Daily review 02/10/2020
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5:30 pm, October 2nd, 2020 - 66 comments
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- The 1 Good Thing Left In Journalism
Hi,It’s almost Christmas Day which means it is almost my birthday, where you will find me whimpering in the corner clutching a warm bottle of Baileys.If you’re out of ideas for presents (and truly desperate) then it is possible to gift a full Webworm subscription to a friend (or enemy) ...1 hour ago - Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes for Monday, December 23
This morning’s six standouts for me at 6.30am include:Rachel Helyer Donaldson’s scoop via RNZ last night of cuts to maternity jobs in the health system;Maddy Croad’s scoop via The Press-$ this morning on funding cuts for Christchurch’s biggest food rescue charity;Benedict Collins’ scoop last night via 1News on a last-minute ...2 hours ago - 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #51
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Well, I've been there, sitting in that same chairWhispering that same prayer half a million timesIt's a lie, though buried in disciplesOne page of the Bible isn't worth a lifeThere's nothing wrong with youIt's true, it's trueThere's something wrong with the villageWith the villageSomething wrong with the villageSongwriters: Andrew Jackson ...22 hours ago - Government Forces Universities to Enforce “Free Speech” While Limiting Universities̵...
ACT would like to dictate what universities can and can’t say. We knew it was coming. It was outlined in the coalition agreement and has become part of Seymour’s strategy of “emphasising public funding” to prevent people from opposing him and his views—something he also uses to try and de-platform ...22 hours ago - Fact brief – Are we heading into an ‘ice age’?
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- As Our Power Lessens: Published
So the Solstice has arrived – Summer in this part of the world, Winter for the Northern Hemisphere. And with it, the publication my new Norse dark-fantasy piece, As Our Power Lessens at Eternal Haunted Summer: https://eternalhauntedsummer.com/issues/winter-solstice-2024/as-our-power-lessens/ As previously noted, this one is very ‘wyrd’, and Northern Theory of Courage. ...2 days ago - By Any Other Name.
The Natural Choice: As a starter for ten percent of the Party Vote, “saving the planet” is a very respectable objective. Young voters, in particular, raised on the dire (if unheeded) warnings of climate scientists, and the irrefutable evidence of devastating weather events linked to global warming, vote Green. After ...2 days ago - Bernard’s last Saturday Soliloquy for 2024
The Government cancelled 60% of Kāinga Ora’s new builds next year, even though the land for them was already bought, the consents were consented and there are builders unemployed all over the place. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political ...2 days ago - Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes for Saturday, December 21
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The government published its first Biennial Transparency Report under the Paris Agreement yesterday, and the media has correctly noted that it is missing any plan to actually meet our target. While it hypes domestic emissions reductions so far - which have been good, but will likely get worse thanks to ...3 days ago
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- ZB’s Power Couple
I don't knowHow to say what's got to be saidI don't know if it's black or whiteThere's others see it redI don't get the answers rightI'll leave that to youIs this love out of fashionOr is it the time of yearAre these words distraction?To the words you want to hearSongwriters: ...3 days ago - Austerity thumps GDP most since 1991
Our economy has experienced its worst recession since 1991. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, December 20 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast above and the daily Pick ‘n’ Mix below ...3 days ago
- Weekly Roundup 20-December-2024
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The Government can head off to the holidays, entitled to assure itself that it has done more or less what it said it would do. The campaign last year promised to “get New Zealand back on track.” When you look at the basic promises—to trim back Government expenditure, toughen up ...3 days ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #51 2024
Open access notables An intensification of surface Earth’s energy imbalance since the late 20th century, Li et al., Communications Earth & Environment: Tracking the energy balance of the Earth system is a key method for studying the contribution of human activities to climate change. However, accurately estimating the surface energy balance ...3 days ago
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Data released by Statistics New Zealand today showed a significant slowdown in the economy over the past six months, with GDP falling by 1% in September, and 1.1% in June said CTU Economist Craig Renney. “The data shows that the size of the economy in GDP terms is now smaller ...4 days ago
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Sparse offerings outside a Te Kauwhata church. Meanwhile, the Government is cutting spending in ways that make thousands of hungry children even hungrier, while also cutting funding for the charities that help them. It’s also doing that while winding back new building of affordable housing that would allow parents to ...4 days ago
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Similar to the cuts and the austerity drive imposed by Ruth Richardson in the 1990’s, an era which to all intents and purposes we’ve largely fiddled around the edges with fixing in the time since – over, to be fair, several administrations – whilst trying our best it seems to ...5 days ago - Handling Democracy.
