http://www.anonews.co/anonymous-david-rockefeller/
Anonymous Message to David Rockefeller 31-12-2016.
Merry Christmas Mr. Rockefeller, this one has been long overdue. We’re proud to say we solved your riddle, and we wish to contact you before you die to share it and help you come to a peaceful understanding of our concerns coming from the people your handiwork is effecting.
Our members are specialists in technology, science, and communication; and the world order you are leading us into is a catastrophic, dire mistake. We represent the natural order, and there is a critical error in the format you’re building your entire foundation on which will stamp permanent negative effects in our biology, to be straightforward and brief.
We will patiently await your response; know that we come in peace and mean nothing but good will for humanity. Please reconsider everything before it is too late to reach you. http://www.anonews.co/anonymous-david-rockefeller/
Anonymous Message to David Rockefeller 31-12-2016.
2017 the year that hopefully heralds in a new deeper level of critical thinking for the progressive Left.
The year when we on the left fully realize that so called liberal news sources like the Guardian, The Washington Post are in fact some of most despicable enemies of progressive change.
2017 the year that people on the Left realize that if their political party still has any ties to the now debunked neo liberal, Laissez-faire free market economic ideological project that has been destroying the the left from the inside, then it is has come time to cut that cancer out, even if it is painful, it must be done to save the host.
2017 is the year we must come to understand that while this cancerous growth exists within the Left movement, that there will never be real change to the political and economic status quo.
The economic ideology of the free market cannot coexist with the ideology of a progressive left movement, that much has been made well and truly clear in 2016.
The economic ideology of the free market cannot coexist with the ideology of a progressive left movement, that much has been made well and truly clear in 2016.
Which simply shows how far from reality you are. A meld of the Douglas principles with some control of its excesses is the way of the future …the only way and moving to the left, further left,is just plain stupid. In anycase with Lange’s timidity/cup of tea we lost an essential part of the Douglas plan. leaving us with the salt without the sugar.
@jcuknz, No I think you are the one out of touch with reality pal.
“A meld of the Douglas principles with some control of its excesses is the way of the future”
Alan Greenspan one of the architects of your ideology admitted himself that humans didn’t respond and act as he thought they would, operating in a Laissez-faire free market environment….leading to the 2008 crash.
Did you just miss the part where the Americans just voted (or not voted against) in a fuckin’ crazy walkin’ talkin’ orange baboon rather than continue with your ideological project?
Did you miss that part where the citizens in the UK, in a fit of rage against your free market ideology said fuck you, and voted Brexit?
If you can’t see the writing on the wall,,, well, I guess we all see what we want to see, even if you just walked into the wall and got a blood nose.
Sorry clip above is a bit buggered, here is Greenspan admitting his ideological world view was wrong, all wrong…. watch or re watch this to give yourself a super boost into 2017… I love this one.
I reckon you’re reading a bit too much into how the fuckin crazy walkin talkin orange baboon is getting a seat in the Oval Office. Where he’ll be the biggest loser ever to occupy the chair, by 3 million votes. Because of a truly fucked up bizarre electoral system.
While there’s certainly a large element of “fuck you” to the status quo in the vote, it’s a massive stretch to suggest it’s a ringing endorsement to abandon capitalism, markets, and individual enterprise in favour of some (undetermined) socialism or communism.
And the people chose Clinton, dimwit. I know you don’t like her (you don’t have to bother telling me why, again), but close to 4 million more voted for her than for your guy.
Plus, the point above was about whether choosing an embodiment of rampant capitalism and classist privilege was actually an anti-capitalist gesture. If it was, it was a bloody stupid one.
Hey, it’ll probably SEEM like 16 years, but unless he rewrites the Constitution, Trump can only serve a max of 8 years (and I predict he won’t get that far).
I completely disagree, it was revealed for all to see, that in the US, Sanders showed that even in the face of active and at time shocking bias from all MSM, and as exposed in the leaks, serious undermining from the structures of his own party, that even with these handicaps, a real progressive socialist message got real traction, and I would also say the same is true in the UK re; Corbyn.
So yes while it is true that the neo liberal establishment, and it’s media wing would rather eat their own babies than have a real swing to a progressive left, citizens across the world have shown they are ready and want to listen to an alternative, and maybe even fight for a change.
The Left needs to answer that call for change quickly, or that space will be filled by the right….as in Trump.
I’m with you Adrian.
Until the left dumps Rogernomics it will not be unified.
Globalisation/ Free Market/Oneworld or whatever you call it ,is really just a race to the bottom for the vast majority, whilst lining the pockets of the unproductive / parasitic money lenders and power brokers ( and war mongers / military might).
We need fair trade not free trade.
Until the Standard gets rids of right wing shills, it will not be a place for the left to congregate.
I suggest a boycott of the worst shills starting today by all left wing commentators.
Hoping for the defeat of religious extremists in Syria – right wing?
Opposing the extreme right and undemocratic Ukrainian regime – right wing
Arguing for moves against the Saudi/ Israeli/US neo-con foreign policy – right wing?
Arguing for the reversal of all neoliberal policies in NZ and the building of a socialist, environmentalist government ( not a Labour version of neoliberalism) – right wing?
Making a case for the severity of the climate issue – right wing?
Left wing is NOT what the Labour Party has been since Douglas.
And that sums you up. Not left, doesn’t want spaces for the left to discuss stuff. No you are the well poisoner, the authoritarian, like the right wing hero’s you adore. The sooner you fuck off overseas to your right wing utopias, the better imo.
[edited] – B
[You know the deal with using real world names where people are using pseudonyms. And what’s with the ad hom nonsense yet again today? It’s boring marty. Please desist] – Bill
You got the nice discussion you wanted yesterday didn’t you Bill with your innocent wee post. Fuck you and this bullshit im not hanging with your crew. To everyone who cares about people – have an empowering year. To tat and his mates – i hope i never hear any of your bullshit ever again. Dont worry ill keep fighting scum like you till i drop dead.
marty i’m with you fully – i’ve watched quite a few spiral down into the trumpster world over the last year and for me TS is not a good place to visit any more
to be fair Paul most of your beef is if with more rationale and balanced lefties who are not Pilger or Rt glove puppets, stop picking on us poor rwnj
You can always start your own site where you and your fellow travellers can congregate, that is if 2 or 3 people can be called a congregation A possible domain names, Doom and Gloom, Assad Vlad and me , I don’t think I just hyper link. RT Glovepuppets ……..
You know – I’m with you there all the way Red.
I’m fed up to the back teeth with all this wonderful Assard, Amazing Putin, only RT tell it like it REALLY is, Fantastic Trump, poor Julian so misunderstood, and let’s all hate Obama, nonsense.
You’re missing out Red, the Doomstead Diner already exists, hosted by the egocentric RE and features the food stockpiling Norman Pagett, Steve Ludlum with an artistic view of the global economy and many other guests on the Collapse Cafe.
I don’t think getting rid of dissenting views is terribly helpful, despite how obnoxious and insufferable some of them can be. If anything, it’s a pertinent reminder of just what we’re opposing, and if you don’t know your enemy, you’re likely to be outmaneuvered more often than not. Sure, there are shills and yes-men, and pious members of the Church of Neo-Liberalism for whom the free market can do no wrong, and they’ll refuse to see common-sense and reason for the rest of forever, rather than admit that perhaps its all been a dreadful mistake responsible for a great deal of unnecessary suffering. But they’re entitled to their views, and they’re the ones who will have to contend with the prickling of their collective consciences… those who exhibit any sort of conscience. (And no, I don’t believe left-wing politics has any sort of monopoly on either compassion or common-sense.)
Besides, I learned a long time ago that arguing with zealots, religious, political or otherwise, is a tedious and frustrating exercise in futility. You can’t badger and belittle someone into changing their mind. As irritating as it may be, they kind of have to arrive at certain conclusions themselves. And some of them never will. You have to accept it and move on, which is not to say that I don’t find some of their utterances both baffling and offensive.
They’re not all bad. James, Alwyn and even BM can sometimes exhibit profound thinking and post insightful comments. I think Fisiani is probably the only one who persists in trolling for outrage, probably for shits and giggles.
Paul won’t be able to answer you for a week. He obviously didn’t read my post including its warnings and paid the price.
I look at it as being a form of inoculation. One of the problems that various people around political systems have is that they don’t get enough exposure to dissenting viewpoints. To be able to argue with someone with a rigid mind you have to be able to formulate the argument against it. To do that you have to be able to hear the argument.
I never expect to convince anyone from any side. However I am prepared to go as far as to sow serious doubt, indulge in serious levels of personal criticism and disdain of others to ram home the point, and to learn on those (fortunately) rare occasions when I am definitely caught on the wrong foot. Just as interesting is watching others fall into the traps that I would have if I’d had bothered to argue.
That happens not only here, but also out in the real world as well. It is just a lot easier to learn here. It is all part of having a lifetime of learning.
But I’m not really interested in having a nice echo chamber here. It tends to be dead boring. What I am prepared to do is to make the behavioural ground somewhat treacherous so that repetitive behaviours tend towards being risky. I find that is a lot better basis to level up the playing field.
So funny .. if you cannot stand the heat of pragmatic ideas you seek to ban them … having no argument to oppose a meld of reality with restrictions on where it leads the wrong way.
The point is that Douglas saved this country from the problems which affect most of the world but was stopped from introducing the safeguards which result in the problems affecting this country..
There is absolutely no future for Labour if it continues to go left. One can have one’s ideals but pragmatists know if you want to govern you need the center ground. Hence my belief in a meld.
You have to remember that Douglas wanted to chop *EVERYTHING*. That is why Lange had to intervene.
I have to admit though, the changes brought in between 84-87 were minor compared to the changes brought in between 1987 and 1996. The poor and unemployed managed to hang in there through a combination of generous redundancy payouts and a welfare system that still paid a decent amount. Things didnt really go to shit until 1991 when Ruth Richardson implemented austerity 2 decades before the UK decided to go back to a Walpole-era state. Market rents for state housing, benefit cuts, the chopping of home ownership subsidies, as well the changes in the health system did the worse damage, plus the privatisation and deregulation of utilities was backloaded to 1994-1998.
Privatisation didnt really kick off on a serious basis until about 1988. I think the SOE system was a positive move on balance,though the commercial aspect was emphasised too much.
“2017 the year that hopefully heralds in a new deeper level of critical thinking for the progressive Left.
The year when we on the left fully realize that so called liberal news sources like the Guardian, The Washington Post are in fact some of most despicable enemies of progressive change.”
Adrian Thornton
Adrian you still have Amy Goodman and Democracy Now. Unless of course you also think that DN and Goodman among some of the most despicable enemies of progressive change.
Thanks Jenny, I have been a Democracy Now! listener for a few years now, and no of course I don’t think DN is a enemy of change, why would you say that? DN is probably one of the best news sources out there, albeit quite American centric at times.
A couple of other news and information sources I find useful
Law and Disorder Radio… http://lawanddisorder.org/
FAIR, Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting, incorporating the Counterspin podcast http://fair.org/
Behind the News with Doug Henwood, some great interviews. https://kpfa.org/program/behind-the-news/
Against the Grain, some serious indepth left wing and progressive analysis.. very good https://kpfa.org/program/against-the-grain/
“I have been a Democracy Now! listener for a few years now, and no of course I don’t think DN is a enemy of change, why would you say that?
Adrian Thornton
My apologies Adrien. When I read you lumping The Guardian amongst those you consider to be a despicable enemy of progressive change. I assumed it was because The Guardian and Democracy Now share the same Editorial line on the Syrian regime, the Arab Spring and the Syrian revolution.
Personally I find the Guardian to be a very reliable and reputable source especially when it comes to reporting climate change issues.
Maybe, to clear up my confusion, you could detail why you think The Guardian is a despicable enemy of progressive change.
Cheers Jenny
Wishing a happy new year to you and your loved ones.
The guardian has a few good writers but in recent years it’s editorial line seems to have been captured by neoliberal and neo-con thinking.
It’s reporting of the Scottish referendum. The events in the Ukraine, Brexit, the US election and Syria show it has become another establishment puppet.
paul we appreciate your position, we get it, we know who you are a fan boy of in a media sense, can we please FFS not have it rammed down our throats day in day out again 2017 , you keep repeating and posting the same shite in a repetitive cycle and to be honest mate it has got beyond boring, more bordering on psychotic OCD
[lprent: Snap 🙂 You have a week of peace. He failed to read my post and the warning at the end of it. ]
You know it’s not often I agree with your Red, but on this I agree. I’m sick of the scrolling past the same stuff for days on end to read peoples comments.
….I could go on and on and give you links infinitum, but you get the point.
Now this is a very serious problem for us all, because with so many smart progressives still (bizarrely) thinking and quoting these news outlets as legitimate political news sources, the Left remains and will remain divided and impotent, all the while, the right is gaining ground all around us.
It seems to me that the establishment (so called) liberal media, would rather have the right wing in ascendancy, than a real progressive left socialist project, this is judging them by their own words and their own actions over the previous 12 months.
It is just a sad truth, I used to love the Guardian myself, but facts are facts.
So the news on TV1 last night was that Max Key was going to play the New Year in on Sky Tower just before the fireworks display.
I can’t see it being reported very much today by most MSM websites – they just talk about the Sky Tower fireworks display.
On TV1 they said preparation for the Sky Tower display began 5 months ago. An indication that 5 months John Key was still planning to be PM by 1st January?
Who cares what TV1 says … time to get over your antipathy of the Key clan and get on with what is relevant to 2017…. I was fast asleep when all that rubbish was going on.
Exactly
Terry Pratchett
“It is important that we know where we come from, because if you do not know where you come from, then you don’t know where you are, and if you don’t know where you are, you don’t know where you’re going. And if you don’t know where you’re going, you’re probably going wrong.”
