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- Kamala Harris (2)
Is POTUS up to the job?
Written By: - Date published: 2:34 pm, July 8th, 2019 - 275 comments
A senior Psychologist thinks that POTUS Donald Trump is not up to doing the job. And the UK Ambassador to the US says that the Trump White House is uniquely dysfunctional and inept.
5G flip flop
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, July 2nd, 2019 - 62 comments
Six weeks after banning China’s leading tech firm Huawei from contracts with U.S. businesses, U.S. President Donald Trump appears to have reversed it after meeting China’s Premier Xi Jinping.
The strange case of the missing Oregon Republican State senators
Written By: - Date published: 1:45 pm, June 24th, 2019 - 67 comments
Republican State Senators in the state of Oregon have headed for the hills and are being protected by a local nut job militia in an effort to thwart the democratically elected majority from doing passing a law to address climate change.
FiveEyes on our elections
Written By: - Date published: 3:56 am, June 12th, 2019 - 94 comments
Andrew Little’s letter to the Select Committee on election interference puzzled me – it seemed to be out of the blue and not particularly relevant to our system. Then I read about a meeting on the Gold Coast last year and it became clear as to why – FiveEyes pressure.
Three disturbingly different views on climate change
Written By: - Date published: 2:10 pm, June 10th, 2019 - 63 comments
In the same week that Donald Trump said that the American climate was the cleanest climate, Ian Dunlop, former chairman of the Australian Coal Association, has warned of massive social consequences ranging from increased religious fervour to outright chaos. And UK Chancellor Philip Hammond is questioning if remedial action is affordable.
Government under FiveEyes
Written By: - Date published: 9:48 pm, June 7th, 2019 - 11 comments
Australian Federal Police chief Neil Gaughan told media after raiding the ABC that “if police did not investigate the leaking of classified information, Australia would no longer be entrusted by FiveEyes partners with intelligence that saves lives.” FiveEyes didn’t save Muslim lives in Christchurch.
Despatches from Surrealistan
Written By: - Date published: 4:15 am, June 6th, 2019 - 7 comments
London feels surreal. Joined the demo against Trump, in town to see the Queen, see off the Prime Minister, and plunder the NHS in the name of ‘free trade.’ Saw the play “The Last Temptation of Boris Johnson,” which might be prescient.
The Coming Global Economic Slowdown and New Zealand
Written By: - Date published: 8:45 am, June 3rd, 2019 - 49 comments
With the United States – China trade war well underway, the sick chaos of Brexit is shrinking the U.K. economy and slowing much of Europe’s economy, and smaller economies such as that of Mexico in the crosshairs through further politically manufactured trade disputes, the second half of this year looks for New Zealand nowhere near as rosy as the first half.
Billionaire pledges to pay off class of 2019’s student loans
Written By: - Date published: 7:57 am, May 21st, 2019 - 50 comments
Billionaire investor Robert F. Smith was invited to give the graduation speech at Morehouse College, his old school, and stunned everyone when he deviated from prepared speech notes.
Auf Wiedersehen Iraq
Written By: - Date published: 12:49 pm, May 16th, 2019 - 30 comments
The Germans and the Dutch have suspended training Iraqi soldiers citing increased tensions in the area. What do they know that Ron Mark doesn’t? Cabinet is due to make a decision shortly on our long-planned decision to withdraw, and he seems to want us to stay. Labour’s policy at the election was to withdraw, it should prevail.
Huawei go again
Written By: - Date published: 10:31 pm, May 12th, 2019 - 29 comments
Mike Pompeo has just been in Britain trying to bully the UK government out of using Huawei for its 5G network. He and other officials have been heavying countries around the world. Its not working, but one thing is clear. It makes GCSB’s head Andrew Hampton’s assertion that its decision to reject Huawei was independent is simply not believable.
US China trade talks and New Zealand
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, May 12th, 2019 - 91 comments
Donald Trump’s trade war with China is way, way bad for New Zealand.
Is there a middle ground on climate change
Written By: - Date published: 9:11 am, May 11th, 2019 - 271 comments
It has been reported that US Presidential hopeful Joe Biden is hoping to craft a middle ground position between the extraordinarily strong scientific consensus suggesting we have a climate crisis and the industry supported anti scientific knee jerk opposition to doing anything.
