Daily Review 22/02/2018

Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, February 22nd, 2018 - 55 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 …

55 comments on “Daily Review 22/02/2018 ”

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  1. Anne 1
    22 February 2018 at 6:03 pm

    Listen to this and weep:

    https://qz.com/1212751/parklandstudentsspeak-sam-zeif-florida-school-shooting-survivor-confronts-donald-trump-on-gun-control/

    And Trump’s response? Arm the teachers. Arm the security guards. Arm everyone in sight…

    God defend the planet from this ape!

    • Stunned Mullet 1.1
      22 February 2018 at 6:13 pm

      I watched it earlier on this afternoon Anne, I was struck by the grace and eloquence of everyone apart from Trump, unlike those in the room I wouldn’t have been able to control myself, he really is beyond description.

      I can’t imagine any other president in my memory who would’ve been so appalling in a similar situation.

    • joe90 1.2
      22 February 2018 at 6:19 pm

      Everthing’s a photo-op.

      I want to know why Emma Gonzalez and the Parkland students in the national spotlight aren’t at the President’s listening session. The focus seem to be focused on everything but easy access to guns.— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) February 21, 2018

      We uh… were not invited. But we have important things to do and talk about, we don’t have time to thank these people for taking half a step in the right direction. Watch the CNN town hall tonight. Trust me. #NEVERAGAIN #MarchForOurLives https://t.co/tuQdpnbW1T— Cameron Kasky (@cameron_kasky) February 21, 2018

  2. joe90 2
    22 February 2018 at 6:56 pm

    But Hillary!

    BURLINGTON, Vt. – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday released the following statement on Russian government interference in U.S. elections:
    “It is now clear to everyone that agents of the Russian government were, in a disgusting and dangerous manner, actively interfering in the 2016 elections in an effort to defeat Secretary Hillary Clinton. Based on media reports they intend to interfere in the mid-term elections of 2018. There has also been extensive reporting on the Russian government’s interference in European elections.
    “All of this conduct taken together is a direct assault on the free democratic systems that stand in contrast to the autocratic, nationalistic kleptocracy of Vladimir Putin and his backers in the Russian oligarchy. Sadly, despite all this evidence, the only person who seems to be unconcerned about the subversion of democracy is our own president Donald Trump. Russian interference in both the 2016 primary and general election is unacceptable and everything possible must be done to ensure it does not happen again. No candidate, whether Secretary Clinton or anyone else, should have to wage an electoral contest in the face of foreign government intervention. The same is true of other kinds of interference the Russians engaged in, including posing as supporters of the social justice movement Black Lives Matter or members of the American Muslim community.
    “Let there be no confusion about my view. What the Russians did in the 2016 election cycle deserves unconditional condemnation. That includes all of their conduct — whether it was active support of any candidate or active opposition to any candidate or the decision to not go after a candidate as a way of hurting or helping another campaign. This is true of any of the 2016 campaigns, including those of Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, or my own. As someone who campaigned hard for Secretary Clinton from one end of this country to another, it is an outrage that she had to run against not only Donald Trump but also the Russian government. All Americans rightly expected and deserved a fair election free of foreign governmental intervention. The key issues now are two: how we prevent the unwitting manipulation of the electoral and political system of our country by foreign governments; and exposing who was actively consorting with the Russian government’s attack on our democracy.”

    https://berniesanders.com/press-release/sanders-statement-russian-government-interference-u-s-elections/

  3. weka 3
    22 February 2018 at 7:03 pm

    Lol, Bennett and Collins unfavourable.

  4. AsleepWhileWalking 4
    22 February 2018 at 7:49 pm

    In April last year Evolution 4.0 (predictive software with high accuracy) put the odds of a civil war in the US around 75% and they even highlighted about 20 cities that were most at risk.

    Not surprising when you see the stark contrast in descriptions of what people think is occurring.