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Today I tuned into something strange: a press conference that didn’t make my stomach churn or the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Which was strange, because it was about the torture of children. It was the announcement by Erica Stanford — on her own, unusually ...5 days ago - This substack has talked about this government’s seeming corruption & pro-corporate issues...
This is a must watch, and puts on brilliant and practical display the implications and mechanics of fast-track law corruption and weakness.CLICK HERE: LINK TO WATCH VIDEOOur news media as it is set up is simply not equipped to deal with the brazen disinformation and corruption under this right wing ...5 days ago - NZCTU: Minister needs to listen to the evidence on engineered stone ban
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- Wednesday 18 December
The Government has announced a 1.5% increase in the minimum wage from 1 April 2025, well below forecast inflation of 2.5%. Unions have reacted strongly and denounced it as a real terms cut. PSA and the CTU are opposing a new round of staff cuts at WorkSafe, which they say ...5 days ago
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Probably about the only consolation available from yesterday’s unveiling of the Half-Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) is that it could have been worse. Though Finance Minister Nicola Willis has tightened the screws on future government spending, she has resisted the calls from hard-line academics, fiscal purists and fiscal hawks ...5 days ago
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The right have a stupid saying that is only occasionally true:When is democracy not democracy? When it hasn’t been voted on.While not true in regards to branches of government such as the judiciary, it’s a philosophy that probably should apply to recently-elected local government councillors. Nevertheless, this concept seemed to ...5 days ago - Willis’ austerity strategy just isn’t working
Long story short: the Government’s austerity policy has driven the economy into a deeper and longer recession that means it will have to borrow $20 billion more over the next four years than it expected just six months ago. Treasury’s latest forecasts show the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s fiscal strategy of ...6 days ago
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Some years ago, I found myself pondering the power of literature to endure. Or at least the power of some of it to endure, while the rest vanishes in mere decades: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2019/08/07/look-on-my-works-ye-mighty-and-despair-the-literary-future/. I have similarly had fun with the subject in some of my short stories, such as Another Alexandria ...6 days ago - Corrections is torturing prisoners again
In 1998, in the wake of the Paremoremo Prison riot, the Department of Corrections established the "Behaviour Management Regime". Prisoners were locked in their cells for 22 or 23 hours a day, with no fresh air, no exercise, no social contact, no entertainment, and in some cases no clothes and ...6 days ago
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New data released by the Treasury shows that the economic policies of this Government have made things worse in the year since they took office, said NZCTU Economist Craig Renney. “Our fiscal indicators are all heading in the wrong direction – with higher levels of debt, a higher deficit, and ...6 days ago
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AUSTERITYText within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedMy spreadsheet insists This pain leads straight to glory (File not found) Read more ...6 days ago - Minimum wage ‘increase’ is an effective cut
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi are saying that the Government should do the right thing and deliver minimum wage increases that don’t see workers fall further behind, in response to today’s announcement that the minimum wage will only be increased by 1.5%, well short of forecast inflation. “With inflation forecast ...6 days ago
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Willis is expected to have to reveal the bitter fiscal fruits of her austerity strategy in the HYEFU later today. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/TheKakaMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, December 17 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast ...6 days ago
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The Prime Minister yesterday engaged in what looked like a pre-emptive strike designed to counter what is likely to be a series of depressing economic statistics expected before the end of the week. He opened his weekly post-Cabinet press conference with a recitation of the Government’s achievements. “It certainly has ...6 days ago
