I recalled this morning one of the best quips ever delivered on the Standard. It relates back to round 2012 or thereabouts, with a scandal involving Rachael Pullar and Nick Smith . Someone adroitly pointed out how 2 pullars were involved. Rachael Pullar and Nick pullar.
Do you think a man who slaps another man in the face for alleged sexist comments about his wife (and/or daughter?) is a sexist?
Do you think someone who allegedly approves of and/or admirers that slap is a sexist?
Do you think insulting somebody else’s religion or religious convictions is in any anyway helpful in calling out their alleged sexist comment? Why the need to pull religion into it other than to hit out?
3/yes. Theirs hundreds of years of sexism in that and other religions,this chap Advantage does the same most days of the week here on TS,or is it he's an untouchable,but unlike a leper for argument sake,(a sad infliction)I've had to wad though to much diatribe before I figured out his hypocrisy and misogyny wasn't an online show,that's all.
Your third answer is problematic for me as Moderator here on TS. Ad is a regular contributor here as commenter and as Author. As such, we don’t condone personal attacks and insults aimed at him. However, this doesn’t make him “untouchable”, which is a ludicrous statement because it is demonstrably not true that anybody here is untouchable.
Whether you dislike or disagree with his comments and/or Posts is not the issue. The issue is that you made it personal by lashing out with a low and discriminatory comment about his personal faith. The issue is also that you took the opportunity to lash out for much more than his one single comment about that slap at the Oscars. If you want to wage a war at any individual here on TS you’ll run into one major unmovable obstacle and you won’t like it. You can address the content and substance of comments here any time and as much as you like, but not use personal attacks as your weapon of choice. I’m doing you a courtesy by giving you this advice. Please take it on board.
Just to follow up on the Herald report posted this afternoon by the Alien…
In the annals of Soviet military history, Russia’s 4th Guards tank division is legendary, its reputation forged at Stalingrad and in the liberation of Poland from the Nazis.
On Saturday, it was routed in Trostyanets, a town 350 kilometres due east of Kyiv. If evidence was needed that Vladimir Putin’s invasion was faltering, the images of burnt out howitzers and tanks of the elite division will surely shake the resolve, even among the Kremlin’s most loyal supporters. https://www.afr.com/world/europe/zelensky-accuses-west-of-cowardice-20220328-p5a8gd
You can read the full report there at the live Ukraine war update page at the Financial Review – scan down to almost half-way to spot it
The original report used by the Telegraph seems to have been sourced from this global news site: https://newsrme.com/en/about-us
"its reputation forged at Stalingrad and in the liberation of Poland from the Nazis.".
I find the comment about the "liberation" of Poland offensive. In 1939 Poland was overrun from the west by Germany and from the east by the USSR. They country was then occupied by both the invaders. Who was worst was debatable but many Poles would have, as some Poles who were there at the time have told me, chosen the USSR as the worst.
Regardless, the "liberation" of Poland was merely the replacement of one set of occupiers by another, who they didn't get rid of for another 45 years. "Liberation" my a**s.
Well said. I spent some time in Poland (and other parts of Eastern Europe) a few years ago, and I was struck by the keen sense of history of the Polish people. I got the feeling they would not react well to anyone else trying to 'liberate' them.
Guardian reports about why that immense Russian tank convoy headed for the capital of Ukraine ground to a halt a couple of weeks ago:
One week into its invasion of Ukraine, Russia massed a 40-mile mechanised column in order to mount an overwhelming attack on Kyiv from the north.
But the convoy of armoured vehicles and supply trucks ground to a halt within days, and the offensive failed, in significant part because of a series of night ambushes carried out by a team of 30 Ukrainian special forces and drone operators on quad bikes, according to a Ukrainian commander.
The drone operators were drawn from an air reconnaissance unit, Aerorozvidka, which began eight years ago as a group of volunteer IT specialists and hobbyists designing their own machines and has evolved into an essential element in Ukraine’s successful David-and-Goliath resistance.
The unit’s commander, Lt Col Yaroslav Honchar, gave an account of the ambush near the town of Ivankiv that helped stop the vast, lumbering Russian offensive in its tracks. He said the Ukrainian fighters on quad bikes were able to approach the advancing Russian column at night by riding through the forest on either side of the road leading south towards Kyiv from the direction of Chernobyl.
The Ukrainian soldiers were equipped with night vision goggles, sniper rifles, remotely detonated mines, drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras and others capable of dropping small 1.5kg bombs.
“This one little unit in the night destroyed two or three vehicles at the head of this convoy, and after that it was stuck. They stayed there two more nights, and [destroyed] many vehicles,” Honchar said.
Flying a Russian helicopter in Ukraine must be a terrifying prospect given the effectiveness of stinger missiles and the like that the Ukranians possess, as this video shows:
Having watched the video of Mariupol I'd be really upset to hear that any leading political leader would suggest that whoever is responsible for the destruction should lose their job.
Maybe any political leader who suggests whoever is responsible for the chaos should lose their job, should instead lose their own job.
U.S co.Lockheed makes the attack helicopters…and U.S joint venture Raytheon/Lockheed make the missiles to …shoot them ..down..business is great…the s/p and divys are fantastic.
so… footage looks odd to me for some reason, can't find it anywhere else.
