Over the past 15 years, death rates among white women in the United States have mysteriously surged. New research pins blame on an insidious culprit: prescription painkillers.
Nice use of ‘the euphemism ‘painkillers’.
It’s not like (white women) haven’t been through this before. In the 50s it was mother’s little helper. The article is trying to discuss a lot of things but not very clearly. Class is obviously a factor, as are geographical prescribing patterns, and the much easier availability of drugs. Ethnicity is mentioned, but in an almost causal way (black women’s death rates are much higher than white women’s despite the former decreasing and the latter increasing).
Breast cancer rates were for a long time a lot lower in black and Hispanic women then whites. White women’s rate has fallen in the last 10 years and the incident rate is now almost the same. Hispanic women have a far lower incident rate – it is almost unchanged.
Black people have a first time stroke incidence twice as high as whites. They also have a higher incidence rate of high blood pressure.
This points to lifestyle choices, diet for the most part but could also involvelso genetics.
Cause of Death Age-Adjusted Death Rates*
White Black Hispanic Asian
All causes 450.4 690.9 432.8 264.6
Heart disease 121.9 183.3 84.2 67.4
Coronary heart disease 79.2 92.5 54.7 42.9
Stroke 23.3 41.4 19 22.7
Cancer 121 161.2 76.1 74.8
COPD 21.9 17.7 8.5 7.4
Pneumonia/influenza 12.7 17.4 9.8 10.3
Liver disease/cirrhosis 7.1 8 11.7 2.4
Diabetes mellitus 12 28.8 18.4 8.7
HIV infection 2.6 20.6 6.2 0.8
External causes 46.7 68.8 44.7 24.4
Infant Mortality per 1,000 6 13.6 5.8 5.5
Life expectancy (years from birth) 77.3 71.3 >80? >80?
‘Lifestyle choice’ is an unfortunate choice of words, giving you the benefit of the doubt there, but poverty undermines lifestyle choices most of the time.
Lifestyle choice – I would translate this into not moving much. Not much sport and lots of TV, games etc. This is then showing in the heart disease and diabetics stats. Mind you, whites are catching up fast.
” No wonder some are questioning their own use of conventional medical approaches.”
It has me questioning, in the context of the US health system, long-term relief through strong painkillers of conditions that patients can’t afford to see a specialist about.
In other words people are using strong painkillers, obtained through health practitioners too ready to write prescriptions for them, or obtained illegally, because they can’t even get to see someone about conventional medical approaches for their conditions.
i.e:
Curbing opioid-related deaths is more complicated than simply arresting people who illegally peddle or buy the drugs. Lawmakers should also address the social determinants of health, Astone said. Housing and access to medical care, for example, are high on the list.
The highest concentration of counties with rising female death rates clustered in historically impoverished regions of the Southwest, where doctors and clinics are known to write more opioid prescriptions.
Previous research shows a strong correlation between income and lifespan.
I’d guess that another significant part of the picture is painkillers being used by people self medicating other kinds of pain than physical injury/illness. That’s about poverty, self-determination, culture etc as much as access to medical care.
I agree – class, ethnicity, culture, geography. societal structures that impact on the use of available resources (time, money, social constraints etc) are all part of the context that affect access to health care (compared to commonly held views of access directly related to categories like transport, ethnicity, age, ‘attitudes’ & ‘behaviours’ and so forth).
“are all part of the context that affect access to health care”
Yes, but I’m saying in addition to that, poverty etc makes for a higher level of need to self medicate around existential pain, and people will use what they can get their hands on. That is essentially not a healthcare issue but one of poverty i.e. relieve poverty and many people won’t need to self-medicate. That’s a different thing than someone with back pain or on a long waiting list for hip replacement using opiates in the meantime because they’re not getting adequate medical treatment.
Yes, I see what you mean, however that is true of people in all sorts of situations – whether they’re poor or not. For example, commonly cited are links between addictions are surviving child sexual abuse and domestic violence.
I also wonder how much the medicalisation of unhappiness and anxiety affect people’s responses to these perfectly ok responses to some short-term, awful situations.
It’s the medicalisation of societal, economic and familial dysfunction to try and cope with far wider issues.
The highest concentration of counties with rising female death rates clustered in historically impoverished regions of the Southwest, where doctors and clinics are known to write more opioid prescriptions.
Previous research shows a strong correlation between income and lifespan.
People whose family income in 1980 was greater than $50,000, putting them in the top 5 percent of incomes, had a life expectancy at all ages that was about 25 percent longer than those in the bottom 5 percent
+1
That fits with what I know of both living with chronic pain and prescribing practice in Dixie. If you have a pain problem that could be fixed if surgery were available, what do you do? You treat the symptoms while the underlying problem gets worse. Eventually you die and the American medical establishment blames the painkillers. The problem is just as likely to be lack of access to hospital treatment.
I wonder if there is an equivalent rising death rate in countries that have an accessible health system?
“I wonder if there is an equivalent rising death rate in countries that have an accessible health system?”
A good research question there… hmm
re chronic pain – I’ve been having a bit of a conversation with a patient US group and although I was aware of access issues there, some of the stories stunned me – losing healthcare with loss of job, going bankrupt several time due to the cost of meds, managing life around access to serious painkillers because they can’t get the prescriptions required to manage their disease, and then they lose access to the painkillers…. when they finally get on clinical trials or pharma charity (for want of a better description) the illness has progressed to a level that causes permanent disability – the list goes on….
A workplace based scheme that nudges people towards greater personal responsibility with features like preferred providers, portability and non-exclusion – adopted in the KiwiSaver scheme – could play an important role in making the New Zealand health system more sustainable
I think the news/PR release when largely unnoticed here, but their lobbyists will certainly be heard loud and clear by the government, I expect.
That’s unhelpful stirring Contrarian. Let it go.
The topic was the increased death rate among white women and its link to a type of prescription drug.
CV has some insight into the intersection of social problems and over medicalisation, understanding of which is at a primitive stage in the mainstream.
What’s your view on that?