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Back in 2023 the New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties raised concerns about the inherent conflict of interest involved in public service agencies supporting parliamentary select committees. Our parliament is run on a shoestring, so depends on the public service for advice. But public service agencies work for Ministers, not ...7 days ago
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And if there is a GodI know he likes to rockHe likes his loud guitarsHis spiders from MarsAnd if there is a GodI know he's watching meHe likes what he seesBut there's trouble on the breezeSongwriter: William Patrick Corgan Read more ...7 days ago - A Lipstick Government
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Iain Rennie, CNZMSecretary and Chief Executive to the TreasuryDear Secretary, Undue restrictions on restricted briefings This week, the Treasury barred representatives from four organisations, including the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi, from attending the restricted briefing for the Half-Year Economic and Fiscal Update. We had been ...7 days ago
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- Thank You
Hi all,I'm pretty overwhelmed by all your messages and emails today; thank you so very much.As much as my newsletter this morning was about money, and we all need to earn money, it was mostly about world domination if I'm honest. 😉I really hate what’s happening to our country, and ...1 week ago - 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #50
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Hi,“What I love about New Zealanders is that sometimes you use these expressions that as Americans we have no idea what those things mean!"I am watching a 30-something year old American ramble on about how different New Zealanders are to Americans. It’s his podcast, and this man is doing a ...1 week ago
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National has only been in power for a year, but everywhere you look, its choices are taking New Zealand a long way backwards. In no particular order, here are the National Government's Top 50 Greatest Misses of its first year in power. ...3 days ago - Release: Minister’s plan for tertiary sector a backwards step
Returning to the model that was failing for most polytechnics and Institutes of Technology is not the answer. ...3 days ago
- Release: National buries 1019 planned homes
It’s been revealed that National has cancelled 60 percent of its housing projects planned before mid-2025 amidst housing woes. ...3 days ago
- Release: Rule-Czar bill a right-wing power grab
The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention. ...3 days ago
- Release: Why not both? Luxon shuns Waitangi celebrations
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is running away from problems of his own creation, with his decision not to go to Waitangi. ...4 days ago
- Govt’s ‘free speech’ legislation stokes fear, not freedom
The Government’s planned changes to the freedom of speech obligations of universities is little more than a front for stoking the political fires of disinformation and fear, placing teachers and students in the crosshairs. ...4 days ago - Release: Nicola Willis spirals country deeper into recession
The economy shrank 1% this quarter and New Zealand has tumbled into the depths of a recession of Nicola Willis’ making. ...4 days ago
- Release: Hikes for company directors but not ordinary Kiwis
Working people are going backwards while company directors are being given huge pay hikes. ...5 days ago
- ECE no place to cut corners
The Ministry of Regulation’s report into Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Aotearoa raises serious concerns about the possibility of lowering qualification requirements, undermining quality and risking worse outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and kaiako. ...5 days ago
- Release: Strengthening Justice Services for New Zealanders
A Bill to modernise the role of Justices of the Peace (JP), ensuring they remain active in their communities and connected with other JPs, has been put into the ballot. ...5 days ago
- Release: Labour will continue fight against destructive projects
Labour will continue to fight unsustainable and destructive projects that are able to leap-frog environment protection under National’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. ...6 days ago
- Green Government will revoke dodgy fast-track projects
The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Track legislation being passed today. ...6 days ago
- Government for the wealthy keeps pushing austerity
The Green Party says the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows how the Government is failing to address the massive social and infrastructure deficits our country faces. ...6 days ago
- Release: Visa changes let migrant workers be paid less
