“and in a sharply-worded editorial the nation’s top law enforcement official accused those worried about the surveillance program of being either criminals or conspiracy theorists”
“In some cases, the bill envisages monitoring the information in real time”
Two days before the country is set to elect a new president, Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court has ruled that the Islamist-dominated parliament must be dissolved and that former regime figures must be allowed to hold political office, effectively approving the candidacy of presidential hopeful and former prime minister Ahmed Shafiq.
AJ news this morning talked about the “deep state” in Egypt. i.e.:
The reactionary militaristic power embedded in the state’s institutions: the courts etc.
This set me to wondering about the nature of NZ’s “deep state” and what is involved? The treasury? The media? The courts? The SIS?…. and how much it has been infiltrated by the so-called “neoliberal” discourses and practices?
Carol the questions you raise, are the questions which most want to blow off as “conspiracy”, and yet there are examples even in the MSM every day, which illustrate the realities of how the world is run, Egypt being the recent predictable example, shown by your post.
People want (need) to believe in accidents, coincidence, or stupidity of government..
As I’ve heard it Egypt was in a bind anyway. Aren’t there two candidates, one from the Muslim Brotherhood, with a fear of them by many as they may institute sharia law, and some guy who is part of the old regime.
Can someone help me with this — I woke in the freezing dead of night terrified with the thought that the TPP could be used by Monsanto and Dow to force GM substances into our food and feed markets ?
Just before the last election Nick Smith was sprung in his ignorance of a new study being done to support GM substances, and only recently in the House someone referred to ‘innovative’ agriculture.
Anyone know anything more about this study ?
The most idiotic thing of all is that we are one of the last bastions of non GMO — surely, this is a potential market of huge value ?
How do we oppose the TPP when none of it will be made public until after it is signed ??
So the question is how to oppose before you know when to oppose or what it is you are opposing; and then how to get out of the loop which uses a clause that cannot be refuted because it exists in the grey area of the probable?
The simple answer is to side step. Then you at least eliminate the imbalance of preparing for opposition without first winning a space for rationality and to form strategy. Next is to understand that nothing is certain and to get from a clean supply to a corrupted supply takes time and effort. Longer, definitely than it will take for you to get a good night’s sleep.
Those who supply GM products/seed are not certain of long term effects in the environment – this is both good and bad. We know what could go wrong, but we cannot know what we do not know i.e. the actual future. This means that our version of bad events may not happen. This isn’t to say it can’t happen or that general release is safe. It is just a way to place all points of the problem into a wider perspective. A mind that readily identifies patterns can become a powerful mental roadblock if allowed to reach an imbalance. Once the balance is lost, the patterns trap you. Realising the trap, indicated by being “terrifed with the thought”, then highlights the stall of thinking. There is a way forward. Life is not linear, regardless of how beautiful the pattern may seem. Life is full of chance. Chance is chance – pure, untouched, yet to be shaped, neither good nor bad, without bias, without prejudice. Nothing can be done in the terrified early hours of the cold morning. Relax.
Provided all the facts of the position have been presented, we can then work backwards from worst case, being vegetable and meat supplies corrupted with GM material.
Immediate solutions:
Urban farming; seedsaving/sharing; landshare; home based pork and poultry products; vegetarianism.
Start these intiatives now, you build up a following of like minds that in the very least is a real island of protection against an imagined tide of corrupted GM supply. The sooner they are started, the more time there is to address practical methods for protecting against cross-pollenation issues, legal oppositions and defenses etc. Pick a point of practical action and begin.
Indirect reactive influences:
Removing your food source from the corrupted food chain; self empowerment that can be extended to participants; reduction of demand for corrupted market; strengthening of necessity based community relationships.
There are other far more theoretical and complex imaginings supporting the premise that Dow and Monsanto could force-feed people bad food, but these take far more maneovering and time to manifest in NZ than it would take for a person to begin effectual action against them. In the context of an early morning wake-up call, they can be safely dismissed. These events could not happen entirely covertly i.e. the difference between clear and present danger and covert unknown dangers. If your mind starts to assign unrealistic power to unknown possibilities, catch it at work and realise the reality.
When dealing with possible scenarios based on supposition and likelihood, realise that nothing is certain. If, in the scenario, chance is allowed to make a tourist drop a handful of seed, then why is it that chance is then not allowed to intervene again later in a zero germination rate for the seeds? Maybe the natural pests and birds got the rest before they flowered?
Is this to say that we should do nothing, ever? Not at all. It is simply higlighting another trick of the mind to try to control the effect of chance for a negetive effect, resulting mostly, in people not being able to sleep at night. We cannot say what just one person, stating today on an urban farm will or will not cause to happen, even by small ripple effect, by this time next year. Don’t try to bully chance into being a bully. It would contravene the idea that nature knows best.
When confronted with the unknowable that threatens with the unforeseable, your first strategic weapon is your mind. Stay flexible. Remain calm. Step outside the cycle. View it from a distance, place all points in an overall wider context. Remember that bad does not exist without good, right without left, dark without light. If your mind recognises only negetive possibilities, you are acknowledging less than half the picture. Do not mentally oppose the unbalanced theoretical. Step back and be ready for opportunities for indirect action involving the actual.
Nice post Uturn , I just did some lucid calm thinking about reversing assets sales (on the No Assets sales post). The Monsanto issue is similar, play the buggers at their own game as you say by growing your own.
A little lucid clam thinking has also reminded me that the Monsanto model is truly integrated to the cheap petro chem model of agriculture and pesticides: oil decline will f**k them over in a number of ways.
If, in the scenario, chance is allowed to make a tourist drop a handful of seed, then why is it that chance is then not allowed to intervene again later in a zero germination rate for the seeds?
Um, because the opening of the hand is one chance, the sprouting of the seeds is hundreds of chances.
Actually, that entire rant was just a mind soothe seemingly designed to put peoples minds at rest about the dangers in GMO.
We need to massively support the Australian government in its stand and urge them to hold strong!!
