will ban Russian oil, as they step up the economic response to the invasion of Ukraine. US President Joe Biden said the move targeted "the main artery of Russia's economy". Meanwhile, the European Union said it will end its reliance on Russian gas.
In recent days, rival ratings agencies Moody's Investors Service and S&P Global Ratings have also slashed their assessments of Russian sovereign debt. It means the country's sovereign debt is now considered to be below investment grade, or in "junk" territory, by three of the world's major ratings companies.
Harsh sanctions, plummeting exchange rates, depleted foreign reserves, a reliance on imports and the Poots responds to his economy being strangled by voluntarily cutting Russia’s export revenue. Genius.
What is being evidenced is the destruction now of wealth,mostly due to the finacialization of debt and assets exactly the same problem from the GFC.
Say for example the non return of leased Jets from Russia becomes a 10b$ liability,or the meltdown in the Nickel market in London became a 12b$ destruction of wealth,as the investment banks start to liquidate their positions to meet call obligations there will be a flow from equities to cash,a high wealth risk in pension fund etc,and increased cash hording.
not only western financial markets,China construction bank was a defaulter on calls in the LME nickel blow up.As was China's largest nickel manufacturer (and the worlds biggest stainless steel supplier) .
Tsingshan is also a producer ie a miner,The short option on the global exchange was to protect its position (its risk) in case Nickel prices fell.The 8 billion$ position is now a debt which needs to be funded.As is the 4b$ position for the China construction bank.
"Chinese authorities directed Tsingshan’s domestic banks to offer more credit lines to the company, two of the people said. A majority of these new loans will be used for margin calls on its existing positions on the London Metal Exchange (LME), the people said."
The real anger from everyday Aussies over the failure of the state in response to this event is getting loud.
Mind you, 40 odd years of radical far right liberalism and what do you expect. It can't do anything because it sold everything thing off to sociopaths (ooops I mean private business interests).
What of the PR propaganda. Based on fear. The minister continually declines and Q&A time to the media. If the minister cannot sell this ,what does that say of either/both the minister and the policy ??
From the link below the issues are mentioned BUT no mention on solutions or expected time frames that issues raised will be rectified. e.g. How and when will Buller's boiling of water be fixed by 3 waters as they will be included in the area of the South Is that aligns with Ngāi Tahu? Will this 3 water s halt any need "To boil" beaches closed due to discharge of Waste or storm water, pipes bursting ? We were sold the fear of these but NO MENTION of a guarantee going forward that such events will NOT happen under 3 waters. If 3 waters cannot guarantee that such events do not occur then this is NO better than the status quo. https://www.dia.govt.nz/Three-Waters-Reform-Programme
• Return water assets to councils.
• Allow councils to enter into voluntary “shared services” agreements, gaining the benefits of scale, while retaining local ownership and control.
• Establish 30-year central-local government agreements to plan water infrastructure upgrades tailored to specific regions.
• Share GST revenue with councils to fund infrastructure upgrades.
• Establish public-private partnerships to attract investment from financial entities such as KiwiSaver funds and ACC.
• Expand the exemption from domestic supply for a single dwelling to also include all small water suppliers supplying fewer than 30 endpoint users.
They should have skipped the first 5 paragraphs in the policy statement and stuck with the policy initiatives.
The strength in the policy is to use the gst on rates (around a billion) to fund council infrastructure spend.
Little explained part of the reasons, as I think this is all his ideas.
When the labour government gave money for DHBs to employ more nurses , some said thanks for the money but we will run it our way and use agencies, overtime instead.
Same again for the extra money for Mental health facilities , some DHBs just dragged the chain on even starting upgrades to existing facilities or building new. They just wanted to do it in their own time and at their own pace.
They had become little silos used to deflecting central government.
Another example was when the pandemic struck the Auckland Regional Public Health entity just wouldnt cooperate much with the MOD and had their own ways of doing infectious diseases which they preferred. A number of Auckland based covid stuff ups over MIQ and testing were directly on the ARPHA preferred way.
Have we had the year of delivery yet? Wasn't Grant Robertson heading up a new group (cant remember what it was called) to ensure things actually got done? Did that not get done?
When long time Labour man Phil Goff categorically states that it is poorly thought through, poorly structured and liable to manipulation in the future, you know you have problems.
Bryce Edwards has an interesting piece on 3 Waters today.
In dot-land, the dot is all there is, and all there is not. It is infinitesimally small and infinitely large, all at once. Must be time for another coffee …
Not at all. I think the added cost burden people would face due to Three Waters would not only impact them in the short-term but also over the long-term.
Well, that's not what the reform programme says. The reform programme says there will be long term savings, as well as much better water quality, a well as increased GDP.
Perhaps you don't believe it in the same way you don't believe in better housing for tenants, and the same way you don't believe in science.
In the report for Monday’s meeting, Council staff say the Government has not provided an opportunity to analyse alternative options for service delivery that may better meet the needs of communities than the proposal put forward.
They also say the Government needs to revisit its cost estimates to ensure the financial impacts of water reform are more accurate and transparent and that residents and ratepayers will not be saddled with unfair financial burdens over time.
The Council resolved on 9 December 2021 to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to work cooperatively with at least 21 other co-signing councils to convince the Government to reconsider its plans to reform water services across New Zealand.
And alternative options for service and delivery (that may better meet the needs of communities than the proposal put forward) are being overlooked or ignored
And here is Dr Bryce, fresh from promoting the anti-vax parliament protests, delivering a sustained attack on Nanaia Mahuta, calling for he resignation, no less.
The main beef is of course co-governance which betrays the real motives of Edwards and his allies. Can't let Maori make any decisions, they are not capable!
'Labour went into the 2020 election promising to break up the supermarket duopoly and bring down the price of food. This policy is now essentially dead.
