Daily Review 16/10/2018

Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, October 16th, 2018 - 87 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 …

87 comments on “Daily Review 16/10/2018 ”

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  1. CHCOff 1
    16 October 2018 at 6:11 pm

    Asset aquisition by the speculative economy is not the same as wealth generation by the non-speculative.

    But which by and large issues the economic prognotions and the methodology of such behind the business confidences from the tallest shiny buildings in the cities?

    Is being confident all the time then, in the interests of innovation and dynanism to market value systems??

    NZ1st!

    • Draco T Bastard 1.1
      16 October 2018 at 7:48 pm

      Asset aquisition by the speculative economy is not the same as wealth generation by the non-speculative.

      Correct. It is simply theft by the speculators from the rest of us which seems to be the reason why they used to be hung.

      Quoting “Why we can’t afford the rich” by Andrew Sayer, Richard Wilkinson:

      Deregulation allowed the buyers of the securities to use them as collateral for borrowing, so streams of interest payments on loans supposedly backed by collateral in the shape of houses were themselves used as collateral by holders of these asset-backed securities for borrowing. In turn, with the money they borrowed they could buy still more securities – further sources of unearned income – and generally engage in more speculation on their changing market values. In such ways finance built its infamous house of cards. As Marx put it, ‘interest-bearing capital generally is the mother of all crazy forms’.

      Workers always have to produce not only enough to provide for their own pay and all the other costs of production and distribution, they also have to produce enough to provide for owners of businesses, shareholders, landowners, money-lenders, speculators and value-skimmers.

      As American economist William J. Baumol noted, enterprise may be used in devising new forms of rent-seeking that damage rather than benefit the economy (‘unproductive entrepreneurship’, as he called it).147 Rentiers may find new ways of extracting rent or interest, but while they might like to think of themselves as enterprising in this respect, they are unproductive – worse, a drain on the productive economy. All sorts of ingenious financial instruments have been designed, often by ‘quants’ – first-rate mathematicians employed by financial institutions – for value-skimming and speculation. While the quality of enterprise involves being willing to take risks, a lot of risk taking is not entrepreneurial: all sheep are animals, but not all animals are sheep. As we saw earlier, when speculators claim to be entrepreneurs because they take risks, they flatter themselves.

      All these kinds of wealth extraction that we’ve looked at – rent, interest, profit, shareholding, value-skimming and speculation – primarily benefit the rich, those who can afford to use assets to extract unearned income from the 99%. It’s true that many of the better-off within the 99% have pensions that depend on the generation of unearned income from shareholding and speculation, and a few may own shares too. Many have derived unearned income from house-price inflation, so a larger number of people are at least small-time rentiers as well as being employees. Although they are only bit-players in the rentier game, their largely passive involvement is ideologically significant in that it habituates ‘ordinary’ people to rent-seeking as a source of income, helps to legitimise what principally benefits the rich and allows people to imagine that the rich rentiers are working for them. The money pages of newspapers encourage them to think of this as merely being prudent and smart, as if these qualities alone legitimised their unearned income.140 It also makes the fortunes of many people dependent on self-interested financial institutions, that use their savings, cream off commission and fees and fail to safeguard their pensions.

      The enormous amount of energy that has gone into speculation is symptomatic of an economy that struggles to make profit from production and seeks to make it instead by betting on prices.

      • CHCOff 1.1.1
        16 October 2018 at 10:34 pm

        It’s not like banking, which helps facilitate both risk and opportunity in a market value system as result of the ‘medium of exchange’ arbitrating representative real and dynamic demand and supply in service of the DIRECT (non bubble) value to be determined for a given particular end.

        • Draco T Bastard 1.1.1.1
          16 October 2018 at 10:44 pm

          The banking system helps the speculators:

          Of course finance has a vital role to play as a servant to the economy, in oiling the wheels of business, in arranging credit and dealing with risk, but it can easily become the master and make the rest of the economy its servant. The occupational hazard of finance is that in seeking to make money out of money through lending, value-skimming and speculating, it focuses on wealth extraction and loses sight of the necessity of wealth creation in goods and services. In the bubble that preceded the crisis, bank lending to productive businesses declined from 30% to 10% as lending to other financial institutions and the property market grew.146 The financial sector’s control of financial assets – ultimately, claims on the labour and products of others – means that, unless it is strongly regulated it can dominate governments to serve its interests. Mainstream economics, with its obsession with idealised models of markets and its evasion of the difference between earned and unearned income, is complicit in this.

          As regards employment, the financial sector accounts for only 6.5% of UK employment and has remained static since the 1990s. It provided 6.8% of government tax receipts, while manufacturing, widely dismissed as of marginal importance in the new economy, provided 13.4%. The financial sector has been highly active in helping clients to avoid tax; in so doing it has taken fat commissions for reducing the state’s income. And junk products such as payment protection insurance are examples of activities with negative value. The sector has also drawn many of the most able members of the workforce away from more productive activities. More generally, the sector has damaged economies by encouraging the switch from investment in productive uses to speculative, rent-seeking outlets. If the sector is supposed to be so important for growth, isn’t it interesting that the sector was much smaller in the post-war boom?