But regardless of whether the footage is ARMA3/Squads or genuine footage of some helicopter variant out of the Kamov helicopter factories getting absolutely mothered by Ukrainian MANPADS, claiming that Lockheed makes kamov helicopters for the Russian military is a very special claim indeed.
Not sure of the type of helicopter in the vid,nor are you by the sound of it,but I know Zelensky was requesting stingers,and the Taleban,loved using them too.
My comment was perhaps too subtle…a co makes helicopters and also the missiles to…destroy them.
I'm not sure the video is real. But I doubt the Russians are flying too many american military helicopters, if it is.
Lots of companies make lots of things. That's irrelevant to whether the life of a Russian helicopter pilot is destined to be long and fruitful, though.
The world is an uncertain place, made only more uncertain by the existence of those who would mislead and those who aren't as smart as they think they are.
clickbait article – a few upgrades, but nothing like the thumbnail. Mostly just rehashing A10 porn.
USAF is probably still trying to kill the A10 by claiming the F35 is just as good or better at lobbing 500lb bombs. Fair call on that, but it's too fragile and expensive to do anything other than lob bombs from high up, and uses a huge amount of fuel to stay on call in the area so it can lob bombs when needed.
That's true about the thumb nail. But the Warthog has spoken for itself. It is the most feared plane for ground attack. And the clip shows one of the upgrades is new missiles for dog fights, or avoiding such. Given the hog is no speed king, this is an important upgrade.
The air force has accepted these upgrades as acceptable and its planned service life is expected to be extended to 2035.
Only because the USAF were tugged on the leash by congress and senate. They're doing the minimum possible, after hoping the wing issue would solve the problem for them.
The A10 is approaching 50 years old. It's not just the wings that are an issue, and the advantage the F35 has is integrated sensors and its avionics.
Very effective propaganda Red, reminiscent , probably deliberate, of second world war caricatures of villainy.Mainly to rally and fortify the British public
But where is the serious diplomacy we now need if we are to avoid a short WW3 culminating in the end of history(which does not resemble Fukuyama's)
I think the Russian invasion, which is having terrible impacts on the civilian population , as all wars do, is the end result of years of non diplomacy.I'm sorry, I know you feel the US has overall been a force for good in the world, but I feel , their unipolar supremacy has been at the expense of any true development of diplomacy.After all, why bother with it if your military and economic power is unrivalled?I think Lavrov is a skilled and erudite diplomat, crucial for instance in getting the Obama era JCPOA agreement over the line, but he's had no similar counterpart in the US or UK to deal with , and forget about the Europeans
Every time I hear Biden call Putin or some other world leader not to Washington’s liking a name out of the American inventory of epithets, it is a reminder of how grotesquely U.S. “statecraft” has been infantilized. We cannot be surprised. How much distance is there between the infantilization of the American public and the infantilization of our post–2001 excuse for diplomacy? Again, I see none.
Diplomacy, not too much to say, is destined to be an essential skill in the century now swiftly taking shape around us. Every time Biden or another American “leader” hurls one of their playground insults at the leader of another nation, Putin being the Beelzebub du jour, they are reminding us: There will be no diplomacy in the way these people represent America abroad. They have no idea how to conduct it in Washington. Power and coercion are all they know.
You have allowed your anti-American bias to run too far – your moral compass has flipped off it's pivot. Whatever charm, erudition or strongman energy he projects, he is a despot. And one with a long track record of brutal suppression of his opponents that the West has largely turned a blind eye to until now it is too late.
Or as one ex-Navy veteran said to me recently – a leopard never changes its spots, although it may have rolled in the mud. He is a psychopath with nuclear weapons. The late Chris Hitchens understood Putin years ago.
He also understood and defended the US attack on Iraq, not sure I would take his views on Putin as anything more than his personal view.You can agree with it or not.
My post was about the need for diplomacy in the world.
You're just doubling down and paraphrasing the foolish remarks of Biden , which is a surprise to me, I consider you to be a fair and thoughtful commentator, not given to the conventional groupthink we see so often .I do understand the distress seeing the effects of war close up, a rarity in the case of American wars, or Israeli attacks on the Gaza for instance.Who could not hate this war and wish it was over .
Blustering and hatred and vilification of a leader is not going to cut the mustard, we need serious diplomacy
Let me try to downsize the problem to something that might be less abstract. A local gang in your town have determined that having a law abiding neighbour next door is threatening to their security and ability to be as obnoxious as they please.
So they invade their neighbour, and burn, rape and murder their way through the place in defiance of every norm of human decency.
Would you propose that the police open a 'diplomatic dialog' with the gang leader?
My post was about the need for diplomacy in the world.
So – as Russia's losses mount, suddenly diplomacy is their aim/was always their aim. Had they succeeded in their decapitation attempt, all the West's diplomatic overtures would have gone for naught – as did their considerable efforts prior to the invasion. All their entreaties fell on deaf ears. But since it turns out that Putin does respect Mr Stick, why would anyone offer him the carrots he turned his nose up at.
I'm very happy for there to be a diplomatic solution – given that Russia pays reparations. The owners of the $10 billion worth of confiscated aircraft probably want some kind of recompense also.
In “Marfa Posadnitsa,"' ( and the Novograd problem)
It’s not a monk conversing with the Lord in his retreat — It is the Moscow Tsar calling out to the Antichrist: 0 Beelzebub, my heart, I’m deep in trouble, Novgorod the free won’t kiss my boot! . . . And the Tsar speaks thus to his beloved wife: There will be a great feast with rivers of red brew! 1 have sent matchmakers to the discourteous clans, There is a bed awaiting them in the dark ravine!
