It would help us all to keep these wonderful words in our minds from now to the end of the year….and onwards to the end of time.
Lyrics in English for “Ode to Joy”
(“Ode An Die Freude”)
Beethoven’s 9th Symphony
O friends, no more these sounds!
Let us sing more cheerful songs,
more full of joy!
Joy, bright spark of divinity,
Daughter of Elysium,
Fire-inspired we tread
Thy sanctuary.
Thy magic power re-unites
All that custom has divided,
All men become brothers
Under the sway of thy gentle wings.
Whoever has created
An abiding friendship,
Or has won
A true and loving wife, [partner]
All who can call at least one soul theirs,
Join in our song of praise;
But any who cannot must creep tearfully
Away from our circle.
All creatures drink of joy
At nature’s breast.
Just and unjust
Alike taste of her gift;
She gave us kisses and the fruit of the vine,
A tried friend to the end.
Even the worm can feel contentment,
And the cherub stands before God!
Gladly, like the heavenly bodies
Which He set on their courses
Through the splendor of the firmament;
Thus, brothers, you should run your race,
As a hero going to conquest.
You millions, I embrace you.
This kiss is for all the world!
Brothers, above the starry canopy
There must dwell a loving Father.
Do you fall in worship, you millions?
World, do you know your creator?
Seek him in the heavens;
Above the stars must He dwell.
The Music – people bringing their musical skills together to create something beautiful. 23 minutes of singers and players, old and young, striving to do credit to Beethoven’s creation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdWyYn0E4Ys
My favourite – I have put it up before. A flash mob from Spain with a short version that is enjoyed by all, adults and children. This sort of flash mob could be a monthly happening in each NZ town. The community would go to the town square or central place, and see what was on this month and applaud, and start planning to do something as good next month.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87qT5BOl2XU
“yeah/Nah” Unfortunately @ grey, as much as I admire the sentiment and the message, it probably comes about 10 years too late – the problem(s) go much deeper and are now far more entrenched
Neoliberalism never was just an ideology or another “ism” or political agenda. It was always an ideology as well as a culture, and a religion, and a language, and an ‘ego’ – which is probably why many on the “Left” succumbed to it and still do.
It’ll most likely take a disaster for it to be demolished.
Call me a pessimist if you like @ grey.
OwT
I looked through the Ode and have come up with a piece that says something to your very true summation. And perhaps also to the aftermath.
I have friendly feelings for many people on this blog, and regard very few as fiends! It is a blessing to me to know something of, and talk with good strivers out there for a decent world that has a kindly thought about everything, without being lost in a haze of syrupy tat or PC taken to the authoritarian levels or rigid rules, or indeed also, a miasma of clever machinery.
Whoever has created
An abiding friendship,
Or has won
A true and loving wife, [partner, child, friend]
All who can call at least one soul theirs,
Join in our song of praise;
But any who cannot must creep tearfully
Away from our circle.
I have found the boundaries of my infirmity enlarged by the companions here.
It is true some have fallen away over the year to be replaced by other voices, but this blog has wide ranging and thought provoking contributions and conversations held daily.
Many authors have given us opportunities to “Air our general ignorance”, which we have readily done. Mickey, Iprent, Advantage. Many thanks.
So I would like more of the same. A special thank you to Advantage. Your articles on the science behind climate change were excellent and the references to research mind opening, and Mickey for expressing thoughts from a Labour point of view a highlight for me.
Frank, your organised science based answers and statements always leads to further reading and thinking, likewise Swordfish for the polls and graphs.
Some here have given freely from their experiences, and given a window to another situation Greywarshark Anne Marty Cinny ExKiwiforces Rosemary Barfly and those who responded about my hip many thanks.
Those who pulled me back into line when I became too dogmatic and full of it veutoviper,
lol lol Thank you one and all,
I read you all, even the trolls on here, because they are our trolls with their prods pokes and puckish poetry . To those i’ve missed sorry . Happy New Year.
Are we just a bigger bug? Insects can do all the things we do. And more. Feel free to prove me wrong. We are good with complicated machines and systems.
Which look as if they will kill us, or lead to the death of billions before long.
So are we really clever, or just dexterous?
Here’s a good story about leafcutter ants. Tiny things creating large intricate dwelling places. Apparently they had a behaviour that led to their own destruction. They laid their eggs in the crevices of worker ants heads. Can we clever beings work out how we are bringing our own destruction, our bodies, minds and way of life; or are we so complex that we can’t go to the heart of the matter because we have lost our hearts.
Were we to work industrially like ants, we could change the planet.
Oh, wait…
There are amoebas that farm bacteria. They take them with them and spread them around to populate then they selectively eat them. 😀
Were those amoebas to develop a means of trade in bacteria, things could go haywire. Some amoebas might be relegated to guarding bacteria for other amoebas, while other amoebas could go hungry – but they’d soon get desperate, and war would be waged over the bacteria.
Amoebas would go tribal centered around bacterial resources. Amoebas would go to die in endless war. Commemorative plaques would be made, songs and stories written.
Weapons programs, chemical endeavors and taxes; these would all become necessity to security and supply. The bacteria fuel the industry, the industry protects the supply.
Then industry utilises armies and scientists to begin to explore for new supplies and new production lines. Everything is up for grabs.
They’re only amoebas, it’s a big planet, what could possibly go wrong.
Exclusive: More than 2 dozen women and men who worked on Bernie's 2016 campaign are seeking a meeting with Sanders + advisers to “discuss the issue of sexual violence and harassment on the 2016 campaign" according to a copy of letter obtained by POLITICO. https://t.co/ytKjyGlaJhpic.twitter.com/XSv8fyZxi8— Alex Thompson (@AlxThomp) December 31, 2018
Some of you may have read the discussion that has been going on this morning with Pete George under yesterday’s posting of “The Standard’s ten most commented on posts in 2018”.
Originally I was going to add it to the now unnumbered/no reply facility ones in the thread. Then I decided to start a new thread under the same post, but then thought it really did not relate to the topic of the post. So fell back to Open Mike as the best option.
Back to PG’s response to Psycho Milt, Three things jumped out at me. Let’s deal with the shortest two first:
“Winston Peters has been given an easy ride by journalists for a long time.”
My immediate response? Hahahahahahahahaha A love-in between Winston Peters and the media??? You must be blind as well as tone deaf.