          Steve Keen has estimated that the banking sector should, IIRC, never be more than ~2% of the economy for it to be sustainable.

          • CHCOff 1.1.1.1.1
            16 October 2018 at 10:50 pm

            yes to some extent, in trying to wall itself off from one sort of perceived rabble, it ends up overrun, often to it’s own detriment, by another type of rabble.

            • Draco T Bastard 1.1.1.1.1.1
              16 October 2018 at 11:06 pm

              The banking system is part of the problem as it’s for profit and creates money without limit.

              The only way the banking system could work is if it’s a state institute that doesn’t charge either fees or interest. In other words, an institute that runs at cost and is paid for through taxes.

              • CHCOff …
                17 October 2018 at 12:21 pm

                With banking, the money is created without limit due to the profit motive being subverted by asset acquisition replacing wealth creation as the economic driver, which goes back to the original (slightly sloppily spelt) original post’s point about the benefit of speculation to the functioning of market economic value systems.

                State institution of banking as is often thought of as the solution without due respect to the political processes and the shifting of the goal posts that such undertakings would and have, resulted in – the Nazi state was essentially a state banker after all (as some modern day similarly growing propositions may be to some extents also).

                Many of your above excerpts as relates to speculation’s role to the functioning of economic value in a market i found valid all the same.

      • Tricledrown 1.1.2
        17 October 2018 at 10:44 am

        Speculation futures trading will never be usurped because its profitable.
        And those who have profited have way more power than those who want to ban capitalism.
        Your pissing into a category 5 hurricane DTB.

        • Draco T Bastard 1.1.2.1
          17 October 2018 at 11:37 am

          We have a choice – ban capitalism or destroy almost all life through our stupidity and greed.

  2. adam 2
    16 October 2018 at 6:20 pm

    Meanwhile across the ditch the Tory idiots prove themselves useful idiots to the fascist christians in the US by saying they will move embassy. These hard right loony pentecostal types are going to drag us into a war, if we want one or not.

    https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/australia-considers-moving-embassy-jerusalem-58517425

    At least the other devotion of the these idiots the free market will suffer over this decision.

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-16/indonesia-considering-putting-trade-deal-on-hold-israel-embassy/10383190

    • Exkiwiforces 2.1
      16 October 2018 at 6:34 pm

      Yes, this did come out of blue all of sudden or as my dad would never drop a cracker down a outback thunder box with the lid close.

      Anyway it’s to do with this atm, https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-16-10-2018/#comment-1536686 and from all reports atm the Lib’s are in the shithouse instead of the penthouse

    • Gabby 2.2
      16 October 2018 at 7:59 pm

      Where do the ockies get their petrol? Indonesia? Wahabbi Arabia, land of murder?

      • Exkiwiforces 2.2.1
        16 October 2018 at 8:41 pm

        Will actually from Singers is where Australia gets about 70% POL from as it’s cheaper to refine MER oil to POL products than in Australia.

        If I can found the breakdowns of total oil to POL’s to Australia out of the MER, I think the all up total from the house Saudi would quite small compared to the US and European Countries.

        Anyway I wouldn’t read to much into the Australian Embassy move, it’s more to the shenanigans of the Wentworth by-election as that electorate has 12-13% of the Jewish vote. Atm the Libs are in the shit house and I believe their internal polling suggests the are going to lose the seat to Phelps, so they pull this one out of the hat in hope they can get over the line. This stunt has surprised and shocked an awful lot of people across broad and I have a gut feeling it may back fire on them regardless of Saturday’s result.

        • Tricledrown 2.2.1.1
          17 October 2018 at 11:09 am

          Ex kiwi forces the US gets nearly all of its own oil since fracking and conservation land were opened up.
          The Timor Sea could be a problem if Indonesia flexes its muscle and the fact Australia news planes the jsf35s are another expensive dud, a plane that is supposed to do everything but can’t even fly.
          Indonesia has a massive production capability Australia has closed all its mass production factories and sent them overseas sold off it’s F18 super hornets to Canada which wasn’t stupid enough to buy into the Jsf 35 over priced underdelivered lightning 11.
          The Syrian conflict showed up the limitations of high tech planes.
          They are superior when in the Air getting them into the Air is the problem small run high tech computers that have complicated software designed only to run in a few hundred planes is extremely unreliable and needs lots of very highly trained software specialists who are not going to work on Airforce pay when they can get 20× more in the private sector.
          Russian Planes in Syria were doing 10 sorters for every one sortee US planes were doing.
          The Jsf35 is a way more complicated plane than the F18 with an even smaller number manufactured needing much more software and electronics maintenance.
          Drones are the future and much cheaper but delivery times 5 years so their electronics and software will be redundant by delivery dates.
          China Indonesia have massive mass production facilities.
          Australia/NZ minute or none.

          • Exkiwiforces 2.2.1.1.1
            17 October 2018 at 1:43 pm

            The Yanks can’t get the frack oil out ground fast a enough, both the IMF and IEA actually forecasting an oil deficit of 300k barrels from the IMF and about 1m barrels+ from the IAE if OPEC screws down oil production.

