Daily Review 14/06/2017

Written By: - Date published: 5:40 pm, June 14th, 2017 - 54 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 …

54 comments on “Daily Review 14/06/2017 ”

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  1. adam 1
    14 June 2017 at 5:47 pm

    This is a very scary piece.

    Abby Martin: World Ignores Opposition Violence at Venezuela Protests

    http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=19279#.WT5LgWzBrWZ.twitter

    • Bill 1.1
      14 June 2017 at 6:56 pm

      Sadly, too many people will skip or skim over that Adam.

      Reporting on Venezuela, as Abby Martin points out, is coming from the same play-book as that used in the Ukraine and Syria. It’s all fucking fucked and I can’t really see a solution. People ‘don’t want to know’ and immediately go on a kind of rabid offensive against any common sense or any pointing to ‘small t’ truths.

      Things are only going to change if or when a critical mass of people hesitate long enough to realise that those who push these “official enemy” lines are the ones who are most assuredly not on our side; that the ones they push these lines against often have interests far more in tune with our own than they do.

      Take a deep breath. But don’t hold it.

  2. Phil 2
    14 June 2017 at 6:04 pm

    Referring to the original use of the screenshot, the Blackadder punchline is something like:
    “My husband sits on a spike, and I sit on my husband… because two spikes would be indulgent”.

    • mickysavage 2.1
      14 June 2017 at 6:24 pm

      Yep I cracked up when I saw the use of the image.

      Someone recently commented that the DUP are the political wing of the 17th century …

    • One Anonymous Bloke 2.2
      15 June 2017 at 9:33 am

      “I sit on Nathaniel — two spikes would be an extravagance”. 🙂

  3. Bill 3
    14 June 2017 at 6:23 pm

    Anyone else wondering when the Lib Dems will rise up like comic book heroes to “save” Britain from a DUP/Tory deal?

    And wondering how many of those liberal lackeys in UK Labour will jump ship and join with them to give the whole shit sandwich a dusting of vomit inducing centrist pragmatism?

    The Lib Dems only said they would do no deals…I’m fairly sure they didn’t say they wouldn’t back either party. Two entirely different kettles of fish and deals aren’t necessary under the current UK Parliamentary system.

    Yes, the LIb Dems would be dicing with oblivion if they backed the Tories in any way whatsoever after their coalition of the recent past.

    But the liberal play book…hold up the fear (DUP + NI hitting the fan) and then the “grown up” solution of heroically disaffected Labour MPs + Lib Dems ride in at the last minute; the lesser evil defeating the fearful one.

    Just a thought….

  4. Anne 4
    14 June 2017 at 7:16 pm

    What’s the bet when all has been said and done, we will learn that since the advent of this neo-liberal age… the loosening of building regulations, cost cutting measures, poorer quality materials and a lack of fire alarms and sprinklers were the basic cause of this horrific inferno in London:

    http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-40269625

    • Carolyn_nth 4.1
      14 June 2017 at 7:21 pm

      So, the building was built in 1974. but there’s also this in the article you linked to.

      Grenfell Tower underwent a two-year £10m refurbishment as part of a wider transformation of the estate, that was completed last year.

      Work included new exterior cladding and a communal heating system.

      The 24-storey tower, containing 120 flats, is managed by the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO) on behalf of the council.

      The local Grenfell Action Group had claimed, before and during the refurbishment, the block constituted a fire risk and residents had warned that access to the site for emergency vehicles was “severely restricted”.

      The BBC has been unable to contact the property’s management company in the hours since the fire.

      Edit: The Guardian has more on the concerns raised in the last few years about safety , poor management, fire hazards, faulty wiring, and lack of adequate escape routes for tenants.

    • McFlock 4.2
      15 June 2017 at 12:09 am

      That’s absolutely horrendous. No way a regular fire should be able to spread like that in any building, let alone a residential one.

      Poor buggers.

      • David C 4.2.1
        15 June 2017 at 7:22 am

        ACM cladding. That stuff is cheap nasty shit. Council fuckwits saving a buck.