See what he does created a policy that didnt exist so he could shoot it down. Their 'policy' was a market study- which is what it says in the manifesto
First electric ute recently driven in NZ. Our local free newspaper carried a report, including test drive by their reporter. It's double-cab. No price yet – it's due to market next summer: https://ldv.co.nz/product/ev-t60-ute/
The LDV electric Ute is useless, it is only two wheel drive and has about as much ground clearance a as normal car as the motor takes the place of the diff. It has a towing capacity of only ONE tonne , a small caravan at most and that halves its range which is already laughably short. Wide tyres and two wheel drive means that any water on any sort of slope on pretty much any surface makes it almost undriveable . It is greenwashing at its most egregious and the weight of wasted materials makes a joke of its supposed green credentials. Better wait for the next generation that’s fit for purpose.
True that. So, we need to eliminate everything that emits any form of carbon into the atmosphere. Or just a drastic reduction? Energy efficiency is important, of course, but so is overall energy consumption. Do we proceed in small incremental steps or should we wait for giant leaps (for mankind)? The nay-sayers seems to be binary boofheads of all or nothing and since it’s never all it becomes nothing by default.
I have heard variations of the rocket ‘dilemma’ before, i.e. by the time the rocket is ready for take-off it will be overtaken (literally) by newer (i.e. not just bigger propulsion rockets using combustion as the driving force), better, and fasters modes of space transportation/exploration. Life sucks when you’re a rocket scientist.
But as I've said on here before, utes were really good for getting sour looking individuals down to Parliament for the protest. There were many of them in the convoy that I saw with the 30-40 male demographic that seems to have a problem with female leaders, sorry I read that again, female anythings.
There are 100s of them around Wellington and as you say most are not farm or tradies vehicles. So low down ground clearance is not really important if the only gravel work it is going to do is from the tarseal then to the gravelled carpark at footie.
good grief. The issue isn't how many people use them for what, it's what the people who do need a 4WD and good towing capacity use them for in real life.
I live in the country. People tow shit, drive distances, and drive in situations where a 4WD is an asset.
Well then , it makes it just fine for the 90% of users who dont drive down farm tracks
When I worked in a business that needed a 4×4 for rough site tracks , I was given a Diahatsu Terios , was so light that plenty of times could go where a Landrover had trouble, only used the 4×4 feature ocassionally.
And most of the major manufacturers produce 2 wheel drives as well. So how does this EV compare with those vehicles. Nissan/Toyota/Ford/Mitsubishi/Mazda etc must think they have a market for their two wheel drives. Perhaps someone here can give an informed comparison rather than the opening words "They are useless…"
It depends what you use it for…i have a 2 wheel drive flat deck (not electric) that does what I need…in over 20 years i have only needed 4 wheel drive about 4or 5 times so the additional running/service costs of 4WD are not warranted…a capable EV 2WD would be a suitable replacement (depending on price and range) in my situation.
If you need 4WD capability then the same limitations will apply. once available ..range and price.
Back to the future: minister announces plan. Basically, it means healing the state broadcaster split of 1975…
The government has confirmed it is creating a new public media entity incorporating RNZ and TVNZ.Minister of broadcasting and media Kris Faafoi said the new broadcaster will be "an autonomous Crown entity" operational by July 2023, which will have both commercial and Crown funding. The new entity will be not-for-profit and will operate under a charter which will be set out in legislation due by the end of this year, Faafoi said. (Details of consultation carried out on a new charter for the new organisation were also published today)
It will have "complete editorial independence" andprovide news as a core service, while broadcasting on a range of platforms "including current radio and linear TV and those of third parties".
Faafoi confirmed TVNZ and RNZ will initially be subsidiaries of the new organisation. Faafoi had accepted advice from the Business Case Governance Group he appointed in March 2021, led by former NZ First MP Tracey Martin, ahead of the decision to create the new public media entity… A board will be appointed next month to oversee the detailed design of the new public media entity, Faafoi said. He said it would include RNZ and TVNZ staff and also "shop floor" representation of the broadcasters' staff.
Both were part of the NZ Broadcasting Corporation from 1962, until being split split into Radio New Zealand, Television One, and South Pacific Television in 1975.
The Muldoon government then merged TV One with South Pacific Television to form TVNZ in 1980; the National government privatised RNZ’s commercial stations in 1996; the Helen Clark Labour government restructured TVNZ into a Crown entity in 2003, with a remit to be a public broadcaster under a charter but also retain its commercial performance with advertising. It was a hard ask, and the following National government of John Key dumped the charter requirement.
And he appraises efficiency gains:
Combining the news and current affairs operations could extend the pair’s news-gathering reach in New Zealand and the world, although various radio and television news programmes would still require their own individual staff. An amalgamation of the podcast efforts by both would be sensible, for it is part of a growing information market.
I wouldn't blame the minister for lack of detail (blame the pandemic instead).
details are to be thrashed out in what the Government terms “phase two” of its establishment, which will take until at least January 2023 when the new entity’s board will be established.
Ralston is serious (but diffident) about back to the future:
can I at least suggest quickly coming up with a name for the new amorphous entity: perhaps NZBC? That name would complete the cycle of the last 60 years.
I'd go for something future-oriented – Multimedia Aotearoa would do.
South Pacific started as a stand alone new channel , it wasnt split from anything
I remember going to its studio , a large hall or something on the site of current TVNZ back when the existing only channel was operated out of the old 1YA building in Shortland St
The Radio side had their own building just off Queen St at Durham St W
Yep. I worked as an audio operator for the old AKTV2 in Shortland St. for 4 to 5 years in the 1960s. The new entity sounds like an upgraded version of the original. One positive aspect was the ability of staff to transfer from radio to TV or vice versa. For those who remember TV news reader, Jennie Goodwin for example, iirc she started her career in radio and transferred to TV ending up as one of the longest serving presenters.
A member of my extended family died today. A male aged 82 who reluctantly entered hospital because stents were leaking. Because of damaged lungs he had a great fear of Covid and took every precaution to keep himself safe. Tripled vaccinated / always masked up / not out in the community. Three tests during his stay were negative for Covid. Five days in to his hospital stay he had a major stroke. Three days after that he was diagnosed with Covid – today was his Day 2.
Filled my vehicle up 11:20 this morning diesel $2:51 returning past the same station $2.61. No wonder the motorway is like a Sunday morning. I get the impression that those living day to day are increasing in number. These fuel increases, from talking to some have not even made their way into the cost of goods yet🙁
I think the motorway is like a Sunday morning because a lot of people are working from home amid our biggest outbreak of a 1 in 100 year pandemic event.
