Cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, the most-popular decentralized digital currency, have a notoriously large carbon footprint (bitcoin mining alone consumes about half as much electricity in a year as all of the UK).
So a couple of guys invented "a machine that harnesses the “waste gas” from oil rigs to power mining for cryptocurrency."
Their creation is part of a niche wave of tech startups that are now eyeing the oil and gas industry to help power the cryptocurrency boom. Lochmiller and Cavness, who started a bitcoin mining company called Crusoe Energy, see their fix as a marriage between two problems capable of “solving” one another: the wasting of gas flaring that contributes to the climate crisis, and the need for cheaper energy as crypto increases in popularity.
This cup is only half full. Climate scientists point to the half-empty part – harnessing the flare still produces global warming, even while mitigating it. But here's how the new industry works:
They install fleets of data centers that hum in shipping container-like structures next to remote oil rigs. Oil producers are then paid for the waste gas they otherwise wouldn’t use because it’s cheaper to burn than to pay to transport to market. In return, Crusoe use the byproduct to power energy-intensive computing operations on-site. The data centers burn through enormous amounts of energy because there’s no centralized “bank” that holds cryptocurrency.
Instead, new coins are created by solving complex equations that require heavy computing power to authenticate. The currency is then tracked on a decentralized ledger, known as the blockchain, which is also resource-intensive to maintain. The new technology comes amid a “great mining migration” that’s currently underway in the United States after China banned crypto mining in September.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) in 2020, 142bn cubic metres of gas was flared – the energy equivalent of providing electricity to 49m homes.
Wasting the power of 49 million dwellings is a big waste. Eliminating that wastage is a good idea. The figure that's missing is the overall efficiency gain percentage…
Northland police have arrested six people after tit-for-tat shootings linked to tensions between the Head Hunters and Black Power.
Meanwhile, a top detective has revealed gang leaders have been unwilling to cooperate with efforts to deescalate tensions between the warring gangs.
Officers and detectives swooped on several houses in Whangārei on Thursday, arresting four Black Power members or associates and two associates of the Head Hunters.
They also seized a shotgun, ammunition and a small quantity of unspecified drugs. Five of those arrested face drugs or firearms charges while the sixth was given a pre-charge warning.
Shortly after midday on December 7, someone is alleged to have fired several shots at the home of the prominent Head Hunter in Mahana Place, Raumanga. The second shooting happened on Sunday, also about midday, in Smeaton Drive, also in Raumanga.
The tit-for-tat shootings are believed to have been the result of a Black Power member “taxing” a car from the relative of a prominent Head Hunter. In response, a person linked to the Head Hunters attacked and kidnapped a member of Black Power, it is understood.
Where the hell are all these bloody guns coming from? 😠
A 19-year-old has been charged after a firearms incident in Hamilton that left a second person in a critical condition.
Police were called to a Kāinga Ora flat on Pukete Rd shortly before 9.30pm on Thursday. A person was taken to Waikato Hospital in a critical condition, and a Waikato District Health Board spokesman said they were in a serious but stable condition on Friday.
A 19-year-old man appeared in Hamilton District Court on Friday, charged with wounding with intent to injure.
A man who lives near the scene spoke to Stuff on the basis of anonymity and said he heard a big argument with lots of swearing. He said a person left the house in a car, and things were quiet for 15 minutes, before they returned and two shots were fired.
The man said the shooter jumped the back fence of the property and fled the scene. It was scary, but he stayed inside his house. He said the group of five state-owned homes made a lot of noise. “We have a lot of trouble with them,” he said.
A passerby told Stuff there were up to 12 police cars on the road outside a block of units on Thursday night. “We saw two cops with rifles walking up and down the road.”
Police were still at the property at 12.30pm on Friday.
Reminder to boycott Kelloggs products in solidarity with striking workers:
From Corn Flakes to Nutri-Grain and Coco Pops, New Zealand supermarkets are filled with Kellogg’s products.
But the food manufacturer has come under fire after it decided to replace 1400 striking workers in the United States last week.
…
The bulk of the Kellogg's products sold in New Zealand are produced in Australia, but some products here are also made in Thailand, Belgium and South Korea.
While none of these products are produced in the American factories, employees in Australia are facing the same workers’ rights issues those in the United States are striking against. And they’re ready to do the same.
Speaking from Sydney, Mel Gatfield, food and beverage director from Australian trade union, United Workers Union, says “we stand in solidarity with striking Kellogg’s workers”.
“We stand ready to fight the company if they try to bring what they are doing in the United States here to Australia,” Gatfield says.
Minister of Conservation Kiri Allan announced the funding from the Government’s Jobs for Nature programme, which will be spread across five separate projects, to enhance wetlands, restore the mana of a famed natural spring and protect native species reducing predators.
“What really impresses me about these projects is how they strive to build on existing conservation work or seek to recover lost natural heritage, habitats or important taonga species alongside a commitment to train up new staff,” Allan said.
Mine arrived 2 days ago. I’ve been too scared to open it yet – fearing the effect of the constantly inflating value of my house on my next rating year’s rates charges.
No, I should’ve said property, not house. I’m assuming property values are also accelerating relatively quickly given the extraordinary rate of increase in house prices, because the house price usually includes the property & section. Is this not so?
Yes, capital value is the metric….and if your rates increase it means one of two things (or a combination of both)….your CV increase is above average for the rating area or the overall rate take has increased….either way its unavoidable.
On average, the value of residential housing has increased 60.4% since 2018 with the average house value now sitting at $1,435,000, while the corresponding average land value has more than doubled to an average of $985,000.
QV area manager Paul McCorry commented: “It will come as no surprise to anyone that the demand for residential housing in the Capital City has been extremely buoyant over the last three years. In 2018 we were exclaiming at the number of million-dollar suburbs in the city. In 2021 there is not a single location with an average value less than $1 million – in fact, Kelburn, Oriental Bay, Roseneath and Seatoun have now pushed over $2 million.
And it looks like next year’s rates hike will be a biggie at 13.5%.
The plan is focussed on fixing the city’s aging infrastructure, response to climate change, minimising sewage sludge and waste, and cycleway networks.
This plan will see an average 13.5 percent rates increase in the coming year across Wellington or an average 5.5 percent rates increase per year over the ten years of the plan.
Yes , the rates increases around the country are well above the (declared) inflation rate, and historically have been for years, but there is no connection to property values (except in the relativity)…..they set their budgets and then apportion it using the formula of fixed charges and proportional charges by value.
I'm going to put this here...sent to me by a friend who knows I'm seriously concerned about the rates of myo and pericarditis associated with the mRNA vaccines.
It would appear that Bloomfield and Assoc are also a mite worried.
I can't copy and paste a quote, but it seems that the messaging about the possibility of vaccine induced myocarditis and pericarditis has not been explicit. Timely medical intervention is crucial and the symptoms to be aware of are clearly laid out.
There is also an acknowledgement that there is under reporting of incidences.
About fucking time…but way too late.
IMHO
I believe One News also featured this. Must have hurt to finally have to acknowledge harm..
There are some side effects that are more serious
but very rare, like a severe allergic reaction or an
inflammation of the heart. If you develop difficulty
breathing, a racing heart, chest pain or feel faint
immediately or in the days after the vaccine, you
should seek medical attention.
I was greeted and my appointment was confirmed at the door. I was then directed to an intake desk where my identity was confirmed, handed the fact sheet and asked to read it. I had ample time to read the sheet before being called by the vaccinator. While the vaccinator prepped my arm the record keeper confirmed my identity and asked if I'd read the sheet provided and if I understood the risk involved. The moment I consented, I was harpooned.
