Daily Review 04/12/2018

Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, December 4th, 2018 - 76 comments
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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 …

76 comments on “Daily Review 04/12/2018 ”

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  1. indiana 1
    4 December 2018 at 5:56 pm

    Well at least it money not wasted on a flag referendum…

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12171240

    • Fireblade 1.1
      4 December 2018 at 6:09 pm

      Excellent.

      Estimated to provide between $550m to $1 billion increase to the NZ economy.

      • Grafton Gully 1.1.1
        4 December 2018 at 6:39 pm

        Oh thank Goff for that – cargo cult goodies !

      • Fireblade 1.1.2
        4 December 2018 at 7:01 pm

        The new AC75 boats will be fantastic. So fast and powered only by the wind.

        • alwyn 1.1.2.1
          4 December 2018 at 9:06 pm

          If this story is accurate they might never finish a race.
          https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12169111
          Perhaps the picture you have included is accurate. The foil on the right of the picture has broken off.
          The Government should be ashamed of themselves for putting anything at all into this stupid event. I guess they want to meet a lot of billionaires though.
          Claims about the benefits to the economy from this sort of thing always turn out to be rubbish.

          • NZJester 1.1.2.1.1
            4 December 2018 at 10:00 pm

            The ones on the left or right would likely be raised up or down depending on what side the wind is coming from.

          • Draco T Bastard 1.1.2.1.2
            4 December 2018 at 11:04 pm

            The Government should be ashamed of themselves for putting anything at all into this stupid event.

            Government picking of winners is better than that of the private sector.

            https://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-d-atkinson-phd/for-once-and-for-all-lets_b_548145.html

            But the free market opponents will say how can Washington outsmart the market? Is this the same market that through its infinite wisdom invested hundreds of billions of subprime mortgages? In fact, the government has a pretty good track record of picking winners. Just look at the technologies that the government had a key role in developing: the Internet, the web browser, the search engine, computer graphics, semiconductors, and a host of others. There are many other examples of success stories made possible not because government anointed a particular young entrepreneur but because the government made a conscious choice to open new pathways into which young innovators could embark.

            In the 1980s, we responded to Japan’s economic ascendance by picking winners with the research and development tax credit, creating programs like the Advanced Technology Program and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, and aggressively taking on unfair trade policies. We need to do the same today.

            It’s time to break free of neo-classical economic orthodoxy that preaches that markets acting on their own optimize economic well-being and that low taxes, minimal regulation, and free trade alone can guarantee long-term U.S. leadership on the growth engines of the future. These ingredients work best when the government develops a strategy for correcting systemic “market failures” that limit innovation. We need to come to recognize that our country and not just our companies are competing and begin to think and act more like a country.

            https://www.huffingtonpost.com/clint-wilder/exploding-the-myth-that-g_b_4907695.html

            In one of many telling PowerPoint slides, entitled “What makes the iPhone so smart?” Mazzucato listed the U.S. government agencies whose initial R&D work laid the groundwork for the blockbuster Apple product’s impressive features. Siri had her roots in voice-recognition technology development at DARPA. GPS and mapping? The Department of Defense and the U.S. Navy. Lithium-ion batteries? The Department of Energy. Liquid-crystal display? The National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and DoD. “The problem,” says Mazzucato, “is that many people don’t know this.”

            Granted, there’s no better forum for a speaker touting the role of government than the annual ARPA-E event, which showcases the latest energy technology innovations from all of the nation’s DOE research labs, plus dozens of companies and universities that have received ARPA-E research grants. (The dominant sector this year, by the way, was grid improvements and energy storage, both portable and stationary). But Mazzucato is spreading her message far and wide, with The Entrepreneurial State earning praise from the likes of the Financial Times, The Economist, and Forbes. Last year, The New Republic called her one of “the three most important thinkers about innovation you need to know.”

            The Government should be ashamed of themselves for putting anything at all into this stupid event.

            No. You should be ashamed of yourself for insisting that nothing change.