Maybe the opposition parties can write an open letter to the Australian government
all it would take is one act of industrial espionage, such as a ‘tourist’ dropping a handful of GM seeds onto NZ soil and whammo Monsanto will be all over us with patent infringement cases and end up owning NZ.
watch Food Inc
and if you want to read some of their pitiful responses to the film http://www.monsanto.com/food-inc/Pages/default.aspx remember Monsanto was invited to be interviewed for the film but declined.
Bits of the TPP agreement that worry me are matters such as unions and worker’s rights. If governments cannot legislate in such ways as to reduce corporate profit margins, they may have difficulty opposing contract work, or the importation of short-term, low paid foreign workers while many of our own remain unemployed.
TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership (multinational economic agreement)) secrecy, well we have been confronted with this before when international deals were being discussed.. It’s so interesting in an objective way, to see wars being fought ostensibly to bring democracy. But the d word is just a game to play with, with less rigid rules than when playing Scrabble. But the politicians and their flunkeys and funders sure know how to use words and they can read philosophy, they just don’t understand it.
yeshe is imagining the effects on food and genetic engineering when the big corporates are allowed to have their way with us. I have been thinking of NZ as a naive girl with Tim Groser as a procurer employed by a hard-faced, money-obssessed, amoral group of confidence men and women within this country, catering for a powerful group of evil pirates looking for slave labour and treasure. We have this fascinating and dramatic serial unwinding which we can watch with avid interest as did the viewers in the film The Truman show.
Our girl wanders through the bush like little Red Riding Hood – will the wolfish group spirit her away or will the rescue party arrive to keep her alive? Fairy tales were largely precautionary tales for real people. I wait each day for the next episode with helpless anxiety.
Yes well…I was thinking of going for a G certificate, but even the kiddies today are going for, or being presented with, gritty adult ideas. (Recently I saw tshirt size 1 yr with a skull on it).
A sawn-off shotgun I believe fires off a lot of shot in all directions, yes could work.
Red Riding Hood in the TV show Once Upon a Time discovered that the wolf she feared so much, is herself. Her mother had been trying to protect her from the knowledge of being the latest in a long line of werewolves.
NZ maybe naive and ignorant on the future, because our “parents” have been keeping the truth from us. But that may be because we are more powerful than we realise… especially when we learn more of the truth.
Well that’s a great twist on the story. But energising a whole country to understand their inner werewolf would be too much for NZ I think. Though if we could make it a new fad we could spread the idea and develop that along complex network lines which are explained on Wikipedia which I still don’t understand. We need a new approach for sure, this same old same old isn’t going forward, just round and round down the gurgler.
Wow JMG continues his brilliant posts and his current theme of accepting the truth of what is happening to our industrial societies and the end game of that scenario. Last week he entitled his post, “collapse now and avoid the rush” and this week he discusses self-delusion.
I suspect, rather, that the refusal to recognize and deal with the end of progress will become a massive social force in the decade or so ahead of us, and that the great divide in American society during those years will not be the one between left and right, or between rich and poor, but between those who have accepted history’s verdict on our fantasy of perpetual progress, on the one hand, and those who cling to the fantasy despite all disconfirmations, on the other.
The hardcore megadeathdoomers don’t like him because he offers solutions for today and tomorrow and those solution start with us, where we are now, whatever we are doing. Many contributors to this site are up to speed on the situation, we can see it everywhere, and we are doing what we can. JMG makes me uncomfortable because his posts make me realise how much i am clinging onto this society and the benefits I get from it.
I tend to disagree with Greer a bit as I think that small societies with good renewable energy supplies and sustainable practices in resource use will be able to keep going. Yes, there will be power down. Nobody will have cars any more but there will still be transport and computers.
Have not explored that issue much but I tend toward any size community being able to continue to the level of the energy supply, which mean appropriate tools are necessary.
There has been a tendency on this blog for people to assume a non regression principle, i.e.that what we have and know about today is going to be possible forever. I would contend that the resources available will drive the technology we utilise, and that what we know about we may not be able to practice because of this. Lack of practice tends to lead to loss of practical memory, which can make re-adoption of known technology problematic.
Coming back to your small community contention when we talk high tech (computers etc) we are talking massive complexity of systems, supply, support etc with massive amounts of interdependence. The more complex the more chances there are for single point catastrophic failure. This would incline me towards a lower tech future being more likely than a retention of our core technologies.
You’ve also got to have a critical mass to be able to produce goods or services to pay off the bills for these things. Old school thinking I know but some sort of payment service will have to keep going in the future.
The classic example of the costs of modern infrastructure/technology at the moment is being played out in Kaipara with a small community being lumped with the cost of expensive wastewater treatment (albeit that the wastewater plant in question is oversized for the current population). A similar example is the wastewater plant at Kawakawa Bay that ended up costing $29M.
You’ve also got to have a critical mass to be able to produce goods or services to pay off the bills for these things.
Money != the economy
What that basically means is that if we have the physical resources available to do something then we can do it. We have the resources available but it does mean that over production in other areas (such as farming or building boats) and service industries (ZOMG, we won’t be able to afford to have anyone working at McDs) will have to be curtailed.
Or, as the tutors at uni said, economics is about the distribution of scarce resources and money is not a resource nor is it scarce.
Have not explored that issue much but I tend toward any size community being able to continue to the level of the energy supply, which mean appropriate tools are necessary.
Which means that we need to do a lot of R&D into renewable power generation
Coming back to your small community contention when we talk high tech (computers etc) we are talking massive complexity of systems, supply, support etc with massive amounts of interdependence.
Yep but it’s quite possible for us to do so. We have the base resources, we have access to the basic knowledge to do these things and we have universities and polytechnics for research and teaching.
We should be starting now but the R&D is to make what we have now more efficient and to tune it to local conditions. We also need to make it cover 100% of our needs.
Renewables aren’t going to cover all of our needs – and I am thinking here particularly of transportation. Coastal shipping, rail, air travel and public transport are all going to remain heavily dependent on fossil fuels.