    Here is a very different view than that commonly listed here.

    https://youtu.be/m_c8b92y4qo

    • AB 4.1
      22 February 2018 at 11:12 pm

      You really need to define what is meant by ‘civil war’ in a 21st century context.
      The actual 19th century American civil war was a split in the elite ruling class (over slavery and states’ rights), with defined geographical boundaries (secessionist states) and with each side having the industrial capacity to manufacture arms, bring together armies and have set-piece artillery and cavalry battles. It was really like a war between two different countries, the South elected it’s own president and the North inevitably won because of greater population and industrial strength.

      None of these things applies in 21st century USA – at most you could argue that Trump is causing some sort of split in elite opinion but it seems pretty weak in comparison to 1861-64.
      So how does ‘civil war’ even occur under these conditions? You probably mean ‘revolution’ not civil war, but that’s highly implausible too.

  5. AsleepWhileWalking 5
    22 February 2018 at 8:05 pm

    Strippers in China must have extraordinary marketing (funerals, weddings…)

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11999948

  6. Ed 6
    22 February 2018 at 8:56 pm

    Best minister in the government.

    Andrew Little.

    ‘Longer sentences, more prisoners – it doesn’t work and it has to stop

    Minister of Justice Andrew Little has laid out a vision for criminal justice reform which sees sentencing law relaxed and a rejection of “tough on crime”-style politics.
    His comments during an interview with the NZ Herald have been likened by one leading academic as the boldest political move in criminal justice since former Minister of Justice Ralph Hanan, who saw the death penalty abolished in 1961.
    Little said “so-called law-and-order” policies have been a 30-year failure and locking up more people with longer sentences hasn’t made New Zealand safer.
    “New Zealand needs to completely change the way criminal justice works,” he said. “It is a big challenge we are facing. It’s not an issue that’s been a short time in the making.’

    ……And, in an extraordinary statement for a Minister of Justice, he said the imbalance of Maori in prison – 52 per cent of the 10,695 prison population – revealed systemic problems in the criminal justice system,

    “There is a built in systemic bias or prejudice and we’ve got to understand that. We’ve got to something about it.”​

    Read On, McDuff.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11999980

    • The Chairman 6.1
      23 February 2018 at 6:10 pm

      I’m trying to see how that aligns with increasing police numbers, which one assumes will lead to more incarceration. Opposed to further addressing poverty, which, of course, is a driver of crime. And also reflects on the high number of Maori inside.

      • McFlock 6.1.1
        23 February 2018 at 6:21 pm

        Enforcement isn’t necessarily a linear relationship of a fixed volume of crime so more cops = more resolution = more sentences of the same proportions as today.

        E.g. more police = more attention to lower priority crime = more resolution of offenses at lower end = earlier intervention point for people going off the rails. So more offences, but after the initial resolution spike the offences have more community level punishments.

        E.g. more time to think about how to address a recurring problem household before someone gets stabbed.

        E.g. more police = more patrols = more deterrence = less crime

        • The Chairman 6.1.1.1
          23 February 2018 at 8:02 pm

          “Enforcement isn’t necessarily a linear relationship of a fixed volume of crime so more cops = more resolution = more sentences of the same proportions as today.”

          More sentences of the same proportions as today = a larger number (than currently) going to jail.

          And the volume of crime isn’t fixed.

          An increase in police numbers doesn’t necessarily mean more attention will be solely going towards lower priority crime. Especially with all these dairies being robbed.

          More police = more patrols = more deterrence = less crime in the area targeted, perhaps. Fixed it for you.

          • McFlock 6.1.1.1.1
            23 February 2018 at 9:43 pm

            Your determination to construct pessimism with a complete absence of justification once again wins through.

            I didn’t say “solely”. But if you have police availble to arrive on scene when the crime is still “assault” rather than “murder” (which still has a decent clearance rate these days), that’s going to be a maximin seven years rather than a minimum 12, innit.