          • Fireblade 1.1.2.1.3
            4 December 2018 at 11:24 pm

            Alwyn, the National government contributed for 2013 and 2017. The current government will contribute for 2021. The rest of your comment is just smartass waffle.

            • alwyn 1.1.2.1.3.1
              4 December 2018 at 11:43 pm

              “Alwyn, the National government contributed”.
              I know that National contributed to this stupid event.
              What does that have to do with anything?
              If you check back on my comments about this, and other, circuses you will find that I am quite consistent in my views. Games being played by billionaires need no help at all from the taxpayer.

              However at the moment it is the New Zealand First/Labour Government that is throwing the money around so they are the ones I am complaining about this year. When National did it I complained about them.
              There. Does that satisfy you?

              Why and earth do you seem to think that I am a National Party member, or at least supporter? I am not. I object to all the crazy things that politicians get up to with other peoples money.

            • Molly 1.1.2.1.3.2
              5 December 2018 at 7:41 am

              Alwyn is being consistent with this comment.

              He/She criticised National for what he considered to be inappropriate use of taxpayer money, and does the same here for the Labour led coalition government.

  2. Grafton Gully 2
    4 December 2018 at 6:13 pm

    http://superseniors.msd.govt.nz/webadmin/html/email/superseniors-december-2018.html

    “Minister for Seniors Tracey Martin talks about her first full year as a Minister and the highlights she has had talking to older people across the country.

    In her column, the Minister discusses the priorities for 2019 including the release of the draft strategy for an ageing population and looking at how the SuperGold Card can work better for older people.

    We celebrate the start of summer with an easy and delicious salad recipe from the NZ Nutrition Foundation that you can try at home.”

    Not a whisper about oldies role in moves to mitigate Anthropogenic Climate Change and its effects.

    That’s disappointing Tracey, maybe next newsletter ?

    • Timeforacupoftea 2.1
      4 December 2018 at 6:21 pm

      From the SuperSeniors eNewsletter – December 2018. Not a whisper about oldies role in moves to mitigate Anthropogenic Climate Change and its effects.

      Haaaaaa
      I am guessing she’s to frightened by the old coot Attenburgh response to population wipe out.

    • Ad 2.2
      4 December 2018 at 6:24 pm

      New policy for old people and anthropogenic climate change:

      Logan’s Run.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4k_RdafinYw

      The state shuts you off as soon as you get to 30.

  3. Pete 3
    4 December 2018 at 6:18 pm

    I see Mark Mitchell today talked about “a feeling of utter hopelessness.” He should form a club with Simon.

  4. Chris T 4
    4 December 2018 at 6:24 pm

    So a couple of key things I will be watching the govt reaction to from the mental health inquiry recommendations.

    Raising the alcohol age back up to 20.

    Decriminalising drug possession

    Pumping tonnes more into mental health

    Cracking down on alcohol similar to what was done with tobacco

    I await Labour’s taking on these with interest

    • Chris 4.1
      4 December 2018 at 8:53 pm

      Let us know what you think.

    • Ankerrawshark 4.2
      4 December 2018 at 10:19 pm

      Chris t you must be reasonably happy with the Commission’s findings. So far so good, but the massive problem is staffing and workforce development. Clark flagged this I think.

      Having worked in mental health for a very long time, it is going to take a long time and a lot of resources to get anywhere where we need to be. Nationals spokes person with the nerve to say labour cancelling three of nationals new projects has held things back. Those things while of some value were pretty small in the big picture. Trust me under national mental health services were run down significantly. No question about it

  5. Draco T Bastard 5
    4 December 2018 at 6:37 pm

    National Standards Strike Again?

    Ms Duggan said many years ago science teaching was well-supported with government-funded science advisors who worked with primary school teachers and specialist resources for use in science lessons.

    But that support had not been available for a long time and in addition the introduction of the national standards in reading, writing and maths in 2010 had sidelined other areas of the curriculum, including science, she said.