            The Indonesian Military from my experience is not well trained to the high standards of the ADF or other regional forces such as Singapore, Malaysia and India. The TNI is still riddle with corruption, politics etc and alack of funding to maintain equipment let alone a high state of readiness to be a real threat. They have enough problems atm with trying to keep a lid on West Papua and the TNI response to the recent disaster has been quite poor from what I’ve heard of late.

            The Super Hornets haven’t been sold to Canada for starters and it’s highly unlikely the Super Hornets they would be off loaded to Canada or even to NZ as they have now filled niche within Airforce, ADF and Government capabilities IRT since enter service and their overall performance on Op Okra. A number Classic Hornets are earmarked for the RCAF, but this won’t happen until the following RAAF units are stood and they are 2OCU and 3SQN which is followed by 77SQN and the is 75SQN at this stage. The Australian order is a firm 72 F35’s with another 28 as an option. There is still some debate at weather the 28 will be taken up and when the mad monk was PM the inside talk/ rumour at the time was buying the 28 V/STOL version for the RAN, but that meant modifiing the two LPH’s again as they are now set up to be Helicopter Carriers not a Fix Wing Carrier is used by the Spanish Navy.

            Like you, I have my doubts about F35 JSF and actually the F22 is the better Aircraft by miles, but it is no longer in production.

            I can’t discuss the current Air Operations in MER which I was a part of on my last trip to MER before my past Operations caught up with me amongst all the other shit that was happening to me on that last trip and prior to that deployment. The Coalition air sorties was generating a far higher rate than the Russians across the broad according to Flight Magazine, AirForce World, Flight International and Janes Defence.

            This UAV’s especially some of the UAV’s that BAe and Germany are developing atm is the way to go atm and when you include the advances in IA technology IRT UAV use. But at the end of the day you still need a humans to oversee, control and conduct UAV operations.

    • aom 2.3
      16 October 2018 at 8:42 pm

      In the esteemed words from the sandpit, “No surprises there eh?” Hope the Jewish voters have more sense than the Zionists and tell the grovelling PM where to stick his candidate.

    • Exkiwiforces 2.4
      16 October 2018 at 11:19 pm

      Just to add to Adam’s post, that SocMo is also looking at reviewing the Iran Nuclear Deal which was buried among the move of the embassy to Jerusalem which is going to upset Australia Foreign Policy in MER over the last 50yrs. This move is clearly aimed at the Jewish vote in the Wentworth by-election which make 13% of the vote.

  3. marty mars 3
    16 October 2018 at 6:26 pm

    Ha that photo up top deserves a caption post.

  4. marty mars 4
    16 October 2018 at 6:32 pm

    Funny balls up this one

    “What Coca-Cola might have thought was a harmless Kiwi greeting has turned into an embarrassing PR blunder.

    The beverage manufacturer has run signage around the country that reads: “Kia ora, mate.”

    But mate is the te reo Maori word for death or dead.”

    https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/107881064/cokes-hello-death-blunder-goes-viral

  5. mickysavage 5
    16 October 2018 at 6:42 pm

    Now Paula Bennett has accused Ross of playing around.

    Man these guys don’t do things by half …

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12143446

    • Carolyn_Nth 5.1
      16 October 2018 at 6:50 pm

      Oh. I thought he’d refused to change some nappies, or failed to put out the rubbish bins.

      What exactly is behaviour unbecoming of a married man? What century are they speaking in?

      • marty mars 5.1.1
        16 October 2018 at 6:54 pm

        They had that ad where the hubby never helped out or did the dishes and his mate told him off – maybe that’s it. 😊

        But seriously I can’t see why he’d lie about that but I’m not an gnat.

      • gsays 5.1.2
        16 October 2018 at 8:08 pm

        He must have shared the tele remote.

      • Dukeofurl 5.1.3
        16 October 2018 at 8:10 pm

        Yeah it’s a bit quaint when we hear what sort of things Weiner and Weinstein we’re capable of doing

      • Gabby 5.1.4
        16 October 2018 at 8:43 pm

        He might have claimed a benefit he wasn’t entitled to. Pullya would be upset about that.

    • marty mars 5.2
      16 October 2018 at 6:52 pm

      Ross indicated bennett was in the sights – now she has started retaliating he’ll drop one on her I think.

    • Anne 5.3
      16 October 2018 at 6:55 pm

      From the link:

      “What was put to him was inappropriate behaviour that is unacceptable from a married Member of Parliament.”

      Good God, that’s been going on behind the parliamentary scene since his omnipotent Nibs made little apples. In fact it was regarded as a rite of passage for every parliamentarian bearing in mind all pollies – with a couple of exceptions – were male up until more recent decades.

      • Incognito 5.3.1
        16 October 2018 at 9:54 pm

        Finally I get it! MMP stands for married Member of Parliament and they are dutifully elected guardians of our mores; Bennett would know.

    • gsays 5.4
      16 October 2018 at 8:07 pm

      Lots of heat and little light.
      From what I have read and heard, the leaker has not been identified.

      Ross has adamantly denied being the leaker.
      Ross has nothing to lose in admitting he was the leaker, if, in fact, he was.

      Bridges has come across all vague, dodgy, answering questions that aren’t asked of him and just slippery.
      The knighthood is in the mail.