Manukau where all the wealth and high incomes reside in 🙃.
The only BAU I have noticed re traffic volumes: is the school traffic. Where I work the office car park is used for school drop offs and pickups with 2 schools across the road, and at our local primary school traffic is as heavy as it has always been.
Yes, and that is because parents are dropping their kids to school directly instead of sending them on public transport. Another effect of the outbreak.
She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8. The universe was ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
Peter Dunne writes – The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
…it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisitionNOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes – The High Court ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same?Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
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 ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
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The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
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Asia Pacific Report From France to Australia, university pro-Palestine protests in the United States have now spread to several countries with students pitching on-campus camps. And students at Columbia and other US universities remain defiant as campuses have witnessed the biggest protests since the anti-Vietnam war and anti-apartheid eras in ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...
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A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
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Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
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You can’t have missed the Gallipoli story as the movies, documentaries, essays and books capture what it was like for New Zealand troops in their eight-month campaign on the Peninsula. But this Anzac Day the Auckland War Memorial Museum has published a book that sheds light on a little-known aspect of the ...
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/%E2%80%98take-it-seriously%E2%80%99-dunedin-covid-patient
Long Covid must be taken seriously as Omicron dominates – experts
Professor Harvey White, a cardiologist and director of the Green Lane Cardiovascular Research Unit, also warned that the development of long Covid should not be trivialised.
"You could have heart attacks or strokes in the future, or brain fog affecting your memory and thinking, or fatigue affecting your ability to work or take part in recreation."
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/463014/long-covid-must-be-taken-seriously-as-omicron-dominates-experts
No mild flu this. Absolutely needs awareness and precautions. And Vaccination !
https://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/highlanders-flout-mask-rules
wtf ! Just boofheads. No role models for sure : (
I thought refusing to obey cabin crew instructions was a crime?
Hi.just home and seen this? Not sure if applies. But of course Highlanders ! Probably the worst aspect was CEO Roger Clark being onboard
“I was on the plane as well, so I did see a couple of guys that weren’t wearing them.”
Well….why didnt he say something?
https://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/highlanders/players-did-not-take-life-and-death-situation-seriously
For sure. Not only literally letting the side down, but they role model for kids ! Were they really that boofheaded? Hope theres some consequence for them.
Behind the Herald's paywall is a Hosking assertion that Luxon has made Ardern look out of touch. I bet he hasn't been able to prove it. I reckon she did it all by herself. He just happened to be standing around nearby at the time.
Trotter goes deeper:
National & Labour locked in a battle to the death, each trying to out-bland the other. Death via boredom. Nobody else notices because same old shit is normal.
But haven't you, as a sensible centrist, always argued for bland incrementalism? Nothing too drastic otherwise the pendulum might swing too far from safety.
I've presented here as a radical centrist. If I happen to accidentally advocate something sensible it's likely due to pragmatism – serving the cause of the common good does often involve pragmatic compromise in the middle ground.
The problem with the middle way is that incrementalism often doesn't solve a serious social problem in a suitable time-frame. Thus climate change. Radical action to prevent it caused sheeple to go "Gah!" and mill around nervously in the middle of the road with the whites of their eyes in a mass showing.
A radical wearing sheeple clothing can herd them towards the gate incrementally. Another could bark at them to get a hurry-up. So what we need from Labour & National is individuals capable of steering the bland majority in the right direction. That function could be performed by the Greens and ACT but they're both intent on also fronting as sheeple currently.
No need to worry though. Back to the future is getting another re-run via the free- trade deal with Britain. Sheeple can therefore hallucinate electric-powered tankers heading north full of mutton just like in the old days…
One of Trotters better pieces.
Biden fumbles ball, but hasn't quite dropped it yet:
Buck-passing is a novel way to win a war, so I guess we have to credit the Democrats for clever tactics. Putin will be baffled, never having heard of pass the parcel. Explaining that it is actually a buck won't improve his advisor's standing either. Shuffling stuff around is confusing enough. Pretending to do so without actually doing it ramps up the effect.
Keeping Putin guessing is good. The uncertainty principle. Lulling him into a false sense of security by rolling over & playing dead. Who said Democrats are thick?
That's profound. It raises the hypothetical possibility of such lessons being learned. Back in the real world, action man looks glum. "What the hell am I meant to be doing??"
Right, so a fortnight has passed while western political leaders have twiddled their thumbs, trying to figure out how to turn this plan into action.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/09/clash-over-poland-and-us-missile-plans-reveals-tensions-in-escalating-war
I think they should just leave the MiG-29s on the border with the keys in the ignition and let Ukraine's farmers and their tractors do the rest. “Yuri! Do you see what I see???”
Good thinking, but it may not be required. Breitbart is reporting a u-turn by Poland's govt:
Why would you link to Breitbart?
Two day old news that isn't even true.
Two day old news that isn't even true.
How do you know? You expect readers to believe you automatically?? To invalidate that Breitbart report you need to produce evidence that it's invalid.
What that report makes clear is the unilateral decision of the Polish govt. So the control freaks in Biden’s admin are trying to forbid that move…
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/03/09/blinken-ukraine-poland-fighter-jets-00015747
Sigh. It's diplomacy, you doofus.*
The deal the yanks were proposing was Poland gives fighters to the Ukraine, then the US helps out a nato partner to get new jets. That's two separate actions, so deniable as a "nato" move. The poles don't like it because the Russians will be very pissed at them.
The "deal" the poles tried to switch it to was the poles giving planes to the yanks who would give them to the Ukrainians. That's a multilateral action from nato nations, thereby an escalation in direct military assistance from nato. That escalates tensions in a big step rather than a cautious tiptoe to the brink, so increases the likelihood of mushroom clouds.
*ok, a bit harsh, but the line is a good one. Preferably yelled by someone in a tv show with a white house setting
Yeah I get that. Thing is, European nations can do their solo thing regardless of any NATO constraint, right? So it looked like Poland was doing so, plus presuming Germany would also, to help Ukraine.