Tell me something…as a talented person yourself (you must be because they hired you to troll here as a professional de- railer) do you get paid double time and a day in lieu for working on a statutory holiday?
Again with the “you must be paid” troll posted as a “fact”.
Try another record for 2017. It’s not so much that it’s boring (which it is). It’s more that it makes you look stupid and all part of the tin foil hat club.
– Steven Joyce unveils a large privatisation/outsourcing program in this coming Budget.
– At least 4 more MPs announce their standing down at the 2017 election.
– Gareth Morgan recruits Bernard Hickey and Shemanual Equaib (sp?), and other prominent technocrats to the TOP Party, but it just misses the 5% threshold.
– John Tamihere and Shane Jones announce their initention to stand in the 2017 election, but not for Labour.
– Sky announces its plan to sell Prime TV an an effort to jumpstart its failed merger with Vodafone
– NZME and Mediaworks offer to sell a number of radio station to a third party in return for ComCom approval of their merger
– At least 1 assassination attempt is made on Donald Trump
– The All Blacks defeat the Lions in the upcoming series 2-1, but the Lions win all their matches against the Super 15 sides.
– In his valedictory speech, John Key expresses regret for pledging not to tighten eligibility for National Superannuation, he also gets a column in a prominent newspaper, “Key Points” which he outlines a number of hard right policy prescriptions.
– “Arise, Sir John Key”.
– The election will be close, with a narrow Labour/Greens win that is not finalised till after the specials are counted, the Greens will be forced to accept a Coalition agreement that they get bugger all out of, but they sign because they do not want another 3 years in opposition. Winston NZ/First will also get into Parliament, but will not be in the coalition, Peters will announce that he is stepping down in 2020.
It won’t be like that.
John Key will receive the Order of New Zealand in next years New Year Honours.
That award does not have the honorific ‘Sir’ attached.
He will receive a Knight of the Garter from the Queen at the same time. That one does rate a ‘Sir’.
Frankly I can’t see anything being awarded to him after Nact lose the 2017 election.
So it’s before or nothing. As I understand it the government of the day does the “Sir” recommending to the Queen.
But I am in awe of such a detailed time table – has this already been organised with Bill English? Could this also be known as “the fix is already in? “???
” I can’t see anything being awarded to him after Nact lose the 2017 election”.
Do you really think that that miserable little rat-bag Little would be such a prick in the unlikely event he became PM?
After all the Key Government gave the award to Clark, and a knighthood to Cullen. They were magnanimous I suppose. Even the Clark Government made Bolger a member of the Order of New Zealand. Would a Little Government really be so little minded?
” As I understand it the government of the day does the “Sir” recommending to the Queen”
Not for the Garter. From http://www.heraldicsculptor.com/Garters.html
“appointment to the order is solely at the discretion of the British monarch”
New Zealand has only had two, to date. Holyoake and Hillary.
Actually “the fix being in” is the knife being sharpened by Grant Robertson to slip into Little’s back after National lead the next Government following the election.
The timetable is merely reflecting the fact that such awards are normally made after the MP leaves Parliament. See Goff’s award.
While I think it probable that John Key will get whatever he gets at Queens Birthday, in the event he did not, it would be extraordinary for a different govt to deliberately not give him an honour.
That would be against all precedent going back many decades. Helen Clark got an ONZ from National, Sir Michael Cullen got a KNZM.
Andrew Little, if he was the PM, would simply be not that small minded. And you saw that in his quite generous remarks when John Key stepped down.
While that type of civility might annoy many Standardnista’s, it is a desirable and perhaps a necessary part of constitutional govt to ensure neither side acts out of spite and vengeance when they have their time in office.
The US has got altogether too near that space, and most people think that they are poorer for it.
Goodness me. I agree with you Wayne. I guess there is room for integrity and old fashioned courtesy on both sides of the political equation. It would be very nice to see some of the old fashioned courtesies of yesteryear return to political life everywhere. The world would not be in the turmoil it is today if that was the case.
How interesting Wayne – the right spend considerable time attacking the people who criticize them ( with no need to be civil apparently! Paula Bennett releasing personal details of people who commented on a policy – and the whole of “dirty politics” ) but this is now “a bad thing” according to you.
Maybe Nact could get busy and practice what you suggest?
I look forward to the wholesale apologies from the right along with appropriate restitution for all the times they have attacked people who have done nothing personally to deserve it.
So if John wants his “sir” rather than the classless ONZ (Labour may be happy to recommend that) I can’t see us having too early an election – which was what the post was about.
As to generous – JK has been far too generous with my tax money paying for public services by dodgy corporates and running up a record debt so high earners can have tax cuts.
No 8.”Andrew Little will be accused of smiling. An internal Labour Party investigation will determine that he was in fact just grimacing in an unusual manner.”
2017 got off to a great start when Celtic trounced a team calling itself “Rangers” and moved 19 points clear at the top of the SPFL. That really felt good. Some things in life are more important than politics. Good friends, family, and supporting the best team. That’s me. Enjoy 2017. It looks like its going to be a great year.
Maybe the government (and any possible Labour/Greeen government of the future) are more interested in giving smokers and those who live with them a fair go in terms of greater life expectancy..?
While that may benefit those that manage to quit, it leaves those that don’t far worse off.
Greater life expectancy is also related to ones diet. Therefore, fiscally punishing smokers robs them of their disposable income to maintain a healthy diet. Resulting in compounding the problem as they continue to smoke and have less for things like heating and food.
You are clutching at straws there Extremist. Smoking is probably the biggest hindrance to any health program. A better solution, if you can’t give up, would be to cut back wouldn’t it?
“Smoking is probably the biggest hindrance to any health program”
So are a number of things sold in your local supermarket.
This is far from the first tobacco tax increase, thus a number of smokers have already cut down as far as they handle. While some others have turned to more desperate and underhanded measures.
We are largely dealing with the hardcore smokers now.
As for clutching at straws, you need to widen your perspective.
A number of smokers are currently struggling to get by.
If they continue to smoke (and many will) this tax increase will force them to cut back on the essentials even more.
Keep in mind we are dealing with a highly addictive substance. And a good number of smokers come from a lower social economic background (making them potential Labour supporters seeking that fairer go).
For tens of thousands that may be true. Even Pokemon go is looked at as a kind of anti depressant drug. Must people don’t understand that for every 20 cents you save on cheap prescription drugs you lose a dollar in wages.
On average a smoker who stops gets another six years of pension. Stopping smoking is always a good thing. Annual tax increases are part of the solution.
Would it be feasible for those lovely caring tobacco industry people to manufacture a far less dangerous fag with less tar, and the other nasty chemicals, but with ‘flavour’ and nicotine?
Good point Garibaldi though better all round to give it up completely as i managed in 1974 … ten years before I had my heart quad bypass.
My smoking addiction, which I probably still have but doesn’t trouble me these day, consisted of two things the sucking and the inhaling.
With a bad attack of a cold I gave up smoking for two or three days and as I recovered I simply sucked but didn’t light up. Trouble was helpful folk kept offering to light my cig . I spotted a miniature ‘alpine pipe’ and bought it to suck … obviously no tobacco to light up so no more ‘offers’.
After two or three months I had bit through the pipe stem and filed another grip for my teeth. another few months and I was happy to let the pipe go.
I hope my story will help a smoking addict kick the habit because even at twenty a day and particularly at today’s prices I have been considerably richer financially and health wise .
Come ‘bypass’ in 1984 I felt for fellow patients as they tried to fool the nurses by ducking out of the ward … but you could smell it on them when they returned. Really sad.
The best way to crack down on smoking is to nationalise the tobacco companies and close them down over the next 10 years, selling the plant for scrap and the buildings/land to recover the costs. Then fully legalise e-cigarettes.
What really would be best would be if governments stopped seeing it as their job to “crack down” on people’s recreational drug use. As to your suggestion: excellent from the gangs’ point of view, not so hot for those of us who aren’t gang members.
considering very little tobacco is manufactured here legallly, fk all land or plant to sell, so dumb plan, BAT 75 pc market share and import every thing
I never said anything about banning tobacco, but anything has to be better than imposing further financial strain on the poor, and demonising those who smoke for various reasons — ie stress relief, food substitute, etc.
But we do need to fully legalise e-cigarettes. They are the future IMO.
The twelfth day around Christmas and a finale of quotes on Friendship. And that is important to look for, and to find the genuine article.
To look for the good in people, and try to resist calling people you don’t agree with a piece of pus. I think handle it to try to limit responses to feisty people, one poke and then leave the aggro to settle.
Frankly I believe that the blog is being so constantly aggravated by provocative poisonous RW that don’t give a damn about a better world for all, that ithe blog’s good effect and value is being severely blunted. Limiting comment numbers per day would be one way of limiting the pollution, and everyone would be forced to limit their sayings or miss the chance for something meaningful. And this would deter them from starting flame wars because it would be wasting their opportunities to put forward their hopefully, intelligent, witty opinions.
It is in the shelter of each other that the people live.
Irish proverb
Friendship doubles our joy and divides our grief.
Swedish proverb
Keep gude company, and you’ll be counted one of them.
Scottish proverb
Friendship! mysterious cement of the soul!
Sweetener of life! and solder of society!
Robert Blair
A friend is, as it were, a second self.
Cicero
We cherish our friends not for their ability to amuse us,
but for ours to amuse them.
Evelyn Waugh
A true friend stabs you in the front.
Oscar Wilde
Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.
Victor Borge
The only way to have a friend is to be one.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
I predict that 2017 will be the year that deep-rooted and endemic corruption arising from the Neo-liberal private procurement model for public services (at local and central government) will be finally exposed.
As a result – I predict that the Neo-liberal myth, that ‘public is bad – private is good’, will be finally shattered, as the facts and evidence prove that the private procurement model, (contracting out of public services), is more costly, a less effective use of public (tax and rates) monies, and it breeds corruption.
That there are, in my view, billion$ of public monies being spent on ‘corporate welfare’, which could (and should) be spent on ‘people’s welfare’ – particularly our most vulnerable.
I predict that ‘the books’ will be opened, and the Public Records Act 2005, WILL be implemented and enforced, starting with Auckland Transport, and the following details of awarded contracts WILL be made available for public scrutiny:
* The unique contract number.
* The name of the consultant /contractor.
* A brief description of the scope of the contract.
* Contract start /finish dates.
* The exact dollar value of each and every contract – including those sub-contracted.
* How the contract was awarded – by direct appointment or public tender.
In order to help achieve this –
I shall be standing as an
‘anti-privatisation / anti-corruption’ Independent candidate in the upcoming Mt Albert by-election.
If you would like to help – please send me a personal message on Facebook.
Do you still really support the despotic junta in Syria that is responsible for over 400,000 deaths mostly from aerial bombardment?
If you do, I have to ask you; Are you and your new neo-fascist mates planning to disrupt the Mt Albert by-election by picketing the Green Party candidate?
Just like you have been harrassing the Syrian refugees?
In New Zealand, our democratic rights as citizens to freedom of expression and peaceful protest are protected by law under the NZ Bill of Rights Act 1990.
From your non-answer Penny, can I take it that you don’t intend to break any laws, but that you do intend, to the limit the law allows disrupt the Mt Albert by-election by harrassing the Green Party candidate?
A small faction of people ended up clashing with the Syrian Solidarity NZ group.
Some of them were wearing baseball caps with the slogan “Make America Great Again”, as worn by US President-elect Donald Trump.
But Paul, yesterday you were claiming Patrick Cockburn and Robert Fisk were the authoritative sources on the White Helmets, not the political activists at Alternet and Counterpunch. Did you finally notice that neither Cockburn nor Fisk actually make the claims you imply they do?
Alternet and Counterpunch aren’t authoritative sources on anything – in fact, the Counterpunch piece even offers regime propaganda sources like Vanessa Beeley, Solidarity with Syria and Russia Today as “raising investigation-based questions” about the White Helmets, rather than the more accurate “promoting the regime’s talking points.”
Any force that deliberately targets ambulances, search and rescue services and hospitals to quell and intimidate their opponents, whatever the pretext, are by definition psychopathic, and under the Geneva conventions, war criminals.
The White Helmets – here are a few facts that you need to know.
Share this to your family and friends who subsist on Western corporate media:
* The White Helmets, also called Syria Civil Defence, are not who they claim to be.
The group is not Syrian; it was created with USA/UK funding under the supervision of a British military contractor in 2013 in Turkey.
* The name “Syria Civil Defence” was stolen from the legitimate Syrian organization of the same name.
The authentic Syria Civil Defence was founded in 1953 and is a founding member of the International Civil Defense Organization (1958).
* The name “White Helmets” was inappropriately taken from the legitimate Argentinian relief organization Cascos Blancos / White Helmets. In 2014, Cascos Blancos / White Helmets was honored at the United Nations for 20 years of international humanitarian assistance.
* The NATO White Helmets are primarily a media campaign to support the ‘regime change’ goals of the USA and allies.
After being founded by security contractor James LeMesurier, the group was “branded” as the White Helmets in 2014 by a marketing company called “The Syria Campaign” managed out of New York by non-Syrians such as Anna Nolan. “The Syria Campaign” was itself “incubated” by another marketing company named “Purpose”.
……”
Kind regards
Penny Bright
PS: Yes – I was appalled to hear Green MP Julie-Ann Genter publicly support the ‘White Helmets’ at a recent anti-Assad / anti-Russia demonstration in Auckland.
Morrissey, Do you dispute the fact that the destruction evidenced in the video was committed by the Assad regime?
Since the total destruction of this city described as “The Capital of the revolution” was undoubtably committed by the regime, and that Paul and yourself support that regime, I don’t think the question is “ridiculous” or “pointless” to give your answer, I am sure our readers would all like to know.