      This is going to fester away in the tory caucus.

      .

    • Jack Ramaka 5.5
      16 October 2018 at 9:18 pm

      So JLR is mentally unwell and is a sex maniac, reading between the lines ?

    • Carolyn_Nth 5.6
      16 October 2018 at 9:58 pm

      This doesn’t add up, unless JLR is a total fantasist.

      There’s too big a gap between being accused of (sexual) harassment by 4 women, while not being given any details – and an affair.

      I wonder if this is an arse covering attempt by Bennett. If they had accused JLR of harassment, without giving him any details, and used it as a threat, that is the totally wrong way to deal with it. It should have been reported and investigated. And JLR should have been supplied with details of what he’s been accused of.

      It’s totally off the wall to accuse an MP of sexual infidelity as a cause for discipline, or as some kind of threat.

  6. Carolyn_Nth 6
    16 October 2018 at 6:56 pm

    Interesting to hear from spokes people from Organise Aotearoa. here James Roberts from OA speak s about the NZDF investigation by Hager.

    Also Valerie Morse from Auckland peace Action speaking.

    http://95bfm.com/bcast/nzdf-investigation-october-16-2018

  7. ianmac 7
    16 October 2018 at 7:02 pm

    Boyo! Listen to this fiendish denial from non answering Bridges!
    Specially from about halfway.

    https://soundcloud.com/nzherald/simon-bridges-on-newstalk-zb

    • Dennis Frank 7.1
      16 October 2018 at 8:09 pm

      It’s normal for a politician to remain resolute in adhering to their pre-determined narrative, so he’s trying to get away with that normal strategy. He stonewalls her, probably believing she’s a Nat-leaning journo who will get his narrative if he keeps repeating it at her enough times.

      She makes it clear she just wants a straight answer to her questions – a media pro trained as a journalist has to be seen to be going for the truth. Since the truth will damage him, he remains resolute.

      Think about the effect of this in voterland. All ZB listeners hearing this will know he’s evading the need to inform them what actually happened. Kiwis hate that kind of bullshit. Even those who normally vote National would feel he’s insulting them.

      • Dukeofurl 7.1.1
        16 October 2018 at 8:20 pm

        That’s right. Nats are relying on their friends in media including the top exec level to craft the responses in their favour.
        They want to spend 5 days with their version of events with non denial denials, after conceding this day is all Ross’s.

        So far we have the party president, but not the party GM saying no record of the claims can be found. As if they would have a little black book with the true accounts.
        McClay is also saying baseless which just means unproven, rather than he dint ‘sight’ the dodgy donation.
        Every national friendly columnist will get a dinner invite in the next few days for some ‘bacgrounding’
        I’m sure Key will even be roped in somehow

        • Dennis Frank 7.1.1.1
          16 October 2018 at 8:37 pm

          The other thing is that meeting where JLR was called by Paula to her office, then she took him to meet with Simon – seems a pre-determined setup. He gets told about four women complaining of harassment, asks for details, Simon refuses to give those. JLR says he referred to natural justice (accused supposed to be told who’s accusing them, and precisely what circumstances, where/when).

          Simon says if he keeps hewing to that line the four will become 15. Sounds like bullshit, made-up stuff, eh? JLR didn’t say Paula had left the meeting, so she’s complicit in the fake allegations. How do we know they’re fake? None were reported to their employer, PS. Also, a media report said none want to continue with their complaints. JLR says this was a blackmail attempt. How could anyone reasonably disagree??

          He didn’t say he taped this meeting though. If not, just hearsay. Even so, it was the blackmail on top of the donation setup that pushed him into a mental breakdown. Totally understandable. No wonder Paula looked so grim. Loyalty has got her sucked into a moral quagmire and there’s no escape she can see.

          • Dukeofurl 7.1.1.1.1
            16 October 2018 at 8:53 pm

            Reminds of the Aussie banks enquirey….. They were so used to getting away with everything…that no one was saying . We have to do the right thing..

            But NZ isn’t Australia…watch Bridges wriggle free from this…with the media…the police all making the facts disappear and replaced by bullshit.

          • Treetop 7.1.1.1.2
            16 October 2018 at 10:04 pm

            Bridges claims to be decisive about establishing who the leaker of his expenses are.

            When it comes to allegations of harassment Bridges is not decisive. The reason for JLR’s medical leave is now known, being accused of harassment which impacted mentally and not liking how donations are received.

            I am left wondering if Bridges is going to take the alleged harassment further. I think this would back fire due to Bridges not going through proper processes. Also the stench of the Barclay harassment which was dealt with by making a payment to the electoral worker with a confidentiality clause.

            • Dukeofurl 7.1.1.1.2.1
              17 October 2018 at 9:55 am

              Bennett now isnt saying harrasment, she seems to talk about inappropriate for a married man

    • Dukeofurl 7.2
      16 October 2018 at 8:26 pm

      Yep. The really want a police investigation so they then can refuse to comment……just like they did with Todd Barclay……not

      • Treetop 7.2.1
        16 October 2018 at 10:13 pm

        A transcript of the interview between English and the police did get released. As for a copy of the tape recording no contents of the tape recording ever surfaced. Nor did the electoral worker make a complaint to police.