Deaths (most of which are unintentional) from strong opioids have been increasing in parallel with increasing opioid sales worldwide but particularly in the USA. The USA uses 55% of the global morphine and hydromorphone supply, >99% of hydrocodone supply and 83% of oxycodone supply. On the other hand, Canada has the highest per capita “dose”. Mortality rates in NZ from prescription medicines are not easily available. The use of strong opioids has increased exponentially since the late 80s and early 90s when doctors in the USA started using them for non-cancer pain, despite minimal evidence of their long-term effectiveness and safety. Strong patient and healthcare professional lobby groups (often backed by pharmaceutical companies) combined with aggressive marketing tactics led to a marked growth in the use of strong opioids for non-cancer pain. The drug company who make Oxycontin spent US$200M on marketing in 2001, including US$40M in drug rep bonuses. The drug company’s profits rose from US$48M in 1996 when it was launched to US$3B in 2010. There are many reasons for the increase in use (including abuse), and the consensus is that it is primarily due to the lower threshold to prescribing strong opioids (particularly in light of increasing concerns about the toxicity of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers). Lack of access to specialist care is unlikely to be a strong contributor, treating existential suffering (eloquently put) is a recognised problem (“chemical coping”). Another reason the use is increasing is the development of tolerance, whereby more drug is needed for the same effect (this is not addiction or dependence). For more information on NZ usage: http://www.bpac.org.nz/BPJ/2014/July/oxycodone.aspx, http://www.hqsc.govt.nz/assets/Health-Quality-Evaluation/Atlas/opioidsSF/atlas.html
Thanks Pauline, interesting. I was surprised to learn from the Bpac link the majority of oxycodone isn’t prescribed in general practice. It says GPs post hospital discharge can feel compelled to continue prescribing, which figures, but I would have thought the resulting primary care prescription numbers would then vastly outweigh hospital prescribing.
I wonder how much of the hospital prescribing is post-surgical, and how much is to patients waiting for surgery when they visit the hospital specialist or the hospital’s chronic pain clinic.
”Dispensing data shows that in New Zealand, the majority of prescriptions for oxycodone are not being written by General Practitioners.5 This suggests that a considerable proportion of oxycodone is being prescribed to patients on discharge from hospital, e.g. for post-surgical pain management”
The majority of hospital scripts for strong opioids are for patients being discharged after surgery, possibly also from ED. Specialists who see patients in outpatient clinics (including chronic pain team specialists) try to avoid writing scripts as they usually prefer the GP to retain primary management of the patient (plus it’s a hassle writing controlled drug scripts). The number of people taking strong opioids because they are waiting for surgery is likely to be minimal. Even so, these would only be hip and knee surgery and I can’t see orthopaedic surgeons writing controlled drug scripts. To give an example, in BoP in 2013 the prescription numbers for strong opioids were 4500; 2100 of these were for pts who had been in hospital in the past week, so 2400 were GP prescribed. Only about 600 of these were for >6 weeks. So the majority of the 4500 were for short-term use which is good.
+1 Thanks Pauline. Diseases with chronic pain is managed quite differently in NZ compared with the US, I think, where ‘most’ chronic noncancer pain is managed in primary care.
Sort of what I expected given access to free specialist care (albeit with sometimes long waiting times) in NZ.
Using rheumatoid arthritis as and example, many individuals with this disease are managed in primary care, where, as well as not being able to afford the cost of treatment, patients may be in the care of physicians who are uncomfortable with prescribing drugs that control the disease. This means patients are left with symptomatic relief i.e. painkillers. Similar concerns about treating in primary care in Canada exist. NZ GPs do tend follow recommended practice and refer people with RA to specialists.
Also interesting is GP concerns about the safety of non-steriodal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). There is possibly a link there to increased prescribing of opiates and the controversy surrounding cox-2 inhibitors (e.g. vioxx) in the early 2000s which eventually proved an increased risk of heart problems with the used of several NSAIDs.
I’m not sure about the subtleties of US primary care/specialist care but at in NZ pts can be treated by their GP along with input from a specialist (at no cost to the pt) if the pt’s condition is more complex or labile. The waiting lists are not as long as they used to be and are usually quite reasonable, depending on the severity of the problem. Specialists try not to “take over” the prescribing and management because the GP is the main healthcare provider. Having access to specialists in the public system also gives access to specialist meds including expensive biologicals like adalimumab for RA, whereas in the US I understand this is dictated by someone’s insurance coverage and many people have to pay extra as a copayment. BTW, opioids are not very effective in RA.
Yes, the increase in strong opioid prescribing may be related to the safety issues about NSAIDs including COX-2 inhibitors but there is some evidence that opioids have even more risks in older pts (Arch Intern Med. 2010;170(22):1979-1986).
It’s been awhile since I’ve used the NZ health system, but I’m pretty familiar with how it operates. Good to know waiting times are improving (I suspect, more targeted referrals rather than improvements in resourcing).
It’s also great when GPs and specialists can work together to manage chronic pain conditions. Although that would vary depending on the interests and confidence of the GP in managing a particular condition and the drug protocols, and for RA, whether the condition has stabilised, or not, as far as I recall. Although I understand that there is some collaboration between ‘expert’ GPs and consultants in this field to improve this situation.
Yes, I’ve also heard that access to some biologics is much better than a few years ago, although the range is still rather sparse. You’re right that insurance coverage and co-payment are a huge big problem for US patients (along with getting a specialist diagnosis in the first place), according to the people there that I’ve conversed with.
“opioids are not very effective in RA.”
… and yet … they’re still prescribed (referring to aforementioned US patients). Obviously the best pain relief is to control the disease – a whole other topic, given the recommended meds for that – except that plenty of people refuse these and rely on painkillers to get through. The John Hopkins Institute does suggest there may be a role for opiates in RA. Maybe that justifies, for some, the prescribing of these rather than NSAIDs or steroids, if they’re worried about side effects from those. I’m not sure of the consensus on that view.
Re opioids in the elderly: one of the reasons I used RA as an example is because onset frequently occurs in midlife, rather than later in life, which fit better with the original article of increased deaths in women due to overdoses up to age 54.
Thanks again for the discussion. It’s clearly a big and diverse topic.
Thanks for the link.
I agree with Chris Trotter: “His (Key’s) brilliance as a politician (if “brilliance” is the right word for so sinister a talent) lies in the way he has transformed the Truths and Untruths of the controversy into brutal binary equations of partisan allegiance.”
The Crosby Textors of the world have been doing this for over 50 years. Well before “either you are with us or you are against us.” Even before the days of McCarthy, where people labelled as communist sympathisers had their careers and lives destroyed.
Freud, Lippman and Bernays were spot on. And the intellectual left has struggled ever since in the belief that policies, facts and figures – “evidence” – was the way to persuade people one way or the other. Utterly hopeless.
tc @ 4.1I was expecting Paddy and the panel to spin, which they did. Paddy started right away with the angle that James would recognise the rights of a snail in the same way human rights (weirdo greens). Then Andrea Vance saying they should know the basic facts such as unemployment rate etc. FFS we are not at school anymore (and even school don’t do the rote learning of facts).
I watched because I wanted to see the Green candidates and hear them talk. They were good, very good and I am a Labour supporter. There was also a good report on obesity.