Do you Morrisey and Paul support the methods used by the regime to quell the uprising?
The fact that you refuse to answer these questions. Exposes the depth of either your hypocrisy and/or depravity.
And the white helmets have been in existence for a total of 3 years, for about as long as a war has been going on. Hmm?? The real Syrian Civil Defence was formed in 1953 and through western media we hear nothing about, it’s all the white helmets..
Very few (if any) residents in East Aleppo ever saw them perform any actual rescue work.
You spout these assertions as though they were generally-agreed commonplaces. The fact is, you have no basis for that claim beyond fellow conspiracy theorists and regime propaganda. And even if it were true, it would leave open the not-insignificant question of who the fuck else you think was doing emergency response during the siege. This really is contemptible stuff.
For the love of God C.V. Psych Milt has a point. They were actually boots on the ground trying to help people, it’s just plain wrong to condemn them for trying to help.
6 years ago all this Alepo bullshit kicked off with a series of 13 suicide bombings, Assades response was America is funding terrorism. The western response was you lie. The Wikileaks says Saudi sponsors ISIS.
And it’s been a gradual decay of western debate ever since.
They were actually boots on the ground trying to help people, it’s just plain wrong to condemn them for trying to help.
No; the White Helmets were propaganda actors aligned with the terrorist rebels.
They weren’t actual civil defence, they had no presence independent of terrorist fighters, eg they never performed rescues in government held areas of western Aleppo that were under attack from the rebels, they never assisted the Syrian Arab Army in helping rescue civilians.
…they never performed rescues in government held areas of western Aleppo that were under attack from the rebels, they never assisted the Syrian Arab Army in helping rescue civilians.
Uh, duh-uh – the regime has its own civil defence operating in regime-held areas, and any of these guys operating there or trying to “assist the Syrian Arab Army” would be arrested immediately as terrorists and tortured for details of where to find all their friends. Maybe you haven’t noticed, but there’s a civil war happening in Syria.
Honestly Milt. This isn’t some hurricane to mope up after. It’s a war zone. Even the US bombed these guys. And when some jihadi wana be disobeys US orders. The Pentagon organises an attack starting with a bombing campaign so stupid moderate rebels form up on the front lines and America says, nah boi, no bombs today. And those rebels get fucked beyond all recognition, then the US points the finger and says see, Assad bad, US good. Your being played by the White House bro.
If you are trying to find a moral high ground out of all this, there isn’t any.
Which is why Russia and Iran finally stepped in, in a big way, to sort out the US/NATO/Turkish run “Assad must go” regime change proxy war programme in Syria.
it would leave open the not-insignificant question of who the fuck else you think was doing emergency response during the siege.
Maybe it was the real Syria Civil Defence? The one that became a member of the International Civil Defence Organisation in 1972 and appears to have some international street cred. The white helmets came into existence 41 years later, so it can’t be them.
Maybe the regime was providing civil defence services within the rebel-held areas it was busy bombarding? And doing it invisibly so that no-one knew it was happening? I can’t stop the loons at Counterpunch from putting deranged shit on the web, but it would be nice if the people reading it applied their brains while doing so.
No, it’s attack-the-logic-fail time. Ridiculing the source of the logic fail was an aside.
I do know quite well why the official civil defence was ignored in media coverage about the siege of east Aleppo – it’s because the regime doesn’t operate emergency services in rebel-held areas, for fairly obvious reasons. That’s also the reason why unofficial first response groups were set up in the first place. No amount of peddling conspiracy theories about a “narrative” can alter that.
Now that East Aleppo has been liberated [sic], the White Helmets have basically disappeared with the rebels.
No fucking shit, Sherlock? Now that the bombardment’s stopped and the winners are keen to apply torture or summary execution to anyone involved in making them look bad these last few years, the White Helmets aren’t holding any parades in the streets? It’s just plain unfathomable!
The Russians and the Assad government allowed rebels and their sympathisers to peacefully leave Aleppo with their light arms and head away to ISIS held territory.
Therefore any summary executions and ad hoc reprisals by the Syrian Arab Army in Aleppo are likely to be minimal.
Remember, unlike the foreign Islamist fighters, many members of the Syrian Arab Army actually grew up and lived in Aleppo – it is their home town and their home neighbourhoods that they have liberated.
BTW there are plenty of statements from Eastern Aleppo residents that the rebels when in charge performed many summary executions, torture, shooting of civilians who tried to leave the area, etc.
Irrelevant. My points were:
1. Now that there’s no bombardment, it follows that there’s no guys in white helmets digging people out of the rubble after a bombardment.
2. These guys have actively made the regime look bad in the international media. They’re not going to share your sanguine appraisal of the likelihood of reprisals for that.
1. Now that there’s no bombardment, it follows that there’s no guys in white helmets digging people out of the rubble after a bombardment.
You’re clearly not that smart if you think that legitimate Civil Defence activities cease when the bombs stop falling.
Because that’s when legitimate civil defence efforts START.
Distributing emergency supplies, identifying individuals and families with medical needs, ensuring that communities are kept informed, checking and clearing each and every apartment in every apartment block for people who are wounded or need any other help.
So where are all these White Helmets doing all these necessary Civil Defence activities?
For the benefit of any new readers, the Public Records Act does not control making available to the public any information about either central or local government dealings. That is instead a function of the Official Information Act (OIA) and the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA).
(1) Every public office and local authority must create and maintain full and accurate records of its affairs, in accordance with normal, prudent business practice, including the records of any matter that is contracted out to an independent contractor.
______________________
Have you studied the 225 page reasons for the decision of Justice Sally Fitzgerald in the unprecedented bribery and corruption conviction of a corrupt contractor and two corrupt public officials, who both worked for Rodney District Council and then Auckland Transport?
It shows what happens when you don’t have full and accurate public records, and there is a ‘culture of collaboration’ between public officials and contractors?
$1.2 million in bribes – that’s just between one corrupt public official and one corrupt contractor.
This Judgment, in my view, completely vindicates what I’ve been saying for years about corruption in New Zealand.
I look forward to more people paying attention.
Some are.
Have you read the two latest investigative articles about corruption in the NBR by Karyn Scherer?
As noted above, “made available for public scrutiny” is not a function of the Public Records Act. Penny has been told this many, many times now. The public deserve better than wilful ignorance.
Would you like to share with us the basis for your supposed ‘expertise’ on the Public Records Act 2005?
And share with us, if you would, information which pertains to any consultancy work you may have obtained from Auckland Council or any Auckland Council Controlled Organisation (CCO), if that is the case?
Give me a break Penny, for a self styled anti-corruption campaigner you openly support one of the most corrupt and murderous political family dynasties on the planet. First equal with the Kim’s of North Korea.
I have now read much of the Judge’s reasoning. It becomes clear that successful prosecutions were possible only because the records held by public agencies including AT were kept in accordance with the Public Records Act. Nothing in that law stops somebody lying on a Conflict of Interest form, but preserving the evidence can be helpful later.
you have to watch out for Marama Fox. She is a hardline social conservative who opposes homosexuality, abortion, decriminalization of cannabis use, sex education in school, and supports the religous indocrination of South Auckland youth via charter schools.
millsy
Do you have a handy link about Marama Fox detailing all that stuff? She is a strong speaker and though I had heard her say some RW style things, I did hope that she would be a progressive voice for Maori.
There is a better than even chance of this happening, IMO, particularly if National plays the shell game I think it is. A low party vote means Little may not even get back into Parliament.
The IP addresses that DHS provided may have been used for an attack by a state actor like Russia. But they don’t appear to provide any association with Russia. They are probably used by a wide range of other malicious actors, especially the 15% of IP addresses that are Tor exit nodes.
The malware sample is old, widely used and appears to be Ukrainian. It has no apparent relationship with Russian intelligence and it would be an indicator of compromise for any website.
You can find a public repository containing the data used in this report on github.
As always I welcome your comments. Please note that I will delete any political comments. Our goal in this report is to merely analyze the data DHS provided and share our findings.
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New Zealand First list MP Mark Patterson has been selected to represent the party in the newly formed Taieri electorate at the upcoming election. Mr Patterson, his wife Jude and two daughters farm sheep and beef at Lawrence and Waitahuna. He previously stood in the Clutha-Southland electorate however boundary changes ...
Hon Shane Jones, Associate Minister for State Owned Enterprises A new ‘super depot’ to be built for NZ Post in Wellington will create around 350 jobs during construction, Associate Minister for State Owned Enterprises Shane Jones says. Shane Jones today attended a ground-breaking and blessing ceremony for the parcel-processing depot ...
Our strong economic management prior to COVID-19 - with surpluses, low debt and near-record-low unemployment - put us in a good position to weather the impact of the virus and start to rebuild our economy much earlier than many other countries.Now we're putting our plan to recover and rebuild ...
Darroch Ball MP, New Zealand First Spokesperson for Law and Order Recently released Police fleeing driver statistics have shown yet another increase in incidents with another record-high in the latest quarter. “This new quarterly record-high is the latest in a string of record-high numbers since 2014. The data shows incidents ...
New Zealand First MP Fletcher Tabuteau is pleased to be confirmed today as the party’s candidate for the Rotorua electorate. Speaking at the Rotorua AGM for New Zealand First, Mr Tabuteau said this is an election that is incredibly important for the people of Rotorua. “The founding principles of New ...
The Human Rights Commission’s PRISM report on the issues impacting people based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) provides an excellent programme of work for future governments to follow, say the Greens. ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said the trans-Tasman bubble had not been jeopardised after aborder botch-upresulted in New Zealand having two active cases of COVID-19. On Friday, Mr Peters told RNZ's Morning Report he had heard from Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison that borders for trans-Tasman travel would open by ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said today he was pleased the army was now running the quarantine and isolation process - up until now it has been the Ministry of Health. Peters told Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking that the army knew how to introduce and follow protocols and instil discipline. ...
Hon Ron Mark, New Zealand First List MP based in the Wairarapa New Zealand First MP and Minister for Defence and Veteran’s Affairs Ron Mark has confirmed his bid for the Wairarapa seat.“The Coalition Government has done a lot of good work throughout the Wairarapa, but many constituents have told ...
New Zealand First is pleased to release the names of its next tranche of candidates for the 2020 election. We’re proud to announce these hardworking New Zealanders that have put their hand up to fight for a commonsense and resilient future.Jamie Arbuckle – Kaikoura Mark Arneil – Christchurch Central Jackie ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon Ron Mark, Minister of Defence A massive joint effort between New Zealand Government agencies, employers, and the Vanuatu Government is underway to repatriate over 1000 Vanuatu nationals stranded in New Zealand, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Ron ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister of Regional Economic Development Reprioritised funding of $40 million from the Provincial Growth Fund will support up to 1000 regional apprenticeships, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones said today. The Regional Apprenticeship Initiative is part of the wider Apprenticeship Boost announced by Education Minister Chris Hipkins ...
The Green Party welcomes the ACC’s announcement to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 but emphasises the need to go further, and faster to truly meet the climate change challenge. ...
Farmers are rejoicing after Labour agreed to an amendment pushed by New Zealand First in the firearms bill that will allow the use of restricted guns for pest control. Concessions on gun control mean farmers will be able to apply for a licence to use restricted firearms for pest control. ...
A new programme, which sets a firm course for the Building and Construction sector to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, has been announced by the Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa. “A significant amount of New Zealand’s carbon emissions come from the building and construction sector. If we’re serious ...
The Provincial Growth Fund is investing more than $7.5 million in Northland ventures to combat the economic impact of the COVID-19 virus, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones have announced. The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) investment is going to the Northern Adventure Experience and ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Education Minister Chris Hipkins today announced significant funding for Auckland’s Northcote College as part of the first wave of a new nationwide school redevelopment programme to upgrade schools over the next 10 years. The $48.5 million project brings the total investment in Northcote College to ...
The Government has opened an urgent response fund to support schools and early learning services to get children and young people back on track after the Covid-19 lockdown. “While we are seeing improvements in attendance under Alert Level 1 Ministry of Education data shows that attendance rates in our schools ...
The law to boost the economic recovery from the impact of COVID-19 by speeding up resource consenting on selected projects has passed its second and third readings in the House today. “Accelerating nationwide projects and activities by government, iwi and the private sector will help deliver faster economic recovery and ...
Five port-related projects in Whanganui will receive a $26.75 million Provincial Growth Fund investment to support local economic recovery and create new opportunities for growth, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This is a significant investment that will support the redevelopment of the Whanganui Port, a project governed ...
Whanganui’s Sarjeant Gallery will receive an investment of up to $12 million administered by the Provincial Growth Fund to support its redevelopment, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. The project is included in a $3 billion infrastructure pipeline announced by Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Shane Jones yesterday. ...
The Provincial Growth Fund is investing nearly $2.5 million into three Te Ara Mahi programmes to support Manawatū-Whanganui jobseekers and employees to quickly train and upskill, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “Up to 154 local people will be supported into employment within the first year by these ...
This morning I have formally tendered my resignation as Minister of Health, which was accepted by the Prime Minister. Serving as Minister of Health has been an absolute privilege – particularly through these extraordinary last few months. It’s no secret that Health is a challenging portfolio. I have given ...
Scholarships for 57 early-career agricultural emissions scientists from 20 developing countries is another example of New Zealand’s international leadership in primary sector sustainability, says Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. Mr O’Connor, announcing the scholarships today, says hundreds of applications were received for this fourth round of the CLIFF-GRADS programme (Climate, Food ...
A project to help rejuvenate the Horowhenua town of Foxton will receive a Provincial Growth Fund investment of $3.86 million, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This funding for the Foxton Regeneration project will be used to make the well-known holiday town even more attractive for visitors and ...
