Boring children. Will you stop squabbling and learn how to use self-control when making sharp criticisms or points on the blog?? You have been coming here long enough – you have served your apprenticeship, now show your skills and stop being foolish, or go to where you would fit in just great.
Your Still being a Dick pick troll James … ugly little englishman
I’ve explained when you deeply offended me ….
It was when I was ” Feeling strong emotions and knowing the reality behind two suicides in my wider circle ”
During that time, here at The Standard you posted ” a particularly shit stained troll post …. with you pretending to care about suicide … while painting the national party as off-bounds for criticism … according to you their dirty hands were clean …”
Your response to what I wrote was ,,,, “oh here we go – poor easily offended (lack of) reason – who indeed is a snowflake” . … which you tried to back away from despite obviously responding to what i had written.
Now your saying I’m easily outraged …. I wasn’t even outraged when you nominated the rape threatening Jair Bolsonaro as your pick for the most “charismatic” politician in the world.
James ” I would happy bet you a months ban if you can find anything saying I admire Jair Bolsonaro.”
Muttonbird …. “Well you did say he is more charismatic than Jacinda Ardern who you didn’t rate as charismatic at all despite her forming a government within a month of becoming leader of her party. That’s as big an endorsement of Jair Bolsonaro as you can get really.”
Who other than James, thinks that picking rape happy right wing Jair Bolsonare for most charismatic world leader ,,, is anything other a sign of endorsment / admiration.
You’ve now had multiple chances to back off but you refuse to do that. Instead you ridicule a person for their pain. You’re a sad, ugly sack of shit jamesy.
On this occasion I am going to disagree with you, marty. Muttonbird and reason have been doing a pile on of James for months now – making claims about James where their only backup of their statements has been selective claims and quotes that each have made about what the other or James has said – but with no links to the actual original statements/comments made by James or themselves in earlier comments. They also have had multiple chances to back off when challenged but have also refused to do so. James has the same right as anyone else to challenge such claims and to defend himself IMHO and this is a case of the pot calling the kettle black.
Agree a lot of projecting by commenters on this site about jsnes and then they all get prissy and oh so offended when cracks back, especially Marty who is as tough teak on his key board Ed in contrast is just fun
Vetroviper …..I was disgusted when James made his troll suicide post …. he may as well have have pissed on the graves of the young teenage girl and the father of young children who were victims of our society…. and causing such sorrow to people I know and love.
I did not have the emotional energy to give him the serve he deserved at the time …… but I marked his troll card for future attention.
As for the fact James is an englishman …. he himself wrote it and I took note.
Ignoring the fact trolls are bad faith posters whose purpose is to waste time ….
…. to derail
… and to perform the tasks that sending a dick pick achieves … to Lower the tone … to offend …. and make site users experience unpleasant.
Ignoring all that ….. Tell or show me how to do a search of james post on this site and i actually will waste my time on him .. even though he could easily go yes or no ……a simple yes or no ….to the fact i have brought up about him.
James response to not denying ( the no option ) is as follows ….
James …. “Well – ive been insuiating that you are a fuckwit and you’ve never said anything about it … so that must be a valid citation you are a fuckwit.”
To which I reply
a) this is the first time he’s openly called me a fuckwit
b) this is an opinion …. not a fact …. different in that being english is a fact.
c) it’s an opinion from a troll / dickpick … and worth nothing.
If he were to call me something that was not opinion Russian or Chinese ….. I’d point out what a stupid clown he is.
I wonder why he hasn’t to me???? ….
A while ago I wrote a post on trolls and how they operate ….. it’s obviously time for another
James will feature ….. with him demonstrating the only consistent thing with a political troll is support for their ‘team’ …. which makes them morally inconsistent.
James will demonstrate this with his conflicting stances and attitudes to sexual assault …..
Featuring Waikato rugby players ….. a bullying hair fetish prime minister …. Oxfam …. and the Labour Party youth camp….. All of which evoked very different attitudes and posts from James.
Personally I’m trolls ……….. they are dishonest dick picks … and I try to spoil their fun ….
Losing it ? …. this is what losing it looks like ….. “Well – ive been insuiating that you are a fuckwit and you’ve never said anything about it … so that must be a valid citation you are a fuckwit.”
Being an English man is not a bad thing … unless you are a bad Englishman …. Being an immigrant is relevant when commenting on Maori rights & racism,….which you have not held back from …. Or absolving right wing political choices and racism for NZ’s high suicide rates, particularly severe for Maori ….. Or when you bash NZ people on benefits ,,,,, or telling us there has always been NZers living in cars …. etc etc
Trolls may be mainly a threat to billy goats …. but Troll is a poor description of what your sort do on the internet.
You share the most in common with dick picks …. unsolicited Sending your ugly self.
To Lower the tone … to offend …. make site users experience unpleasant…. and your unpleasantness have more of a negative impact on women.
If it appears I troll the trolls …… then technically I could be called a dick whacker ……
It may be more complicated…
Sounds like a good alibi.
“Forensic squads are now said to be searching a van outside their home but the probe was thrown into confusion as Mr Gait’s boss John Allard said he was at work.
Mr Allard, who runs a double glazing firm in Crowborough, said he could ‘account for Paul’s movements between the hours of 7am and 5pm last Monday to Friday’.”
I was wondering when these drone hazards become regarded as terrorist attacks. Because they are just as bad and done for a malign reason, actually without any real brain reason being applied at all.
‘Duh, I’m really keen on these drones and thought it was a good thing to do. And it tests the defences of the airport too, so I’m being helpful really.’ /sarc
“We Can’t Fight Climate Change if We Keep Lying to Ourselves
The inability to see what is in front of our eyes replicates the blindness of all past civilizations that celebrated their eternal glory at moments of precipitous decline. The difference is that life across the whole planet will go down this time. It is comforting to pretend this is not happening, to foster false hopes and fool ourselves with the myth of human progress, but these illusions only tranquilize us at a moment when we should be rising in collective fury against those who are orchestrating our doom.”
cleangreen
You present my own thoughts. It is a cunning plan the RWNJs have – to take on the role of irritated superior committed supporters of this blog about anyone who gathers ire from the moderators. Like the sneak at school sucking up to the teacher to get a jibe at another student.
and maui
I agree with you. I really want to know what is being said in other outlets and by people of note, and videos, but not a line of them opened up all the way down the screen from the same person. Even when they are from different people, it is possible to have a video battle between 2 or 3 people. Restraint, think of what others would want Standadistas.
I don’t mind a paragraph that lays down an opinion with context. Joe90 does this quite often and it is very enlightening. So Ed is at fault when he takes over the site publishing other’s opinions and spreading his statements and thoughts to excess.
I have suggested that it would be good if we limited our comments; to say 5 an hour, then we would either get a bunch or more spaced, but not dominating the flow. We need to keep up the flow, I do miss so many of those from even the past year, and of course further back.
es Ed these ‘straw men’ – James and Tuppence Shrewsbury need to learn the term “in the real world” reality that climate change is now upon jus and nothing they try to believe will change the fact that we are locked into a catastrophe of a climate now spinnng out of control.
What I despise the most about the rise of the ‘woke left’ is that they have lost sight of actually changing the fundamentals of equality aka valuing and accounting for at a government and economic and social level all the work that (mostly women) do that is unpaid and their part in ignoring the environmental impacts of unlimited growth.
We expect ignorance and lack of action from the right wingers but the sad news is that now the woke left is more likely to spit the dummy at Rachel Stewart, attack the centre left while giving their questions to the Natz, support Karel Sroubek’s residency while not much peep about NZ prisoners not even being able to vote, give water rights to Chinese overseas interests while apparently being oblivious to the human rights abuses over there or the environmental impacts, not a peep out of all the immigration scams from people paying for their job https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/107073384/the-big-scam-the-tip-of-an-immigration-scam-iceberg to dowry scams and the marriage of a special needs teen with mental ages of 7…. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12123831
Would you say that the ‘woke left’ have a lot in common with what we used to call the Chardonnay Socialist, and that it’s a phenomenon that’s directly proportional to their level of comfort within the particular bubble they inhabit?
Sorry to be so deep and meaningful (or unmeaningful) so early on a Sunday morning.
By the way, It’s good to see Fonseka and Kilgallon calling out the bullshit. They join others who’ve been trying for quite some time – at RNZ and even one at Granny as well as some in unions, Alistair McClymont and the guy in Chch, Migrant Worker’s Association.
My ‘impression’ is that I L-G and Faafoi are listening but its taken a while for them to get a handle on things but its going to take a bit more time for INZ and the Labour Inspectorate to effect a huge cultural and structural change and so far it’s all a bit depressing to watch.
Your continued use of woke left shows me you’re part of the problem.
You co opt words you don’t understand to build arguments against groups you aren’t part of.
You may as well be a rwnj imo.
Not totally correct here SaveNZ. Extra inspectors have been reporting rorts involving migrants causing those employers to repay them, lose the right to hire them. Several scams have been prosecuted. Work is being done on forced marriages.
The water rights were established under the previous Government. Later ones have been turned down.
I see OncewasTim has outlined cases, so I’ll leave it there.
And ironically the most obvious solution to the problem of unpaid work is one feminists have not advocated.
Payment of income support (at dole level) to the non working partner.
1. For those with children under 5 no work test.
2. For those doing voluntary work (including those doing unpaid caring work) no work test.
3. For those without children or children over 5 with a work test.
UBI. Used to be family benefit.
Green party working on it now, but unconditional child support, paid to all mothers, kept the majority of children free from poverty in the sixties and seventies.
Schools were set up in competition to each other under Tomorrows Schools rather than the co-operative model which previously existed. Certain schools worked to gain advantage, less for their students, more for the ‘reputations’ of their fiefdoms. All sorts of shenanigans have been operating from excluding local children, taking selected children from out of zone, and preventing children who may fail from sitting NCEA exams. While this may make the schools look good to the great unwashed, it flies in the face of the intention of public education to be offered fairly to all children. If you want to play silly beggars like that, open a private school, don’t rort the state system.
To the best of my knowledge, only one school principal (at Cambridge High) has actually been caught and dealt with operating in this way
It is not clear why some principals are objecting to the proposals – from the article :
“Taking power away from boards would create “bland, one-size-fits-all” institutions and destroy the role of communities in schools, Hargreaves said.
