If only Key was as passionate about climate change

Written By: - Date published: 8:18 am, February 12th, 2015 - 43 comments
Categories: climate change, global warming, john key, national, sustainability - Tags:

This is what John Key said two days ago in Parliament about ISIS:

This will be a government that will take seriously its responsbilities when it comes to standing up to ISIS.  As I said at Waitangi I will not as leader of New Zealand stand back and see Jordanian pilots burned to death.  I will not [stand back and] see young children behedding soldiers.  I will not sit back when people are thrown off buildings because of their sexuality and then be lectured by the left about human rights.”

If only he was just as passionate about climate change. He could have said something like this:

This will be a government that will take seriously its responsbilities when it comes to dealing with climate change.  As I said at Waitangi I will not as leader of New Zealand stand back and see Pacific Islands swamped by rising sea levels.  I will not stand back and see our environment trashed and our glaciers disappear.  I will not sit back as the glaciers melt and previously arable land becomes desert and then be lectured by the left about sustainability.”

But instead of this when it comes to dealing with climate change we get the rhetoric about how we are too small to make a difference, that our emissions are negligible, that it will hurt our economy if we do something meaningful, that it is up to the large countries to get their house in order first.

If only John Key was passionate about climate change.  Because if even a country like New Zealand will not do its part there is little if any hope that world will collectively do what is required.

43 comments on “If only Key was as passionate about climate change ”

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  1. Heather Grimwood 1
    12 February 2015 at 9:12 am

    Climate change, so frighteningly ignored by this government MUST be addressed above all else, for without that endeavour all else is futile. I suggest inhouse (Beehive) classes on the subject be mandatory, as it’s obvious National M.P.s albeit many supposedly having prestigious education, were not offered or did not listen to the relevant information, available for about four decades.

  2. Colonial Rawshark 2
    12 February 2015 at 9:19 am

    NZ has to transition off fossil fuels over the next 15 years. Neither Labour nor the Greens have a serious plan to do this. Both still believe that oil sucking “economic growth” is the way ahead in order to keep promising NZ’s middle classes that the status quo high energy lifestyle is sustainable.

  3. weka 3
    12 February 2015 at 10:32 am

    GP energy policy,

    1. Responding to climate change and the end of cheap oil

    Along with our Climate Change policy, all policies in this document will contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and assisting in the transition away from our current heavy reliance on oil.

    B. Transitioning away from fossil fuels

    Support the development of a fully renewable electricity generation system, except for emergency supply, by 2030.

    Develop a national transition strategy which includes:

    Maintaining energy security while phasing out the use of fossil fuels;

    Examining the role of direct electric power, biofuels, and hydrogen from renewable energy for public transport and transport services;

    Assessing the impacts of peak oil and climate change mitigation on transport, our trading relationships and main industries, and an investigation of the role of new technologies in these industries;

    A comprehensive public information programme to enable broad-based public participation in the reduction of energy consumption and transition away from a dependence on fossil fuels;

    Developing an international strategy to:

    i) Share technology and expertise with smaller Pacific nations; and

    ii) Cooperate with other nations and develop an international agreement on sharing the remaining oil, to reduce conflict over its allocation.

    Fund research and development of sustainable energy technologies where New Zealand has a natural advantage, such as wind (including for shipping), and wave, current and tidal power systems.

    Significantly reduce fossil fuel use in transportation through sustainable urban planning and design, transitioning to low emission vehicles and fuels, and facilitating active modes (walking and cycling), integrated public transport, rail transport (including freight), and coastal shipping (see our Transport policy).

    https://home.greens.org.nz/policy/energy-policy

    You can follow the links to see the rest, how it would be implemented and how it fits in with other policies (eg CC, transport).

    • Colonial Rawshark 3.1
      12 February 2015 at 10:48 am

      The Greens will only have 3 terms max in Govt to transition the country off fossil fuels. Then the Tories get another 3 terms. And that is our runway gone. The Greens can’t spend the first of their 3 terms ‘examining options.’ This has to be a war effort and a war economy.

      • weka 3.1.1
        12 February 2015 at 11:20 am

        if the GP told the bald truth, do you think they would get into government?

        • Colonial Rawshark 3.1.1.1
          12 February 2015 at 12:13 pm

          Nope, but because they haven’t told the bald truth, when they do get into government they won’t have a mandate or electoral support for taking effective action.