Yes basically my process was the same. I got a swag of material beforehand including the possible side effects. I had every sense of being informed, of having time to ask, of there being linkages between all parts of the process.
I was told via the sheets before and after about serious and not so serious side effects. Anything to do with chest pain, breathing or any unexplained serious pain I got close to having a vaccine or taking any medication I would class as serious and I would not need a person to have told me beforehand that it was possibly serious before doing something about it.
Hopefully they will put it in the before and after sheets, if not already there and include it in the consent sheet you fill out with medications etc on it. I did not get the feeling that this was a rushed process and a few additional questions or comments will not break the system. As I said we learn all the time. I had seen changes in the system in the times between my first and second vaccines that were obviously made following best practice/feedback loops etc.
The first appt took longer about 45/55mins all told and involved two intake rooms, and the vaccination and waiting room and the second about 30 mins. Because I had health things both times mine may have been longer.
They were very strict about the waiting afterwards and spoke, off side, to those who wanted to leave early presumably to discourage them and to pass on further info.
Rory James Nairn, 26, died on November 17 at the home he shared with his fiancee Ashleigh Wilson.
His death has been referred to the coroner and the exact cause is yet to be determined.
Nairn received his first dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine on November 5.
Health officials are also aware of Nairn's death but cannot comment because of the coronial investigation.
Wilson said it was frustrating not to have any clear answers and she decided to share Nairn's story.
She said whether his death was vaccine-related or not, he should have been made more aware of potential side effects.
If he had, he may have sought medical help sooner.
Instead, he shrugged off his ongoing symptoms, which Wilson said he did not have before his first dose of the vaccine, and put it down to stress.
Wilson said Nairn, a plumber, "started feeling heart flutters" a few hours after his jab.
"We put this down to stress as we were in the process of selling and buying a house and planning a wedding," she said.
"We never, ever considered the events that followed.
"Rory had heart palpitations regularly at night, and again, we thought this was stress.
"Twelve days later, Rory was up and down again during the night with his heart palpitations and an 'uncomfortable' feeling in his chest."
At 3am on November 17 the couple decided to go to the hospital for "reassurance".
But within minutes Naim collapsed.
I think also regulars on TS need to remember they are exposed to information about Covid and vaccinations multiple times every day. That information is absorbed and embedded. (I recall it was Rosemary who brought this potential side effect to my attention.)
Such an important point. The idea that someone will read, take in, and understand what is written on the pamphlet doesn't match reality. As someone else pointed out, some people are also natural minimisers and/or hate going to the doctor.
That someone didn't think to even google their symptoms to see if it was related tells us how far from thinking about covid or vaccines some people are.
While myocarditis is a side effect of the Pfizer vaccine, it also occurs as a result of Covid, at 6 times the rate of the vaccine.
HEART inflammation triggered by some covid-19 vaccines has been a concern, especially in younger people, but a preliminary study suggests that in those most affected, it is six times more likely to occur after a coronavirus infection than after vaccination.
Has this side effect not been known before now? I certainly knew of a myriad of possible side effects well before I had my vaccination and was handed a sheet at the time of the first vaccination.
By the same token my nasal spray also has a list of side effects, also my cholesterol medication for familial high cholesterol……..
Just having a read and had to grimlaugh at the bit about how good vaccinators are at communicating mild reactions in the pre-vax consent process. Not only was informed consent not gained from me, I wasn't told about side effects and was only given the pamphlet with the basics in it after I was vaxxed.
I had a pamphlet before I was vaxxed and then another one pager after I had it, well two one pagers, one after each. As well the vaccinator asked for me to tell her about some thing health-wise that had occurred between the two vaccines and I was asked about any symptoms after the first.
I have always looked up the Medsafe narrative about anything that I am given and must be one of the very few who actually reads the little notices that come in packets of medication.
My biggest claim to fame though was when I suggested with my 6th form chemistry that my dad was possibly getting too higher dose of a chemical in heart medication that was prescribed that was also appearing in another medication he was on. He was, and was not being properly monitored as well…..all found from the Medsafe slips and my basic chemistry.
As health consumers it would be good if we were encouraged to take an interest in these things. Mummy and daddy state should not have to do everything for us. As I said I felt the process here in Wellington was exemplary with lots of info given prior and during.
I agree, it would be great if we had increased interest. However, it takes a specific kind of literacy to read the package insert or medsafe data sheets and make useful sense of them. Not everyone has that. The issue here I think is that the MoH should probably have been saying much earlier to tell patients about myo/peri symptoms.
I had to sign a consent form. I had the list of side effects sent to me, I had gone through the health questionnaire at the start and was seen by another person, as I knew I would be, for clarification.
Your process does not seem to have included this. Perhaps the problem is not NZ Govt but those on the ground not keeping to the standard play book.
whoa, you had to sign a form? And you were given a questionnaire? I got asked a few things, like was I allergic to any meds, but that was about it.
I don't actually care who is at fault, I care that there are people not getting asked for informed consent. I don't think my experience is rare. I can imagine the bigger centres being more organised. The nurse was excellent at giving me the shot though.
I had to sign a form. We were all given info sheets, similar the ones already sent and a clip board when first arriving by appointment, who we were etc. These had to be handed in to people in booths like tellers at a bank. Then we were given a clipboard and more detailed sheets with our name, NHI number pre printed off on it. These detailed sheets had questions about health status, and you signed them and handed them in. Depending on your answers you were called up to answer further questions, given back your forms and to place on a chair near the booths. Then waited. People were called in the order of the forms. The vaccinator then skimmed the forms and noted that I had answered yes to one, that the health admin had initialled to say they then talked to me about what to expect and followed up again on my 'yes' concern, and then signed the bottom of the form that I had signed.
It was pretty slick. There were a few interpreters there. The vaccinators were Pakeha mainly but with a good sprinkling of older Maori nurses and younger Pasifika nurses
Yep and the first one was noticeable for the air of excitement and camaraderie. You know we could finally get our injections and do our bit to ourselves and others…….unbelievable to get excited about a vaccine but the room/s was full of smiles and good cheer.
Up to and including 20 November 2021, a total of 117 deaths were reported to CARM after the administration of the Comirnaty vaccine. Following medical assessments by CARM and Medsafe it has been determined that:
51 of these deaths are unlikely related to the COVID-19 vaccine
54 deaths could not be assessed due to insufficient information
11 cases are still under investigation.
1 death was likely due to vaccine induced myocarditis (awaiting Coroner’s determination)
By chance, some people will experience new illnesses or die from a pre-existing condition shortly after vaccination, especially if they are elderly. Therefore, part of our review process includes comparing natural death rates to observed death rates following vaccination, to determine if there are any specific trends or patterns that might indicate a vaccine safety concern. See below for more information about these observed-versus-expected analyses.
To date, the observed number of deaths reported after vaccination is actually less than the expected number of natural deaths.
A friend and I have been carefully following these "Safety" Reports for the past four months. We will have 2-3 tabs open with consecutive reports, comparing numbers. She is very number focused. She will spot discrepancies and alterations almost instantly. And there have been significant discrepancies and alterations.
For instance…the last report was for a fortnight and in that time there were approximately 330,000 shots administered. There was an increase in reports of myocarditis over that period that when extrapolated on a per shot basis indicated about 120 cases per one million doses. This is very close to the kind of figures in the study I posted this week from Ontario…. 94.5 per million for 18-24 year olds with a spacing of less than or equal to 30 days ….way more than the 3 per 100000 doses our MOH quotes.
My friend and I both have grown children in these danger age groups. I have personally spoken with four people who experienced varying degrees of the symptoms now being highlighted.
Pfizer
Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle and it can be mild or serious. It is usually caused by viruses but is also a very rare side effect of the vaccine.