“And percent or two off the Pasifika vote (presumably from Labour) could give National a chance in a two party race.
There is that FPP two horse race mentality coming through again …
But the one that I (stupidly) decided to focus on was this one.
“Ardern knows how to manipulate and use media to promote her PR – as did key.”
Why did this get my goat?
Because there was no mention of Bridges and his use of media to promote himself etc. Yet, just an hour or so before making that comment here, PG posted this comment on his own blog:
The comment consists of a picture of Simon and Natalie Bridges together and smiling at an outdoor venue in Tauranga from Simon’s Twitter account with a comment – “Happy New Year! Natalie & I are at a family event in Tauranga with the kids. Hope you all have a good night!” 8:45 PM – Dec 31, 2018
PG has then added a comment that “I would put one up from Jacinda Ardern but she doesn’t seem to have been on Twitter or Facebook – her Twitter account hasn’t been used since 30 October.”
Do I detect a bit of snideness there? Over the last year, Ardern has not been a big poster on Twitter. But she has been a prolific Facebook poster with her last post with video of herself and two Ministers at the Auckland City Mission on Dec 21 attracting 614 comments. (No mention by PG of this or the hugh responses to her other regular FB videos and posts.)
But lets look at Bridges and his use of media etc.
He does post on Twitter regularly and his previous tweet immediately under the one PG posted above is one yesterday* with a full frontal/facial photo of himself holding their daughter with the comment “My little princess turns 1!” with a link to a NZ Women’s Weekly article on Jemima’s first birthday.
This NZ Women’s Weekly article is a sickly sweet article about Jemima’s birthday in early December with pictures of her and the whole family celebrating with cake etc. but also with some PR messaging going on.
For example (my bolds):
“The thing with Simon is that he’s very attentive,” adds Natalie (36), who has her own PR business. “He’s away a lot, but when he’s home he’s really there. He plays with the kids, he reads them stories, he gives them his full attention. He’s an amazing dad to all of them.”Simon is definitely smitten with his wee girl.” …
“Having Jemima was a beautiful finish to our family; we don’t have any plans to have any more children. It has changed all of us, having her. We all adore her and she is a real delight.” …
“A future politician, perhaps? Simon is thrilled at the thought.
“She’s got the skills,” he muses. “She knows how to play people – she knows the best way to get attention is smiles. She’s usually so happy and bubbly, but she’s not afraid.”
Natalie reckons at least one, if not all three, of the Bridges children could end up following in their dad’s footsteps, and if Jemima continues to enjoy interacting with people from all walks of life, she might be the one to go after a seat in Parliament! And her mum doesn’t have an issue with that.
“Despite what people may think, I think going into politics is a very noble thing,” says Natalie. “Most people go into it with a huge heart and very noble reasons. I would like it if one of our children decided to take that route. And they do have a great role model.”
But is this a one off for Bridges and the NZ Women’s Weekly? Not at all, and that article includes links back to three previous NZWW on the Bridges this year – which I stupidly decided to read … Anything to avoid housework, dishes etc.
What I found was that in 2018, NZWW has run at least five (5) articles on Bridges and his family, all blatantly using photos and discussions about the children. As well as yesterday’s one, there were articles dated:
This one included detail of Natalie Bridges’ media/PR career as editor of fashion magazine ‘Simply You’, before setting up her own public-relations company Blink PR.
Header = ‘I don’t want to get out of politics one day and feel like I won the battle but lost the war.’ This was the same week as the unauthorised leak of his expenses and the ensuing furore around parliamentary enquiries –and Bridges said in the article that while his new gig has definitely thrown him some curve balls, the biggest challenge of his new normal is still juggling his family and his career.
A more detailed follow-up to the one a week earlier which is worth a read for a little insight into how Bridges saw his first six months as Leader and his future in politics (at that time at least), for example:
“I’m not in this as a time server,” he admits. “I’ll be surprised if I’m still in politics in my mid fifties – I’m 41 now.
“Some people go into it for life and they’re there 30 years on − that won’t be me. It’s about making a contribution, significant service and hopefully before it’s too late, spending a lot of time with my family and maybe having another career again.”
And as for Simon, he reckons he’s transformed too – and he doesn’t think the job is as hard as some previous opposition leaders have made it out to be.
“It’s gone better than I thought it would, in a funny sort of way,” he muses.
“I just thought it would be… looking at past opposition leaders, they made it look hard. I’ve basically only been in government. Actually, it’s been more uplifting than I thought it would be.”
He continues, “I think I’ve grown as a person over the past six months. I’ve had to become a better listener and more inclusive, and in doing that better, I suppose a decision maker.”
And, of course, it’s been about developing his own style of leadership after following in the footsteps of the likes of Bill English and Sir John Key. For Simon, it’s a combination of taking advice and listening to his gut.
—————–
Now, I have not done the same exercise for Jacinda Ardern and the number of articles on her in the New Zealand Women’s Weekly this year – nor will I be doing one today. [This is NOT how I intended to start 2019 .. ]
I also note that there are two other recent articles on their website re two NZ women politicians – which I hasten to add I have not read:
I really don’t know, nor am I sure that I care, but just a little bit of ammunition for the future to use when people claim that Ardern is the big PR manipulator of the media.
Bridges does it too – and IMHO is much more blatant at exposing his family and their life in this way.
I’m having trouble imagining anything more beigely boring than a discussion where Pete George plays a prominent role. But hey, takes all sorts, so if others are interested …
I did send an email suggesting that it be scrubbed if it had not already been.
[lprent: Just saw that. Actually you did a very good job of making sure that it didn’t violate any policy or general distaste by moderators. The section focused not on the members of the family but on the use of family as political PR (including the highlighted quotes about Natalie Bridges) – which is legitimate. It got auto-moderated because of the number of links. Got let through by someone else, then picked up by me as a starter post.
I don’t think that any of the authors could written it better in terms of presenting a topic of current politics with more delicacy and focus on the political topic ]
VV
What a thirst for facts VV. And so illuminating. The media bias, the build-up of a line on a personality that pleases. So many people out of the immediate political eye are influential and firmly entrenched in the aspirational Affluenza way of thinking which looks to the National Party to keep up their ‘glossy’ lifestyles, ie Maggie Barry and many/most of the woman editors of magazines.