Think of it as doing an end-run around the US blocking position. And re multilateral action from nato nations – don't we have to see formal declarations from NATO officials to believe that's happening? Yes!
So seems like unilateral helping of Ukraine by some European states is proceeding on the basis of expediency. Biden's paranoia re nuclear threat is understandable but his timidity re appropriate helping isn't…
Nah, Poland's offer was to send the planes to Rammstein (not the band).
That requires the explicit blessing of the yanks.
Whereas if the Ukrainians just fly the reflagged planes home from Poland, the yanks just go "gee, pal, you seem to be short a few aircraft. How'd that happen? Here, have some Gen4's on us, and be more careful next time".
Interesting that you mention the band (in brackets) because they are popular in Russia but not with the Russian authorities.
I can see why.
It must be the lyrics, because their music is great.
Too "woke", amongst other things.
It's possible they're also just obvious enough for totalitarians to get the joke and therefore be pissed off. Unlike Laibach.
edit: although Laibach might have been a bit on the nose in this collaboration
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSHaVH9HhfI
True. What if the Poles get the Germans to host the planes temporarily though? In an airport of their own, I mean. Hypothetical at this stage.
I suspect the Poles may feel apprehension about dealing with Ukraine direct, lest Putin enter them onto his list of next invasions at #2. But you could be right.
I wonder how weak the German leader currently feels. His armed forces chief declared himself "pissed off" last week. I gather things are alarmingly run-down due to the peace dividend from the end of the Cold War. Caught between not liking deference to the USA and being realistic, I guess…
Oh, the poles definitely don't want to piss off russia too much. Especially if dolt45 gets re"elected", Nato ain't going to be much protection with him pissing in the pool.
Germany's a funny one. Chronic readiness problems, especially in the navy, from what I've read. But also some really interesting new equipment that is just coming to maturity and deployment – like the Puma IFV. And not in a "well, block A flies but can't fire the cannon" F35 or a "we can afford to make, like, six" way like the SU57.
Basically, so far shit like manpads and atms are defensive. NATO making a clear move to provide offensive weapons like jets is a step up, and the nuclear minefield is one place we really want potus to tread gingerly.
As it is, Russia's quick shunt "back to the USSR" with only state TV and no maccas might end up solving the Putin problem pretty quickly. Not sure where he can bail to in order to avoid doing a Ceaucescu, either.
With it's ground assault increasingly bogged down, The Russian military turns to its tactic, honed in Syria, of bombing hospitals.
Isis, Neo-nazis, any pretext will do.
Russian–Syrian hospital bombing campaign
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian%E2%80%93Syrian_hospital_bombing_campaign#:~:text=These%20hospitals%20were%20Nabad%20al,Idlib%20province%20in%20May%202019.
A war crime here, a war crime there…
/
https://twitter.com/deangloster/status/1501149968358281217
https://euromaidanpress.com/2022/02/28/russian-aircraft-drop-cluster-bombs-with-petal-mines-in-kharkiv-oblast/
“We are here to help our Ukrainian brothers and sisters in any way we can,” Raed Al Saleh, the leader of the White Helmets, told me in an interview. Putin’s goal is to break the will of the civilian population, he said, and there are no limits to the savagery of his troops. “The Russian military has no principles. They respect no human rights. They have no standards or ethics,” Saleh said. “The Ukrainians are facing the most ferocious, unethical, criminal killing machine that exists in the world today, which we have been facing for the last seven years.”
[…]
There are some things the Syrians have learned not to do. Do not give GPS locations of medical facilities to the United Nations, which may claim it needs the information to keep them safe. The Russians will use that information to target them. Never let Moscow have any say or control over how humanitarian aid is distributed, even when it’s a U.N. program. The Kremlin will use that power to starve out civilian populations, as it is doing in Syria now.
https://archive.ph/CVdit
Bombing hospitals and leveling cities is only the beginning.
The Ukrainians know they cannot afford to lose this fight.
Occupied Urkaine under Putin's oppressive rule, will most likely resemble Rutin's ally, Assad's rule in Syria.
Syria: Mass Deaths and Torture in Detention – YouTube
I also suspect Putin's been taking notes from Xi on what they're doing in the "Uygur Autonomous Region".
My probably ill informed quick take:
The Russians have been fought to a standstill/crawl in the north west, north and north east and in the south east the strong defenses erected by the Ukrainians post 2014 are also holding out against attacks from the Donets region.
In the south the situation is a lot worse for the Ukrainians, since they can't simply defend fixed urban defense zones and conduct guerilla warfare against logistics lines. The Russians hold a major advantage there in manoeuvre warfare. The Russians are attacking from the breakaway republics west towards Mariupol and east towards Mariupol from the Crimea, whilst simultaneously attacking west towards Odessa and northwest to secure their flank (and capture significant nuclear and hydroelectric energy generation infrastructure) along the lower Dnieper river along a line running roughly Kherson to Zaporizhzhia.
The concern is that capturing Mariupol will allow the thrusts from the Donets and Crimea to link up and thence thrust north to outflank and unhinge the Ukrainian fixed defenses facing Donetsk and Luhansk. which would force the Ukrainians into the open and into a general retreat to the northwest that would be threatened with defeat in detail by a double envelopment from a thrust developed from Zaporizhzhia aimed at Kharkiv and also from Mariupol towards the direction of Izyum/Chuhuiv. This is why the Ukrainians will hang to Mariupol as long as possible. Similarly, the fall of Odessa would release significant Russian forces for an attack either along the axis Uman – Vinnytsia and then either towards Kyiv or Lviv (or possibly both) or more likely (in my opinion) towards Cherkasy to secure the west bank of the Dnieper, link up with the attack that should develop along the Kharkiv-Poltava direction and on to Kyiv along both banks of the Dnieper – the control of which will also significantly reduce Russian logistics problems.
All in all, the position of the Ukraine is grim unless they can somehow mount some sort of significant and successful counter attack in the Mariupol battle that achieves something more than a short term tactical success.
There are a number of elements wrong about your analysis.
