Happy New Year everyone! I have learned so much from your contributions and am grateful. The Standard remains an excellent source of information and debate, such as is seldom found these days.
Just want to express gratitude, looking forward to 2013.
A nice little doco on the demise of the Celtic Tiger. The country John Key wanted to emulate and the future we have to look forward too as we have $ 112 Billion in Derivatives on our books whose value is based on absolutely nothing.
(By the way I don’t seem to have access to the WYSIWYG editor anymore)
That article doesn’t actually give a figure for the amount of derivatives held. At best, it includes them in a $112 billion figure, but doesn’t specify how much of it they make up.
Yes, I would like to know what proportion of the $112 billion is in derivatives.
Being once, some years ago, in business which included international derivatives.
From which I do have an understanding, which is why I queried the figures.
What you want to know is what portion of those derivatives is what kind of derivatives because they are all derivatives.
But for some reason they changed the generally accepted accountancy practices so they don’t have to tell anyone anymore and especially the ones that are dangerous and could hold liabilities they don’t have to declare anymore. I wonder why?
But I’m sure Murray can explain it all. He knows everything!
2012, the year I started reading The Standard. Although I haven’t voted Labour since 1984 and am presently a Mana supporter, thanks guy for informative and entertaining reading.
Will this one finally spell the end of the Honours system? VERY EARLY APRIL FOOLS’ DAY PRANK
RODNEY HIDE GETS GIVEN A MEDAL
DO NOT LAUGH: THIS IS NOT A JOKE.
ACT buffoon RODNEY HIDE, the man who was so useless that John Banks was seen as preferable to be rubberstamped by the obedient souls of Epsom, has been made a Companion of the Queen’s Service… http://medals.nzdf.mil.nz/category/b/img/b7.jpg
You might well ask: what’s Rodney Hide ever done other than make a fool of himself?
Well, here are the reasons he is now to be addressed by the rest of us commoners as RODNEY PHILIP HIDE QSO”…
6.) For his speaking ever so slowly and in a low voice, as he repeats, unchallenged, Ayn Rand’s mad raving dogma on Bryan Crump’s otherwise excellent show on National Radio…. http://t.qkme.me/3phsr1.jpg
Have a Happy New Year, you unrecognised oiks—and remember, if you see a deranged old man shouting insults at Māori family groups over the summer, don’t say “Fuck off to Queensland you racist scum”, say “Fuck off to Queensland, Sir Paul.”
Morrissey, I’m sure you realise that the *honours* for public service such as given to Rodney Hide are simply the official thanks for his efforts in delivering the assets of NZ into foreign hands.
The *award* is for his part in the super-city fraud,(among other things no doubt) , which was of course *mandated* by Dame Margaret Beazley (She of the government departments hatchet team) , with Hide becoming the face of the implementation. We see the irony (corruption) of the elected servants, by the way that Hide was castrated by the very platform he sold himself upon, that of course being the *perk buster* – We see how the system works, where one must invert the message being delivered to be closer to the true intent!
One does not need to look deeply, or even see RH in order to understand how corrupted the little man is. You can hear it wrapped inside every utterance from his lying, narcissistic mouth, and it will have been a blow to his ego, to have received such a *lowly* recognition!
Thanks, muzza. In my rage after learning of this travesty, I completely overlooked the things you mentioned.
More haste, less speed should be my new year’s resolution, I think.
By the way, judging by the calls to right-wing talk radio this morning, the honours system does not enjoy a lot of respect even by those conservative souls.
Banks’ protection comes from the same places the awards originate, but I think we can be assured that Banks will receive *recognition* at some stage, unless he continues to need the protection from the brothers, on account of him contunually cocking up.
Nice to see they are handing out Honours for being a Screw up. That means Key is a shoe in for some tin to hang around his scrawny neck. more shit for his scrap book, as we all know it means nothing, and is only a bad joke. Like the dead, and now Lazarused QC.
I would not have been surprised if he been given one this time ,in fact I fully expected to him to
have. Unfortunately we have another two years ,but nothing is more certain than Sir John off Hawaii.
Which just show what a lot off hogswallop the whole charade is,
Jonathon Scott concludes with “Why does New Zealand have the governments it elects and the policies they pursue? It is not, presumably, because New Zealanders are dumber than Finns. So it must be: education, education, education.”
Many times I have asked myself this same question. How did the people of NZ, (some my family members, friends and colleagues) vote in this government not once but twice, particularly knowing they were hell bent on selling our assets and blatantly blaming the sufferers of poverty and ill health by beneficiary bashing? How did superannuation retain its mana but other benefits become shameful and bludging?
When I read peoples view points, especially those of left leanings, I am heartened by the caring, concern and compassion expressed for the common person. The ‘knowing’ that life is less about self and more about community. That what affects one affects all. How does one educate closed hearts and minds? It would appear that for many change only occurs when affected directly…so as more and more families wave their loved ones goodbye as they cross the Tasman or have unemployment and all the misery it brings enter their own homes or start to go without necessities with their wages going backwards… perhaps this is the personal education required and it is only a matter of time…
One part of the answer is a near total avoidance of NZ history in the school curriculum. The major depressions of the 1880’s and the 1930’s, the history of our social security system, the major projects successfully undertaken by this country in this country. Building Manapouri, instituting the 40 hour work week, and much more.
Especially the role of Unions and Labour Governments in building our society.
It seems the socialist history of NZ has been wiped from the textbooks.
I remember when the unions suggested education in peoples rights and responsibilities at work, financial knowledge, and NZ history was vehemently opposed.