Someone really does need to part the velvet curtains and see the little figures operating the smoke machines as in the Wizard of Oz. Though his smoke was green. I think in our world it is definitely strikingly blue. We should be as determined to see through the hokeypokey like young Dorothy!
A short look at the wizard of oz on google turned up this detail which might sound similar to the turmoil in the National Party to some. 8. The Wizard of Oz – 1939 (99% on Rotten Tomatoes)
The Wizard of Oz is one of the most beloved films of all time, but it’s relatively unknown how much turmoil occurred behind the scenes. The entire process involved a total of five directors and seventeen writers, because so many kept either quitting or being fired.
The role of the Tin Man originally belonged to Buddy Ebsen, but the aluminum powder they used to coat his body made him incredibly sick. After being rushed to the hospital, he was quietly replaced by Jack Haley, who was made-up in aluminum paste instead. The makeup used for the Wicked Witch was not so practical either… during one “hot” take where she was to disappear in a puff of smoke, she was temporarily lit on fire. http://www.collegehumor.com/post/7054565/10-amazing-movies-with-the-most-nightmarish-behind-the-scenes
Well I’ll be damned. You’re right, it is interesting, vv has done an outstanding deconstruction of what was going on in that thread. I gotta confess, I saw PG mentioned a few too many times in the first few paragraphs and just switched off.
I was not quite sure what you meant by this comment when I first read it, then saw it up as a post … went out and came back to your comment below and was blown away.
Thank you, lprent. I really value your comments. And yes, tomorrow is another day. LOL.
I am having a bit of a giggle as it is really easy to see from the comments to date, who has read it in full – and who has not. LOL
Veutoviper, apologies for my earlier snark. Now that I’ve read the whole thing, rather than giving up after the first few PG mentions, that’s an excellent dissection of what’s going on.
LOL – i still haven’t looked at it, or the Chloe one!
By the time I had finished with “the Bridges”. I was way over NZ WW.
Am still reeling (in a nice way) from Iprent’s bolded remarks above – and Andre’s #2 and #3 – and having it put up as a post, when I had emailed to can it.
Always interesting to see reactions, because it is very easy to see who has read it – and who has not….. LOL
Can someone explain why I, like a lot of people who come on here, have not got a knighthood for doing our jobs or pursuing an interest supported by government handouts?
Recently I’ve been invited to speak in places like Panama, New York, San Francisco, Abu Dhabi, Vancouver, British Virgin Islands…
But sadly our remaining carbon budget won’t allow any such travels.
Adult generations in countries like mine have used up our resources.
1.A world that works cooperatively to mitigate against the worst impacts of climate catastrophe. Actions taken by students, activists and children to force governments to change.
2. The end of capitalism. Or at least the death of its most virulent form, the neoliberal cult. More gilet jeune and other protests to bring the system down.
3. More people in New Zealand abandoning eating food sourced from the industrial animal killing conplex.
The post grey is talking about is for local body elections, so his telling off was unwarranted. Unfortunately he sometimes thinks he’s the comment policeman, telling others what they should and shouldn’t say. However he is a good bloke beneath the headmaster persona. 😀
New Zealand’s Debt has ballooned out to $ 529 billion.
“The grand total of $528.7 billion is up 7.3 per cent from a year ago.
The latest Reserve Bank figures (for the year to April 30) show household debt has topped $250b, driven by rising property prices and an increase in consumer borrowing.
That’s an increase of more than 60 per cent in 10 years.
For New Zealand households, the ratio of debt to income has now reached a record – 168 per cent, well above the pre-financial crisis peak of 159 per cent.”
Yeah, and don’t forget that crook Douglas aided by the likes of Prebble, followed on by that vile female Richardson continued by the fucking Spiv conned NZ by telling us that they had to sell NZ infrastructure to their spiv mates at bargain basement prices to pay off the major debt we had.
I wonder what they are going to do now that we are an asset poor country with no or very little public asset’s left to sell.
As someone put on FaceBook can’t remember who “ The trouble with Thatcherism is, you run out of other peoples assets.”
Has changing the road rules along with the record immigration rates, been much of a factor or a factor at all, in the roads increasingly becoming death traps or is it just a bit of a bad luck patch?
I thought so yes, it s just a bit odd that 2013 was our lowest year, & with improvements in car technology handling and the like, but abit of bad luck it is!
I see many organization doing this influencing peoples thoughts brain washing them with all forms of media they say when you get enough people to beleve in a LIE it becomes the truth. We have alot of people on the Papatunuku stage rubbing this human flaw in the intelegint people FACES. I see govement agenceys using this the neo captlist will use anything to keep there power they have stolen from the people with there decite . I have seen it used to suppress native minority cultures they only publish all the negitive story about these cultures and even invent these story or get ACTOR to stage these negtive stories they have fulse studys published to help in there suppression I can see these easy as. This is the Phenomenon that has been used to suppressed the facts on Human Caused Global Warming .Hence it taken 40 years for the fact’s to get out there to the world that when we burn carbon we are burning our mokopunas futures. Some people can see past all the BULLSHIT to the truth most don’t thanks to this 21 century communication device those of us that can see the truth can get the facts out to the people .
Advertising and academia are controlling our thoughts. Didn’t you know? By abetting the ad industry, universities are leading us into temptation, when they should be enlightening us .
To what extent do we decide? We tell ourselves we choose our own life course, but is this ever true? If you or I had lived 500 years ago, our worldview, and the decisions we made as a result, would have been utterly different. Our minds are shaped by our social environment, in particular the belief systems projected by those in power: monarchs, aristocrats and theologians then; corporations, billionaires and the media today.
Humans, the supremely social mammals, are ethical and intellectual sponges. We unconsciously absorb, for good or ill, the influences that surround us. Indeed, the very notion that we might form our own minds is a received idea that would have been quite alien to most people five centuries ago. This is not to suggest we have no capacity for independent thought. But to exercise it, we must – consciously and with great effort – swim against the social current that sweeps us along, mostly without our knowledge.Surely, though, even if we are broadly shaped by the social environment, we control the small decisions we make? Sometimes. Perhaps. But here, too, we are subject to constant influence, some of which we see, much of which we don’t. And there is one major industry that seeks to decide on our behalf. Its techniques get more sophisticated every year, drawing on the latest findings in neuroscience and psychology. It is called advertising.