He called on parents to oppose the recommendations and said parents had already been quick to voice their backing for him.
Parents wanted to know they could have an impact on their children’s education through the board of trustees’ parent representatives, he said. “To think that that’s going to be passed over to another faceless bureaucracy is what really worries them,” he said. ”
Some of that is refuted later in the article, but it is not clear at all what the specific concerns are, or whether they have correctly interpreted the proposals.
Pooling resources in a local area does make sense for maintenance, property development, contracting, HR advice and services, and clearly there needs to be some consistency about zoning to ensure that is consistently applied (where needed) so that we have a reasonable level of fairness to both schools and potential pupils – as seen by the community not necessarily by individual schools.
There has been an unseemly rush to jump to conclusions. I applaud the openness of the report to discussion, and I suspect the time given will not be long enough for some areas of concern. Articles looking for conflict are not helpful at this stage – it would have been interesting to have heard how the concerned principals believe the proposals would have the results they predict – I suspect they are imputing a detailed reasoning of their own to broad proposals where the details is currently absent.
citation to this rant ???
Also nice to see that some here have so little regard to Principals thinking that their motivation is solely to max their pay – nothing to do with the students ??
And I note that the McLeans principal was previously Principal of Wesley, so has the experience from 2 differing perspectives. https://rotaryremuera.club/Stories/steven-hargreaves-principal-of-wesley-college
I taught at both a high decile and low decile school.
The low decile had a much higher standard of teaching, and children with family support, had better results than the high decile. In other words, if the low decile school had excluded students likely to get lower marks, as the higher decile one did, in many subtle ways, they would have way “out performed” the high decile.
Those principal’s are from colleges that are able to pretend they are better schools by cherry picking students, simply perpetuating a class system. To the detriment of education for most children.
I am sure then that only these 2 marching will gain little coverage, and would be a poor reflection on both. Yet I gather the march will number more than 2 and will cover a wider range of communities than just Epson and Bucklands Beach. And the Principals that march, will be doing as a display for their concern for current and future students, not selfish self interest to get paid more 🤑
If they were really concerned for the future education of NZ children, they would not be trying to continue the, failed, competitive model exemplified by “Tomorrows Schools”.
How do we know that the proposed changes would be an improvement of Labour’s “Tomorrow Schools” ?
Looks to me like a power grab by a few bureaucrats/idealists. Similar perhaps to The 84 Labour Govt and how they introduced “Neoliberalism” – and look how that has turned out, and we have been dealing with that Labour govt decision since 😤
So what would you do then? Carry on with the competitive model? All TS has done is introduce the concept of ‘white flight’ to this country.
And there was still things like school choice and parental involvement before 1989. I remember my auntie and Uncle sending my cousin to a school the next suburb over even though they lived 600m from their local school. And this was in 85/86.
Schools will have the option to retain a lot of their powers under the proposals.
Parents input into the running of schools will probably be strengthened, as they will have a layer of support to turn to if they are having problems with their school.
As well, the TS setup is such that parents are largely passive consumers. Also, central government can shut down schools by Fiat.
Herodotus, the proposed changes are to put the financial, HR and H&S measures into professional hands. Principals should focus on the delivery of curriculum and the training of teachers to deliver an ever more skilled based job. This would be the convincing part of the choice of school if you really want to make such distinction. Nothing is holding anybody back to make donations, but it would be more transparent. Oh! is that the problem?
And then Health ?? and then corporate welfare ?? and then infrastructure ?? and then housing ?? and then Environment ?? and then Racing ?? and then … 🤔
But at least you are being construction in finding a solution
Funny how we could find money for all those things, except welfare for tax dodging corporate’s, but we did have welfare for sheep, admittedly, before 1984.
Then. After all these years of “reforms” which are making us “richer and better off”, we cannot even afford, Teachers!
1. Instead of puting $2B into the Cullen Fund each year from tax revenues – levy 1% from the employee and 1% from the employer.
2. Stop paying super to those over 65 still working – $3B pa after tax adjsutment (and rising each year as the 25-33% still working 65-70 increase in number).
Protecting our environment & health.
In association with other Community Groups, NHTCF and all Government Agencies since 2001.
• Health and wellbeing.
• East Coast Transport Project.
• Save our Gisborne/Napier/Wellington rail project.
• “No sale of Napier Port campaign”
23rd December 2018.
Subject; “So far it has been a nerve racking slow way back to a rail rebuilding industry we had all over NZ once.”
‘No thanks to the – “National Party rail wrecking machine that we witnessed over the last 30 yrs.”
“It is now time to restore our ‘whole essential regional rail services in earnest”
Dear rail stakeholders,
Merry Xmas all,
‘This is hopefully just the beginning of our desperately needed rail renaissance.’
South Dunedin’s Hillside workshops. Photo: ODT
Six years after they were shuttered, the South Dunedin Hillside workshops are slowly coming back to life.
KiwiRail is advertising for tradespeople to work on wagon conversions at the workshops in Hillside Rd.
The advertisement says the work is varied and will cover all aspects of locomotive and wagon maintenance and repair.
People having experience working with heavy plant and machinery, heavy automobiles, locomotives, and ships are encouraged to apply.
KiwiRail rolling stock asset services general manager Adam Williams said about six new jobs were expected to be added to the 12 staff already working at the workshops.
There had been significant growth in forestry logs being transported by rail, and KiwiRail had been preparing for some time for the ”Wall of Wood” to come on stream, Mr Williams said.
Part of KiwiRail’s strategy involved converting existing container wagons to transport logs.
Good wishes to all those helping out at food banks cooking and serving lunches over this week and helping in some small way those less fortunate,
Hopefully next year the need will be severely reduced
Amongst other bits there is this gem about the national party: “In the hope it will keep the party’s rep as a slick operating unit – looking leaderly and switched on “…..
There appear to be crisis talks by our government AGAIN with by another parasitical corporate called Amazon over the filming a TV version of Bored With The Rings in NZ
We do have the money to pay out further corporate welfare when there are so many other issues that are more urgent to fix, and wage rates lowered for the benefit of another pack of parasites and being conned by the so-called benefits (yet to be seen ) to NZ
Amazon needs to be told pay your fucking tax, no handouts from the NZ taxpayers, and no subsidised low wage rates for any people employed, that the NZ taxpayer has to subsidise with something similar to welfare stamps given to Amazon employees in the US.
We don’t need more tourists, the countries infrastructure can barely cope with the massive inflows we are experiencing at the moment, and we certainly do not need further cheap unskilled immigration.
Frankly, before any decision was made I would like to see an enquiry into the so-called benefits the last great fiddle the fucking spiv did with Warners and Jackson and how much NZ really benefited, as I cannot see any when we still have a high rate of child poverty. Also, and if no benefit to NZ, Amazon to be told to fuck off and pay the tax you have avoided on your way out.
Subsidies to local productions, as the Ozzies do, has resulted in much greater benefits than, giving up labour laws, and huge amounts of money, to overseas corporate’s.
I don’t know of a single business that has been “telling us for decades that…there is no society”. Can you name one? Business relies on societies to sell their goods and services. These societies are their markets, and businesses soon learn that they ignore them at their peril.
You didn’t say they ‘ignore society’ (which is in itself a nonsense claim), you said businesses have been telling us for decades that “there is no society”.
This is a nonsense statement that you must have plucked straight from your fundamental orafice.
Businesses can neither ignore or deny society, for the simple reason society comprises their customers! But there us much more. Societies and businesses are co-dependent. Business supplies goods and services, pays tax, employs people, supports charitable causes, the list goes on and on. If you seriously believe what you have written, you are so far out of touch of not just reality but history you are bordering on delusional.
You didn’t say they ‘ignore society’ (which is in itself a nonsense claim), you said businesses have been telling us for decades that “there is no society”.
They do both.
It’s a fundamental part of the business psyche to put themselves above others. To invent excuses as to why they don’t have to work for the good of society. Why we suddenly Corporate Social Responsibility is a thing.
In 1970, just as the idea of corporate social responsibility was gaining traction and influential advocates in the United States, the economist Milton Friedman published a short essay titled “The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits.” Possibly the most provocative single contribution to the history of business ethics, Friedman set out to show that large, publicly owned corporations ought to be about making money, and the ethical obligations imposed by advocates of CSR should be dismissed. His arguments convinced some and not others, but the eloquent and accessible way he made them, combined with the fact that his ideas were published in a mainstream publication—the New York Times Magazine—ensured their impact.Milton Friedman, “The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits,” New York Times Magazine, September 13, 1970, accessed June 7, 2011, http://www.colorado.edu/studentgroups/libertarians/issues/friedman-soc-resp-business.html.
I’m pretty sure that there are a number of business people out there who still agree with Friedman and Thatcher. Hell, I know business people personally who say so.
Societies and businesses are co-dependent.
Yes they are. The problem is that most business people think that everyone else, who is not in a society, are totally dependent upon them. Considering that the laws have been drawn up to make that true I suppose that they’ve got a good case for it. As soon as government starts making it not true they start going on about communism and reds under the bed.
“It’s a fundamental part of the business psyche to put themselves above others.”
Rubbish. Again. Business relies on it’s customers, and it’s customers are society. But I’m still waiting for you to post links supporting your claim “businesses have been telling us for decades that “there is no society”. Still waiting.
“The problem is that most business people think that everyone else, who is not in a society, are totally dependent upon them. ”
Where do you get this crap? Who are these ‘most business people’? Smart business people recognise that their business is dependent on society, not the other way around. If they don’t they fail, because they continue to produce goods and services no-one wants.
You clearly have no idea of how business works or what it contributes, so I’ll back up the article above wiht something simple for your New Years reading:
“Rubbish. Again. Business relies on it’s customers, and it’s customers are society”
You conflate a target market with society….an industry that markets say housing to high wealth individuals thinks not of the impact of its actions on any segment that is outside its target market…and nor can it as if it does it will lose market share to a competitor who does not.
The weighing of overall benefit to society of market actions was the role of government…a role abandoned some decades ago.
