Archive for July, 2017
The Democrats and Russia
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, July 26th, 2017 - 66 comments
The Trump presidency appears to be in a death spiral because of the Russia issue. But the Democrats are not taking advantage. Why?
Beneficiary reduction targets, homelessness and suicide
Written By: - Date published: 7:01 am, July 26th, 2017 - 41 comments
Most people would be shocked to learn that each WINZ case manager is assigned the target of getting a certain number of people off the benefit every month. This is one of the reasons why we have such a punitive and aggressive welfare system. Fewer than half of those removed from the benefit go to jobs. The Nats neither know nor care what happens to the rest, but links to the rising number of homeless and our shocking suicide statistics should be investigated.
Open Mike 26/07/2017
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, July 26th, 2017 - 196 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 25/07/2017
Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, July 25th, 2017 - 37 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 …
How much is Mike Hosking paid by TVNZ?
Written By: - Date published: 9:29 am, July 25th, 2017 - 107 comments
Mike Hosking does not want there to be a debate on how much he earns from TVNZ and thinks that there would be an adverse irrational response from the public if the information was released. This is the best reason yet why disclosure should occur.
Let’s get rid of these clowns
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, July 25th, 2017 - 46 comments
The Government’s failure to do anything about the housing crisis or about zombie cannabis is evidence they should be removed from office.
Greens: Grandparents and children deserve better than National’s ‘penal welfare’
Written By: - Date published: 7:13 am, July 25th, 2017 - 34 comments
National’s ‘penal welfare’ approach is failing kids, failing caregivers and failing New Zealand.
The truth behind job numbers
Written By: - Date published: 7:04 am, July 25th, 2017 - 25 comments
Bruce Munro’s excellent piece in the ODT, looks in to the truth behind the Nats’ job numbers: “It does not take much digging in Statistics New Zealand’s latest Household Labour Force Survey to uncover a growing world of low-paid work, insufficient working hours, financial struggles and unfulfilled lives”.
Transport in Auckland and National’s deliberate incompetence
Written By: - Date published: 6:58 am, July 25th, 2017 - 36 comments
National appear to be completely uninterested in spending Aucklander’s transport taxes on Auckland. Instead they want to put in roads that have no economic measurable benefits for Auckland except to increase the road congesting trucks on our roads. Why do National hate Auckland?
Open Mike 25/07/2017
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, July 25th, 2017 - 19 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 24/07/2017
Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, July 24th, 2017 - 67 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 …
The MoU and social intelligence
Written By: - Date published: 12:23 pm, July 24th, 2017 - 122 comments
The deputy leader of the Labour Party wants to be the Minister for Children and to put a progressive government ahead of her own career. This is the kind of politician we need in government.
Willie Jackson: The Orewa Speech
Written By: - Date published: 10:30 am, July 24th, 2017 - 2 comments
Details of a fundraiser for Rodney Labour and Willie Jackson will give his take on Don Brash’s infamous Orewa speech.
National again subsidises their land banking contributors from taxpayer funds.
Written By: - Date published: 8:41 am, July 24th, 2017 - 25 comments
The announcement that National were granting infrastructure funds to develop housing projects in the far north and south of Auckland caused me some amusement. Wisely Auckland council resisted this boondongle that only benefits land bankers, speculators and their political party (National) for some time. To the point where National used taxpayer funds instead.
The Nuk Korako Cover Up
Written By: - Date published: 7:56 am, July 24th, 2017 - 46 comments
Will Nuk Korako blame his children this time?
Delivering pizza for NZ
Written By: - Date published: 7:19 am, July 24th, 2017 - 16 comments
Full marks to Nathaniel Watson for what Newshub called “an incredible work of graphic design satire”:
Nat U-turn on immigration must include protection from exploitation
Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, July 24th, 2017 - 24 comments
The Nats have U-turned on their immigration restrictions. It must come with better protection for migrant workers. The way we exploit them in NZ is shameful.
Open Mike 24/07/2017
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, July 24th, 2017 - 59 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 …
Rain doesn’t cause most floods, humans do
Written By: - Date published: 12:11 pm, July 23rd, 2017 - 50 comments
What to do with all the water falling from the sky? Some choices are smarter than others.
Imagine the world without America
Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, July 23rd, 2017 - 63 comments
America used to be the most powerful nation in the world. But things are changing.