Every month, new books on the subject are published with titles like The Persuasion Code: How Neuromarketing Can Help You Persuade Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime. While many are doubtless overhyped, they describe a discipline that is rapidly closing in on our minds, making independent thought ever harder. More sophisticated advertising meshes with digital technologies designed to eliminate agency.
Earlier this year, the child psychologist Richard Freed explained how new psychological research has been used to develop social media, computer games and phones with genuinely addictive qualities. He quoted a technologist who boasts, with apparent justification: “We have the ability to twiddle some knobs in a machine learning dashboard we build, and around the world hundreds of thousands of people are going to quietly change their behaviour in ways that, unbeknownst to them, feel second-nature but are really by design.The purpose of this brain hacking is to create more effective platforms for advertising. But the effort is wasted if we retain our ability to resist it. Facebook, according to a leaked report, carried out research – shared with an advertiser – to determine when teenagers using its network feel insecure, worthless or stressed. These appear to be the optimum moments for hitting them with a micro-targeted promotion. Facebook denied that it offered “tools to target people based on their emotional state Ka kite ano Links below
Everyone has to make changes to our lifestyles to combat climate change or the PLANET is going to change our grandchildren lives for the worst. Food will be more expensive that will be a good thing we will all have gardens in the back yards citys will grow there own vegies farmers will get a better slice of the pie these are just a few ways we have to change
The Next Climate Frontier: Predicting a Complex Domino Effect
Motivated by events like Hurricane Harvey, researchers are trying to determine how climate change interacts with agriculture, energy, transportation and other human systems When Hurricane Harvey’s record-busting rains drenched Texas in August 2017, they triggered a cascade of chaos. Widespread flooding turned roads into rivers, impeding evacuations and access to emergency services. Stormwater swept up pathogens from wastewater treatment plants and toxins from Superfund sites, posing health threats. Phone and internet services failed in some areas, and 300,000 people in Texas lost power. Harvey also temporarily shut down a quarter of U.S. oil production in the Gulf of Mexico, raising gas prices.Such scenarios—climatic events causing impacts that can themselves trigger still more chains of effects, like intersecting rows of toppling dominoes—are a key focus of the fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA), released by the U.S. federal government at the end of November. For the first time, the 300 government, academic and nonprofit experts who contribute to the report devoted an entire chapter to the under-studied but critical interaction between climate change and what are called complex systems The report emphasizes that scientists need to look not only at how global warming is changing natural systems but also how those changes will set off their own ripple effects through other areas—for example, how the increasing threat of drought harms agriculture, which in turn affects the economy and food availability. “Reality is complex. In a changing climate, nothing is being affected all by itself,” says Katharine Mach, a senior research scientist at Stanford University and one of the NCA authors. The complexity of these cascading effects means they can often be hard—or even impossible—to understand or predict in a meaningful way. But that is exactly what scientists are now trying to figure out how to do. ka kite ano links
I tau toko Meka Whaitiri regaining Jacinda trust and getting her Minsteral jobs back I know what its is like being discrimanated against’s the media and the trolls jumped all over that story just like the trolls are jumping up and down on this story trolls go hide under your parents bed
Former minister Meka Whaitiri says she is hoping for a comeback in 2019 and is looking to earn back Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s confidence.The aspirations when you come into this place and into government is to be a minister. It is an absolute privilege to be a Minister of the Crown and I make no bones that I do hope that there is an opportunity for me to return and I am doing my best to regain the confidence of the prime minister, one step at a time,” she told Māori TV’s Te Kāea.
“It’s been hard lessons, she has expectations of me and I am meeting those expectations by doing things that are showing that the concerns that she had in removing my ministerial warrant is being addressed.”
Whaitri has been undergoing training to manage staff ka kite ano links below
Kia ora Newshub The dreams feasible in Tauranga has a lot of Reggae bands ka pai.
I have my opinion on that apartment block explosion in Russia. ?????????
I would not like to be traveling on the roads at the minute Alexandra we plan our travel,s so we travel when the traffic is low.
Escooter,s need some laws to prevent any accidents happening the big Tec companies pushing them are arrogant and just want money and are loving the media exposure good or bad.
Tom I have been watching the Nasa New Horizons space craft that has taken 13 years to get to Ultima Thule to get data to study and find out more about earth history.
Kenwood camera that can scan people while they are walking is awesome that will minimize threats . Good on the young fella Ben Hawke for getting into forecasting the weather in Dunedin. What happened to the theory of using data of people’s cell phones to help predict the weather. Ka pai to Mojo coffee cafe’s breaking in the market in America Chicago city .ka kite ano
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I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
“I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
The government’s attack on Māori health this week is committing tangata-whenua to a premature death, says Te Pāti Māori. “The government have begun their onslaught on Māori health with the abolishment of the Māori Health Authority and smokefree laws in the same day” said health spokesperson and co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. ...
"The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Lupton, SHARP Professor, Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney kitzcorner/Shutterstock The assertion from Queensland’s chief health officer John Gerrard that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Why are musicians so keen to get played on the radio? It can’t be because of the money. In Australia they are paid at rates so low they ...
"Farmers make a point not to tell our urban cousins how to live, yet Chlöe from central Auckland is hell-bent on having her say about farmers," says ACT Rural Communities spokesman Mark Cameron. “On her first day in the House as Green ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Curran, Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images/Gerald Corsi In the latest move to reform environmental laws in New Zealand, the coalition government has introduced a bill to fast-track consenting processes for projects deemed to ...
Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to ...
What can and can’t be purchased by disabled people or their carers has been slashed in an effort by the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha to save money. The purchasing guidelines, a set of rules that sets out what can be purchased using the various streams of Government disability funding, ...
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SOI_Yl_0e8
Top vid, Jenny, and somewhat ironic, given that we lost the Queen of Soul in 2018.
It would help us all to keep these wonderful words in our minds from now to the end of the year….and onwards to the end of time.
Lyrics in English for “Ode to Joy”
(“Ode An Die Freude”)
Beethoven’s 9th Symphony
O friends, no more these sounds!
Let us sing more cheerful songs,
more full of joy!
Joy, bright spark of divinity,
Daughter of Elysium,
Fire-inspired we tread
Thy sanctuary.