Now the real political power exercised in a democracy is relative to the ability to consume/invest.
Rubbish. Again. Business relies on it’s customers, and it’s customers are society.
And that would be why businesses are always screwing down wages right?
Why they don’t like unions?
Yes, over the last few years there’s been a big build-up in socially conscious businesses. I note that the first thing that Forbes article does is blame the actions of the employees. See, this is called blame shifting and, when you get right down to it, whitewashing.
Is it possible for a business to be part of society? Yes. Are they? No. They’re just there to make a profit and unearned income for their owners.
“You conflate a target market with society…”
No, I don’t. A target market is not necessarily static. A target market can change, as a business expands, contracts or diversifies. But a target market is a subset of society.
“….an industry that markets say housing to high wealth individuals thinks not of the impact of its actions on any segment that is outside its target market…and nor can it as if it does it will lose market share to a competitor who does not.”
Rubbish. You assume that the pursuit of profit can always be achieved by ignoring everything outside a firms target market. You simply have no idea what your talking about.
“And that would be why businesses are always screwing down wages right?”
They aren’t always screwing down wages. In some cases business will pay more to get a higher quality workforce. It is the market that ultimately determines what a job is worth, with moderation from outside elements such as the minimum wage.
“Why they don’t like unions?”
Who? Are you seriously suggesting all businesses ‘don’t like unions’?
“Is it possible for a business to be part of society? Yes. Are they? No.”
Of course they are. They employ people. They pay tax that is used to pay for stuff you use.
“They’re just there to make a profit and unearned income for their owners.”
You really don’t have a clue do you? Where dd you develop this hatred for business? Is it jealousy that without business society as we know it could not function?
And I’m still waiting for you to post links supporting your claim “businesses have been telling us for decades that “there is no society”. Still waiting.
lol…already you walk away from and qualify your original statement.
“Rubbish. Again. Business relies on it’s customers, and it’s customers are society. But I’m still waiting for you to post links supporting your claim “businesses have been telling us for decades that “there is no society”. Still waiting.”
Go ahead and name one company or product that demonstrates that “Businesses can neither ignore or deny society, for the simple reason society comprises their customers!”
“lol…already you walk away from and qualify your original statement.”
I haven’t walked away from anything.
“Go ahead and name one company or product that demonstrates that “Businesses can neither ignore or deny society, for the simple reason society comprises their customers!””
Kodak. Kodak ignored the shift to digital photography (among other trends). They filed for bankruptcy in 2012. The demise of Kodak, and it’s subsequent regeneration, is well documented.
Then there’s…
Blockbuster
Polaroid
Pan Am
Borders
Compaq
GM
And there are many, many more. I can give you the reasons each failed if you like; all relate to a failure to relate to the changing needs of their customers.
Thank you for providing examples of companies that did indeed ignore their target markets (and competitors) and consequently failed…..society continued.
Pity you remain unable to distinguish between the two
Oh so you were looking for an example of a single business failure that brought down the whole of society? Why didn’t you just ask that? Or are you actually sidestepping?
What you fail to understand is that business and society have a type of co-dependency. Not a single business and society. The failure of a single business can harm society, but it won’t destroy it. But the success of a society is largely dependent on the success of business generally, because of employment, tax revenues etc.
I can help you to understand by asking you this…in a world without business, who would employ all of the people currently employed? Provide the tax revenue that pays for your hospital visits and the roads you drive on? Who would provide the goods and services you use? Provide the independent blogs, such as the one we are having this discussion on?
“Oh so you were looking for an example of a single business failure that brought down the whole of society? Why didn’t you just ask that? Or are you actually sidestepping?”
Deliberate misinterpretation and absurdity appear to be a theme with you….I sought a single example of a business/product that considered society as opposed to target market …I wont hold my breath waiting as it is obviously beyond your ken.
“I sought a single example of a business/product that considered society as opposed to target market ”
What? That is gibberish. And it isn’t what you wrote. Here’s what you wrote:
“Go ahead and name one company or product that demonstrates that “Businesses can neither ignore or deny society, for the simple reason society comprises their customers!””
I named several. Then you changed the question to:
“…companies that did indeed ignore their target markets (and competitors) and consequently failed…..society continued.”
You are simply being dishonest. And you’re squirming. So I’ll give you another chance:
“I can help you to understand by asking you this…in a world without business, who would employ all of the people currently employed? Provide the tax revenue that pays for your hospital visits and the roads you drive on? Who would provide the goods and services you use? Provide the independent blogs, such as the one we are having this discussion on?”
“as i gift you zyzzyva I ask how many opportunities should be presented to the wilfully obtuse?”
You mean how many opportunities should you be given to answer my simple question? Go on. You’re the one criticizing businesses. Tell us who’ll employ people and generate tax revenue for welfare, for housing, for health, for education….
Holiday info for any driving through or coming to Motueka.
Our main st (High St) is bumper to bumper this time of year, if you see anyone struggling to cross the road, or exit a driveway, please stop and let them cross/through.
It only takes a couple of seconds. THANKS 🙂
FYI
The best sneaky car parking in town is behind Whitwells in the main street.
The cheapest fuel is at the self serve NPD at the beginning of town, just after the one and only roundabout.
Never liked his politics, and didn’t like his public image; and this was duly reinforced when I once had the misfortune, with a handful of other people, including a French couple, to spend an evening with him & his wife Jane; he spent the entire evening chatting up the French woman, in French, rudely ignoring the rest of us, and embarrassing his wife.
Jobs, interest by government, the minimum wage has just gone up, and perhaps people here can think up some jobs-rich projects that might become permanent, and put these to government while it is receptive to financing start-ups.
(Tip: Do a business plan, study your projected market, think about the angle you are going to appeal to.)
As I said before. Stories being told in this format will overtake the standard 2hr movie. Marvel’s works are the only thing holding up theatres at the moment.
Even Star Wars has failed to ignite audiences, though that is probably down the storyline of the new trilogy more than anything else
That is what I mean. The fact that they are making a TV series and not a movie speaks volumes. Game of Thrones would never have worked as a standard 2 hour film trilogy.
You don’t think GOT done it’s dash? I know the books are never ending and ongoing (possibly to never be complete) but like the Walking Dead there doesn’t seem to be an end, it’s like soap opera, there’s no complete story arc, it’s just on and on. Movies are forced to start and finish, they tend to be disciplined and tight, t.v. can meander, which is good for a little while but if things don’t end they get boring. Breaking Bad was excellent because you knew it had a climax, though I hear there’s a sequel/prequel? Some series are too short, some are too long, but there’s something about a good ending.
Hopefully Jackson isn’t part of the t.v. series, Mortal Engines totally bombed, maybe he should try a new, original (heck, a local story) idea? & not rehash someone else’s book. He’s a technical genius but a terrible story teller. (I actually thought the Ring and Hobbit movies would be better t.v., they are tediously long).
I did not even make it to the end of the first of the trilogy – had to leave the movie theatre due to the volume of the sound and ended up with a three day migraine as a result. Still shudder with the memory. Tried to watch the sequels on video and again gave up.
If you are going to be fair, KJT, The Hobbit (book) was a single, fairly short children’s book. Eminently approachable for all.
The Lord of the Rings (book) was the long trilogy. I was mildly annoyed by the way Jackson fooled with the books in the first trilogy of films (Lord of the Rings) but could tolerate it. To me, The Hobbit (films – a bloody long overblown trilogy from a single child’s book) is a load of bollocks, which really does throw Jackson’s failings into sharp relief.
Dammit! Missed this interplay – as mentioned before, I have (now) 20 copies of The hobbit and plan to use them in a tutorial manner with youngish students. While the story isn’t entirely perfect for the modern child, it provides great opportunities for all sorts of learnings and discussions – for which I thank JR Tolkien very much. I found Jackson’s movies impossible to enjoy, because of the focus on battle and gore. Tolkien too, did war heavily, understandably. I’m someone who finds the Tom Bombadil material intriguing, and btw, who is Radagast the Brown 🙂
Ragadast the brown was one of the Istari or wizards ( Gandalf and Saruman were also in the order) He doesn’t come into the story much except in fellowship where he unwittingly relayed Saruman’s message to gandalf leading to Gandalf’s imprisonment in his tower. Ragadast lived somewhere out west and loved birds and animals.
@vv- I’d been hearing horror stories about the sound volume in the theatres from day one, so even had I the slightest interest in fantasy movies and hadn’t been so put off by the media reporting Peter Jackson on the front page every time he sneezed and trying their utmost to get him a sainthood, they lost themselves many patrons due to the volume button.
Proud to say I still haven’t seen any of the movies via any platform and no intention to 🙂
Is that tax working group looking at taxing robots a tax equivalent to the income tax that every worker would have paid that the robot puts out of work . ??
Hows sad. Jules is going to have to clean up after himself.
An Ecuadorian court has dismissed the appeal of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s defense, which requested lifting the home rules imposed on the whistleblower in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, the South American country’s Foreign Ministry said.
“A court in the Pichincha province today [December 21] confirmed the legal force of the special protocol published by the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry in October in order to regulate [Assange’s] living in Ecuador’s embassy in London,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The court decision was related to the fact that the home rules “do not violate any constitutional rights” which was claimed by Assange’s lawyers, the statement pointed out.
Assange’s whistleblowing and award-winning journalism proved a thorn in the side of many; he will pay the price for the rest of his life, which is only to be expected.
As ‘John Doe’ (“My life is in danger.“) showed, some whistleblowers must protect themselves.
Doe said growing global income inequality and corruption allegedly enabled by Mossack Fonseca motivated his actions. Doe also said the papers demonstrated the injustices perpetrated by the industry that creates offshore companies and blamed governments for allowing offshore havens to proliferate, saying he leaked the documents “simply because I understood enough about their contents to realise the scale of the injustices they described.”
I’m in agreement with the UN Working group on
Arbitrary Detention as far as Assange goes.
There’s a ghoulish delight some people have in seeing him go down
Never really understood ther angle on that. Cops aren’t supposed to act like it’s a game of Bull Rush and stop chasing a fugitive just because he made it to “Safe”.
They’re supposed to sit outside until he comes out to face justice.