        • Dukeofurl 7.2.1.1
          17 October 2018 at 9:48 am

          Dickson did make official complaint- the police wouldnt have done an investigation otherwise

  8. joe90 8
    16 October 2018 at 7:06 pm

    Always projecting.

    Shot: Chaser:(I would laugh so hard if Elizabeth Warren tweeted this 😂) pic.twitter.com/eYPfnUblXd— Interesting Times (@intrstngtimes) October 15, 2018

    https://twitter.com/intrstngtimes/status/1051830801501835266

    http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-na-pol-mccarthy-contracts-20181014-story.html

  9. ianmac 9
    16 October 2018 at 7:57 pm

    Another ironic thought.
    JLR denies that he was the Leaker.
    The Police knew straight away who the Leaker was but wouldn’t say.
    JLR is going to the Police with his accusation on Bridges.
    Wouldn’t it be amazing if the same police who will be dealing with him, were the same ones who know that he was/wasn’t The Leaker.

    • WILD KATIPO 9.1
      16 October 2018 at 10:29 pm

      Interesting,… that they knew,… and stayed silent all through the inquiry processes…

      And if JLR has evidence it will force them to act or….not.

      I think we will soon be getting a very vivid picture of just what goes on in this country in the corridors of power. We will soon see if the Police actually do adhere to the law with impartiality. And if not,…

      • tc 9.1.1
        17 October 2018 at 6:51 am

        Rhetorical question surely given their behaviour over teapot tapes and the hager raid.

        They showed NZ how willing a tool of the national govt they were rather than due process….and got pinged for it in court. Then there’s slaters diversion etc etc

  10. joe90 10
    16 October 2018 at 8:00 pm

    heh

    LEAKED: Jamie-Lee Ross announces byelection slogan.“Lock him up” #SimonBridges— Morgan Godfery (@MorganGodfery) October 16, 2018

  11. Tony Veitch [not etc.] 11
    16 October 2018 at 8:00 pm

    Just a thought at the end of the day (nearly).

    Wouldn’t it be dreadful, now that the ‘leaker’ has been expelled from the Gnats, if the leaks continued?

    Oh, if wishes could come true!

  12. Ad 12
    16 October 2018 at 8:04 pm

    This will definitely be a Labour Party conference worth going to.

    • Dukeofurl 12.1
      16 October 2018 at 8:22 pm

      In the foyer will be one of those national style rowing skulls from the election ads

      • Ad 12.1.1
        16 October 2018 at 8:35 pm

        The shit we went through getting knifed by our own party over 3 years gives me a bad case of the schadenfreudes. Possibly enough to encourage comrades to an attempt at draining the Inch Bar.

    • Craig H 12.2
      16 October 2018 at 10:01 pm

      I’m almost gutted I can’t attend (sister-in-law’s 50th birthday), but I look forward to quotes and stories!

  13. Dukeofurl 13
    16 October 2018 at 8:47 pm

    National party perfect storm with Jenny Shipley in the court dock in Auckland and Simon Bridges facing a possible court date in Wellington. That leaves only one name missing……

    • Exkiwiforces 13.2
      16 October 2018 at 9:06 pm

      I’ve actually got two names, the you are thinking off and the other…. ,mind you I’ve seen a couple of articles on the cuts to land transport safety dating back to when the “No Mate’s Party” was run the country.

    • Gabby 13.3
      16 October 2018 at 9:12 pm

      Now if you want someone who can be 100% certain about matters of which she knows nothing, Shiphouse is your huckleberry.

  14. Stuart Munro 14
    16 October 2018 at 9:06 pm

    They’ll probably catch the leaker now. (How could they contain their hysterical laughter?)

  15. joe90 15
    16 October 2018 at 9:50 pm

    From the no shit Sherlock file, and why I give books as presents.

    Growing up in a home packed with books has a large effect on literacy in later life – but a home library needs to contain at least 80 books to be effective, according to new research.

    Led by Dr Joanna Sikora of Australian National University, academics analysed data from more than 160,000 adults, from 31 different countries, who took part in the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies between 2011 and 2015. All participants were asked how many books there were in their homes when they were 16 – they were told that one metre of shelving was equivalent to around 40 books – and went through literacy, numeracy and information communication technology (ICT) tests to gauge their abilities.

    […]

    According to the paper, teenagers with only lower levels of secondary education, but who came from a home filled with books, “become as literate, numerate and technologically apt in adulthood as university graduates who grew up with only a few books”. The university graduates who grew up with hardly any books around them had roughly average literacy levels, said the researchers. So did those whose schooling ended in the equivalent of year nine (13-14 years old), but who grew up surrounded by books. “So, literacy-wise, bookish adolescence makes for a good deal of educational advantage,” the authors claim.

    https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/oct/10/growing-up-in-a-house-full-of-books-is-major-boost-to-literacy-and-numeracy-study-finds?

    • marty mars 16.1
      16 October 2018 at 10:21 pm

      “I don’t think it’s acceptable to use shaming words around mental distress and mental health issues,” said Mr Robinson. “We’re looking to our political leaders to set an example.”

      Yep so true.