Thy magic power re-unites
All that custom has divided,
All men become brothers
Under the sway of thy gentle wings.
Whoever has created
An abiding friendship,
Or has won
A true and loving wife, [partner]
All who can call at least one soul theirs,
Join in our song of praise;
But any who cannot must creep tearfully
Away from our circle.
All creatures drink of joy
At nature’s breast.
Just and unjust
Alike taste of her gift;
She gave us kisses and the fruit of the vine,
A tried friend to the end.
Even the worm can feel contentment,
And the cherub stands before God!
Gladly, like the heavenly bodies
Which He set on their courses
Through the splendor of the firmament;
Thus, brothers, you should run your race,
As a hero going to conquest.
You millions, I embrace you.
This kiss is for all the world!
Brothers, above the starry canopy
There must dwell a loving Father.
Do you fall in worship, you millions?
World, do you know your creator?
Seek him in the heavens;
Above the stars must He dwell.
The Music – people bringing their musical skills together to create something beautiful. 23 minutes of singers and players, old and young, striving to do credit to Beethoven’s creation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdWyYn0E4Ys
My favourite – I have put it up before. A flash mob from Spain with a short version that is enjoyed by all, adults and children. This sort of flash mob could be a monthly happening in each NZ town. The community would go to the town square or central place, and see what was on this month and applaud, and start planning to do something as good next month.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87qT5BOl2XU
About Ode to Joy and lyrics in German and English.
https://www.thoughtco.com/beethovens-ode-to-joy-lyrics-history-724410
“yeah/Nah” Unfortunately @ grey, as much as I admire the sentiment and the message, it probably comes about 10 years too late – the problem(s) go much deeper and are now far more entrenched
Neoliberalism never was just an ideology or another “ism” or political agenda. It was always an ideology as well as a culture, and a religion, and a language, and an ‘ego’ – which is probably why many on the “Left” succumbed to it and still do.
It’ll most likely take a disaster for it to be demolished.
Call me a pessimist if you like @ grey.
OwT
I looked through the Ode and have come up with a piece that says something to your very true summation. And perhaps also to the aftermath.
I have friendly feelings for many people on this blog, and regard very few as fiends! It is a blessing to me to know something of, and talk with good strivers out there for a decent world that has a kindly thought about everything, without being lost in a haze of syrupy tat or PC taken to the authoritarian levels or rigid rules, or indeed also, a miasma of clever machinery.
heh
I have found the boundaries of my infirmity enlarged by the companions here.
It is true some have fallen away over the year to be replaced by other voices, but this blog has wide ranging and thought provoking contributions and conversations held daily.
Many authors have given us opportunities to “Air our general ignorance”, which we have readily done. Mickey, Iprent, Advantage. Many thanks.
So I would like more of the same. A special thank you to Advantage. Your articles on the science behind climate change were excellent and the references to research mind opening, and Mickey for expressing thoughts from a Labour point of view a highlight for me.
Frank, your organised science based answers and statements always leads to further reading and thinking, likewise Swordfish for the polls and graphs.
Some here have given freely from their experiences, and given a window to another situation Greywarshark Anne Marty Cinny ExKiwiforces Rosemary Barfly and those who responded about my hip many thanks.
Those who pulled me back into line when I became too dogmatic and full of it veutoviper,
lol lol Thank you one and all,
I read you all, even the trolls on here, because they are our trolls with their prods pokes and puckish poetry . To those i’ve missed sorry . Happy New Year.
Oh and Robert Guyton, blessings again for the happy places.
Are we just a bigger bug? Insects can do all the things we do. And more. Feel free to prove me wrong. We are good with complicated machines and systems.
Which look as if they will kill us, or lead to the death of billions before long.
So are we really clever, or just dexterous?
Here’s a good story about leafcutter ants. Tiny things creating large intricate dwelling places. Apparently they had a behaviour that led to their own destruction. They laid their eggs in the crevices of worker ants heads. Can we clever beings work out how we are bringing our own destruction, our bodies, minds and way of life; or are we so complex that we can’t go to the heart of the matter because we have lost our hearts.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2095335/Underground-ant-city-Brazil-rivals-Great-Wall-China-labyrinth-highways.html
The bug society: Scientists excavate underground ant city that ‘rivals the Great Wall of China’ with a labyrinth of highways
Were we to work industrially like ants, we could change the planet.
Oh, wait…
There are amoebas that farm bacteria. They take them with them and spread them around to populate then they selectively eat them. 😀
Were those amoebas to develop a means of trade in bacteria, things could go haywire. Some amoebas might be relegated to guarding bacteria for other amoebas, while other amoebas could go hungry – but they’d soon get desperate, and war would be waged over the bacteria.
Amoebas would go tribal centered around bacterial resources. Amoebas would go to die in endless war. Commemorative plaques would be made, songs and stories written.
Weapons programs, chemical endeavors and taxes; these would all become necessity to security and supply. The bacteria fuel the industry, the industry protects the supply.
Then industry utilises armies and scientists to begin to explore for new supplies and new production lines. Everything is up for grabs.
They’re only amoebas, it’s a big planet, what could possibly go wrong.
Thanks for your sparkling thoughts WtB. Meaningful and funny.
https://youtu.be/0OukvnghP7A or a goldfish
Makes you wonder don’t it. Thanks for that.
The Spinoff’s political predictions for the year, a very concise list by a range of contributors: https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/01-01-2019/2019-in-politics-what-will-the-big-issues-be/
Bernie Bros, huh. Who woulda thunk it.
https://twitter.com/AlxThomp/status/1079541518455750658
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/12/30/bernie-sanders-campaign-harassment-1077014
Some of you may have read the discussion that has been going on this morning with Pete George under yesterday’s posting of “The Standard’s ten most commented on posts in 2018”.
This comment by me started out as a response to PG’s reply to Psycho Milt here.
https://thestandard.org.nz/the-standards-ten-most-commented-on-posts-in-2018/#comment-1566954
Originally I was going to add it to the now unnumbered/no reply facility ones in the thread. Then I decided to start a new thread under the same post, but then thought it really did not relate to the topic of the post. So fell back to Open Mike as the best option.
Back to PG’s response to Psycho Milt, Three things jumped out at me. Let’s deal with the shortest two first:
“Winston Peters has been given an easy ride by journalists for a long time.”