The Brady Papers
Written By: - Date published: 3:03 pm, May 10th, 2019 - 54 comments
Anne-Marie Brady submitted to yesterday’s Select Committee Inquiry into foreign interference in our elections, making copious reference to her “Magic Weapons” paper of 2017. She didn’t mention another paper which casts a much different light on her independence and purpose
Watch out Iran
Written By: - Date published: 8:10 am, May 7th, 2019 - 57 comments
National Security Advisor John Bolton has announced that the US is sending an aircraft carrier and a bomber task force to the Middle East.
10,000 lies
Written By: - Date published: 3:36 pm, May 2nd, 2019 - 64 comments
The Washington Post tracker of Trump whoppers suggests that he has told his 10,000th presidential lie.
Should white supremacists be preferred over ISIS?
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, April 27th, 2019 - 117 comments
According to media sources in the United States Twitter won’t autoban white supremacists because too many GOP Politicians would be banned.
Splitters!
Written By: - Date published: 10:37 am, April 26th, 2019 - 34 comments
David Moffett, a Former board member of the New Conservative Party has announced the launch of a new new conservative party.
Confirmation bias
Written By: - Date published: 12:03 pm, April 21st, 2019 - 134 comments
The internet neatly divides us into separate isolated tribes with polarised views of what are the issues and what is reality. How do we engage in a civilised discussion to educate each other and reach a consensus of what we should be doing?
The Mueller report
Written By: - Date published: 10:11 am, April 19th, 2019 - 75 comments
Robert Mueller’s report has now been released and questions are being asked at the benign spin that the White House has been allowed to engage in to describe it before its release.
Trump’s border problem
Written By: - Date published: 8:45 am, April 16th, 2019 - 30 comments
Donald Trump has considered taking some extraordinary steps to quell a surge in migration through the southern boarder of the United States.
Trump’s tax returns and the Mueller investigation
Written By: - Date published: 7:40 am, April 5th, 2019 - 53 comments
Donald Trump and his supporters have been celebrating Mueller’s finding as interpreted by William Barr. But with Congress formally requesting his tax records and with the Mueller report not being yet released the celebration could be premature.
Did Hanson’s One Nation Party seek funding from the NRA and the Koch Brothers?
Written By: - Date published: 8:05 am, March 27th, 2019 - 23 comments
Pauline Hanson’s One Australia party is trying to defend claims that it should funding to oppose gun restrictions from the NRA and the Koch Brothers by stating that its chief of staff was drunk.
Trump: Nyet Collusion!
Written By: - Date published: 10:15 am, March 25th, 2019 - 138 comments
The Mueller report apparently clears Donald Trump of collusion. However, charges of obstruction of justice against his team remain possible.
The trouble with Facebook
Written By: - Date published: 10:11 am, March 24th, 2019 - 79 comments
The Government and some major corporations have called for changes to Facebook in the way it operates.
Mueller Report Complete
Written By: - Date published: 10:34 am, March 23rd, 2019 - 120 comments
The Mueller report has dropped. The next few days are going to be crucial for the Trump presidency.
The power of compassionate politics
Written By: - Date published: 9:20 am, March 20th, 2019 - 205 comments
Jacinda Ardern has shown over the past week that she is one of the country’s best leaders.
Mike Hosking’s unusual take on the Christchurch massacre
Written By: - Date published: 8:09 am, March 19th, 2019 - 137 comments
Mike Hosking has delivered an analysis of the Mosque murders that omits saying the massacre occurred in a mosque or that all the victims were of the Muslim faith or that the terrorist was a right wing extremist.
Magicked-Up Weapons
Written By: - Date published: 10:30 pm, March 11th, 2019 - 116 comments
I’m glad Anne-Marie Brady will get the chance to present her “Magic Weapons” paper to the select committee examining the last election. At long last it might get given some proper critical examination, of its content as well as it provenance. In my opinion it reads like a long list of the blindingly obvious, mixed with a large dose of conspiracy theory. It certainly doesn’t show much sign of the sort of critical thinking one might expect from an academic.
Venezuela, China and Russia
Written By: - Date published: 1:41 pm, March 4th, 2019 - 54 comments
In the new world order of robber barons in which most states are collectively so weak that they no longer effective resistance against large corporations, we should start to view states as diplomatic fronts for corporations.