Not many people realise, a Samuel Parnell could be arrested now for advocating a general strike, for a 40 hour week.
Very good new post from Chris Trotter on the way Key’s populism has subverted the old Kiwi ideal of collective egalitarianism, in the service of the neoliberal ideology.
Neoliberalism’s point of attack was the Kiwi aversion to being bossed around. If nobody’s better than Jack then nobody should be allowed to tell Jack what to do. If nobody’s better than Jack, then Jack’s ideas are a good as anybody else’s. If nobody’s better than Jack then everybody should be treated the same. Taxes should be flat. Bosses and workers should negotiate face-to-face, as equals.(No need for unions – or at least, not compulsory ones.) …
The old egalitarianism confronted all who stood athwart the path to a fuller life. It did not deny the power of philosophy or science or art: on the contrary, it demanded equal access to that power. The new egalitarianism argues that if Jack is only willing to get with programme he’ll soon realise that the fuller life is already here – to be enjoyed on Jack’s terms, and nobody else’s.
John Key is both the chief spokesman and ultimate exemplar of this new egalitarian spirit. Is he our master? Yes. Does that mean he’s better than us? No way!
This little snippet about Chris Tremain, Minister of Internal Affairs, Minister of Civil Defence, and Associate Minister of Tourism slipped into the media when it will be ignored by all comers deep in holiday mode ……….. yet another thief outed from the Nats Front Bench
Been blobbing out a bit over the last few days with family and other coding. But I thought I’d mention watching and surprisingly* enjoying Iron Sky. As you’d expect, with a theme of lunar nazi’s, the plot line is completely absurd.
But it is amusing to watch especially as you pick out the clichés that they’re pushing – for instance there is one scene that is a almost complete reprise of that Hitler scene that everyone rewords. And the way that some of the scenes inside the lunar corridors rip off Castle Wolfenstein… Some of it was so so predictable. But good fun to watch
And if you can, then watch it on bluray with a true HDTV. Some of the graphics work is pretty damn good. Of course it helps that they were able to do most of it in grey scale.
Excellent B grade and I suspect heading directly to cult status.
* I mostly watched it as being one of the few crowd sourced feature films..
Agree, amazing graphics for a B grader, laugh out loud piss taking and knows exactly what it’s about.
The Palin-esque US president in raptures at a nazi rematch with some of my favourite lines being ‘ I’m just like Franklin D roosevelt, except you know I’m not a spastic’ in a scene that’s probably all too close to the truth.
Thanks, for the tip, Lynn and the recommendation, tc. I will watch it first chance I get. I am very interested to see what can be achieved via crowd sourcing for movies.
Well I did watch Prometheus the other day, I must say I was more than a little disappointed with the storyline. Which is more the pity as I have been looking forward to this movie for a while, being a fan of the Alien story, and it could have been a good 90 minutes spent. Instead I feel I wasted the time on a story that was just too predictable.
Watched it weeks ago. Thought that the cgi was good. Story line was weak and really read like a slow rephrasing of Ben Bova’s “As on a darkling plain” – one of his better novels. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Bova#Non-series_novels
(some idiot has reedited it into the Watchmen series on Wikipedia?)
Plans were made to assassinate Occupy leaders by sniper fire, but the documents don’t make it clear who was involved with the plans. The FBI did not inform the targets of the assassination plans. It is not clear whether an organization or individual was involved. The document’s source was Texas and it discussed activities in Texas.
So no actual evidence connected to the FBI whatsoever. Plans by whom? Tea Party batshit nutjobs for all we know – the document is too heavily redacted to be proof of anything.
Actually despite the redaction it is actually quite interesting reading through the document.
One of the more interesting ones was a complaint to the FBI by a protest group (with similar aims as the Occupy movement) who found a website with information which they found threatening to their protest and they reported it to the FBI as they didn’t trust the local police force (Daytona Beach?).
The FBI investigated the forum/website and decided that it was verbal “grandstanding” but that there did appear to be several police officers on the forum, though not identifiable to a specific department. It looks like it may have been raised with the local police at a liaison/planning meeting. The finding of the report was:
“Group appears to be peaceful, and investigator sees no Federal violations. Local police well aware of the protests, and are meeting with Occupy’s core group to alleviate miscues and allow dialogue.”
Most of it appears to be liaison and information sharing between various police forces, transit authorities port authorities as well as any mentions of the Occupy movement in documents – mainly in briefings about the potential for violence (both against the Occupy movement or those who might seek to take advantage of the movement). Looks pretty routine stuff though.
any symbol may be “intimidating”; picture this,
your telephone number; picture this;
a sky full of thunder…
I will give you my finest hour
the one I spent, watching you shower…
Now, while everybody’s entitled to an opinion, free speech, Not!
(believe there is a mole in the hole)
Puddly-KISS (keep it simple) I find helpful, although I have outgrown
-“I Was Made For Lovin’ You, “Shandi” and “Sure Know Something”; dropped the mask
Tell us a story, tell us a story, tell us a story, so we can paint it Red
The Man With ONe Name, King of Glory http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRqj61J-J8s
we have to carry some sort of cross, be it voluntary, or involuntary
and, I believe, he’s Everywhere; just a takes Time to become a servant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFqg2HfljEg
(I understand this is not everybody’s Way, yet I am livin Day to Day proof, so far, that His Way
Works; a theory yet to be disproved)
i only read cam magazine when we are looking for the same steam roller so any bait is wasted
(bait-shy); leave it for possums caught in the headlines
There must be something in the water in H.B Brooke, makes me feel like you do
NZH-“Chemical Warfare” Brothers (along with Propaganda); the drugs don’t work, they just make things worse; get a new drug, One won’t make ya sick-Huey, Dewey, Lewis and The News; it’s Not
Morse code, and I think to myself What A Wonderful World. Upon This church we shall build our
Rock.