My immediate response? Hahahahahahahahaha A love-in between Winston Peters and the media??? You must be blind as well as tone deaf.
“And percent or two off the Pasifika vote (presumably from Labour) could give National a chance in a two party race.
There is that FPP two horse race mentality coming through again …
But the one that I (stupidly) decided to focus on was this one.
“Ardern knows how to manipulate and use media to promote her PR – as did key.”
Why did this get my goat?
Because there was no mention of Bridges and his use of media to promote himself etc. Yet, just an hour or so before making that comment here, PG posted this comment on his own blog:
https://yournz.org/2019/01/01/happy-new-year-kia-hari-te-tau-hou/#comment-336049
The comment consists of a picture of Simon and Natalie Bridges together and smiling at an outdoor venue in Tauranga from Simon’s Twitter account with a comment – “Happy New Year! Natalie & I are at a family event in Tauranga with the kids. Hope you all have a good night!” 8:45 PM – Dec 31, 2018
https://twitter.com/simonjbridges/status/1079644695582527489
PG has then added a comment that “I would put one up from Jacinda Ardern but she doesn’t seem to have been on Twitter or Facebook – her Twitter account hasn’t been used since 30 October.”
Do I detect a bit of snideness there? Over the last year, Ardern has not been a big poster on Twitter. But she has been a prolific Facebook poster with her last post with video of herself and two Ministers at the Auckland City Mission on Dec 21 attracting 614 comments. (No mention by PG of this or the hugh responses to her other regular FB videos and posts.)
But lets look at Bridges and his use of media etc.
He does post on Twitter regularly and his previous tweet immediately under the one PG posted above is one yesterday* with a full frontal/facial photo of himself holding their daughter with the comment “My little princess turns 1!” with a link to a NZ Women’s Weekly article on Jemima’s first birthday.
https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/parenting/family/simon-bridges-daughter-jemima-turns-one-40100
* https://twitter.com/simonjbridges/status/1079613204068675586
This NZ Women’s Weekly article is a sickly sweet article about Jemima’s birthday in early December with pictures of her and the whole family celebrating with cake etc. but also with some PR messaging going on.
For example (my bolds):
But is this a one off for Bridges and the NZ Women’s Weekly? Not at all, and that article includes links back to three previous NZWW on the Bridges this year – which I stupidly decided to read … Anything to avoid housework, dishes etc.
What I found was that in 2018, NZWW has run at least five (5) articles on Bridges and his family, all blatantly using photos and discussions about the children. As well as yesterday’s one, there were articles dated:
4 March 2018 – https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/parenting/parenting-news/national-party-leader-simon-bridges-introduces-his-newborn-daughter-36756
14 March 2018 – https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/parenting/family/at-home-with-new-national-party-leader-simon-bridges-and-his-family-36832
This one included detail of Natalie Bridges’ media/PR career as editor of fashion magazine ‘Simply You’, before setting up her own public-relations company Blink PR.
2 Sept 2018 – https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/parenting/family/simon-bridges-admits-its-a-challenge-juggling-family-and-career-38909
Header = ‘I don’t want to get out of politics one day and feel like I won the battle but lost the war.’ This was the same week as the unauthorised leak of his expenses and the ensuing furore around parliamentary enquiries –and Bridges said in the article that while his new gig has definitely thrown him some curve balls, the biggest challenge of his new normal is still juggling his family and his career.
11 Sept 2018 – https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/parenting/family/simon-bridges-on-how-politics-is-affecting-his-family-life-38939
A more detailed follow-up to the one a week earlier which is worth a read for a little insight into how Bridges saw his first six months as Leader and his future in politics (at that time at least), for example:
—————–
Now, I have not done the same exercise for Jacinda Ardern and the number of articles on her in the New Zealand Women’s Weekly this year – nor will I be doing one today. [This is NOT how I intended to start 2019 .. ]
I also note that there are two other recent articles on their website re two NZ women politicians – which I hasten to add I have not read:
How Chlöe Swarbrick is planning to have an eco-friendly Christmas – https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/lifestyle/homes/chloee-swarbrick-eco-friendly-christmas-40048
Julie Anne Genter’s sustainable approach to raising baby Joaquin –
https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/parenting/parenting-news/julie-anne-genters-baby-joaquin-40126
So where to from here?
I really don’t know, nor am I sure that I care, but just a little bit of ammunition for the future to use when people claim that Ardern is the big PR manipulator of the media.
Bridges does it too – and IMHO is much more blatant at exposing his family and their life in this way.
I’m having trouble imagining anything more beigely boring than a discussion where Pete George plays a prominent role. But hey, takes all sorts, so if others are interested …
I found it particularly interesting. In particular because of the inherent interest in the inherent misogyny of the attitudes displayed.
I put the comment up as a starter post
I did send an email suggesting that it be scrubbed if it had not already been.
[lprent: Just saw that. Actually you did a very good job of making sure that it didn’t violate any policy or general distaste by moderators. The section focused not on the members of the family but on the use of family as political PR (including the highlighted quotes about Natalie Bridges) – which is legitimate. It got auto-moderated because of the number of links. Got let through by someone else, then picked up by me as a starter post.
I don’t think that any of the authors could written it better in terms of presenting a topic of current politics with more delicacy and focus on the political topic ]
VV
What a thirst for facts VV. And so illuminating. The media bias, the build-up of a line on a personality that pleases. So many people out of the immediate political eye are influential and firmly entrenched in the aspirational Affluenza way of thinking which looks to the National Party to keep up their ‘glossy’ lifestyles, ie Maggie Barry and many/most of the woman editors of magazines.
Someone really does need to part the velvet curtains and see the little figures operating the smoke machines as in the Wizard of Oz. Though his smoke was green. I think in our world it is definitely strikingly blue. We should be as determined to see through the hokeypokey like young Dorothy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZR64EF3OpA
A short look at the wizard of oz on google turned up this detail which might sound similar to the turmoil in the National Party to some.
8. The Wizard of Oz – 1939 (99% on Rotten Tomatoes)
The Wizard of Oz is one of the most beloved films of all time, but it’s relatively unknown how much turmoil occurred behind the scenes. The entire process involved a total of five directors and seventeen writers, because so many kept either quitting or being fired.