The Government’s latest move to reduce the earnings of migrant workers will not only hurt migrants but it will drive down the wages of Kiwi workers. ...6 days ago
- Release: Nightmare before Christmas for Nicola Willis
With more debt and a larger deficit, Nicola Willis’ reputation is in tatters after her failure to return the Government’s books to surplus. ...6 days ago
- Warning to Fast-Track Applicants – ‘Exploit the Whenua, Face the Consequences’
Te Pāti Māori has this morning issued a stern warning to Fast-Track applicants with interests in mining, pledging to hold them accountable through retrospective liability and to immediately revoke Fast-Track consents under a future Te Pāti Māori government. This warning comes ahead of today’s third reading of the Fast-Track Approvals ...6 days ago
- Release: Govt cuts wages for lowest paid NZers… again
For the second year running, the government has effectively cut wages for the lowest paid workers in New Zealand. ...6 days ago
- Govt’s miserly 1.5% minimum wage will take workers backwards
The Government’s announcement today of a 1.5 per cent increase to minimum wage is another blow for workers, with inflation projected to exceed the increase, meaning it’s a real terms pay reduction for many. ...6 days ago
- Release: Govt shirking responsibility for rate hikes
All the Government has achieved from its announcement today is to continue to push responsibility back on councils for its own lack of action to help bring down skyrocketing rates. ...6 days ago
- Luxon’s ‘localism’ strikes again
The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing. ...7 days ago
- Release: Govt breaks promise on EV chargers
The Government has failed to keep its promise to ‘super charge’ the EV network, delivering just 292 chargers - less than half of the 670 chargers needed to meet its target. ...7 days ago
- Greens call for end to subsidies for Methanex
The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop subsidising the largest user of the country’s gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-national’s disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...7 days ago
- Govt child poverty targets allow for increase in poverty
The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...1 week ago
- Release: Four weeks annual leave under threat
The Government’s attack on workers continues with news it is scrapping work on the Holidays Act. ...1 week ago
- Govt’s emissions plan for measly 1% reduction
New independent analysis has revealed that the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) will reduce emissions by a measly 1 per cent by 2030, failing to set us up for the future and meeting upcoming targets. ...1 week ago
- Greens stand in solidarity with Whakaata Māori on sad day
The loss of 27 kaimahi at Whakaata Māori and the end of its daily news bulletin is a sad day for Māori media and another step backwards for Te Tiriti o Waitangi justice. ...1 week ago
- Sanctions regime to create more hardship for families
Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean more households cannot afford the basic essentials. ...1 week ago
- Govt gifts renters housing anxiety for Christmas
Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season. ...1 week ago
- Release: National Party urged to support modern slavery legislation
Labour is urging the Prime Minister to walk the talk and support legislation combating modern slavery. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour has lost confidence in the Speaker
The Speaker of the New Zealand Parliament made an unprecedented decision on the government amendment to the Fast Track Approvals Bill last night. ...2 weeks ago
- One year on, still no progress on new ferries
Today’s announcement from the Government on its plan for new ferries throws more uncertainty on the future of the country’s rail network. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Nicola Willis’ smaller ferries will cost more
After wasting a year, Nicola Willis has delivered a worse deal for the Cook Strait ferries that will end up being more expensive and take longer to arrive. ...2 weeks ago
- Bill to sanction unlawful occupation of Palestine
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Sounds like National's economic plans.
+100%
Oh dear adam. This transports to NZ so easily. Judith could use it to bolster her credibility.
RNZ just reported that both Trumps have tested positive for corona virus.
Lol.
Karma.
Edit… He’s either doing a runner from the debate or he’ll blame Biden for him and flotus catching COVID.
Ug, the doofus tweeted it so who knows if it's true.
https://twitter.com/CheckpointRNZ/status/1311892864297697280
You got it!! The big sympathy vote!! Would he do that when he's going down the gurgler? Would he what. He'd chop his kid's hands off and sell them to a glove maker as models on any given day.
Having said that and reverting to human kindness, he will be okay, after all it is only the flu.
something like that.
RNZ have now reported official confirmation from his doctor.
