class war
Categories under class war
- No categories
Killing Them Softly With…
Written By: - Date published: 10:24 am, June 11th, 2018 - 48 comments
In New Zealand there is sufficient evidence to show that poor peoples’ lives are cut short because of poverty related poor nutrition. While food banks are alleviating the worst impacts of hunger, their kindness may well be contributing to the problem. Food poverty is a systemic issue and requires a systemic response, a response that successive governments are able to avoid while charities continue to provide a buffer for the system.
Who Really is Judging the Poor?
Written By: - Date published: 2:46 pm, June 3rd, 2018 - 89 comments
Some conversations about poverty are harming those in need. Those conversations contribute to the stigma and shame experienced by struggling families, who are barely surviving, but still trying to maintain some dignity. As a result even those in need are differentiating between the deserving and undeserving poor.
Strange Democracy.
Written By: - Date published: 11:38 am, May 30th, 2018 - 30 comments
Quietly mulling on the difference between foreign interference (malign) and influence (benign).
Gluckman: Methamphetamine policy was a crock
Written By: - Date published: 8:19 am, May 30th, 2018 - 80 comments
The Prime Minister’s chief science adviser Peter Gluckman has described the previous Government’s policy on methamphetamine in Housing Corp houses as hysterical and concluded that there has never been a documented case of someone getting sick from third-hand exposure to methamphetamine.
Why is Mark Richardson such a Nimby and …?
Written By: - Date published: 11:58 am, May 25th, 2018 - 46 comments
Being a nimby is the least of Mark Richardson’s problems. His disguised hate speech is harmful to his victims and anyone else in need of help who are left feeling the shame imposed upon them by such careless dialogue.
Call for Royal Commission into Banking
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, May 23rd, 2018 - 13 comments
Sam Stubbs, a longstanding outspoken commentator in New Zealand’s financial industry, continues to advocate for a Royal Commission into banking and insurance.
Fudget for Austerity
Written By: - Date published: 12:31 pm, May 19th, 2018 - 71 comments
Some proposals on why we just got the budget we did.
Squeeze
Written By: - Date published: 9:17 am, May 13th, 2018 - 40 comments
This is as good a year as it is going to get to squeeze your employer for a fair wage.
No Iran Israeli War.
Written By: - Date published: 10:58 am, May 12th, 2018 - 11 comments
In spite of all the sharp intakes of breathe going on across media outlets, there will be no war between Iran and Israel. Here’s why.
Rogue Nation(s)
Written By: - Date published: 10:19 am, May 9th, 2018 - 30 comments
Just some thoughts that kind of meandered down to the ocean.
Is Karl Marx dead?
Written By: - Date published: 11:38 am, May 8th, 2018 - 60 comments
2018 marks several anniversaries of Karl Marx whose significance for the critique of capitalist society is hard to diminish. But what now for his beliefs?
The Centre, the Left and UK local elections
Written By: - Date published: 11:18 am, May 4th, 2018 - 14 comments
Thoughts on a resurgent left and a collapsing centre.
Radical Socialism
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, May 2nd, 2018 - 43 comments
‘nother guest post by Nick Kelly (Upper Hutt boy in London)
Thank you Metiria.
Written By: - Date published: 11:14 am, April 25th, 2018 - 94 comments
Some movement on social security (a thing we all deserve)
Is capitalism obsolete?
Written By: - Date published: 8:10 am, April 23rd, 2018 - 303 comments
Former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis has given a speech where he has stated that capitalism is coming to an end because it is making itself obsolete.
The Largesse
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, April 3rd, 2018 - 51 comments
April the first and second mark the days when those receiving entitlements receive a yearly increase in line with the CPI and the governments increase to Accommodation Supplement also comes into effect. So what does it all mean for those receiving entitlements?
Democracy, Faux Democracy and Terror.
Written By: - Date published: 11:27 am, March 19th, 2018 - 37 comments
Facebook, Putin, poisoning and Ghouta have all given fairly extensive media coverage of late. Nothing much on Afrin. Afrin has just fallen to terrorists backed by Turkey.
Update: the photo used for this post is of the The Queer Insurrection and Liberation Army (TQILA), who are part of the International Revolutionary People’s Guerrilla Forces fighting in Syria.
Sanctions. Weapons of War.
Written By: - Date published: 11:50 am, March 18th, 2018 - 53 comments
When elite’s tussle, shouldn’t we look after us and ours?
Where’s my share?
Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, February 14th, 2018 - 35 comments
Had anyone with a job (other than the top 2 tiers of management) had a wage increase higher than inflation recently?
Stop Using the ‘F’ Word.
Written By: - Date published: 6:30 am, February 13th, 2018 - 41 comments
Because words matter.