            • The Chairman 6.1.1.1.1.1
              23 February 2018 at 10:01 pm

              “But if you have police availble to arrive on scene when the crime is still ‘assault’ rather than “murder” (which still has a decent clearance rate these days), that’s going to be a maximin seven years rather than a minimum 12, innit.”

              It still results in time having to be served. As it fails to address the reason for the dispute that led to the confrontation, which in many cases is poverty related.

              The timing of Little’s announcement comes as corrections is at near full capacity. Down to around 300 beds to spare.

              Early releases? More double bunking? Or a new prison?

              What will Labour do?

              • McFlock …
                23 February 2018 at 10:11 pm

                Less prisoners held on remand. More community service sentences. As the current prisoners reach normal parole or release conditions.

                One of the questions it will address is systemic racism in the system. So less tendency to lock up Maori. Less prisoners.

                Again, you want to know what people will do when you don’t know if there’ll be anything they have to do in the first place.

                • The Chairman …
                  23 February 2018 at 10:25 pm

                  Apart from relaxing sentencing law, prisoners held on remand and who is given community service sentences is up to the courts to decide.

                  And will relaxing sentencing law be enough at this stage to meet the urgency?

                  “One of the questions it will address is systemic racism in the system. So less tendency to lock up Maori.”

                  And how exactly will Little ensure that works in day to day policing? And will that systemic change happen fast enough to meet the current urgency?

                  Moreover, will less targeting of Maori merely be offset by the targeting of others? They’ll have to fill their time somehow.

                  • McFlock …
                    23 February 2018 at 10:32 pm

                    🙄 If they’re in on assault rather than murder charges, I suspect the courts might be less likely to hold them on remand until the trial.

                    As for what Little will do, I’ve no idea. But I’m sure you’ll find something in it that will concern you.

                    I think you might have forgotten to criticise the Greens for not issuing a press release about it, too. Slip your mind, concern-o-bot?

                    • The Chairman …
                      23 February 2018 at 10:44 pm

                      “If they’re in on assault rather than murder charges, I suspect the courts might be less likely to hold them on remand until the trial.”

                      Speculation. Each case will be judged on its own standing.

                      “As for what Little will do, I’ve no idea. But I’m sure you’ll find something in it that will concern you.”

                      That all depends on what he decides to do.

                      “I think you might have forgotten to criticise the Greens for not issuing a press release about it, too. Slip your mind, concern-o-bot?”

                      Not at all. As I previously told you, I don’t pull them up every time they fail to gain media cut through by failing to issue a press release.

                      But I would advise them to be more media savvy as part of upping their game.

                      Speaking of the Greens, seen Matthew Whitehead about?

                    • McFlock …
                      23 February 2018 at 11:17 pm

                      Speculator discounts other people’s speculation. Is easily distracted. lol

            • The Chairman 6.1.1.1.1.2
              23 February 2018 at 10:13 pm

              “I didn’t say ‘solely’.”

              No, you didn’t. But the point is with violent crime on the increase, in reality, what percentage to you envision going on low priority crime?

              • McFlock …
                23 February 2018 at 10:44 pm

                I didn’t “envision” percentages. But if someone calls the cops, I suspect more cops means a quicker response time. Which means the incidents the cops attend will, overall, have a lower level of charges. Yes, there will still be serious crimes. But catching little shits doing beatings before the fuckwit in the group starts jumping on heads is just as likely as simply having a better clearance rate on the exact same level of offences.

                Like I said, your concern about more cops meaning a greater strain on prison capacity is based on nothing.

                You’re simply hypothesising only scenarios that will raise concern points, excluding scenarios that will have positive outcomes. Yet again.

                • The Chairman …
                  23 February 2018 at 11:03 pm

                  I didn’t “envision” percentages.

                  I know. Which is why I asked. Evidently, there is a lot you fail to envision.

                  “I suspect more cops means a quicker response time.”

                  You do know calls are prioritised? And while their all busy dealing with the increase in violent crime, low priority calls get served last.

                  “Like I said, your concern about more cops meaning a greater strain on prison capacity is based on nothing.”