          • weka 3.1.1.1.1
            12 February 2015 at 12:18 pm

            What is your solution then?

            (you already know that I think the value of the GP being in govt is to shift the agenda and consciousness, as well as stopping right wingers from fracking the place. I’m also not convinces that once in govt the GP can’t being new perspectives to the table).

            • Colonial Rawshark 3.1.1.1.1.1
              12 February 2015 at 12:23 pm

              My answer is for politicians to stop lying to us and tell us the actual truth about what the next 10-20 years is likely to bring, and for us as voters to stop accepting their lies as being pragmatic, necessary and smart.

              • weka …
                12 February 2015 at 2:34 pm

                Ok, so that leaves out half of parliament. The rest are L, GP, NZF. Are you suggesting they tell the truth and stay out of parliament, which means at least another term of National? That takes us to 2020, which is probably the window gone for preventing runaway CC.

                I’m open to being convinced that the GP, or any of the left parties, should change their strategy, but I’d like to see some better detail. In the meantime, undermining the one party that is actually prepared to do something seems less than sensible.

                • Colonial Rawshark …
                  12 February 2015 at 3:55 pm

                  I’m having a hard time identifying the use of a LAB/GR government which heads off the cliff at only 80 miles an hour instead of the NATs at 90 miles an hour.

                  People are going to have to psychologically prepare themselves for the changes which are coming up. Being lied to by authority figures on a continuing basis is extremely harmful in that regard and in fact works against people successfully adapting.

                  In the meantime, undermining the one party that is actually prepared to do something seems less than sensible.

                  Well, if the political parties aren’t going to be honest with us, it’s time that we are honest with each other.

                  • weka …
                    12 February 2015 at 4:10 pm

                    That doesn’t actually address my question though. I’m happy to tell you why I think the GP are better off in govt than out (not least, to prevent the massive damage that a 4th term of NACT would do), but I still don’t understand if you have a strategy beyond your sense that it’s time for politicians to stop lying to people about CC and PO. You might be right, I’d just like to see some discussion about how that might happen in useful ways.

                    “In the meantime, undermining the one party that is actually prepared to do something seems less than sensible.”

                    “Well, if the political parties aren’t going to be honest with us, it’s time that we are honest with each other.”

                    Yes. So how about – the GP are the party most likely to push the govt to prepare NZ for the coming crises of PO and CC, so it’s good for them to be part of govt to do that (and we are much more likely to move in the right direction with a left wing govt than a right wing one), but we have a couple of problems. One is that if the GP tell the truth about PO/CC they won’t get the votes to have influence in govt. The other is the real shifts need to happen with the general public and in communities. So we need to be honest with ourselves about CC and PO and support left wing parties to do whatever they realistically can.

                    You’re way better at framing things than me, so I’m sure you could to that better, and I think it’s going to be more useful than “Labour and the GP are never going to do the right thing” (which is how your original statment comes across.

                    “People are going to have to psychologically prepare themselves for the changes which are coming up. Being lied to by authority figures on a continuing basis is extremely harmful in that regard and in fact works against people successfully adapting.”

                    I agree with that. Unfortunately I think another term of NACT will reinforce the tendancy to cognitive dissonance and then heads in the sand. On the other hand, as I said, I’m open to being persuaded that the GP going hard out and telling the truth is better, I just don’t yet see how.

                    • Colonial Rawshark …
                      12 February 2015 at 4:16 pm

                      You’ll note that I’m not disagreeing with you in the least that we would be better off with LAB/GR in power rather than NATs etc.

                      My vision of that however is not unlike 3rd Class passengers on the Titanic getting a better deal.

                      The other is the real shifts need to happen with the general public and in communities. So we need to be honest with ourselves about CC and PO and support left wing parties to do whatever they realistically can.

                      Well I think this is spot on, but having honest conversations amongst ourselves the citizenry while supporting political parties which refuse to do the same is a bloody far bridge.

              • Gareth …
                12 February 2015 at 2:47 pm

                The emperor has no clothes:

                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RInrvSjW90U

                Senior political scientist in the UK: “Too much is invested in 2C for us to say it’s not possible – it would undermine all that’s been achieved.”

              • tracey …
                12 February 2015 at 3:33 pm

                how do you proposexmaking that happen.

  4. fisiani 4
    12 February 2015 at 10:53 am

    Not another rant at John Key. Talk about climate change and the enormous impact that New Zealand is making in agricultural research if you want but why a post just to try to take a poke at Honest John.