Moa bones and other sub-fossil remains of extinct species are set to have improved protection with proposals to prevent the trade in extinct species announced the Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage today. “We have lost too many of our native species, but these lost species, such as moa, remain an ...
The Government’s free and healthy school lunches programme moves south for the first time creating jobs for around 30 people in Otago and Southland. “Eighteen schools with 3000 students are joining the programme – 11 have already begun serving lunches, and seven are preparing to start during Term 3. This is ...
Thousands of Kiwi jobs and investment in New Zealand productions will be protected through a screen sector support package announced today by Associate Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage Carmel Sepuloni, Minister for Economic Development Phil Twyford and Minister for Broadcasting Kris Faafoi. The package also includes investment in broadcasting ...
The Government has established a new $10 million fund for the domestic events sector to help save jobs and protect incomes as it recovers from the impacts of COVID-19, Minister of Economic Development Phil Twyford announced today. This funding from Budget 2020 follows talks with the event sector designed to ...
The Government has taken another step in its commitment to making sure New Zealanders get a fairer deal at the petrol pump with the introduction of legislation to improve competition in the retail fuel market, says Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods. “The fuel market study that this Government ordered ...
New Zealand has joined a global initiative that aims to enable all countries to access a safe and effective Covid-19 vaccine, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters announced today. The COVAX Facility was recently launched by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The Alliance includes the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank ...
From today new legislation takes effect to both restore the right to legal representation at the start of a Care of Children (CoCA) dispute in the Family Court, and allow parties to those proceedings to access legal aid where eligible. During a visit to the Family Court in Auckland today, ...
Home-based early childhood education (ECE) subsidised by the government will transition to a fully qualified workforce by 2025 to ensure better and more consistent quality, Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. “Quality early learning helps provide children with a strong foundation for their future,” Chris Hipkins said. From 1 January ...
The new Criminal Cases Review Commission | Te Kāhui Tātari Ture (CCRC) has started work and can now independently investigate claimed miscarriages of justice. “Even though we have appeal rights and safeguards against unsafe convictions, from time to time our justice system does get things wrong. The design of the ...
E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā karangatanga maha, tēnā koutou Ki a koutou Te Āti Awa, Taranaki Whānui, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, ngā mana whenua o te rohe nei, tēnā koutou Ko Te Whare Wānanga o Aotearoa ki ngā take o te Ao (NZIIA), Ko te Rōpū Tohu Tono ...
The Government’s increase to paid parental leave kicks in today with another 4 weeks taking New Zealand up to a full 6 months (26 weeks, up from 22 weeks) leave for new parents, and the maximum weekly payment will increase by $20pw, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says. ...
A new package of infrastructure investments will help kick-start the post-COVID rebuild by creating more than 20,000 jobs and unlocking more than $5 billion of projects up and down New Zealand. Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones today outlined how the $3 billion infrastructure fund in the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters today expressed the New Zealand Government’s deep disappointment at the passage by China’s National People’s Congress Standing Committee of a national security law for Hong Kong. “New Zealand has consistently emphasised its serious concern about the imposition of this legislation on Hong Kong without inclusive ...
More jobs and more family time with newborns are the centrepiece of a suite of Government initiatives coming into effect today. July 1 is a milestone day for the Government as a host of key policies take effect, demonstrating the critical areas where progress has been made. “The Coalition Government ...
Environment Minister David Parker has today “called in” Auckland’s application to the Waikato Regional Council to take an extra 200 million litres of water a day from the lower reaches of the Waikato River for Auckland drinking water and other municipal uses. The call-in means the application has been referred ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker announced today that New Zealand’s hosting of APEC in 2021 will go ahead using virtual digital platforms. Mr Peters said the global disruption caused by COVID-19, including resultant border restrictions, had been the major factor in the ...
The start of construction on a new link road between Matakana Road and State Highway 1 will create jobs and support the significant population growth expected in the Warkworth area, Transport Minister Phil Twyford and Mayor Phil Goff announced today. Transport Minister Phil Twyford said construction of the Matakana Link ...
The Government is prioritising its latest investment in PPE for frontline health workers, including staff at managed isolation and quarantine facilities, Health Minister David Clark says. “With no community transmission of COVID-19 our response now has a firm focus on keeping our border safe and secure. “We must ensure that ...
The Parihaka Papakāinga Trust in Taranaki will receive up to $14 million for a new visitor centre and other improvements at the historic settlement that will boost the local economy and provide much-needed jobs, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones and Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little have ...
Protections for workers who are employees of one employer but working under the direction of another business or organisation have come into force, closing a gap in legislation that made the personal grievance process inaccessible for some workers, says Workplace Relations Minister Iain Lees-Galloway. “This Government is working hard to ...
A range of improvements are already underway to address issues identified in the rapid review of the Managed Isolation and Quarantine system released today, Housing Minister Megan Woods said. The review was commissioned just over a week ago to identify and understand current and emerging risks to ensure the end-to-end ...
The important brown kiwi habitat around Whakatāne will receive added protection through an Iwi-led predator free project announced by Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage and Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau. “The Government is investing nearly $5 million into Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa’s environmental projects with $2.5 ...
An extra 4,000 tonnes of offcuts and scraps of untreated wood per year will soon be able to be recycled into useful products such as horticultural and garden mulch, playground safety surfacing and animal bedding as a result of a $660,000 investment from the Waste Minimisation Fund, Associate Environment Minister ...
The Governor-General has referred Scott Watson’s convictions for murder back to the Court of Appeal, Justice Minister Andrew Little announced today. Mr Watson was convicted in 1999 of the murders of Ben Smart and Olivia Hope. His appeal to the Court of Appeal in 2000 was unsuccessful, as was his ...
A new five-year funding agreement for the Reserve Bank will mean it can boost its work to protect New Zealanders’ finances, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. “New Zealand has a strong and stable financial system. Financial stability is an area that we are not prepared to cut corners for, particularly ...
A law change has been introduced to make it easier for forgotten funds in institutional accounts to be returned more easily to their rightful owners. Revenue Minister Stuart Nash has introduced an amendment to the Unclaimed Money Act 1971. It will update the rules controlling forgotten sums of money held ...
The Government is delivering on election commitments and a key recommendation of He Ara Oranga: Report of the Government Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction with the establishment of a permanent independent Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission, Health Minister Dr David Clark says. Legislation enabling the establishment of the fully ...
A Bill to replace New Zealand’s Privacy Act passed its third reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Andrew Little has announced. “The protections in the Privacy Bill are vitally important. The key purpose of the reforms is to promote and protect people’s privacy and give them confidence that their personal ...
Extra support is being provided to tourism businesses operating on public conservation land announced Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis and Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage today. The Government is providing $25m worth of support to tourism operators impacted by COVID-19, with a decision to waive most Department of Conservation tourism related concession ...
By Jane Patterson, political editor of RNZ News The State Services Minister says the government will do everything it can to track down who is responsible for a massive privacy breach relating to New Zealand’s active covid cases, and is not ruling out pursuing criminal charges. An investigation has been ...
The National editorial Hundreds walked the Sir John Guise drive on Thursday calling for justice for the brutal death of 19-year-old mother-of-two – Jenelyn Kennedy last week. Jenelyn’s battered lifeless body was taken into the Port Moresby General Hospital last Tuesday by four men (one believed to be the father ...
*Watch the full video in the player below*In the first 48 hours of life, blood from newborn New Zealand babies is taken and tested. Most parents will never hear back. For others, it’s life-changing, and life-saving. Frank Film investigates. Performed 48 hours after birth, it’s a medical procedure ...
Latest from the Beehive Shane Jones, the Minister of Munificence, in a joint statement with fellow Northlander and Deputy PM Winston Peters, wrapped up a week of handout investment announcements with news of more millions for the people of his patch in the Far North. This time it was a ...
By Rebecca Kuku in Port Moresby A passionate plea by men, women and children has echoed around the Papua New Guinean capital of Port Moresby – that it is time to turn the corner on addressing gender-based violence in the country. Gatherings, a peaceful march and a vigil were staged ...
Former Race Relations Commissioner Gregory Fortuin has called out National MP Hamish Walker for his racist comments towards people of colour. This follows Walker's press release objecting to people from Pakistan, India and Korea potentially being quarantined ...
Khruangbin have established their live reputation with spacious instrumentals, but the band’s third album, Mordechai, features prominent vocals and disco-funk jams. Andrew Drever interviews the Texas-based trio upon its release.While the Covid-19 pandemic continues to rage in the US, the situation has actually been a blessing in disguise for Khruangbin ...
The State Services Minister says the government will do everything it can to track down who is responsible for a massive privacy breach relating to New Zealand's active Covid cases, and is not ruling out pursuing criminal charges. ...
For all The Spinoff’s latest coverage of Covid-19 see here. Read Siouxsie Wiles’s work here. New Zealand is currently in alert level one – read about what that means here. For official government advice, see here.The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is made possible thanks to donations from Spinoff Members. To support this ...
With the collapse of Bauer NZ resulting in Australian magazines flooding our shelves, Wendyl Nissen looks back at her battle to get homegrown content given the star billing it deserved.Thanks to some hard-fought battles 30 years ago, New Zealand women have been enjoying their own version of Woman’s Day and ...
Extending the franchise to prisoners is the latest in a series of contentious electoral reforms enacted by this government, but history suggests the ‘convention’ for consensual election reform is more imagined than real.The Electoral (Registration of Sentenced Prisoners) Amendment Act, passed last week and corrected this week, extends the franchise ...
Since publication of Newsroom’s extensive investigation into serious issues at Oranga Tamariki, our inbox has been flooded with stories from more current and former employees. In less than 48 hours after Newsroom’s in-depth inquiry into the children's ministry was published we received a high volume of correspondence from current and former ...
“She’d come into town on the bus. The photographer, so her mother had told her, was famous”: a short story by Wellington writer Elspeth Sandys. It was to be a present for her father who was dying. A photograph of her in her first ball gown. When she reached for ...
Those who can’t afford to travel will “attend” the terror sentencing via video link, the Immigration Minister says. David Williams reports The Immigration Minister is demanding officials give urgent help to overseas victims of the Christchurch terror attack and their families. Yesterday, High Court Justice Cameron Mander announced the terrorist, ...
Controversy over Wellington's Shelly Bay has ensnared iwi, the council and politicians for years. Investigative journalist Nicky Hager uses official documents to lay out the roles of money, power and wheels-within-wheels on this most contentious of developments. Any time I am asked whether we have corruption in New Zealand, I ...
Is the answer to saving New Zealand's professional sports teams creating super-franchises? The Extra Time podcast asks sports leaders. Professional sport is slowly emerging from the grip of the pandemic but its financial future is far from certain. Covid-19 highlighted a weakness in the structure of professional sport in New ...
Before Covid-19, it’d take a long flight and half a grand to see Hamilton in the flesh. Now, the biggest musical of the past two decades is available to watch on Disney+. Sam Brooks takes stock of this extraordinary move. Right now, Broadway is a sleeping dragon. New York theatres ...
Sacked cabinet minister Clare Curran speaks for the first time about the brutal end to her political career – and what she calls the toxicity and bullying that marked her years in parliament. By Donna Chisholm.Of all the humiliations – often self-inflicted – that Clare Curran endured during her 12-year ...
On 03 July Children’s Commissioner was given additional responsibility by the Minister of Justice which extended its role as the independent monitor of the conditions and treatment of children and young people in secure detention centres. The Children’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick, ARC Future Fellow, UNSW The term “heatwave” is no stranger to Australians. Defined as when conditions are excessively hot for at least three days in a row, these extreme temperature events have always punctuated our climate. With many of us ...
Pacific Media Watch A senior Indonesian government official and a New Zealand journalism professor have clashed over differing perspectives on access for journalists and media to the West Papua region. Speaking on a webinar organised by the Jubi newspaper in Jayapura, Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ director of the European affairs ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Barbara Mintzes, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sydney To beat the coronavirus pandemic, countries need to collaborate. We need the best possible science to develop vaccines and drugs, and to test, track and contain the virus. If we’ve learned anything ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Russell Dean Christopher Bicknell, Post-doctoral researcher in Palaeobiology , University of New England Let’s turn back the hands of time. Before extinction knocked dinosaurs off their pillar, before the “Great Dying” extinction wiped out 95% of all organisms – we had the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane Williams, Researcher at the Centre for Values, Ethics and the Law in Medicine (VELiM), University of Sydney Last week, outgoing chief medical officer Brendan Murphy announced all returned travellers would be tested for COVID-19 before and after quarantine. Some were surprised ...
A new package to help foreign nationals stuck in New Zealand due to Covid-19 is inadequate and needs to be supplemented with the emergency benefit, say Community Law Centres O Aotearoa (CLCA) and the Human Rights Commission (HRC). The assistance ...
With Shortland Street’s 7,000th episode screening tonight, Tara Ward salutes the soap for keeping calm and carrying on through level three lockdown. It’s been one heck of a week on Shortland Street. Leanne lost her winning $8 million Lotto ticket, Louis slipped over in a pile of vomit, and Desi tried ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Clift, Teaching Fellow and PhD candidate, University of Melbourne In recent days, the prime ministers of the UK and Australia each declared they are working toward providing safe haven visas for Hong Kong residents. In the US, lawmakers passed a bill ...
How two multi-millionaires, two pandemic futurists, Air NZ’s former boss, a dairy executive on a break, a retired anaesthetist (and a few others) nearly saved NZ. ...
A commitment from Labour to protect productive farmland from blanket afforestation if re-elected is a step in the right direction, Federated Farmers Meat & Wool Chairperson William Beetham says. "We’re really pleased there is now ...
Tomorrow, 4 July, will see protests in at least nine centres around New Zealand against Israeli plans to steal more Palestinian land (Details are at the end of this media release) “Virtually the entire international community is standing together ...