When you look at the electorate vote, Robertson’s has been increasing with each election and Shaw’s falling. Maybe you mean that Robertson has been prioritising his own place in parliament (EV) over the good of the party (PV)?
2008 17,046 GR 5,971 Kedgley
2011 18,836 GR 5,225 Shaw
2014 19,807 GR 5,077 Shaw
An important point I didn’t mention above was that the 2011 Wellington Central results represents a time when Kedgley was a Green MP. I am disinclined to ascribe Shaw; and his present electorate team, too much credit for the 7% rise in GP PV in that election.
Yep, Greens subjected directly to the same treatment Labour get EVERYTIME they dare to disclose any details. Strangely, Nats NEVER seem to be subjected to same, and get away with appalling whitewashes of any/all their policies.Amazing.
The series of statistical questions seem to have been suddenly unleashed on them with the sole aim of getting some ‘gotcha’ moments for discrediting them. Gower and the panel latched on to this as if those statistical numbers were the most important questions at hand, while ignoring the bulk of the interview based on their many other more important views including on environmental, political, social and leadership issues. They weren’t there to instantly recall and regurgitate the government’s various numbers. Would have been good if they knew, but that was NOT the most important matter for discussion TODAY or to be judged on.
John Key did not even remember whose side he himself was on during the Springbok rugby protest that divided the entire nation!
It began in Wellington and spread to every major city in months. The loss of life was immense. 200,000 New Zealanders were killed. Who would be next? What about the kids? In the end, the fighting came to your suburb. You knew you had to go. You packed up your life in the space of a few minutes and fled the house. You locked the front door and hoped to God everything would still be there in a couple of months’ time.
It would be all over by then, surely. It couldn’t drag on forever, could it?
That was four years ago. This is now your reality. This is what life looks like for your family.
You live in a refugee camp in the Auckland Domain. Your middle-class life is gone. You had a few thousand dollars that kept you going in the early years, but most of the money was tied up in the house.
There is nothing left. Your family relies on aid-agencies to sustain your miserable, impoverished lives.
There are no hospitals. No schools. The economy has collapsed. New Zealand is officially a failed state.
It has happened in other countries, like Syria – “The Herald and World Vision are running a major campaign to raise funds and help the millions of children left homeless by war in Syria.” Good work Herald and World Vision – no matter what percentage actually gets used for purpose that will be better than nothing.
Meanwhile – how would you cope if your world disintegrated.
Western power and western allies wanted Assad gone and this is the result. The result of supplying funds, arms and fighters to anti-Assad rebels in Syria.
As Madeline Albright famously said on American TV when asked about the half million Iraqi children killed by sanctions, they think that it is “worth it.”
NB ISIS continues to make gains against Assad in Syria despite US airstrikes. Its like the US doesn’t really want to be effective against ISIS.
Pretty sure the easily huntable food wouldn’t last that long. Here in the SI we’d do better, but the climate is colder too, which has a bit impact on food resources.
Just a side point about money being raised for charity and good causes. I thought I heard on Radionz that the actual charity only got 4% of the funds raised by one contracted fund-raiser! Did anyone else hear a report about fund raisers for charities on radio about a week ago?
Now when there are so many requests for money coming at you, and if what I’ve remembered is true, how much will that poor group in the Auckand Domain get from donations from kind people trying to help?
I hate relying on private charity, and I want my government to have principles that ensure adequate help is available from funds received from all NZs from progressive income tax and other taxes. Private charity can fill the extreme needs, the unusual.
Interesting article and thought experiment marty. I think GFC/PO is more likely in NZ than civil war, but it could be both of course.
I’m also not sure about comparing Syria with NZ, such different histories and geographies.
I don’t have to think too much about how I would survive because I’d be one of the first to die 😉 But in the event of a slower, less violent collapse I think about things like how there are plenty of houses in NZ, and a lot of fertile land (decreasing though), and still quite a few people who know how to grow food. More of an issue is what the police and army would do here in various scenarios. Would people really be living in tents when there are empty houses around? If enough of the police and army have family who are homeless are they really going to support a state that says you can’t live in a house unless you pay rent/mortgage?
I’m also not sure about comparing Syria with NZ, such different histories and geographies.
Another quite important difference between NZ and Syria is the fact that the United States, Britain, France, Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have not been funding a bloody insurrection against our country for the last four years.
hi marty, two things spring immediately to mind.
the first is how does raising funds help?
you can not solve a problem with what got you into troubles in the first place.
lets face it these conflicts ultimately have money as their root cause and are a significant driving factor.
secondly i have been moving my life, to build resilience in the event of the scenario you described. learning about growing food energy, how to provide shelter (short and long term), strenthening the communities i am privileged to be involved with.
i have come to the conclusion that money is the main chain that binds us and the less reliant i/we are on money the better off we are.
i forget who said it but when the $*@#i goes down i would prefer to fall from the footpath to the gutter rather than from the penthouse.
Marty, do you think it might be a good idea for our government and its media mouthpieces to stop supporting the violent Al Qaeda/ISIS-led insurrection in Syria?
Only a year or so ago, the media were treating as heroes the fanatical louts who travelled to Syria to join the insurrection. If you read the endless torrent of anti-Syrian propaganda that the Herald has been running for the last four years—clearly you have not done so—then congratulating it would be the last thing you would do.
It was – but when I first saw the picture, for a minute I actually thought the woman was Hekia! She has an almost identical costume which she used to wear a lot!
Just my weird sense of humour, posted it for a laugh on a dull, grey Saturday.
Mmmmmm………don’t recall any exhortations from the Herald to discover some human empathy re 60 plus years of human tragedy wrought by Zionist Eceptionalism in Palestine…….nor re the carnage brought down by Zionist Sports Tours Inc’s biennial ‘shooting fish in a barrel’ exercises in Gaza.
I do recall TVOne/3 news anchors endlessly, sternly, reproachfully, reporting thus – “And today MILITANTS in Gaza……..”
Damn ! I think Rachel might’ve been one of them at some point. Might be wrong but I think so. Certainly there were heaps !
Cheers RL. Stiglitz is right. If I can hopefully simplify it down increased inequality reduces trust including trust in political institutions which unfortunately weakens them and reduces the ability for a political solution to be found. Feels a bit like a never ending cycle.
“ISDS (Investor Dispute Settlement) raises serious questions about democratic accountability, sovereignty, checks and balances and the separation of power” Sen Warren quoting the CATO Institute Trade Policy Programme ( yup, CATO said that )
“100+ law professors agree: A TPP trade deal that includes an Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provision would undermine US sovereignty. ”
– Sen Warren (quote from her fb page)
If a US Senator declares openly that US sovereignty, its commercial freedoms and its legal system’s independence are put at risk by the TPPA, what chance does NZ have ?