Gonna Sink The Nisshin Maru, gonna run her down, sink The Nisshu Maru, she’s gonna run aground
talkin with an Army Officer, he says the spiraling down of society and poverty winding up is obvious (Architecture)
to him and he’s 80; been S.A all his life, born into it (like me) 🙂
press inserts
-Gaza suffering under an attack of H1N1
-Eva Morales has further nationalized energies and utilities
-Are Hauraki lowering The Jolly Roger, Devlin eggs, and i was just startin’ a roll
some light reading I flicked through
William Boyd- Ordinary Thunderstorms
Victor Villasenor- Beyond Rain of Gold
Lieut. Col. Don Woodland- Picking Up The Pieces
John Agar -Science in The Twentieth Century and Beyond
Brian Clegg -Light Years
Tyler Stoddard Smith- Whore Stories
Colm Toibin- Love In A Dark Time : gay lives from Wilde to Almodovar
Dannion Brinkley with Kathryn Brinkley- Secrets of The Light
“At fifteen, I set my mind upon learning. At thirty, I took my stand. At forty, I had no doubts.
At fifty, I knew the will of Heaven. At sixty, my ear was attuned. At seventy, I follow all the desires of my heart without breaking any rule”
-Confucius
Brian Sibley- The Thomas The Tank Engine Man :the story of the Rev. W. Awdrey and his really useful Engines
(overlooked some new Trout Fishing book; idle thoughts and I don’t believe the fish enjoy being out of water; tickle them if you’re hungry)
and, to balance the scales covering our eyes;
Daniel Pick- The Pursuit of the N. Mind : H., Hess and the analysts
Bill Yenne- Himm : Master of The Dark Arts; Himm. Black Knights and The Occult: Origins of The
SS.
Ralf Georg Reuth- Goebb :The Mephistophelian Genius Of N. Propaganda
Happy New Year and this Big Little Book The Big Questions : God by Mark Vernon is Excellent
(like The Standard)
6:16 Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument,
6:19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure,
7:3 Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God, he remains a priest forever,
7:6 This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi /s
7:7 And without a doubt, the lesser person is blessed by the greater,
7:12 For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be change of the law,
7:14 For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothin’ about priests
7:21 “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever””
7:28 For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.
28 Degrees Celsius tomorrow; out with the old and in with the new.
A new year that may prove to be more crucial, more markable, more course determining than the tit for tat kind of political year 2012 has started.
I am NOT celebrating at all, choosing to spend a quiet night at home, even reading on here and writing this post.
When living in Europe I remember how the New Year was much celebrated, with heaps of fireworks and special shows on television, for those not able or interested to go out and party, but here NADA!
There was this nonsense hype talk about Freeview a few years back, but now that TVNZ has done a deal with Sky, it seems Freeview is the poor and ignorants’ choice for televised programs.
Gone have Stratos, gone has TVNZ7, gone will soon be Triangle (in Auckland), and Maori TV, which is only broadcasting half of the day, is the only truly publicly funded broadcasting channel still running.
TVNZ with One and Two are low level crap, TV3 is always struggling to survive and bear in mind the paymasters, and Prime is the little open channel, that Sky share with the rest of the downtrodden, unable or unwilling to afford Sky.
Why not go all the way and set up international satellite TV access for your home, if you want to spend money, or soon we may have more on the internet.
Broadcasting in NZ is dying, and it is dismal what is left. Radio NZ is the only radio service still really “publicly funded”. Even that is being compromised more and more.
I hold this shit government accountable to ruin what was left of it, and Steven Joice and Key deserve to be locked away for this, for many years, in solitary confinement.
NZ broadcasting is becoming totally commercialised bored-casting, and it is a total disgrace, when compared what the rest of the “developed” world in Europe and even the US and certainly Australia is able to still keep alive.
Shame, shame and shame on you rotten lot, who brought this about!
Strange how the supposed “free market” goes exactly back to old forms of power and dominance, but not for the benefit of all, it is the clear result of free market ideology and policy, as every market player of significance will only see a monopoly as the ultimate goal to achieve.
You are correct and that is where NZ is heading.
Replacing more publicly and state owned assets, enterprises and whatever, with a cream on the cake serving for the profit oriented private enterprise advocates and investors.
No wonder Hooton and Fran O’Sullivan are now even trying to lobby via the Standard now!?
Wakey, wakey, those that have not celebrated too much and drunk too much tonight.
Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. ...
Chris Trotter writes – MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. The data is from February this ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications:Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
Chris Trotter writes – The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three. ...
Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blogIn 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
Citizen Science writes – Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
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 ...
You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
Karl du Fresne writes – There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
David Farrar writes – The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time.A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced ...
You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated. While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
The Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
Changes to minimum wage and benefit indexation means many New Zealanders will get less this year, as the Government gives a big tax break to landlords instead. ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research. “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
Kia Ora Gaza A passionate haka reverberated through Auckland International Airport as a medical team of three New Zealand doctors received an emotional farewell from a big crowd of supporters before flying to Turkey to join the international Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The doctors, who left Auckland yesterday, hope to ...
With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...
Our response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...
The new ‘Fast-track Approvals Bill’ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...