Pacific Media Watch Australia’s ABC has revealed the Australian Federal Police (AFP) recommendation regarding the Afghan Files investigative journalism report is for the Commonwealth DPP to consider charging journalist Dan Oakes for his role in the leak. The revelation has prompted a renewed call by the Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom ...
While we’re growing in confidence that we are in the enviable position of basically eliminating Covid-19, our trading nation at the bottom of the world is also in the unenviable position of locking off our economy to the world. “No is not an answer ...
Netflix’s new adaptations of The Baby-Sitters Club makes long-time fan Tara Ward fall in love with the series all over again. When I was 12 years old, my class had to write a letter to a famous person. Some of my classmates wrote to an All Black, Tom Cruise or ...
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is questioning the scale and value of the Government’s $230m screen industry recovery package. Union spokesperson Jordan Williams says: “The official justification for this ‘recovery package’ is the impact of COVID-19 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Former Ambassador and Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland Chinese activity in Papua New Guinea was not the only factor behind Australia’s Pacific “Step-Up”. As a former high commissioner to PNG, I know it ...
Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk A Papuan church leader and advocate for social justice has penned an open letter to the Indonesian government calling for justice and an end to racism to enable a genuine self-determination process for the Melanesian region. “The problem of Papua has become increasingly complex and severe ...
Latest from the Beehive – Nine press releases (when we checked this morning) had flowed from the Beehive since we last reported. Eight of them brayed about the money Ministers have been spending and (as they prefer to put it) investing. The sole exception came from Environment Minister David ...
CEAC pre-election review of National Party ‘climate change policy’, is lacking in substance without any clear policy, that will leave voters with no idea of what National Party plans for saving our climate, and glancing at their ‘Transport plans’, ...
Film crews can get exemptions to enter New Zealand, so why not the families and supporters of terror victims, David Williams asks. OPINION: If the public needs a sign last year’s terrorist attack has slipped off the Government’s radar, this is it. A sentencing date has been set for the ...
A new poem by Michaela Keeble.Only the ocean only the oceanturns me overlike this only the oceanturns meon like this only the oceangives warning: what will changeand when so it doesn’t comeacrosslike violence white capsdrift inon the rising tide i feel likeopening my legs i don’t wantto do anything elsetoday i don’t wantto goto work i want to lie downwith ...
As the Covid-19 pandemic rages round the world, New Zealanders are re-discovering food production is the fundamental engine of the economy. And farming is not a sunset industry. Instead of being rubbished by lobby groups for so-called “dirty dairying”, the country’s core export industry has the chance to transform itself ...
The world-famous best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Humankind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman (Bloomsbury, $34)This is the one that kicks off with the essay about the Tongan ...
The New Zealand Down syndrome community is urging the Government to ignore the recommendations in the recent Health and Disability Sector Review. “New Zealand has made terrific progress to enhance the quality of life for people with Down syndrome and other disabilities ...
The Covid Plan B group says New Zealand can minimise the economic consequences of Covid-19 if it opens its borders following the rest of the world. The group, which has critiqued the Government's lockdown response since March, has today added its ...
Auckland will soon be receiving an additional 75 million litres of water per day from the Waikato River as an interim measure to help ease the worst water shortage in 25 years. A Ngāti Whātua historian says this sharing of resources between Tāmaki Makaurau and Waikato goes back a very ...
Athletes from the Papua New Guinea’s national team joined the peaceful “cry for justice” march in the nation’s capital of Port Moresby. Video: EMTV NewsBy EMTV News Many wore black yesterday in rallies against gender-based violence in Papua New Guinea in a day chosen to remember the young mother ...
The government will remain "cautious" when it comes to the border as despite calls for a pragmatic strategy for reopening, new Health Minister Chris Hipkins says. ...
A new report measuring New Zealanders’ financial wellbeing highlights how key sectors of our population are feeling stressed over money, and how Covid-19 has made that worse.Money can’t buy happiness, but it sure can help. After all, it’s what puts food on the table, a roof over our heads, and ...
The Tahr Foundation is asking the Conservation Authority to represent all New Zealanders and their recreational pursuits in National Parks, including the tens of thousands of hunters who flock to them every year. The Foundation’s plea is in response to ...
Councils can now borrow money equivalent to 300% of annual revenue, and the Public Service Association says this will allow them to maintain operational expenditure, invest in important community services and proceed with long-overdue infrastructure ...
Dunedin's mayor says conversations about managed isolation and quarantine can be held in a mature fashion without "getting into an unhelpful conversation about where our citizens might be returning from". ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Webb, PhD candidate in Astrophysics, Swinburne University of Technology What does the Sun’s core look like? Sophie, aged 8, Perth What does the Sun’s core look like? This is a fantastic question Sophie, and one we will need ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Spencer Zifcak, Allan Myers Chair of Law/Professor of Law, Australian Catholic University After a lengthy delay due to the coronavirus pandemic, the legal case that constitutes the most significant threat to freedom of expression in this country will soon play out in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Williamson, Professor of Microbiology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity A cornerstone of containing the COVID-19 pandemic is widespread testing to identify cases and prevent new outbreaks emerging. This strategy is known as “test, trace and isolate”. The standard ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Jones, Research Fellow (Food Policy and Law), George Institute for Global Health As you read this, health officials are busy finalising the government’s review of the health star rating system on packaged foods. One of the issues the review is looking ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Briggs, Research Principal, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney As the global renewables transition accelerates, the future for coal regions has become a big worry. This raises an important question: can renewables create the right jobs in the right ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joel Barnes, Research Associate, Australian Centre for Public History, University of Technology Sydney The government’s recently proposed restructure of university fees would see students pay 113% more for many humanities subjects. The package is not a case of “humanities vs STEM (science, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ross Guest, Professor of Economics and National Senior Teaching Fellow, Griffith University The Australian government is planning to spend A$190 billion to support the economy in response to COVID-19, according to the latest Parliamentary Budget Office estimate. The total impact of COVID-19 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW For all the things we don’t know about COVID-19 one thing is certain: our economic recovery will depend on boosting productivity. Everyone from the Reserve Bank of Australia governor Philip Lowe to Prime Minister Scott Morrison ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rosslyn Almond, Literature Lecturer, Australian Catholic University The Baby-Sitters Club, the popular series by Ann M. Martin, defined my childhood. I collected the books until I was 11. I played it in the school yard (I was Dawn because I had long ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Pickles, Professor of History at the University of Canterbury, University of Canterbury The family of pioneering New Zealand suffragist Kate Sheppard kept an important secret – one that possibly explains a lot about her life, her beliefs and her motivation. The ...
For all The Spinoff’s latest coverage of Covid-19 see here. Read Siouxsie Wiles’s work here. New Zealand is currently in alert level one – read about what that means here. For official government advice, see here.The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is made possible thanks to donations from Spinoff Members. To support this ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. Clark out and Bridges back in, Chinese embassy warns NZ politicians to not speak out on Hong Kong, and terrible new revelations about Oranga Tamariki culture.It has been a day of reshuffling at parliament, with both major parties making significant moves. We’ll start with ...
Open Mike 01/01/2017 
Racist National MP Hamish WalkerEven before Todd Muller's coup ousted Simon Bridges by a single vote, it was patently obvious that the National Party promotes and stands for white privilege. In fact they’ve always worked to ensure the discriminatory status quo in New Zealand doesn’t change.So it’s no surprise that ...3 hours ago
Dave Heatley Zero community transmission. Just a handful of active cases, all in quarantine. New Zealand is in an attractive situation, at least compared to much of the world. The situation could be robust and enduring – or it might be fragile, just one border incursion away from a “second ...9 hours ago
Is the consequence of the Simpson Report proposals for restructuring the health system poorer accountability to people? When in doubt, centralise‘ has been a persistent theme in New Zealand public policy throughout our history. The current government is no exception. Here are some examples. - The regional polytechs have been ...23 hours ago
I wrote earlier in the week about the Scientology front organisations Drug Free World and Drug Free Ambassadors and their quite prominent role in anti-cannabis reform "coalition" assembled by Family First and a newloca branch of the American prohibitionist organisation SAM.It turns out Family First aren't the only ones helping ...1 day ago
Three years ago the ABC used leaked information to expose war crimes by Australian troops in Afghanistan. Since then the chief of Australia's special forces has admitted that his troops committed war crimes. But guess who the Australian government is prosecuting? Police have referred allegations against an ABC journalist relating ...1 day ago
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Unfortunately, due to a medical emergency, I have landed in hospital so am not able to do a current update on the NZ blog statistics. Let’s hope I can get back to this in good time. ...2 days ago
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The Greens have shaken up the election campaign with the announcement of their radical poverty and action plan to reform welfare provision and introduce a new wealth tax for millionaires. It’s a big-thinking, controversial policy and has generated a lot of disagreement over how radical it is, whether it could ...3 days ago
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http://www.anonews.co/anonymous-david-rockefeller/
Anonymous Message to David Rockefeller 31-12-2016.
Merry Christmas Mr. Rockefeller, this one has been long overdue. We’re proud to say we solved your riddle, and we wish to contact you before you die to share it and help you come to a peaceful understanding of our concerns coming from the people your handiwork is effecting.
Our members are specialists in technology, science, and communication; and the world order you are leading us into is a catastrophic, dire mistake. We represent the natural order, and there is a critical error in the format you’re building your entire foundation on which will stamp permanent negative effects in our biology, to be straightforward and brief.
We will patiently await your response; know that we come in peace and mean nothing but good will for humanity. Please reconsider everything before it is too late to reach you.
http://www.anonews.co/anonymous-david-rockefeller/
Anonymous Message to David Rockefeller 31-12-2016.
2017 the year that hopefully heralds in a new deeper level of critical thinking for the progressive Left.
The year when we on the left fully realize that so called liberal news sources like the Guardian, The Washington Post are in fact some of most despicable enemies of progressive change.
2017 the year that people on the Left realize that if their political party still has any ties to the now debunked neo liberal, Laissez-faire free market economic ideological project that has been destroying the the left from the inside, then it is has come time to cut that cancer out, even if it is painful, it must be done to save the host.
2017 is the year we must come to understand that while this cancerous growth exists within the Left movement, that there will never be real change to the political and economic status quo.
The economic ideology of the free market cannot coexist with the ideology of a progressive left movement, that much has been made well and truly clear in 2016.
Turn Labour Left 2017
The economic ideology of the free market cannot coexist with the ideology of a progressive left movement, that much has been made well and truly clear in 2016.
Yep
Which simply shows how far from reality you are. A meld of the Douglas principles with some control of its excesses is the way of the future …the only way and moving to the left, further left,is just plain stupid. In anycase with Lange’s timidity/cup of tea we lost an essential part of the Douglas plan. leaving us with the salt without the sugar.
@jcuknz, No I think you are the one out of touch with reality pal.
“A meld of the Douglas principles with some control of its excesses is the way of the future”
Alan Greenspan one of the architects of your ideology admitted himself that humans didn’t respond and act as he thought they would, operating in a Laissez-faire free market environment….leading to the 2008 crash.
Did you just miss the part where the Americans just voted (or not voted against) in a fuckin’ crazy walkin’ talkin’ orange baboon rather than continue with your ideological project?
Did you miss that part where the citizens in the UK, in a fit of rage against your free market ideology said fuck you, and voted Brexit?
If you can’t see the writing on the wall,,, well, I guess we all see what we want to see, even if you just walked into the wall and got a blood nose.
Sorry clip above is a bit buggered, here is Greenspan admitting his ideological world view was wrong, all wrong…. watch or re watch this to give yourself a super boost into 2017… I love this one.
I reckon you’re reading a bit too much into how the fuckin crazy walkin talkin orange baboon is getting a seat in the Oval Office. Where he’ll be the biggest loser ever to occupy the chair, by 3 million votes. Because of a truly fucked up bizarre electoral system.
While there’s certainly a large element of “fuck you” to the status quo in the vote, it’s a massive stretch to suggest it’s a ringing endorsement to abandon capitalism, markets, and individual enterprise in favour of some (undetermined) socialism or communism.
The states within a federated republic of individual states overwhelmingly chose Trump. That’s all you need to know.
And the people chose Clinton, dimwit. I know you don’t like her (you don’t have to bother telling me why, again), but close to 4 million more voted for her than for your guy.
Plus, the point above was about whether choosing an embodiment of rampant capitalism and classist privilege was actually an anti-capitalist gesture. If it was, it was a bloody stupid one.
Let Calfornia secceed then. That’ll return the popular vote to Trump by a million.
Second point unanswered, I see. (Don’t bother to try – it’s unanswerable.)
BTW, I’m off – some of us have lives. 🙂
20 days to 16 years of Trump rule 🙂
Hey, it’ll probably SEEM like 16 years, but unless he rewrites the Constitution, Trump can only serve a max of 8 years (and I predict he won’t get that far).
Perhaps if you stop using theory to build out models and start using data you wouldn’t come across as such an ass hole
Anyone with a calculator can work it out.
This chat board is glitchy on my end. I’d actually tried replying to Marty Mars iirc. Hence my sparse participation here.
I was thinking that there is no evidence that economies achieve equilibrium. In fact in places like Pokeno capital decays.
Any happy New Years viper
To you too mate, from the Waikouiti New Years Day races. Best regards.
PS indeed, on the contrary, the empirical evidence is hugely against economic equilibrium in all except the most artificial circumstances
I completely disagree, it was revealed for all to see, that in the US, Sanders showed that even in the face of active and at time shocking bias from all MSM, and as exposed in the leaks, serious undermining from the structures of his own party, that even with these handicaps, a real progressive socialist message got real traction, and I would also say the same is true in the UK re; Corbyn.
So yes while it is true that the neo liberal establishment, and it’s media wing would rather eat their own babies than have a real swing to a progressive left, citizens across the world have shown they are ready and want to listen to an alternative, and maybe even fight for a change.