(And if you pay attention you may notice that once again, when discussing countries involved in US led actions, New Zealand does not even rate a mention from our good friend the USA)
A man who refused to leave his car has died after being Tasered and pepper-sprayed by police, and having a dog set on him.
Tasered, pepper sprayed and had a dog set on him? I suspect that they never considered that they were going over board with the assaults until he died.
And, really, all they needed to do was block him in, put some clamps on a wheel or two and then leave two officers there to wait until he stepped out.
The comment doesn’t mention that the police also smashed his car windows.
That is very frightening. And if he is a mental case, he would be out of the norms anyway. The suggestion made above about blocking seems the best thing.
Perhaps all the police care about now is targets and money and that comes from the top. If any policeman involved in causing injury or death or being peripheral to it was docked pay according to how involved they were, that might have a limiting effect on violence used. Many of them seem to be brutalised, seem a bit distant from the ordinary citizen. Speak to them and they look at you assessingly “Is this a person causing a public nuisance” in their eyes.
I don’t like this type of police behaviour. They ramp themselves up it seems. Round here they regularly have sirens on and shoot down the road at 70-80 kmh. It can be dangerous being a policeman, but their aqctions can increase that. And all are not equally at risk. The rural officers have more to contend with and less back-up, support people on the ground.
They should be charged with manslaughter, at the very least. Until we see some serious charges laid and pursued through to sentencing, poaka will continue to kill us.
Conservatives report, but liberals display, greater happiness
Research suggesting that political conservatives are happier than political liberals has relied exclusively on self-report measures of subjective well-being. We show that this finding is fully mediated by conservatives’ self-enhancing style of self-report (study 1; N = 1433) and then describe three studies drawing from “big data” sources to assess liberal-conservative differences in happiness-related behavior (studies 2 to 4; N = 4936). Relative to conservatives, liberals more frequently used positive emotional language in their speech and smiled more intensely and genuinely in photographs. Our results were consistent across large samples of online survey takers, U.S. politicians, Twitter users, and LinkedIn users. Our findings illustrate the nuanced relationship between political ideology, self-enhancement, and happiness and illuminate the contradictory ways that happiness differences can manifest across behavior and self-reports.
A teenager from London, who was allegedly trying to join a Kurdish military women’s unit fighting Isis in Syria, has been charged with a terrorist offence.
Shilan Ozcelik, who is of Kurdish descent, was arrested earlier this year at Stansted airport. She is believed to be the first British citizen to be arrested for trying to join the campaign against the jihadis who control eastern Syria and western Iraq.
…
She was arrested by on 16 January at as she returned from Brussels. Neither the YPJ nor the YPG, the main men’s Kurdish peshmerga militia in northern Syria, are banned organisations in the UK.
The charges against Ozcelik are understood to relate to the Kurdistan Workers party (PKK), which is outlawed in Britain and has spent decades fighting the Turkish army in a separatist conflict
Don’t take my word for it. The Wall Street Journal, the leading financial information magazine in the world, has a blog dedicated to the life of expats and recently they featured a story ‘Who is an expat, anyway?’. Here are the main conclusions: “Some arrivals are described as expats; others as immigrants; and some simply as migrants. It depends on social class, country of origin and economic status. It’s strange to hear some people in Hong Kong described as expats, but not others. Anyone with roots in a western country is considered an expat … Filipino domestic helpers are just guests, even if they’ve been here for decades. Mandarin-speaking mainland Chinese are rarely regarded as expats … It’s a double standard woven into official policy.”
It’s actually quite amazing where racism and privilege shows itself.
With a bit of expat experience, my partner and I were discussing this and came to the conclusion that it’s not so much racism these days. However, there is a strong class/privilege issue. In a nutshell, expats work move to take up a designated job in expensive offices and earn loads of money ‘guest’ workers take up jobs in factories, restaurants and homes and don’t earn much at all.
The class/privilege bias means that Europeans hold a lot of the expat positions in some places but the situation is changing. That said, despite our belief that expat/guest definitions are about class, how the person on the street relates to all of these economic migrants can definitely racist, in my experience.
Excuse me if this has already been covered, but has anyone else noticed how the Roy Morgan website isn’t being updated with its latest poll since Jan 18th 2015, even though another poll has been released by them through the media since then?
I’m assuming they’re only releasing their polls now to paying organisations prior to media release. Is this the case?
A bit late to tell you but their February Poll was published on the day it was released. It is at http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/6078-roy-morgan-new-zealand-february-voting-intention-201502200720
They posted it on February 20, which is the date they referred to.
They haven’t changed anything except that at the moment they are only polling once a month in New Zealand.
If you want to you can register at the website and you will get an e-mail when they post polls you are interested in. I’m sure the method is there. I forget what I did.
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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 ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last 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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New 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 ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “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 ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Whiting, Lecturer – Creative Industries, University of South Australia Shutterstock Everyone has a favourite band, or a favourite composer, or a favourite song. There is some music which speaks to you, deeply; and other music which might be the current ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olli Hellmann, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Waikato Getty Images When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day on April 25, it’s not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also ...
A leaked document shows the Canterbury/Waitaha arm of health agency Te Whatu Ora is scurrying to save $13.3 million by July. The “financial sustainability target”, which was “allocated” to Waitaha, is consistent with what’s happening in other districts, says Sarah Dalton, executive director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. ...
A look at the state of the previous government’s affordable housing scheme, and what could come next.Remind me: What’s KiwiBuild again?First announced in 2012, KiwiBuild was a flagship policy of the Labour Party heading into both its 2014 and 2017 election campaigns. With Jacinda Ardern as prime minister, ...
Labour in opposition will be shocked to learn which party had six years in power but squandered any chance to make real change. Grant Robertson’s valedictory speech was a predictably entertaining trip down memory lane. The acid-tongued incoming Otago University chancellor administered a sick burn to the coalition government. He ...
Taiwan’s semiconductor industry is seen some as its ‘silicon shield’ against invasion – but how will overseas expansion affect that protection? The post The state of Taiwan’s silicon shield appeared first on Newsroom. ...
There’s relief for building owners bending under the weight of earthquake strengthening rules – and costs – that came into force seven years ago. Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has announced a scheduled 2027 review of the earthquake-prone building regulations will now start this year. Owners will also get ...
Opinion: It has been announced that nine percent of roles at Oranga Tamariki will be disestablished, presumably to help fund the tax cuts promised by the coalition Government. I am reminded of the graphics used to illustrate pandemic events, where five thousand people are standing in a field and then ...
After more than two sleepless days, running through savage terrain, Greig Hamilton didn’t know if he was going to finish one of the most gruelling psychological assaults in sport. He was metres away from the finish line, a yellow gate made famous in a Netflix documentary; a race he’d dreamed ...