COMMENTARY:By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister — the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory — gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Before climate change really got going, eastern Australia’s flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But that’s changing. Now ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum “re-imagined” itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, School of Allied Heath, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, La Trobe University This week, Collingwood AFL player Nathan Murphy announced his retirement, brought on by his concussion history and ongoing issues. The 24-year-old’s seemingly sudden retirement, ...
The Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so it’s wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Daniel Boud/Sydney Theatre Company Decay, terror, revulsion. These are three of the central themes of Thomas Bernhard’s rarely performed play The President. The Austrian is one of the greatest ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ye In (Jane) Hwang, Postdoctoral Research Associate at School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock You’d be hard pressed to find any aspect of daily life that doesn’t require some form of digital literacy. We need only to look back ten ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Edith Cowan University Pexels/RDNE stock project You’re not in your 20s or 30s anymore and you know regular health checks are important. So you go to your GP. During the appointment they measure your waist. ...
A new poem by Evangeline Riddiford Graham. Mitochondrial Problem I. It was long drive to Kansas for the man and his dog but you have to understand he said She doesn’t fly. Which calls to mind not carsick shitting barking or whining but a dog who chooses not to as ...
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)Hot off the press, this debut ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...
Chief executive Shaun Robinson said it has not had any government funding cut, but government-funded contracts have not kept pace with rising costs. ...
The Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans people’s self-determination and agency. The ...
Barcelona’s city streets have gone from traffic-clogged to pedestrian-friendly. How? Superblocks. Ellen Rykers explains. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week I read a great interview with renowned urbanist Janette Sadik-Khan by The Spinoff’s Wellington editor Joel MacManus: “You can reimagine streets, ...
Student groups ‘Climate Action VUW’, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Government’s ‘War on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, Research Fellow, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity has grown exponentially – and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendon Hyndman, Associate Professor of Education (Adjunct) & Senior Manager (BCE), Charles Sturt University During COVID almost all Australian students and their families experienced online learning. But while schools have long since gone back to in-person teaching, online learning has not gone ...
Yes, they’re better for the environment. No, that’s not a good enough reason for me to use them. Once every 26 days or so, my period arrives, and if struck by an act of God, I am caught red-crotched without products. How, after 17 years of this, do I still ...
“It will cause significant harm to our environment and communities. It is completely at odds with New Zealanders’ relationship with nature and our need for a low-carbon, sustainable economic future." ...
The Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has warned a Parliamentary Select Committee that fast-tracking legislation is a perilous practice that undermines the core tenets of democracy, transparency, and accountability. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Tenbensel, Associate Professor, Health Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Since coming into power, the coalition government has adopted a simple but shrewd see-how-fast-we-can-move political strategy. However, in the health sector this need for speed entails ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Hronis, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney Darya Sannikova/Pexels Whether you’re watching TV, attending a footy game, or eating a meal at your local pub, gambling is hard to escape. Although the rise of gambling is not unique to Australia, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Wong, Forrest Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia Have you ever wondered if there are more insects out at night than during the day? We set out to answer this question by combing through the scientific ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carol T Kulik, Research Professor, University of South Australia IR Stone/Shutterstock In Australia, it’s not the done thing to know – let alone ask – what our colleagues are paid. Yet, it’s easy to see how pay transparency can make pay ...
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is sounding a warning to migrants, that running foul of the law may see them leaving the country prematurely. ...
The government’s plan to get 50,000 people off jobseeker support by 2030 has had a rocky start, 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 up here. Beneficiary numbers are up – and so are ...
Raglan Roast is a staple of Wellington coffee culture. But with five branches across the capital, which one is the best? I am a die-hard Raglan Roast fan. It’s consistently the most affordable cafe in Wellington, and one of the only places you can get a coffee after 3pm. So, ...
Residents of University of Auckland halls are being urged to withhold their accommodation fees from May 1, in a bid to force the university to take student concerns over rent hikes seriously.The University of Auckland is facing a strike from students over the cost of on-campus accommodation. The Students ...
Hineaupounamu ‘Missy’ Nuku has been scaling mountains in Canada for her college basketball team, the Lakeland Rustlers. Alberta is currently home for the 20-year-old point guard, who is in her first year of a scholarship at Lakeland College, where she is studying for a business degree. She has certainly made ...
New Zealand and the Philippines have signed a new maritime security agreement and stated their concerns over activity in the South China Sea, as Chinese vessels continue to flout international law. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Philippines President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos committed to signing a Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement by ...
The thousands of government “back-office” job cuts are causing widespread pain in the capital city. In today’s episode of The Detail, we speak to three journalists and a think tank researcher, looking at the larger picture around the cuts and what effect it will have on Wellington, a city that’s ...
Opinion: The famed American architect and urban designer Daniel Burnham once said, “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood!” Burnham wouldn’t have been referring to the transport plans in Aotearoa New Zealand over the past five years; projects so big they hadn’t the credibility to ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 19 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Opinion: With maths understanding at 42 percent for Year 8 students, there’s no doubt something has to be done. But how? The post Financial literacy should be on all of us appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra When ASIO boss Mike Burgess delivered his annual threat assessment earlier this year, he stressed the rising danger posed by espionage and foreign interference. “In 2024, threats to our way of life have surpassed ...