The Left needs to answer that call for change quickly, or that space will be filled by the right….as in Trump.
But what controls are you proposing?
Without Lange’s cup of tea everything would have been privatised.
I’m with you Adrian.
Until the left dumps Rogernomics it will not be unified.
Globalisation/ Free Market/Oneworld or whatever you call it ,is really just a race to the bottom for the vast majority, whilst lining the pockets of the unproductive / parasitic money lenders and power brokers ( and war mongers / military might).
We need fair trade not free trade.
Until the Standard gets rids of right wing shills, it will not be a place for the left to congregate.
I suggest a boycott of the worst shills starting today by all left wing commentators.
What a great plan.
Then you can start boycotting other lefties who are not as left as you want them to be.
Then you can boycott any leftie who perhaps has a differing view then your good self on any matter.
In the end you end up with a sad echo chamber all saying the same thing – and that becomes your perception of how people think.
Then you get all confused at election time when national get into power yet again because everyone you talk too say exactly the same as you.
Ban yourself, you and your fake left infiltrators have made this site unbearable.
Hoping for the defeat of religious extremists in Syria – right wing?
Opposing the extreme right and undemocratic Ukrainian regime – right wing
Arguing for moves against the Saudi/ Israeli/US neo-con foreign policy – right wing?
Arguing for the reversal of all neoliberal policies in NZ and the building of a socialist, environmentalist government ( not a Labour version of neoliberalism) – right wing?
Making a case for the severity of the climate issue – right wing?
Left wing is NOT what the Labour Party has been since Douglas.
“Fake left infiltrators”?!
Labour is the party that’s houses the ” fake left infiltrators” in the guise of neoliberalism.
I wouldn’t miss you either.
Oh, for a nice safe space lefty echo chamber
Pus off [deleted] you’re alt-right remember
And that sums you up. Not left, doesn’t want spaces for the left to discuss stuff. No you are the well poisoner, the authoritarian, like the right wing hero’s you adore. The sooner you fuck off overseas to your right wing utopias, the better imo.
[edited] – B
[You know the deal with using real world names where people are using pseudonyms. And what’s with the ad hom nonsense yet again today? It’s boring marty. Please desist] – Bill
You got the nice discussion you wanted yesterday didn’t you Bill with your innocent wee post. Fuck you and this bullshit im not hanging with your crew. To everyone who cares about people – have an empowering year. To tat and his mates – i hope i never hear any of your bullshit ever again. Dont worry ill keep fighting scum like you till i drop dead.
Being a bidduva snoflake matey.
Focus on sorting out your personal life first, marty mars.
marty i’m with you fully – i’ve watched quite a few spiral down into the trumpster world over the last year and for me TS is not a good place to visit any more
Marty mars – again with the real names (that’s clearly against the rules) – and it’s not nice to call people scum just because they disagree with you.
+1 Marty. Thanks for carrying the torch. I have nothing to say to these people.
to be fair Paul most of your beef is if with more rationale and balanced lefties who are not Pilger or Rt glove puppets, stop picking on us poor rwnj
You can always start your own site where you and your fellow travellers can congregate, that is if 2 or 3 people can be called a congregation A possible domain names, Doom and Gloom, Assad Vlad and me , I don’t think I just hyper link. RT Glovepuppets ……..
You know – I’m with you there all the way Red.
I’m fed up to the back teeth with all this wonderful Assard, Amazing Putin, only RT tell it like it REALLY is, Fantastic Trump, poor Julian so misunderstood, and let’s all hate Obama, nonsense.
Amazing Putin…. Can’t really discuss Putin’s motives unless you have a map with his warm water ports imo.
And kudos to him… well played 🙄
You’re missing out Red, the Doomstead Diner already exists, hosted by the egocentric RE and features the food stockpiling Norman Pagett, Steve Ludlum with an artistic view of the global economy and many other guests on the Collapse Cafe.
I don’t think getting rid of dissenting views is terribly helpful, despite how obnoxious and insufferable some of them can be. If anything, it’s a pertinent reminder of just what we’re opposing, and if you don’t know your enemy, you’re likely to be outmaneuvered more often than not. Sure, there are shills and yes-men, and pious members of the Church of Neo-Liberalism for whom the free market can do no wrong, and they’ll refuse to see common-sense and reason for the rest of forever, rather than admit that perhaps its all been a dreadful mistake responsible for a great deal of unnecessary suffering. But they’re entitled to their views, and they’re the ones who will have to contend with the prickling of their collective consciences… those who exhibit any sort of conscience. (And no, I don’t believe left-wing politics has any sort of monopoly on either compassion or common-sense.)
Besides, I learned a long time ago that arguing with zealots, religious, political or otherwise, is a tedious and frustrating exercise in futility. You can’t badger and belittle someone into changing their mind. As irritating as it may be, they kind of have to arrive at certain conclusions themselves. And some of them never will. You have to accept it and move on, which is not to say that I don’t find some of their utterances both baffling and offensive.
They’re not all bad. James, Alwyn and even BM can sometimes exhibit profound thinking and post insightful comments. I think Fisiani is probably the only one who persists in trolling for outrage, probably for shits and giggles.
Paul won’t be able to answer you for a week. He obviously didn’t read my post including its warnings and paid the price.
I look at it as being a form of inoculation. One of the problems that various people around political systems have is that they don’t get enough exposure to dissenting viewpoints. To be able to argue with someone with a rigid mind you have to be able to formulate the argument against it. To do that you have to be able to hear the argument.
I never expect to convince anyone from any side. However I am prepared to go as far as to sow serious doubt, indulge in serious levels of personal criticism and disdain of others to ram home the point, and to learn on those (fortunately) rare occasions when I am definitely caught on the wrong foot. Just as interesting is watching others fall into the traps that I would have if I’d had bothered to argue.
That happens not only here, but also out in the real world as well. It is just a lot easier to learn here. It is all part of having a lifetime of learning.
But I’m not really interested in having a nice echo chamber here. It tends to be dead boring. What I am prepared to do is to make the behavioural ground somewhat treacherous so that repetitive behaviours tend towards being risky. I find that is a lot better basis to level up the playing field.
So funny .. if you cannot stand the heat of pragmatic ideas you seek to ban them … having no argument to oppose a meld of reality with restrictions on where it leads the wrong way.
The point is that Douglas saved this country from the problems which affect most of the world but was stopped from introducing the safeguards which result in the problems affecting this country..
There is absolutely no future for Labour if it continues to go left. One can have one’s ideals but pragmatists know if you want to govern you need the center ground. Hence my belief in a meld.
Wrong.
And what safeguards were those, might I ask?
You have to remember that Douglas wanted to chop *EVERYTHING*. That is why Lange had to intervene.
I have to admit though, the changes brought in between 84-87 were minor compared to the changes brought in between 1987 and 1996. The poor and unemployed managed to hang in there through a combination of generous redundancy payouts and a welfare system that still paid a decent amount. Things didnt really go to shit until 1991 when Ruth Richardson implemented austerity 2 decades before the UK decided to go back to a Walpole-era state. Market rents for state housing, benefit cuts, the chopping of home ownership subsidies, as well the changes in the health system did the worse damage, plus the privatisation and deregulation of utilities was backloaded to 1994-1998.
Privatisation didnt really kick off on a serious basis until about 1988. I think the SOE system was a positive move on balance,though the commercial aspect was emphasised too much.
Adrian you still have Amy Goodman and Democracy Now. Unless of course you also think that DN and Goodman among some of the most despicable enemies of progressive change.
https://www.democracynow.org/2016/12/14/slaughter_or_liberation_a_debate_on
Thanks Jenny, I have been a Democracy Now! listener for a few years now, and no of course I don’t think DN is a enemy of change, why would you say that? DN is probably one of the best news sources out there, albeit quite American centric at times.
A couple of other news and information sources I find useful
Law and Disorder Radio…
http://lawanddisorder.org/
FAIR, Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting, incorporating the Counterspin podcast
http://fair.org/
Behind the News with Doug Henwood, some great interviews.
https://kpfa.org/program/behind-the-news/
Against the Grain, some serious indepth left wing and progressive analysis.. very good
https://kpfa.org/program/against-the-grain/
My apologies Adrien. When I read you lumping The Guardian amongst those you consider to be a despicable enemy of progressive change. I assumed it was because The Guardian and Democracy Now share the same Editorial line on the Syrian regime, the Arab Spring and the Syrian revolution.
Personally I find the Guardian to be a very reliable and reputable source especially when it comes to reporting climate change issues.
Maybe, to clear up my confusion, you could detail why you think The Guardian is a despicable enemy of progressive change.
Cheers Jenny
Wishing a happy new year to you and your loved ones.
Hi Jenny. For myself I read the Guardian, but with a very cynical eye. You might like to read this for starters..
https://theintercept.com/2016/12/29/the-guardians-summary-of-julian-assanges-interview-went-viral-and-was-completely-false/
https://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2016/jul/19/yes-jeremy-corbyn-has-suffered-a-bad-press-but-wheres-the-harm
The guardian has a few good writers but in recent years it’s editorial line seems to have been captured by neoliberal and neo-con thinking.
It’s reporting of the Scottish referendum. The events in the Ukraine, Brexit, the US election and Syria show it has become another establishment puppet.
https://off-guardian.org/2016/12/30/greenwald-guardian-engaged-in-journalistic-fraud-in-assange-interview-rewrite/
paul we appreciate your position, we get it, we know who you are a fan boy of in a media sense, can we please FFS not have it rammed down our throats day in day out again 2017 , you keep repeating and posting the same shite in a repetitive cycle and to be honest mate it has got beyond boring, more bordering on psychotic OCD
[lprent: Snap 🙂 You have a week of peace. He failed to read my post and the warning at the end of it. ]
You know it’s not often I agree with your Red, but on this I agree. I’m sick of the scrolling past the same stuff for days on end to read peoples comments.
Hi, no offense taken.
The very serious problem with The Guardian and it’s so called liberal MSM cohorts, is that they have relentlessly and determinedly undermined, belittled and produced actual fake news, not about the radical right, but about the progressive Left…
https://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2016/jul/19/yes-jeremy-corbyn-has-suffered-a-bad-press-but-wheres-the-harm
https://theintercept.com/2016/09/18/washpost-makes-history-first-paper-to-call-for-prosecution-of-its-own-source-after-accepting-pulitzer/
….I could go on and on and give you links infinitum, but you get the point.
Now this is a very serious problem for us all, because with so many smart progressives still (bizarrely) thinking and quoting these news outlets as legitimate political news sources, the Left remains and will remain divided and impotent, all the while, the right is gaining ground all around us.
It seems to me that the establishment (so called) liberal media, would rather have the right wing in ascendancy, than a real progressive left socialist project, this is judging them by their own words and their own actions over the previous 12 months.
It is just a sad truth, I used to love the Guardian myself, but facts are facts.
So the news on TV1 last night was that Max Key was going to play the New Year in on Sky Tower just before the fireworks display.
I can’t see it being reported very much today by most MSM websites – they just talk about the Sky Tower fireworks display.
On TV1 they said preparation for the Sky Tower display began 5 months ago. An indication that 5 months John Key was still planning to be PM by 1st January?
Who cares what TV1 says … time to get over your antipathy of the Key clan and get on with what is relevant to 2017…. I was fast asleep when all that rubbish was going on.
History is important to the present and future. It is important to understand it. Many things only come to light well after they happened.
Exactly
Terry Pratchett
“It is important that we know where we come from, because if you do not know where you come from, then you don’t know where you are, and if you don’t know where you are, you don’t know where you’re going. And if you don’t know where you’re going, you’re probably going wrong.”
Perhaps they hired him because a) he is reasonably popular and b) quite talented at what he does.
(Not that im a fan of his music in the slightest).
There you are James! Happy New Year!
Tell me something…as a talented person yourself (you must be because they hired you to troll here as a professional de- railer) do you get paid double time and a day in lieu for working on a statutory holiday?
Always wanted to know.
Happy new year to you rosemary.
Again with the “you must be paid” troll posted as a “fact”.
Try another record for 2017. It’s not so much that it’s boring (which it is). It’s more that it makes you look stupid and all part of the tin foil hat club.
You can do better.
My predictions for 2017…..
– Steven Joyce unveils a large privatisation/outsourcing program in this coming Budget.
– At least 4 more MPs announce their standing down at the 2017 election.
– Gareth Morgan recruits Bernard Hickey and Shemanual Equaib (sp?), and other prominent technocrats to the TOP Party, but it just misses the 5% threshold.
– John Tamihere and Shane Jones announce their initention to stand in the 2017 election, but not for Labour.
– Sky announces its plan to sell Prime TV an an effort to jumpstart its failed merger with Vodafone
– NZME and Mediaworks offer to sell a number of radio station to a third party in return for ComCom approval of their merger
– At least 1 assassination attempt is made on Donald Trump
– The All Blacks defeat the Lions in the upcoming series 2-1, but the Lions win all their matches against the Super 15 sides.
– In his valedictory speech, John Key expresses regret for pledging not to tighten eligibility for National Superannuation, he also gets a column in a prominent newspaper, “Key Points” which he outlines a number of hard right policy prescriptions.
– “Arise, Sir John Key”.
– The election will be close, with a narrow Labour/Greens win that is not finalised till after the specials are counted, the Greens will be forced to accept a Coalition agreement that they get bugger all out of, but they sign because they do not want another 3 years in opposition. Winston NZ/First will also get into Parliament, but will not be in the coalition, Peters will announce that he is stepping down in 2020.
I’ll be more specific:
The election won’t be held until after the Queens Birthday Honour’s List has been issued so the “arise Sir John” moment actually happens.
One of the retiring MP’s is Shane Reti who stands down from the Whangarei seat.