The Russian army's biggest weakness that is being shown up in this War is their logistic capability. They are struggling to supply the large force to the West of Kiev even though it is only about 150 km from the border with Belarus. The reasons behind this is that the Russian army relies heavily on railways to move the bulk of troops and supplies and they have far less road transport available.
Down south they have made a lot of progress across the lower Dnieper river towards Odessa and have linked up to the East with their forces based in the Donbas it is true however the further they move the more tricky their supply problems become and it is complicated by the fact that there isn't as extensive East – West rail network in the South as there is in other parts of Ukraine.
What this means is that the Russian army is vulnerable to attacks against their extended supply columns and will not be able to bring as much power to bear against opponents the further they go in to Ukraine. If they do not capture Ukraine from the North and/or East in the next two weeks what happens down south isn't going to make much difference.
Ukraine also has the entire West of the country around Lviv to fall back on if needed which will make the Russians job of eliminating military threats almost impossible.
Well, I don't often (in fact never) agree with Gossy, but I think (s)he's right on the mark here.
Logistics does not seem to be the Russian's strong point.
Its entirely possible the Russians are in no hurry to end the conflict in Ukraine and stalled convoys to Kiev are by design….they certainly dont appear to be under threat.
There's a headline on the Herald online today: "Top school failed to safeguard students, says complainant." It's to do with allegations over sexual harassment by a teacher.
Last week they had a story, " Top school…" something or other. Today's one is Tauranga Boys' College last week it was Westlake Girls' High.
They have a way of describing some schools as "top" schools.
I wrote to the Herald last year and asked them if they had a list on the wall of the office which classified schools. And if there was a list of institutions which were to be called "top" schools whenever they were referred to. I asked what criteria were used to determine which was a top school and which were just 'schools.'
I don't think they printed my letter. (I do understand that online stories and headlines might not be in the print edition and so the letter may not have been relevant in the print environment.)
So what is a top school? A story comes up and someone whips through examination results? Checks out Education Review Office reports? Goes through results of sports competitions and representative team lists? Dips into their prejudice and pre-conceived notions baskets?
The funny thing is that searching the Herald site for 'top' schools easily brings up stories about sexual abuse, bullying of pupils, bullying of staff, drunk pupils, poaching top sports kids from other schools, fighting and assaults.
How many incidents of very concerning behaviour have to happen before a school isn't a top one? Is there a severity graph? How many decades of not having any untoward claims against it and how many mountains of positive achievement behind it before an ordinary, no adjectives needed school gets to graduate to being a 'top school'?
Today's story described the school as a "prestigious all-boys school." How much of the prestige is down to organs like the Herald continually defining it as a top school?
It is our not so subtle class system in action.
Good on you for asking that question of the Herald. You won't get an answer though because "top school" just means one that archetypal National-voting Herald readers would consider sending their kids to. It's a loose constellation of characteristics that may include but is not confined to: not many brown kids; in a suburb with relatively expensive houses as this is a form of triage that excludes non-professional parents; good aggregate exam results; offers a prestigious alternative to NCEA; has family connections; has a reputation for sporting prowess.
'Top' schools do not need to be private – extremely expensive housing in some suburbs is just as effective as an exclusionary device as private school fees. In both cases, wealthy parents are using their money to buy a supposed advantage for their kids over the kids of less wealthy parents. (These same parents probably believe they have a principled commitment to equality of opportunity.)
The proper response to this is to a.) attack excessive wealth and b.) ensure that the education system is so good that any supposed advantage gained by going to a 'top' school is illusory.
Yes and under the "added value system " the Nats favoured, the "Top Schools" often failed in that arena as well.
"a bridge to sell"?
Is that the $800 million dollar boondoggle Wood was going to stick in the shadow of the current Auckland Harbour Bridge?
Given that they apparently spent at least $50 million on preparing for it before sanity prevailed there must surely be something there to sell.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
They could have bought half an insis computer nearly or some shares in South Canterbury Finance a lemon carrier a hospital computer system that doesn't work some Charter schools.
I don't know how long the west will be able to refrain from intervening in this conflict, despite the risks of a direct confrontation with Russia. The Russians are committing some dreadful human rights variations, and could be on the verge of pushing this conflict to another whole level.
For instance, Russian forces have just bombed a maternity hospital in Mariupol:
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/03/09/europe/russia-invasion-ukraine-evacuations-03-09-intl/index.html
They have confirmed using thermobaric weapons
https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-thermobaric-weapons-confirmed-ukraine/31745182.html
And now the possibility of Russia using chemical weapons is being flagged as a distinct possibility:
https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-war-west-has-serious-concern-putin-could-unleash-chemical-weapons-on-kyiv-12561783
The world just can't stand by and allow this sort of barbaric action to continue.
And yet they did (and still do ) in Syria…no western power will involve itself in direct military conflict with Russia unless they (Russia) cross the Rubicon….and I doubt even Putin is that foolish.
Except this time it is a horror show being broadcast to the world.
Syria got plenty of coverage….and Ukraine a whole lot closer to Mother Russia.
Risk aversion will be paramount
Raqqa horror show …but no broadcast
What the the US walked into Syria and took their oil fields, or did you miss that?
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/oct/28/syria-us-troops-oil-fields-isis
The US assistance was to one side in a civil war that did not involve direct confrontation with the Russian military….and was probably pre cleared with the Russians (as an anti ISIS move) not unlike the pre warning of the cruise missle strikes on the Homs airfield.
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/04/06/the-us-warned-the-russians-ahead-of-syria-missile-strikes-official.html
Syria has been a testing ground for Russia to determine how far the west can be pushed without military response.
As I have said before the ultimate Russian objective is not military, it is economic.
You get the risk is nuclear war right? Then everyone loses.
an excellent dairy about Covid, and long Covid in particular for those that are interested in such things.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/3/9/2084438/-28-MONTHS-LATER-The-Hidden-Toll-of-COVID-Not-Being-Discussed
Agreed Sabine, so the "Mild" virus is a nasty beast, best avoided.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/128006089/fonterras-unvaccinated-workers-to-be-subject-to-daily-testing-programme
Seems Fonterra is one of the first employers to allow unvaccinated staff to continue to keep their job via daily testing.