Symptoms of myocarditis linked to the vaccine generally appear within a few days, and mostly within the first week after having the vaccine. If you get any of these symptoms, you should seek medical help, especially if these symptoms do not go away:
tightness, heaviness, discomfort or pain in your chest or neck
difficulty breathing or catching your breath
feeling faint or dizzy or light-headed
fluttering, racing or pounding heart, or feeling like it is ‘skipping beats’.
One involved an ambulance and 24hr heart monitoring. None reported to Medsafe because they had already been assured their symptoms were due to 'anxiety'.
Have a look at the number of reports of "chest discomfort", "fainting", "dizziness" etc and we might have a small clue regarding the extent of heart issues associated with these mRNA product.
My friend downloads the full dataset available from those reports….tens of thousands…and is looking at individual complaints. many of these report multiple symptoms.
We started this conversation by talking about the religion of Elon Musk. Do you get the sense that he's sort of using these people or that he truly believes in this?
My instinct is—in the same way that a good Sunday morning preacher gives people a community and hope—he has, in the case of SpaceX, delivered real teams of people that have delivered technologically, competitively advantaged engineering marvels. There's very little to criticize about SpaceX. (Notably, it's a private company.) In the case of Tesla, you have millions of customers that are very happy. You have a minority of customers that feel like they were misled. And you have an entire tribe of investors that are true believers and a minority of people that are saying the emperor has no clothes. I don't know what Elon truly believes. But I know that that number of true believers in Elon and the messages that he's been putting out are not going anywhere. And I would say I massively underestimated the power of religious belief.
My son inlaw had a severe reaction and was delaying getting help I told him off and said get help immediately don't f around I looked after the children while my daughter rushed him to after hours he got a steroid shot and recovered immediately.
I read up on the side effects and so did all the members of the family so we could be ready for the worst as another grand child had a severe reaction he got immediate healthcare but took 2 weeks to recover.
Even with these set backs everyone went ahead with vaccinations just watching carefully for side effects.
Yes my sister has a few immuno problems and she swotted up on the forms she got so she was well prepared before going in. Same with one of my nieces who has dyslexia and my sister read the forms/side effects out to her as well as the clinic doing the same. Some people are habitual minimisers though.
Anything strange happening with new medication/vaccines should be taken very seriously and quickly.
I can't remember being given any information re Covid-19 vaccine. The first vaccine, I was fine. However three weeks later after vaccine 2, about a week later I had symptoms resembling the uncomfortable first stage of a cold, mild headache, tingling runny nose and scratchy throat, which lasted about a month to six weeks. Fortunately I was able to function relatively normally, but took care all the same.
Despite that, I'm not hesitating having my booked booster vax next month.
Hi Robert .. I was told by a family health professional it might be related to the second vax, as it has been known to happen occasionally post vax 2, or it could be coincidence.
That's the $64,000 question and the answer surely would be 'don't know'. I get those sorts of symptoms sometimes before a sinus attack, a cold or sometimes after working in dusty environments. I have read that the second injection often causes cold/flu like symptoms as the body sharpens up its Covid responses.
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Willis blamed Treasury for changing its productivity assumptions and Labour’s spending increases since Covid for the worsening Budget outlook. Photo: Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, December 18 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast above ...
Today the Auckland Transport board meet for the last time this year. For those interested (and with time to spare), you can follow along via this MS Teams link from 10am. I’ve taken a quick look through the agenda items to see what I think the most interesting aspects are. ...
Hi,If you’re a New Zealander — you know who Mike King is. He is the face of New Zealand’s battle against mental health problems. He can be loud and brash. He raises, and is entrusted with, a lot of cash. Last year his “I Am Hope” charity reported a revenue ...
Probably about the only consolation available from yesterday’s unveiling of the Half-Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) is that it could have been worse. Though Finance Minister Nicola Willis has tightened the screws on future government spending, she has resisted the calls from hard-line academics, fiscal purists and fiscal hawks ...
The right have a stupid saying that is only occasionally true:When is democracy not democracy? When it hasn’t been voted on.While not true in regards to branches of government such as the judiciary, it’s a philosophy that probably should apply to recently-elected local government councillors. Nevertheless, this concept seemed to ...
Long story short: the Government’s austerity policy has driven the economy into a deeper and longer recession that means it will have to borrow $20 billion more over the next four years than it expected just six months ago. Treasury’s latest forecasts show the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s fiscal strategy of ...
Come and join myself and CTU Chief Economist for a pop-up ‘Hoon’ webinar on the Government’s Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) with paying subscribers to The Kākā for 30 minutes at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream to watch our chat. Don’t worry if ...
In 1998, in the wake of the Paremoremo Prison riot, the Department of Corrections established the "Behaviour Management Regime". Prisoners were locked in their cells for 22 or 23 hours a day, with no fresh air, no exercise, no social contact, no entertainment, and in some cases no clothes and ...
New data released by the Treasury shows that the economic policies of this Government have made things worse in the year since they took office, said NZCTU Economist Craig Renney. “Our fiscal indicators are all heading in the wrong direction – with higher levels of debt, a higher deficit, and ...
At the 2023 election, National basically ran on a platform of being better economic managers. So how'd that turn out for us? In just one year, they've fucked us for two full political terms: The government's books are set to remain deeply in the red for the near term ...
AUSTERITYText within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedMy spreadsheet insists This pain leads straight to glory (File not found) Read more ...
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi are saying that the Government should do the right thing and deliver minimum wage increases that don’t see workers fall further behind, in response to today’s announcement that the minimum wage will only be increased by 1.5%, well short of forecast inflation. “With inflation forecast ...
Oh, I weptFor daysFilled my eyesWith silly tearsOh, yeaBut I don'tCare no moreI don't care ifMy eyes get soreSongwriters: Paul Rodgers / Paul Kossoff. Read more ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Bob HensonIn this aerial view, fingers of meltwater flow from the melting Isunnguata Sermia glacier descending from the Greenland Ice Sheet on July 11, 2024, near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. According to the Programme for Monitoring of the Greenland Ice Sheet (PROMICE), the ...
In August, I wrote an article about David Seymour1 with a video of his testimony, to warn that there were grave dangers to his Ministry of Regulation:David Seymour's Ministry of Slush Hides Far Greater RisksWhy Seymour's exorbitant waste of taxpayers' money could be the least of concernThe money for Seymour ...
Willis is expected to have to reveal the bitter fiscal fruits of her austerity strategy in the HYEFU later today. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/TheKakaMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, December 17 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast ...
On Friday the government announced it would double the number of toll roads in New Zealand as well as make a few other changes to how toll roads are used in the country. The real issue though is not that tolling is being used but the suggestion it will make ...
The Prime Minister yesterday engaged in what looked like a pre-emptive strike designed to counter what is likely to be a series of depressing economic statistics expected before the end of the week. He opened his weekly post-Cabinet press conference with a recitation of the Government’s achievements. “It certainly has ...
This whooping cough story from south Auckland is a good example of the coalition government’s approach to social need – spend money on urging people to get vaccinated but only after you’ve cut the funding to where they could get vaccinated. This has been the case all year with public ...
And if there is a GodI know he likes to rockHe likes his loud guitarsHis spiders from MarsAnd if there is a GodI know he's watching meHe likes what he seesBut there's trouble on the breezeSongwriter: William Patrick Corgan Read more ...
Here’s a quick round up of today’s political news:1. MORE FOOD BANKS, CHARITIES, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS AND YOUTH SOCIAL SERVICES SET TO CLOSE OR SCALE BACK AROUND THE COUNTRY AS GOVT CUTS FUNDINGSome of Auckland's largest foodbanks are warning they may need to close or significantly reduce food parcels after ...