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The following interview with former Green Party MP Sue Kedgley came about because she features in the new memoir Hine Toa by activist Ngāhuia te Awekōtuku; the two knew each other at the University of Auckland in the early 70s, when they were both took on leadership roles in the ...
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HOMEOPATHY!!!!!
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-14032015/#comment-985074
Prescription medications responsible for historic and rapidly increasing death rate amongst white US women
It adds up to millions of excess deaths. No wonder some are questioning their own use of conventional medical approaches.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/03/05/the-mysterious-force-behind-rising-death-rates-for-white-women/
Over the past 15 years, death rates among white women in the United States have mysteriously surged. New research pins blame on an insidious culprit: prescription painkillers.
Nice use of ‘the euphemism ‘painkillers’.
It’s not like (white women) haven’t been through this before. In the 50s it was mother’s little helper. The article is trying to discuss a lot of things but not very clearly. Class is obviously a factor, as are geographical prescribing patterns, and the much easier availability of drugs. Ethnicity is mentioned, but in an almost causal way (black women’s death rates are much higher than white women’s despite the former decreasing and the latter increasing).
Breast cancer rates were for a long time a lot lower in black and Hispanic women then whites. White women’s rate has fallen in the last 10 years and the incident rate is now almost the same. Hispanic women have a far lower incident rate – it is almost unchanged.
Black people have a first time stroke incidence twice as high as whites. They also have a higher incidence rate of high blood pressure.
This points to lifestyle choices, diet for the most part but could also involvelso genetics.
Cause of Death Age-Adjusted Death Rates*
White Black Hispanic Asian
All causes 450.4 690.9 432.8 264.6
Heart disease 121.9 183.3 84.2 67.4
Coronary heart disease 79.2 92.5 54.7 42.9
Stroke 23.3 41.4 19 22.7
Cancer 121 161.2 76.1 74.8
COPD 21.9 17.7 8.5 7.4
Pneumonia/influenza 12.7 17.4 9.8 10.3
Liver disease/cirrhosis 7.1 8 11.7 2.4
Diabetes mellitus 12 28.8 18.4 8.7
HIV infection 2.6 20.6 6.2 0.8
External causes 46.7 68.8 44.7 24.4
Infant Mortality per 1,000 6 13.6 5.8 5.5
Life expectancy (years from birth) 77.3 71.3 >80? >80?
‘Lifestyle choice’ is an unfortunate choice of words, giving you the benefit of the doubt there, but poverty undermines lifestyle choices most of the time.
Lifestyle choice – I would translate this into not moving much. Not much sport and lots of TV, games etc. This is then showing in the heart disease and diabetics stats. Mind you, whites are catching up fast.
” No wonder some are questioning their own use of conventional medical approaches.”
It has me questioning, in the context of the US health system, long-term relief through strong painkillers of conditions that patients can’t afford to see a specialist about.
In other words people are using strong painkillers, obtained through health practitioners too ready to write prescriptions for them, or obtained illegally, because they can’t even get to see someone about conventional medical approaches for their conditions.
i.e:
I’d guess that another significant part of the picture is painkillers being used by people self medicating other kinds of pain than physical injury/illness. That’s about poverty, self-determination, culture etc as much as access to medical care.
I agree – class, ethnicity, culture, geography. societal structures that impact on the use of available resources (time, money, social constraints etc) are all part of the context that affect access to health care (compared to commonly held views of access directly related to categories like transport, ethnicity, age, ‘attitudes’ & ‘behaviours’ and so forth).
Although the US stands out in the developed world for the cost being a massive barrier. Hopefully the affordable care act despite its flaws will continue to improve this situation.
“are all part of the context that affect access to health care”
Yes, but I’m saying in addition to that, poverty etc makes for a higher level of need to self medicate around existential pain, and people will use what they can get their hands on. That is essentially not a healthcare issue but one of poverty i.e. relieve poverty and many people won’t need to self-medicate. That’s a different thing than someone with back pain or on a long waiting list for hip replacement using opiates in the meantime because they’re not getting adequate medical treatment.
Yes, I see what you mean, however that is true of people in all sorts of situations – whether they’re poor or not. For example, commonly cited are links between addictions are surviving child sexual abuse and domestic violence.
I also wonder how much the medicalisation of unhappiness and anxiety affect people’s responses to these perfectly ok responses to some short-term, awful situations.
It’s the medicalisation of societal, economic and familial dysfunction to try and cope with far wider issues.
+1
That fits with what I know of both living with chronic pain and prescribing practice in Dixie. If you have a pain problem that could be fixed if surgery were available, what do you do? You treat the symptoms while the underlying problem gets worse. Eventually you die and the American medical establishment blames the painkillers. The problem is just as likely to be lack of access to hospital treatment.
I wonder if there is an equivalent rising death rate in countries that have an accessible health system?
“I wonder if there is an equivalent rising death rate in countries that have an accessible health system?”
A good research question there… hmm
re chronic pain – I’ve been having a bit of a conversation with a patient US group and although I was aware of access issues there, some of the stories stunned me – losing healthcare with loss of job, going bankrupt several time due to the cost of meds, managing life around access to serious painkillers because they can’t get the prescriptions required to manage their disease, and then they lose access to the painkillers…. when they finally get on clinical trials or pharma charity (for want of a better description) the illness has progressed to a level that causes permanent disability – the list goes on….
And that is the sort of health system NAct want for Aotearoa.
Yup. Just recently a Health Funds Association/NZIER report [.pdf] came out in favour of an workplace insurance scheme.
I think the news/PR release when largely unnoticed here, but their lobbyists will certainly be heard loud and clear by the government, I expect.
Magic memory water is the way to go
That’s unhelpful stirring Contrarian. Let it go.
The topic was the increased death rate among white women and its link to a type of prescription drug.
CV has some insight into the intersection of social problems and over medicalisation, understanding of which is at a primitive stage in the mainstream.