    [lprent: Yeah right. I notice that you aren’t particularly good at refuting anything in BLip’s list. ‘Honest John’ Key – just another silly myth… ]

  5. Draco T Bastard 5
    12 February 2015 at 11:59 am

    Because if even a country like New Zealand will not do its part there is little if any hope that world will collectively do what is required.

    The world won’t do what’s needed even if the majority of people want to because the rich are getting richer in the present system and so they will lobby the government to prevent change to a sustainable system and the governments will listen to them and not the people. This is what the rich wanted when they instituted representative democracy and why they keep fear-mongering about participatory democracy. We have an oligarchy/plutocracy because the rich set it up that way.

  6. esoteric pineapples 6
    12 February 2015 at 12:18 pm

    Hopefully John Key will be alive long enough to be dragged out of his rest home and charged with crimes against humanity when they hold a Nuremberg style trial for world leaders who did nothing to avert the upcoming climate change catastrophe. He may argue he was voted in by New Zealanders, but so was Hitler so that excuse shouldn’t stand.

    • fisiani 6.1
      12 February 2015 at 12:26 pm

      Having a poke at Honest John is one thing but come on .. comparing him to Hitler??? Get a grip. New Zealand is leading the world in research about our main greenhouse gas, the farts coming out of of our cattle.

      • Wynston 6.1.1
        12 February 2015 at 12:32 pm

        Honest John? Thrrrp!

      • Hayden 6.1.2
        12 February 2015 at 12:39 pm

        New Zealand is leading the world in research about our main greenhouse gas, the farts coming out of of our cattle

        …by posting them to The Standard under the name “fisiani”.

      • dv 6.1.3
        12 February 2015 at 1:09 pm

        Nope not farts.

      • lprent 6.1.4
        12 February 2015 at 1:53 pm

        Basically you are wrong (and scientifically ignorant). NZ spends some (not much) money learning how to deal with an industrial pollutant from both ends of cows (they excrete more from burping than farting).

        Methane is a short residence greenhouse gas. While it is a more effective greenhouse gas than CO2, it isn’t by much over longer timescales.

        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_gas#Global_warming_potential

        Methane has an atmospheric lifetime of 12 ± 3 years. The 2007 IPCC report lists the GWP as 72 over a time scale of 20 years, 25 over 100 years and 7.6 over 500 years.[21] A 2014 analysis, however, states that although methane’s initial impact is about 100 times greater than that of CO2, because of the shorter atmospheric lifetime, after six or seven decades, the impact of the two gases is about equal, and from then on methane’s relative role continues to decline.[36] The decrease in GWP at longer times is because methane is degraded to water and CO2 through chemical reactions in the atmosphere.

        In short agricultural methane production can be easily be viewed as being a simple pollutant

        On the other hand, the CO2 that NZ is emitting into the atmosphere from fossil carbon has a variable residence time. But 20% of which is resident for thousands of years as it goes in and out of geological sinks. It’s accumulated effect on climate change is many orders of magnitude that of our emitted methane over longer time periods. So much so that when you look over the scale of centuries, that the effect of emitted methane is insignificant from current decades, but the CO2 emissions are still causing major harm.

        NZ as far as I am aware is doing bugger all research on climate change gases. It is doing a bit on a agricultural industrial pollutant (that has some greenhouse gas effects).

        The way that the dickhead government gets to saying that our CH4 is more important than our CO2 is by counting in tree plantings. However those are a transitory store and not even a geological store of carbon. Locked in for mere decades. They shouldn’t have counted that and only did so for as a scam for tree farmers claiming tax credits.

        Basically you appear to have been taken in by a spinner. Stupid eh?