It will be interesting to see how many more companies/employers will follow suit?
It would be interesting to see how manay companys have a 'don't get tested, just call in sick' procedure in place.
The milkman that i spoke to today basically states that night shifts had to be cancelled and others run at 2 – 4 staff where it should be double the staff.
Nevermind, it does not matter actually what we do, keep restrictions its fucked, undo restrictions and its fucked also – see the UK where cases are up again, as is hospitalisation and death. And Oh, yeah, its the 'Stealth' variant that is on the rise Omicron 2.0 with a much higher viral load. Some of the stats in my link above to the DK diary on Covid. https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/3/9/2084438/-28-MONTHS-LATER-The-Hidden-Toll-of-COVID-Not-Being-Discussed
We truly live in interesting times.
Nothing new there. Thats was always the option with wide latitude given to companies like them as they werent part of the 'compulsory' sector
Russia is being squeezed out of the capitalist system:
Harsh sanctions, plummeting exchange rates, depleted foreign reserves, a reliance on imports and the Poots responds to his economy being strangled by voluntarily cutting Russia’s export revenue. Genius.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-08/russia-to-restrict-some-raw-material-exports-but-omits-details
At the cost of hyper inflation,and massive wealth destruction to all other economies.
https://twitter.com/BobOnMarkets/status/1501619630397403139?cxt=HHwWhsC5maLG6dYpAAAA
https://twitter.com/markgongloff/status/1501685712663498756?cxt=HHwWiMCyueHMh9cpAAAA
What is being evidenced is the destruction now of wealth,mostly due to the finacialization of debt and assets exactly the same problem from the GFC.
Say for example the non return of leased Jets from Russia becomes a 10b$ liability,or the meltdown in the Nickel market in London became a 12b$ destruction of wealth,as the investment banks start to liquidate their positions to meet call obligations there will be a flow from equities to cash,a high wealth risk in pension fund etc,and increased cash hording.
Would the collapse of western financial markets be considered an existential threat?
Some would suggest so.
not only western financial markets,China construction bank was a defaulter on calls in the LME nickel blow up.As was China's largest nickel manufacturer (and the worlds biggest stainless steel supplier) .
Dont think the supply of nickel will be an issue for China however….and the margin call has been deferred.
the margin calls were deferred until they could raise credit,they still had to pay the calls reversing an asset to a liability at higher margins.
https://twitter.com/jfarchy/status/1501499240824119297?cxt=HHwWgoC5_dXmstYpAAAA
And who knows what deals have been done with the Russian suppliers for forward contracts….the money will be recouped…and then some.
Tsingshan is also a producer ie a miner,The short option on the global exchange was to protect its position (its risk) in case Nickel prices fell.The 8 billion$ position is now a debt which needs to be funded.As is the 4b$ position for the China construction bank.
Whos likely to suffer more?….the holder of real resources or the holder of debt?
China has access to both.
Its a transfer of wealth from the 250th largest company(globally) to an investment bank.
Partially….
"Chinese authorities directed Tsingshan’s domestic banks to offer more credit lines to the company, two of the people said. A majority of these new loans will be used for margin calls on its existing positions on the London Metal Exchange (LME), the people said."
https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3169846/chinese-nickel-giant-tsingshan-secures-lifelines-lenders
'Will Ban'
But not yet, Phase out is the actual wording. By the end of the year, apparently
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-to-phase-out-russian-oil-imports
I think Russian LNG is a few years phase out , but only cant come in Russian ships, other flags are fine.
My precious…..
Very precious is Newcastle coal.
https://twitter.com/JavierBlas/status/1499270597548949507?cxt=HHwWhoC-0ceqvc4pAAAA
The real anger from everyday Aussies over the failure of the state in response to this event is getting loud.
Mind you, 40 odd years of radical far right liberalism and what do you expect. It can't do anything because it sold everything thing off to sociopaths (ooops I mean private business interests).
Without 3-Waters, Labour could so easily win the next election.
If you evaluate this government solely in such terms, rejecting Three Waters on top of:
– Rejecting Capital Gains and other tax reform,
– Shrinking Kiwibuild,
– No structural reforms to transport after multiple failures
– No structural reform to electricity after major blackout
– Not reacting to the Commission into State Care findings
– Not reforming the supermarket duopoly, or the fuel oligopoly, ,
would not be a good look.
Beyond COVID, and without Three Waters, they would go to the 2023 election with:
– Extension of National's Bright Line Test
– Expansion of Kainga Ora
– Gun reform
– State health entity merger
– Merging state broadcasters into new agency
I think this Labour government would admit that they aren't structural reform experts. They've made most of their differences elsewhere.
What of the PR propaganda. Based on fear. The minister continually declines and Q&A time to the media. If the minister cannot sell this ,what does that say of either/both the minister and the policy ??
From the link below the issues are mentioned BUT no mention on solutions or expected time frames that issues raised will be rectified. e.g. How and when will Buller's boiling of water be fixed by 3 waters as they will be included in the area of the South Is that aligns with Ngāi Tahu? Will this 3 water s halt any need "To boil" beaches closed due to discharge of Waste or storm water, pipes bursting ? We were sold the fear of these but NO MENTION of a guarantee going forward that such events will NOT happen under 3 waters. If 3 waters cannot guarantee that such events do not occur then this is NO better than the status quo.
https://www.dia.govt.nz/Three-Waters-Reform-Programme
https://www.dia.govt.nz/diawebsite.nsf/Files/three-waters-reform-programme-2021/$file/transforming-the-system-for-delivering-three-waters-services-the-case-for-change-and-summary-of-proposals-30-june-2021.pdf
I'm still waiting for Seymore and Luxon's alternative.
Act policy today is to localise the assets.
They should have skipped the first 5 paragraphs in the policy statement and stuck with the policy initiatives.
The strength in the policy is to use the gst on rates (around a billion) to fund council infrastructure spend.