  17. Incognito 17
    16 October 2018 at 10:04 pm

    LOL, check out the ordering of the mugshots https://www.national.org.nz/team

    • Carolyn_Nth 17.1
      16 October 2018 at 10:11 pm

      Scary.

      Holding this government to account…. pfffttt

      • Incognito 17.1.1
        16 October 2018 at 10:26 pm

        Did you see the ominously white space besides Paul Goldsmith? They removed JLR ranked at #7, shifted Goldsmith to the left and left a hole. National has got more holes than a Swiss cheese; Joyce’s was just one hole.

        • Carolyn_Nth 17.1.1.1
          16 October 2018 at 10:30 pm

          I noticed. And is that a recent photo of JC? She looks younger than Amy Adams. And JC looks on the outer in the group photo.

          • Incognito 17.1.1.1.1
            16 October 2018 at 10:40 pm

            Ouch! She’s 12 years her senior. Yes, I think that’s a fairly recent photo of JC; I believe those photos get updated on a regular basis. What group photo are you referring to?

            • marty mars 17.1.1.1.1.1
              17 October 2018 at 1:19 am

              Gerry’s photo looks from 10 years ago – no point updating I spose he’ll never see power again.

              • Incognito …
                17 October 2018 at 7:46 am

                I didn’t scroll down that far but I’ll take your word for it.

                They still haven’t fixed up that rather large white space; it really ought to be at the top, to the left of SB. Maybe it’s there as a warning to other National MPs …

    • mauī 17.2
      16 October 2018 at 10:53 pm

      Yes his online association with National is being quickly erased. For god’s sake freedom of speech and all that lets hope twitter doesn’t get any bright ideas, that man has a democratic right to freedom of speech!

      • Incognito 17.2.1
        16 October 2018 at 11:05 pm

        All true but is anybody trying to curb JLR’s freedom of speech? It seems he has been saying a little too much for his own good though so maybe somebody should tell him to shut it. Bennett should tell him “zip it, sweetie”. He doesn’t want to ruin his chances of winning the by-election. Any dates yet?

  18. Incognito 18
    16 October 2018 at 10:29 pm

    Simon Bridges – The Boy Who Cried Wolf.

  19. joe90 19
    16 October 2018 at 11:34 pm

    Elizabeth Warren has had enough

    [thread]

    We all know why @realDonaldTrump makes creepy physical threats about me, right? He’s scared. He’s trying to do what he always does to women who scare him: call us names, attack us personally, shrink us down to feel better about himself. It may soothe his ego – but it won’t work. pic.twitter.com/2rfPSlvlQA— Elizabeth Warren (@elizabethforma) October 15, 2018

    Bottom line: My heritage played no role in my hiring – ever. The @BostonGlobe reviewed all the evidence. Their verdict? "At every step of her remarkable rise in the legal profession, the people responsible for hiring her saw her as a white woman." https://t.co/LTQ6d1sMwM— Elizabeth Warren (@elizabethforma) October 15, 2018

    I won't sit quietly for @realDonaldTrump's racism, so I took a test. But DNA & family history has nothing to do with tribal affiliation or citizenship, which is determined only – only – by Tribal Nations. I respect the distinction, & don't list myself as Native in the Senate.— Elizabeth Warren (@elizabethforma) October 15, 2018

    Speaking of family stories, @realDonaldTrump has one, too. It's the story of a second-generation tax cheat who was handed a $413 million inheritance through rich-guy loopholes and outright criminal fraud. https://t.co/ZHJIm4GQG3— Elizabeth Warren (@elizabethforma) October 15, 2018

    https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1051955849927712768.html

  20. Mat Simpson 20
    17 October 2018 at 1:15 pm

    Well, well, well – Aaron Bhatnagar and Dirty Politics is back inside the National Party
    By Martyn Bradbury / October 17, 2018 / 2 Comments

    TDB recommends Voyager – Unlimited internet @home as fast as you can get
    This is getting dirtier and nastier but this time around the sleepy hobbits of muddle Nu Zilind don’t have the laid back anti-intellectualism of John Key to absolve their conscience and ignore corruption, they have bumbling Simon Bridges. Key could look down the barrel of the camera and lie to our faces and the sleepy hobbits loved him for it, Simon can’t lie convincingly and they will turn on him.

    National Party voters love a good liar, they detest a weak one.

    Print Email

    Well, well, well the person behind the Cathedral Club donation is the old Dirty Politics agent, Aaron Bhatnagar…

    Jami-Lee Ross saga: Identity of ‘Cathedral Club’ donor revealed
    The identity of the secret $10,000 ‘Cathedral Club’ donor has been revealed as Auckland millionaire and investor Aaron Bhatnagar, as details emerge linking National Party leader Simon Bridges to a group with that name.

    Bhatnagar came forward this morning after NZ Herald inquiries tied the donation to a house in Upland Rd in Remuera.

    The address was listed on the original donation declaration form which had been signed by Bridges, withdrawn and then submitted again without the Cathedral Club donation.
    At the time the donation was made, the Upland Rd house was lived in and owned by millionaire investor Aaron Bhatnagar.