Shane Jones is the NZFirst candidate who wins the seat.
It won’t be like that.
John Key will receive the Order of New Zealand in next years New Year Honours.
That award does not have the honorific ‘Sir’ attached.
He will receive a Knight of the Garter from the Queen at the same time. That one does rate a ‘Sir’.
Frankly I can’t see anything being awarded to him after Nact lose the 2017 election.
So it’s before or nothing. As I understand it the government of the day does the “Sir” recommending to the Queen.
But I am in awe of such a detailed time table – has this already been organised with Bill English? Could this also be known as “the fix is already in? “???
” I can’t see anything being awarded to him after Nact lose the 2017 election”.
Do you really think that that miserable little rat-bag Little would be such a prick in the unlikely event he became PM?
After all the Key Government gave the award to Clark, and a knighthood to Cullen. They were magnanimous I suppose. Even the Clark Government made Bolger a member of the Order of New Zealand. Would a Little Government really be so little minded?
” As I understand it the government of the day does the “Sir” recommending to the Queen”
Not for the Garter. From
http://www.heraldicsculptor.com/Garters.html
“appointment to the order is solely at the discretion of the British monarch”
New Zealand has only had two, to date. Holyoake and Hillary.
Actually “the fix being in” is the knife being sharpened by Grant Robertson to slip into Little’s back after National lead the next Government following the election.
The timetable is merely reflecting the fact that such awards are normally made after the MP leaves Parliament. See Goff’s award.
I had better correct this. The Clark Government did not award the honour to Bolger (He already had it). They did give it to Don McKinnon though.
RedBaronCV
While I think it probable that John Key will get whatever he gets at Queens Birthday, in the event he did not, it would be extraordinary for a different govt to deliberately not give him an honour.
That would be against all precedent going back many decades. Helen Clark got an ONZ from National, Sir Michael Cullen got a KNZM.
Andrew Little, if he was the PM, would simply be not that small minded. And you saw that in his quite generous remarks when John Key stepped down.
While that type of civility might annoy many Standardnista’s, it is a desirable and perhaps a necessary part of constitutional govt to ensure neither side acts out of spite and vengeance when they have their time in office.
The US has got altogether too near that space, and most people think that they are poorer for it.
Funny how they are all the best of mates when they are out of office. Wouldn’t be because they have the same paymasters by any chance?
They often work together more than most realize.
There are a number of cross party parliamentarian groups which are an active part of parliamentary life.
Take this one for example:
http://abortionwiki.org/New_Zealand_Parliamentarians_on_Population_and_Development
There are even parliamentary friendship groups.
https://www.parliament.nz/en/document/00hooocmppmpsfriendshipgroups1
Which is why honours should be determined by an independent body.
Goodness me. I agree with you Wayne. I guess there is room for integrity and old fashioned courtesy on both sides of the political equation. It would be very nice to see some of the old fashioned courtesies of yesteryear return to political life everywhere. The world would not be in the turmoil it is today if that was the case.
How interesting Wayne – the right spend considerable time attacking the people who criticize them ( with no need to be civil apparently! Paula Bennett releasing personal details of people who commented on a policy – and the whole of “dirty politics” ) but this is now “a bad thing” according to you.
Maybe Nact could get busy and practice what you suggest?
I look forward to the wholesale apologies from the right along with appropriate restitution for all the times they have attacked people who have done nothing personally to deserve it.
So if John wants his “sir” rather than the classless ONZ (Labour may be happy to recommend that) I can’t see us having too early an election – which was what the post was about.
As to generous – JK has been far too generous with my tax money paying for public services by dodgy corporates and running up a record debt so high earners can have tax cuts.
Here’s Scott Yorke’s predictions for 2017:
https://imperatorfish.com/2016/12/31/top-ten-predictions-for-2017/
No 8.”Andrew Little will be accused of smiling. An internal Labour Party investigation will determine that he was in fact just grimacing in an unusual manner.”
Peters stepping down? I think he’ll die on the perch (and then his party – which stands for what, exactly?) will wither away pretty damn quickly.
They stand for National losing Northland if nothin else. Which is not to be scoffed at.
Even Winston will want to move on. He has been involved in every election going back to 1975 when he stood for what is now Te Tai Tokerau.
2017 got off to a great start when Celtic trounced a team calling itself “Rangers” and moved 19 points clear at the top of the SPFL. That really felt good. Some things in life are more important than politics. Good friends, family, and supporting the best team. That’s me. Enjoy 2017. It looks like its going to be a great year.
Labour often talk about giving people a fair go. Are they prepared to give smokers a fair go?
Tobacco tax increase comes in today
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/321568/tobacco-tax-increase-comes-in-today
Maybe the government (and any possible Labour/Greeen government of the future) are more interested in giving smokers and those who live with them a fair go in terms of greater life expectancy..?
While that may benefit those that manage to quit, it leaves those that don’t far worse off.
Greater life expectancy is also related to ones diet. Therefore, fiscally punishing smokers robs them of their disposable income to maintain a healthy diet. Resulting in compounding the problem as they continue to smoke and have less for things like heating and food.
You are clutching at straws there Extremist. Smoking is probably the biggest hindrance to any health program. A better solution, if you can’t give up, would be to cut back wouldn’t it?
“Smoking is probably the biggest hindrance to any health program”
So are a number of things sold in your local supermarket.
This is far from the first tobacco tax increase, thus a number of smokers have already cut down as far as they handle. While some others have turned to more desperate and underhanded measures.
We are largely dealing with the hardcore smokers now.
As for clutching at straws, you need to widen your perspective.
A number of smokers are currently struggling to get by.
If they continue to smoke (and many will) this tax increase will force them to cut back on the essentials even more.
Keep in mind we are dealing with a highly addictive substance. And a good number of smokers come from a lower social economic background (making them potential Labour supporters seeking that fairer go).
I’d say there is a stronger link between prescription drugs lowering life expectancy http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/76712274/Codeine-morphine-and-painkiller-drug-use-in-NZ-quadruples-in-a-decade-study
That would help explain why so many respondents say they are happy when they respond to pollsters, they’re high on prescription drugs.
For tens of thousands that may be true. Even Pokemon go is looked at as a kind of anti depressant drug. Must people don’t understand that for every 20 cents you save on cheap prescription drugs you lose a dollar in wages.
Is tobacco tax increases shortening the life expectancy of dairy owners?
If Labour genuinely wanted to give everyone a fair go, they would approach this problem in a fairer, less damaging way.
On average a smoker who stops gets another six years of pension. Stopping smoking is always a good thing. Annual tax increases are part of the solution.
The price incentive to quit is there now. Therefore, annual tax increases no longer need to be part of the solution.
The approach must now change to help deal with the hardcore and prevent the new uptake.
Would it be feasible for those lovely caring tobacco industry people to manufacture a far less dangerous fag with less tar, and the other nasty chemicals, but with ‘flavour’ and nicotine?
Good point Garibaldi though better all round to give it up completely as i managed in 1974 … ten years before I had my heart quad bypass.
My smoking addiction, which I probably still have but doesn’t trouble me these day, consisted of two things the sucking and the inhaling.
With a bad attack of a cold I gave up smoking for two or three days and as I recovered I simply sucked but didn’t light up. Trouble was helpful folk kept offering to light my cig . I spotted a miniature ‘alpine pipe’ and bought it to suck … obviously no tobacco to light up so no more ‘offers’.
After two or three months I had bit through the pipe stem and filed another grip for my teeth. another few months and I was happy to let the pipe go.
I hope my story will help a smoking addict kick the habit because even at twenty a day and particularly at today’s prices I have been considerably richer financially and health wise .
Come ‘bypass’ in 1984 I felt for fellow patients as they tried to fool the nurses by ducking out of the ward … but you could smell it on them when they returned. Really sad.
E-cigarettes.
Labour often talk about giving people a fair go. Are they prepared to give smokers a fair go?
Nope. If anything, they’re even more intent on creating a black market for tobacco than the current government is.
It would explain why they also support an increase in police numbers.
The new left aka the moralising upper middle clasd
The best way to crack down on smoking is to nationalise the tobacco companies and close them down over the next 10 years, selling the plant for scrap and the buildings/land to recover the costs. Then fully legalise e-cigarettes.
That overlooks the black market, gave no indication on pricing while also overlooking tobacco companies are largely the suppliers of e-cigarettes.
The best way to crack down on smoking…
What really would be best would be if governments stopped seeing it as their job to “crack down” on people’s recreational drug use. As to your suggestion: excellent from the gangs’ point of view, not so hot for those of us who aren’t gang members.
considering very little tobacco is manufactured here legallly, fk all land or plant to sell, so dumb plan, BAT 75 pc market share and import every thing
I never said anything about banning tobacco, but anything has to be better than imposing further financial strain on the poor, and demonising those who smoke for various reasons — ie stress relief, food substitute, etc.
But we do need to fully legalise e-cigarettes. They are the future IMO.
thought for a new year….
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/51/6c/81/516c81e28334c9b3bec82e38fc945322.jpg
love it!
The twelfth day around Christmas and a finale of quotes on Friendship. And that is important to look for, and to find the genuine article.
To look for the good in people, and try to resist calling people you don’t agree with a piece of pus. I think handle it to try to limit responses to feisty people, one poke and then leave the aggro to settle.
Frankly I believe that the blog is being so constantly aggravated by provocative poisonous RW that don’t give a damn about a better world for all, that ithe blog’s good effect and value is being severely blunted. Limiting comment numbers per day would be one way of limiting the pollution, and everyone would be forced to limit their sayings or miss the chance for something meaningful. And this would deter them from starting flame wars because it would be wasting their opportunities to put forward their hopefully, intelligent, witty opinions.
+++
Happy New Year folks!
I predict that 2017 will be the year that deep-rooted and endemic corruption arising from the Neo-liberal private procurement model for public services (at local and central government) will be finally exposed.
As a result – I predict that the Neo-liberal myth, that ‘public is bad – private is good’, will be finally shattered, as the facts and evidence prove that the private procurement model, (contracting out of public services), is more costly, a less effective use of public (tax and rates) monies, and it breeds corruption.
That there are, in my view, billion$ of public monies being spent on ‘corporate welfare’, which could (and should) be spent on ‘people’s welfare’ – particularly our most vulnerable.
I predict that ‘the books’ will be opened, and the Public Records Act 2005, WILL be implemented and enforced, starting with Auckland Transport, and the following details of awarded contracts WILL be made available for public scrutiny:
* The unique contract number.
* The name of the consultant /contractor.
* A brief description of the scope of the contract.
* Contract start /finish dates.
* The exact dollar value of each and every contract – including those sub-contracted.
* How the contract was awarded – by direct appointment or public tender.
In order to help achieve this –
I shall be standing as an
‘anti-privatisation / anti-corruption’ Independent candidate in the upcoming Mt Albert by-election.
If you would like to help – please send me a personal message on Facebook.
Also – please help by SHARING this post!
2017 is going to be a DOOZY!
Starting today ……
🙂
Penny Bright
Good to see Penny that in the new year you have decided to stop peddling support for corruption and genocide in Syria.
http://litci.org/en/rami-makhlouf-a-corruption-poster-boy/
The sovereign government of Syria is gradually reasserting control and safety over the country.
Without help from the apologists for illegal foreign sponsored regime change, like yourself.
On this issue CV – I agree with you.
Kind regards
Penny Bright.
Really Penny?
Do you still really support the despotic junta in Syria that is responsible for over 400,000 deaths mostly from aerial bombardment?
If you do, I have to ask you; Are you and your new neo-fascist mates planning to disrupt the Mt Albert by-election by picketing the Green Party candidate?
Just like you have been harrassing the Syrian refugees?
https://thestandard.org.nz/voices-from-aleppo/#comment-1281292
Define ‘harassing’ Jenny?
In New Zealand, our democratic rights as citizens to freedom of expression and peaceful protest are protected by law under the NZ Bill of Rights Act 1990.
(Sections 14 and 16).
Perhaps you’d like to (re)read this legislation?
Kind regards
Penny Bright
From your non-answer Penny, can I take it that you don’t intend to break any laws, but that you do intend, to the limit the law allows disrupt the Mt Albert by-election by harrassing the Green Party candidate?
Penny, are these the sort of protests that you and your Far Right mates intend to mount against the Green Party candidate?
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/protesters-clash-in-auckland-over-killings-in-syria/
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11746979
Do you, or did you Jenny, support the ‘White Helmets’ in Aleppo, Syria – yes or no?
Asking nicely.
Kind regards
Penny Bright
(Who did not / does not support the ‘White Helmets’ in Aleppo, Syria.)
Absolutely, yes. I support the White Helmets. In my opinion, only a pschopathe wouldn’t.
What’s your point?
Make your mind up if you think people who question the authenticity of the White Helmets are psychopaths.
http://www.alternet.org/grayzone-project/how-white-helmets-became-international-heroes-while-pushing-us-military
http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/11/04/just-how-gray-are-the-white-helmets-of-syria/
But Paul, yesterday you were claiming Patrick Cockburn and Robert Fisk were the authoritative sources on the White Helmets, not the political activists at Alternet and Counterpunch. Did you finally notice that neither Cockburn nor Fisk actually make the claims you imply they do?
Alternet and Counterpunch aren’t authoritative sources on anything – in fact, the Counterpunch piece even offers regime propaganda sources like Vanessa Beeley, Solidarity with Syria and Russia Today as “raising investigation-based questions” about the White Helmets, rather than the more accurate “promoting the regime’s talking points.”
Any force that deliberately targets ambulances, search and rescue services and hospitals to quell and intimidate their opponents, whatever the pretext, are by definition psychopathic, and under the Geneva conventions, war criminals.