Also (as I am quite sure you are aware) improving efficiency is not the real issue. Cutting total energy use is.
thanks for linking this, I confess to not having heard of this writer before now and I really like his/her blog and message. It’ll take a while to read the whole lot since 2006 but I’m inclined to do so based on the last three posts. Thanks mm
PS I started from the beginning and the fictional scenarios were very sweet.
I am finding it hard already to view comments on the “back down” of the Government on educational so called “policies”. We must have noted that Key accepted absolutely no responsibility, and settled for treating all opponents as a bunch of ignorant clowns incapable of comprehending Tory “wisdom” (is any one of that lot a qualified expert in education?)
Please be sure to read this morning’s N.Z. Herald editorial, probably the best they ever published!!
With auckland pop. Estimates to increase by 1 million by 2040, mainly as a result of immigration. Also given that nz grew due to net migration of 400,000 why is there no discussion as to the cost that this has resulted in. Growing pains that Auckland and NZ is incapable to cope with, and the consequences ( e.g high housing costs, increased infrusture and unity demand). We seem to have an amazing perpencity to create problems with bo associate solutions. Such growth will kill Auckland and thus NZ.
I don’t make comparisons with Hitler lightly and I’m not saying John Key is like Hitler but the hysterical voice of John Key when he talks about NZ not being involved in the illegal war in Iraq is truly frightening and makes me even more worried about NZ signing up to NATO.
I don’t see the problem. Comparison of todays people and activities with the biggest event in the 20th century is entirely applicable a lot of the time.
It’s fine when used rationally, but that’s a bit of a tautology.
The problem is when people with little life get obsessed by issues that are usually pretty little (e.g. maybe a local council placement of traffic lights near a school) or even imaginary (not touching with a bargepole). They lose perspective and start saying stuff like ‘this 30kph speed restriction is worse than H~!”. And everything goes downhill from there.
And like most things, if it gets overused it loses its ability to adequately communicate the user’s perspective.
Have people read in this morning’s Herald about the Government’s new scheme relating to the long-term unemployed? To my eye, the old scheme looks somewhat better and simpler! However, maybe I have got it wrong. Would like to know what others think.
If I have got it right, the Government input is now reduced from a total of $92 to a revised total of $62! Are we, again, being sold “a bill of goods”?
Have people read in this morning’s Herald about the Government’s new scheme relating to the long-term unemployed?
I read it on their website.. or think I did! Something similar anyway…
Very jolly complicated, and as far as I can see, much less helpful than the previous ones!
Apologies to the watchers the writers the minders and the keepers of The Standard.
-if this posting results in a ban i unreservedly accept it and have weighed that against the importance of the act which is itself a last resort dictated by circumstances not of my making.
A direct question to Pete George:
Are you the Peter G who set up the No Asset Sales petition at Avaaz.org?
Earlier today on your blog i asked you that direct question. Instead of replying like an adult you removed the post and have not responded. If you had time to remove the post you had time to reply. I feel you left me no option but to inquire more publicly.
I have contacted Avaaz re the posting. I outlined the situation here in NZ and requested a clear header be added to the on-line petition explaining that it has no validity in the referendum process and is actually doing more harm than good. Something most here would be well aware of, including you Peter George.
PG I gave you an opportunity to answer a very simple question but instead you removed the post that has been part of your site since the petition’s inception. ( Really pathetic!) You slid away under your rock and this act of malfeasance will not be forgotten. (Sure you are not in public office but you basically imagine yourself to be, so it is more than apt)
note: for full disclosure i will happily post the email sent to Avaaz.org if requested
( after editing identifiers )
p.s. PG after discovering you had removed the No Asset Sales post promoting the Avaaz.org petition i took screengrabs so don’t try to repost it. I wish i had done earlier as well but the idea you would remove the post supporting the petition never occurred to me, naive little bunny that i am
[Your question seems fair to me freedom. You’re not speculating about the identity of anonymous / pseudonymous participants here. You’re just asking Pete George if he started a petition. — r0b]
No, I haven’t started any petitions. I don’t know what happened to your question on the blog, I haven’t had time to do anything there. Back later this morning.
The question wasn’t about ‘any’ petitions, it was about one specific petition. Are you the Pete G. who started the Avaaz ssset sales petition or not? Yes or no?
Just because I can .. please Pete, may I ask you — does anyone else, or did anyone else, have access to your blog for writing and/or posting/ or deleting ? May you receive it as a fair question … many thx.
You deleted the entire thread that was promoting the Avaaz No Asset Sales Petition, not just my posted question. As it is your blog you very well know what happened and you now decide to besmirch the security record and the reputation of WordPress.com by insinuating that a phantom manipulated your blog and removed a thread that you had been actively promoting. That, or you are accusing me of fabricating the existence of said thread.
I stand by the facts asserted in the post above and only wish i had taken screen grabs of the blog when i first visited the thread, but why would i ever suspect it would be removed. Having screen grabs of the current listings only shows the post is not there. I cannot prove it ever was but as i am not prone to posting on non-existent threads i know it was and you know it was.
I thank The Standard for allowing this matter to be aired. I sincerely hope it offers many here a moment of reflection as to the character and intentions of Pete George.
I will continue to do what i can to promote and support the real petition but on the Peter G petition i am done, i have had enough of my time wasted on this saboteur
freedom, IMHO I don’t think that PG is the author of the online petition although I share your and others’ views on PG’s disingenuity etc. It has been a relief not having him spewing here for two days.
The reasons I don’t think it is him are that he is very consistent in using “Pete” not “Peter” in his blogging across many blogs and on Linked In etc (Yes I checked) and the online petition originator is “Peter G”. The writing style and language used in the petition and its updates are also very different from that of PG – for example, PG hardly knows the difference between “Government” and “Parliament” and has used these incorrectly a number of times. The online petition is very clear in its language, eg The bill will now be debated by the Committee of the Whole House, and opposition parties are planning to propose hundreds of amendments to delay Government legislation.
That is not to say that someone else could not have wrote it for him! But my gut instinct is that it is not him, but that is in no way of a defence of him as i have no respect etc for PG.