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA2203/S00078/drop-co-governance-of-three-waters.htm
How come when ACT had a big say in the Super City creation they created the 3 Waters governance model in Watercare Service Ltd
Combines water assets from 8 council entities into 1 …check
Makes the councils 100% owners but not direct control…check
Appointed board doesnt own but has full control of these assets…check
Same as the health reforms: time to make the customer promise that my health outcomes will improve as a result of the reforms.
Little explained part of the reasons, as I think this is all his ideas.
When the labour government gave money for DHBs to employ more nurses , some said thanks for the money but we will run it our way and use agencies, overtime instead.
Same again for the extra money for Mental health facilities , some DHBs just dragged the chain on even starting upgrades to existing facilities or building new. They just wanted to do it in their own time and at their own pace.
They had become little silos used to deflecting central government.
Another example was when the pandemic struck the Auckland Regional Public Health entity just wouldnt cooperate much with the MOD and had their own ways of doing infectious diseases which they preferred. A number of Auckland based covid stuff ups over MIQ and testing were directly on the ARPHA preferred way.
Have we had the year of delivery yet? Wasn't Grant Robertson heading up a new group (cant remember what it was called) to ensure things actually got done? Did that not get done?
Three Waters is the Nats best policy.
along with the no evictions policy at KO, absolute gold that one.
Pretty sure if there was a referendum on Three Waters it would sail through.
Problem is noisey farmers are so petrified of losing control of the ability to pollute for profit they'll moan on and on until it is sunk.
When long time Labour man Phil Goff categorically states that it is poorly thought through, poorly structured and liable to manipulation in the future, you know you have problems.
Bryce Edwards has an interesting piece on 3 Waters today.
Where is your link to that “interesting piece”?
Move eyeballs to the 2'o'clock position its in the feed column.
I can’t, I have blinkers on. And I read & reply in backend.
1 dimensional observations in a 6d world,are often constraints in time and space.
That’s too much for my one-track mind. I need links to connect the 1D dots.
There is an infinite space between the dots,a troublesome problem in a linear world called lineland.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatland#/media/File:Houghton_EC85_Ab264_884f_-_Flatland,_cover.jpg
In dot-land, the dot is all there is, and all there is not. It is infinitesimally small and infinitely large, all at once. Must be time for another coffee …
https://www.taxpayers.org.nz/three_waters_poll
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/11/newshub-reid-research-poll-half-of-new-zealand-doesn-t-support-three-waters-reforms.html
Meh. Curia polls to order.
It's telling that the unsure vote is so significant and I think it shows the strength of the misinformation campaign conducted by farming interests.
2 seperate polls with similar results….and both some months ago (and apart) before a lot of negative publicity, including latest council rejections.
Makes one wonder what your comment "Pretty sure if there was a referendum on Three Waters it would sail through." could be based on.
My thoughts exactly.
I think the individual added cost burden people would face due to Three Waters would turn many off.
That is typical of the short term thinking which has dragged this country down for several decades now.
Not at all. I think the added cost burden people would face due to Three Waters would not only impact them in the short-term but also over the long-term.
Well, that's not what the reform programme says. The reform programme says there will be long term savings, as well as much better water quality, a well as increased GDP.
Perhaps you don't believe it in the same way you don't believe in better housing for tenants, and the same way you don't believe in science.
https://newsline.ccc.govt.nz/news/story/three-water-reform-model-flawed-says-mayor
Consequently
https://ccc.govt.nz/services/water-and-drainage/water-reform
So the modelling is in question.
And alternative options for service and delivery (that may better meet the needs of communities than the proposal put forward) are being overlooked or ignored
Indeed, councils up and down the county have overlooked and ignored service and delivery which meets the needs of communities for decades now.
Time for a different approach.
3 waters isnt a rivers and streams farm pollution issue
Its urban supply drinking water and sewage disposal along with stormwater
I imagine nitrate leaching and water borne pathogens from farms comes under drinking water?
No . Regional councils cover the land use side of farming .
Its a water treatment issue . They cant even keep easily treated infectious organisms out of the water supply
Doesnt mean to say the 3 waters isnt a European scale answer unsuited for our spread out country. Wind down the scale and it should work out
And here is Dr Bryce, fresh from promoting the anti-vax parliament protests, delivering a sustained attack on Nanaia Mahuta, calling for he resignation, no less.
The main beef is of course co-governance which betrays the real motives of Edwards and his allies. Can't let Maori make any decisions, they are not capable!
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-can-three-waters-be-salvaged-or-will-nanaia-mahuta-have-to-go/CALGH4AB2RSRS63YLOKA7UQZM4/
Hes now a shock jock journalist pretending hes an academic, he used to be a proper political scientist.
Now its like the Business Round Table funds his little University group
https://democracyproject.nz/about/
You got it. Opaque too.
Almost like the antithesis of democracy, when you think about it.
Bryce always cut and spliced other opinions to back up his current hypothesis.
Not any more . hes become a full no facts based commentator now
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/463012/opinion-supermarkets-win-in-the-end
'Labour went into the 2020 election promising to break up the supermarket duopoly and bring down the price of food. This policy is now essentially dead.
See what he does created a policy that didnt exist so he could shoot it down. Their 'policy' was a market study- which is what it says in the manifesto
Yes ghostwhowalksnz. Well spotted.
First electric ute recently driven in NZ. Our local free newspaper carried a report, including test drive by their reporter. It's double-cab. No price yet – it's due to market next summer: https://ldv.co.nz/product/ev-t60-ute/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojoMzpLZVOc
The LDV electric Ute is useless, it is only two wheel drive and has about as much ground clearance a as normal car as the motor takes the place of the diff. It has a towing capacity of only ONE tonne , a small caravan at most and that halves its range which is already laughably short. Wide tyres and two wheel drive means that any water on any sort of slope on pretty much any surface makes it almost undriveable . It is greenwashing at its most egregious and the weight of wasted materials makes a joke of its supposed green credentials. Better wait for the next generation that’s fit for purpose.
Bullock trains?
too much methane.
True that. So, we need to eliminate everything that emits any form of carbon into the atmosphere. Or just a drastic reduction? Energy efficiency is important, of course, but so is overall energy consumption. Do we proceed in small incremental steps or should we wait for giant leaps (for mankind)? The nay-sayers seems to be binary boofheads of all or nothing and since it’s never all it becomes nothing by default.
Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
A rocket can take us a quarter of a million miles in a few days, but takes a decade to build from scratch.
I have heard variations of the rocket ‘dilemma’ before, i.e. by the time the rocket is ready for take-off it will be overtaken (literally) by newer (i.e. not just bigger propulsion rockets using combustion as the driving force), better, and fasters modes of space transportation/exploration. Life sucks when you’re a rocket scientist.
Use horses instead of cattle for your ute replacement needs. Cooch Windgrass showed the way.
https://horses.extension.org/what-is-the-carbon-footprint-of-a-horse-compared-to-an-automobile/
My folks knew a farmer years ago who used a bren gun carrier on the farm.
Do they make an EV version of the Bren gun carrier?
Asking for a farming friend.
No, but an interesting threshold will be when tanks and IFVs go electric. Actual farm ute EVs will be well before that, though.
yes and no.
I'd be surprised if most utes get their towbar used even annually, and there's the old joke about how often they leave tarmac, too.
It's not a farm vehicle. But most utes aren't farm vehicles. Heck, 91% of them aren't even work vehicles.
But as I've said on here before, utes were really good for getting sour looking individuals down to Parliament for the protest. There were many of them in the convoy that I saw with the 30-40 male demographic that seems to have a problem with female leaders, sorry I read that again, female anythings.
There are 100s of them around Wellington and as you say most are not farm or tradies vehicles. So low down ground clearance is not really important if the only gravel work it is going to do is from the tarseal then to the gravelled carpark at footie.
yup.
Lots of compensation going on in car yards, by the look of it.
good grief. The issue isn't how many people use them for what, it's what the people who do need a 4WD and good towing capacity use them for in real life.
I live in the country. People tow shit, drive distances, and drive in situations where a 4WD is an asset.
The issue is whether the current electric vehicle is a realistic substitute for a ute.
Which means how and where most of them are used is an important part of addressing that issue.
Well then , it makes it just fine for the 90% of users who dont drive down farm tracks
When I worked in a business that needed a 4×4 for rough site tracks , I was given a Diahatsu Terios , was so light that plenty of times could go where a Landrover had trouble, only used the 4×4 feature ocassionally.
Those big butch utes are all show and no go.
And most of the major manufacturers produce 2 wheel drives as well. So how does this EV compare with those vehicles. Nissan/Toyota/Ford/Mitsubishi/Mazda etc must think they have a market for their two wheel drives. Perhaps someone here can give an informed comparison rather than the opening words "They are useless…"
It depends what you use it for…i have a 2 wheel drive flat deck (not electric) that does what I need…in over 20 years i have only needed 4 wheel drive about 4or 5 times so the additional running/service costs of 4WD are not warranted…a capable EV 2WD would be a suitable replacement (depending on price and range) in my situation.
If you need 4WD capability then the same limitations will apply. once available ..range and price.
Thanks for that Pat.
Back to the future: minister announces plan. Basically, it means healing the state broadcaster split of 1975…
Bill Ralston's history of the thing:
And he appraises efficiency gains:
I wouldn't blame the minister for lack of detail (blame the pandemic instead).
Ralston is serious (but diffident) about back to the future:
I'd go for something future-oriented – Multimedia Aotearoa would do.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/128018813/success-of-tvnzrnz-merger-will-all-come-down-to-money
South Pacific started as a stand alone new channel , it wasnt split from anything
I remember going to its studio , a large hall or something on the site of current TVNZ back when the existing only channel was operated out of the old 1YA building in Shortland St
The Radio side had their own building just off Queen St at Durham St W
Yep. I worked as an audio operator for the old AKTV2 in Shortland St. for 4 to 5 years in the 1960s. The new entity sounds like an upgraded version of the original. One positive aspect was the ability of staff to transfer from radio to TV or vice versa. For those who remember TV news reader, Jennie Goodwin for example, iirc she started her career in radio and transferred to TV ending up as one of the longest serving presenters.
To avoid people going apeshit (again), this is an informative article on an interesting change of how the data are acquired and reported: https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/03/the-actual-number-of-covid-19-deaths-revealed-as-government-changes-reporting-approach.html
Cause of death it seems even in normal times is a complicated thing.
The simple answer it seems is there are usually a number of interelated causes of death
For most they die of 'old age' and covid seems to be an accelerator in that
A member of my extended family died today. A male aged 82 who reluctantly entered hospital because stents were leaking. Because of damaged lungs he had a great fear of Covid and took every precaution to keep himself safe. Tripled vaccinated / always masked up / not out in the community. Three tests during his stay were negative for Covid. Five days in to his hospital stay he had a major stroke. Three days after that he was diagnosed with Covid – today was his Day 2.
Patricia 2, that is a sad outcome for your family.
It appears even the modellers got the hospitalisation rate wrong The B2a heavy viral load is sooo infectious.
Sadly this type of situation occurs where staff and systems are pressured and the peak wave is high.
That is no comfort at this time sadly. Our son and his neighbour are struggling with throat and cough issues and overwhelming tiredness.
Decrypting crypto.
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1501449525831081987?cxt=HHwWhoC5tfCYnNYpAAAA
Kinda racist, but that's a South African for you.
Filled my vehicle up 11:20 this morning diesel $2:51 returning past the same station $2.61. No wonder the motorway is like a Sunday morning. I get the impression that those living day to day are increasing in number. These fuel increases, from talking to some have not even made their way into the cost of goods yet🙁
I think the motorway is like a Sunday morning because a lot of people are working from home amid our biggest outbreak of a 1 in 100 year pandemic event.
$2.61 for diesel…ouch, what part of the country?
Manukau where all the wealth and high incomes reside in 🙃.
The only BAU I have noticed re traffic volumes: is the school traffic. Where I work the office car park is used for school drop offs and pickups with 2 schools across the road, and at our local primary school traffic is as heavy as it has always been.
Yes, and that is because parents are dropping their kids to school directly instead of sending them on public transport. Another effect of the outbreak.
Last i saw here in Canty was about 5 days ago …$2.25 and that caused an expletive or two.