The role of the Tin Man originally belonged to Buddy Ebsen, but the aluminum powder they used to coat his body made him incredibly sick. After being rushed to the hospital, he was quietly replaced by Jack Haley, who was made-up in aluminum paste instead. The makeup used for the Wicked Witch was not so practical either… during one “hot” take where she was to disappear in a puff of smoke, she was temporarily lit on fire.
http://www.collegehumor.com/post/7054565/10-amazing-movies-with-the-most-nightmarish-behind-the-scenes
Well I’ll be damned. You’re right, it is interesting, vv has done an outstanding deconstruction of what was going on in that thread. I gotta confess, I saw PG mentioned a few too many times in the first few paragraphs and just switched off.
I was not quite sure what you meant by this comment when I first read it, then saw it up as a post … went out and came back to your comment below and was blown away.
Thank you, lprent. I really value your comments. And yes, tomorrow is another day. LOL.
I am having a bit of a giggle as it is really easy to see from the comments to date, who has read it in full – and who has not. LOL
Veutoviper, apologies for my earlier snark. Now that I’ve read the whole thing, rather than giving up after the first few PG mentions, that’s an excellent dissection of what’s going on.
Thanks for the link thru to Julie Anne Genter and her beautiful little baby, Joaquin. Looks like he might be the spitting image of his Mum. 🙂
LOL – i still haven’t looked at it, or the Chloe one!
By the time I had finished with “the Bridges”. I was way over NZ WW.
Am still reeling (in a nice way) from Iprent’s bolded remarks above – and Andre’s #2 and #3 – and having it put up as a post, when I had emailed to can it.
Always interesting to see reactions, because it is very easy to see who has read it – and who has not….. LOL
“Arise Sir Tim Shadbolt”……….. proving that in the very depths of the “establishment” there lurks a sense of humour.
It’s got the ring (clang) of a medieval knight.
He should have refused it
Agreed.
No he shouldn’t refuse his knighthood, but turn up in a suit of armour for shits and giggles or as one of HM Archers.
Can someone explain why I, like a lot of people who come on here, have not got a knighthood for doing our jobs or pursuing an interest supported by government handouts?
Happy New Year everyone.
Happy New Year to you and all, Ed.
That is not genuine.
Stop being so paranoid. Of course it was genuine.
Wonderful to have you back Ed!
Greta Thunberg
Recently I’ve been invited to speak in places like Panama, New York, San Francisco, Abu Dhabi, Vancouver, British Virgin Islands…
But sadly our remaining carbon budget won’t allow any such travels.
Adult generations in countries like mine have used up our resources.
https://twitter.com/GretaThunberg/status/1079336285595148288
Greta is inspiring.
UltimaThule flyby webcast.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21X5lGlDOfg&feature=youtu.be
Woot!
edit: forgot the link about how Tombaugh discovered Pluto
https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/finding-pluto-blink-comparator
My wish list for 2019
1.A world that works cooperatively to mitigate against the worst impacts of climate catastrophe. Actions taken by students, activists and children to force governments to change.
2. The end of capitalism. Or at least the death of its most virulent form, the neoliberal cult. More gilet jeune and other protests to bring the system down.
3. More people in New Zealand abandoning eating food sourced from the industrial animal killing conplex.
That’s not a good start for 2019 Ed. There is a post for this. Why didn’t you use it. Going off in your own line again.
Thought this was Open Mike?
Thought the what do we want in 2019 Post was about elections?
The post grey is talking about is for local body elections, so his telling off was unwarranted. Unfortunately he sometimes thinks he’s the comment policeman, telling others what they should and shouldn’t say. However he is a good bloke beneath the headmaster persona. 😀
New Zealand’s Debt has ballooned out to $ 529 billion.
“The grand total of $528.7 billion is up 7.3 per cent from a year ago.
The latest Reserve Bank figures (for the year to April 30) show household debt has topped $250b, driven by rising property prices and an increase in consumer borrowing.
That’s an increase of more than 60 per cent in 10 years.
For New Zealand households, the ratio of debt to income has now reached a record – 168 per cent, well above the pre-financial crisis peak of 159 per cent.”
We.
Should.
Be.
Worried.
When the crash comes, it’s going to be very ugly.
http://robinwestenra.blogspot.com/2018/12/new-zealands-ballooning-debt-reaches.html?m=1
Yeah, and don’t forget that crook Douglas aided by the likes of Prebble, followed on by that vile female Richardson continued by the fucking Spiv conned NZ by telling us that they had to sell NZ infrastructure to their spiv mates at bargain basement prices to pay off the major debt we had.
I wonder what they are going to do now that we are an asset poor country with no or very little public asset’s left to sell.
As someone put on FaceBook can’t remember who “ The trouble with Thatcherism is, you run out of other peoples assets.”
Has changing the road rules along with the record immigration rates, been much of a factor or a factor at all, in the roads increasingly becoming death traps or is it just a bit of a bad luck patch?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/109688732/road-toll-increases-to-the-worst-it-has-been-in-10-years
Looking at /vehicles /population trends, bad luck, I reckon
https://www.transport.govt.nz/mot-resources/road-safety-resources/road-deaths/annual-number-of-road-deaths-historical-information/
I thought so yes, it s just a bit odd that 2013 was our lowest year, & with improvements in car technology handling and the like, but abit of bad luck it is!
There are more distractions in cars today.
Look at how many people are on their mobile phones texting and talking.
I see many organization doing this influencing peoples thoughts brain washing them with all forms of media they say when you get enough people to beleve in a LIE it becomes the truth. We have alot of people on the Papatunuku stage rubbing this human flaw in the intelegint people FACES. I see govement agenceys using this the neo captlist will use anything to keep there power they have stolen from the people with there decite . I have seen it used to suppress native minority cultures they only publish all the negitive story about these cultures and even invent these story or get ACTOR to stage these negtive stories they have fulse studys published to help in there suppression I can see these easy as. This is the Phenomenon that has been used to suppressed the facts on Human Caused Global Warming .Hence it taken 40 years for the fact’s to get out there to the world that when we burn carbon we are burning our mokopunas futures. Some people can see past all the BULLSHIT to the truth most don’t thanks to this 21 century communication device those of us that can see the truth can get the facts out to the people .