Kim Hill eviscerates Chris Christie on National radio
Written By: - Date published: 10:06 am, March 3rd, 2019 - 54 comments
Chris Christie agreed to be interviewed by Kim Hill about his recently released book. It seems like he did not know what he was letting himself in for.
- Funding is not the central part of our infrastructure crises
Opinion: Govt does not develop trust by just stopping things to save short-term costs The post Funding is not the central part of our infrastructure crises appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 days ago - Businesses will have to accept cash for essentials under government plan
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government, anxious to prevent a dash from cash by businesses, says it will mandate that they must accept it for essential items. Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones outlined the ...5 days ago - NFP president slams Labour leader for ‘hallucinating’ about Fiji governance
By Anish Chand in Nadi, Fiji National Federation Party president Parmod Chand has described Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry as a “self-professed champion of the poor” and criticised him over “hallucinating” about the country. Chand made the comment when responding to remarks made by Chaudhry during FLP’s Annual Delegates ...5 days ago
- Hīkoi day 8: Significant disruption expected when thousands converge on capital
RNZ News New Zealand’s hīkoi against the Treaty Principles Bill could be one of the largest rallies that the capital has seen for years, Wellington City Council says. The Hīkoi mō te Tiriti will arrive in Wellington tomorrow, and locals are being warned to expect disruption and plan ahead. Yesterday, ...5 days ago
- Hīkoi mō te Tiriti: Significant disruption expected when thousands converge on capital
Wellingtonians are being asked to plan ahead, while the PM says he'll "wait and see" as to whether he meets hīkoi participants. ...6 days ago - South Australian Labor gains Black at byelection with big swing
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 Twitter A byelection occurred on Saturday in the South Australian Liberal-held state seat of Black. With all election day votes counted, ...6 days ago
- Luxon to ‘push on’ with Trump amid tariff concerns
New Zealand must work with politicians like Donald Trump regardless of any polarising policies, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has said at the conclusion of an international summit where the incoming ruler’s plans loomed large.Luxon took part in the annual leaders’ retreat at the Apec summit, held this year in Peru’s ...6 days ago
- Trump win, 1.5C warming breach weigh on UN climate ‘finance COP’
By Sera Sefeti of BenarNews Pacific delegates fear the implications of a Trump presidency and breach of the 1.5 degree Celsius warming target will overshadow negotiations on climate finance at the UN’s annual COP talks that have started in Azerbaijan this week. At the COP29 summit — dubbed the “finance ...6 days ago
- Survey warning on Papua ‘box ticking’ mega estates project goes unheeded
By Stephen Wright for Radio Free Asia Indonesia’s plan to convert over 2 million ha of conservation and indigenous lands into agriculture will cause long-term damage to the environment, create conflict and add to greenhouse gas emissions, according to a feasibility study document for the Papua region mega-project. The 96-page ...6 days ago
- Xi Jinping tells Luxon face-to-face that New Zealand should see China as a partner not a threat
Analysis - Consider China an 'opportunity and partner rather than a challenge or threat' - that was the message Xi Jinping delivered to Christopher Luxon at their face-to-face meeting, according to Chinese state-run media. ...6 days ago
- Countries clash over emissions cuts at COP29
A week of late nights, tense exchanges and dozens of pages of draft negotiating texts have failed to make significant progress on the big issues up for discussion at COP29.On key agenda items – finance, carbon trading and how to implement last year’s commitment to transition away from fossil fuels, ...6 days ago
- An Ode to .. Hana
Home alone“OK,” says Chris Luxon, CEO of Bottom Feed Enterprises.“I’m going out now to an important work event.Can I trust you to behave?”“Sure, Dad,” says Seymour. “I’m thirteen now.”“All right,” says Dad.“Call me if you need to – and remember,Whatever you do, don’t hit the Box with the Stick.”“Sure, Dad,” ...6 days ago
- Western media ‘parrots Israeli propaganda’ over Gaza, says analyst
Pacific Media Watch A media studies professor at Qatar’s Doha Institute for Graduate Studies has completed empirical studies examining Western media coverage of Israel’s war on Gaza — and his findings have been highly critical. Professor Mohamad Elmasry found that Western media have failed to do much more than “parrot ...6 days ago