The doctor confirmation means it's genuine of course.
Next: The age we are living through, with the way politics are played, with the way that Trump operates is any cynicism not reasonable?
Sympathy vote versus people thinking he's going to die, so too risky to vote for? Strategy.
Would any doctor Bonespur go along with some medical ruse? Would any underling park all morals, ethics and intellect to appease the Leader?
Begs the question, why is Pence walking around a free man. He was put in charge of Covid-19, it was his job to keep the president safe. https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/26/trump-puts-pence-in-charge-of-coronavirus-response-117790
I'm thinking impeach Pence!!
A couple of hydroxycloroquin and a stiff shot of bleach will clean that right up.
Can someone explain what the economic advantages are for NZ and Australia to open borders in a limited way? Why not just stay home and spend money or stimulate economic activity where one lives?
I guess the advantage for a one way opening is that Australia gets some rich NZers going there and… doing something. Staying longer because of the Q and cost?
Foreign revenue is king. That's all, really.
I was hoping someone might explain how in that scenario.
Dude on Checkpoint reckons it's just political (something about getting states to open their border to each other).
I know a lady here who will be over the moon with this announcement. She arrived here from Sydney in early March for a month's work and hasn't been able to get a place in Aussie MIQ because she's not an Australian citizen, and would rather not spend the 2 weeks in quarantine (and pay the cost, tight as), so has just kept working here. She'll be able to go home. There will be quite a few like her.
More an experiment when it comes to economic advantages. Socially good for family and for those who want a holiday and think NZ is not a great place to have a holiday it might be to good to be true.
I relooked at your question on the economic benefits. The isolation facility will make some money off the 14 day stay in NZ on return.
It will be interesting to see how long this goes for, if it will be expanded and how many will take the offer up.
Consider our balance of trade ,,,without tourism we have recorded a quarter of positive trade balance…3.5 million international trips a year ex NZ and Australia is the largest destination…they will be in a position of net gain in a NZ/OZ bubble arrangement.
It's to help propup the failed tourism sector.
Because there's only so many time a person can visit the same place. So, internal tourism in NZ would only keep everything going for about a year or two.
Meanwhile, there's some seven billion people out there who haven't seen the Waitomo Caves and many are willing to pay a premium to do so.
Basically, the same reason why we're a trade-dependent country despite have the resources and capability to provide everything we need and a hell of a lot that we don't. The rich wouldn't get anywhere near as rich as they do if they could only sell to NZ.
Not sure of the real truth but it seems that there are plenty of kiwis who really want to see their rellies in Oz but can't afford the double quarantine. The arrangement removes the quarantine fee at the Australian (only NSW and NT so far) but probably not the NZ (return) end. Doubt if it has anything to do with stimulating tourism, otherwise Queensland would have signed up for it. Queensland isn't even alowing carte blanche visits without quarantine from across the southern border!
Not a valid reason to open the borders and probably not enough to make a difference to the economy either.
It is to do with the economy. There will be a number of people who will benefit from the opening the borders but the big one will be tourism.
Queensland may just be continuing to play safe.
Some may take the gamble – if you're out of work, a job for six months in Oz looks pretty good. Might be a bubble by the time you need to come back. Beats living on the bones of your assets.
have you seen the un/under employment numbers coming out of Oz?
I'm sure they're rough – but of course you only go if you've got a job lined up. And wages in Oz are higher generally, makes even crap employers easier to bear.
The dirty Dems and Chinese and Hillary and Obama have deliberately given it to him. That'll be it.
Right now we'll have US military planning a strike on some lab in China.
I wonder how the virus will affect his paranoia.
I really hope Hope's security detail has been beefed up bigly. Her name is quite likely getting swirled around some of the scariest parts of the RWNJ fever swamps right now.
Time for Bill Gates & George Soros to take a holiday on Mars. Well, maybe Antarctica will suffice since their South African buddy hasn't quite got the trip scheduled yet.