Advertising and academia are controlling our thoughts. Didn’t you know? By abetting the ad industry, universities are leading us into temptation, when they should be enlightening us .
To what extent do we decide? We tell ourselves we choose our own life course, but is this ever true? If you or I had lived 500 years ago, our worldview, and the decisions we made as a result, would have been utterly different. Our minds are shaped by our social environment, in particular the belief systems projected by those in power: monarchs, aristocrats and theologians then; corporations, billionaires and the media today.
Humans, the supremely social mammals, are ethical and intellectual sponges. We unconsciously absorb, for good or ill, the influences that surround us. Indeed, the very notion that we might form our own minds is a received idea that would have been quite alien to most people five centuries ago. This is not to suggest we have no capacity for independent thought. But to exercise it, we must – consciously and with great effort – swim against the social current that sweeps us along, mostly without our knowledge.Surely, though, even if we are broadly shaped by the social environment, we control the small decisions we make? Sometimes. Perhaps. But here, too, we are subject to constant influence, some of which we see, much of which we don’t. And there is one major industry that seeks to decide on our behalf. Its techniques get more sophisticated every year, drawing on the latest findings in neuroscience and psychology. It is called advertising.
Every month, new books on the subject are published with titles like The Persuasion Code: How Neuromarketing Can Help You Persuade Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime. While many are doubtless overhyped, they describe a discipline that is rapidly closing in on our minds, making independent thought ever harder. More sophisticated advertising meshes with digital technologies designed to eliminate agency.
Earlier this year, the child psychologist Richard Freed explained how new psychological research has been used to develop social media, computer games and phones with genuinely addictive qualities. He quoted a technologist who boasts, with apparent justification: “We have the ability to twiddle some knobs in a machine learning dashboard we build, and around the world hundreds of thousands of people are going to quietly change their behaviour in ways that, unbeknownst to them, feel second-nature but are really by design.The purpose of this brain hacking is to create more effective platforms for advertising. But the effort is wasted if we retain our ability to resist it. Facebook, according to a leaked report, carried out research – shared with an advertiser – to determine when teenagers using its network feel insecure, worthless or stressed. These appear to be the optimum moments for hitting them with a micro-targeted promotion. Facebook denied that it offered “tools to target people based on their emotional state Ka kite ano Links below
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/dec/31/advertising-academia-controlling-thoughts-universities
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glFjSRCai5s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8A0Ji5Cl9I
When I became a father I was blind when I became a Grandfather I began to SEE.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94dBVPpymac
Everyone has to make changes to our lifestyles to combat climate change or the PLANET is going to change our grandchildren lives for the worst. Food will be more expensive that will be a good thing we will all have gardens in the back yards citys will grow there own vegies farmers will get a better slice of the pie these are just a few ways we have to change
The Next Climate Frontier: Predicting a Complex Domino Effect
Motivated by events like Hurricane Harvey, researchers are trying to determine how climate change interacts with agriculture, energy, transportation and other human systems When Hurricane Harvey’s record-busting rains drenched Texas in August 2017, they triggered a cascade of chaos. Widespread flooding turned roads into rivers, impeding evacuations and access to emergency services. Stormwater swept up pathogens from wastewater treatment plants and toxins from Superfund sites, posing health threats. Phone and internet services failed in some areas, and 300,000 people in Texas lost power. Harvey also temporarily shut down a quarter of U.S. oil production in the Gulf of Mexico, raising gas prices.Such scenarios—climatic events causing impacts that can themselves trigger still more chains of effects, like intersecting rows of toppling dominoes—are a key focus of the fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA), released by the U.S. federal government at the end of November. For the first time, the 300 government, academic and nonprofit experts who contribute to the report devoted an entire chapter to the under-studied but critical interaction between climate change and what are called complex systems The report emphasizes that scientists need to look not only at how global warming is changing natural systems but also how those changes will set off their own ripple effects through other areas—for example, how the increasing threat of drought harms agriculture, which in turn affects the economy and food availability. “Reality is complex. In a changing climate, nothing is being affected all by itself,” says Katharine Mach, a senior research scientist at Stanford University and one of the NCA authors. The complexity of these cascading effects means they can often be hard—or even impossible—to understand or predict in a meaningful way. But that is exactly what scientists are now trying to figure out how to do. ka kite ano links
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-next-climate-frontier-predicting-a-complex-domino-effect/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuOnOvSW4_k
I tau toko Meka Whaitiri regaining Jacinda trust and getting her Minsteral jobs back I know what its is like being discrimanated against’s the media and the trolls jumped all over that story just like the trolls are jumping up and down on this story trolls go hide under your parents bed
Former minister Meka Whaitiri says she is hoping for a comeback in 2019 and is looking to earn back Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s confidence.The aspirations when you come into this place and into government is to be a minister. It is an absolute privilege to be a Minister of the Crown and I make no bones that I do hope that there is an opportunity for me to return and I am doing my best to regain the confidence of the prime minister, one step at a time,” she told Māori TV’s Te Kāea.
“It’s been hard lessons, she has expectations of me and I am meeting those expectations by doing things that are showing that the concerns that she had in removing my ministerial warrant is being addressed.”
Whaitri has been undergoing training to manage staff ka kite ano links below
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/109700825/meka-whaitiri-plots-comeback-in-2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uFh4GTZH-U
Kia ora Newshub The dreams feasible in Tauranga has a lot of Reggae bands ka pai.
I have my opinion on that apartment block explosion in Russia. ?????????
I would not like to be traveling on the roads at the minute Alexandra we plan our travel,s so we travel when the traffic is low.
Escooter,s need some laws to prevent any accidents happening the big Tec companies pushing them are arrogant and just want money and are loving the media exposure good or bad.
Tom I have been watching the Nasa New Horizons space craft that has taken 13 years to get to Ultima Thule to get data to study and find out more about earth history.
Kenwood camera that can scan people while they are walking is awesome that will minimize threats . Good on the young fella Ben Hawke for getting into forecasting the weather in Dunedin. What happened to the theory of using data of people’s cell phones to help predict the weather. Ka pai to Mojo coffee cafe’s breaking in the market in America Chicago city .ka kite ano
Some Eco Maori Music for the minute.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rAOyh7YmEc
Some Eco Maori Music for the minute
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9XaS93WMRQQ