Missed this did you Jenny?
http://www.globalresearch.ca/fact-sheet-on-syrias-white-helmets/5549760
The White Helmets – here are a few facts that you need to know.
Share this to your family and friends who subsist on Western corporate media:
* The White Helmets, also called Syria Civil Defence, are not who they claim to be.
The group is not Syrian; it was created with USA/UK funding under the supervision of a British military contractor in 2013 in Turkey.
* The name “Syria Civil Defence” was stolen from the legitimate Syrian organization of the same name.
The authentic Syria Civil Defence was founded in 1953 and is a founding member of the International Civil Defense Organization (1958).
* The name “White Helmets” was inappropriately taken from the legitimate Argentinian relief organization Cascos Blancos / White Helmets. In 2014, Cascos Blancos / White Helmets was honored at the United Nations for 20 years of international humanitarian assistance.
* The NATO White Helmets are primarily a media campaign to support the ‘regime change’ goals of the USA and allies.
After being founded by security contractor James LeMesurier, the group was “branded” as the White Helmets in 2014 by a marketing company called “The Syria Campaign” managed out of New York by non-Syrians such as Anna Nolan. “The Syria Campaign” was itself “incubated” by another marketing company named “Purpose”.
……”
Kind regards
Penny Bright
PS: Yes – I was appalled to hear Green MP Julie-Ann Genter publicly support the ‘White Helmets’ at a recent anti-Assad / anti-Russia demonstration in Auckland.
I doubt Julie-Ann Genter loses any sleep over her speeches appalling the odd delusional crank.
Of course. Yes, I support the first responders known as the White Helmets absolutely. In my opinion, only a psychopath wouldn’t.
Let me Penny, ask you a question in return.
Do you support this?
What a ridiculous question.
Paul, you’re trying to engage with a fanatic. It’s pointless.
Morrissey, Do you dispute the fact that the destruction evidenced in the video was committed by the Assad regime?
Since the total destruction of this city described as “The Capital of the revolution” was undoubtably committed by the regime, and that Paul and yourself support that regime, I don’t think the question is “ridiculous” or “pointless” to give your answer, I am sure our readers would all like to know.
Do you Morrisey and Paul support the methods used by the regime to quell the uprising?
The fact that you refuse to answer these questions. Exposes the depth of either your hypocrisy and/or depravity.
The White Helmets are a foreign funded propaganda NGO which works closely with the former terrorists in East Aleppo.
Very few (if any) residents in East Aleppo ever saw them perform any actual rescue work.
Now that East Aleppo has been liberated, the White Helmets have basically disappeared with the rebels.
CV, since the White Helmets are targeted by the regime.
(Something which you support and even applaud)
What point are you trying to make?
Of course. Because they are not an impartial civil defence organisation.
They are a propaganda arm of the rebels.
What sort of reputable civil defence organisation would pull this shit:
And the white helmets have been in existence for a total of 3 years, for about as long as a war has been going on. Hmm?? The real Syrian Civil Defence was formed in 1953 and through western media we hear nothing about, it’s all the white helmets..
Rehearsal is an important part of getting the propaganda just right.
Rehearsal is also a very important part of getting a rescue just right.
Just ask any Fire Fighter of Ambo.
And remember that these are all civilian volunteers.
CV you may mock and sneer as much as you like.
But it is on same flimsy grounds, that you bring up here, that the regime have marked the White Helmets for death.
A position that you support and even applaud.
Not being a Dr I obviously can’t diagnose your view as psychopathic.
But in the common parlance of the lay person, it certainly looks like it to me.
Very few (if any) residents in East Aleppo ever saw them perform any actual rescue work.
You spout these assertions as though they were generally-agreed commonplaces. The fact is, you have no basis for that claim beyond fellow conspiracy theorists and regime propaganda. And even if it were true, it would leave open the not-insignificant question of who the fuck else you think was doing emergency response during the siege. This really is contemptible stuff.
Regardless, it has been sorted. Peace has been returned to Aleppo. Ankara, the CIA and the Pentagon have lost their proxy war for that city.
For the love of God C.V. Psych Milt has a point. They were actually boots on the ground trying to help people, it’s just plain wrong to condemn them for trying to help.
CV is fucking mental
6 years ago all this Alepo bullshit kicked off with a series of 13 suicide bombings, Assades response was America is funding terrorism. The western response was you lie. The Wikileaks says Saudi sponsors ISIS.
And it’s been a gradual decay of western debate ever since.
Cheap ad hom is cheap.
No; the White Helmets were propaganda actors aligned with the terrorist rebels.
They weren’t actual civil defence, they had no presence independent of terrorist fighters, eg they never performed rescues in government held areas of western Aleppo that were under attack from the rebels, they never assisted the Syrian Arab Army in helping rescue civilians.
Further. The western ground game is a myth. They’ve been kindly asked to leave every time they but in.
Iraq asked Turcky to fuck off, US backed rebels have been asked to fuck off because they attract Russian bombs and so on.
I repeat, the entire western ground game is a myth. Happy to provid links upon request
…they never performed rescues in government held areas of western Aleppo that were under attack from the rebels, they never assisted the Syrian Arab Army in helping rescue civilians.
Uh, duh-uh – the regime has its own civil defence operating in regime-held areas, and any of these guys operating there or trying to “assist the Syrian Arab Army” would be arrested immediately as terrorists and tortured for details of where to find all their friends. Maybe you haven’t noticed, but there’s a civil war happening in Syria.
Honestly Milt. This isn’t some hurricane to mope up after. It’s a war zone. Even the US bombed these guys. And when some jihadi wana be disobeys US orders. The Pentagon organises an attack starting with a bombing campaign so stupid moderate rebels form up on the front lines and America says, nah boi, no bombs today. And those rebels get fucked beyond all recognition, then the US points the finger and says see, Assad bad, US good. Your being played by the White House bro.
If you are trying to find a moral high ground out of all this, there isn’t any.
Which is why Russia and Iran finally stepped in, in a big way, to sort out the US/NATO/Turkish run “Assad must go” regime change proxy war programme in Syria.
Maybe it was the real Syria Civil Defence? The one that became a member of the International Civil Defence Organisation in 1972 and appears to have some international street cred. The white helmets came into existence 41 years later, so it can’t be them.
http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/11/04/just-how-gray-are-the-white-helmets-of-syria/
Maybe the regime was providing civil defence services within the rebel-held areas it was busy bombarding? And doing it invisibly so that no-one knew it was happening? I can’t stop the loons at Counterpunch from putting deranged shit on the web, but it would be nice if the people reading it applied their brains while doing so.
Ok, so its attack the source time and ignore the ICDO certified civil defence info.
You know quite well why the established civil defence is completely ignored by the media. It doesn’t fit the narrative.
No, it’s attack-the-logic-fail time. Ridiculing the source of the logic fail was an aside.
I do know quite well why the official civil defence was ignored in media coverage about the siege of east Aleppo – it’s because the regime doesn’t operate emergency services in rebel-held areas, for fairly obvious reasons. That’s also the reason why unofficial first response groups were set up in the first place. No amount of peddling conspiracy theories about a “narrative” can alter that.
And this:
Now that East Aleppo has been liberated [sic], the White Helmets have basically disappeared with the rebels.
No fucking shit, Sherlock? Now that the bombardment’s stopped and the winners are keen to apply torture or summary execution to anyone involved in making them look bad these last few years, the White Helmets aren’t holding any parades in the streets? It’s just plain unfathomable!
The Russians and the Assad government allowed rebels and their sympathisers to peacefully leave Aleppo with their light arms and head away to ISIS held territory.
Therefore any summary executions and ad hoc reprisals by the Syrian Arab Army in Aleppo are likely to be minimal.
Remember, unlike the foreign Islamist fighters, many members of the Syrian Arab Army actually grew up and lived in Aleppo – it is their home town and their home neighbourhoods that they have liberated.
BTW there are plenty of statements from Eastern Aleppo residents that the rebels when in charge performed many summary executions, torture, shooting of civilians who tried to leave the area, etc.
Irrelevant. My points were:
1. Now that there’s no bombardment, it follows that there’s no guys in white helmets digging people out of the rubble after a bombardment.
2. These guys have actively made the regime look bad in the international media. They’re not going to share your sanguine appraisal of the likelihood of reprisals for that.
You’re clearly not that smart if you think that legitimate Civil Defence activities cease when the bombs stop falling.
Because that’s when legitimate civil defence efforts START.
Distributing emergency supplies, identifying individuals and families with medical needs, ensuring that communities are kept informed, checking and clearing each and every apartment in every apartment block for people who are wounded or need any other help.
So where are all these White Helmets doing all these necessary Civil Defence activities?
***POOOF*** gone
Do you even know what a civil war is? Because your comments give the impression you don’t.
For the benefit of any new readers, the Public Records Act does not control making available to the public any information about either central or local government dealings. That is instead a function of the Official Information Act (OIA) and the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA).
Wishing all a happy and truth-filled year.
Here’s the underpinning legislation folks.
Read it for yourselves:
The Public Records Act 2005 – section 17:
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2005/0040/latest/DLM345729.html
17. Requirement to create and maintain records
(1) Every public office and local authority must create and maintain full and accurate records of its affairs, in accordance with normal, prudent business practice, including the records of any matter that is contracted out to an independent contractor.
______________________
Have you studied the 225 page reasons for the decision of Justice Sally Fitzgerald in the unprecedented bribery and corruption conviction of a corrupt contractor and two corrupt public officials, who both worked for Rodney District Council and then Auckland Transport?
It shows what happens when you don’t have full and accurate public records, and there is a ‘culture of collaboration’ between public officials and contractors?
$1.2 million in bribes – that’s just between one corrupt public official and one corrupt contractor.
This Judgment, in my view, completely vindicates what I’ve been saying for years about corruption in New Zealand.
I look forward to more people paying attention.
Some are.
Have you read the two latest investigative articles about corruption in the NBR by Karyn Scherer?
I recommend you do.
Kind regards
Penny Bright
As noted above, “made available for public scrutiny” is not a function of the Public Records Act. Penny has been told this many, many times now. The public deserve better than wilful ignorance.
Really Sacha?
Would you like to share with us the basis for your supposed ‘expertise’ on the Public Records Act 2005?
And share with us, if you would, information which pertains to any consultancy work you may have obtained from Auckland Council or any Auckland Council Controlled Organisation (CCO), if that is the case?
Kind regards
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption campaigner.’
Give me a break Penny, for a self styled anti-corruption campaigner you openly support one of the most corrupt and murderous political family dynasties on the planet. First equal with the Kim’s of North Korea.
http://litci.org/en/rami-makhlouf-a-corruption-poster-boy/
Answer the question Penny
P.S. First asked here below
Being able to read a law is not rare expertise. I have no intention of debating matters of fact with a recidivist dunce, let alone a malicious one.
Indeed.
Someone who imperiously demands that you answer her questions. And then when you do, arrogantly refuses to reciprocate, when you ask her a question.
So Penny, are you, or are you not, planning protests against the Green Party candidate in the Mt Albert by-election?
I have now read much of the Judge’s reasoning. It becomes clear that successful prosecutions were possible only because the records held by public agencies including AT were kept in accordance with the Public Records Act. Nothing in that law stops somebody lying on a Conflict of Interest form, but preserving the evidence can be helpful later.
The year that might be: Fairfax political predictions for 2017
Number 19. There will be one more political bombshell in 2017 that will change the course of the election and install Andrew Little as prime minister.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/87902265/the-year-that-might-be-our-political-predictions-for-2017
Interesting. However I don’t see Little as having a good chance against the National candidate.
I don’t think Marama Fox will be a one term only MP.
There will be plenty more of the unexpected.
And more violence against civilians internationally – like this mass shooting by 2 “Santas” in Istanbul.
We live in uncertain and brutal times.
I see the Stuff predictions have nothing to say about poverty and inequality – not interested. To them politics is just a game – and a one of power.
you have to watch out for Marama Fox. She is a hardline social conservative who opposes homosexuality, abortion, decriminalization of cannabis use, sex education in school, and supports the religous indocrination of South Auckland youth via charter schools.
Pity. She’s been very good on poverty and homelessness, etc.
I’m still surprised the Stff prediction is that she won’t be r-elected next year. I thought she’d been a strong performer.
Yeah she’s a strong pollie alright and she has a natural personality for it, she deserves to get back in no matter what people think of her I reckon.
She is useless on the environment having caved in to the right on the RMA
millsy
Do you have a handy link about Marama Fox detailing all that stuff? She is a strong speaker and though I had heard her say some RW style things, I did hope that she would be a progressive voice for Maori.
http://www.noted.co.nz/currently/profiles/maori-party-co-leader-marama-fox-interview/
millsy
Great thanks.
Marama is a five to one outsider and Meka has performed as good as Marama. I just don’t see Fox overcoming her 8000 vote deficit http://www.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2014/electorate-66.html
Unintended irony by the Herald on Sunday
Page 1 ( channelling Paul Henry and Mike Hosking)
‘Welcome to 2017 in the greatest little country on Earth’
Page 2 ( only story) ‘Homeless man told to live in car.’
My predictions for 2017. A national / act / nz first government.
Andrew little replaced by Grant Robertson with jacinda and deputy.
There is a better than even chance of this happening, IMO, particularly if National plays the shell game I think it is. A low party vote means Little may not even get back into Parliament.
Indeed.
Little needs a seat – they are too close to having zero list MP’s on some polling.
I think not going for Kings seat was a major mistake from him.
Then again he prob knows without winning the election he is toast anyway.
I wouldn’t write Labour off just yet. It all depends on whether or not Little chooses to seize the initiative at the start of the year.
US Govt Data Shows Russia Used Outdated Ukrainian PHP Malware
Oh oh oh another prediction. Little will try to chicken out on the hagamans court case.
he cannot afford to lose that either (or his house).