What’s your view on that?
no
Deaths (most of which are unintentional) from strong opioids have been increasing in parallel with increasing opioid sales worldwide but particularly in the USA. The USA uses 55% of the global morphine and hydromorphone supply, >99% of hydrocodone supply and 83% of oxycodone supply. On the other hand, Canada has the highest per capita “dose”. Mortality rates in NZ from prescription medicines are not easily available. The use of strong opioids has increased exponentially since the late 80s and early 90s when doctors in the USA started using them for non-cancer pain, despite minimal evidence of their long-term effectiveness and safety. Strong patient and healthcare professional lobby groups (often backed by pharmaceutical companies) combined with aggressive marketing tactics led to a marked growth in the use of strong opioids for non-cancer pain. The drug company who make Oxycontin spent US$200M on marketing in 2001, including US$40M in drug rep bonuses. The drug company’s profits rose from US$48M in 1996 when it was launched to US$3B in 2010. There are many reasons for the increase in use (including abuse), and the consensus is that it is primarily due to the lower threshold to prescribing strong opioids (particularly in light of increasing concerns about the toxicity of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers). Lack of access to specialist care is unlikely to be a strong contributor, treating existential suffering (eloquently put) is a recognised problem (“chemical coping”). Another reason the use is increasing is the development of tolerance, whereby more drug is needed for the same effect (this is not addiction or dependence). For more information on NZ usage: http://www.bpac.org.nz/BPJ/2014/July/oxycodone.aspx, http://www.hqsc.govt.nz/assets/Health-Quality-Evaluation/Atlas/opioidsSF/atlas.html
Thanks Pauline, interesting. I was surprised to learn from the Bpac link the majority of oxycodone isn’t prescribed in general practice. It says GPs post hospital discharge can feel compelled to continue prescribing, which figures, but I would have thought the resulting primary care prescription numbers would then vastly outweigh hospital prescribing.
I wonder how much of the hospital prescribing is post-surgical, and how much is to patients waiting for surgery when they visit the hospital specialist or the hospital’s chronic pain clinic.
”Dispensing data shows that in New Zealand, the majority of prescriptions for oxycodone are not being written by General Practitioners.5 This suggests that a considerable proportion of oxycodone is being prescribed to patients on discharge from hospital, e.g. for post-surgical pain management”
The majority of hospital scripts for strong opioids are for patients being discharged after surgery, possibly also from ED. Specialists who see patients in outpatient clinics (including chronic pain team specialists) try to avoid writing scripts as they usually prefer the GP to retain primary management of the patient (plus it’s a hassle writing controlled drug scripts). The number of people taking strong opioids because they are waiting for surgery is likely to be minimal. Even so, these would only be hip and knee surgery and I can’t see orthopaedic surgeons writing controlled drug scripts. To give an example, in BoP in 2013 the prescription numbers for strong opioids were 4500; 2100 of these were for pts who had been in hospital in the past week, so 2400 were GP prescribed. Only about 600 of these were for >6 weeks. So the majority of the 4500 were for short-term use which is good.
+1 Thanks Pauline. Diseases with chronic pain is managed quite differently in NZ compared with the US, I think, where ‘most’ chronic noncancer pain is managed in primary care.
Sort of what I expected given access to free specialist care (albeit with sometimes long waiting times) in NZ.
Using rheumatoid arthritis as and example, many individuals with this disease are managed in primary care, where, as well as not being able to afford the cost of treatment, patients may be in the care of physicians who are uncomfortable with prescribing drugs that control the disease. This means patients are left with symptomatic relief i.e. painkillers. Similar concerns about treating in primary care in Canada exist. NZ GPs do tend follow recommended practice and refer people with RA to specialists.
Also interesting is GP concerns about the safety of non-steriodal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). There is possibly a link there to increased prescribing of opiates and the controversy surrounding cox-2 inhibitors (e.g. vioxx) in the early 2000s which eventually proved an increased risk of heart problems with the used of several NSAIDs.
I’m not sure about the subtleties of US primary care/specialist care but at in NZ pts can be treated by their GP along with input from a specialist (at no cost to the pt) if the pt’s condition is more complex or labile. The waiting lists are not as long as they used to be and are usually quite reasonable, depending on the severity of the problem. Specialists try not to “take over” the prescribing and management because the GP is the main healthcare provider. Having access to specialists in the public system also gives access to specialist meds including expensive biologicals like adalimumab for RA, whereas in the US I understand this is dictated by someone’s insurance coverage and many people have to pay extra as a copayment. BTW, opioids are not very effective in RA.
Yes, the increase in strong opioid prescribing may be related to the safety issues about NSAIDs including COX-2 inhibitors but there is some evidence that opioids have even more risks in older pts (Arch Intern Med. 2010;170(22):1979-1986).
It’s been awhile since I’ve used the NZ health system, but I’m pretty familiar with how it operates. Good to know waiting times are improving (I suspect, more targeted referrals rather than improvements in resourcing).
It’s also great when GPs and specialists can work together to manage chronic pain conditions. Although that would vary depending on the interests and confidence of the GP in managing a particular condition and the drug protocols, and for RA, whether the condition has stabilised, or not, as far as I recall. Although I understand that there is some collaboration between ‘expert’ GPs and consultants in this field to improve this situation.
Yes, I’ve also heard that access to some biologics is much better than a few years ago, although the range is still rather sparse. You’re right that insurance coverage and co-payment are a huge big problem for US patients (along with getting a specialist diagnosis in the first place), according to the people there that I’ve conversed with.
“opioids are not very effective in RA.”
… and yet … they’re still prescribed (referring to aforementioned US patients). Obviously the best pain relief is to control the disease – a whole other topic, given the recommended meds for that – except that plenty of people refuse these and rely on painkillers to get through. The John Hopkins Institute does suggest there may be a role for opiates in RA. Maybe that justifies, for some, the prescribing of these rather than NSAIDs or steroids, if they’re worried about side effects from those. I’m not sure of the consensus on that view.
Re opioids in the elderly: one of the reasons I used RA as an example is because onset frequently occurs in midlife, rather than later in life, which fit better with the original article of increased deaths in women due to overdoses up to age 54.
Thanks again for the discussion. It’s clearly a big and diverse topic.
Great piece from Chris Trotter.
http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.co.nz/2015/03/not-understood.html
Thanks for the link.
I agree with Chris Trotter: “His (Key’s) brilliance as a politician (if “brilliance” is the right word for so sinister a talent) lies in the way he has transformed the Truths and Untruths of the controversy into brutal binary equations of partisan allegiance.”
Key is very skilled in this regard.
The Crosby Textors of the world have been doing this for over 50 years. Well before “either you are with us or you are against us.” Even before the days of McCarthy, where people labelled as communist sympathisers had their careers and lives destroyed.
+1
It’s actually been going on for centuries but the deception has become more refined over the last few decades.
it’s become a science, and unfortunately, there isn’t an equal and opposite force yet.
The film “Idiocracy” was as prophetic as George Orwell’s books.
Freud, Lippman and Bernays were spot on. And the intellectual left has struggled ever since in the belief that policies, facts and figures – “evidence” – was the way to persuade people one way or the other. Utterly hopeless.
A great article that every New Zealander should read.