“”The Stock Market just reached an All-Time High during my Administration for the 102nd Time, a presidential record, by far, for less than two years,” he tweeted in early October.. Since Mr Trump wrote that tweet, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has fallen more than 4,300 points – a 16% decline.”
“Due to a combination of rising interest rates, the president’s trade wars, the impending government shutdown and indications of slower economic growth, the now long-in-the-tooth bull market may be coming to an end. December has seen the biggest market decline since the Great Depression and the largest drop in any month since 2009.”
Here is a recommendation for al if you have time over the Xmas period – podcast called serial.
I’m part way thru season one and absolutely hooked.
True story told amazing well.
It’s not politics – and it would be interesting to hear different views on “who did it” – I have no idea. And it’s possible a terrible miscarriage may have happened.
Anyway – available everywhere that streams podcast and it’s freeeeeee.
When you finish that, watch American Vandal on Netflix, a very clever and funny parody of true crime documentaries such as Making a Murderer and Serial.
Nobody with an IQ of 3 figures takes funny pictures of a person as information to judge a person as credible. The Farage picture is a pretty good match. Sometimes if a persons IQ is larger than nearly everybody else all that’s left is pointless personal attacks as you can’t debate them and win.
Nobody with an IQ of 3 figures takes funny pictures of a person as information to judge a person as credible.
Gove’s almost complete lack of credibility and respect has nothing to do with his looks.
The Farage picture is a pretty good match.
True. I think you’d agree with this writer, i.e., moi, that the Gove/Pob match is a bit of a stretch.
Sometimes if a persons IQ is larger than nearly everybody else all that’s left is pointless personal attacks as you can’t debate them [sic] and win.
Michael Gove’s IQ is larger than nearly everybody else’s, is it? You’re possibly the first person in the world with an I.Q. of more than 100 to note that. Please enlighten the rest of us, who’ve been under the impression that Gove was nothing more than an embarrassment to himself and indeed to the Conservative Party.
Well I’m not surprised that “young” Corbyn has finally come out supporting a full Brexit, as he has form for being a Anti EU over the years. Any true Labour MP would know the true impact of EU membership over the years has had on the British working class and the under Class, which has force down wages. enter level jobs have dried up as they have taken by EU nations and number of minor and large companies have moved over the EU countries over the years before Brexit.
The middle class Toffs that infect the British Labour Party support remaining in the EU as it’s in their own self importance along with middle/ upper class Toffs of Lib Dems and some of the Tories as it forces the working/ under class in their place and know their place in society.
“Kevin Anderson of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, has consistently criticised IPCC reports for magical thinking, for assuming that at some point in the near future technology will be both invented and rolled out on a mass scale that will suck carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (so-called negative emission technologies). At the moment, there are none that are close to being ready to be mass produced. Take these out of the most recent IPCC report and instead of 12 years to stop dangerous climate change we have just three.”
Parliament is as full of procedure as this place I suppose. There seems to be more substance in other blogs. 12 years, which we all agree about, yet this terrible surround sight media trivia continues.
Eco Maori totally agrees with JK Rowlings views on the Cameleon Corbyn his true colours and loyaltys lie with the weathy he is in the wrong party.
JK Rowling, a longtime critic of Jeremy Corbyn, has mocked the Labour leader’s position on Brexit in sixteen biblical-style tweets.
In a series of tweets entitled “The visitation of the Corbynites: a festive thread”, the Harry Potter author claimed the possibility of “Saint Jeremy” bringing a jobs-first Brexit was “bollocks” and described Corbyn as “in third place after Pontus May”.
JK Rowling and the Angry Corbynites – truly a Twitter row for our times
Ellie Mae O’Hagan
Read more
Rowling wrote: “And she did answer, ‘How shall the poor fare under Brexit, which thy saint hath always in his secret heart desired, yet he hath not admitted what was in his heart, lest fewer attend his next sermon on the Glastonbury B stage.’
“And they did answer, ‘Saint Jeremy will achieve a miracle, and he shall bring forth a jobs-first Brexit and all the land shall rejoice.’ And she did answer, ‘Bollocks.’”
Ka kite ano
The sandflys think there intimadation is working but not against Eco Maori Im just looking after my mokopunas and having a little break well desreved I say ka kite ano
Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
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Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
Peter Dunne writes – The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
…it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisitionNOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes – The High Court ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same?Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
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In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
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Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
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Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
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Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
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Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
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Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
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The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
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Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
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 ...
“Our exporters should, therefore, be deeply concerned that the Fast-track Approvals Bill was not assessed for consistency with any of our free trade commitments prior to being introduced to the House,” says Gary Taylor, Chief Executive of the Environmental ...
NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff is calling on all political parties to support the new Member’s Bill from Labour’s workplace relations and safety spokesperson Camilla Belich MP that would ensure negligent companies are held accountable when their employees ...
A historian with a track record of predicting US election winners tells RNZ's Sunday Morning that President Biden looks to be on track for another term, but things could still go wrong for him. ...
A historian with an uncanny track record of predicting US election winners tells RNZ's Sunday Morning that President Biden looks to be on track for another term, but things could still go very wrong for him. ...
Ngaio Marsh House is one of Christchurch’s best kept secrets – and contains more than a few mysteries of its own.Trust Ngaio Marsh to leave more than a few mysteries scattered through her house long after her departure. For a start, there’s the curious concrete portal in the garden, ...
Appointment viewing has been lost to the mists of time, but memories of Montana Sunday Theatre can still be conjured by hitting play on a particular piece of classical music. “You’re not going to be able to sell it.” Over 30 years on, Karen Bieleski still recalls how the task ...
Performance Review King Luxon sat behind His massive polished oak desk. It is Performance Review time. There is a knock on the door. “Enter!” says the King. In steps Minister of Disabilities and Carer Pedicures, Penny Simmonds. “I can explain everything …” she begins. “Fine,” says King Luxon, pressing the ...
The pair opened their first fully collaborative exhibition, Nina for Flowers, last Saturday. Gabi Lardies visited their studio to find out who Nina is and what working together was like.‘It didn’t start out like, ‘This is a show about Nina,’” says Josephine Jelicich, gripping a thermos of peppermint tea. ...
Thank you, Dr Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner, for your brilliant invention. I’m another mid-20s Kiwi who had an OE last year. I hopped on my bicycle where France meets the Atlantic and cycled east. I pedalled through the Loire Valley, down rivers lined with willows and ancient wisteria-draped chateaus. I relished ...
Asia Pacific Report From France to Australia, university pro-Palestine protests in the United States have now spread to several countries with students pitching on-campus camps. And students at Columbia and other US universities remain defiant as campuses have witnessed the biggest protests since the anti-Vietnam war and anti-apartheid eras in ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedin’s India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoa’s drunkest future ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julien Cooper, Honorary Lecturer, Department of History and Archaeology, Macquarie University Julien Cooper The hyper-arid desert of Eastern Sudan, the Atbai Desert, seems like an unlikely place to find evidence of ancient cattle herders. But in this dry environment, my new ...
The sector says it’s hopeful her replacement Paul Goldsmith will be able to throw it a lifeline, after six months with a minister deemed missing in action, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign ...
The government can't just rely on axing public sector jobs and has to do more to cut spending, says the chief economist at a free market think tank. ...
Rock The Vote NZ, known for its advocacy for minor party unity and its role within the Freedoms NZ Coalition during the 2023 General Election, celebrates this merger as a strategic enhancement of its operational strength and outreach. ...
Nearly everyone has experienced the frustration of something you use breaking and being difficult or expensive to fix. Proposed legislation could change that. It’s been raining on and off all Sunday afternoon but people are lining up outside a building in a corner of Gribblehirst Park in Sandringham, Auckland. In ...
Looks like it was a suburban couple who caused all the drone mayhem in the UK….
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/12/22/gatwick-drone-identities-arrested-couple-revealed/
iF it was them – then I doubt it they did it because they lived in ‘the burbs’
I’m sure it will come out they were climate change fanatics or just pissed off with the noise of planes despite them living in a flight path.
James = another straw man.
cleangreen = another hufflepuff.
See how stupid your comment is?
Try to discus the post as opposed to a single one line insult that has nothing to do with anything.
Boring children. Will you stop squabbling and learn how to use self-control when making sharp criticisms or points on the blog?? You have been coming here long enough – you have served your apprenticeship, now show your skills and stop being foolish, or go to where you would fit in just great.
/agreed
Merry Christmas mate!
That’s the town where I grew up …. with my English mother and Kiwi father.
Oh no – for goodness sake don’t let people know you were in the UK.
Soon muttonbird will be demanding you show your residency application and the every outraged reason will be all upset.
Your Still being a Dick pick troll James … ugly little englishman
I’ve explained when you deeply offended me ….
It was when I was ” Feeling strong emotions and knowing the reality behind two suicides in my wider circle ”
During that time, here at The Standard you posted ” a particularly shit stained troll post …. with you pretending to care about suicide … while painting the national party as off-bounds for criticism … according to you their dirty hands were clean …”
Your response to what I wrote was ,,,, “oh here we go – poor easily offended (lack of) reason – who indeed is a snowflake” . … which you tried to back away from despite obviously responding to what i had written.
Now your saying I’m easily outraged …. I wasn’t even outraged when you nominated the rape threatening Jair Bolsonaro as your pick for the most “charismatic” politician in the world.
James ” I would happy bet you a months ban if you can find anything saying I admire Jair Bolsonaro.”
Muttonbird …. “Well you did say he is more charismatic than Jacinda Ardern who you didn’t rate as charismatic at all despite her forming a government within a month of becoming leader of her party. That’s as big an endorsement of Jair Bolsonaro as you can get really.”
Who other than James, thinks that picking rape happy right wing Jair Bolsonare for most charismatic world leader ,,, is anything other a sign of endorsment / admiration.
I think I said always offended and easily outraged- your point tend to point this out as fact.
You need to relax a little.
You’ve now had multiple chances to back off but you refuse to do that. Instead you ridicule a person for their pain. You’re a sad, ugly sack of shit jamesy.