    They’ve certainly had some detrimental effect but the reality is that there’s only so many hours in a day that children can effectively be taught while the amount that they need to be taught increases as society becomes more complex.

    More resources need to be put into education but we also need to put those resources into the right place. Not just more for this subject or that one. That’s not going to address the problem which is lack of time. We need to increase the resources going to ensure that people stay at school longer to get the education that they need before they leave school and to ensure that they have ongoing education available after they leave school.

    • Heather Grimwwod 5.1
      4 December 2018 at 8:13 pm

      Reading, writing and some elements of maths are easily developed in teaching science and visa versa. I speak as long-time science teacher with experience in teaching and demonstrating to college students, lecturing to teachers and writing science units to incorporate the integration of subjects through same.

      • greywarshark 5.1.1
        4 December 2018 at 9:19 pm

        Problem solving for education starting at primary school. Getting the basics understood then dividing the class into teams with different projects of equal suitability and complexity. How do we tackle this, what skills, equipment will we need. Knowing wht to do, or what approach to take and where to uplift the theory and skills – perhaps having a class in the middle of the project – puts it all in context.

        For secondary schools, the teams can run a theoretical country using communism, fascism, democracy, neo liberalism, free market also plan to organise a concert at school or something. Hands on experience and lines of authority and co-operation and how to talk to people for team building. That is what is really needed these days to ensure that we don’t lose our creative drive that Geoff Murphy displayed.

    • patricia bremner 5.2
      4 December 2018 at 9:29 pm

      Draco we used to have Advisors then their roles were totally disestablished.
      These were expert teachers who did in school training and resource provision for teachers. That was a valuable resource that updated teacher’s knowledge and methods.
      Part of the reason we have dropped in international rankings was they were an essential tool. imo.

    • BM 6.1
      4 December 2018 at 7:00 pm

      Obviously, staff releasing communications.

      I’d fire the lot of them and then hire people I could trust.

      Also I’d try and blacklist anyone I suspected of taping or releasing documents to the media.

      The “Great Gadsby” would have about as much chance of getting another job as JLR.

      • Ad 6.1.1
        4 December 2018 at 7:20 pm

        At a certain point in an abuse cycle no one is loyal.

        Mallard is acting in full consistency with government policy to be anti-violence, anti-bullying, pro-female, pro-collective action … and fully with the #MeToo campaign and all the other global pro-female and anti–government-establishment winds blowing all through the English speaking world.

        Not that I’m suggesting the Speaker is enacting policies of the Ardern government and blowing with the wind … oh no I wouldn’t dare … for Mallard it’s all just very good timing and very good luck and very very bad for National for a very very long time 🙂

        • BM 6.1.1.1
          4 December 2018 at 7:30 pm

          That’s what I pretty much thought, more Labour dirty politics.

          Shame for you guys no one gives a fuck about this petty beltway shit.

          The election is lost for the COL once they sign up to the global compact in a couple of days.

          Out of curiosity who would you prefer as the next PM

          Bridges or Collins?

          • DJ Ward 6.1.1.1.1
            4 December 2018 at 7:36 pm

            Donald. He’s good on trade with China.

          • Ad 6.1.1.1.2
            4 December 2018 at 8:20 pm

            The next National Prime Minister hasn’t come out of Kindergarten yet so I don’t need to sully my pretty little mind with such things.

          • Chris 6.1.1.1.3
            4 December 2018 at 8:22 pm

            Who do think is more likely to have the necessary skills?

          • Ankerrawshark 6.1.1.1.4
            4 December 2018 at 8:39 pm

            What BM???? I am sorry I genuinely don’t understand what you mean about Labour dirty politics…………the speaker announces an enquiry into bullying after three accusations of mps bullying, Meka Jami lee and now Maggie and your saying it’s labour’s dirty politics?….