Lotsa middle-class gun-carrying guys still pissed off that top capitalists took their life savings a decade back and now 5G has taken out their Don. Itchy trigger fingers by the millions out there…
Time will tell, there are known psychological and physical effects which may take a while to over come.
Both need to rest and seek the correct medical advice.
Is the White House in lockdown or is it time for hosting a last presidential banquet before the helicopter ride?
See Trump and Melania have tested positive for Covid!!!!
Lucky its only a flu.
Yeah he'll be fine once they get the bleach drip hooked up.
What is even more amusing is that the woman, Hope Whatever (oh the delicious irony) never wore masks presumably because she rejected them cos… you know, the science is all fake news.
Of course this could be the precursor to the orange shit-gibbon postponing the election.
Nancy for president!!
"Election date is set by Congress as a statute, and the only body that can change it is Congress. I really doubt the House would have any inclination to change it."
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-02-10-2020/#comment-1755756
A couple of cites a bit more authoritative than just this random dude on da webz.
https://www.npr.org/2020/07/30/897111969/trump-floats-delaying-the-election-it-would-require-a-change-in-law
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election_Day_(United_States)
Article 2 Section 1 Clause 4 of the Constitution says:
And continuing on from previous days …
Ardern today in Auckland National seats (Northcote) and even Epsom.
Collins in Rotorua.
I don't blame her for the strategy of hiding in safe seats (Collins was put there to save them), but I do criticise the TV reporters for not pointing out that the well-wishers are not the NZ public, only Nats in the echo chamber.
Maybe not, don't think the visit to the sawmill went quite as planned
This morning on Open Mike I commented that the next few days will be crucial for any party trying to throw a game changer into the election campaign and, Lo, this afternoon the National Party’s kith and kin in Canberra announce a relaxation of quarantine requirements for NZers effective the night before our Election Day. Coincidence?
But but but Hydroxychloroquine!
He knows all the best medical.
Countries using Hydroxychloroquine have lower fatality rates, so it probably will be his saving grace.
[Please provide supporting evidence for your assertion and the causative link between hydroxychloroquine use and lower fatality rates. I’ve put you in Pre-Moderation until you comply and until then no other comments will be let through – Incognito]
What countries are using hydroxy…… as a remedy for covid 19 maui? Sounds like you've been reading some pretty weird stuff written by some pretty weird people.
India, Russia, South Africa, Costa Rica are some of them.
See my Moderation note @ 7:19 PM.
"Country CFR by HCQ Usage"
https://twitter.com/niro60487270/status/1272636205142704129
"Use of hydroxychloroquine in hospitalised COVID-19 patients is associated with reduced mortality: Findings from the observational multicentre Italian CORIST study"
https://www.ejinme.com/article/S0953-6205(20)30335-6/fulltext
[Good try but no cigar.
The Twitter link gave this result:
The thread was riddled with suspended accounts. In any case, nothing authoritative that I could see.
The article at least provided some insight in where you were coming from. However, it does not state or show that the country, which is Italy in this case, had lower fatality rates due to the use of HCQ. In any case, the fatality rate in Italy stands at a very high number so this cannot support your assertion.
You want to try again or retract? – Incognito]
See my Moderation note @ 9:15 PM.
Just seen on FB Jesse Mulligan Radio NZ show to discuss the debate.
poster said:
1.37 intro
4.6 seconds leader of opposition
14 secs smaller party leaders
1 minte third leaders debate. Absolutely nothing on Jacinda
time for another formal complaint
The cleverest comment heard was that it is staged , Pence runs and if he wins He pardons Trump for all the shit he is about to do a lot of time for. Trump does know they are closing in.
It crossed my mind that Trump could use Covid to his advantage.
The management of Covid in the White House would be logistical, this is why Trump needed to take mask wearing more seriously.
Were someone in the military be ordered to not wear a mask around Trump, would this be a violation of a person's freedom to choose?