The Tribunal had called on Minister for Children Karen Chhour to provide evidence at an urgent inquiry into the repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University Midjourney image by T.J. Thomson As more than half of Australian office workers report using generative artificial intelligence (AI) for work, we’re starting to see this technology affect every ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Nicole Sharwood, Injury epidemiologist | Expert Witness, UNSW Sydney Sergey Novikov/Shutterstock Injuries are the leading cause of disability and death among Australian children and adolescents. At least a quarter of all emergency department presentations during childhood are injury-related. Injuries can ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Di Winkler, Adjunct Associate Professor, Living with Disability Research Centre, La Trobe University Shutterstock/Ground PictureMany Australians with disability feel on the edge of a precipice right now. Recommendations from the disability royal commission and the NDIS review were released late ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Salman Shooshtarian, Senior Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University Salman Shooshtarian Asbestos has been found in mulch used for playgrounds, schools, parks and gardens across Sydney and Melbourne. Local communities naturally fear for the health of their ...
Family First says that the latest abortion statistics make grim and upsetting reading, with a 25% increase in abortions since the decriminalisation of abortion in March 2020. According to an Official Information Act request received by Right to Life ...
Ipsos New Zealand's inaugural participation in a global study on populism reveals a pervasive sense of societal and economic decline among New Zealanders. MORE DETAILS AND FULL REPORT HERE Ipsos New Zealand's inaugural participation in a global study ...
Happy New Year everyone! I have learned so much from your contributions and am grateful. The Standard remains an excellent source of information and debate, such as is seldom found these days.
Just want to express gratitude, looking forward to 2013.
A nice little doco on the demise of the Celtic Tiger. The country John Key wanted to emulate and the future we have to look forward too as we have $ 112 Billion in Derivatives on our books whose value is based on absolutely nothing.
(By the way I don’t seem to have access to the WYSIWYG editor anymore)
Traveller
$112 billion of derivatives on our books.
Please be kind enough to guide me where you get these derivative figures from ?
thanks.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/latest-edition/6671255/Government-in-112b-barney
This should see you started, get cracking!
Thanks M!
That article doesn’t actually give a figure for the amount of derivatives held. At best, it includes them in a $112 billion figure, but doesn’t specify how much of it they make up.
Murray
Yes, I would like to know what proportion of the $112 billion is in derivatives.
Being once, some years ago, in business which included international derivatives.
From which I do have an understanding, which is why I queried the figures.
What you want to know is what portion of those derivatives is what kind of derivatives because they are all derivatives.
But for some reason they changed the generally accepted accountancy practices so they don’t have to tell anyone anymore and especially the ones that are dangerous and could hold liabilities they don’t have to declare anymore. I wonder why?
But I’m sure Murray can explain it all. He knows everything!
That Murray is because the books on NZ inc are opaque, and getting to the bottom of them, let alone audited, seemingly not on the menu.
As you have a PhD, perhaps you can do some research, and then report back, perhaps Dr Sue Newberry will be happy to oblige your interest!
http://www.consolidation.unisi.it/papers/2-4.pdf
http://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/bitstream/10092/862/1/thesis_fulltext.pdf
To get you started, below is a govt financial position, and how it is measured
http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/ParlSupport/ResearchPapers/3/4/6/00PlibCIP121-New-Zealand-s-International-Investment-Position.htm
And below is the AKL Council financial report, see if you can identify the derivatives portfolio component
https://www.nzx.com/files/attachments/162505.pdf
2012, the year I started reading The Standard. Although I haven’t voted Labour since 1984 and am presently a Mana supporter, thanks guy for informative and entertaining reading.
Will this one finally spell the end of the Honours system?
VERY EARLY APRIL FOOLS’ DAY PRANK
RODNEY HIDE GETS GIVEN A MEDAL
DO NOT LAUGH: THIS IS NOT A JOKE.
ACT buffoon RODNEY HIDE, the man who was so useless that John Banks was seen as preferable to be rubberstamped by the obedient souls of Epsom, has been made a Companion of the Queen’s Service…
http://medals.nzdf.mil.nz/category/b/img/b7.jpg
You might well ask: what’s Rodney Hide ever done other than make a fool of himself?
Well, here are the reasons he is now to be addressed by the rest of us commoners as RODNEY PHILIP HIDE QSO”…
1.) For his services to body-building….
http://file.stuff.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/hide_1_69461.jpg
2.) For his services to dance…
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10386144
3.) For his services to sycophancy, following his toe-curlingly extravagant praise of his bullying usurper, Don Brash, straight after having the leadership of ACT humiliatingly wrested from him…
http://brianedwardsmedia.co.nz/2011/04/what-we-discovered-about-don-brash-and-rodney-hide-in-the-past-week/
4.) For his further services to sycophancy, after he refused to object to fellow thug Tau Henare calling him a “buffoon” and a “jerk-off”—or was it just physical fear that Uncle Tau would kick his arse if he complained?…
http://www.3news.co.nz/Thick-hided-Rodney-not-worried-by-insults/tabid/209/articleID/118165/Default.aspx?ArticleID=118165
5.) For his protecting and defiantly PRAISING this dead-child’s-identity-stealing, doctor-assaulting, sexual harasser in his caucus until public disgust finally forced him to (reluctantly) get rid of him…
http://www.odt.co.nz/files/story/2009/08/act_mp_david_garrett_credit_nzpa__wayne_drought_3774842844.jpeg
6.) For his speaking ever so slowly and in a low voice, as he repeats, unchallenged, Ayn Rand’s mad raving dogma on Bryan Crump’s otherwise excellent show on National Radio….
http://t.qkme.me/3phsr1.jpg
Have a Happy New Year, you unrecognised oiks—and remember, if you see a deranged old man shouting insults at Māori family groups over the summer, don’t say “Fuck off to Queensland you racist scum”, say “Fuck off to Queensland, Sir Paul.”
Morrissey, I’m sure you realise that the *honours* for public service such as given to Rodney Hide are simply the official thanks for his efforts in delivering the assets of NZ into foreign hands.
