US v China: new Cold War or new Opium War?
Written By:
Date published: 10:27 am, August 25th, 2020 - 23 comments
The Trump administration has declared war on China, and there is much speculation in the punditry as to whether or not this is a new Cold War similar to that waged post World War 2 against Russia. In my opinion, the 19th century Opium Wars may offer a more appropriate analogy, albeit with a likely different outcome.
Should 16 year olds have the vote?
Written By:
Date published: 9:36 am, August 25th, 2020 - 54 comments
A current case before the High Court is asking the question should 16 year olds be permitted to vote.
The election campaign and the sponsored Herald article
Written By:
Date published: 8:42 am, August 25th, 2020 - 58 comments
Radius Chair and NBR rich lister Brien Cree has a sponsored article in the Herald this morning that is critical of the Government’s Covid response.
Open mike 25/08/2020
Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, August 25th, 2020 - 124 comments
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Daily review 24/08/2020
Written By:
Date published: 5:30 pm, August 24th, 2020 - 23 comments
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
Covid 19 catastrophisation
Written By:
Date published: 1:05 pm, August 24th, 2020 - 43 comments
Recent catastrophisation of the Government’s response to Covid by National is overplayed and overhyped, although some of the investigation by the media has been helpful in highlighting weaknesses in the response where improvement is important.
Open mike 24/08/2020
Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, August 24th, 2020 - 43 comments
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Open mike 23/08/2020
Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, August 23rd, 2020 - 110 comments
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
PPE from a Universe Far, Far Away
Written By:
Date published: 2:33 pm, August 22nd, 2020 - 11 comments
An antidote against the pounding waves of BS coming from inside and outside Aotearoa.
Is New Zealand or the United States the Covid cot case?
Written By:
Date published: 9:39 am, August 22nd, 2020 - 28 comments
This week Donald Trump has defended the US’s abysmal handling of Covid 19 by claiming that the disease is out of control in New Zealand. And National’s rhetoric continues to match what he is saying.
Open mike 22/08/2020
Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, August 22nd, 2020 - 135 comments
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Daily review 21/08/2020
Written By:
Date published: 5:30 pm, August 21st, 2020 - 51 comments
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
Here comes the vaccine
Written By:
Date published: 7:00 am, August 21st, 2020 - 46 comments
Australian Prime Minister Scott Malcom has indicated he’s getting close to the deal of a lifetime for Australians with a letter of intent from Astra Zenica, who are in third stage clinical trials. Will New Zealand benefit?
What if we had a Policy Costings Unit for all political parties?
Written By:
Date published: 6:10 am, August 21st, 2020 - 22 comments
Surely political parties would welcome support to have their election year promises independently costed?
Open mike 21/08/2020
Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, August 21st, 2020 - 172 comments
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Daily review 20/08/2020
Written By:
Date published: 5:30 pm, August 20th, 2020 - 89 comments
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
Yale does socialist medicine with new covid test
Written By:
Date published: 11:07 am, August 20th, 2020 - 15 comments
Yale have developed a covid saliva test that is not only effective but will be intentionally cheap and easily available.
The Covid Court Case
Written By:
Date published: 8:18 am, August 20th, 2020 - 30 comments
The High Court has ruled that for technical reasons during the first nine days of the lockdown statements that New Zealanders were legally required to remain at home were incorrect.
Open mike 20/08/2020
Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, August 20th, 2020 - 212 comments
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Daily review 19/08/2020
Written By:
Date published: 5:30 pm, August 19th, 2020 - 56 comments
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
What Might A Democratic Party-Dominated U.S. Foreign Policy Do?
Written By:
Date published: 1:02 pm, August 19th, 2020 - 24 comments
Inasmuch as tiny, distant New Zealand need worry about the foreign policy of the United States, it’s worth a drill into what a Democratic Party dominated United States foreign policy might look like.
What does Judith do about Gerry?
Written By:
Date published: 9:32 am, August 19th, 2020 - 113 comments
Gerry Brownlee has chosen to not only repeat his conspiracy theories involving Ashley Bloomfield but also claim that the media is against National. Both claims have no factual foundation.
Open mike 19/08/2020
Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, August 19th, 2020 - 237 comments
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Daily review 18/08/2020
Written By:
Date published: 5:30 pm, August 18th, 2020 - 27 comments
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
Blogs and election fatigue
Written By:
Date published: 10:00 am, August 18th, 2020 - 28 comments
One of the characteristics of a political blog in New Zealand is the way that our operations reflect the political cycle. Coming into an election after mid-year, we have a steadily increasing level of traffic, posts, and comments. Moderators, commenters and even authors start showing a more cranky disposition. Now we have a extra month of the campaign. Be kind. Because there tends to be a problem when the system operator gets cranky.
Open mike 18/08/2020
Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, August 18th, 2020 - 209 comments
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Brady under review by Canterbury University
Written By:
Date published: 7:59 pm, August 17th, 2020 - 99 comments
Canterbury University is conducting a review of statements made to the Justice Select Committee by Professor Anne-Marie Brady alleging covert military transfer to China which complainants from other Universities under attack said “contained manifest errors of fact and misleading inferences.” The University would do well to broaden its review to encompass the NATO-funded Canterbury SSANSE which Brady heads. The military-purpose link there is explicit.
Let them have gardening leave…
Written By:
Date published: 6:59 pm, August 17th, 2020 - 25 comments
“A bunch of retired MPs will now have to come back to work as well, which they will no doubt hate. But at least with current border restrictions, they are unlikely to have fled the country.”. Uh – why exactly? They are almost a sixth of the current parliament. They’re out the door, and there is no substantive work for them to do. I’m sure that puritans of thought will think otherwise – but I think gardening leave is appropiate.
Daily review 17/08/2020
Written By:
Date published: 5:30 pm, August 17th, 2020 - 29 comments
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
A Stunt Scene from Mission Impossible*
Written By:
Date published: 3:52 pm, August 17th, 2020 - 16 comments
In NZ politics, the perception of fairness matters more than actual fairness.
What Now Phil Goff?
Written By:
Date published: 1:19 pm, August 17th, 2020 - 36 comments
The Chief Executive of Watercare Raveen Jaduram has resigned. With Auckland Council’s recent Council Controlled Organisation review having been concluded and the recommendations released is this the opportunity to require meaningful change of Watercare?
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