The Housing Crisis.
Written By: - Date published: 10:43 am, February 11th, 2018 - 154 comments
Can politics deliver?
Trickledown …
Written By: - Date published: 8:25 am, February 8th, 2018 - 17 comments
Over in America Republican intellectual genius Paul Ryan tweeted how a School teacher who will receive $1.50 extra per week because of Republican tax cuts was grateful for the increase. But it did not go down well …
NZ Court of Appeal and the Ministry of Health
Written By: - Date published: 6:27 am, February 8th, 2018 - 66 comments
The government has a responsibility to act fairly, centre its services around the needs of people, and treat NZ citizens as human beings.
Buttered Bread
Written By: - Date published: 11:20 am, February 6th, 2018 - 84 comments
What side’s yours buttered on?
Jacinda Ardern’s child poverty speech
Written By: - Date published: 7:42 am, February 1st, 2018 - 74 comments
In a major speech yesterday on poverty, Prime Minister Ardern has laid out fully and forthrightly what is the problem and what need to be done.
Bill your pants may be on fire
Written By: - Date published: 1:48 pm, January 30th, 2018 - 118 comments
Bill English has criticised the Government for only offering an officer briefing on the day that legislation is due to be introduced into Parliament. But appears to have forgotten an offer made by Jacinda Ardern 48 days ago.
Ruminations on deprivation
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, January 29th, 2018 - 172 comments
Man gets wet feet. Is reminded of privilege.
Rimutaka Prison.
Written By: - Date published: 7:03 am, January 28th, 2018 - 51 comments
Who are the bigger criminals?
Updated.
NRT: Not good enough
Written By: - Date published: 6:13 am, January 26th, 2018 - 42 comments
“The government today announced some employment relations reforms, including the restoration of meal breaks and the right to collective bargaining. But they also plan to retain 90 day trial periods for small businesses“
The Humanity.
Written By: - Date published: 5:57 pm, January 25th, 2018 - 8 comments
Thoughtless thugs. Killers.
Solidarity
Written By: - Date published: 10:40 am, January 22nd, 2018 - 7 comments
History not forgotten.
- Toi Te Mana: The landmark indigenous history of Māori art has arrived
Two authors of an extraordinary new book on the history of Māori art, Deidre Brown and Ngarino Ellis, discuss how they approached it, and why. Māori art is one of the great art traditions of the world. That kaupapa was the starting point for a project we began 12 years ...4 days ago - On being undeniably, irretrievably old
David Hill is in his ninth decade. In a touching tribute to his late friend, he challenges some myths about ‘old farts’. The Spinoff Essay showcases the best essayists in Aotearoa, on topics big and small. Made possible by the generous support of our members. I‘m past The Birthday. Not “the ...4 days ago
- ‘So simple, so sweet, so pure’: Rita Mae’s perfect weekend playlist
Singer-songwriter Rita Mae shares her perfect weekend playlist. “Gritty, bold, and to-the-point” is how Tāmaki Makaurau indie darling Rita Mae describes her upcoming project. The singer-songwriter’s second EP, Kiss the Sky, will be released into the world on November 15. “[Kiss the Sky is] about desire and greed, it’s about ...4 days ago
- Like it or not, ethnicity is a useful shortcut for identifying health needs
Proxies, including those based on ethnicity, play an important role in a fair and equitable resource allocation system, write public health academics Tim Tenbensel and Monique Jonas. The government’s recent directive that public services should be prioritised “on the basis of need, not race” will make it harder and more ...4 days ago
- Podcast: The cost of prison
Is New Zealand’s prison system about safety, or just punishment? And what are the social and financial costs of prioritising retributive justice? What if our hunger for punishment is costing us more than we realise? In this week’s episode of When the Facts Change, Bernard Hickey sits down with ...4 days ago
- NZ’s best baller is back in action
Steven Adams has swapped franchises and has a new home for the 2024-25 NBA basketball season.And his Houston Rockets teammates got a taste of how different he is to them when he posted a picture on Instagram of a bare room featuring a mattress on the floor with the caption, ...4 days ago - Winner of the Sargeson Prize, Secondary Schools Division
Third try. With a shaky hand, I place the burgundy bindi on my forehead. Is it centred?You’d always put the bindi on for me; I couldn’t do it. Then you’d braid my hair, finishing it with a delicate red ribbon. You’d help me with everything. I remember your crimson-red saree ...4 days ago
- Katherine Mansfield and some risky advice
No series on the legacy of Katherine Mansfield would be complete without the father – daughter duo Karl Stead and Charlotte Grimshaw. They are Mansfield Menton Fellowship winners: Karl in 1972, Charlotte in 2024.Stead’s literary life is packed with bouquets – and brickbats – for novels, poetry and literary criticism.[vimeo ...4 days ago
- Kamala Harris’s support for Israel’s genocide in Gaza ‘betrayal of true feminism’
Democracy Now! AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, “War, Peace and the Presidency.” I’m Amy Goodman, with Nermeen Shaikh. NERMEEN SHAIKH: As we continue to look at Donald Trump’s return to the White House, we turn now to look at what it means for the world, from Israel’s war on ...4 days ago - Eugene Doyle: Axis of Genocide vs Axis of Resistance. Whose side are you on?