At the end of that excellent article about Key’s lying,
a reader had the following comment and a link for signing a petition to John Key:
COMMENT:
Alma Rae from Christchurch:
If anyone’s getting sick of Key’s endless lies, there’s a petition addressed to him asking him to get treatment for pathological lying:
LINK:
https://www.change.org/p/the-right-honourable-john-key-prime-minister-of-new-zealand-get-treatment-for-compulsive-lying
Just watching the Nation, with the 4 Green Leadership contenders. All did well.
Then the panel! FFS.
dunno why you bother what were you expecting, intelligent independant commentary.
tc @ 4.1I was expecting Paddy and the panel to spin, which they did. Paddy started right away with the angle that James would recognise the rights of a snail in the same way human rights (weirdo greens). Then Andrea Vance saying they should know the basic facts such as unemployment rate etc. FFS we are not at school anymore (and even school don’t do the rote learning of facts).
I watched because I wanted to see the Green candidates and hear them talk. They were good, very good and I am a Labour supporter. There was also a good report on obesity.
It’s up online now:
http://www.3news.co.nz/tvshows/thenation/debate-who-wants-to-be-the-next-greens-co-leader-2015031409#axzz3UJAQCSK2
I missed the contenders and could only stand 5 minutes of the commentary on TV, so no opinion as to content as yet.
The debate was much better than the panel would have you believe. Though this from Shaw seems to be on the verge of deception”
15.8% 2005 Kedgley
20.6% 2008 Kedgley
27.6% 2011 Shaw
29.5% 2014 Shaw
The actual increase in GP PV in; “the last election”, was 1.9% rather than the 10% suggested.
I think those numbers are just as much about Grant Robertson as about the Green Party
CR
When you look at the electorate vote, Robertson’s has been increasing with each election and Shaw’s falling. Maybe you mean that Robertson has been prioritising his own place in parliament (EV) over the good of the party (PV)?
2008 17,046 GR 5,971 Kedgley
2011 18,836 GR 5,225 Shaw
2014 19,807 GR 5,077 Shaw
An important point I didn’t mention above was that the 2011 Wellington Central results represents a time when Kedgley was a Green MP. I am disinclined to ascribe Shaw; and his present electorate team, too much credit for the 7% rise in GP PV in that election.
Yep, Greens subjected directly to the same treatment Labour get EVERYTIME they dare to disclose any details. Strangely, Nats NEVER seem to be subjected to same, and get away with appalling whitewashes of any/all their policies.Amazing.
The series of statistical questions seem to have been suddenly unleashed on them with the sole aim of getting some ‘gotcha’ moments for discrediting them. Gower and the panel latched on to this as if those statistical numbers were the most important questions at hand, while ignoring the bulk of the interview based on their many other more important views including on environmental, political, social and leadership issues. They weren’t there to instantly recall and regurgitate the government’s various numbers. Would have been good if they knew, but that was NOT the most important matter for discussion TODAY or to be judged on.
John Key did not even remember whose side he himself was on during the Springbok rugby protest that divided the entire nation!
thought provoking
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11416992
It has happened in other countries, like Syria – “The Herald and World Vision are running a major campaign to raise funds and help the millions of children left homeless by war in Syria.” Good work Herald and World Vision – no matter what percentage actually gets used for purpose that will be better than nothing.
Meanwhile – how would you cope if your world disintegrated.
Western power and western allies wanted Assad gone and this is the result. The result of supplying funds, arms and fighters to anti-Assad rebels in Syria.
As Madeline Albright famously said on American TV when asked about the half million Iraqi children killed by sanctions, they think that it is “worth it.”
NB ISIS continues to make gains against Assad in Syria despite US airstrikes. Its like the US doesn’t really want to be effective against ISIS.
Could always go hunting for food. And retribution from the Politicians.
Pretty sure the easily huntable food wouldn’t last that long. Here in the SI we’d do better, but the climate is colder too, which has a bit impact on food resources.
Just a side point about money being raised for charity and good causes. I thought I heard on Radionz that the actual charity only got 4% of the funds raised by one contracted fund-raiser! Did anyone else hear a report about fund raisers for charities on radio about a week ago?
Now when there are so many requests for money coming at you, and if what I’ve remembered is true, how much will that poor group in the Auckand Domain get from donations from kind people trying to help?
I hate relying on private charity, and I want my government to have principles that ensure adequate help is available from funds received from all NZs from progressive income tax and other taxes. Private charity can fill the extreme needs, the unusual.
Interesting article and thought experiment marty. I think GFC/PO is more likely in NZ than civil war, but it could be both of course.
I’m also not sure about comparing Syria with NZ, such different histories and geographies.
I don’t have to think too much about how I would survive because I’d be one of the first to die 😉 But in the event of a slower, less violent collapse I think about things like how there are plenty of houses in NZ, and a lot of fertile land (decreasing though), and still quite a few people who know how to grow food. More of an issue is what the police and army would do here in various scenarios. Would people really be living in tents when there are empty houses around? If enough of the police and army have family who are homeless are they really going to support a state that says you can’t live in a house unless you pay rent/mortgage?
I’m also not sure about comparing Syria with NZ, such different histories and geographies.
Another quite important difference between NZ and Syria is the fact that the United States, Britain, France, Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have not been funding a bloody insurrection against our country for the last four years.
True. It could also be argued that the U.S. doesn’t need to do that here when it has Key as PM ;-/
hi marty, two things spring immediately to mind.
the first is how does raising funds help?
you can not solve a problem with what got you into troubles in the first place.
lets face it these conflicts ultimately have money as their root cause and are a significant driving factor.
secondly i have been moving my life, to build resilience in the event of the scenario you described. learning about growing food energy, how to provide shelter (short and long term), strenthening the communities i am privileged to be involved with.
i have come to the conclusion that money is the main chain that binds us and the less reliant i/we are on money the better off we are.
i forget who said it but when the $*@#i goes down i would prefer to fall from the footpath to the gutter rather than from the penthouse.
Marty, do you think it might be a good idea for our government and its media mouthpieces to stop supporting the violent Al Qaeda/ISIS-led insurrection in Syria?
Only a year or so ago, the media were treating as heroes the fanatical louts who travelled to Syria to join the insurrection. If you read the endless torrent of anti-Syrian propaganda that the Herald has been running for the last four years—clearly you have not done so—then congratulating it would be the last thing you would do.
If the economy was an airplane…
BUT, but, but – what is Hekia Parata doing in this picture?
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B_4nv7-WQAAw6ku.jpg:large
For a minute I thought you were talking about the smiling lady to the right of Mr Rabbott…….”nah” I said……..”that’s Mrs Rabbott”.
Then I saw Hekia conked out on the table. Poor girl ! They do tell me increasing numbers of kids are coming to school pissed nowadays…….