        • Robert Atack 6.1.4.1
          15 February 2015 at 1:32 pm

          Sorry Iprent
          As far as human time frames go methane is as good as immortal
          The amount in the atmosphere has gone from a global 11,000 year average of .7 ppm to as much as 2.3 ppm in the northern hemisphere and 1.8 ppm south of the equator, so a 12 year life span is wrong, the atmosphere doesn’t flush the methane out every 12 years, and ‘old’ CH4 is still CH4, it has the same forcing factor over CO2 as the new stuff
          The forcing factor may increase with the quantity in the atmosphere, with some reports saying it is 300 – 1,000 times as strong in the area it is being emitted, like the East Siberian Arctic Shelf.
          “They’ are predicting a 50 Gigaton ‘burp’ any day, at a minimum. 50GT = more carbon than humans have injected into the environment as CO2 for the past 200 years
          And let us not forget once the CH4 ‘dies’ it becomes CO2 (mostly) which then hangs around for over 1,000 years
          I postulate that CH4 has been the driving factor behind most extinction events in the past, as CH4 is the most readily available GHG, and currently there is enough CH4 trapped under the ESAS to turn planet Earth into Venus, As Hanson said once the catherate gun goes off*, it is all over for us, we will be unable to counter such a catastrophe.
          We should know inside of a couple of years how wrong or not ‘we’ are )
          I’m sure as hell not gambling with a child’s life that I might be wrong.
          * it started with a vengeance in 2010 ish.

          • Robert Atack 6.1.4.1.1
            15 February 2015 at 7:24 pm

            ——– Forwarded Message ——–
            Subject: CH4/CO2 Att Rajendra Pachauri
            Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2014 21:03:25 +1300
            From: Robert
            To: mailbox@teri.res.in

            Dear Dr Rajendra
            I understand you mentioned me to a college in New Zealand, with regards
            to my question on the forcing factor of CH4/CO2, thanks for that.
            Unfortunately, I couldn’t quite get my question answered via anyone
            associated with the IPCC, but that is par for the coarse so not unexpected.
            I will give you my thoughts, I will be happy to be proven wrong.
            So here goes, if you are still there 😉
            I’ve read several times that ‘we’ are at a worse point than we have ever
            been in known climatic history, and during that history it has been
            proven that parts of the planet heated up by 16C over as little as 10 years, if
            that is close to being true, and we are in a worse situation, then +16C
            could be just around the corner.
            HOW?
            Its the methane that is going to get us, as the last straw, you know
            better than me I’m sure how fast the CH4 content is rising in the
            atmosphere, (supposedly hit 1.910ppm) being about 1.85ppm at the moment (unless you know more?), and always increasing, so with that fact in mind, what would the immortal effect of CH4 be compared to CO2?
            How about this question?
            If you have a tube of CO2 and you fire infrared light through it, what
            is the resulting blocking of infrared transmission (absorption and
            re-radiation) per molecule or per gram of CO2 inside the tube?
            Then do the same thing with a tube full of CH4. How much more does CH4 absorb-re-radiate than CO2? This was done crudely by John Tyndall 1859 with primitive equipment? What is the answer now that we have lot of very sophisticated equipment? That is what I cannot find out.

            I posted this on a blog site the other day, again I’m happy to be proven
            wrong.
            > It is looking like it will be all over within the next 10 years,
            > currently the environment is the closes to a massive temperature rise
            > of no less than 9C, it has EVER been, never before has CO2 gone up so
            > fast, never before has there been so much CH4 trapped by the rapid
            > thawing ice,never before (to the best of our knowledge) has CH4 gone
            > from an 800,000 year (?) average of .7 ppm to 1.85 ppm in as little as 100
            > years. NEVER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
            > http://www.planetextinction.com/documents/Methane,%20the%20Gakkel%20Ridge%20and%20human%20survival.pdf
            >
            > Everything is pointing to us currently at about 1,000ppm CO2/CO2e
            > 400 ppm CO2
            > 400 – 600ppm CO2e as CH4
            > 100 ppm N20 (or some such? I isn’t that smart)
            > and someone calculated the negative feed back of the particulates
            > (smog) acting like a curtain = about 60 ppm CO2e
            > Its the methane, and ‘they’ don’t want you to know, or it is so
            > fucking bad they haven’t a clue of how to tell you.
            > WASF.
            So I think it is way to scarey a subject for you guys, or you are under
            political pressure to dumb down methane to maintain the bullshit shell
            game that is carbon trading?
            And you wouldn’t want your US masters, being outed for adding tons of
            CH4 to the environment via fracking. And of coarse everyone via coal.
            To tell the truth I gave up on the IPCC the very first time I read
            something you put out.

            Good luck
            Regards
            Robert Atack
            http://www.oilcrash.com

      • tricledrown 6.1.5
        12 February 2015 at 2:17 pm

        Fishyanal you need a dear John letter.
        Honest John sounds like the name of a pimp!

      • ropata:rorschach 6.1.6
        12 February 2015 at 2:21 pm

        328 lies and counting, from good old ‘Honest John‘

      • ropata:rorschach 6.1.7
        12 February 2015 at 2:34 pm

        When will fisi and his NACTUM chums cut the crap?