        Oh ACM is basically two thin layers of ali with polyethylene core. well know for fires. Easy and cheap to use. Looks great too.

        by using it as overcladding it sounds like they formed a chimney for the fire to spead up the outside of the building within the cladding, while the fire was feeding on the cladding itself.

        • mauī 4.2.1.1
          15 June 2017 at 8:10 am

          I think there is good and bad ACM cladding. The good stuff has a core that is at least a 70% incombustible makimg it hard to burn and the bad stuff like you say.

  5. David Mac 5
    14 June 2017 at 7:42 pm

    How much money would we be able to tuck into our sock if every mortgage in NZ as of 2019 had to go through Kiwibank?

    • Draco T Bastard 5.1
      14 June 2017 at 8:48 pm

      What direction are you suggesting here?

    • gsays 5.2
      14 June 2017 at 8:49 pm

      “Wicked child! Using Mrs implies fornication”.

      Brilliant image and caption.
      The 17th century quip raised a giggle too.

      We certainly live in interesting times.

      Edit:oops sausage fingers. This belongs up thread.

  6. RedLogix 6
    14 June 2017 at 7:47 pm

    Could have written this myself; albeit from the pov of a kiwi who has moved to Aus:

    I always knew New Zealand was not as economically robust as Australia, and I did expect to experience a slight change in my general financial state of affairs. However, I wasn’t prepared for the poverty and ever-growing inequality that I see around me – in my own backyard and, no doubt, throughout the whole country.

    A lot of people do it tough here. Wages are far lower than in Australia – fact – and the cost of living is higher, in my experience. The job market seems tougher and the “assistance” from the Government less effective and harder to obtain for people in genuine need (again, my perception – I’m sure there will be plenty of opposing commenters on this one – judge away!).

    The most difficult and bitter pill to swallow for me is the dreadful housing situation and the fact that thousands of New Zealanders do not have a roof over their heads and a place to call home.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff-nation/93441299/moving-to-nz-was-a-culture-shock-even-for-an-aussie

    Get that … lower wages AND a higher cost of living. That lines up directly with my experience; every trip we make back home is a bit of a shocker in the wallet dept.

    It’s not all a whinge .. far from it. The writer also sees some very profound positives that makes it worthwhile:

    Before moving here, I idealised New Zealand as an almost-perfect country and thought I knew exactly what it would be like to live here. Whilst this picture-perfect mirage was shattered and my ignorance revealed a beautiful but flawed reality, I would not take back my choice to move here for the world.

    I love this country and I am extremely proud to now be a citizen of New Zealand. At the same time, I also acknowledge that it is not perfect and we have a long way to go in some areas to address our social and economic issues.

    We Kiwis need to roll our sleeves up – all of us. We have work to do!

    • David Mac 6.1
      14 June 2017 at 7:56 pm

      Yes Red. “I have a job” used to mean “I’m rising”. For too many “I have a job” now means “I’ve got my nostrils above the waterline.”

      It’s not right, it’s not balanced. We’ll get it sorted.

    • BM 6.2
      14 June 2017 at 8:18 pm

      The Australian economy isn’t looking too good at the moment though, I reckon the Aussies are about to go through a massive change similar to what we went through in the 1980’s.

      Living far beyond their means the Aussies, those halcyon days of the Chinese buying everything Australia could dig out of the ground has finished and they ain’t coming back.

      • David Mac 6.2.1
        14 June 2017 at 8:40 pm

        Yes, it’s a trap for governments and individuals. The golden rule is to live within your means and they were. Like an individual, they needed a ‘get out with your shirt if the wheels fall off.” plan. It’s tricky to get that right, to seamlessly scale down. Most of us find preparing for crap times in the future tough. ‘Crack another bottle.’

        • Draco T Bastard 6.2.1.1
          14 June 2017 at 8:45 pm

          The golden rule is to live within your means and they were.

          Except that they weren’t. They were digging up their means and selling it as fast as they could. Still are and so are we.

          • David Mac 6.2.1.1.1
            14 June 2017 at 9:07 pm

            So are Venezuela, I’ll stick where I am thanks.