            Labour stayed well out of jami lee and appears to be doing the same with Maggie………..even Simon is saying most likely Jami lee who leaked…..not labour

          • Draco T Bastard 6.1.1.1.5
            4 December 2018 at 8:57 pm

            The only party that engages in Dirty Politics is National.

          • mickysavage 6.1.1.1.6
            4 December 2018 at 9:05 pm

            That’s what I pretty much thought, more Labour dirty politics.

            Whattttt?

            We are just sitting back and grinning a lot. Nothing to do with us.

            • Ad 6.1.1.1.6.1
              4 December 2018 at 9:09 pm

              🙂

            • NZJester 6.1.1.1.6.2
              4 December 2018 at 11:00 pm

              The rightwing likes to project and claim that the left is doing the same dirty things as what they are doing, to justify their actions.
              Their proof of such accusations is they have a gut feeling about it.
              Our proof the right is doing it, however, tends to be a lot more tangible and based on fact.

              • McFlock …
                5 December 2018 at 1:44 am

                I suspect they genuinely can’t imagine people doing it any other way: all smiles and backstabbing, any compromise is a weakness and power must be abused, malice in defeat and revenge follows victory.

                • Draco T Bastard …
                  5 December 2018 at 10:29 am

                  Yep. Psychological projection is considered a defence mechanism for the people doing the projection:

                  Psychological projection is a theory in psychology in which the human ego defends itself against unconscious impulses or qualities (both positive and negative) by denying their existence in themselves while attributing them to others.[1] For example, a person who is habitually rude may constantly accuse other people of being rude. It incorporates blame shifting.

                  • greywarshark …
                    5 December 2018 at 10:49 am

                    TDB
                    That seems to be at the basis of the moral (amoral) philosophy that the neo-libs have adopted as representing society’s beliefs. We are all self-interested, everything we do is for a reward of some kind so there is no such thing as altruism, etc etc.

                    This neolib thing of course is not new, and that we should repeat it shows a strange amnesia. It produces a very unkind type of person, very self-focussed and then target-focussed, perfect for exploiting and employing in jobs like factor for the principals behind land clearances which gained momentum in the 1700’s in Britain; in the Highland one for instance:

                    Some of those carrying out clearances believed that this was for the benefit of those affected. Patrick Sellar, the factor (agent) of the Countess of Sutherland, was descended from a paternal grandfather who had been a cottar in Banffshire and had been cleared by an improving landlord. For the Sellars, this initiated a process of upward mobility (Patrick Sellar was a lawyer and a graduate of Edinburgh University), which Sellar took to be a moral tale that demonstrated the benefits to those forced to make a new start after eviction.
                    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highland_Clearances

                    This concise Wikipedia backgrounding illustrates the changing face of politics and legality over-riding the acceptance of commons and ancient tribal powers as the stable force in people’s lives and economy.

                  • McFlock …
                    5 December 2018 at 1:10 pm

                    I don’t think it’s projection, more a pessimistic realpolitik: nat shills here know they and the nats are cynical power-grubbers, liars, and thieves. The just think that every politician is completely and utterly corrupt. If everyone is equally bad, you can’t be backing the worst option.

                  • NZJester …
                    5 December 2018 at 2:36 pm

                    You mean like the time a couple of National MPs accused of Bulling claimed they were the victims of bullying?

      • patricia bremner 6.1.2
        4 December 2018 at 9:33 pm

        They get what they deserve. Treat staff badly it always ends badly. BM you are saying no staff can be whisle blowers. Guess you vote for total control.The next National government won’t have Judith or Bridges in all likelihood.

  7. Pat 7
    4 December 2018 at 7:21 pm

    With the life preserving transition required the time has come (again)…..can we rebuild the institutional knowledge?…..or can we afford not to?

    https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018674057/bob-the-nation-s-build

  10. Macro 10
    4 December 2018 at 8:45 pm

    Quote of the day:
    “If Trump goes to prison, it could be his first complete sentence.”