I signed the online petition is an instant reaction when it was first put up but have also signed and totally support the official referendum. I agree that it would be easy for people to mistakenly think the online petition is the referendum one, and wish that the online one had made it clear that they were not one and the same. There does not seem to be any way to communicate this to the author. My reading of the online petition was/is that it is an attempt to get as many to sign in a short space of time (and almost 25,000 as of a few minutes ago is pretty astounding in 3-4 days) to thow at Key et al next week when the Bill goes into Committee stages.
I am really pleased you raised the question as to whether Pete George was the author – and in some perverse ways I hope that my opinion is wrong. On the other hand, our discussion of this as a possibility also plays right into what I also think is PG’s raison d’etre – to be the centre of attention and to think he is much more important and influential than he really is.
i will reply to Pete here and everyone can be assured this is the end of this matter although little is clear.
I agree Pete, nothing about this is usual. All i can say is something very very strange is going on. I am certainly a magnet for strange and would love to understand why. I saw the petition, saw the creator, went to your blog, saw the post promoting the petition on your blog and submitted a question using the reply function.
If you declare you did not start the Avaaz petition i must accept that, but if you say you have not deleted a posting on the petition then i guess i hallucinated the whole thing and should seek immediate psychiatric help! I have had professional counseling for PTSD in the past and no suspicion of any psychiatric illness was ever identified in fact the two therapists I have worked with both stated clearly that i have a clear and perceptive grasp of reality.
I guess it is a Ripley’s moment and we all end up as much in the dark as when we began.
Someone somewhere knows what is going on and I hope they are happy with the disquiet that has been generated. Perhaps someday they will fill me in on the joke because i do not find it funny, neither do i suspect does Pete who it appears has been unjustly accosted by me on this subject. I do not know what else to do, despite my misgivings i feel i must say sorry Pete for the suspicion that you tried to sabotage the petition process. As the Petition is 305 signatories away from its goal, I guess we might discover who Peter G is when the avaaz petition gets delivered to parliament as promised. Pete , i am sorry.
I saw the petition, saw the creator, went to your blog, saw the post promoting the petition on your blog and submitted a question using the reply function.
There was no post promoting the petition on the blog (the Yourdunedin.org one) that i have seen and i don’t know how there could have been unless hacked – and subsequently unhacked.
You posted on About which had no link to the petition.
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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 ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
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. ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
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 ...
“Never again - No AUKUS” was the message of the wreath laid at this morning’s national ANZAC Day commemorative service at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park this morning by the Stop AUKUS group. ...
Until this month, Auckland swimmer Hazel Ouwehand had never met a qualifying time in an Olympic event for a New Zealand team, even as a junior. Now she’s very likely off to the Paris Olympics after swimming well under the qualifying standard in the 100m butterfly twice – both in ...
While Anzac Day has experienced a resurgence in recent years, our other day of remembrance has slowly faded from view.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand. Original illustrations by Hope McConnell.First published in 2022.The high school’s head girl and ...
Australian and New Zealand volunteers fought together in the Waikato War, yet still its place in the Anzac tradition is unacknowledged by our defence forces or Returned Services Association.First published in 2018.When I was a boy cub I attended Anzac Day services in the South Auckland suburb of ...
A poem by Wellington writer Tayi Tibble.Hoki Mai She kisses him goodbye with her eyes still wet and alight from their last swim in the Awatere river. At the train station celebration, she leads the Kapa Haka but her voice keeps breaking under and over itself like waves. ...
A poem from Bill Manhire’s 2017 book of verse Some Things to Place in a Coffin.My World War I Poem Inside each trench, the sound of prayer. Inside each prayer, the sound of digging. Image courtesy of Auckland War Memorial Museum. ...
There are three books I have wolfed down in one sitting over the last two years. Colleen Maria Lenihan’s gorgeous and sad debut Kōhine, Noelle McCarthy’s memoir Grand about becoming her mother and then unbecoming her, and now Hine Toa, a staunch yet gentle self-portrait by living legend Ngāhuia te ...
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Asia Pacific Report Students and activist staff at Australia’s University of Sydney (USyd) have set up a Gaza solidarity encampment in support of Palestinians and similar student-led protests in the United States. The camp was pitched as mass graves, crippled hospitals, thousands of civilian deaths and the near-total destruction of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James B. Dorey, Lecturer in Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong Australian teddy bear bees are cute and fluffy, but get a look at that massive (unbarbed) stinger! James Dorey Photography Most of us have been stung by a bee and we ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jen Roberts, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, University of Wollongong Aussie~mobs/FlickrVictor Farr, a private in the 1st Infantry Battalion, was among the first to land at Anzac Cove just before dawn on April 25 1915. Victor Farr ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Gregory Moore I had the good fortune to care for the sugar gum at The University of Melbourne’s Burnley Gardens in Victoria where I worked for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Ong ViforJ, ARC Future Fellow & Professor of Economics, Curtin University Just when we think the price of rentals could not get any worse, this week’s Rental Affordability Snapshot by Anglicare has revealed low-income Australians are facing a housing crisis like ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tracey Holmes, Professorial Fellow in Sport, University of Canberra When the news broke last weekend that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive to a banned drug in early 2021 and were allowed to compete at the Tokyo Olympic Games six months later ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cally Jetta, Senior Lecturer and Academic Lead; College for First Nations, University of Southern Queensland Australian War MemorialAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains names and images of deceased people, as well as sensitive historical information ...
RNZ News Melissa Lee has been ousted from New Zealand’s coalition cabinet and stripped of the Media portfolio, and Penny Simmonds has lost the Disability Issues portfolio in a reshuffle. Climate Change and Revenue Minister Simon Watts will take Lee’s spot in cabinet. Simmonds was a minister outside of cabinet. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Lindenmayer, Professor, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University laurello/Shutterstock Some reports and popular books, such as Bill Gammage’s Biggest Estate on Earth, have argued that extensive areas of Australia’s forests were kept open through frequent burning by ...