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Legislation that will help prevent serious criminal offending at sea, including trafficking of humans, drugs, wildlife and arms, has passed its third reading in Parliament today, Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta announced. “Today is a milestone in allowing us to respond to the increasingly dynamic and complex maritime security environment facing ...
Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O’Connor is set to travel to Thailand this week to represent New Zealand at the annual APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade (MRT) meeting in Bangkok. “I’m very much looking forward to meeting my trade counterparts at APEC 2022 and building on the achievements we ...
Settlement of the first pay-equity agreement in the health sector is hugely significant, delivering pay rises of thousands of dollars for many hospital administration and clerical workers, Health Minister Andrew Little says. “There is no place in 21st century Aotearoa New Zealand for 1950s attitudes to work predominantly carried out ...
Health Minister Andrew Little opened a new intensive care space for up to 12 ICU-capable beds at Christchurch Hospital today, funded from the Government’s Rapid Hospital Improvement Programme. “I’m pleased to help mark this milestone. This new space will provide additional critical care support for the people of Canterbury and ...
Budget 2022 will continue to deliver on Labour’s commitment to better services and support for mental wellbeing. The upcoming Budget will include a $100-million investment over four years for a specialist mental health and addiction package, including: $27m for community-based crisis services that will deliver a variety of intensive supports ...
Budget 2022 will continue to deliver on Labour’s commitment to better mental wellbeing services and support, with 195,000 primary and intermediate aged children set to benefit from the continuation and expansion of Mana Ake services. “In Budget 2022 Labour will deliver on its manifesto commitment to expand Mana Ake, with ...
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has today announced sanctions on Belarusian leaders and defence entities supporting Russia’s actions in Ukraine, as part of the Government’s ongoing response to the war. “The Belarusian government military is enabling the illegal and unacceptable assault on Ukraine’s sovereignty,” Nanaia Mahuta said. “Under the leadership of ...
Just after World War 2, there were incentives to clear forest and bring land into agricultural production. In places, the land had been stripped bare as forests were felled for sheep grazing. Today, you only have to look at the hills around Taihape and see the stumps of a once ...
The drive to decarbonise industry and further accelerate preparations for a sustainable, more resilient future will get a boost from the Climate Emergency Response Fund in Budget 2022 by supercharging efforts to encourage the switch to cleaner energy options and transform the energy system. “Today is a momentous day ...
The Government is investing in New Zealand’s economic security by ensuring climate change funding moves away from short-term piecemeal responses and towards smart, long-term investment. Climate Emergency Response Fund (CERF) established with $4.5 billion from Emissions Trading Scheme revenue Initial allocation of $2.9 billion over four years invested in emissions ...
Rolling out the Clean Car Upgrade programme, supporting lower- and middle- income families transition to low-emission alternatives through a new scrap-and-replace trial Helping low-income households lease low emission vehicles Supporting the rapid development of urban cycleway networks, walkable neighbourhoods, healthier school travel, and increased accessibility and reliability of public ...
New Centre for Climate Action on Agricultural Emissions that develops and commercialises smart new products to reduce agricultural emissions Funding for forestry to develop alternatives to fossil fuels, boost carbon storage and increase sequestration Support for producers and whenua Māori entities to transition to a low emissions future The ...
The Government is investing to support the growth of New Zealand’s digital technologies sector in Budget 2022, guiding the country towards a high-wage, low emissions economy, Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications, David Clark announced today. “In 2020, the digital technologies sector contributed $7.4 billion to the economy. Since ...
Minister of State for Trade and Export Growth, Hon Phil Twyford, has tested positive for COVID-19. He tested positive from a RAT this morning after beginning to feel symptomatic on Friday evening, and is displaying moderate symptoms. As a result he is no longer able to travel to Timor-Leste on ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has tested positive for COVID-19. She has been in isolation since Sunday 8 May when her partner Clarke Gayford tested positive. The Prime Minister has been symptomatic since Friday evening, returning a weak positive last night and a clear positive this morning on a RAT test. ...
$15 million boost over four years for youth development services including: $2.5 million annually to support increased access to youth development services for up to an additional 6,800 young people $1 million annually in a pilot initiative supporting full-time equivalent youth workers to deliver increased contact time with at least ...
Minister of State for Trade and Export Growth, Hon Phil Twyford, will represent the New Zealand Government at the commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of Timor-Leste’s independence, and the inauguration of Dr Jose Ramos-Horta as Timor-Leste’s next President. “Aotearoa New Zealand’s relationship with the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste dates back ...
Kua pānuihia ngā kaupapa mō Matariki Ahunga Nui Kua pānuihia ngā kaitono i angitu ā rātou tono pūtea hei tautoko i te iwi Māori ki te whakaora mai anō, ki te whakatinana anō i ngā mātauranga mō Matariki o te hau kāinga. I whakaterea te kaupapa o Matariki Ahunga Nui ...
Minister of Transport Michael Wood has welcomed the opening of the tender processes for Auckland Light Rail and the Additional Waitematā Harbour Connections project, marking an important step forward in developing a future-proofed rapid transit network that will serve generations of Aucklanders. “These two crucial projects represent a huge investment ...