The *award* is for his part in the super-city fraud,(among other things no doubt) , which was of course *mandated* by Dame Margaret Beazley (She of the government departments hatchet team) , with Hide becoming the face of the implementation. We see the irony (corruption) of the elected servants, by the way that Hide was castrated by the very platform he sold himself upon, that of course being the *perk buster* – We see how the system works, where one must invert the message being delivered to be closer to the true intent!
One does not need to look deeply, or even see RH in order to understand how corrupted the little man is. You can hear it wrapped inside every utterance from his lying, narcissistic mouth, and it will have been a blow to his ego, to have received such a *lowly* recognition!
Thanks, muzza. In my rage after learning of this travesty, I completely overlooked the things you mentioned.
More haste, less speed should be my new year’s resolution, I think.
By the way, judging by the calls to right-wing talk radio this morning, the honours system does not enjoy a lot of respect even by those conservative souls.
I think you get an Honour more for being a suck-up than a screw-up.
I wouldn’t be surprised to find John Banks had something to do with Hide being given this minor rank award.
Surprise that Banks himself did not receive a knighthood for disservice?
Banks’ protection comes from the same places the awards originate, but I think we can be assured that Banks will receive *recognition* at some stage, unless he continues to need the protection from the brothers, on account of him contunually cocking up.
Nice to see they are handing out Honours for being a Screw up. That means Key is a shoe in for some tin to hang around his scrawny neck. more shit for his scrap book, as we all know it means nothing, and is only a bad joke. Like the dead, and now Lazarused QC.
I would not have been surprised if he been given one this time ,in fact I fully expected to him to
have. Unfortunately we have another two years ,but nothing is more certain than Sir John off Hawaii.
Which just show what a lot off hogswallop the whole charade is,
Or Labour could dump the whole shebang and leave ol’ Dunnokeyo hanging, and when he asks what happened, we can say… All together now. “Dunnokeyo”
NOW THATS A HIDING LEAVING A BIG BITE ON THE BUTTOCKS mozza;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Mosquito
(you are one multi-functional tactical bomber) 🙂
But just watch out for the Woodworm!
Interesting reading.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10856689
Jonathon Scott concludes with “Why does New Zealand have the governments it elects and the policies they pursue? It is not, presumably, because New Zealanders are dumber than Finns. So it must be: education, education, education.”
Many times I have asked myself this same question. How did the people of NZ, (some my family members, friends and colleagues) vote in this government not once but twice, particularly knowing they were hell bent on selling our assets and blatantly blaming the sufferers of poverty and ill health by beneficiary bashing? How did superannuation retain its mana but other benefits become shameful and bludging?
When I read peoples view points, especially those of left leanings, I am heartened by the caring, concern and compassion expressed for the common person. The ‘knowing’ that life is less about self and more about community. That what affects one affects all. How does one educate closed hearts and minds? It would appear that for many change only occurs when affected directly…so as more and more families wave their loved ones goodbye as they cross the Tasman or have unemployment and all the misery it brings enter their own homes or start to go without necessities with their wages going backwards… perhaps this is the personal education required and it is only a matter of time…
Thank-you, LynWiper. Yes, it is a puzzle and a depressing concern that so many Kiwis, accept the MSM PR for John Key and keep voting for him.
One part of the answer is a near total avoidance of NZ history in the school curriculum. The major depressions of the 1880’s and the 1930’s, the history of our social security system, the major projects successfully undertaken by this country in this country. Building Manapouri, instituting the 40 hour work week, and much more.
Especially the role of Unions and Labour Governments in building our society.
It seems the socialist history of NZ has been wiped from the textbooks.
I remember when the unions suggested education in peoples rights and responsibilities at work, financial knowledge, and NZ history was vehemently opposed.
Not many people realise, a Samuel Parnell could be arrested now for advocating a general strike, for a 40 hour week.
“Not many people realise, a Samuel Parnell could be arrested now for advocating a general strike, for a 40 hour week.”
That’s the way both Labour and National want it.
“Critical thinking” . Not “critical to remember” .Now that would be a start in the curriculum at school . Philosophy makes you want to learn.
and theology keeps you well within the well
Seldom, in any field I think, are the “best people” elected to be “leader”. We might not like someone who is all too efficient and charismatic!
A happy and safe new year to all, weather should keep the celebrations in door in large parts and here’s hoping the latest cyclone looses its mojo.
A big year ahead, local body elections, a census, Oz general election oh and that cliffy fiscally thing in the land of the personal arsenal.
Very good new post from Chris Trotter on the way Key’s populism has subverted the old Kiwi ideal of collective egalitarianism, in the service of the neoliberal ideology.
Excellent post. Ah, for the return of collective egalitarianism!
This little snippet about Chris Tremain, Minister of Internal Affairs, Minister of Civil Defence, and Associate Minister of Tourism slipped into the media when it will be ignored by all comers deep in holiday mode ……….. yet another thief outed from the Nats Front Bench
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10856594
Been blobbing out a bit over the last few days with family and other coding. But I thought I’d mention watching and surprisingly* enjoying Iron Sky. As you’d expect, with a theme of lunar nazi’s, the plot line is completely absurd.
But it is amusing to watch especially as you pick out the clichés that they’re pushing – for instance there is one scene that is a almost complete reprise of that Hitler scene that everyone rewords. And the way that some of the scenes inside the lunar corridors rip off Castle Wolfenstein… Some of it was so so predictable. But good fun to watch
And if you can, then watch it on bluray with a true HDTV. Some of the graphics work is pretty damn good. Of course it helps that they were able to do most of it in grey scale.