Analysis - Christopher Luxon framing the demotion of two ministers as the portfolios getting "too complex" is a charitable way of saying they weren't up to the job. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra With Jim Chalmers’s third budget on May 14, Australians will be looking for some more cost-of-living relief – beyond the tax cuts – although they have been warned extra measures will be modest. As ...
Analysis: Melissa Lee has lost the media portfolio and her spot in Cabinet after multiple failed attempts to find solutions for a media industry in crisis. On Wednesday, the Prime Minister announced Lee would be losing her spot in Cabinet along with her media and communications ministerial portfolio. The job ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Wilmot, Senior Lecturer, Film, Deakin University Among the many Australian who served during the second world war, there is a small group of people whose stories remain largely untold. These are the Muslim men and women who, while small in number, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Saunders, PhD Candidate, University of Canberra There has been much analysis and praise of Justice Michael Lee’s recent judgement in Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation case against Channel Ten. Many people were openly relieved to read Lee’s “forensic” and “nuanced” application of law ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathy Gibbs, Program Director for the Bachelor of Education, Griffith University zEdward_Indy/Shutterstock Around one in 20 people has attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It’s one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood and often continues into adulthood. ADHD is diagnosed ...
The Fairer Future coalition of anti-poverty groups say Whaikaha must be properly funded going forward, and that to argue that poor financial management of the new Ministry is a red herring by the Prime Minister. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is today congratulating Hon. Paul Goldsmith on his appointment as Minister for Media and Communications and urges him to rule out state intervention in the private media sector. ...
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Home Office Secretary Theresa May said in an editorial published ahead of the bill’s unveiling that only evil-doers should be frightened.
“and in a sharply-worded editorial the nation’s top law enforcement official accused those worried about the surveillance program of being either criminals or conspiracy theorists”
“In some cases, the bill envisages monitoring the information in real time”
–Welcome to the jobs new growth sector
This world is heading the wrong way very quickly.
Sad news about the dissolution of Egypt’s parliament by the high court:
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/06/2012614172410271831.html
AJ news this morning talked about the “deep state” in Egypt. i.e.:
The reactionary militaristic power embedded in the state’s institutions: the courts etc.
This set me to wondering about the nature of NZ’s “deep state” and what is involved? The treasury? The media? The courts? The SIS?…. and how much it has been infiltrated by the so-called “neoliberal” discourses and practices?
We’ve seen a member of a well known South Island farming family claim some pretty impressive scalps this week.
Carol the questions you raise, are the questions which most want to blow off as “conspiracy”, and yet there are examples even in the MSM every day, which illustrate the realities of how the world is run, Egypt being the recent predictable example, shown by your post.
People want (need) to believe in accidents, coincidence, or stupidity of government..
As I’ve heard it Egypt was in a bind anyway. Aren’t there two candidates, one from the Muslim Brotherhood, with a fear of them by many as they may institute sharia law, and some guy who is part of the old regime.
Egyptian Amr Bargisi, who may or may not be on a neo-lib payroll, is very pessimistic about his country’s future.
Can someone help me with this — I woke in the freezing dead of night terrified with the thought that the TPP could be used by Monsanto and Dow to force GM substances into our food and feed markets ?
Just before the last election Nick Smith was sprung in his ignorance of a new study being done to support GM substances, and only recently in the House someone referred to ‘innovative’ agriculture.
Anyone know anything more about this study ?
The most idiotic thing of all is that we are one of the last bastions of non GMO — surely, this is a potential market of huge value ?
How do we oppose the TPP when none of it will be made public until after it is signed ??
So the question is how to oppose before you know when to oppose or what it is you are opposing; and then how to get out of the loop which uses a clause that cannot be refuted because it exists in the grey area of the probable?
The simple answer is to side step. Then you at least eliminate the imbalance of preparing for opposition without first winning a space for rationality and to form strategy. Next is to understand that nothing is certain and to get from a clean supply to a corrupted supply takes time and effort. Longer, definitely than it will take for you to get a good night’s sleep.
Those who supply GM products/seed are not certain of long term effects in the environment – this is both good and bad. We know what could go wrong, but we cannot know what we do not know i.e. the actual future. This means that our version of bad events may not happen. This isn’t to say it can’t happen or that general release is safe. It is just a way to place all points of the problem into a wider perspective. A mind that readily identifies patterns can become a powerful mental roadblock if allowed to reach an imbalance. Once the balance is lost, the patterns trap you. Realising the trap, indicated by being “terrifed with the thought”, then highlights the stall of thinking. There is a way forward. Life is not linear, regardless of how beautiful the pattern may seem. Life is full of chance. Chance is chance – pure, untouched, yet to be shaped, neither good nor bad, without bias, without prejudice. Nothing can be done in the terrified early hours of the cold morning. Relax.
Provided all the facts of the position have been presented, we can then work backwards from worst case, being vegetable and meat supplies corrupted with GM material.
Immediate solutions:
Urban farming; seedsaving/sharing; landshare; home based pork and poultry products; vegetarianism.
Start these intiatives now, you build up a following of like minds that in the very least is a real island of protection against an imagined tide of corrupted GM supply. The sooner they are started, the more time there is to address practical methods for protecting against cross-pollenation issues, legal oppositions and defenses etc. Pick a point of practical action and begin.
Indirect reactive influences:
Removing your food source from the corrupted food chain; self empowerment that can be extended to participants; reduction of demand for corrupted market; strengthening of necessity based community relationships.
There are other far more theoretical and complex imaginings supporting the premise that Dow and Monsanto could force-feed people bad food, but these take far more maneovering and time to manifest in NZ than it would take for a person to begin effectual action against them. In the context of an early morning wake-up call, they can be safely dismissed. These events could not happen entirely covertly i.e. the difference between clear and present danger and covert unknown dangers. If your mind starts to assign unrealistic power to unknown possibilities, catch it at work and realise the reality.
When dealing with possible scenarios based on supposition and likelihood, realise that nothing is certain. If, in the scenario, chance is allowed to make a tourist drop a handful of seed, then why is it that chance is then not allowed to intervene again later in a zero germination rate for the seeds? Maybe the natural pests and birds got the rest before they flowered?