Nats won’t follow Australia and UK in crackdown on multinational tax avoidance
Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, July 23rd, 2017 - 14 comments
Collins’ excuse is just waffle. Why won’t the Nats follow Australia and UK in a crackdown on multinational tax avoidance?
Billboards at dawn
Written By: - Date published: 7:07 am, July 23rd, 2017 - 33 comments
Let the campaign begin.
The language of electioneering
Written By: - Date published: 6:30 am, July 23rd, 2017 - 127 comments
Turns out TOP might help form a 4th National government.
Open Mike 23/07/2017
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, July 23rd, 2017 - 226 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 …
State of emergency for planet earth
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, July 22nd, 2017 - 52 comments
Climate scientists: Our conclusion that the world has overshot appropriate targets is sufficiently grim to compel us to point out that pathways to rapid emission reductions are feasible.
Least surprising news ever – IPCA won’t review police decision not to pursue complaint on Barclay investigation
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, July 22nd, 2017 - 14 comments
The reason the police dropped an investigation into the PM’s political son will forever remain a mystery. Total mystery. Nothing to see here. Move along.
New Zealand is number 1! *
Written By: - Date published: 7:21 am, July 22nd, 2017 - 127 comments
* in a list of developed nations for homelessness.
Open Mike 22/07/2017
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, July 22nd, 2017 - 91 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 …
State of emergency on the South Island’s east coast
Written By: - Date published: 9:43 pm, July 21st, 2017 - 23 comments
Evacuations are now happening throughout Otago and Canterbury, with more rain expected over night and into Saturday.
Daily Review 21/07/2017
Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, July 21st, 2017 - 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 …
Synthetic cannabis deaths
Written By: - Date published: 4:29 pm, July 21st, 2017 - 35 comments
We should consider decriminalising real cannabis to provide a safer alternative.
- Join us at 5pm for 2024’s last Hoon
Photo by Mauricio Fanfa on UnsplashKia oraCome and join us for our weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news with myself , plus regular guests and , ...3 weeks ago - Christmas Gifts: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
“Like you said, I’m an unreconstructed socialist. Everybody deserves to get something for Christmas.”“ONE OF THOSE had better be for me!” Hannah grinned, fascinated, as Laurie made his way, gingerly, to the bar, his arms full of gift-wrapped packages.“Of course!”, beamed Laurie. Depositing his armful on the bar-top and selecting ...3 weeks ago
- ‘Utterly heartbreaking’: Two children allegedly murdered in grim start to 2025
The Minister for Children and for Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence encouraged people to use the resources available to them to get help. ...1 day ago - Watch live: Dame Tariana Turia laid to rest
The founder of Te Pāti Māori is being buried at her marae at Whangaehu. ...1 day ago
- New mother’s surprise $9000 tax bill
Megan Hunt was horrified to discover she had a huge bill from Inland Revenue for overpaid Working for Families credits. ...1 day ago
- Cane toads on the barbie? How eating invasive species might help manage them
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carla Archibald, Research Fellow, Conservation Science, Deakin University ABC Eating rabbit, camel, carp, feral cat, deer and cane toad might sound extreme to some, but it’s gaining attention as a solution to tackle the growing impact of invasive species. Now, Tony ...1 day ago - Inland Revenue changes interest rates for late payments
Inland Revenue is changing the interest rates paid by and to taxpayers who over and underpay their tax. ...1 day ago
- ‘I don’t hold the hose, mate’: Australia’s political history is full of gaffes. Here are som...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Bongiorno, Professor of History, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University The Oxford English Dictionary defines a gaffe as a “blunder, an instance of clumsy stupidity, a ‘faux pas’.” It evokes a sense of triviality rather than high ...1 day ago
- Can apps and digital resources support your child with autism or ADHD? Here’s what to look for
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelsie Boulton, Senior Research Fellow in Child Neurodevelopment, Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney Fabio Principe/Shutterstock Neurodevelopmental conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism affect about one in ten children. These conditions impact development, behaviour and wellbeing. ...1 day ago
- Fully recovering Australia’s threatened species would cost 25% of GDP. We can’t do it all at onc...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By April Reside, Lecturer in Conservation, The University of Queensland An endangered golden-shouldered parrot Imogen Warren/Shutterstock Australia has already lost at least 100 species since European colonisation. Across land and freshwater habitats, 1,657 species are currently threatened with the same fate. Their populations ...1 day ago