    As TDB Blogger, Frank Macskasy pointed out in a TDB blog in 2014…

    One of the many sordid “bit”-players in Nicky Hager’s book, “Dirty Politics“, and one of Cameron Slater’s inner-cabal, is businessman, National Party card-carrying cadre, and former city councillor, Aaron Bhatnagar;

    .

    aaron bhatnagar

    .

    In 2008, Bhatnagar was caught by journalist, blogger, and IT commentator, Russell Brown, posting derogatory comments on Wikipedia to smear political opponants;

    Auckland City councillor Aaron Bhatnagar has been caught doctoring the online encyclopedia Wikipedia to paint his opponents in a bad light at last year’s local body elections.

    Using the alias of Barzini _ a power-hungry psychopath from Mario Puzo’s novel The Godfather _ Mr Bhatnagar created entries for his Action Hobson opponents in the Hobson ward and made unflattering changes to the entry for Mayor Dick Hubbard.

    After winning a council seat and watching Action Hobson councillors Christine Caughey and Richard Simpson go down to a C&R rout in Hobson, Mr Bhatnagar tried to remove the Wikipedia entries for his opponents at 3am the following morning.

    Bhatnagar was also John Banks’ campaign manager in Banks’ unsuccessful 2010 mayoralty bid, and later himself stood National’s candidate selection process for Epsom for the 2011 general election. (He subsequently lost out to John Banks.)

    But more than being a paid-up, card-carrying party apparatchik for National, Bhatnagar was part of far-right blogger, Cameron Slater’s inner sanctum.

    In Nicky Hager’s expose, Bhatnagar’s dirty tricks – a re-hash of his 2008 Wiki exploits – is carefully laid out;

    “Slater was in regular contact with his blogger friends Cathy Odgers, blog name Cactus Kate, Peter Smith (not his real name) and Aaron Bhatnagar, with whom he often talked over his attack plans…” – “Dirty Politics”, pg 20

    “Slater got the tip-off for his biggest 2011 attack from his blogger friend Aaron Bhatnagar, a former Auckland city councillor and business investor who had written a guest post as ‘Whale Oil Business Correspondent Winslow Taggart‘, promoting ‘one of New Zealand’s best run’ retirement companies, Ryman Healthcare, in which he was a shareholder. Bhatnagar’s approach to politics is summed up by his own words to Slater: ‘I’m getting bored. I need mischief to keep me busy…’ ” – “Dirty Politics”, pg 29

    “On another occassion he [Bhatnagar] asked Slater to help him find a ‘paparazzi photographer’ to ‘spook’ a lawyer outside his legal chambers.” – “Dirty Politics”, pg 29

    “This time Bhatnagar had been sniffing around the Labour Party’s websites and stumbled across an insecure location containing gigabytes of sensitive party information, including lists of donors and supporters. In the middle of election year, this was embarrassing and potentially very harmful to the Labour Party. Bhatnagar passed the find on to his friend.” – “Dirty Politics”, pg 29

    The following Facebook conversation between Cameron Slater and Bhatnagar showed the cavalier and unethical attitude both men had to Labour’s computer vulnerability;

    Slater: That website info will hit soon. Watch the damage that ensues.

    Bhatnagar: “I’ve been meaning to ask you! LOL [laugh out loud], when do you run it?

    Slater: been working thru it all… was going to do it this week but Goff is away. Far better to do it when the putz is back

    Slater: the most damaging is the 18000 emails, and the Credit card transactions

    Bhatnagar: fuck me, I hadn’t been that forensic myself. This will be huge

    Slater: got the whole of their email database

    Bhatnagar: oh no, LOL…. this is violence writ large

    Slater: I think some teaser videos of screenshots and stuff drip fed over a few days , then drop the bomb say wed morning so [Parliament’s Wednesday afternoon] general debate is awesome

    … The media are far too lazy to do what i have already done… so prob best to package it into bite size pieces.

    Bhatnagar: unreal. I knew there was heaps there, but I hadn’t actually leached it all. Credit card info? That’s insane. Labour will be ruined…

    I’m sure Chaos and Mayhem Ltd [Slater and his friends] will find a way to use all this left wing online data

    Slater: got First name, Last Name and email, in 3 files, main labour mail list

    Bhatnagar: could set back the online left wing community for three years…. I’ve told no one

    Slater: and don’t

    Bhatnagar: I wouldn’t wreck what might potentially be your greatest story…. – “Dirty Politics”, pg 30, 31

    At no point during that conversation does Bhatnagar even raise a question of ethics regarding Slater’s intentions to public data from the Labour Party computer. On the contrary, he is clearly supportive.

    On 12 June 2011, Slater began publishing details from the Labour Party computer. As Nicky Hager related;

    “The attack began on Sunday 12 June with an article Slater had arrangedin a Sunday newspaper. He simultaneously began publishing a series of posts on his blog with the tag line ‘Labour Leaks’, announcing a long list of ‘rorts’ that would be progressively ‘outed’ on his site over the following days…

    […]

    … Early on that Sunday morning Bhartnagar contacted Slater again. Their conversation is very revealing. ‘And so it begins…,’ Bhatnagar wrote. ‘Yep and it is going to hurt,” Slater replied, ‘that document is devastating… this is going to be a feeding frenzy, especially when I publish all the credit card transactions, then the membership lists, then the 18000 emails’. Thinking of the media reaction, Bhatnagar advised Slater to ‘keep your phone charged then – you will need the battery life!’