        When there are no fish left?
        When fertile farmland becomes desert?
        When coastal cities are swamped by rising sea levels?

        Our generation will be judged for crimes against the climate and Earth’s ecosystem, perhaps not by formal trials, but history will blame us for choosing Exploitation over Conservation.

      • joe90 6.1.8
        12 February 2015 at 3:12 pm

        Honest John

        The Fox and the Cat, Il gatto e la volpe, aka John “Honest John” Worthington Foulfellow and the idiot Gideon really have led Pinocchio astray.

        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fox_and_the_Cat

      • tracey 6.1.9
        12 February 2015 at 3:36 pm

        pretty sure you are the only one here wanting to poke the PM

      • KJT 6.1.10
        12 February 2015 at 3:50 pm

        Cattle do not fart! Fizzer.

  7. The Murphey 7
    12 February 2015 at 3:43 pm

    Passion does not exist for dead eyes Key who has no soul

    Look into the eyes of another and you shall know them

  8. Maui 8
    12 February 2015 at 10:31 pm

    Wellington had the worst drought in 70 years last year, was 20 days away from running out of water.

    This year, east coast of the South Island has worst drought in 43 years.. so far.

    And if this is predicted to get worse, who know how much worse with climate change, then people had better start waking up. So much for leaving the place better for our children.

  9. Robert Atack 9
    13 February 2015 at 7:31 am

    There is nothing this or any other government can do about ‘climate change’, we are locked into extinction full stop.
    @ 401 ppm CO2 and maybe 600 PPM CO2e – with methane, and another 150 ppm CO2e in the other gasses/global dimming dust etc = 1150 ppm CO2e.
    We have employed and bread ourselves into this situation, even if we had 90% unemployment, a moratorium on birth, and an out right ban on burning fossil fuels, it would still not be enough.
    To save this set of environmental living arrangement’s, we would need to remove maybe 150 ppm CO2 + most of the methane etc – to force the climate to switch into a mini ice age ….. that is the size of the problem, squiggly light bulbs, low water use shower heads, 110 kmh expressways through Kapiti, EMPLOYMENT, ie maintaining this ‘system’ will do nothing to reverse the situation we are in … NOTHING

    Vote for that !
    This latest report suggests +8 by 2050 ?
    http://arctic-news.blogspot.co.nz/2014/06/arctic-atmospheric-methane-global-warming-veil.html
    And even this goes into happy chapter mode, but the first part – that explains where we are at, is worth a read
    Forget the carbon, it’s the methane.

  10. Kevin Hester 10
    14 February 2015 at 10:21 am

    We have passed the point of no return with regard to the 6th great extinction that is now under way as a result of abrupt climate change. Noam Chomsky wrote recently on this issue with his article entitled

    Friends of mine from the Arctic Methane Emergency Group attended COP20 at Lima and presented quoting extensively from Dr Natalia Shakova’s woek on the potential of a 50 gigatonne release of methane as a result of hydrate destabilisation due to a warming arctic ocean and loss of sea ice and upwelling associated with ice cap retreat.
    Here is the AMEG presentation;
    https://www.facebook.com/notes/kevin-hester/the-arctic-methane-emergency-group-presentation-at-lima-peru-122014/10204318502615383

    Sam Carrana’s recent methane report.
    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155257311795089&set=a.10151770531770089.859272.897215088&type=1

    Methane update from Professor Guy McPherson.
    http://www.youtube.com/attribution_link?a=pH4rNjXQWIU&u=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DUXn22d7tyKM%26feature%3Dshare&fb_ref=share

  11. Kevin Hester 11
    14 February 2015 at 10:29 am

    Noam Chomsky’s work on The End of History. The situation is vastly worse than we are all being told.Wake up.
    http://inthesetimes.com/article/17137/the_end_of_history

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    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A Step–by–Step Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and third–party applications. So, let‘s dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. That‘s why they introduced the “Recently Deleted“ folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Here‘s how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the “Recents“ tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on “Edit“. Select “Show Recently Deleted“. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose “Recover“ to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Here‘s how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose “Erase All Content and Settings“. Follow the on–screen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose “Restore from iCloud Backup“ during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore Third–Party Apps (with Caution): ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    24 hours ago

  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago

  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    2 days ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    2 days ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    2 days ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    5 days ago

  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago

  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago

  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
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