Looks like she may actually be learning something. Abbot really is a clown.
Love the head-to-table position of the child right in front of Abbott.
I think that the head on table was the original point of the posted image.
It was – but when I first saw the picture, for a minute I actually thought the woman was Hekia! She has an almost identical costume which she used to wear a lot!
Just my weird sense of humour, posted it for a laugh on a dull, grey Saturday.
South Africa is now the most unequal society in the world, certainly more economically unequal than it was before the end of apartheid. Certainly, a cruel irony. But perhaps also the result of putting the politics of ‘race’ above those of class?
https://rdln.wordpress.com/2015/03/14/south-africa-and-the-consequences-of-race-over-class/
Phil
From Rachel Smalley in the Herald: Exhortation to New Zealanders to discover some human empathy. Good !
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11416992
Mmmmmm………don’t recall any exhortations from the Herald to discover some human empathy re 60 plus years of human tragedy wrought by Zionist Eceptionalism in Palestine…….nor re the carnage brought down by Zionist Sports Tours Inc’s biennial ‘shooting fish in a barrel’ exercises in Gaza.
I do recall TVOne/3 news anchors endlessly, sternly, reproachfully, reporting thus – “And today MILITANTS in Gaza……..”
Damn ! I think Rachel might’ve been one of them at some point. Might be wrong but I think so. Certainly there were heaps !
How the hell does the Granny call that News????
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/12/21/in-no-one-we-trust/?_r=0
Stiglitz getting to the most fundamental issue.
Cheers RL. Stiglitz is right. If I can hopefully simplify it down increased inequality reduces trust including trust in political institutions which unfortunately weakens them and reduces the ability for a political solution to be found. Feels a bit like a never ending cycle.
An excellent article and a must read.
Please listen to this speech by US Senator Elizabeth Warren on the TPPA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsFdO2DynsQ
“ISDS (Investor Dispute Settlement) raises serious questions about democratic accountability, sovereignty, checks and balances and the separation of power” Sen Warren quoting the CATO Institute Trade Policy Programme ( yup, CATO said that )
“100+ law professors agree: A TPP trade deal that includes an Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provision would undermine US sovereignty. ”
– Sen Warren (quote from her fb page)
If a US Senator declares openly that US sovereignty, its commercial freedoms and its legal system’s independence are put at risk by the TPPA, what chance does NZ have ?
(And if you pay attention you may notice that once again, when discussing countries involved in US led actions, New Zealand does not even rate a mention from our good friend the USA)
Excellent clip, Warren is very good. Explains the corporates’ ISDS rort and its history well.
Man who died after being Tasered by police named
Tasered, pepper sprayed and had a dog set on him? I suspect that they never considered that they were going over board with the assaults until he died.
And, really, all they needed to do was block him in, put some clamps on a wheel or two and then leave two officers there to wait until he stepped out.
Exactly Draco. The man must have cooled down eventually.
The comment doesn’t mention that the police also smashed his car windows.
That is very frightening. And if he is a mental case, he would be out of the norms anyway. The suggestion made above about blocking seems the best thing.
Perhaps all the police care about now is targets and money and that comes from the top. If any policeman involved in causing injury or death or being peripheral to it was docked pay according to how involved they were, that might have a limiting effect on violence used. Many of them seem to be brutalised, seem a bit distant from the ordinary citizen. Speak to them and they look at you assessingly “Is this a person causing a public nuisance” in their eyes.
I don’t like this type of police behaviour. They ramp themselves up it seems. Round here they regularly have sirens on and shoot down the road at 70-80 kmh. It can be dangerous being a policeman, but their aqctions can increase that. And all are not equally at risk. The rural officers have more to contend with and less back-up, support people on the ground.
They should be charged with manslaughter, at the very least. Until we see some serious charges laid and pursued through to sentencing, poaka will continue to kill us.
tl;dr – they lie.
Conservatives report, but liberals display, greater happiness
Research suggesting that political conservatives are happier than political liberals has relied exclusively on self-report measures of subjective well-being. We show that this finding is fully mediated by conservatives’ self-enhancing style of self-report (study 1; N = 1433) and then describe three studies drawing from “big data” sources to assess liberal-conservative differences in happiness-related behavior (studies 2 to 4; N = 4936). Relative to conservatives, liberals more frequently used positive emotional language in their speech and smiled more intensely and genuinely in photographs. Our results were consistent across large samples of online survey takers, U.S. politicians, Twitter users, and LinkedIn users. Our findings illustrate the nuanced relationship between political ideology, self-enhancement, and happiness and illuminate the contradictory ways that happiness differences can manifest across behavior and self-reports.
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/347/6227/1243#aff-1
Another charity effort that the Herald has been supporting
“As ever, Britain will be sending millions of pounds to schools and hospitals abroad next year, in the form of Cruise missiles.”
—-Frankie Boyle
https://twitter.com/frankieboyle/status/576512653960572928
Double thread posting, but hey…
So, this is what happens when you try to support democracy….
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/13/british-teenage-girl-charged-kurdish-forces-fighting-isis
…
For your amusement: A wall of memes
Why are white people expats when the rest of us are immigrants?
It’s actually quite amazing where racism and privilege shows itself.
With a bit of expat experience, my partner and I were discussing this and came to the conclusion that it’s not so much racism these days. However, there is a strong class/privilege issue. In a nutshell, expats work move to take up a designated job in expensive offices and earn loads of money ‘guest’ workers take up jobs in factories, restaurants and homes and don’t earn much at all.
The class/privilege bias means that Europeans hold a lot of the expat positions in some places but the situation is changing. That said, despite our belief that expat/guest definitions are about class, how the person on the street relates to all of these economic migrants can definitely racist, in my experience.
Excuse me if this has already been covered, but has anyone else noticed how the Roy Morgan website isn’t being updated with its latest poll since Jan 18th 2015, even though another poll has been released by them through the media since then?
I’m assuming they’re only releasing their polls now to paying organisations prior to media release. Is this the case?
A bit late to tell you but their February Poll was published on the day it was released. It is at
http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/6078-roy-morgan-new-zealand-february-voting-intention-201502200720
They posted it on February 20, which is the date they referred to.
They haven’t changed anything except that at the moment they are only polling once a month in New Zealand.
If you want to you can register at the website and you will get an e-mail when they post polls you are interested in. I’m sure the method is there. I forget what I did.
Thanks Alwyn.
Some sanity…
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/mar/13/julian-assange-wikileaks-swedish-prosecutors-london-interview
If only.
Some sanity would be if the accused could be sure that his appearance in a Swedish court had no bearing on US ambitions.
A map of the presently known asteroids that could, potentially, wipe us out.
They should be thought of as ‘reset buttons’