Is this to say that we should do nothing, ever? Not at all. It is simply higlighting another trick of the mind to try to control the effect of chance for a negetive effect, resulting mostly, in people not being able to sleep at night. We cannot say what just one person, stating today on an urban farm will or will not cause to happen, even by small ripple effect, by this time next year. Don’t try to bully chance into being a bully. It would contravene the idea that nature knows best.
When confronted with the unknowable that threatens with the unforeseable, your first strategic weapon is your mind. Stay flexible. Remain calm. Step outside the cycle. View it from a distance, place all points in an overall wider context. Remember that bad does not exist without good, right without left, dark without light. If your mind recognises only negetive possibilities, you are acknowledging less than half the picture. Do not mentally oppose the unbalanced theoretical. Step back and be ready for opportunities for indirect action involving the actual.
Effective minds require sleep. Stay effective.
Nice post Uturn , I just did some lucid calm thinking about reversing assets sales (on the No Assets sales post). The Monsanto issue is similar, play the buggers at their own game as you say by growing your own.
A little lucid clam thinking has also reminded me that the Monsanto model is truly integrated to the cheap petro chem model of agriculture and pesticides: oil decline will f**k them over in a number of ways.
really great comment Uturn.
Um, because the opening of the hand is one chance, the sprouting of the seeds is hundreds of chances.
Actually, that entire rant was just a mind soothe seemingly designed to put peoples minds at rest about the dangers in GMO.
We need to massively support the Australian government in its stand and urge them to hold strong!!
Maybe the opposition parties can write an open letter to the Australian government
all it would take is one act of industrial espionage, such as a ‘tourist’ dropping a handful of GM seeds onto NZ soil and whammo Monsanto will be all over us with patent infringement cases and end up owning NZ.
watch David vs Monsanto
http://archive.org/details/DavidV.Monsanto
watch Food Inc
and if you want to read some of their pitiful responses to the film http://www.monsanto.com/food-inc/Pages/default.aspx remember Monsanto was invited to be interviewed for the film but declined.
Most importantly, use your own powers of critical perception and ask who the TPP will benefit?
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1206/S00186/national-says-yes-to-investor-rights-to-sue.htm
Bits of the TPP agreement that worry me are matters such as unions and worker’s rights. If governments cannot legislate in such ways as to reduce corporate profit margins, they may have difficulty opposing contract work, or the importation of short-term, low paid foreign workers while many of our own remain unemployed.
TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership (multinational economic agreement)) secrecy, well we have been confronted with this before when international deals were being discussed.. It’s so interesting in an objective way, to see wars being fought ostensibly to bring democracy. But the d word is just a game to play with, with less rigid rules than when playing Scrabble. But the politicians and their flunkeys and funders sure know how to use words and they can read philosophy, they just don’t understand it.
yeshe is imagining the effects on food and genetic engineering when the big corporates are allowed to have their way with us. I have been thinking of NZ as a naive girl with Tim Groser as a procurer employed by a hard-faced, money-obssessed, amoral group of confidence men and women within this country, catering for a powerful group of evil pirates looking for slave labour and treasure. We have this fascinating and dramatic serial unwinding which we can watch with avid interest as did the viewers in the film The Truman show.
Our girl wanders through the bush like little Red Riding Hood – will the wolfish group spirit her away or will the rescue party arrive to keep her alive? Fairy tales were largely precautionary tales for real people. I wait each day for the next episode with helpless anxiety.
My version of Little Red Riding Hood has her carrying a basket with a gingham cloth cover, which when removed reveals a sawn off shotgun……..
Yes well…I was thinking of going for a G certificate, but even the kiddies today are going for, or being presented with, gritty adult ideas. (Recently I saw tshirt size 1 yr with a skull on it).
A sawn-off shotgun I believe fires off a lot of shot in all directions, yes could work.
Red Riding Hood in the TV show Once Upon a Time discovered that the wolf she feared so much, is herself. Her mother had been trying to protect her from the knowledge of being the latest in a long line of werewolves.
NZ maybe naive and ignorant on the future, because our “parents” have been keeping the truth from us. But that may be because we are more powerful than we realise… especially when we learn more of the truth.
Knowledge and acceptance of the truth will allow self-governance, being kept in the dark and fed BS keeps us slaves.
Guess which seems to be the one that this government wants?
“Guess which seems to be the one that this government wants?”
–Not just this govt though is it!
Well that’s a great twist on the story. But energising a whole country to understand their inner werewolf would be too much for NZ I think. Though if we could make it a new fad we could spread the idea and develop that along complex network lines which are explained on Wikipedia which I still don’t understand. We need a new approach for sure, this same old same old isn’t going forward, just round and round down the gurgler.
Wow JMG continues his brilliant posts and his current theme of accepting the truth of what is happening to our industrial societies and the end game of that scenario. Last week he entitled his post, “collapse now and avoid the rush” and this week he discusses self-delusion.
http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.co.nz/
The hardcore megadeathdoomers don’t like him because he offers solutions for today and tomorrow and those solution start with us, where we are now, whatever we are doing. Many contributors to this site are up to speed on the situation, we can see it everywhere, and we are doing what we can. JMG makes me uncomfortable because his posts make me realise how much i am clinging onto this society and the benefits I get from it.
Greer, Orlov and Kunstler, the Holy Trinity of truly clear thinking on matters of the future…..
Actual Link
I tend to disagree with Greer a bit as I think that small societies with good renewable energy supplies and sustainable practices in resource use will be able to keep going. Yes, there will be power down. Nobody will have cars any more but there will still be transport and computers.
But, it does need to be a small society.
Have not explored that issue much but I tend toward any size community being able to continue to the level of the energy supply, which mean appropriate tools are necessary.
There has been a tendency on this blog for people to assume a non regression principle, i.e.that what we have and know about today is going to be possible forever. I would contend that the resources available will drive the technology we utilise, and that what we know about we may not be able to practice because of this. Lack of practice tends to lead to loss of practical memory, which can make re-adoption of known technology problematic.
