Daily review 09/10/2023

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1. SPC 1

   9 October 2023 at 7:43 pm

   The history of sport and elections

   1.The Melbourne Cup – sport of Kings and the day POTUS is chosen

   2020 The Chosen One ran in the Melbourne Cup, winner Twilight Payment – the older man won in 2020, not the incumbent).

   2.South Africa won the World Cup in June 1995, later the song Zombie was sung in the streets of Wellington in the early morning of August 24, first nation to get Windows 95)

   3.Ireland win the Third Test Wellington 2022, Mahony sings Zombie in all streets and bars, jokes about Molly Malone's top shelf and eating fish abound.

   4.The Irish green machine has New Zealanders and Australians (Canberra Raiders) on the wings.

   5.The only way to help New Zealand win at the weekend is to vote Green, sunset the braindead NACT (blue and gold) 20th C era dead men walking industrial capitalism, reject the born again chosen one/poll front runner Luxon, his leadership and choice of ACT as partner is a retreat to the white race laager of a former era of class division and another culture.

   6.Harry Truman to the media in 1948 on beating the Dewey system for classifying winners in advance of the contest …

   https://www.history.com/news/dewey-defeats-truman-election-headline-gaffe

   https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby-world-cup-2023/300985345/why-ireland-supporters-have-adopted-zombie-as-their-rugby-world-cup-anthem

   7.And another team in green has to go through the hosts to be the first to a 4th World Cup.
2. Kat 2

   9 October 2023 at 7:46 pm

   The Post Finance Debate: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300985075/nz-election-2023-live-nicola-willis-and-grant-robertson-clash-in-the-post-finance-debate

   I guess Luxon knows that Nicola will never be the finance minister, if he doesn't then he must think this election is being held on Mars……….

   Tricola is for acting
   • Roy Cartland 2.1

     9 October 2023 at 8:44 pm

     Grant is absolutely mopping the floor with Nicola. She might be good at the snarky comebacks, but when it comes to knowing your shit, well she ain't shit.

     Also, the applause (if it's any guide) is rote and clockwork for Nicola; a predictable clap when she gets to a full stop. Whereas Grant's is much more spontaneous, enthusiastic and applauding actual points.

     Also, Grant is honest and genuine, she's shifty and knows it.
     • Kat 2.1.1

       9 October 2023 at 9:06 pm

       Everyone is asked…..but no one wants to pick a 'winner'……

       Tune in next week for the post election analysis where you too can be a 'winner'……
     • ianmac 2.1.2

       9 October 2023 at 9:08 pm

       Nicola knew that later in the evening that her ammunition was damp and her shrill calls didn't cut the mustard or sell the goods, or row the boat ashore Good work Grant.

       The panel was interesting and Bagley was surprisingly sound.

       And thank goodness no Ads!
3. SPC 3

   9 October 2023 at 8:09 pm

   The selection of Barrett at No 6 was a master stroke from a master coach

   With just one selection the All Blacks have recast themselves as the big bad wolf to England's Little Red Riding Hood.

   Gregor Paul

   Within a day of the game Hansen said he had got it wrong. The English ran at Savea who made all his tackles and so the AB's could not win a turnover – they beat the Boks with counter-attack.

   https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/2019-rugby-world-cup-gregor-paul-the-england-myth-all-blacks-coach-steve-hansen-is-eager-to-expose/P2QOY2VD47RN7PRZ5TZB6KKW5U/

   The moron strikes again

   choose your paragraph (its paywalled)

   Gregor Paul

   https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/all-blacks-v-ireland-how-the-relationship-between-turned-sour-as-quarter-final-looms/BJG2RVALA5CQDCU7AONRWJBZ4Y/

   You do not say nought about the No 1 team in the world until you win – paraphrasing Shogun.
4. Kat 4

   9 October 2023 at 8:18 pm

   Ruth Richardson, Nicola Willis……spot the difference….go on…..

   Its the Tova, luke and Andrea game show……a free extra vote for anyone who can spot any difference……
   • ianmac 4.1

     9 October 2023 at 9:10 pm

     There is a GIF somewhere where the face of Nicola merges into a Ruth and merges back again. A great wordless note.
     • Kat 4.1.1

       9 October 2023 at 9:26 pm

       Its all just textbook neoliberal ideology…….the difference being that Richardson, although repugnant, was in tune with the prevailing political song, at the time in 1991……in 2023 Willis is but an echo, a distorted reverb, that has at best managed to bring Richardson out of the shadows of MOAB…… all these years later………
5. Dennis Frank 5

   9 October 2023 at 8:20 pm

   Interesting political analysis:

   At this point in the campaign, the Luxon call to “party vote National” is also something of a double- edged sword. The more that National pleads with centre right voters to give it a strong hand to deal with the scourge of Winston Peters, the more it erodes ACT’s vote and increases New Zealand First’s bargaining power, post election.