On this occasion I am going to disagree with you, marty. Muttonbird and reason have been doing a pile on of James for months now – making claims about James where their only backup of their statements has been selective claims and quotes that each have made about what the other or James has said – but with no links to the actual original statements/comments made by James or themselves in earlier comments. They also have had multiple chances to back off when challenged but have also refused to do so. James has the same right as anyone else to challenge such claims and to defend himself IMHO and this is a case of the pot calling the kettle black.
Agree a lot of projecting by commenters on this site about jsnes and then they all get prissy and oh so offended when cracks back, especially Marty who is as tough teak on his key board Ed in contrast is just fun
Vetroviper …..I was disgusted when James made his troll suicide post …. he may as well have have pissed on the graves of the young teenage girl and the father of young children who were victims of our society…. and causing such sorrow to people I know and love.
I did not have the emotional energy to give him the serve he deserved at the time …… but I marked his troll card for future attention.
As for the fact James is an englishman …. he himself wrote it and I took note.
Ignoring the fact trolls are bad faith posters whose purpose is to waste time ….
…. to derail
… and to perform the tasks that sending a dick pick achieves … to Lower the tone … to offend …. and make site users experience unpleasant.
Ignoring all that ….. Tell or show me how to do a search of james post on this site and i actually will waste my time on him .. even though he could easily go yes or no ……a simple yes or no ….to the fact i have brought up about him.
James response to not denying ( the no option ) is as follows ….
James …. “Well – ive been insuiating that you are a fuckwit and you’ve never said anything about it … so that must be a valid citation you are a fuckwit.”
To which I reply
a) this is the first time he’s openly called me a fuckwit
b) this is an opinion …. not a fact …. different in that being english is a fact.
c) it’s an opinion from a troll / dickpick … and worth nothing.
If he were to call me something that was not opinion Russian or Chinese ….. I’d point out what a stupid clown he is.
I wonder why he hasn’t to me???? ….
A while ago I wrote a post on trolls and how they operate ….. it’s obviously time for another
James will feature ….. with him demonstrating the only consistent thing with a political troll is support for their ‘team’ …. which makes them morally inconsistent.
James will demonstrate this with his conflicting stances and attitudes to sexual assault …..
Featuring Waikato rugby players ….. a bullying hair fetish prime minister …. Oxfam …. and the Labour Party youth camp….. All of which evoked very different attitudes and posts from James.
Personally I’m trolls ……….. they are dishonest dick picks … and I try to spoil their fun ….
rip n8v child
Personally I dislike trolls ……….. they are dishonest dick picks … and I try to spoil their fun ….
rip n8v child …. a talented kiwi james spat on
You’re sounding like you are losing it there Reason.
Quick question- why do you think being English is a bad thing? You seem to think it’s an insult or something?
It’s not cool to use casual racism like that.
And what is it that makes you so fascinated with doc pics? You’ve mentioned them like three times today.
You love to celebrate royal occasions, are obsessed with the class system, do everything by the book, love to queue and drink tea all day ?
I do love a good cuppa.
Losing it ? …. this is what losing it looks like ….. “Well – ive been insuiating that you are a fuckwit and you’ve never said anything about it … so that must be a valid citation you are a fuckwit.”
Being an English man is not a bad thing … unless you are a bad Englishman …. Being an immigrant is relevant when commenting on Maori rights & racism,….which you have not held back from …. Or absolving right wing political choices and racism for NZ’s high suicide rates, particularly severe for Maori ….. Or when you bash NZ people on benefits ,,,,, or telling us there has always been NZers living in cars …. etc etc
Trolls may be mainly a threat to billy goats …. but Troll is a poor description of what your sort do on the internet.
You share the most in common with dick picks …. unsolicited Sending your ugly self.
To Lower the tone … to offend …. make site users experience unpleasant…. and your unpleasantness have more of a negative impact on women.
If it appears I troll the trolls …… then technically I could be called a dick whacker ……
and your one of the dicks ….. james
Dear snowflake – By god your grammar is terrible.
Did you not study English ?
It may be more complicated…
Sounds like a good alibi.
“Forensic squads are now said to be searching a van outside their home but the probe was thrown into confusion as Mr Gait’s boss John Allard said he was at work.
Mr Allard, who runs a double glazing firm in Crowborough, said he could ‘account for Paul’s movements between the hours of 7am and 5pm last Monday to Friday’.”
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6522089/Two-people-arrested-criminal-use-drones-Gatwick-Airport.html
I was wondering when these drone hazards become regarded as terrorist attacks. Because they are just as bad and done for a malign reason, actually without any real brain reason being applied at all.
‘Duh, I’m really keen on these drones and thought it was a good thing to do. And it tests the defences of the airport too, so I’m being helpful really.’ /sarc
Seems the dude is an ex-soldier with more than a passing interest in UAVs.
https://heavy.com/news/2018/12/paul-gait-elaine-kirk/
Chris Hedges nails it.
“We Can’t Fight Climate Change if We Keep Lying to Ourselves
The inability to see what is in front of our eyes replicates the blindness of all past civilizations that celebrated their eternal glory at moments of precipitous decline. The difference is that life across the whole planet will go down this time. It is comforting to pretend this is not happening, to foster false hopes and fool ourselves with the myth of human progress, but these illusions only tranquilize us at a moment when we should be rising in collective fury against those who are orchestrating our doom.”
https://t.co/HmUnQC4Hez?amp=1
[Ed, you’ve been told repeatedly not to spam the site. Put up your own opinions, please. TRP]
It’s too early for this bull shit practise of using quotes as comments. Intellectual dishonesty on a Sunday morning
Tuppence Shrewsbury = “straw man extreme”
cleangreen
You present my own thoughts. It is a cunning plan the RWNJs have – to take on the role of irritated superior committed supporters of this blog about anyone who gathers ire from the moderators. Like the sneak at school sucking up to the teacher to get a jibe at another student.
and maui
I agree with you. I really want to know what is being said in other outlets and by people of note, and videos, but not a line of them opened up all the way down the screen from the same person. Even when they are from different people, it is possible to have a video battle between 2 or 3 people. Restraint, think of what others would want Standadistas.
I don’t mind a paragraph that lays down an opinion with context. Joe90 does this quite often and it is very enlightening. So Ed is at fault when he takes over the site publishing other’s opinions and spreading his statements and thoughts to excess.
I have suggested that it would be good if we limited our comments; to say 5 an hour, then we would either get a bunch or more spaced, but not dominating the flow. We need to keep up the flow, I do miss so many of those from even the past year, and of course further back.
J90 comments are the opposite of ‘enlightening’…
The only thing J90 does differently from Ed, is throw insults…
Enlightening…No!
Yet you take the time to notice me, sweets.
We could just ban anyone who posts a quote or video… that would be the end of about half the commentariat.
Or a one line insult.
Something should be done about nutters who post shit like this: Ed to make the New years honours list, and Sir Ed to be stripped for faking the ascent of Everest
Exactly – ffs what next
Don’t you want citations and supporting evidence?
es Ed these ‘straw men’ – James and Tuppence Shrewsbury need to learn the term “in the real world” reality that climate change is now upon jus and nothing they try to believe will change the fact that we are locked into a catastrophe of a climate now spinnng out of control.
They will reap what they sow eventually.
I agree with Chris Hedges. I said he nails it.
By the way, many other people put up links with even less comment. Save NZ at 3 for example.
I am confused.
What have I done that other don’t do.
[This has been explained to you many times, by multiple moderators. Banned till Jan 1, 2019. TRP]
Ed, thanks for your comments and links this year – admire your perseverance.
Wishing you well for the Xmas-New Year ‘break’.
Maybe there should be a links to commentary page set up each week.
Marilyn Waring: still counting the value of women’s unpaid work
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/2018675816/marilyn-waring-still-counting-the-value-of-women-s-unpaid-work
What I despise the most about the rise of the ‘woke left’ is that they have lost sight of actually changing the fundamentals of equality aka valuing and accounting for at a government and economic and social level all the work that (mostly women) do that is unpaid and their part in ignoring the environmental impacts of unlimited growth.
We expect ignorance and lack of action from the right wingers but the sad news is that now the woke left is more likely to spit the dummy at Rachel Stewart, attack the centre left while giving their questions to the Natz, support Karel Sroubek’s residency while not much peep about NZ prisoners not even being able to vote, give water rights to Chinese overseas interests while apparently being oblivious to the human rights abuses over there or the environmental impacts, not a peep out of all the immigration scams from people paying for their job https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/107073384/the-big-scam-the-tip-of-an-immigration-scam-iceberg to dowry scams and the marriage of a special needs teen with mental ages of 7…. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12123831
Would you say that the ‘woke left’ have a lot in common with what we used to call the Chardonnay Socialist, and that it’s a phenomenon that’s directly proportional to their level of comfort within the particular bubble they inhabit?
Sorry to be so deep and meaningful (or unmeaningful) so early on a Sunday morning.
By the way, It’s good to see Fonseka and Kilgallon calling out the bullshit. They join others who’ve been trying for quite some time – at RNZ and even one at Granny as well as some in unions, Alistair McClymont and the guy in Chch, Migrant Worker’s Association.
My ‘impression’ is that I L-G and Faafoi are listening but its taken a while for them to get a handle on things but its going to take a bit more time for INZ and the Labour Inspectorate to effect a huge cultural and structural change and so far it’s all a bit depressing to watch.
Your continued use of woke left shows me you’re part of the problem.
You co opt words you don’t understand to build arguments against groups you aren’t part of.
You may as well be a rwnj imo.
Not totally correct here SaveNZ. Extra inspectors have been reporting rorts involving migrants causing those employers to repay them, lose the right to hire them. Several scams have been prosecuted. Work is being done on forced marriages.
The water rights were established under the previous Government. Later ones have been turned down.
I see OncewasTim has outlined cases, so I’ll leave it there.
One of our few politicians, with a heart.
+1, and brave with it
And ironically the most obvious solution to the problem of unpaid work is one feminists have not advocated.
Payment of income support (at dole level) to the non working partner.
1. For those with children under 5 no work test.
2. For those doing voluntary work (including those doing unpaid caring work) no work test.
3. For those without children or children over 5 with a work test.
UBI. Used to be family benefit.
Green party working on it now, but unconditional child support, paid to all mothers, kept the majority of children free from poverty in the sixties and seventies.