    Slater then set out in writing the motivations underlying the leaks. It would be, he said, ‘death by a 1000 leaks’.

    I have… cross referenced names with letter writers. I will have the definitive list of labour activists.

    it will shut down their donors, shut down their IT systems

    shut down their membership flow

    and shut down their online campaigns

    Bhatnager joked back: ‘Join the Labour Party and the Whaleoil email loop at the same time. Not a compelling message for left wing voters.’ “Dirty Politics”, pg 33

    As Nicky Hager pointed out, “the aim was not to expose poor Internet security or some wrong-doing or to prove a political point, but to do as much damage as possible to the Labour Party“. Clearly, Bhatnagar was revelling in Slater’s damaging attack on the Labour Party;

    “Later that evening Bhatnagar got in touch as well, suggesting a celebration lunc: ‘yum char thursday midday”. Slater said he’d be there. Bhatnagar asked, ‘What’s next in the death by 1000 cuts?’ ‘I haven’t decided yet,’ Slater replied. “- “Dirty Politics”, pg 36

    In fact, on one occassion, he positively gloated over it, as this exchange showed on 26 November 2011;

    “… The anti-MMP campaign failed, but Slater felt empowered by his successes. ‘I feel like this election campaign has been mine, plus my loyal tipline submitters,’ he told Bhatnagar. ‘Well, I am tempted to say that ripping open Labour’s website was a big part of it,’ Bhatnagar replied.“- “Dirty Politics”, pg 75

    …so on the day we find out that the Chinese business man who is claimed to have donated to Simon Bridges was nominated for a Queens Honour by National…

    National put Chinese businessman up for Queen’s Birthday honour

    …we also learn the other donor was a Dirty Politics agent.

    This is getting dirtier and nastier but this time around the sleepy hobbits of muddle Nu Zilind don’t have the laid back anti-intellectualism of John Key to absolve their conscience and ignore corruption, they have bumbling Simon Bridges. Key could look down the barrel of the camera and lie to our faces and the sleepy hobbits loved him for it, Simon can’t lie convincingly and they will turn on him.

    National Party voters love a good liar, they detest a weak one.

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    Published: 45 mins ago on October 17, 2018
    By: Martyn Bradbury
    Last Modified: October 17, 2018 @ 12:23 pm
    Filed Under: Deconstructing Headlines, Martyn Bradbury, Most Recent Blogs
    Tagged With: New Zealand Politics
    NEXT ARTICLE →
    “inappropriate behaviour that is unacceptable from a married Member of Parliament.” – I’m sorry what?
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    2 COMMENTS
    BERT says:
    OCTOBER 17, 2018 AT 12:53 PM
    Corrupt doesn’t go far enough!

    Reply
    STEVE KING says:
    OCTOBER 17, 2018 AT 1:02 PM
    Anybody heard from Jason Ede lately?

    Reply
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  21. Mat Simpson 21
    17 October 2018 at 1:21 pm

    “inappropriate behaviour that is unacceptable from a married Member of Parliament.” – I’m sorry what?
    By Martyn Bradbury / October 17, 2018 / 3 Comments

    TDB recommends Voyager – Unlimited internet @home as fast as you can get
    If National are going to stand by that new ethical line in the sand, then should we start applying it to other National Party MPs?

    Print Email

    Jami-Lee Ross accused of inappropriate behaviour for a married MP: Paula Bennett
    National Party deputy leader Paula Bennett says the issues raised with Jami-Lee Ross had nothing to do with harassment, but were about inappropriate behaviour from Ross as a “married Member of Parliament”.

    “Inappropriate behaviour that is unacceptable from a married Member of Parliament.” – I’m sorry what?

    Is that the game we are playing now?

    Does National REALLY want to go down that path?

    REALLY?

    R-E-A-L-L-Y?

    This is becoming so nasty and bitter. The National Party are the Marriage Police now?

    If National are going to stand by that new ethical line in the sand, then should we start applying it to other National Party MPs?

    Paula Bennett’s interview on Breakfast this morning was a train wreck.

    We’ve seen Paula use personal information to damage enemies in the past when she published personal details of beneficiaries who complained about her. This is getting to a level where people are going to be seriously damaged from this.

    Who does this all benefit ultimately? Why Judith Collins of course, who is watching her puppets dance and the implosion of chaos play out.

    If Simon Bridges has to stand down due to the audio evidence Jami-Lee Ross has, the Party will turn in desperation to Judith.

    And then we will have real cause to be frightened.

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    Published: 46 mins ago on October 17, 2018
    By: Martyn Bradbury
    Last Modified: October 17, 2018 @ 12:30 pm
    Filed Under: Deconstructing Headlines, Martyn Bradbury, Most Recent Blogs
    Tagged With: New Zealand Politics
    NEXT ARTICLE →
    Dr Liz Gordon – Ructions in the national caucus

  22. pat 22
    9 November 2018 at 9:05 am

    Love it for sure, im getting there!