Iain Rennie, CNZMSecretary and Chief Executive to the TreasuryDear Secretary, Undue restrictions on restricted briefings This week, the Treasury barred representatives from four organisations, including the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi, from attending the restricted briefing for the Half-Year Economic and Fiscal Update. We had been ...
This is a guest post by Tim Adriaansen, a community, climate, and accessibility advocate.I won’t shut up about climate breakdown, and whenever possible I try to shift the focus of a climate conversation towards solutions. But you’ll almost never hear me give more than a passing nod to ...
A grassroots backlash has forced a backdown from Brown, but he is still eyeing up plenty of tolls for other new roads. And the pressure is on Willis to ramp up the Government’s austerity strategy. Photo: Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
Hi all,I'm pretty overwhelmed by all your messages and emails today; thank you so very much.As much as my newsletter this morning was about money, and we all need to earn money, it was mostly about world domination if I'm honest. 😉I really hate what’s happening to our country, and ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 8, 2024 thru Sat, December 14, 2024. Listing by Category Like last week's summary this one contains the list of articles twice: based on categories and based on ...
I started writing this morning about Hobson’s Pledge, examining the claims they and their supporters make, basically ripping into them. But I kept getting notifications coming through, and not good ones.Each time I looked up, there was another un-subscription message, and I felt a bit sicker at the thought of ...
Once, long before there was Harry and Meghan and Dodi and all those episodes of The Crown, they came to spend some time with us, Charles and Diana. Was there anyone in the world more glamorous than the Princess of Wales?Dazzled as everyone was by their company, the leader of ...
The collective right have a problem.The entire foundation for their world view is antiscientific. Their preferred economic strategies have been disproven. Their whole neoliberal model faces accusations of corporate corruption and worsening inequality. Climate change not only definitely exists, its rapid progression demands an immediate and expensive response in order ...
Just ten days ago, South Korea's president attempted a self-coup, declaring martial law and attempting to have opposition MPs murdered or arrested in an effort to seize unconstrained power. The attempt was rapidly defeated by the national assembly voting it down and the people flooding the streets to defend democracy. ...
National has only been in power for a year, but everywhere you look, its choices are taking New Zealand a long way backwards. In no particular order, here are the National Government's Top 50 Greatest Misses of its first year in power. ...
The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention. ...
The Government’s planned changes to the freedom of speech obligations of universities is little more than a front for stoking the political fires of disinformation and fear, placing teachers and students in the crosshairs. ...
The Ministry of Regulation’s report into Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Aotearoa raises serious concerns about the possibility of lowering qualification requirements, undermining quality and risking worse outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and kaiako. ...
A Bill to modernise the role of Justices of the Peace (JP), ensuring they remain active in their communities and connected with other JPs, has been put into the ballot. ...
Labour will continue to fight unsustainable and destructive projects that are able to leap-frog environment protection under National’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. ...
The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Track legislation being passed today. ...
The Green Party says the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows how the Government is failing to address the massive social and infrastructure deficits our country faces. ...
The Government’s latest move to reduce the earnings of migrant workers will not only hurt migrants but it will drive down the wages of Kiwi workers. ...
Te Pāti Māori has this morning issued a stern warning to Fast-Track applicants with interests in mining, pledging to hold them accountable through retrospective liability and to immediately revoke Fast-Track consents under a future Te Pāti Māori government. This warning comes ahead of today’s third reading of the Fast-Track Approvals ...
The Government’s announcement today of a 1.5 per cent increase to minimum wage is another blow for workers, with inflation projected to exceed the increase, meaning it’s a real terms pay reduction for many. ...
All the Government has achieved from its announcement today is to continue to push responsibility back on councils for its own lack of action to help bring down skyrocketing rates. ...
The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing. ...
The Government has failed to keep its promise to ‘super charge’ the EV network, delivering just 292 chargers - less than half of the 670 chargers needed to meet its target. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop subsidising the largest user of the country’s gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-national’s disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...
The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...
New independent analysis has revealed that the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) will reduce emissions by a measly 1 per cent by 2030, failing to set us up for the future and meeting upcoming targets. ...
The loss of 27 kaimahi at Whakaata Māori and the end of its daily news bulletin is a sad day for Māori media and another step backwards for Te Tiriti o Waitangi justice. ...
Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean more households cannot afford the basic essentials. ...
Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season. ...
After wasting a year, Nicola Willis has delivered a worse deal for the Cook Strait ferries that will end up being more expensive and take longer to arrive. ...
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has today launched a Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as the All Out For Gaza rally reaches Parliament. ...
After years of advocacy, the Green Party is very happy to hear the Government has listened to our collective voices and announced the closure of the greyhound racing industry, by 1 August 2026. ...
In response to a new report from ERO, the Government has acknowledged the urgent need for consistency across the curriculum for Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) in schools. ...
The Green Party is appalled at the Government introducing legislation that will make it easier to penalise workers fighting for better pay and conditions. ...
Thank you for the invitation to speak with you tonight on behalf of the political party I belong to - which is New Zealand First. As we have heard before this evening the Kinleith Mill is proposing to reduce operations by focusing on pulp and discontinuing “lossmaking paper production”. They say that they are currently consulting on the plan to permanently shut ...
Auckland Central MP, Chlöe Swarbrick, has written to Mayor Wayne Brown requesting he stop the unnecessary delays on St James Theatre’s restoration. ...
Kiwis planning a swim or heading out on a boat this summer should remember to stop and think about water safety, Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop and ACC and Associate Transport Minister Matt Doocey say. “New Zealand’s beaches, lakes and rivers are some of the most beautiful in the ...
The Government is urging Kiwis to drive safely this summer and reminding motorists that Police will be out in force to enforce the road rules, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“This time of year can be stressful and result in poor decision-making on our roads. Whether you are travelling to see ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says Health New Zealand will move swiftly to support dozens of internationally-trained doctors already in New Zealand on their journey to employment here, after a tripling of sought-after examination places. “The Medical Council has delivered great news for hardworking overseas doctors who want to contribute ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has appointed Sarah Ottrey to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). “At my first APEC Summit in Lima, I experienced firsthand the role that ABAC plays in guaranteeing political leaders hear the voice of business,” Mr Luxon says. “New Zealand’s ABAC representatives are very well respected and ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced four appointments to New Zealand’s intelligence oversight functions. The Honourable Robert Dobson KC has been appointed Chief Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, and the Honourable Brendan Brown KC has been appointed as a Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants. The appointments of Hon Robert Dobson and Hon ...
Improvements in the average time it takes to process survey and title applications means housing developments can progress more quickly, Minister for Land Information Chris Penk says. “The government is resolutely focused on improving the building and construction pipeline,” Mr Penk says. “Applications to issue titles and subdivide land are ...
The Government’s measures to reduce airport wait times, and better transparency around flight disruptions is delivering encouraging early results for passengers ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Improving the efficiency of air travel is a priority for the Government to give passengers a smoother, more reliable ...
The Government today announced the intended closure of the Apollo Hotel as Contracted Emergency Housing (CEH) in Rotorua, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. This follows a 30 per cent reduction in the number of households in CEH in Rotorua since National came into Government. “Our focus is on ending CEH in the Whakarewarewa area starting ...
The Government will reshape vocational education and training to return decision making to regions and enable greater industry input into work-based learning Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds says. “The redesigned system will better meet the needs of learners, industry, and the economy. It includes re-establishing regional polytechnics that ...
The Government is taking action to better manage synthetic refrigerants and reduce emissions caused by greenhouse gases found in heating and cooling products, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says. “Regulations will be drafted to support a product stewardship scheme for synthetic refrigerants, Ms. Simmonds says. “Synthetic refrigerants are found in a ...