Not content with just having teachers strike now this government is going to have school principals marching on Wellington.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/education/109533618/its-not-the-end-of-school-boards-just-a-tweak
Principals upset that their schools will lose the privileged position they have in the current education environment.
Maclean’s and Auckland Grammar are the schools mentioned.
What is this privileged position they have in the current education environment ?
Schools were set up in competition to each other under Tomorrows Schools rather than the co-operative model which previously existed. Certain schools worked to gain advantage, less for their students, more for the ‘reputations’ of their fiefdoms. All sorts of shenanigans have been operating from excluding local children, taking selected children from out of zone, and preventing children who may fail from sitting NCEA exams. While this may make the schools look good to the great unwashed, it flies in the face of the intention of public education to be offered fairly to all children. If you want to play silly beggars like that, open a private school, don’t rort the state system.
To the best of my knowledge, only one school principal (at Cambridge High) has actually been caught and dealt with operating in this way
Winner and loser schools have been created thanks to the TS reforms.
TS have created winner and loser schools.
It is not clear why some principals are objecting to the proposals – from the article :
“Taking power away from boards would create “bland, one-size-fits-all” institutions and destroy the role of communities in schools, Hargreaves said.
He called on parents to oppose the recommendations and said parents had already been quick to voice their backing for him.
Parents wanted to know they could have an impact on their children’s education through the board of trustees’ parent representatives, he said. “To think that that’s going to be passed over to another faceless bureaucracy is what really worries them,” he said. ”
Some of that is refuted later in the article, but it is not clear at all what the specific concerns are, or whether they have correctly interpreted the proposals.
Pooling resources in a local area does make sense for maintenance, property development, contracting, HR advice and services, and clearly there needs to be some consistency about zoning to ensure that is consistently applied (where needed) so that we have a reasonable level of fairness to both schools and potential pupils – as seen by the community not necessarily by individual schools.
There has been an unseemly rush to jump to conclusions. I applaud the openness of the report to discussion, and I suspect the time given will not be long enough for some areas of concern. Articles looking for conflict are not helpful at this stage – it would have been interesting to have heard how the concerned principals believe the proposals would have the results they predict – I suspect they are imputing a detailed reasoning of their own to broad proposals where the details is currently absent.
Principal’s that have been gaming the current system to maximize their own pay and power, at the expense of students and their communities are upset.
My heart bleeds for them.
citation to this rant ???
Also nice to see that some here have so little regard to Principals thinking that their motivation is solely to max their pay – nothing to do with the students ??
And I note that the McLeans principal was previously Principal of Wesley, so has the experience from 2 differing perspectives.
https://rotaryremuera.club/Stories/steven-hargreaves-principal-of-wesley-college
I taught at both a high decile and low decile school.
The low decile had a much higher standard of teaching, and children with family support, had better results than the high decile. In other words, if the low decile school had excluded students likely to get lower marks, as the higher decile one did, in many subtle ways, they would have way “out performed” the high decile.
Those principal’s are from colleges that are able to pretend they are better schools by cherry picking students, simply perpetuating a class system. To the detriment of education for most children.
I am sure then that only these 2 marching will gain little coverage, and would be a poor reflection on both. Yet I gather the march will number more than 2 and will cover a wider range of communities than just Epson and Bucklands Beach. And the Principals that march, will be doing as a display for their concern for current and future students, not selfish self interest to get paid more 🤑
If they were really concerned for the future education of NZ children, they would not be trying to continue the, failed, competitive model exemplified by “Tomorrows Schools”.
How do we know that the proposed changes would be an improvement of Labour’s “Tomorrow Schools” ?
Looks to me like a power grab by a few bureaucrats/idealists. Similar perhaps to The 84 Labour Govt and how they introduced “Neoliberalism” – and look how that has turned out, and we have been dealing with that Labour govt decision since 😤
So what would you do then? Carry on with the competitive model? All TS has done is introduce the concept of ‘white flight’ to this country.
And there was still things like school choice and parental involvement before 1989. I remember my auntie and Uncle sending my cousin to a school the next suburb over even though they lived 600m from their local school. And this was in 85/86.
Wrong question.
We have a failing system. We know the previous system worked better even if not perfect.
Why would we not change the existing system to something that previously worked better while also changing the parts of it that weren’t the best?
Looks to me like you’re talking out your arse and scaremongering.
Schools will have the option to retain a lot of their powers under the proposals.
Parents input into the running of schools will probably be strengthened, as they will have a layer of support to turn to if they are having problems with their school.
As well, the TS setup is such that parents are largely passive consumers. Also, central government can shut down schools by Fiat.
Herodotus, the proposed changes are to put the financial, HR and H&S measures into professional hands. Principals should focus on the delivery of curriculum and the training of teachers to deliver an ever more skilled based job. This would be the convincing part of the choice of school if you really want to make such distinction. Nothing is holding anybody back to make donations, but it would be more transparent. Oh! is that the problem?
I have taken time to read the full report, so the report does not limit to the 3 areas you mention
FW what has donations got to do with this ??
And where are the $$’s coming from ? – Our Min of Ed doest’t have the $ to even pay the current workforce adequately, or adequately fund schools, let alone cover for these proposed changes.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/103972974/budgetr-2018-schools-to-get-only-a-small-rise-in-operational-funding
https://www.education.govt.nz/news/tomorrows-schools-report-released/
Could try just increasing the top tax rate to the same as Australia.
Money for lots of things, then!
And then Health ?? and then corporate welfare ?? and then infrastructure ?? and then housing ?? and then Environment ?? and then Racing ?? and then … 🤔
But at least you are being construction in finding a solution
Funny how we could find money for all those things, except welfare for tax dodging corporate’s, but we did have welfare for sheep, admittedly, before 1984.
Then. After all these years of “reforms” which are making us “richer and better off”, we cannot even afford, Teachers!
Money to do things.
1. Instead of puting $2B into the Cullen Fund each year from tax revenues – levy 1% from the employee and 1% from the employer.
2. Stop paying super to those over 65 still working – $3B pa after tax adjsutment (and rising each year as the 25-33% still working 65-70 increase in number).
Agree about the Cullen fund.
As for privatising and targeting super. That will work as well as any other right wing solution.
I take it you support Tomorrow Schools then.
Protecting our environment & health.
In association with other Community Groups, NHTCF and all Government Agencies since 2001.
• Health and wellbeing.
• East Coast Transport Project.
• Save our Gisborne/Napier/Wellington rail project.
• “No sale of Napier Port campaign”
23rd December 2018.
Subject; “So far it has been a nerve racking slow way back to a rail rebuilding industry we had all over NZ once.”
‘No thanks to the – “National Party rail wrecking machine that we witnessed over the last 30 yrs.”
“It is now time to restore our ‘whole essential regional rail services in earnest”
Dear rail stakeholders,
Merry Xmas all,
‘This is hopefully just the beginning of our desperately needed rail renaissance.’
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/more-jobs-pipeline-revived-hillside
Otago Daily Times
Dunedin 16 | 10
Sunday, 23 December 2018
Send us news & photos
More jobs in pipeline for revived Hillside.
By Tim Miller
South Dunedin’s Hillside workshops. Photo: ODT
Six years after they were shuttered, the South Dunedin Hillside workshops are slowly coming back to life.
KiwiRail is advertising for tradespeople to work on wagon conversions at the workshops in Hillside Rd.
The advertisement says the work is varied and will cover all aspects of locomotive and wagon maintenance and repair.
People having experience working with heavy plant and machinery, heavy automobiles, locomotives, and ships are encouraged to apply.
KiwiRail rolling stock asset services general manager Adam Williams said about six new jobs were expected to be added to the 12 staff already working at the workshops.
There had been significant growth in forestry logs being transported by rail, and KiwiRail had been preparing for some time for the ”Wall of Wood” to come on stream, Mr Williams said.
Part of KiwiRail’s strategy involved converting existing container wagons to transport logs.
Good wishes to all those helping out at food banks cooking and serving lunches over this week and helping in some small way those less fortunate,
Hopefully next year the need will be severely reduced
Nice one Herodotus
There is a comedy piece on stuff at the moment.
Amongst other bits there is this gem about the national party: “In the hope it will keep the party’s rep as a slick operating unit – looking leaderly and switched on “…..
For more giggles- https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/109528733/stacey-kirk-political-slates-wiped-clean-wont-stay-that-way-for-long-in-2019
There appear to be crisis talks by our government AGAIN with by another parasitical corporate called Amazon over the filming a TV version of Bored With The Rings in NZ
We do have the money to pay out further corporate welfare when there are so many other issues that are more urgent to fix, and wage rates lowered for the benefit of another pack of parasites and being conned by the so-called benefits (yet to be seen ) to NZ
Amazon needs to be told pay your fucking tax, no handouts from the NZ taxpayers, and no subsidised low wage rates for any people employed, that the NZ taxpayer has to subsidise with something similar to welfare stamps given to Amazon employees in the US.
We don’t need more tourists, the countries infrastructure can barely cope with the massive inflows we are experiencing at the moment, and we certainly do not need further cheap unskilled immigration.
Frankly, before any decision was made I would like to see an enquiry into the so-called benefits the last great fiddle the fucking spiv did with Warners and Jackson and how much NZ really benefited, as I cannot see any when we still have a high rate of child poverty. Also, and if no benefit to NZ, Amazon to be told to fuck off and pay the tax you have avoided on your way out.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/109543455/plans-to-film-1-billion-lord-of-the-rings-television-series-in-nz-under-threat
Subsidies to local productions, as the Ozzies do, has resulted in much greater benefits than, giving up labour laws, and huge amounts of money, to overseas corporate’s.
The only thing that private business seems efficient at is demanding ever higher subsidies from governments.
Unfortunately, modern neo-liberal governments seem efficient in giving them.
Everyone relies on the state.
Neo-liberal business, relies on the State even more, but they refuse to fund it.
A society is a complex series of cross subsidies. That’s how societies, communities, work.
Businesses, though, have been telling us for decades that subsidies are bad and that there is no society.
Given this the best thing to do when a business demands subsidies is to say no.