- Wellington’s secondhand bookshops, ranked and reviewed
Summer reissue: Claire Mabey assesses the browsing merits of the capital’s secondhand bookstores. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today. Secondhand bookstores are extremely dangerous ...1 day ago - It’s time for the Greens to grow up – Swarbrick
The Green Party has increasingly faced the probably unfair (at least inaccurate) criticism that it’s abandoned its raison d’être.During the 2024 adjournment debate, where Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick refused to stick with the convention of making niche political jokes and bad puns, Act leader David Seymour accused Swarbrick of ...1 day ago - A plea for more politicians of conviction
Opinion: The sad passing of Dame Tariana Turia has rightly drawn attention to the value of politicians who have strong convictions which they pursue even when it is difficult to do so. Not all of the people who have expressed admiration for her were moved to that emotion when she ...1 day ago
- Where is she now? Wendy Frew
The search for Wendy Frew takes you to Pine Crescent Park, Rosedale, in Invercargill. “Possibly windswept and interesting” to quote a Billy Connolly-ism.It’s a setting that nurtured a remarkable deep-south sporting family dynasty – one fit to rival the Bracewells of the North.Among the eight children of Karen and Colin ...1 day ago
- ‘The room went dead quiet’: Josh Thomson on his worst 7 Days moment
Summer reissue: Josh Thomson on the 80s milk ad jingle he can’t stop singing, the beauty of The Simpsons, why Jersey Shore is as good as Shakespeare and more. For someone who spends a lot of time on our screens, popping up in everything from 7 Days to Taskmaster, Educators ...1 day ago
- Final day for public feedback on Treaty Principles Bill
The legislation proposes to rewrite the treaty principles long-defined by the courts ...1 day ago
- How you – yes, you! – can be a godsend to a new parent
Everyone can help lighten the load for a struggling new mum or dad. Here’s how. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today. As I recently ...1 day ago
- Dame Tariana Turia to be laid to rest today
Dame Tariana died on Friday, aged 80. ...1 day ago
- ‘Man had eel in his bum’: Remembering the story that almost broke the Herald
Summer reissue: This year the Herald on Sunday celebrated a significant birthday. Hayden Donnell takes a look back at one of its most defining moments. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and ...1 day ago
- How Wellington became a cornucopia of Malaysian food
Summer reissue: Our capital is a far cry from hot, bustling Kuala Lumpur, so why is this freezing city full of excellent Malaysian cuisine? My dad once told me that there are more Malaysian restaurants in Wellington per square kilometres than there are back in Malaysia. He was completely ...1 day ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 7 January
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- Daily crossword, Tuesday 7 January
The post Daily crossword, Tuesday 7 January appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 day ago
- Five Pacific region geopolitical ‘betrayals’ in 2024
COMMENTARY: By David Robie, editor of Asia Pacific Report With the door now shut on 2024, many will heave a sigh of relief and hope for better things this year. Decolonisation issues involving the future of Kanaky New Caledonia and West Papua – and also in the Middle East with ...2 days ago
- Labour should apologise to Dame Tariana Turia’s whānau – Willie Jackson at tangi
Willie Jackson was among politicians past and present paying respect to Dame Tariana today - and made the call for an apology over her treatment during the Foreshore and Seabed controversy. ...2 days ago
- ‘Ghost of Suharto’ marks Prabowo’s new phase in West Papua occupation
SPECIAL REPORT: By Paul Gregoire United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) provisional government interim president Benny Wenda has warned that since Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto took office in October, he has been proven right in having remarked, after the politician’s last February election, that his coming marks the return ...2 days ago
- Should I get a weighted vest to boost my fitness? And how heavy should it be?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Edith Cowan University ZR10/Shutterstock Exercise training while wearing a weighted vest is undergoing somewhat of a renaissance. Social media posts and trainers are promoting them as a potential strategy for improving fitness and health. ...2 days ago
- Live: Hīkoi mō te Tiriti supporters invited to honour Dame Tariana Turia at tangi
The Prime Minister is visiting Whangaehu Marae to pay his respects. ...2 days ago
- How do mosquito repellents work? A chemistry expert explains
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Eldridge, Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, Swinburne University of Technology kamitana/Shutterstock It’s summertime, and for many of us that means plenty of time outside – and, unfortunately, mosquitoes. The combination of the increase in temperature and plenty of water is ideal ...2 days ago