Coming back to your small community contention when we talk high tech (computers etc) we are talking massive complexity of systems, supply, support etc with massive amounts of interdependence. The more complex the more chances there are for single point catastrophic failure. This would incline me towards a lower tech future being more likely than a retention of our core technologies.
You’ve also got to have a critical mass to be able to produce goods or services to pay off the bills for these things. Old school thinking I know but some sort of payment service will have to keep going in the future.
The classic example of the costs of modern infrastructure/technology at the moment is being played out in Kaipara with a small community being lumped with the cost of expensive wastewater treatment (albeit that the wastewater plant in question is oversized for the current population). A similar example is the wastewater plant at Kawakawa Bay that ended up costing $29M.
Money != the economy
What that basically means is that if we have the physical resources available to do something then we can do it. We have the resources available but it does mean that over production in other areas (such as farming or building boats) and service industries (ZOMG, we won’t be able to afford to have anyone working at McDs) will have to be curtailed.
Or, as the tutors at uni said, economics is about the distribution of scarce resources and money is not a resource nor is it scarce.
Which means that we need to do a lot of R&D into renewable power generation
Yep but it’s quite possible for us to do so. We have the base resources, we have access to the basic knowledge to do these things and we have universities and polytechnics for research and teaching.
I wouldn’t bother.
Hydro, localised and national grid wind generation and solar thermal is 80% of what we need.
Let’s just get on with it now.
We should be starting now but the R&D is to make what we have now more efficient and to tune it to local conditions. We also need to make it cover 100% of our needs.
Renewables aren’t going to cover all of our needs – and I am thinking here particularly of transportation. Coastal shipping, rail, air travel and public transport are all going to remain heavily dependent on fossil fuels.
Also (as I am quite sure you are aware) improving efficiency is not the real issue. Cutting total energy use is.
Coastal shipping = sail
Rail/public transport = electric
Air travel will be non-existent
We can produce enough to cover what we need if we build the infrastructure. And there’s one other thing:
We have no choice, renewables must cover what we need.
Which is why cars will be gone.
thanks for linking this, I confess to not having heard of this writer before now and I really like his/her blog and message. It’ll take a while to read the whole lot since 2006 but I’m inclined to do so based on the last three posts. Thanks mm
PS I started from the beginning and the fictional scenarios were very sweet.
Hating on the Herb – Propaganda Lolz
I am finding it hard already to view comments on the “back down” of the Government on educational so called “policies”. We must have noted that Key accepted absolutely no responsibility, and settled for treating all opponents as a bunch of ignorant clowns incapable of comprehending Tory “wisdom” (is any one of that lot a qualified expert in education?)
Please be sure to read this morning’s N.Z. Herald editorial, probably the best they ever published!!
+1
With auckland pop. Estimates to increase by 1 million by 2040, mainly as a result of immigration. Also given that nz grew due to net migration of 400,000 why is there no discussion as to the cost that this has resulted in. Growing pains that Auckland and NZ is incapable to cope with, and the consequences ( e.g high housing costs, increased infrusture and unity demand). We seem to have an amazing perpencity to create problems with bo associate solutions. Such growth will kill Auckland and thus NZ.
I don’t make comparisons with Hitler lightly and I’m not saying John Key is like Hitler but the hysterical voice of John Key when he talks about NZ not being involved in the illegal war in Iraq is truly frightening and makes me even more worried about NZ signing up to NATO.
Yeah, yeah it’s the H word purgatory
[lprent: Yep. It is one of the classic misuse words to catch trolls. To know that it is there is to make it simple to get around. 😈 ]
I’m glad you came to the conclusion that this is not how I used it. 🙂
I don’t see the problem. Comparison of todays people and activities with the biggest event in the 20th century is entirely applicable a lot of the time.
Lest we forget ffs ……….
It’s fine when used rationally, but that’s a bit of a tautology.
The problem is when people with little life get obsessed by issues that are usually pretty little (e.g. maybe a local council placement of traffic lights near a school) or even imaginary (not touching with a bargepole). They lose perspective and start saying stuff like ‘this 30kph speed restriction is worse than H~!”. And everything goes downhill from there.
And like most things, if it gets overused it loses its ability to adequately communicate the user’s perspective.
Hi vto,
I thought this might interest you. It is a complete map of the inner circle of Bilderberg and their business interests.
well they both had/have a thing for building motorways.
Austerity Failure – UK to counter austerity with huge cash injection
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2159480/140bn-kiss-life-Britain-Chancellor-Bank-dramatic-bid-hand-small-firms-house-buyers-cheap-loans–gamble-work.html
Correct Peter, instead, tax cuts are the answer http://articles.businessinsider.com/2012-04-20/news/31372306_1_stimulus-ponytail-financial-crisis
Although these would be labelled ‘tax cuts for the rich’ and slammed by the left if it happened in NZ.
Have people read in this morning’s Herald about the Government’s new scheme relating to the long-term unemployed? To my eye, the old scheme looks somewhat better and simpler! However, maybe I have got it wrong. Would like to know what others think.
If I have got it right, the Government input is now reduced from a total of $92 to a revised total of $62! Are we, again, being sold “a bill of goods”?
I read it on their website.. or think I did! Something similar anyway…
Very jolly complicated, and as far as I can see, much less helpful than the previous ones!
Apologies to the watchers the writers the minders and the keepers of The Standard.
-if this posting results in a ban i unreservedly accept it and have weighed that against the importance of the act which is itself a last resort dictated by circumstances not of my making.
A direct question to Pete George:
Are you the Peter G who set up the No Asset Sales petition at Avaaz.org?
Earlier today on your blog i asked you that direct question. Instead of replying like an adult you removed the post and have not responded. If you had time to remove the post you had time to reply. I feel you left me no option but to inquire more publicly.
I have contacted Avaaz re the posting. I outlined the situation here in NZ and requested a clear header be added to the on-line petition explaining that it has no validity in the referendum process and is actually doing more harm than good. Something most here would be well aware of, including you Peter George.