I don’t know of a single business that has been “telling us for decades that…there is no society”. Can you name one? Business relies on societies to sell their goods and services. These societies are their markets, and businesses soon learn that they ignore them at their peril.
It’s all part of the delusional ideology introduced by Thatcher, Reagan, Douglass.
https://www.ft.com/content/d1387b70-a5d5-11e2-9b77-00144feabdc0
They ignore society all the time. That’s what all those business confidence polls are about.
You didn’t say they ‘ignore society’ (which is in itself a nonsense claim), you said businesses have been telling us for decades that “there is no society”.
This is a nonsense statement that you must have plucked straight from your fundamental orafice.
Businesses can neither ignore or deny society, for the simple reason society comprises their customers! But there us much more. Societies and businesses are co-dependent. Business supplies goods and services, pays tax, employs people, supports charitable causes, the list goes on and on. If you seriously believe what you have written, you are so far out of touch of not just reality but history you are bordering on delusional.
They do both.
It’s a fundamental part of the business psyche to put themselves above others. To invent excuses as to why they don’t have to work for the good of society. Why we suddenly Corporate Social Responsibility is a thing.
The Only Corporate Responsibility Is to Increase Profits
I’m pretty sure that there are a number of business people out there who still agree with Friedman and Thatcher. Hell, I know business people personally who say so.
Yes they are. The problem is that most business people think that everyone else, who is not in a society, are totally dependent upon them. Considering that the laws have been drawn up to make that true I suppose that they’ve got a good case for it. As soon as government starts making it not true they start going on about communism and reds under the bed.
BTW, I note that I’m providing links.
You’re talking out your arse.
“It’s a fundamental part of the business psyche to put themselves above others.”
Rubbish. Again. Business relies on it’s customers, and it’s customers are society. But I’m still waiting for you to post links supporting your claim “businesses have been telling us for decades that “there is no society”. Still waiting.
“The problem is that most business people think that everyone else, who is not in a society, are totally dependent upon them. ”
Where do you get this crap? Who are these ‘most business people’? Smart business people recognise that their business is dependent on society, not the other way around. If they don’t they fail, because they continue to produce goods and services no-one wants.
“The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits.”
And here’s an excellent response. https://journals.aom.org/doi/10.5465/amp.24.3.11
You clearly have no idea of how business works or what it contributes, so I’ll back up the article above wiht something simple for your New Years reading:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/marissaperetz/2017/12/19/these-companies-prove-you-can-be-socially-conscious-and-profitable/#6860db363b10
https://www.classy.org/blog/6-socially-responsible-companies-applaud/
https://www.shopkeep.com/blog/10-ways-small-businesses-benefit-the-local-community
“Rubbish. Again. Business relies on it’s customers, and it’s customers are society”
You conflate a target market with society….an industry that markets say housing to high wealth individuals thinks not of the impact of its actions on any segment that is outside its target market…and nor can it as if it does it will lose market share to a competitor who does not.
The weighing of overall benefit to society of market actions was the role of government…a role abandoned some decades ago.
Now the real political power exercised in a democracy is relative to the ability to consume/invest.
And that would be why businesses are always screwing down wages right?
Why they don’t like unions?
Yes, over the last few years there’s been a big build-up in socially conscious businesses. I note that the first thing that Forbes article does is blame the actions of the employees. See, this is called blame shifting and, when you get right down to it, whitewashing.
Is it possible for a business to be part of society? Yes. Are they? No. They’re just there to make a profit and unearned income for their owners.
“You conflate a target market with society…”
No, I don’t. A target market is not necessarily static. A target market can change, as a business expands, contracts or diversifies. But a target market is a subset of society.
“….an industry that markets say housing to high wealth individuals thinks not of the impact of its actions on any segment that is outside its target market…and nor can it as if it does it will lose market share to a competitor who does not.”
Rubbish. You assume that the pursuit of profit can always be achieved by ignoring everything outside a firms target market. You simply have no idea what your talking about.
“And that would be why businesses are always screwing down wages right?”
They aren’t always screwing down wages. In some cases business will pay more to get a higher quality workforce. It is the market that ultimately determines what a job is worth, with moderation from outside elements such as the minimum wage.
“Why they don’t like unions?”
Who? Are you seriously suggesting all businesses ‘don’t like unions’?
“Is it possible for a business to be part of society? Yes. Are they? No.”
Of course they are. They employ people. They pay tax that is used to pay for stuff you use.
“They’re just there to make a profit and unearned income for their owners.”
You really don’t have a clue do you? Where dd you develop this hatred for business? Is it jealousy that without business society as we know it could not function?
And I’m still waiting for you to post links supporting your claim “businesses have been telling us for decades that “there is no society”. Still waiting.
lol…already you walk away from and qualify your original statement.
“Rubbish. Again. Business relies on it’s customers, and it’s customers are society. But I’m still waiting for you to post links supporting your claim “businesses have been telling us for decades that “there is no society”. Still waiting.”
Go ahead and name one company or product that demonstrates that “Businesses can neither ignore or deny society, for the simple reason society comprises their customers!”
“lol…already you walk away from and qualify your original statement.”
I haven’t walked away from anything.
“Go ahead and name one company or product that demonstrates that “Businesses can neither ignore or deny society, for the simple reason society comprises their customers!””
Kodak. Kodak ignored the shift to digital photography (among other trends). They filed for bankruptcy in 2012. The demise of Kodak, and it’s subsequent regeneration, is well documented.
Then there’s…
Blockbuster
Polaroid
Pan Am
Borders
Compaq
GM
And there are many, many more. I can give you the reasons each failed if you like; all relate to a failure to relate to the changing needs of their customers.
Thank you for providing examples of companies that did indeed ignore their target markets (and competitors) and consequently failed…..society continued.
Pity you remain unable to distinguish between the two
Oh so you were looking for an example of a single business failure that brought down the whole of society? Why didn’t you just ask that? Or are you actually sidestepping?
What you fail to understand is that business and society have a type of co-dependency. Not a single business and society. The failure of a single business can harm society, but it won’t destroy it. But the success of a society is largely dependent on the success of business generally, because of employment, tax revenues etc.
I can help you to understand by asking you this…in a world without business, who would employ all of the people currently employed? Provide the tax revenue that pays for your hospital visits and the roads you drive on? Who would provide the goods and services you use? Provide the independent blogs, such as the one we are having this discussion on?
“Oh so you were looking for an example of a single business failure that brought down the whole of society? Why didn’t you just ask that? Or are you actually sidestepping?”
Deliberate misinterpretation and absurdity appear to be a theme with you….I sought a single example of a business/product that considered society as opposed to target market …I wont hold my breath waiting as it is obviously beyond your ken.
“I sought a single example of a business/product that considered society as opposed to target market ”
What? That is gibberish. And it isn’t what you wrote. Here’s what you wrote:
“Go ahead and name one company or product that demonstrates that “Businesses can neither ignore or deny society, for the simple reason society comprises their customers!””
I named several. Then you changed the question to:
“…companies that did indeed ignore their target markets (and competitors) and consequently failed…..society continued.”
You are simply being dishonest. And you’re squirming. So I’ll give you another chance:
“I can help you to understand by asking you this…in a world without business, who would employ all of the people currently employed? Provide the tax revenue that pays for your hospital visits and the roads you drive on? Who would provide the goods and services you use? Provide the independent blogs, such as the one we are having this discussion on?”
as i gift you zyzzyva I ask how many opportunities should be presented to the wilfully obtuse?
(clue, the answer isnt ’42’)
“as i gift you zyzzyva I ask how many opportunities should be presented to the wilfully obtuse?”
You mean how many opportunities should you be given to answer my simple question? Go on. You’re the one criticizing businesses. Tell us who’ll employ people and generate tax revenue for welfare, for housing, for health, for education….
Oops a typo It should read ‘We do NOT have the money etc
Also, bad grammar should be country’s, not countries. Too much Yo ho hoing last night
Holiday info for any driving through or coming to Motueka.
Our main st (High St) is bumper to bumper this time of year, if you see anyone struggling to cross the road, or exit a driveway, please stop and let them cross/through.
It only takes a couple of seconds. THANKS 🙂
FYI
The best sneaky car parking in town is behind Whitwells in the main street.
The cheapest fuel is at the self serve NPD at the beginning of town, just after the one and only roundabout.
Enjoy your visit 🙂
Paddy Ashdown R.I.P.
A memory from someone who met him:
Lord of the Rings tv series is coming!
Excitement!
Subsidies!
Aragorn!!!!!
Will they pay the technicians and actors a decent wage this time?
Jobs, interest by government, the minimum wage has just gone up, and perhaps people here can think up some jobs-rich projects that might become permanent, and put these to government while it is receptive to financing start-ups.
(Tip: Do a business plan, study your projected market, think about the angle you are going to appeal to.)
The movie industry will be dead in 10 years. Online steaming services and suscriber TV will take it’s place.
You do know that this is being produced by amazon right ?
And the movie industry won’t be dead – movie theatres may be – but not the movie making industry- they just change how their product is delivered.
As I said before. Stories being told in this format will overtake the standard 2hr movie. Marvel’s works are the only thing holding up theatres at the moment.
Even Star Wars has failed to ignite audiences, though that is probably down the storyline of the new trilogy more than anything else
You need to get out more:
Incredibles 2, bohemian rhapsody, mission impossible fallen, fantastic beast, the meg. All huge box office success and not marvel.
Original movies still hit the mark, at times.
Star wars was a fresh and original take on the Sci-fi movie, in it’s day.
Moviemakers failing to inspire audiences, with endless sequels and re hashes of old movies, is not surprising.
“Movie theatres are on the way out” like guitar bands and vinyl. Cinema is still a big deal.
Tv series Mill. Tv series.
Remember when tv was going to die?
That is what I mean. The fact that they are making a TV series and not a movie speaks volumes. Game of Thrones would never have worked as a standard 2 hour film trilogy.
You don’t think GOT done it’s dash? I know the books are never ending and ongoing (possibly to never be complete) but like the Walking Dead there doesn’t seem to be an end, it’s like soap opera, there’s no complete story arc, it’s just on and on. Movies are forced to start and finish, they tend to be disciplined and tight, t.v. can meander, which is good for a little while but if things don’t end they get boring. Breaking Bad was excellent because you knew it had a climax, though I hear there’s a sequel/prequel? Some series are too short, some are too long, but there’s something about a good ending.