Excellent B grade and I suspect heading directly to cult status.
* I mostly watched it as being one of the few crowd sourced feature films..
Agree, amazing graphics for a B grader, laugh out loud piss taking and knows exactly what it’s about.
The Palin-esque US president in raptures at a nazi rematch with some of my favourite lines being ‘ I’m just like Franklin D roosevelt, except you know I’m not a spastic’ in a scene that’s probably all too close to the truth.
Thanks, for the tip, Lynn and the recommendation, tc. I will watch it first chance I get. I am very interested to see what can be achieved via crowd sourcing for movies.
wait til ya see what i’ve got lined up 🙂 (if i don’t run outta Time credit b4) must be
“day of the worker bees”
My interest was piqued at crowd-sourcing. They had me at moon nazis.
One of the few films in 2012 I shelled out for at the cinema.
I really liked the Laibach soundtrack, too.
Well I did watch Prometheus the other day, I must say I was more than a little disappointed with the storyline. Which is more the pity as I have been looking forward to this movie for a while, being a fan of the Alien story, and it could have been a good 90 minutes spent. Instead I feel I wasted the time on a story that was just too predictable.
Watched it weeks ago. Thought that the cgi was good. Story line was weak and really read like a slow rephrasing of Ben Bova’s “As on a darkling plain” – one of his better novels.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Bova#Non-series_novels
(some idiot has reedited it into the Watchmen series on Wikipedia?)
Anyway, I was rather bored with it.
Surprised?.
Update – Clarification:
Plans were made to assassinate Occupy leaders by sniper fire, but the documents don’t make it clear who was involved with the plans. The FBI did not inform the targets of the assassination plans. It is not clear whether an organization or individual was involved. The document’s source was Texas and it discussed activities in Texas.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/12/30/1174775/-FBI-Domestic-Security-Alliance-Coordinated-Occupy-Crackdown#
So no actual evidence connected to the FBI whatsoever. Plans by whom? Tea Party batshit nutjobs for all we know – the document is too heavily redacted to be proof of anything.
Actually despite the redaction it is actually quite interesting reading through the document.
One of the more interesting ones was a complaint to the FBI by a protest group (with similar aims as the Occupy movement) who found a website with information which they found threatening to their protest and they reported it to the FBI as they didn’t trust the local police force (Daytona Beach?).
The FBI investigated the forum/website and decided that it was verbal “grandstanding” but that there did appear to be several police officers on the forum, though not identifiable to a specific department. It looks like it may have been raised with the local police at a liaison/planning meeting. The finding of the report was:
“Group appears to be peaceful, and investigator sees no Federal violations. Local police well aware of the protests, and are meeting with Occupy’s core group to alleviate miscues and allow dialogue.”
Most of it appears to be liaison and information sharing between various police forces, transit authorities port authorities as well as any mentions of the Occupy movement in documents – mainly in briefings about the potential for violence (both against the Occupy movement or those who might seek to take advantage of the movement). Looks pretty routine stuff though.
-squeaky whinge gets the oil
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3f9XiQgMDuw
(love the clydesdales; worker horses Toddy, workers!)
Nature, enter me; thats the fourmyula Don!
What about When The River Runs Dry?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD-58aVlPYk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrPrl3l-UB8
Ring any bells?
any symbol may be “intimidating”; picture this,
your telephone number; picture this;
a sky full of thunder…
I will give you my finest hour
the one I spent, watching you shower…
Now, while everybody’s entitled to an opinion, free speech, Not!
(believe there is a mole in the hole)
Puddly-KISS (keep it simple) I find helpful, although I have outgrown
-“I Was Made For Lovin’ You, “Shandi” and “Sure Know Something”; dropped the mask
Tell us a story, tell us a story, tell us a story, so we can paint it Red
The Man With ONe Name, King of Glory
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRqj61J-J8s
we have to carry some sort of cross, be it voluntary, or involuntary
and, I believe, he’s Everywhere; just a takes Time to become a servant
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFqg2HfljEg
(I understand this is not everybody’s Way, yet I am livin Day to Day proof, so far, that His Way
Works; a theory yet to be disproved)
or, we could always waltz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvPFhR4D2eU
-Little Joe
something to Hack into;
http://www.newsfactor.com/news/Hacker-Warns-of-State-Spying-/story.xhtml?story_id=130004HFKKYK
heres a Chinese puzzle
http://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/World+News
News of the World
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/News_of_the_World_%28album%29
(no need to enter the rat race)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTDWvM9BaRI
RNZ-our Groser emissions have gone up-Kennedy Graham-our carbon costs are going to compound
as the markets get sharper
Giddy up- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2W3aG8uizA
ya sure gotta friend in The Breeze, unlees you’re basing Operation Deep Freeze
Happy New Year to the Bereans- Verria Excellent; keep to the left Berm of the mountain-side
Mum Ford and Sons are a catchy band to escort you through life’s trials and tribulations.
here’s a Brave New World
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPJNKuC1ARw
(We’re Blood Brothers)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SDrqr4gb9U
These Colours Don’t Run
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhboyKhhaCw
Hallowed Be Thy Name
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J51LPlP-s9o
-Charlotte
i only read cam magazine when we are looking for the same steam roller so any bait is wasted
(bait-shy); leave it for possums caught in the headlines
There must be something in the water in H.B Brooke, makes me feel like you do
NZH-“Chemical Warfare” Brothers (along with Propaganda); the drugs don’t work, they just make things worse; get a new drug, One won’t make ya sick-Huey, Dewey, Lewis and The News; it’s Not
Morse code, and I think to myself What A Wonderful World. Upon This church we shall build our
Rock.