- Plea to bar Prabowo from UK as Indonesian security forces crack down on Papuan rally
Asia Pacific Report A West Papuan advocacy group for self-determination for the colonised Melanesians has appealed to the United Kingdom government to cancel its planned reception for new Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. “Prabowo is a blood-stained war criminal who is complicit in genocide in East Timor and West Papua,” claimed an ...7 days ago
- China plays for power as Luxon manages differences
China is not generally known for its understated approach to diplomacy, but even by its usual standards, the country’s presence at this year’s Apec summit has been unavoidable.Large groups of supporters bearing miniature flags and banners of support have taken up residence outside the hotel accommodating Chinese president Xi Jinping ...7 days ago
- Toitū te Tiriti hīkoi fits: Savage style for seasoned steezers
Māori don’t just hīkoi for change – we dress for it, too. One thing we don’t get enough credit for as Māori (aside a very long list of many other things) is our ability to dress for an occasion, be it a reunion, hui, tangi or hīkoi. You can trust ...1 week ago - Dog of the month: Georgie, who would like The Spinoff to rank peanut butters
Get to know Georgie, our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Georgie’s human, Peter, for his support. Dog name: Georgie Age: 2 years, 10 months Breed: An absolute mutt. We think some Staffy, some ...1 week ago
- Crown apology: Three voices from NZ’s shameful recent past
Abuse survivor: It is time to deliver, Prime MinisterKeith Wiffin says the Government needs to commit to concrete timelines for redressWe’ve heard those words from the state before, and they are meaningless because they have not resulted in change or progress.We are called survivors, but firstly I would like to ...1 week ago
- Of Treaties, Cabbages and Kings
During his speech to introduce the Treaty Principles Bill, David Seymour made a number of statements that are either disingenuous or ignorant. Early in his speech, he asked: ‘Where in the world is it a good idea to give different rights based on ancestry? Where in the world has that approach ...1 week ago
- The great lunch debate
Would you call fried chicken and chips at 10am ‘lunch’?“I try and keep as regular a schedule as I can, but that will translate a bit weirdly when I’m on shift work,” says reporter Finn Blackwell, who’s often found in RNZ’s breakroom well before noon, feasting on anything from a ...1 week ago
- The Secret Diary of .. Sheriff Seymour
Monday Sheriff Seymour rode his white horse through the beautiful tree-lined streets of the wealthiest suburb in Dodge, and arrived at the mansion of one of the richest men in the whole state.He rang the doorbell. A servant led him to an oak-panelled room, and gestured for him to sit.He ...1 week ago
- The case for COPs (even this one)
Every day this week, COP29 has managed to spark international headlines for all the wrong reasons.First, the eight hour agenda fight over what, actually, diplomats will spend time negotiating this year.Then on Tuesday the President of Azerbaijan, which is hosting COP29 in the capital Baku, called oil and gas a ...1 week ago
- The Weekend: In defence of Auckland’s ‘incredibly’ expensive Christmas tree
Anna Rawhiti-Connell reflects on the week that was. This week I hosted The Spinoff’s Year In Review live event In Wellington. Everything went remarkably well, and you can attend the same (but maybe more refined) event in Auckland on December 11. The welcoming crowd in Wellington even wanted more of ...1 week ago
- ‘Really worried’: What Now’s Chris Kirk on smuggling gunge out of New Zealand
The What Now and Brain Busters presenter takes us on a trip down TV memory lane. Growing up, Chris Kirk was a huge fan of What Now. Every Sunday morning, he would wake up early to watch Carolyn Taylor and Jason Fa’afoi entertain the nation, delighting in every chaotic, gunge-filled ...1 week ago
- The case of the cursed bread: An excerpt from Una Cruickshank’s The Chthonic Cycle
The Chthonic Cycle by Una Cruickshank is a compelling series of essays that explore a wide range of fascinating and unexpected subjects. This excerpt, from an essay called ‘Les Tigres’, tells the story of a massed hallucination event in 1951, France. On a hot August day in 1951, 280 people ...1 week ago
- The slowest city in the world is on the brink of change
New Zealander Tasha Black relays what it’s like in post-revolution Bangladesh from an eight-hour traffic jam in Dhaka. It’s Friday night on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, and the traffic is stuck. Trucks, auto-rickshaws, private cars, buses, all stuck. A stationary ambulance futilely spins its red and blue lights. It’s ...1 week ago
- The Nobel Prize in Not Beating Up Your Kids