‘Online steaming services’? Not everybody watches pron in any of its shades of grey.
I would sooner see a Bugs Bunny cartoon
Not many movies that I wait impatiently for the finish. LOTR was one of them!
Cost more than ten good local productions also.
Hopefully Jackson isn’t part of the t.v. series, Mortal Engines totally bombed, maybe he should try a new, original (heck, a local story) idea? & not rehash someone else’s book. He’s a technical genius but a terrible story teller. (I actually thought the Ring and Hobbit movies would be better t.v., they are tediously long).
There is so much wrong with this post it is too irritating to compile it into words
I did not even make it to the end of the first of the trilogy – had to leave the movie theatre due to the volume of the sound and ended up with a three day migraine as a result. Still shudder with the memory. Tried to watch the sequels on video and again gave up.
To be fair, I found the Hobbit, books, tedious as well.
Jackson is not a storyteller. I think he should have stuck to splatter movies, where he was a Master.
If you are going to be fair, KJT, The Hobbit (book) was a single, fairly short children’s book. Eminently approachable for all.
The Lord of the Rings (book) was the long trilogy. I was mildly annoyed by the way Jackson fooled with the books in the first trilogy of films (Lord of the Rings) but could tolerate it. To me, The Hobbit (films – a bloody long overblown trilogy from a single child’s book) is a load of bollocks, which really does throw Jackson’s failings into sharp relief.
Correct. Should have said LOTR.
Dammit! Missed this interplay – as mentioned before, I have (now) 20 copies of The hobbit and plan to use them in a tutorial manner with youngish students. While the story isn’t entirely perfect for the modern child, it provides great opportunities for all sorts of learnings and discussions – for which I thank JR Tolkien very much. I found Jackson’s movies impossible to enjoy, because of the focus on battle and gore. Tolkien too, did war heavily, understandably. I’m someone who finds the Tom Bombadil material intriguing, and btw, who is Radagast the Brown 🙂
Ragadast the brown was one of the Istari or wizards ( Gandalf and Saruman were also in the order) He doesn’t come into the story much except in fellowship where he unwittingly relayed Saruman’s message to gandalf leading to Gandalf’s imprisonment in his tower. Ragadast lived somewhere out west and loved birds and animals.
@vv- I’d been hearing horror stories about the sound volume in the theatres from day one, so even had I the slightest interest in fantasy movies and hadn’t been so put off by the media reporting Peter Jackson on the front page every time he sneezed and trying their utmost to get him a sainthood, they lost themselves many patrons due to the volume button.
Proud to say I still haven’t seen any of the movies via any platform and no intention to 🙂
Following on from comment last night on the reason why old “Mad Dog” pop smoke over the Trump administration.
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-21-12-2018/#comment-1564822
Another one has pop smoke over Syria as well.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-23/us-envoy-brett-mcgurk-quits-over-trumps-syria-withdrawal/10664412
Is that tax working group looking at taxing robots a tax equivalent to the income tax that every worker would have paid that the robot puts out of work . ??
Krakatau erupts tsunami in Indonesian.
https://twitter.com/CPPGeophysics?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-46663158
Video.
https://twitter.com/DudunZizou/status/1076614592820727809
Hows sad. Jules is going to have to clean up after himself.
An Ecuadorian court has dismissed the appeal of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s defense, which requested lifting the home rules imposed on the whistleblower in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, the South American country’s Foreign Ministry said.
“A court in the Pichincha province today [December 21] confirmed the legal force of the special protocol published by the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry in October in order to regulate [Assange’s] living in Ecuador’s embassy in London,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The court decision was related to the fact that the home rules “do not violate any constitutional rights” which was claimed by Assange’s lawyers, the statement pointed out.
https://nation.com.pk/22-Dec-2018/ecuadorian-court-dismisses-assanges-appeal-on-embassy-living-restrictions
If he dosnt like it – he could always leave.
Yeah, and end up disappeared in some US dungeon
Assange’s whistleblowing and award-winning journalism proved a thorn in the side of many; he will pay the price for the rest of his life, which is only to be expected.
As ‘John Doe’ (“My life is in danger.“) showed, some whistleblowers must protect themselves.
I’m in agreement with the UN Working group on
Arbitrary Detention as far as Assange goes.
There’s a ghoulish delight some people have in seeing him go down
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/un-tells-uk—allow-assange-to-leave-ecuador-embassy-freely-11055010
The UK deserves Brexit, and the USA deserves Trump for what it has done to Assange (Snowden deserves the medal of freedom)
Empires that persecute whistleblowers deserve to fall. They prove themselves worthy of nothing less.
Never really understood ther angle on that. Cops aren’t supposed to act like it’s a game of Bull Rush and stop chasing a fugitive just because he made it to “Safe”.
They’re supposed to sit outside until he comes out to face justice.
Trump was looking good as a result of the US economy doing well. No longer. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46637680
“”The Stock Market just reached an All-Time High during my Administration for the 102nd Time, a presidential record, by far, for less than two years,” he tweeted in early October.. Since Mr Trump wrote that tweet, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has fallen more than 4,300 points – a 16% decline.”
“Due to a combination of rising interest rates, the president’s trade wars, the impending government shutdown and indications of slower economic growth, the now long-in-the-tooth bull market may be coming to an end. December has seen the biggest market decline since the Great Depression and the largest drop in any month since 2009.”
Worth a listen
https://soundcloud.com/moderaterebels/media-jeremy-corbyn-labour-anti-semitism-brexit-kerry-anne-mendoza-episode-30
Here is a recommendation for al if you have time over the Xmas period – podcast called serial.
I’m part way thru season one and absolutely hooked.
True story told amazing well.
It’s not politics – and it would be interesting to hear different views on “who did it” – I have no idea. And it’s possible a terrible miscarriage may have happened.
Anyway – available everywhere that streams podcast and it’s freeeeeee.
When you finish that, watch American Vandal on Netflix, a very clever and funny parody of true crime documentaries such as Making a Murderer and Serial.
No one in Britain with an IQ of 3 figures takes Michael Gove seriously.
Here is one of the reasons for that…..
https://twitter.com/_jimfield/status/748846746030186496
Nobody with an IQ of 3 figures takes funny pictures of a person as information to judge a person as credible. The Farage picture is a pretty good match. Sometimes if a persons IQ is larger than nearly everybody else all that’s left is pointless personal attacks as you can’t debate them and win.
Nobody with an IQ of 3 figures takes funny pictures of a person as information to judge a person as credible.
Gove’s almost complete lack of credibility and respect has nothing to do with his looks.
The Farage picture is a pretty good match.
True. I think you’d agree with this writer, i.e., moi, that the Gove/Pob match is a bit of a stretch.
Sometimes if a persons IQ is larger than nearly everybody else all that’s left is pointless personal attacks as you can’t debate them [sic] and win.
Michael Gove’s IQ is larger than nearly everybody else’s, is it? You’re possibly the first person in the world with an I.Q. of more than 100 to note that. Please enlighten the rest of us, who’ve been under the impression that Gove was nothing more than an embarrassment to himself and indeed to the Conservative Party.
I just played soccer on Brighton Beach Dunedin with 7 15 year olds.
Ate sand, tackled dog, saved some goals.
Dunedin is my best city in New Zealand.
But will Liverpool win the EPL?
Corbyn finally shows his colours and backs full Brexit even if the government falls.
No second vote, no soft Brexit, no Scandi Brexit.
His party is going to cream him.
Well I’m not surprised that “young” Corbyn has finally come out supporting a full Brexit, as he has form for being a Anti EU over the years. Any true Labour MP would know the true impact of EU membership over the years has had on the British working class and the under Class, which has force down wages. enter level jobs have dried up as they have taken by EU nations and number of minor and large companies have moved over the EU countries over the years before Brexit.
The middle class Toffs that infect the British Labour Party support remaining in the EU as it’s in their own self importance along with middle/ upper class Toffs of Lib Dems and some of the Tories as it forces the working/ under class in their place and know their place in society.
where will you and yours be in 2022?
“Kevin Anderson of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, has consistently criticised IPCC reports for magical thinking, for assuming that at some point in the near future technology will be both invented and rolled out on a mass scale that will suck carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (so-called negative emission technologies). At the moment, there are none that are close to being ready to be mass produced. Take these out of the most recent IPCC report and instead of 12 years to stop dangerous climate change we have just three.”
https://theconversation.com/amp/climate-action-must-now-focus-on-the-global-rich-and-their-corporations-108943?__twitter_impression=true
Parliament is as full of procedure as this place I suppose. There seems to be more substance in other blogs. 12 years, which we all agree about, yet this terrible surround sight media trivia continues.
Some Eco Maori Music for the minute
Eco Maori totally agrees with JK Rowlings views on the Cameleon Corbyn his true colours and loyaltys lie with the weathy he is in the wrong party.
JK Rowling, a longtime critic of Jeremy Corbyn, has mocked the Labour leader’s position on Brexit in sixteen biblical-style tweets.
In a series of tweets entitled “The visitation of the Corbynites: a festive thread”, the Harry Potter author claimed the possibility of “Saint Jeremy” bringing a jobs-first Brexit was “bollocks” and described Corbyn as “in third place after Pontus May”.
JK Rowling and the Angry Corbynites – truly a Twitter row for our times
Ellie Mae O’Hagan
Read more
Rowling wrote: “And she did answer, ‘How shall the poor fare under Brexit, which thy saint hath always in his secret heart desired, yet he hath not admitted what was in his heart, lest fewer attend his next sermon on the Glastonbury B stage.’
“And they did answer, ‘Saint Jeremy will achieve a miracle, and he shall bring forth a jobs-first Brexit and all the land shall rejoice.’ And she did answer, ‘Bollocks.’”
Ka kite ano
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/dec/23/jk-rowling-mocks-jeremy-corbyn-brexit-stance-twitter-thread
The sandflys think there intimadation is working but not against Eco Maori Im just looking after my mokopunas and having a little break well desreved I say ka kite ano
Some Eco Maori Music for the minute