            Dracoland is a great idea, we’ve tried lots of variations, when it’s overlaid with human nature it fails.

            The way we’re doing things now is not right either, capitalism is not fabulous Draco, far from it. Looking around the globe, thumbing through the history books, so far it looks like the best of a bad bunch.

            We just need to adjust it so that the honey is more widespread. That doesn’t mean chucking it out, it means sculpting it to suit us all.

            • Draco T Bastard 6.2.1.1.1.1
              15 June 2017 at 12:09 am

              …when it’s overlaid with human nature it fails.

              Appeal to Nature

              Instinct does not apply to a species that can make intelligent choices.

              The way we’re doing things now is not right either, capitalism is not fabulous Draco, far from it. Looking around the globe, thumbing through the history books, so far it looks like the best of a bad bunch.

              You’re obviously not actually reading them. Capitalism, throughout the last 5000 years of recorded history, has destroyed every single society that it arose in and it’s doing the same again because of the greed and hubris of the capitalists – the greed and hubris you display on a daily basis.

              • David Mac …
                15 June 2017 at 12:39 pm

                We are all tuned into our unique frequency of W11 FM. What’s in it for me? We are all subjected to the pull of greed, it’s just the scale that varies.

                I’m sure you can quote passages that support your views all day long Draco, it doesn’t make them the universal truth. If I was so inclined I could provide counter claims and we could bounce other peoples’ opinions between us ad infinitum.

                Where and when do you think your model for our society has worked best? Capitalism eventually fails, yes all things have a life span. But jeeez things are crook in Venezuela. I’d suggest we’re seeing human instinct at play.

                My greed? Being a capitalist doesn’t make me any more or less greedy than you. Outcomes geared to inputs does not necessarily lead to greed. I haven’t got your money Draco, you’ll need to organise your own, you’ll die waiting for our society to bankroll your ‘nice to haves’.

                • David Mac …
                  15 June 2017 at 12:45 pm

                  I think I saw capitalism at it’s best when I lived in Sweden in the late 90’s.

                • Robert Guyton …
                  15 June 2017 at 12:47 pm

                  I reckon that a person living willingly in a capitalist society, behaving as a capitalist is greedier by definition that someone living in certain non-capitalist societies, particularly tribal societies that value sharing highly and actively discourage greedy behaviour.

                  • David Mac …
                    15 June 2017 at 1:01 pm

                    Yes, I see your point but I wonder if in a tribal setting the outcome sought is more one of survival. Warm clothes, a roof and a full belly. Where as in our society we’re concerned about replacing cambelts and getting to a family Xmas gathering in Wellington.

                    • Robert Guyton …
                      15 June 2017 at 1:45 pm

                      I suspect tribal communities over the eons have enjoyed far more opportunities for leisure and the pursuit of entertainment than we enjoy now, meaning they could have coveted stuff, but didn’t, as their society was mature and had worked out that greed and acquisition equals eventual destruction. We’ve not cottoned on to that yet, but we will, ’cause, eventual destruction. Some can see it already, but their voices are being drowned out by those with a vested interest and those who have become addicted.

                    • WILD KATIPO …
                      15 June 2017 at 5:16 pm

                      Moderated and regulated ‘ capitalism’ is not an evil , however , neo liberalism / globalism is. And that’s where so much of this division happens.

                      I prefer moderate nationalism – the bane of both the neo liberal and the extreme left – such as Draco.

                      And to understand how both camps have been royally played like fools , – perhaps we should be directing our attention towards those who really are the culprits.

                      This , on an annual meeting of the Bilderbergers in Virginia , USA , for example. Something for everyone here , – both the leftist and the capitalist to take home. Watch and learn.

                      Bilderberg Elites Panic As Trump Dismantles Climate Change Hoax …
                      Video for climate change bilderberg you tube▶ 7:48

  7. David Mac 7
    14 June 2017 at 7:48 pm

    Or offer a rate that competitors can’t equal. Govts get $ at a keen %.

  8. David Mac 8
    14 June 2017 at 8:12 pm

    There are more ways for our nation to plug into vibrant inflation in the housing sector than applying taxes. The word ‘tax’ induces those that could vote left to offer a tiny reflex gasp.