                  No, it’s based on the issues highlighted above, a number of which you have failed to address.

                  “You’re simply hypothesising only scenarios that will raise concern points, excluding scenarios that will have positive outcomes.”

                  What I’m highlighting is the positives are not as great as you imply and the down side may outweigh them. But clearly you don’t want to hear that. It’s all to depressing.

                  • McFlock …
                    23 February 2018 at 11:14 pm

                    You had literally zero positives in your original list of hypothetical concerns. I added some positive hypotheticals. If any of your hypotheticals become actuals, you will have no solutions. Labour will, though. If any of mine become actuals, then gosh, there’s no fucking problem at all.

                    The failure begins and ends with you.

                    • The Chairman …
                      23 February 2018 at 11:29 pm

                      “You had literally zero positives in your original list of hypothetical concerns”.

                      Of course. That’s because more police largely addresses the symptom and not the cause.

                      “ I added some positive hypotheticals”.

                      Which my questioning poked large gaping holes through, leading to them crumbling and you resorting to your usual MO, playing the man and not the ball. Bully boy.

                      Thus the failure is all yours.

                    • McFlock …
                      23 February 2018 at 11:59 pm

                      Hypotheticals can’t have gaping holes. They’re hypothetical. Your negatives were hypothetical. My positives were hypothetical. But you’re still concerned.

                      Well, nobody else has responded to you, so I might as well leave it, too. You don’t seem to have made anyone else concerned.

                      Failure to concern is all yours.

                    • The Chairman …
                      24 February 2018 at 12:20 am

                      The concerns are there regardless if people fail to see them. Remember, we live in the land of pineapple lumps, thus people aren’t that quick around here, which explains why the country has become such a mess. Most didn’t see it coming.

        • The Chairman 6.1.1.2
          23 February 2018 at 8:26 pm

          As for the perhaps, it could just result in more being caught, thus more being sentenced to jail, depending on the offence committed.

  7. Ed 7
    22 February 2018 at 9:04 pm

    I am starting to think Michael Ruppert was correct.
    Collapse is coming.

    It’s a steamy 80 degrees in New England. In February. That’s bad.
    From the North Pole to New England, the weather this week is far, far out of the ordinary — then again, there isn’t really any such thing as ordinary any more. While the numbers are still rolling in, it looks like Wednesday will be the warmest February day in history for nearly the entire U.S. East Coast.
    An unseasonable heat wave triggered the rare mid-winter melt, when an exaggerated jet stream sent a plume of tropical air from the Caribbean over eastern North America and into the Arctic. These are atmospheric conditions that would be unusual even for mid-summer, and the warming Arctic itself might be making them more likely.
    The result is weather more suited to Memorial Day than Valentine’s Day. In the Northeast, temperatures are as much as 40 degrees higher than normal, with bewildered residents shedding their parkas to hit the beach. Boston hit 70 degrees on Tuesday — a mark not normally reached until May 27th — and then topped that on Wednesday with a June-worthy 72 degrees. It was the first instance of back-to-back 70-degree February days in nearly 150 years of record keeping in that city. Nearby, Fitchburg, Massachusetts hit 80 degrees.
    In Washington, D.C., where some cherry trees have already begun to bloom, thermometers reached 80 degrees for the earliest date in the city’s history. That triggered the National Weather Service to switch into summer mode, calculating a heat index of 83 and warning of high pollen counts. The summery warmth is expected to linger at least through the end of the month.

    https://grist.org/article/its-a-steamy-80-degrees-in-new-england-in-february-thats-bad/

    Most people were first exposed to Michael Ruppert through the 2009 documentary, Collapse. It was one of the scariest documentaries about our world and the fragile the state of our planet.
    What makes it so scary is that Ruppert is correct in his statements.
    As he says,

    “I don’t deal in conspiracy theory, I deal in conspiracy fact”.

  8. Ed 8
    22 February 2018 at 9:11 pm

    I am starting to think Guy McPherson is correct.