Aotearoa New Zealand is providing more funding to the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator for global efforts to respond to the pandemic. “The health, economic and social impacts of COVID continue to be felt around the world,” Nanaia Mahuta said. “This further $10 million will support developing countries to ...
Updated pass can be downloaded from 24 May for people 12 and over People encouraged to stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations Boosters included in up-to-date My Vaccine Pass for those 18 and over New Zealanders who are up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccinations will be able to download ...
New legislation to modernise the management of 1.2 million hectares of Crown pastoral land primarily in the South Island high country was passed in Parliament today. Land Information Minister Damien O’Connor said the Crown Pastoral Land Reform (CPLR) Bill has passed its third reading. “These spectacular South Island properties are ...
Aotearoa New Zealand strongly condemns the campaign of destructive cyber activity by Russia against Ukraine, alongside the EU and international partners, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “These relentless attacks are part of a pattern of disruptive cyber activity that demonstrates a repeated disregard for the rules-based international order and established ...
The Government has released a review of the operation and effectiveness of the law controlling commercial space activities, and signalled a separate study on wider issues of space policy will begin later this year. Economic Development Minister Stuart Nash says a review of the Outer Space and High-Altitude Activities Act ...
New Zealand has initiated dispute settlement proceedings against Canada regarding its implementation of dairy tariff rate quotas (TRQs) under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O’Connor said. “Our priority is to ensure that New Zealand exporters have meaningful access to the benefits negotiated ...
Support for ongoing and transitional Care in the Community support, including: A pivot in work for Community Connectors Confidence and certainty for community food organisations and MSD’s Food Secure Communities programme Funding to support the wellbeing of disabled people The Government is updating its Care in the Community (CiC) ...
295 events covering at least 607 performances that have had to cancel or suffered losses due to COVID-19 have had their costs reimbursed, with total support paid out to events now exceeding $20 million 186 future events in 2022 and 2023 have also received cover 64 organisations have been ...
International students can enrol to study in New Zealand from July 31 Minister to travel to USA, Chile and Brazil to promote studying here International fee-paying students under Year 9 can continue to enrol in schools New Zealand International Education Strategy being refreshed New Zealand is fully reopening to ...
Good morning, I want to start by thanking our hosts the Wellington Chamber of Commerce who graciously do this every year as we lead into the Budget. I want to make a particular acknowledgement of the recent partnership that the Chamber has entered into with Te Awe the Maori Business ...
A Bill to help lower the fees charged when credit and debit transactions are made, will save New Zealand businesses around $74 million a year. The Retail Payment System Bill passed its third reading today, regulating merchant service fees, and reducing a major overhead for small business, Commerce and Consumer ...
I te whare pāremata ngā uri o Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-ā-Rua i tēnei rā kia kite, kia rongo hoki rātou i te hipanga o te pānuitanga tuatahi o te Pire Whakataunga Kokoraho mō Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-ā-Rua. Ko Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-ā-Rua tētahi kohinga ...
Kua hinga ngā kapua pōuri i runga i Taranaki maunga. Kua wehe atu rā te Tumuaki o te Hāhi Ratana, arā ko matua Harerangi Meihana. E koro, moe mai rā. Me piki ake koe mā runga te aroha o to iwi ki te taha o to koroua, arā a Tahupōtiki ...
Kia ora koutou katoa Thank you to Business New Zealand and Fujitsu for hosting us here today, and I am grateful to be joined by Minister Faafoi, and Minister Hipkins. Can I thank you also for being so agile in the arrangements for our lunch event. I had of course ...
Border fully open two months early from 11:59pm 31 July Significantly simplified immigration processes that provide faster processing for businesses New Green List that includes over 85 hard to fill roles created to attract and retain high-skilled workers to fill skill shortages Green List will provide streamlined and prioritised ...
Up to 150 new homes will be built for whānau who need them most thanks to a new partnership between the Government and Toitū Tairāwhiti, Minister of Housing Hon Dr Megan Woods and Associate Minister of Housing (Māori Housing) Peeni Henare have announced. Minister Henare and Toitū Tairāwhiti gathered in ...
As part of the Government’s ongoing response to Ukraine, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has announced new sanctions targeting disinformation and those responsible for cyber attacks on Ukraine. “Aotearoa New Zealand continues to unequivocally condemn Russia’s unjustified and illegal attack on Ukraine,” Nanaia Mahuta said. “President Putin’s propaganda machine is in ...
Significant improvements are being made in New Zealand workplaces to better protect whistleblowers, Minister for the Public Service Chris Hipkins said today. “The Protected Disclosures (Protection of Whistleblowers) Act 2022 replaces the Protected Disclosures Act 2000. It is more people-focused and will make the rules easier to access, understand, and ...
COMMENTARY: Sh’ma Koleinu – Alternative Jewish Voices When Marilyn Garson’s memoir of working in Gaza was published, Radio NZ scheduled an interview. On the day of the interview, RNZ first promoted and then cancelled it. In response to her OIA request, RNZ disclosed this internal email: The RNZ quote about ...
RNZ News Aotearoa New Zealand has reported 9570 new community cases of covid-19 and a further 32 deaths today, bringing total publicly recorded deaths with the coronavirus 1017. In a statement, the Ministry of Health said the total number of deaths was up by 31 from yesterday as they had ...
By Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby Papua New Guinea police have been tasked to furnish a full investigation report on the death of Deputy Prime Minister Sam Basil and his bodyguard First Constable Neil Maino. Prime Minister James Marape told Basil’s children that “no stone would be left unturned” by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jim Stanford, Economist and Director, Centre for Future Work, Australia Institute; Honorary Professor of Political Economy, University of Sydney Shutterstock/The Conversation Every three months the Bureau of Statistics releases the lesser-known cousin of the consumer price index. It’s called the ...
"Tangata whenua had to defend themselves in the first lockdown, we put up borders, we set up systems within the iwi and within the rural areas to be able to cope whilst waiting for a vaccine. So no, it wasn't equitable, and many iwi paid for that thems ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Podger, Honorary Professor of Public Policy, Australian National University On the eve of the election, the Coalition has said it will impose a higher “efficiency dividend” on public service agencies over the next four years in an effort to cut public ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Every election is unique, but each also presents comparisons and contrasts with elections past. In this podcast, Australian National University history professor Frank Bongiorno gives his insights into the current battle but also takes ...
Two of New Zealand’s principal economic issues are its low productivity and high effective corporate tax rates. So will the Ardern government tackle these issues in Budget 2022? Finance Minister Grant Robertson could write himself into NZ’s economic history if he did so. Sadly, Point of Order suspects he might ...
ACT Party candidate in Tauranga, Cameron Luxton has called for Commissioner Anne Tolley's head saying she should not interfere in politics as an unelected official. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Johanna Nalau, Research Fellow, Climate Adaptation, Griffith University Australia is no stranger to disasters like droughts, floods, bushfires and heatwaves. The problem is, they’re going to get worse. And then worse again. As the global temperature ratchets up, these disasters will grow ...
A View from Afar – In this podcast, political scientist Paul Buchanan and Selwyn Manning will examine the Implications of the Russia-Ukrainian conflict and how it impacts on regional security architecture. In particular, we will assess Finland and Sweden’s move to become NATO members and whether Turkey will prevent this from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David King, Senior Lecturer in General Practice, The University of Queensland Shutterstock GPs have been sounding the alarm over rising costs of providing care – compounded by the pandemic and more complex demands. Many have said they are abandoning bulk ...
Tomorrow’s Budget 2022 is an opportunity to demonstrate Labour’s values in action and must address the high cost of living faced by working people while increasing investment in public services and committing to return key infrastructure like buses ...
Scrapping pre-departure tests will come "sooner rather than later", and more advice is being sought on whether people with adverse reactions could be exempt from workforce mandates. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kai Riemer, Professor of Information Technology and Organisation, University of Sydney Shutterstock Imagine there is a public speaking square in your city, much like the ancient Greek agora. Here you can freely share your ideas without censorship. But there’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock Medicare, Australia’s universal health insurance scheme, provides financial protection against the cost of medical bills, and makes public hospital ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Eltham, Lecturer, School of Media, Film and Journalism, Monash University Shutterstock Mentions of arts and cultural policy have been thin on the ground this election. The Coalition has not released any specific arts policies during the campaign, and Labor’s arts ...
The unelected head of Tauranga wants the city’s next MP to push for progress with some infrastructural projects. We speak of Anne Tolley, the former National Government Minister who chairs the commission which was appointed to govern Tauranga after Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta sacked the democratically elected – but ...
Under the new Retail Payment Systems Act 2022, the Mastercard and Visa credit and debit card networks will be the initial focus of the Commerce Commission’s work to promote competition and efficiency in the retail payment system. The Act allows ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark John Costello, Professor, Nord University Shutterstock Denying the severity of a crisis neither removes nor lessens the problem. Sticking to the status quo because it doesn’t suit our work practices, or social and economic norms, not only delays the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne AAP/Lukas Coch/Mick Tsikas The final Resolve poll for Nine newspapers, conducted May 12-17 from a sample of 2,049, gave Labor just a 52-48 lead by 2019 election ...
We are concerned about the wellbeing of Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O’Connor today, after he announced his plans to travel to Thailand this week. He will represent New Zealand at the annual APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting in Bangkok. The last time we recorded ministerial travel plans ...
Tauranga City Council’s commission wants three key infrastructure priorities to be top of mind for candidates at the forthcoming parliamentary byelection. Commission Chair Anne Tolley says the projects involved – Hewletts Road/Hull Road/Totara Street ...
The Government has already spent $34 million designing a reform so badly received they plan to bill water users more than a billion dollars to bring stakeholders on board. Figures released by the Department of Internal Affairs shows that the Government ...
Māori health workers and community leaders are hoping tomorrow's Budget will address urgent social and health needs, with hints at a significant spend for Māori health. ...