People travelling on State Highway 1 north of Hamilton will be relieved that remedial works and safety improvements on the Ngāruawāhia section of the Waikato Expressway were finished today, with all lanes now open to traffic, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“I would like to acknowledge the patience of road users ...
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds, has announced a new appointment to the board of Education New Zealand (ENZ). Dr Erik Lithander has been appointed as a new member of the ENZ board for a three-year term until 30 January 2028. “I would like to welcome Dr Erik Lithander to the ...
The Government will have senior representatives at Waitangi Day events around the country, including at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, but next year Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has chosen to take part in celebrations elsewhere. “It has always been my intention to celebrate Waitangi Day around the country with different ...
Two more criminal gangs will be subject to the raft of laws passed by the Coalition Government that give Police more powers to disrupt gang activity, and the intimidation they impose in our communities, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. Following an Order passed by Cabinet, from 3 February 2025 the ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Justice Christian Whata as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Whata’s appointment as a Judge of the Court of Appeal will take effect on 1 August 2025 and fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Hon Justice David Goddard on ...
The latest economic figures highlight the importance of the steps the Government has taken to restore respect for taxpayers’ money and drive economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Data released today by Stats NZ shows Gross Domestic Product fell 1 per cent in the September quarter. “Treasury and most ...
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Minister of Education David Seymour today announced legislation changes to strengthen freedom of speech obligations on universities. “Freedom of speech is fundamental to the concept of academic freedom and there is concern that universities seem to be taking a more risk-averse ...
Police Minister, Mark Mitchell, and Internal Affairs Minister, Brooke van Velden, today launched a further Public Safety Network cellular service that alongside last year’s Cellular Roaming roll-out, puts globally-leading cellular communications capability into the hands of our emergency responders. The Public Safety Network’s new Cellular Priority service means Police, Wellington ...
State Highway 1 through the Mangamuka Gorge has officially reopened today, providing a critical link for Northlanders and offering much-needed relief ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“The Mangamuka Gorge is a vital route for Northland, carrying around 1,300 vehicles per day and connecting the Far ...
The Government has welcomed decisions by the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) and Ashburton District Council confirming funding to boost resilience in the Canterbury region, with construction on a second Ashburton Bridge expected to begin in 2026, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Delivering a second Ashburton Bridge to improve resilience and ...
The Government is backing the response into high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Otago, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says. “Cabinet has approved new funding of $20 million to enable MPI to meet unbudgeted ongoing expenses associated with the H7N6 response including rigorous scientific testing of samples at the enhanced PC3 ...
Legislation that will repeal all advertising restrictions for broadcasters on Sundays and public holidays has passed through first reading in Parliament today, Media Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “As a growing share of audiences get their news and entertainment from streaming services, these restrictions have become increasingly redundant. New Zealand on ...
Today the House agreed to Brendan Horsley being appointed Inspector-General of Defence, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Mr Horsley’s experience will be invaluable in overseeing the establishment of the new office and its support networks. “He is currently Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, having held that role since June 2020. ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government has agreed to the final regulations for the levy on insurance contracts that will fund Fire and Emergency New Zealand from July 2026. “Earlier this year the Government agreed to a 2.2 percent increase to the rate of levy. Fire ...
The Government is delivering regulatory relief for New Zealand businesses through changes to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act. “The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Amendment Bill, which was introduced today, is the second Bill – the other being the Statutes Amendment Bill - that ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed further progress on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS), with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board approving funding for the detailed design of Stage 1, paving the way for main works construction to begin in late 2025.“The Government is moving at ...
The Government today released a request for information (RFI) to seeking interest in partnerships to plant trees on Crown-owned land with low farming and conservation value (excluding National Parks) Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced. “Planting trees on Crown-owned land will drive economic growth by creating more forestry jobs in our regions, providing more wood ...
Court timeliness, access to justice, and improving the quality of existing regulation are the focus of a series of law changes introduced to Parliament today by Associate Minister of Justice Nicole McKee. The three Bills in the Regulatory Systems (Justice) Amendment Bill package each improve a different part of the ...
A total of 41 appointments and reappointments have been made to the 12 community trusts around New Zealand that serve their regions, Associate Finance Minister Shane Jones says. “These trusts, and the communities they serve from the Far North to the deep south, will benefit from the rich experience, knowledge, ...
The Government has confirmed how it will provide redress to survivors who were tortured at the Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital Child and Adolescent Unit (the Lake Alice Unit). “The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care found that many of the 362 children who went through the Lake Alice Unit between 1972 and ...
It has been a busy, productive year in the House as the coalition Government works hard to get New Zealand back on track, Leader of the House Chris Bishop says. “This Government promised to rebuild the economy, restore law and order and reduce the cost of living. Our record this ...
“Accelerated silicosis is an emerging occupational disease caused by unsafe work such as engineered stone benchtops. I am running a standalone consultation on engineered stone to understand what the industry is currently doing to manage the risks, and whether further regulatory intervention is needed,” says Workplace Relations and Safety Minister ...
Mehemea he pai mō te tangata, mahia – if it’s good for the people, get on with it. Enhanced reporting on the public sector’s delivery of Treaty settlement commitments will help improve outcomes for Māori and all New Zealanders, Māori Crown Relations Minister Tama Potaka says. Compiled together for the ...
Mr Roger Holmes Miller and Ms Tarita Hutchinson have been appointed to the Charities Registration Board, Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Louise Upston says. “I would like to welcome the new members joining the Charities Registration Board. “The appointment of Ms Hutchinson and Mr Miller will strengthen the Board’s capacity ...
More building consent and code compliance applications are being processed within the statutory timeframe since the Government required councils to submit quarterly data, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “In the midst of a housing shortage we need to look at every step of the build process for efficiencies ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey is proud to announce the first three recipients of the Government’s $10 million Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fund which will enable more Kiwis faster access to mental health and addiction support. “This fund is part of the Government’s commitment to investing in ...
New Zealand is providing Vanuatu assistance following yesterday's devastating earthquake, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. "Vanuatu is a member of our Pacific family and we are supporting it in this time of acute need," Mr Peters says. "Our thoughts are with the people of Vanuatu, and we will be ...
The Government welcomes the Commerce Commission’s plan to reduce card fees for Kiwis by an estimated $260 million a year, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.“The Government is relentlessly focused on reducing the cost of living, so Kiwis can keep more of their hard-earned income and live a ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour has welcomed the Early Childhood Education (ECE) regulatory review report, the first major report from the Ministry for Regulation. The report makes 15 recommendations to modernise and simplify regulations across ECE so services can get on with what they do best – providing safe, high-quality care ...
The Government‘s Offshore Renewable Energy Bill to create a new regulatory regime that will enable firms to construct offshore wind generation has passed its first reading in Parliament, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says.“New Zealand currently does not have a regulatory regime for offshore renewable energy as the previous government failed ...
Summer reissue: Was it a false measurement, a full-blown conspiracy or just some mild incompetence? Mad Chapman uncovers the truth of Maddi Wesche’s final throw. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julie Old, Associate Professor, Biology, Zoology, Animal Science, Western Sydney University Dmitry Chulov, Shutterstock At this time of year, images of reindeer are everywhere. I’ve had a soft spot for reindeer ever since I was a little girl. Doesn’t everyone? ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Grozdana Manalo, Career Services Manager (Education), University of Sydney hedgehog94/Shutterstock Getting casual work over summer, or a part-time job that you might continue once your tertiary course starts, can be a great way to get workplace experience and earn some extra ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ty Ferguson, Research associate in exercise, nutrition and activity, University of South Australia Peera_Stockfoto/Shutterstock It’s never been easier to stay connected to work. Even when we’re on leave, our phones and laptops keep us tethered. Many of us promise ourselves we ...