    If our government is going to help out those that had no insurance on their place, doesn’t it make sense for them to hold the book on the lot? Another 2 bob in the sock.

    • Draco T Bastard 9.1
      14 June 2017 at 8:46 pm

      I’m not surprised that a majority support it but I am surprised it being so high.

  10. marty mars 10
    14 June 2017 at 8:34 pm

    There is a lot to love about spiders

    https://www.treehugger.com/animals/spiders-eat-800-million-tons-insects-year.html

    personally always been a bit frightened and got through that to loving them – 8 eyes!!! That alone is mega.

  11. Muttonbird 11
    14 June 2017 at 8:56 pm

    Put the house on a massive flip flop by Bling and his zero government cronies on royalties for water exporters.

    They are getting a hiding in the polls on this and this government is a poll driven government; always was, and always will be.

    I do hope a reporter asks Bling why the massive turn-around in their belief that ‘no-one owns water’. Not holding my breath, in fact Jenna Lynch will probably gush over the government’s rethink, calling it savvy politics.

    http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2017/06/newshub-poll-87-say-charge-royalties-on-water.html

  12. David Mac 12
    14 June 2017 at 9:31 pm

    People go to university for years to study this stuff so at the risk of being a dummy.

    Does the problem shape up like this: We spend our money, it flits offshore and becomes an asset elsewhere.

    Do we turn neoliberalism around by making our spend do more for our nation? Is that the issue? Is that why our nation is supposedly travelling really well and we’re all eating dogfood?

    • Stuart Munro 12.1
      14 June 2017 at 9:44 pm

      It’s really the banks. Inflating the capital value of everything makes us all broke by generations. Farmers are debt slaves to the banks. Fishermen were wiped out by the capitalization of their asset as quota, and even the companies who acquired the asset struggle to pay for it. Ordinary city folk are looking at 30 years of two incomes to pay off a house, when the halflife of a good job is about 18 months. And all the margins on that – the profits – flow overseas – they are not reinvested here except at extractive interest rates.

      The cure is Candide’s – il faut cultiver notre jardin. No cut for the neoliberals in that – but good health, local employment, environmental sustainability.

      • David Mac 12.1.1
        14 June 2017 at 10:02 pm

        If it’s the banks, is there a way Government leverage and the retail face of Kiwibank could make a difference?

        • Stuart Munro 12.1.1.1
          14 June 2017 at 10:27 pm

          Certainly – restrict the market access of foreign banks & make local ones socially responsible. But the amount of capital rorted out of NZ will take generations to rebuild or replace if more strenuous measures are not taken.

  13. UncookedSelachimorpha 13
    14 June 2017 at 11:39 pm

    Fascinating story in the Guardian, a study of the distribution of tax evasion according to wealth (something that is inherently difficult to study, but the authors have put some real effort in).

    The more wealthy you are, the more you evade tax. While most reports on inequality only look at tax data. So inequality is considerably worse than generally reported, when tax evasion is included in the calculation.

    https://www.theguardian.com/inequality/2017/jun/14/tax-evaders-exposed-why-super-rich-are-even-richer-than-we-thought

    Worth a guest post here, this one.

    • Draco T Bastard 13.1
      15 June 2017 at 12:12 am

      The more wealthy you are, the more you evade tax. While most reports on inequality only look at tax data.

      So, the capitalists are going through their standard motions that destroy society.

      Worth a guest post here, this one.

      I’ll look forward to reading it once you’ve got it put up.

  15. roadrage 15
    15 June 2017 at 1:20 pm

    Given increasing regionism and nationalism over migration. And stories like https://www.theguardian.com/inequality/2017/jun/14/tax-evaders-exposed-why-super-rich-are-even-richer-than-we-thought
    Are the Arab countries looking to their own region for wealth centers and does this explain the current regional spat over the regional economic power house?

    Are we see nation states begin looking at the wealthiest globally and asking why they don’t live where they earn? First they came for the migrants the the rustication for going after the richest?