SAFE’s petition calling for a Commissioner for Animals in Aotearoa has attained thousands of signatures since its launch on 3 May 2022. The petition highlights the need for an independent voice for animals at the highest level and is supported by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kira Westaway, Associate professor, Macquarie University Fabrice Demeter (University of Copenhagen / CNRS Paris), Author provided What do a finger bone and some teeth found in the frigid Denisova Cave in Siberia’s Altai mountains have in common with fossils from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Arrow, Professor of History, Macquarie University AAP/Diego Fidele Because “women’s issues” have been in the headlines over the last year, it may seem strange they have not been more prominent in the election campaign. Yet it is clear gender ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marion Terrill, Transport and Cities Program Director, Grattan Institute In the seat-by-seat slugfest that is the federal election, transport infrastructure is once again at the forefront. Small, hyper-local projects are a favourite of both major parties this time around. That’s even though ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susanne Becken, Professor of Sustainable Tourism and Director, Griffith Institute for Tourism, Griffith University Shutterstock This year, Qantas announced two plans in direct conflict. In March, Australia’s largest airline group went public with the admirable goal of achieving net zero ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Roy, Lecturer in Education, University of Newcastle Bianca De Marchi/AAP The 2022 election campaign has not exactly been a policy fest. And one critical area we have heard very little about is schools. This is surprising and concerning. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sue Richardson, Adjunct professor, Flinders University Shutterstock You would be forgiven for being unsure about whether the buying power of wages was rising or falling. On one hand, Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese says wages are going backwards. On the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Carroll, Senior Research Fellow, Victorian College of the Arts, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock Almost all governments today support some funding towards promoting their international political and economic agendas through cultural activities overseas: commonly referred to as part of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Hall, Senior Lecturer in Social Sciences and Public Policy, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Until now, the government’s approach to climate action has largely been about getting the policy architecture right. This work is vital, but it’s more ...
The global response to the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. Video: Al JazeeraCOMMENTARY:By Gavin Ellis of Knightly Views Nothing justifies the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and the wounding of her colleague Ali al-Samoudi during an Israeli raid on Jenin in the ...
A producer of a documentary about Green Party MP Chloe Swarbrick says there are serious discussions to be had about the impact of trolling on the mental health of MPs. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes “Word from The Hill”, where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. In this podcast Michelle and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Malcolm Mackerras, Distinguished Fellow, PM Glynn Institute, Australian Catholic University Shutterstock As you head to your local polling place this Saturday, or cast your ballot in an early vote, it’s worth pondering: how does Australia’s voting system really work, anyway? ...
By Walter Zweifel, RNZ French Pacific reporter The Kanak people will not accept France’s attempt to “recolonise” New Caledonia, a pro-independence delegate has told the United Nations. Addressing a UN Decolonisation Committee seminar on the Pacific in Saint Lucia, Dimitri Qenegei said since 2020 the French President, Emmanuel Macron, and ...
RNZ News Critics of New Zealand’s new $4.5 billion global warming plan to help New Zealanders into electric vehicles and hybrids say a significant cheque for the Clean Car programme is sending the wrong message about the role cars play in the country’s future. Victoria University of Wellington’s environmental studies ...
Stuff A West Papuan international student in Aotearoa New Zealand has devoted hundreds of hours to a non-profit organisation and opened a door to a new career. Arnold Yoman, 19, came to New Zealand in 2019 from the Papuan provincial capital Jayapura on an Indonesian government scholarship and has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Benjamin Clark, Deputy Engagement Editor, The Conversation What do One Nation’s Pauline Hanson and Labor’s Tanya Plibersek have in common? They are both winning the battle for eyeballs on social media, says a top Facebook official. In the final episode ...
The House - Why is the Budget usually on a Thursday, why just before a sitting break, and why is the debate on it usually interrupted by urgent business? ...
Party People - Former National MP Simon Bridges joins the party to discuss life after politics, the latest polls, co-governance, ram raids and the Australian elections. ...
There has been mixed reaction from Māori to the government's Emissions Reduction Plan, with some arguing there are still gaps that the report does not address. ...
If Dr Shane Reti happened to insist the world is not flat, would RNZ see much merit in reporting he had come under fire from flat earthers? We ask because a recent RNZ report was headed Shane Reti stands firm in face of criticism of Māori health comments Oh dear. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The last week of campaigns used to be frantic, behind the scenes. In public, right up until the final week, the leaders would make all sorts of promises, many of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anthony Scott, Professor of Health Economics, The University of Melbourne “Strengthening Medicare” is one of Labor’s key election platforms. On Saturday, one week from the election, the opposition finally outlined its commitment to prop up the ailing primary care system, with a ...
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union hereby corrects its statements on a documentary about sitting Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick and its claim that the project is set to receive $220,000 of taxpayer money from NZ on Air. An anonymous ‘spokesperson’ ...
Uh, oh – it’s probably too late to influence the government on the case for its spending to be curbed ahead of the Budget Speech to be delivered on Thursday. The speech and the raft of documents that will accompany it will be ready for the printer – if not ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carol Johnson, Emerita Professor, Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Adelaide Scott Morrison’s election strategy was clear at the end of last year. As borders were opened up and restrictions eased, Morrison argued the Coalition would be winding back the ...
The National Party Leader does not think taxpayers should subsidise the cost of big companies reducing their emissions - and they should get on with the job themselves. ...
Despite pouring $2.9 billion of taxpayer funds into the battle against climate change, the Ardern government won few plaudits from climate change lobbies – and copped a severe caning from Greenpeace for refusing to cut dairy herds. As Radio NZ reported, “Climate activists say the government’s landmark plan to curb ...
Caritas welcomes the government's first emissions reduction plan and the general cross-party support for long-term carbon budgets that start to bring down our carbon emissions. "A strong, committed carbon reduction plan is long overdue," ...
The Forest Owners Association says the just released Emissions Reduction Plan is a welcome and unprecedented blueprint for reducing New Zealand’s gross emissions. But the Association is warning that a huge emphasis in the ERP on planting native ...