   That’s because at this late stage of the campaign, the centre right parties are locked into a zero sum game. Meaning: any extra votes for National at this point are very very likely to be coming at the expense of the ACT Party.

   http://werewolf.co.nz/2023/10/gordon-campbell-on-why-winston-peters-could-be-nationals-new-bff/

   I wonder if Lux knows this & is doing it deliberately. Just joking! I realise he's an airhead, of course. However the not-a-moron but actually clever scenario could apply if the Nats are using someone savvy for tactical advice…
   • Kat 5.1

     9 October 2023 at 8:32 pm

     "However the not-a-moron but actually clever scenario could apply if the Nats are using someone savvy cynical and political expedient for tactical advice…….."

     There…FIFY
   • SPC 5.2

     9 October 2023 at 9:10 pm

     Does National want ACT to be in a strong negotiating position?

     Key always led a minority government for 9 years, reducing the others to support partners.

     The lower the ACT vote goes the easier it is for National to govern.
     • Kat 5.2.1

       9 October 2023 at 9:30 pm

       That is why if Luxon had any hair he would be pulling it out…….Winston is not going to make it easy……
6. joe90 6

   9 October 2023 at 8:27 pm

   Fascinating article on research and mapping of underground fungi.

   ASTANA, Kazakhstan — A team of scientists loaded into a gray minivan in this capital city earlier this year and drove for hundreds of miles west through the Kazakh steppe — a vast region marked by endless open plains of grass, abandoned farms and flower-filled meadows.

   It’s a desolate, semiarid landscape, but just a few inches below the ground may lie one of the most diverse fungi ecosystems on Earth.

   Across much of the planet, thin, wildly interconnected filamentous structures — known as “mycelium” — hold the earth together. When these underground fungi come together, they form sophisticated systems known as “mycorrhizal networks.” The Kazakh steppe, which stretches from the north of the Caspian Sea to the Altai Mountains, is one of the largest dry steppes in the world and is predicted to have a wild diversity of mycorrhizal fungi. But as the region becomes increasingly desert-like, many of these fungi may disappear.

   […]

   These networks may also prove to be invaluable for transporting carbon underground, a study published in June found. About 13 gigatons of carbon fixed by vegetation — equivalent to about one-third of all carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels in one year — flows through underground fungi, according to an analysis of nearly 200 data sets.

   https://wapo.st/46Fn9O1 (WaPo freebie)
   • Dennis Frank 6.1

     9 October 2023 at 8:43 pm

     Documenting Gaia's sub-structure:

     The Kazakhstan mission is part of a worldwide project led by the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks, or SPUN, a scientific research organization dedicated to mapping out underground fungi.

     The goal is to sample soil in 10,000 biodiversity hot spots across the world to create a global picture of what species of fungi exist and where.

     Terrific collaborative enterprise!
7. Dennis Frank 7

   9 October 2023 at 8:38 pm

   Bradford dismisses the hypothetical hallucination:

   According to last week's 1News poll, a hypothetical National-Greens coalition government could govern with 63 seats — leaving ACT and New Zealand First in the cold… Bradford responded: "This is the devil speaking."

   https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/10/08/former-green-mp-says-a-deal-with-luxon-would-destroy-party/

   Normally the devil lurks in details but here he speaks with forked tongue: coalition of chaos on the right or sensible bluegreen collaboration, can I tempt thee?

   Readers will clamour for the former option, based on their collective track record, if the right secure a majority outcome. Gambling on troika collaboration failure. I agree there's no policy basis for accord so it would be heroic adventurism to even attempt a deal. Temptation unrealistic! National's former campaign director Tim Hurdle flew the kite regardless:

   Hurdle said negotiating with National would make sense "purely from a negotiation strategy" for the left-wing party. "I think they should think about it purely from a negotiation strategy. They've always locked themselves in onto the left. They never get a chance to put the leverage, like Winston will be able to after the election or by indicating you could go the other way."

   He's only right in principle. In practice, one must factor in real-life situations arising post-election. One would have to be a wizard to create the meeting of minds necessary.
   • SPC 7.1

     9 October 2023 at 9:01 pm

     National would like the option of it to manage down the expectations of ACT and NZF.

     Greens should consider being used in such a way provided National guarantees it abides by our signing of UNDRIP, WT and HRC remain, no referendum on the Treaty and no return to market rents and …. and … in deals with those other parties.