On the most extraordinary human achievements you’ll never, ever notice, and possibly shouldn’t celebrate. The Spinoff Essay showcases the best essayists in Aotearoa, on topics big and small. Made possible by the generous support of our members. We’re all in therapy these days, everyone in the Veja-heeled milieu I find myself ...1 week ago
- ‘Theatrical, chaotic and romantic’: Heidi Simpson’s perfect weekend playlist
Indie-pop darling Heidi Simpson shares her perfect weekend playlist. Heidi Simpson is a singer, tune maker, pop music believer and certified cool girl. The Tāmaki Makaurau native typically muses on Saturday nights and the emptiness between waiting for something to happen, but her recently released single ‘Best Kept Secret’ is ...1 week ago
- The Kiwi world champions you’ve heard too little about
The Paddle Ferns are back on top of the world after winning the Canoe Polo World Championships for the second time in eight years.It’s a growing sport that combines kayaking and ball-handling skills in a contact team game, played either indoors or out, with five players a sideSeventeen countries competed ...1 week ago
- Short story: I’ll ask my sister, by Marilyn Duckworth
A chatter of small brown birds rose up from the crippled tree at the street’s end. Muttering. She was reminded of the local Council who were still grumpily debating problems, including those of street verges. Some home owners had been taking it upon themselves to make cheeky personal use of ...1 week ago
- Apec’s ‘elephant in the room’
As business leaders and politicians discussed the major economic issues facing the world at Apec’s annual CEO Summit, there was an unignorable “elephant in the room”, as one moderator put it.Donald Trump’s name was rarely mentioned by the speakers, yet the potential impact of his second term in power was ...1 week ago
- Censorship Is Alive And Well In New Zealand
“What this looks like to us is censorship of anyone who tries to disagree with this Government, which causes a chilling effect” says Cooper Legal Senior Associate, Lydia Oosterhoff. ...1 week ago - Raw Politics: MPs face-off over the Great Divide
Parliament saw two historic days this week, one of great solemnity and unity, the other a raucous and high-stakes stand-off between political foes over the Treaty of Waitangi.Raw Politics looks first at the volatile reception for Act’s Treaty Principles Bill at its first reading, how parties performed to their voting ...1 week ago
- In Cold Water is a must-see for true crime fans
A new documentary series tells the story of a former Napier councillor accused of murder in Canada. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. In 2010, New Zealander Peter Beckett was on holiday in Canada’s Rocky Mountains, enjoying a relaxing afternoon fishing on ...1 week ago
- The Friday Poem: ‘FREE TRAMPOLINE’ by Sophie van Waardenberg
A new poem by by Sophie van Waardenberg. FREE TRAMPOLINE If I could, I’d praise the world— how this, how that, how the darling other— but all I do is sit down, hang on, come home. It has to be enough. On the walk from the station all the sidewalk ...1 week ago
- The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending November 15
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 Zest: Climbing From Depression to Philosophy by Daniel Kalderimis (Ugly Hill Press, $40) Kalderimis ...1 week ago
- The rebuilding of Fazerdaze
Following the release of her sophomore album Soft Power, Amelia Murray (Fazerdaze) tells Alex Casey about heading south and rediscovering herself. Fazerdaze is back in Morningside, but everything has changed. “It’s so strange to be back, ” she says softly, gesturing out of The Spinoff’s office window at the drizzly ...1 week ago
- Where does kai come from? Learning in the māra
Lucinda Bennet reflects on appreciating vegetables and learning through doing. This is an excerpt from our food newsletter, The Boil Up. When you pull a carrot from the ground, there’s a certain sound it makes, a kind of “pop” as the tip detaches from the root cap. It’s something you can ...1 week ago
- The cost of being: A lawyer with two kids, a mortgage and a love of good meat
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a 42-year-old lawyer shares how he and his family approach their finances. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here. Gender: Male. Age: 42. Ethnicity: Pākehā. Role: Lawyer with two ...1 week ago
- Watch live: New Zealand vs Australia in the Trans-Tasman Scrabble Challenge
In an Antipodean first, the Bledisloe Cup of Scrabble is streaming live on YouTube all weekend. Here’s how to watch and everything else you need to know. What’s all this then? It’s Scrabble as you’ve never seen it before! Unless you already watch Scrabble online, in which case it’s Scrabble ...1 week ago
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