The NZ Media Council upheld the complaint under principle four: comment and fact On 5 September 2024, The Spinoff published a brief article titled Made in Palestine, found in 1970s Hastings, which highlighted an upcoming art exhibition featuring photographs of vintage cosmetic products labelled “Made in Palestine.” The piece, described ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kasey Symons, Lecturer of Communication, Sports Media, Deakin University We are well and truly in cricket season. The Australian men’s cricket team is taking centre stage against India in the Border Gavaskar Trophy series while the Big Bash League is underway, as ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Woods, Lecturer, Nursing, Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University FTiare/Shutterstock Summer is here and for many that means going to the beach. You grab your swimmers, beach towel and sunscreen then maybe check the weather forecast. Did you think to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Saman Khalesi, Senior Lecturer and Discipline Lead in Nutrition, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQUniversity Australia Dean Clarke/Shutterstock The holiday season can be a time of joy, celebration, and indulgence in delicious foods and meals. However, for many, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ari Mattes, Lecturer in Communications and Media, University of Notre Dame Australia Late Night With The Devil. Maslow Entertainment Marketing is critical to the success of commercial films, and companies will often spend half as much again on top of the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Francisco Jose Testa, Lecturer in Earth Sciences (Mineralogy, Petrology & Geochemistry), University of Tasmania The Conversation As a kid, it was tough for me to grasp the massive time scale of Earth’s history. Now, with nearly two decades of experience as ...
Te Pāti Māori has had to adopt a new way of debating, operating and even thinking in Parliament in response to the Government’s “onslaught” against te ao Māori, co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says.In an end-of-year interview with Newsroom, the Te Tai Hauauru MP reflected on how 2024 has differed from her ...
Opinion: The latest Trends in International Mathematics and Science report was announced earlier this month, yet it didn’t get the flurry of media attention and political hand-wringing that typically accompanies these announcements. This might be because it presented good news, or you could argue, no news; the results paint a ...
NewsroomBy Dr Lisa Darragh, Dr Raewyn Eden and Dr David Pomeroy
At long last, The Spinoff shells out for a nut ranking. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today.It recently came to The Spinoff’s attention ...
I was one of hundreds of people who lost my government job this week. Here’s exactly how it played out. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a ...
Summer reissue: One anxiously attentive passenger pays attention to an in-flight safety video, and wonders ‘Why can’t I pick up my own phone?’ The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up ...
Summer reissue: Why do those Lange-Douglas years cast such a long shadow 40 years on? The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today. First published June ...
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The Government’s social housing agency has backed out of a billion-dollar infrastructure alliance that would have built about 6000 new homes in Auckland – less than 18 months after signing a five-year extension.Labour says the decision to rip up the contract and sell off existing state houses could lead to ...
An unrelenting faith in “swift transition” has driven Tauranga Whai to their first Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa championship. At a boisterous Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre, the visiting Tokomanawa Queens were blown away 90-71 in the final.Whai led by 20 points at halftime as their urgent movement and unflinching faith in three-point shooting from anywhere ...
ByKoroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor New Zealand’s Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) says impending bad weather for Port Vila is now the most significant post-quake hazard. A tropical low in the Coral Sea is expected to move into Vanuatu waters, bringing heavy rainfall. Authorities have issued warnings to people ...
Cosmic CatastropheThe year draws to a close.King Luxon has grown tired of the long eveningsListening to the dreary squabbling of his Triumvirate.He strolls up to the top floor of the PalaceTo consult with his Astronomer Royal.The Royal Telescope scans the skies,And King Luxon stares up into the heavensFrom the terrestrial ...
Spinoff editor Mad Chapman and books editor Claire Mabey debate Carl Shuker’s new novel about… an editor. Claire: Hello Mad, you just finished The Royal Free – overall impressions? Mad: Hi Claire, I literally just put the book down and I would have to say my immediate impression is ...
Christmas and its buildup are often lonely, hard and full of unreasonable expectations. Here’s how to make it to Jesus’s birthday and find the little bit of joy we all deserve. Have you found this year relentless? Has the latest Apple update “fucked up your life”? Have you lost two ...
Despite overwhelming public and corporate support, the government has stalled progress on a modern day slavery law. That puts us behind other countries – and makes Christmas a time of tragedy rather than joy, argues Shanti Mathias. Picture the scene on Christmas Day. Everyone replete with nice things to eat, ...
Asia Pacific Report “It looks like Hiroshima. It looks like Germany at the end of World War Two,” says an Israeli-American historian and professor of holocaust and genocide studies at Brown University about the horrifying reality of Gaza. Professor Omer Bartov, has described Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza as an ...
The New Zealand government coalition is tweaking university regulations to curb what it says is an increasingly “risk-averse approach” to free speech. The proposed changes will set clear expectations on how universities should approach freedom of speech issues. Each university will then have to adopt a “freedom of speech statement” ...
Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. – COMMENTARY: By Caitlin Johnstone New York prosecutors have charged Luigi Mangione with “murder as an act of terrorism” in his alleged shooting of health insurance CEO Brian Thompson earlier this month. This news comes out at the same time as ...
Pacific Media Watch The union for Australian journalists has welcomed the delivery by the federal government of more than $150 million to support the sustainability of public interest journalism over the next four years. Combined with the announcement of the revamped News Bargaining Initiative, this could result in up to ...
Piracy is a reality of modern life – but copyright law has struggled to play catch-up for as long as the entertainment industry has existed. As far back as 1988, the House of Lords criticised copyright law’s conflict with the reality of human behaviour in the context of burning cassette ...
MONDAY“Merry Xmas, and praise the Lord,” said Sheriff Luxon, and smiled for the camera. There was a flash of smoke when the shutter pressed down on the magnesium powder. The sheriff had arranged for a photographer from the Dodge Gazette to attend a ceremony where he handed out food parcels to ...
It’s a little under two months since the White Ferns shocked the cricketing world, deservedly taking home the T20 World Cup. Since then the trophy has had a tour around the country, five of the squad have played in the WBBL in Australia while most others have returned to domestic ...
Comment: If we say the word ‘dementia’, many will picture an older person struggling to remember the names of their loved ones, maybe a grandparent living out their final years in an aged care facility. Dementia can also occur in people younger than 65, but it can take time before ...
So a couple of guys invented "a machine that harnesses the “waste gas” from oil rigs to power mining for cryptocurrency."
This cup is only half full. Climate scientists point to the half-empty part – harnessing the flare still produces global warming, even while mitigating it. But here's how the new industry works:
Wasting the power of 49 million dwellings is a big waste. Eliminating that wastage is a good idea. The figure that's missing is the overall efficiency gain percentage…
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/dec/16/crypto-mining-oil-industry-waste-climate-crisis
Northland police have arrested six people after tit-for-tat shootings linked to tensions between the Head Hunters and Black Power.
Meanwhile, a top detective has revealed gang leaders have been unwilling to cooperate with efforts to deescalate tensions between the warring gangs.
Officers and detectives swooped on several houses in Whangārei on Thursday, arresting four Black Power members or associates and two associates of the Head Hunters.
They also seized a shotgun, ammunition and a small quantity of unspecified drugs. Five of those arrested face drugs or firearms charges while the sixth was given a pre-charge warning.
Shortly after midday on December 7, someone is alleged to have fired several shots at the home of the prominent Head Hunter in Mahana Place, Raumanga. The second shooting happened on Sunday, also about midday, in Smeaton Drive, also in Raumanga.
The tit-for-tat shootings are believed to have been the result of a Black Power member “taxing” a car from the relative of a prominent Head Hunter. In response, a person linked to the Head Hunters attacked and kidnapped a member of Black Power, it is understood.