COMMENTARY: By Eugene Doyle Despite being appalled at my government, I winced as a New Zealander to hear my country described as part of the “Axis of Genocide”. With increasing frequency I hear commentators on West Asia/Middle East news sites hold the collective West responsible for the genocide. It’s a ...5 days ago
- Khalistan ‘Referendum’ In Auckland Discussed At Top Diplomatic Levels
A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson confirmed that S Jaishankar, India's minister of external affairs, raised the issue during the meeting but declined to provide details of the discussion. ...5 days ago - If Trump puts RFK Jr in charge of health, get ready for a distorted reality, where global health suf...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nancy Baxter, Deputy Executive Dean (Research Centres), Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney A key figure in Donald Trump’s election campaign and a likely figure in his incoming administration is Robert F. Kennedy Jr, or RFK Jr for short. After ...5 days ago
- Trump has threatened to fire the chair of the US Federal Reserve. That could be bad news for inflati...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Henry Maher, Lecturer in Politics, Department of Government and International Relations, University of Sydney US President-elect Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to fire the chair of the US Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell. Up until this week, that may have seemed like ...5 days ago
- Raw Politics: Act finally gets its shot at the Treaty
Each time the tide comes in, it comes further up the beach. Well, that appears to be the Act Party’s strategy launching its Treaty Principles Bill in Parliament with not a single vote in support of it passing likely from any of Parliament’s other five political parties.Raw Politics looks at ...5 days ago
- What does the Mineral Resources crisis tell us about the state of corporate governance in Australia?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gerhard Hambusch, Associate Professor, University of Technology Sydney Piotr Swat/Shutterstock The $7 billion Australian mining giant Mineral Resources (MinRes) is facing a governance crisis. Chris Ellison, the company’s founder and managing director, faces allegations of tax evasion and using company ...5 days ago
- Commission Calls For The Promise Of Te Tiriti O Waitangi To Be Honoured
The Commission’s Rongomau Taketake Indigenous Rights Governance Partner, Dayle Takitimu, said the Government had completely ignored the Waitangi Tribunal’s recommendations in its interim report Ngā Mātāpono, including for the Bill to be abandoned. ...5 days ago
- In your face: our acceptance of facial recognition technology depends on who is doing it – and whe...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicholas Xavier Dynon, Doctoral Candidate, Centre for Defence & Security Studies, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University Facial recognition technology is becoming more widely used, but this has not been matched by wider acceptance from the public. Controversies continue to ...5 days ago
- With Trump returning to the White House, what will happen to his court cases?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Markus Wagner, Professor of Law and Director of the UOW Transnational Law and Policy Centre, University of Wollongong US President-elect Donald Trump achieved a resounding victory on several fronts. He will comfortably govern with a likely majority in the Senate and the ...5 days ago
- Grand bargain with Putin? Confrontation with China? 3 ways Trump may change America’s place in the...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Sussex, Associate Professor (Adj), Griffith Asia Institute; and Fellow, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University With a resounding victory in the US presidential election, Donald Trump can now claim a sweeping mandate to implement his agenda, both foreign and ...5 days ago
- 10 reasons why US president-elect Donald Trump can’t derail global climate action
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wesley Morgan, Research Associate, Institute for Climate Risk and Response, UNSW Sydney If you care about saving Earth from catastrophe, you might be feeling a little down about the re-election of Donald Trump as United States president. Undeniably, his return to the ...5 days ago
- Convicted former Fiji PM Voreqe Bainimarama released from prison
Former Fiji Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has been released from prison, only six months into his 12 months sentence, the Fiji Corrections Service (FCS) said via a statement today. Bainimarama was jailed in May, alongside former police chief Sitiveni Qiliho, for perverting the cause of justice. “The Fiji Corrections Service ...5 days ago
- Further US election analysis: Hispanics and young men swung big to Trump
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Republican Donald Trump won the United States presidential election by 312 electoral votes to 226 for Democrat Kamala Harris. Trump carried the ...5 days ago
- Your friend has been diagnosed with cancer. Here are 6 things you can do to support them
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie Cowdery, Research Fellow, Carer Hub: A Centre of Excellence in Cancer Carer Research, Translation and Impact, Deakin University Across the world, one in five people are diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime. By age 85, almost one in two Australians will ...5 days ago