The big news from the Beehive in the past day has been the announcement of the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan to put the country on track to meet its first emissions budget, securing our environment and economy. More of that in our next post. For now, suffice to say Prime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Welch, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, University of Auckland Shutterstock It would be hard to find someone who’s visited Copenhagen or Amsterdam and complained about too many bikes. And you don’t tend to hear a lot of moaning about ...
The government has released its first plan on how to get to zero carbon emissions by 2050. The Emissions Reduction Plan proposes economy-wide changes to drive down New Zealand’s emissions. The SMC asked experts to comment on: An overview of the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olga Dodd, Senior Lecturer in Finance, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Uncertainty in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has wreaked havoc with the international commodity markets. In the normal pattern of the global economy, commodity exporting countries ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katherine Ravenswood, Associate Professor in Employment Relations, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Ahead of the 2022 budget, apprenticeships have been given a $230 million funding boost while negotiations between care workers and the government have fallen apart. It’s hard ...
Huge congratulations to Jane Campion for her Best Director win.
Good on so many levels.
Sweet !
I recalled this morning one of the best quips ever delivered on the Standard. It relates back to round 2012 or thereabouts, with a scandal involving Rachael Pullar and Nick Smith . Someone adroitly pointed out how 2 pullars were involved. Rachael Pullar and Nick pullar.
The slap was what most guys would have wanted to do.
fortunately most guys wouldn't
Your catholicism shows up in your sexest statement here,hang your head in shame.!!
Irony much?
Much irony,their,fixed that statement for you.If I failed to take your meaning,please do spell that out.
Do you think a man who slaps another man in the face for alleged sexist comments about his wife (and/or daughter?) is a sexist?
Do you think someone who allegedly approves of and/or admirers that slap is a sexist?
Do you think insulting somebody else’s religion or religious convictions is in any anyway helpful in calling out their alleged sexist comment? Why the need to pull religion into it other than to hit out?
1/ yes
2/ yes
3/yes. Theirs hundreds of years of sexism in that and other religions,this chap Advantage does the same most days of the week here on TS,or is it he's an untouchable,but unlike a leper for argument sake,(a sad infliction)I've had to wad though to much diatribe before I figured out his hypocrisy and misogyny wasn't an online show,that's all.
Ok, thanks for answering those questions.
Your third answer is problematic for me as Moderator here on TS. Ad is a regular contributor here as commenter and as Author. As such, we don’t condone personal attacks and insults aimed at him. However, this doesn’t make him “untouchable”, which is a ludicrous statement because it is demonstrably not true that anybody here is untouchable.
Whether you dislike or disagree with his comments and/or Posts is not the issue. The issue is that you made it personal by lashing out with a low and discriminatory comment about his personal faith. The issue is also that you took the opportunity to lash out for much more than his one single comment about that slap at the Oscars. If you want to wage a war at any individual here on TS you’ll run into one major unmovable obstacle and you won’t like it. You can address the content and substance of comments here any time and as much as you like, but not use personal attacks as your weapon of choice. I’m doing you a courtesy by giving you this advice. Please take it on board.
Just to follow up on the Herald report posted this afternoon by the Alien…
You can read the full report there at the live Ukraine war update page at the Financial Review – scan down to almost half-way to spot it
The original report used by the Telegraph seems to have been sourced from this global news site: https://newsrme.com/en/about-us
I discovered that by googling the logo that shows up on this two minute spoken report of the elimination: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCyUJEsAwKU
Warning: loud irrelevant piano music has been added to the audio, presumably to deter anyone with good taste…
"its reputation forged at Stalingrad and in the liberation of Poland from the Nazis.".
I find the comment about the "liberation" of Poland offensive. In 1939 Poland was overrun from the west by Germany and from the east by the USSR. They country was then occupied by both the invaders. Who was worst was debatable but many Poles would have, as some Poles who were there at the time have told me, chosen the USSR as the worst.
Regardless, the "liberation" of Poland was merely the replacement of one set of occupiers by another, who they didn't get rid of for another 45 years. "Liberation" my a**s.
Well said. I spent some time in Poland (and other parts of Eastern Europe) a few years ago, and I was struck by the keen sense of history of the Polish people. I got the feeling they would not react well to anyone else trying to 'liberate' them.
Liberation my arse. It was the fourth Soviet invasion of Poland.
Guardian reports about why that immense Russian tank convoy headed for the capital of Ukraine ground to a halt a couple of weeks ago:
Flying a Russian helicopter in Ukraine must be a terrifying prospect given the effectiveness of stinger missiles and the like that the Ukranians possess, as this video shows:
Being in Ukraine is a terrifying prospect.
Having watched the video of Mariupol I'd be really upset to hear that any leading political leader would suggest that whoever is responsible for the destruction should lose their job.
Maybe any political leader who suggests whoever is responsible for the chaos should lose their job, should instead lose their own job.
Now, let's talk about sanity.
And these are the Russian speaking people he came to "liberate".
U.S co.Lockheed makes the attack helicopters…and U.S joint venture Raytheon/Lockheed make the missiles to …shoot them ..down..business is great…the s/p and divys are fantastic.
All done in the best…possible…taste!
so… footage looks odd to me for some reason, can't find it anywhere else.