More…
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/300480986/northland-cops-arrest-six-after-head-hunters-black-power-shootings
More gangs n guns crap. Good one, the police. Keep up the pressure on these pricks.
Where the hell are all these bloody guns coming from? 😠
A 19-year-old has been charged after a firearms incident in Hamilton that left a second person in a critical condition.
Police were called to a Kāinga Ora flat on Pukete Rd shortly before 9.30pm on Thursday. A person was taken to Waikato Hospital in a critical condition, and a Waikato District Health Board spokesman said they were in a serious but stable condition on Friday.
A 19-year-old man appeared in Hamilton District Court on Friday, charged with wounding with intent to injure.
A man who lives near the scene spoke to Stuff on the basis of anonymity and said he heard a big argument with lots of swearing. He said a person left the house in a car, and things were quiet for 15 minutes, before they returned and two shots were fired.
The man said the shooter jumped the back fence of the property and fled the scene. It was scary, but he stayed inside his house. He said the group of five state-owned homes made a lot of noise. “We have a lot of trouble with them,” he said.
A passerby told Stuff there were up to 12 police cars on the road outside a block of units on Thursday night. “We saw two cops with rifles walking up and down the road.”
Police were still at the property at 12.30pm on Friday.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/300480831/person-seriously-injured-in-hamilton-firearms-incident-19yearold-arrested
Reminder to boycott Kelloggs products in solidarity with striking workers:
https://www.renews.co.nz/how-the-kelloggs-strike-affects-our-corn-flakes-in-nz/
Pickled!
They make 'em tough in Gore. I suspect you have to be pickled to face returning…
Another Green win from the govt:
QV letter today.
Talk about a kick in the nuts.
Rates going through the roof?
HUH?
Got it!! Valuation.
How exactly is it “a kick in the nuts”?
Mine arrived 2 days ago. I’ve been too scared to open it yet – fearing the effect of the constantly inflating value of my house on my next rating year’s rates charges.
Are you being ironic?….it is the relative property increase that impacts rates, not the absolute value. Everyones value has increased (so far)
No, I should’ve said property, not house. I’m assuming property values are also accelerating relatively quickly given the extraordinary rate of increase in house prices, because the house price usually includes the property & section. Is this not so?
Yes, capital value is the metric….and if your rates increase it means one of two things (or a combination of both)….your CV increase is above average for the rating area or the overall rate take has increased….either way its unavoidable.
For Welly, from WCC:
On average, the value of residential housing has increased 60.4% since 2018 with the average house value now sitting at $1,435,000, while the corresponding average land value has more than doubled to an average of $985,000.
QV area manager Paul McCorry commented: “It will come as no surprise to anyone that the demand for residential housing in the Capital City has been extremely buoyant over the last three years. In 2018 we were exclaiming at the number of million-dollar suburbs in the city. In 2021 there is not a single location with an average value less than $1 million – in fact, Kelburn, Oriental Bay, Roseneath and Seatoun have now pushed over $2 million.
And it looks like next year’s rates hike will be a biggie at 13.5%.
The plan is focussed on fixing the city’s aging infrastructure, response to climate change, minimising sewage sludge and waste, and cycleway networks.
This plan will see an average 13.5 percent rates increase in the coming year across Wellington or an average 5.5 percent rates increase per year over the ten years of the plan.
Yes , the rates increases around the country are well above the (declared) inflation rate, and historically have been for years, but there is no connection to property values (except in the relativity)…..they set their budgets and then apportion it using the formula of fixed charges and proportional charges by value.
This is correct Pat. We get to the horse trading time when projects are dropped etc by Councilors if they decide to limit rises to say 10%.
Posting this here as well…
I'm going to put this here...sent to me by a friend who knows I'm seriously concerned about the rates of myo and pericarditis associated with the mRNA vaccines.
It would appear that Bloomfield and Assoc are also a mite worried.
I can't copy and paste a quote, but it seems that the messaging about the possibility of vaccine induced myocarditis and pericarditis has not been explicit. Timely medical intervention is crucial and the symptoms to be aware of are clearly laid out.
There is also an acknowledgement that there is under reporting of incidences.
About fucking time…but way too late.
IMHO
I believe One News also featured this. Must have hurt to finally have to acknowledge harm..
link for those that like to see it in the clear
https://waikanaewatch.org/2021/12/17/bloomfield-finally-admits-myocarditis-and-pericarditis-result-from-the-pfizer-substance/
Has it not always been a side effect, rare though. I certainly knew about the possibility when I was making the decision to be vaccinated or not.
Good on them for responsibly ringing this to notice. Science evolves, responses evolve.
as mentioned below, I was given no information about any side effects when I got vaccinated.
Were you told what symptoms to look out for re peri/myocarditis?
From the handout I received on the day.
There are some side effects that are more serious
but very rare, like a severe allergic reaction or an
inflammation of the heart. If you develop difficulty
breathing, a racing heart, chest pain or feel faint
immediately or in the days after the vaccine, you
should seek medical attention.
https://covid19.govt.nz/assets/resources/vaccine-resources/COVID-19-vaccine_What-to-expect.pdf
I got that pamphlet afterwards, but didn't read it until a few days later. Definitely wasn't included as part of informed consent.
Lots of people won't have read it. My take on the new advisory is the peri/myo cautions needs to be given verbally and in ways that people understand.
I was greeted and my appointment was confirmed at the door. I was then directed to an intake desk where my identity was confirmed, handed the fact sheet and asked to read it. I had ample time to read the sheet before being called by the vaccinator. While the vaccinator prepped my arm the record keeper confirmed my identity and asked if I'd read the sheet provided and if I understood the risk involved. The moment I consented, I was harpooned.
sounds like a good process.
Yes basically my process was the same. I got a swag of material beforehand including the possible side effects. I had every sense of being informed, of having time to ask, of there being linkages between all parts of the process.
I was told via the sheets before and after about serious and not so serious side effects. Anything to do with chest pain, breathing or any unexplained serious pain I got close to having a vaccine or taking any medication I would class as serious and I would not need a person to have told me beforehand that it was possibly serious before doing something about it.
Hopefully they will put it in the before and after sheets, if not already there and include it in the consent sheet you fill out with medications etc on it. I did not get the feeling that this was a rushed process and a few additional questions or comments will not break the system. As I said we learn all the time. I had seen changes in the system in the times between my first and second vaccines that were obviously made following best practice/feedback loops etc.
how long were you in the room?
The first appt took longer about 45/55mins all told and involved two intake rooms, and the vaccination and waiting room and the second about 30 mins. Because I had health things both times mine may have been longer.
They were very strict about the waiting afterwards and spoke, off side, to those who wanted to leave early presumably to discourage them and to pass on further info.
From the article, it appears that Rory Naim was unaware of possible cardiac issues, attributing symptoms to stress.
I think also regulars on TS need to remember they are exposed to information about Covid and vaccinations multiple times every day. That information is absorbed and embedded. (I recall it was Rosemary who brought this potential side effect to my attention.)
Such an important point. The idea that someone will read, take in, and understand what is written on the pamphlet doesn't match reality. As someone else pointed out, some people are also natural minimisers and/or hate going to the doctor.
That someone didn't think to even google their symptoms to see if it was related tells us how far from thinking about covid or vaccines some people are.
https://twitter.com/viewspotnz/status/1471734476547837958
While myocarditis is a side effect of the Pfizer vaccine, it also occurs as a result of Covid, at 6 times the rate of the vaccine.
Yep.
Rare side affect !!!!
someone in NZ just died because they didn't know it was a rare side effect and didn't seek medical treatment soon enough.
If you are not having the vaccination ………?
Has this side effect not been known before now? I certainly knew of a myriad of possible side effects well before I had my vaccination and was handed a sheet at the time of the first vaccination.