- Chris Hedges: The politics of cultural despair – and the American nightmare
Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. – ANALYSIS: By Chris Hedges In the end, the US election was about despair. Despair over futures that evaporated with deindustrialisation. Despair over the loss of 30 million jobs in mass layoffs. Despair over austerity programmes and the funneling of wealth ...5 days ago
- Live: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to speak
It comes after the Auditor-General rejected a request to investigate the government's tobacco tax decision. ...5 days ago - The Friday Poem: ‘COLD EROTICA’ by Loretta Riach
A new poem by Loretta Riach. COLD EROTICA Kiss me, Hardy, in the dark-robed blindness of passion, both of us pressed up against the parapets of your one bedroom apartment, a chill against the sliding door. Kiss me, stranger– harder than that! Give it to me like a sail full ...5 days ago
- The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending November 8
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. AUCKLAND 1 Kai Feast by Christall Lowe (Bateman, $60) This from the publisher’s blurb is enough to get ...5 days ago
- Robert Patman: NZ shouldn’t be afraid to call Trump out
Donald Trump is labelling his win ‘the greatest political movement of all time’. How historic is it for someone (globally) to be elected president twice non-consecutively, especially with a tumultuous background?Like or dislike it, Donald Trump is arguably the most impactful US president during the 21st century. Elected twice as ...5 days ago
- What do people think about smartglasses? New research reveals a complicated picture
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fareed Kaviani, Research fellow, Emerging Technologies Research Lab, Monash University Smartglasses, a type of wearable device, have evolved rapidly since the pioneering yet ill-fated Google Glass received social backlash in 2013. Early adopters were nicknamed “Glassholes”, and the product never reached commercialisation. ...5 days ago
- Nicola Willis announces Social Investment Board members
Former Treasury Secretary Dr Graham Scott - who previously stood for ACT - will lead the group, with Te Ururoa Flavell and Mike Williams also among the nine members. ...5 days ago
- NZQA defends difficulty of exams students say were ‘ridiculous’
'Excellence' grade questions are supposed to be hard, officials say, as students launch a petition. ...5 days ago
- Auditor-General rejects heated tobacco inquiry as out of scope
The Serious Fraud Office and Commerce Commission may be better placed to investigate, the watchdog says. ...5 days ago
- Governments are pushing teen social media bans – but behind the scenes is a messy fight over scien...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz, Epidemiologist, Senior Research Fellow, University of Wollongong Davide Angelini/Solsykke/Shutterstock As governments worldwide move to restrict teenagers’ access to smartphones and social media, a fierce scientific debate has erupted over whether these digital technologies actually harm young people’s mental health. ...5 days ago
- With its 10th coach in a decade, is Manchester United trapped in a ‘fixes that fail’ cycle?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Scott McLean, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Human Factors and Sociotechnical Systems, University of the Sunshine Coast Manchester United have confirmed the appointment of Rúben Amorim, their tenth permanent or interim head coach since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. Under ...5 days ago
- Paul Buchanan: All in all, Trump’s election is a calamity in the making
COMMENTARY: By Paul G Buchanan Surveying the wreckage of the US elections, here are some observations that have emerged: Campaigns based on hope do not always defeat campaigns based on fear. Having dozens of retired high ranking military and diplomatic officials warn against the danger Donald Trump poses to democracy ...5 days ago
- The many mysteries of A Remarkable Place to Die
Tara Ward watches TVNZ’s sleek and scenic new murder-mystery series. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s a beautiful day in Central Otago for a car to plummet off a cliff. Somewhere deep inside Skipper’s Canyon, a car leaves the road and ...5 days ago
- Greens’ Copyright (Parody and Satire) bill to be debated in Parliament
A law change to protect comedians, critics and artists who poke fun at others with copyright material has been pulled from the ballot. ...5 days ago
- Auckland rail network to shut nearly 100 days next year
Up to 96 days are now set for total shutdowns, another 54 for "partial closures" in a bit to prepare for the CRL opening, Simeon Brown says. ...5 days ago
- NZ should follow Australian ban on social media for children under-16 – expert
Under the new Australian law, platforms like X, TikTok and Instagram would be responsible for blocking children under 16. ...5 days ago
- Watch live: Minister makes transport announcement in Auckland
Transport Minister Simeon Brown and acting Mayor Desley Simpson are speaking from Mount Eden Railway Station. ...5 days ago
The server will be getting hardware changes this evening starting at 10pm NZDT.
The site will be off line for some hours.
Recent Comments