- Even calm people can fly into a rage behind the wheel. Here’s how to curb your road rage – befor...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Senior Lecturer of Urban Risk & Resilience, UNSW Sydney Marian Weyo/Shutterstock If someone bumps into us on the footpath or in the mall, we’re generally quite forgiving. We instinctively apologise or step aside, and usually don’t scream at, stalk, ...2 days ago
- Relentless warming is driving the water cycle to new extremes, the 2024 global water report shows
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University EPA/MIGUEL ANGEL POLO Last year, Earth experienced its hottest year on record − for the fourth year in a row. Rising temperatures are changing ...2 days ago
- Continental drift: why the need for critical minerals might change the way we define Earth’s zones
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rupert Sutherland, Professor of tectonics and geophysics, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Office of Ocean Exploration and Research/NOAA, CC BY-SA Continents and oceans have scientific definitions that underpin international law. The idea of dividing the world into geographical ...2 days ago
- Do natural fabrics really keep us cooler in summer? Here’s the science
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nisa Salim, Senior Lecturer at the School of Engineering, Swinburne University of Technology Dasha Petrenko/Shutterstock The Bureau of Meteorology has warned Australia is facing one of the hottest summers on record. As the weather warms, many of us reach for light-coloured ...2 days ago
- 3 drugs that went from legal, to illegal, then back again
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Philippa Martyr, Lecturer, Pharmacology, Women’s Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Western Australia Peruvian Syrup, containing cocaine, was used to ‘cure’ a range of diseases. Smithsonian Museum of American History/Flickr Cannabis, cocaine and heroin have interesting life stories and long ...2 days ago
- Dreading the school or daycare drop-off? How to handle it when your child doesn’t want you to go
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kylie Ridder, Lecturer in Early Childhood Education, Murdoch University Kiefer Photography/Shutterstock You’re doing daycare or school drop-off, you’re already late for work, and your child’s lip starts to quiver. A tremble turns into a wail, a wail into heart-rending cries as ...2 days ago
- Perfectionist leaders can push their teams to meet high standards – but it can backfire and stifl...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gamze Koseoglu, Senior Lecturer, The University of Melbourne fizkes/Shutterstock Have you ever kept a brilliant idea to yourself, fearing your boss’s reaction? This hesitation is more common than you might think, especially when working under perfectionist leaders. Some of the most ...2 days ago
- 5 tips to ace a job interview – including how to prepare for the question they’ll definitely ask
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kerry Brown, Professor of Employment and Industry, School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University Photo by Anna Shvets/Pexels If you’re back in the job market, or looking for your first position after graduating, you’ll need to think about how to ...2 days ago
- Why you should treat workplace friendships like your diet – aim for balance and variety
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stefan Korber, Senior Lecturer in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images The list of organisations abandoning the option of fully remote work for employees has grown recently, with the likes of Amazon, IBM, JPMorgan and Meta ...2 days ago
- Sunglasses reflect more than the light: a brief history of shades, from Ancient Rome to Hollywood
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Margaret Maynard, Associate Professor, School of Communication and the Arts, The University of Queensland State Library Victoria Sunglasses, or dark glasses, have always guarded against strong sunlight, but is there more to “shades” than we think? The pupils of our ...2 days ago
- Inside the fast rise and faster collapse of the acclaimed K Road restaurant Cotto
Summer reissue: The Auckland eatery closed its doors with no warning in late 2023, prompting concerned customers to ask the simple question: what went wrong? Stewart Sowman-Lund finds out. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read ...2 days ago
- Dunedin’s secondhand bookshops, ranked and reviewed
Summer reissue: Hera Lindsay Bird reveals the best places in Ōtepoti to score more for your apocalypse-prep book hoard. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member ...2 days ago
- Stanford braces herself for a year of cuts – and reform
“Next year is going to be a tough year for me, because I’m going to have to make some very, very difficult decisions,” Education Minister Erica Stanford says.That means cuts. Or at least replacements.“This is the problem in education: we never stop doing things.”This leads to a disjointed system, where ...2 days ago
- Protecting our democracy by reforming Parliament
Opinion: Aotearoa New Zealand currently exists in an unstable world. Democracies are under challenge across the globe, and we are not immune.As the inhabitants of one of the world’s oldest democracies, New Zealanders are accustomed to electing their Members of Parliament every three years and we value the importance of ...2 days ago
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