    • DJ Ward 10.1
      4 December 2018 at 9:22 pm

      If Netanyahu goes to prison, Gazza will shoot harmless skyrockets, and release paper lanterns to celebrate. Resulting in a TV station giving news to the people that the mass murderer has a new cellmate with the nickname Horse and street name Pricilla. Before it gets accidentally bombed by a precision guided bomb.

      If Clinton goes to prison she deserves it. Unfortunately the cases hard disc for the prosecution was mysteriously smashed with a hammer, by Hillary, by accident. She blamed the hard disk, the 347th reason, and was upset at it.

      Before the prince goes to prison he will seek asylum in the Russian embassy.

    • McFlock 10.2
      5 December 2018 at 9:39 pm

      lol and to think we were almost past the stage where any criticism of dolt-45 was followed by some doofus going “but hiiilllllaaaaarrryyyy”

  12. joe90 12
    4 December 2018 at 9:09 pm

    Karma.

    Ruth Buffalo, who is the first Native American Democratic woman elected to the North Dakota legislature, took her oath of office today. She unseated the ND Rep who sponsored the voter law that disenfranchised Native voters in that state. pic.twitter.com/2iwDca2WIm— Ruth H. Hopkins (@RuthHHopkins) December 3, 2018

  13. joe90 13
    4 December 2018 at 9:49 pm

    Mind-boggling . The UK cabinet is discussing how to ration supplies entering the country by ferry in a no-deal scenario.

    In any event there would be a sharp reduction in ferry traffic between the UK and the EU, meaning that vital industrial components and medicines would be vying with salads for scarce space in trucks and on ships.

    “Perishable goods like salads and vegetables won’t make it on to ‘DfT Seaways’,” said one official. “Some foods will run out in the supermarkets — it will be a bit like the USSR.” The UK imports 30 per cent of its food from the EU.

    […]

    “It’s gearboxes versus pâté,” joked one official. “The government would have to choose and that’s why the government would have to own the shipping capacity.”

    Industrial components, including those used in “just in time” production processes including car plants, could be given priority, while Mr Gove’s team accept that perishable goods like salads, vegetables and meats could lose out.

    https://www.ft.com/content/9e3bda3a-f720-11e8-af46-2022a0b02a6c

    • Macro 13.1
      4 December 2018 at 10:00 pm

      To me it’s mind boggling that they are still even contemplating Brexit. The consequences are simply staggering. The open boarders now mean the free flow of people and goods and services and you only have to visit to see that the movement of people and goods across the channel is enormous. Placing any sort of barrier is going to create havoc.
      I’m with the Northern Irish Border on this one – I’m not impressed with Brexit overall – but I do admire its ability to divide a country.

  14. Muttonbird 14
    4 December 2018 at 9:54 pm

    Paula gets smashed after attempting to call out the Prime Minister.

    https://twitter.com/paulabennettmp/status/1069759222231969792

    Apologies if already posted but hell it’s worth another go.

  15. joe90 15
    4 December 2018 at 10:20 pm

    Any moment now Canaanites and Phoenicians will invoke their manifest destiny, too.

    /

    More than 2000 years ago, Jewish patriots (Maccabees) captured Jerusalem, purified the Holy Temple and rededicated it as a house of Jewish worship. The U.N. cant vote away the facts: Jerusalem is the ancient and modern capital of Israel. Happy Chanukah from this blessed city!— David M. Friedman (@USAmbIsrael) December 3, 2018

    Really? The US “ambassador” resorts to absolutist ideological regressive proselytising to rationalise Israeli expansionist colonialism in the 21st century! Bizarre. What other “divine right” argument can be resuscitated to justify contemporary injustice? https://t.co/5UzSE5gNau— Hanan Ashrawi (@DrHananAshrawi) December 4, 2018

    • Muttonbird 15.1
      4 December 2018 at 10:31 pm

      I was flicking through my boy’s bible the other day and landed on the Book of Jeremiah. Interesting reading about the behaviour of the Jews at that time.