    Collapse is coming.

    Arctic temperatures soar 45 degrees above normal, flooded by extremely mild air on all sides.

    On Monday and Tuesday, the northernmost weather station in the world, Cape Morris Jesup at the northern tip of Greenland, experienced more than 24 hours of temperatures above freezing according to the Danish Meteorological Institute. “How weird is that?” tweeted Robert Rohde, a physicist at the University of California at Berkeley. “Well it’s Arctic winter. The sun set in October and won’t be seen again until March. Perpetual night, but still above freezing.”

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2018/02/21/arctic-temperatures-soar-45-degrees-above-normal-flooded-by-extremely-mild-air-on-all-sides/?utm_term=.10547fe8e770

  9. joe90 9
    22 February 2018 at 9:32 pm

    Sounds familiar.

  10. Matthew Whitehead 10
    22 February 2018 at 10:59 pm

    Oh look, UMR is polling on leaders the correct way, with favourable/unfavourable! Good on them. This is what happens when you give polling to companies who do internals as opposed to just media polls all the time, lol.

  11. Pat 11
    22 February 2018 at 11:58 pm

    A couple of UK based pieces to ponder….

    “How badly all this ends depends crucially on how Trump reacts to a current account which is failing to behave as he would have wished, but is instead obeying basic laws of economics. If he lashes out with a fully fledged Smoot-Hawley type protectionist agenda, then everyone is in real trouble.”

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11999968

    A looming trade war might just be justification for a multi country trade agreement (flaws and all)

    “World stock markets are in retreat this morning, after America’s central bank dropped a clear hint that interest rates will rise steadily this year.

    In the minutes of its last meeting, released last night, the Federal Reserve revealed that several policymakers are more optimistic about the US economy, and have raised their growth forecasts.

    This suggests they are likely to hike borrowing costs four times this year – more than many in the markets had expected.”

    https://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2018/feb/22/markets-hit-by-interest-rate-hike-fears-uk-gdp-growth-report-business-live?page=with:block-5a8e6b64e4b05b8a92735aa5#block-5a8e6b64e4b05b8a92735aa5

    the volatility looks set to continue..

  12. eco maori 12
    23 February 2018 at 4:47 am

    I just watched BBC NEWS And the USA
    national rifle association what ever his title is could not look straight he keept moving his head he is worried who’s got the rubber rings for him
    ECO MAORI has some.
    He tries to justify the gun laws in the USA. What about all the needless lives lost because of his organisation he tangata he tangata its the people that count to me.
    Than he makes a statement that they would pay any school to arm the teachers
    OR the security guard. Now that statement let’s everyone know they are the 00.1% Ruling class who don’t care about the people they only care about $$$$$$ and control of the 99.9%.
    Keep protesting against this unhumane organisation this will force changes to the US gun laws Ana to kai Ka kite ano
    Protesters PS I was having a bad day yesterday than I found a article about Changes to Atoearoa policy to a more humane society. Ka pai

  13. Pat 13
    24 February 2018 at 12:03 am

    An intelligent analysis of CPTTP (or whatever its now called)…..although too late now for this agreement the points raised would be well applied to any future agreements (though unlikely considering the religious fervour of those involved)….as we need to trade (wait for it) then at least we should have a rational discussion about the trade offs we are prepared to accept as GC writes…..

    “Where does that leave us? Hopefully, with a more balanced debate on trade, and one that encompasses both its genuine benefits and its equally as real downsides. Otherwise, if we insist on living in denial about the risks that’ free’ trade poses, we will almost certainly be hit by them. Ultimately, why should we trust the same sort of people who told us the 1980s economic reforms would likewise be a win/win for all of us?”

    http://werewolf.co.nz/2018/02/gordon-campbell-on-the-david-parker-and-mfat-claims-about-the-cptpp/

    Sadly, much like the issue of migration I wouldnt advise anyone holding their breath in expectation.

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