Or that he's not infected just a cowardly custard hiding from his workplace infections and he'll pop out later saying ' see it's just flu'.
The instant media hype of a high level of danger for America when under their Constitution, the 25th Amendment has transfer of power covered should Trump be mentally indisposed.
" The president can transmit to the House and Senate “his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.” "
Mike Pence would become Acting President. Reagan and Bush twice invoked this Amendment provision over time.
But I can see that the self-loving, orange man may not wish to sign over his power by declaration no matter. For sure though, on recovery a personality change is unlikely.
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2020/07/08/what-happens-if-president-trump-contracts-covid-19/
The world must be experiencing its largest mass schadenfreude event ever. By quite a margin, I'd guess.
Looking forward to the world's cartoonists’ takes.
I genuinely don't want him to die. At least, not yet. Pence would get elected, simply by looking/sounding more coherent than Trump or Biden.
Since there is zero chance of Trump having any kind of reflection and regret, any "scales fall from the eyes" experience, the best we can hope for is that some of his followers do.
He always seems robust, eh? Despite his age. Prince Charles seemed to bounce back no problem so having good medical back-up makes a big difference too.
If his immune system is good he may not even get sick – plenty of folks seem to be symptomless after infection according to various media reports.
Still, chances are that Pence has been praying for god to exercise his will. So we wait to see if god is willing.
The betting odds just went nuts against trump
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/elections/betting_odds/2020_president/
If you are not aware the Yanks have launched two of its Doomsday Aircraft the E-6B Airborne Command Aircraft on the West & East Coast of the USA. Since Trump has tested positive to Covid19, this be a standard procedure in case a couple of nameless countries try to do any funny business if the POTUS has Compromised with Covid19. The late Tom Clancy I think wrote an uncanny similar scenario with a war starting out in the former Soviet States with a POTUS being comprised by some thing which in the end sucks in NATO and Russian while in the Pacific China makes its move.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_E-6_Mercury
Did you see Sunday Last week on TV 1 at 7.30 pm on Sunday. Along the lines of what you raised about cover up which requires an investigation and the personal cost of a cover up. It was about an Australian SAS medic who was British. He saved a civilian from a thigh gun shot wound in Afganistan, thought the civilian was going to be cared for once the medic handed him over to be transported but ended up dead within the hour when he was expected to survive before further unexplained injuries. Think in November the report into his death will be released.
I want to see a review carried out on such matters historical or recent that are unfinished business for some and have an impact which will not go away until the truth is revealed and acknowledged within the NZDF.
Sorry for my late reply to this,
I'm been writing up a post for The Standard which has turned into a War and Peace Novel. Special thanks to Weka and Lynn once its posted. Also our Nth'ern rains have arrived some to 2mths early so its no longer one eye the on fire maps now, but one on the rain radar which i got caught out this morning with my washing. Bloody CC
The ADF over the last few weeks have been receiving briefs on the Afganistan War Crimes Report which has been a long drawn out saga, but the end is finally near so watch this space as its going to be a jaw dropping experience for and sundry.
Hopefully this link does work?
https://t.co/CuQPWXmBxC?amp=1
I wish that we were at this sort of level with our armament technology. I enjoyed this spoof of spoofs – Johnny 5. Perhaps when you are about to tear your hair out, you just go back to childhood and watch this – take a short break.
Would that it could be true! And Trump running off with the briefcase filled with stuff he's heisted; but he is too sophisticated for that – he can steal things in plain sight and the masses clap. That's the way we like it, uh huh.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1zRKVLsmrM
Weird Al on the debates.
That should read: WE'RE ALL DOOMED – Trump vs. Biden ft. "Weird Al" Yankovic
I expected something about Artificial Intelligence and there was no reason provided as to why we should click on the link and watch it, which is a tad frustrating 🙁
This is the US Supreme Court speaking. 'Give that man a Get-out-of-jail card. He has a good record up till now.'
NZGeo on fresh water.