SuperTramp, Give a little bit, or Crime of The Century? (Right, right you’re bloody well right)
http://www.poemhunter.com/lyrics/supertramp/
or
Radar Love-Golden Earring
Gonna Sink The Nisshin Maru, gonna run her down, sink The Nisshu Maru, she’s gonna run aground
talkin with an Army Officer, he says the spiraling down of society and poverty winding up is obvious (Architecture)
to him and he’s 80; been S.A all his life, born into it (like me) 🙂
Fall onto this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPsMqcmA0K8
-Peter (Deep, It Cuts You Up. Bauhaus-“Telegram Sam”)
press inserts
-Gaza suffering under an attack of H1N1
-Eva Morales has further nationalized energies and utilities
-Are Hauraki lowering The Jolly Roger, Devlin eggs, and i was just startin’ a roll
some light reading I flicked through
William Boyd- Ordinary Thunderstorms
Victor Villasenor- Beyond Rain of Gold
Lieut. Col. Don Woodland- Picking Up The Pieces
John Agar -Science in The Twentieth Century and Beyond
Brian Clegg -Light Years
Tyler Stoddard Smith- Whore Stories
Colm Toibin- Love In A Dark Time : gay lives from Wilde to Almodovar
Dannion Brinkley with Kathryn Brinkley- Secrets of The Light
“At fifteen, I set my mind upon learning. At thirty, I took my stand. At forty, I had no doubts.
At fifty, I knew the will of Heaven. At sixty, my ear was attuned. At seventy, I follow all the desires of my heart without breaking any rule”
-Confucius
Brian Sibley- The Thomas The Tank Engine Man :the story of the Rev. W. Awdrey and his really useful Engines
(overlooked some new Trout Fishing book; idle thoughts and I don’t believe the fish enjoy being out of water; tickle them if you’re hungry)
and, to balance the scales covering our eyes;
Daniel Pick- The Pursuit of the N. Mind : H., Hess and the analysts
Bill Yenne- Himm : Master of The Dark Arts; Himm. Black Knights and The Occult: Origins of The
SS.
Ralf Georg Reuth- Goebb :The Mephistophelian Genius Of N. Propaganda
It’s a Livin Thing…It’s a givin’ thing…what a terrible thing to lose…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiYdFbH4nNw -Lynn 🙂
(theres’ gonna be a Showdown)
p s. e = mc2 : Big Audio Dynamite
Happy New Year and this Big Little Book The Big Questions : God by Mark Vernon is Excellent
(like The Standard)
6:16 Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument,
6:19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure,
7:3 Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God, he remains a priest forever,
7:6 This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi /s
7:7 And without a doubt, the lesser person is blessed by the greater,
7:12 For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be change of the law,
7:14 For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothin’ about priests
7:21 “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever””
7:28 For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.
28 Degrees Celsius tomorrow; out with the old and in with the new.
Love Will Tear Us Apart (thanks for the aroha)
-John Wayne (howdy Pilgrims)
To be one hundred percent honest with you, Rogue, I have no idea what that’s about, but as an avid 2000AD reader, Gunnar’s still got your back 😆
Get an old Xbox1 off trade me, and I’ll send you the Rogue Trooper game.
Promise 😉
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013 ALL!
A new year that may prove to be more crucial, more markable, more course determining than the tit for tat kind of political year 2012 has started.
I am NOT celebrating at all, choosing to spend a quiet night at home, even reading on here and writing this post.
When living in Europe I remember how the New Year was much celebrated, with heaps of fireworks and special shows on television, for those not able or interested to go out and party, but here NADA!
There was this nonsense hype talk about Freeview a few years back, but now that TVNZ has done a deal with Sky, it seems Freeview is the poor and ignorants’ choice for televised programs.
Gone have Stratos, gone has TVNZ7, gone will soon be Triangle (in Auckland), and Maori TV, which is only broadcasting half of the day, is the only truly publicly funded broadcasting channel still running.
TVNZ with One and Two are low level crap, TV3 is always struggling to survive and bear in mind the paymasters, and Prime is the little open channel, that Sky share with the rest of the downtrodden, unable or unwilling to afford Sky.
Why not go all the way and set up international satellite TV access for your home, if you want to spend money, or soon we may have more on the internet.
Broadcasting in NZ is dying, and it is dismal what is left. Radio NZ is the only radio service still really “publicly funded”. Even that is being compromised more and more.
I hold this shit government accountable to ruin what was left of it, and Steven Joice and Key deserve to be locked away for this, for many years, in solitary confinement.
NZ broadcasting is becoming totally commercialised bored-casting, and it is a total disgrace, when compared what the rest of the “developed” world in Europe and even the US and certainly Australia is able to still keep alive.
Shame, shame and shame on you rotten lot, who brought this about!
Sky has a total monopoly, it is like Telecom before unbundling.
Strange how the supposed “free market” goes exactly back to old forms of power and dominance, but not for the benefit of all, it is the clear result of free market ideology and policy, as every market player of significance will only see a monopoly as the ultimate goal to achieve.
You are correct and that is where NZ is heading.
Replacing more publicly and state owned assets, enterprises and whatever, with a cream on the cake serving for the profit oriented private enterprise advocates and investors.
No wonder Hooton and Fran O’Sullivan are now even trying to lobby via the Standard now!?
Wakey, wakey, those that have not celebrated too much and drunk too much tonight.
All the best anyway.