By the same token my nasal spray also has a list of side effects, also my cholesterol medication for familial high cholesterol……..
Yes, it's known, but the health system in NZ hasn't been good about talking about it so that patients know what to look out for.
Just having a read and had to grimlaugh at the bit about how good vaccinators are at communicating mild reactions in the pre-vax consent process. Not only was informed consent not gained from me, I wasn't told about side effects and was only given the pamphlet with the basics in it after I was vaxxed.
I had a pamphlet before I was vaxxed and then another one pager after I had it, well two one pagers, one after each. As well the vaccinator asked for me to tell her about some thing health-wise that had occurred between the two vaccines and I was asked about any symptoms after the first.
I have always looked up the Medsafe narrative about anything that I am given and must be one of the very few who actually reads the little notices that come in packets of medication.
My biggest claim to fame though was when I suggested with my 6th form chemistry that my dad was possibly getting too higher dose of a chemical in heart medication that was prescribed that was also appearing in another medication he was on. He was, and was not being properly monitored as well…..all found from the Medsafe slips and my basic chemistry.
As health consumers it would be good if we were encouraged to take an interest in these things. Mummy and daddy state should not have to do everything for us. As I said I felt the process here in Wellington was exemplary with lots of info given prior and during.
I agree, it would be great if we had increased interest. However, it takes a specific kind of literacy to read the package insert or medsafe data sheets and make useful sense of them. Not everyone has that. The issue here I think is that the MoH should probably have been saying much earlier to tell patients about myo/peri symptoms.
I had to sign a consent form. I had the list of side effects sent to me, I had gone through the health questionnaire at the start and was seen by another person, as I knew I would be, for clarification.
Your process does not seem to have included this. Perhaps the problem is not NZ Govt but those on the ground not keeping to the standard play book.
whoa, you had to sign a form? And you were given a questionnaire? I got asked a few things, like was I allergic to any meds, but that was about it.
I don't actually care who is at fault, I care that there are people not getting asked for informed consent. I don't think my experience is rare. I can imagine the bigger centres being more organised. The nurse was excellent at giving me the shot though.
I had to sign a form. We were all given info sheets, similar the ones already sent and a clip board when first arriving by appointment, who we were etc. These had to be handed in to people in booths like tellers at a bank. Then we were given a clipboard and more detailed sheets with our name, NHI number pre printed off on it. These detailed sheets had questions about health status, and you signed them and handed them in. Depending on your answers you were called up to answer further questions, given back your forms and to place on a chair near the booths. Then waited. People were called in the order of the forms. The vaccinator then skimmed the forms and noted that I had answered yes to one, that the health admin had initialled to say they then talked to me about what to expect and followed up again on my 'yes' concern, and then signed the bottom of the form that I had signed.
It was pretty slick. There were a few interpreters there. The vaccinators were Pakeha mainly but with a good sprinkling of older Maori nurses and younger Pasifika nurses
that sounds very thorough.
Yep and the first one was noticeable for the air of excitement and camaraderie. You know we could finally get our injections and do our bit to ourselves and others…….unbelievable to get excited about a vaccine but the room/s was full of smiles and good cheer.
lol, I felt unexpectedly excited and pleased afterwards too.
A pity that aspiration is not one of their precautionary responses.
Latest published CARM report from Medsafe,
Adverse events following immunisation with COVID-19 vaccines: Safety Report #37 – 20 November 2021 – Published 8 December 2021
A friend and I have been carefully following these "Safety" Reports for the past four months. We will have 2-3 tabs open with consecutive reports, comparing numbers. She is very number focused. She will spot discrepancies and alterations almost instantly. And there have been significant discrepancies and alterations.
For instance…the last report was for a fortnight and in that time there were approximately 330,000 shots administered. There was an increase in reports of myocarditis over that period that when extrapolated on a per shot basis indicated about 120 cases per one million doses. This is very close to the kind of figures in the study I posted this week from Ontario…. 94.5 per million for 18-24 year olds with a spacing of less than or equal to 30 days ….way more than the 3 per 100000 doses our MOH quotes.
My friend and I both have grown children in these danger age groups. I have personally spoken with four people who experienced varying degrees of the symptoms now being highlighted.
Pfizer
Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle and it can be mild or serious. It is usually caused by viruses but is also a very rare side effect of the vaccine.
Symptoms of myocarditis linked to the vaccine generally appear within a few days, and mostly within the first week after having the vaccine. If you get any of these symptoms, you should seek medical help, especially if these symptoms do not go away:
One involved an ambulance and 24hr heart monitoring. None reported to Medsafe because they had already been assured their symptoms were due to 'anxiety'.
Have a look at the number of reports of "chest discomfort", "fainting", "dizziness" etc and we might have a small clue regarding the extent of heart issues associated with these mRNA product.
My friend downloads the full dataset available from those reports….tens of thousands…and is looking at individual complaints. many of these report multiple symptoms.
Thanks, Rosemary. When I have time (and focus) I will take a closer look.
The greater fool theory stretches it's legs with another outing in mind.
We started this conversation by talking about the religion of Elon Musk. Do you get the sense that he's sort of using these people or that he truly believes in this?
My instinct is—in the same way that a good Sunday morning preacher gives people a community and hope—he has, in the case of SpaceX, delivered real teams of people that have delivered technologically, competitively advantaged engineering marvels. There's very little to criticize about SpaceX. (Notably, it's a private company.) In the case of Tesla, you have millions of customers that are very happy. You have a minority of customers that feel like they were misled. And you have an entire tribe of investors that are true believers and a minority of people that are saying the emperor has no clothes. I don't know what Elon truly believes. But I know that that number of true believers in Elon and the messages that he's been putting out are not going anywhere. And I would say I massively underestimated the power of religious belief.
https://www.vice.com/en/article/7kbx9b/the-to-the-moon-crash-is-coming
My son inlaw had a severe reaction and was delaying getting help I told him off and said get help immediately don't f around I looked after the children while my daughter rushed him to after hours he got a steroid shot and recovered immediately.
I read up on the side effects and so did all the members of the family so we could be ready for the worst as another grand child had a severe reaction he got immediate healthcare but took 2 weeks to recover.
Even with these set backs everyone went ahead with vaccinations just watching carefully for side effects.
Yes my sister has a few immuno problems and she swotted up on the forms she got so she was well prepared before going in. Same with one of my nieces who has dyslexia and my sister read the forms/side effects out to her as well as the clinic doing the same. Some people are habitual minimisers though.
Anything strange happening with new medication/vaccines should be taken very seriously and quickly.
I can't remember being given any information re Covid-19 vaccine. The first vaccine, I was fine. However three weeks later after vaccine 2, about a week later I had symptoms resembling the uncomfortable first stage of a cold, mild headache, tingling runny nose and scratchy throat, which lasted about a month to six weeks. Fortunately I was able to function relatively normally, but took care all the same.
Despite that, I'm not hesitating having my booked booster vax next month.
Mary_a – was your runny nose, etc, a result of the vaccination?
Hi Robert .. I was told by a family health professional it might be related to the second vax, as it has been known to happen occasionally post vax 2, or it could be coincidence.
Hi Mary – sorry you got the sniffles 🙂
Yes, it's hard to know for sure. Thanks for not catastrophising your discomfort.
I have to say though, six weeks! That's a long time to be irritated by the symptoms you described. I hope it's gone now.
This ws back in July Robert.
That's the $64,000 question and the answer surely would be 'don't know'. I get those sorts of symptoms sometimes before a sinus attack, a cold or sometimes after working in dusty environments. I have read that the second injection often causes cold/flu like symptoms as the body sharpens up its Covid responses.