But regardless of whether the footage is ARMA3/Squads or genuine footage of some helicopter variant out of the Kamov helicopter factories getting absolutely mothered by Ukrainian MANPADS, claiming that Lockheed makes kamov helicopters for the Russian military is a very special claim indeed.
Except I have not made that claim.
What I said is accurate and easily verified.
"the" attack helicopters.
In reply to a video where russian helicopters are allegedly shot down.
I merely made the error of giving you the credit that your comment bore some relevance to the comment to which it was a reply.
It does.
Not sure of the type of helicopter in the vid,nor are you by the sound of it,but I know Zelensky was requesting stingers,and the Taleban,loved using them too.
My comment was perhaps too subtle…a co makes helicopters and also the missiles to…destroy them.
I'm not sure the video is real. But I doubt the Russians are flying too many american military helicopters, if it is.
Lots of companies make lots of things. That's irrelevant to whether the life of a Russian helicopter pilot is destined to be long and fruitful, though.
You may find the comment replied to, mentions 'stingers',and therefore my comment is indeed ………relevant.
I'm not sure you know what that word means.
No surprise there!
You are 'not sure' about lots…
''I'm not sure the video is real.'
'
I'm not sure you know what that word means.'
The world is an uncertain place, made only more uncertain by the existence of those who would mislead and those who aren't as smart as they think they are.
One thing is becoming obvious – tanks and helicopters are more vulnerable to attack and destruction during modern warfare.
Here's one reason why. This beast of a plane could have halted Russia's advancement into the Ukraine.
clickbait article – a few upgrades, but nothing like the thumbnail. Mostly just rehashing A10 porn.
USAF is probably still trying to kill the A10 by claiming the F35 is just as good or better at lobbing 500lb bombs. Fair call on that, but it's too fragile and expensive to do anything other than lob bombs from high up, and uses a huge amount of fuel to stay on call in the area so it can lob bombs when needed.
That's true about the thumb nail. But the Warthog has spoken for itself. It is the most feared plane for ground attack. And the clip shows one of the upgrades is new missiles for dog fights, or avoiding such. Given the hog is no speed king, this is an important upgrade.
The air force has accepted these upgrades as acceptable and its planned service life is expected to be extended to 2035.
Only because the USAF were tugged on the leash by congress and senate. They're doing the minimum possible, after hoping the wing issue would solve the problem for them.
The A10 is approaching 50 years old. It's not just the wings that are an issue, and the advantage the F35 has is integrated sensors and its avionics.
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Very effective propaganda Red, reminiscent , probably deliberate, of second world war caricatures of villainy.Mainly to rally and fortify the British public
But where is the serious diplomacy we now need if we are to avoid a short WW3 culminating in the end of history(which does not resemble Fukuyama's)
I think the Russian invasion, which is having terrible impacts on the civilian population , as all wars do, is the end result of years of non diplomacy.I'm sorry, I know you feel the US has overall been a force for good in the world, but I feel , their unipolar supremacy has been at the expense of any true development of diplomacy.After all, why bother with it if your military and economic power is unrivalled?I think Lavrov is a skilled and erudite diplomat, crucial for instance in getting the Obama era JCPOA agreement over the line, but he's had no similar counterpart in the US or UK to deal with , and forget about the Europeans
https://thescrum.substack.com/p/infantile-imperialism?s=r
You have allowed your anti-American bias to run too far – your moral compass has flipped off it's pivot. Whatever charm, erudition or strongman energy he projects, he is a despot. And one with a long track record of brutal suppression of his opponents that the West has largely turned a blind eye to until now it is too late.
Or as one ex-Navy veteran said to me recently – a leopard never changes its spots, although it may have rolled in the mud. He is a psychopath with nuclear weapons. The late Chris Hitchens understood Putin years ago.
He also understood and defended the US attack on Iraq, not sure I would take his views on Putin as anything more than his personal view.You can agree with it or not.
My post was about the need for diplomacy in the world.
You're just doubling down and paraphrasing the foolish remarks of Biden , which is a surprise to me, I consider you to be a fair and thoughtful commentator, not given to the conventional groupthink we see so often .I do understand the distress seeing the effects of war close up, a rarity in the case of American wars, or Israeli attacks on the Gaza for instance.Who could not hate this war and wish it was over .
Blustering and hatred and vilification of a leader is not going to cut the mustard, we need serious diplomacy
Let me try to downsize the problem to something that might be less abstract. A local gang in your town have determined that having a law abiding neighbour next door is threatening to their security and ability to be as obnoxious as they please.
So they invade their neighbour, and burn, rape and murder their way through the place in defiance of every norm of human decency.
Would you propose that the police open a 'diplomatic dialog' with the gang leader?
My post was about the need for diplomacy in the world.
So – as Russia's losses mount, suddenly diplomacy is their aim/was always their aim. Had they succeeded in their decapitation attempt, all the West's diplomatic overtures would have gone for naught – as did their considerable efforts prior to the invasion. All their entreaties fell on deaf ears. But since it turns out that Putin does respect Mr Stick, why would anyone offer him the carrots he turned his nose up at.
I'm very happy for there to be a diplomatic solution – given that Russia pays reparations. The owners of the $10 billion worth of confiscated aircraft probably want some kind of recompense also.
Exactly – better put than I managed. Too many people who cannot tell the difference between diplomacy and appeasement.
In “Marfa Posadnitsa,"' ( and the Novograd problem)