     If they were actually serious, Greens would have an on the other hand what we want is …
8. Dennis Frank 8

   9 October 2023 at 8:46 pm

   Deep Green view of Aotearoa:

   New Zealand, a country that loves to be number one, has the dubious honour of having the highest proportion of threatened species in the world.

   Sure, we’ve saved the black robin, bred some more takahē, and are slowly bringing kākāpō (once so common you could shake a bush and have them fall down like apples) back to the mainland, but guess what?

   Over 4,000 of our native species are slipping towards extinction. As they decline or die out there is a ripple effect across the interconnected ecosystem that we humans are part of, reducing the resilience we need to survive.

   https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/08-10-2023/an-election-reality-sandwich

   Biodiversity provides resilience to ecosystems. An ecological principle.
9. Dennis Frank 9

   9 October 2023 at 8:52 pm

   Meanwhile, in surreality:

   Local MP Stephanie Lewis was waving placards with her Labour Party volunteers from a tent right behind and did her best to creep into shot of cameras as Luxon served customers. One young girl, aged about eight, ordered a donut and handed Luxon a $20 note.

   He quizzed her how much change she would need for a $6 donut and the girl promptly replied, “I don’t know”. Luxon told her she would be getting $14 and reached for the cash and handed her $16 in notes and coins. https://www.newsroom.co.nz/pro/at-the-11th-hour-a-dose-of-hipsteria

   In rightist economics, near enough is good enough. But will viewers notice?
   • SPC 9.1

     9 October 2023 at 9:12 pm

     An unconscious parody of the tax plan giving away more in tax cuts than they can afford.
10. ianmac 10

    9 October 2023 at 9:23 pm

    Road speeds altered with results which will make National think twice about their promise to restore speeds. Oh dear.

    "Similarly, deaths and serious injuries on SH6 between Blenheim and Nelson reduced by approximately 80 per cent in the two years after speed limits were lowered in December 2020.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/election-2023-why-nationals-big-promise-on-speed-limits-might-not-happen/U4IHQFW4FJD4LMJNMNPNAE5CCE/
11. PsyclingLeft.Always 11

    9 October 2023 at 9:26 pm

    "We have no idea how this could have happened."

    That is the reaction Israeli officials have been giving today when I ask them how, with all its vast resources, Israeli intelligence did not see this attack coming.

    With the combined efforts of Shin Bet, Israeli domestic intelligence, Mossad, its external spy agency and all the assets of the Israel Defense Forces, it is frankly astounding that nobody saw this coming.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/499706/how-did-israeli-intelligence-fail-to-stop-major-attack-from-gaza

    I did wonder at that too….Total war might well please the hardline Israeli Military/Govt.

    Some (maybe even on the Standard) see the Hamas attack as being retribution? I certainly know about the history of subjugation inflicted by the Zionists/rightwing Israeli on Palestinians. But they are not the majority of Israeli's . Many of who were protesting the fascist right wing. I feel all that has happened now..will be more blood everywhere. No end.

    And as always… on the vulnerable.
    • SPC 11.1

      9 October 2023 at 10:39 pm

      A plan for a surprise strike at the 50th anniversary (shavuot onto the sukkoth week and then to sabbath day) probably involved a new command structure over strike groups – Iranian trained and with intelligence as to how to avoid Israeli defence capability oversight.

      The metaphor of a killing off a gathering at harvest reminds one of the 4 planes (flying horses) of 9/11 – the Christian revelation/apocalypse. A provocation to war that lead to the formation of Islamic State.

      So much of religious metaphor is psychological terror.

      The Israelis will be looking at elimination/diminishing of Hamas fighting capability – but would have to offer something to either the UN or the PA for them to move in and run the place afterwards to be worth it. That would require a change in Israeli's government (grand coalition) at/by that point.

      Another option would be a swap of people without the Gaza play, but Hamas did the killing of civilians to ensure an invasion of Gaza option would be taken. Then will come Hizbollah's rockets (leading onto a grand coalition within in Israel).

      Meanwhile the SA – Israeli peace with security guarantee to SA from the USA is looking more and more remote, with the ME sucked into team Arab or team Zionist just as the Iranians want. This also diminishes Turkey in way useful to Russia and Iran.

      The price of oil rises (China likes long term supply pricing so it is not gamed by Russian/Iranian adventurism). Winter is coming to Europe.

      Meanwhile back in the USA no government and the most right wing isolationist/Trumpian speaker in American history (Jim Jordan) comes.

      Someone forgot to do a risk management assessment – would the talks with SA be provocative, to whom, and how could they obstruct it?

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