PG I gave you an opportunity to answer a very simple question but instead you removed the post that has been part of your site since the petition’s inception. ( Really pathetic!) You slid away under your rock and this act of malfeasance will not be forgotten. (Sure you are not in public office but you basically imagine yourself to be, so it is more than apt)
note: for full disclosure i will happily post the email sent to Avaaz.org if requested
( after editing identifiers )
p.s. PG after discovering you had removed the No Asset Sales post promoting the Avaaz.org petition i took screengrabs so don’t try to repost it. I wish i had done earlier as well but the idea you would remove the post supporting the petition never occurred to me, naive little bunny that i am
[Your question seems fair to me freedom. You’re not speculating about the identity of anonymous / pseudonymous participants here. You’re just asking Pete George if he started a petition. — r0b]
No, I haven’t started any petitions. I don’t know what happened to your question on the blog, I haven’t had time to do anything there. Back later this morning.
The question wasn’t about ‘any’ petitions, it was about one specific petition. Are you the Pete G. who started the Avaaz ssset sales petition or not? Yes or no?
FFS, “I haven’t started any petitions” means I have not started any petitions, at all, zero, including the Avaaz petition mentioned.
Are you the Pete G. who started the Avaaz ssset sales petition or not? Yes or no?
In case you still don’t undertsand that – No.
And that was under “Peter G.”, I don’t use that variant of my name online.
Just because I can .. please Pete, may I ask you — does anyone else, or did anyone else, have access to your blog for writing and/or posting/ or deleting ? May you receive it as a fair question … many thx.
I don’t know how anyone else could have had access to the Yourdunedin.org blog.
to PG: You disingenuous person,
You deleted the entire thread that was promoting the Avaaz No Asset Sales Petition, not just my posted question. As it is your blog you very well know what happened and you now decide to besmirch the security record and the reputation of WordPress.com by insinuating that a phantom manipulated your blog and removed a thread that you had been actively promoting. That, or you are accusing me of fabricating the existence of said thread.
I stand by the facts asserted in the post above and only wish i had taken screen grabs of the blog when i first visited the thread, but why would i ever suspect it would be removed. Having screen grabs of the current listings only shows the post is not there. I cannot prove it ever was but as i am not prone to posting on non-existent threads i know it was and you know it was.
I thank The Standard for allowing this matter to be aired. I sincerely hope it offers many here a moment of reflection as to the character and intentions of Pete George.
I will continue to do what i can to promote and support the real petition but on the Peter G petition i am done, i have had enough of my time wasted on this saboteur
freedom, IMHO I don’t think that PG is the author of the online petition although I share your and others’ views on PG’s disingenuity etc. It has been a relief not having him spewing here for two days.
The reasons I don’t think it is him are that he is very consistent in using “Pete” not “Peter” in his blogging across many blogs and on Linked In etc (Yes I checked) and the online petition originator is “Peter G”. The writing style and language used in the petition and its updates are also very different from that of PG – for example, PG hardly knows the difference between “Government” and “Parliament” and has used these incorrectly a number of times. The online petition is very clear in its language, eg
The bill will now be debated by the Committee of the Whole House, and opposition parties are planning to propose hundreds of amendments to delay Government legislation.
That is not to say that someone else could not have wrote it for him! But my gut instinct is that it is not him, but that is in no way of a defence of him as i have no respect etc for PG.
I signed the online petition is an instant reaction when it was first put up but have also signed and totally support the official referendum. I agree that it would be easy for people to mistakenly think the online petition is the referendum one, and wish that the online one had made it clear that they were not one and the same. There does not seem to be any way to communicate this to the author. My reading of the online petition was/is that it is an attempt to get as many to sign in a short space of time (and almost 25,000 as of a few minutes ago is pretty astounding in 3-4 days) to thow at Key et al next week when the Bill goes into Committee stages.
I am really pleased you raised the question as to whether Pete George was the author – and in some perverse ways I hope that my opinion is wrong. On the other hand, our discussion of this as a possibility also plays right into what I also think is PG’s raison d’etre – to be the centre of attention and to think he is much more important and influential than he really is.
I’m not convinced the online petition is a bad thing.
If anything it’s promoting awareness of the issue. It just needs to be followed up with people on the streets getting people signing.
freedom, If you use an archive service, you might find that it’s backed up somewhere.
I didn’t delete anything. I’ve just replied at http://yourdunedin.org/about/
I suspect you were looking in the wrong place/blog, commenting on “About” is not the usual place to put or find comments.
i will reply to Pete here and everyone can be assured this is the end of this matter although little is clear.
I agree Pete, nothing about this is usual. All i can say is something very very strange is going on. I am certainly a magnet for strange and would love to understand why. I saw the petition, saw the creator, went to your blog, saw the post promoting the petition on your blog and submitted a question using the reply function.
If you declare you did not start the Avaaz petition i must accept that, but if you say you have not deleted a posting on the petition then i guess i hallucinated the whole thing and should seek immediate psychiatric help! I have had professional counseling for PTSD in the past and no suspicion of any psychiatric illness was ever identified in fact the two therapists I have worked with both stated clearly that i have a clear and perceptive grasp of reality.
I guess it is a Ripley’s moment and we all end up as much in the dark as when we began.
Someone somewhere knows what is going on and I hope they are happy with the disquiet that has been generated. Perhaps someday they will fill me in on the joke because i do not find it funny, neither do i suspect does Pete who it appears has been unjustly accosted by me on this subject. I do not know what else to do, despite my misgivings i feel i must say sorry Pete for the suspicion that you tried to sabotage the petition process. As the Petition is 305 signatories away from its goal, I guess we might discover who Peter G is when the avaaz petition gets delivered to parliament as promised. Pete , i am sorry.
Kudos to you, freedom – you have my respect.
There was no post promoting the petition on the blog (the Yourdunedin.org one) that i have seen and i don’t know how there could have been unless hacked – and subsequently unhacked.
You posted on About which had no link to the petition.
Apology accepted.
Pete, not Peter Dunne making some mischief over the asset sales and using you as the fall guy?
I agree, dd. There is not just one way to achieve a result, and in the case of the partial asset sales, everything should be tried.