‘Tens of thousands rally in Madrid demanding end to austerity
Inspired by events in Greece, support grows for Podemos and its call for a new political order.’
In the Swedish study, they’re differentiating between milk, and fermented products like cheese and yoghurt.
“Further analysis showed a positive association between milk intake and biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation.
In contrast, a high intake of fermented milk products with a low lactose content (including yoghurt and cheese) was associated with reduced rates of mortality and fracture, particularly in women.”
I would posit two things here. One is that modern diets are high in refined sugars and so eating another high sugar food like milk is probably overloading people into earlier deaths from things like Syndrome X (via insulin resistance). This is true for big populations that have been studied like the US. I don’t know what the usual diets are like in Sweden.
The other is that traditional diets all over the world have prioritised fermented milk over unfermented. They also drink milk raw. These are crucial differences.
That article you link to has a pretty misleading and narrow visioned public health control approach to raw milk, so I wouldn’t take anything it says too seriously. It also fails to point out that the Swedish researchers say there is a correlation but no proven causation between milk consumption and early death, and completely ignores that the findings for fermented dairy were the opposite. This is typical of much superficial health reporting, and it’s also grossly negligent IMO. You need to go to professional medical and health journalists if you want to understand the research and what it means.
The Asian thing is a different story, because most people in east Asian countries are not genetically adapted to eating milk (although I’m curious about the cross overs between India/Tibet/Nepal etc and East Asia and where dairy stops being a traditional staple). The low fracture rate can also be attributed to other things in the diet rather than absence of milk.
Moderation is thr mantra.
Cheese yes cheese has been shown to be the most Dangerous food when it comes to strokes.
Those with a high consumption of cheese are the most likely to die of strokes.
High in fat and very high in salt!
are the reasons.
With our government about to hack into state housing, we will soon be in the state London is in.
‘Thousands gather in London to protest against lack of affordable housing
The March for Homes brings together campaigners, tenants and trade unionists to demand building of council homes and curbing of private rents.’
The self-serving vitriol of these wrong white clowns drowns out the most interesting implications of what Catton was really talking about. The fundamental problem here is that New Zealand doesn’t invest enough in growing strong and stable institutions to nurture and develop its next generation of leaders, thinkers and creators.
Never thought I’d recommend a Rodney Hide column but this is interesting reading.
“Little spoke of reducing inequality. Good. And even here he was interesting: he says the spin-off of reducing inequality is better growth. That, too, would be better for business and farmers.
Jobs and growth are his focus. And small business. That sets him apart from Key who, in his deals with Warner Bros, SkyCity and Rio Tinto, is tied to the big end of town.”
Yes I missed Normans comments? Look I support the greens I have voted for them once it’s the tarring us all as ecological destroyer s that I will attack at every chance.
Just yesterday weka said something about farmers pouring shit into the rivers and that is a lie on the odd occasion a farmer gets caught literally doing that the book gets thrown at them and rightly so.
I let it pass and I shouldn’t have.
I have no doubt that that over stocking, use of urea and over irrigation is degrading rivers but as for pouring shit into the river, not happening and if any knows were it is they should report it.
I have no doubt that that over stocking, use of urea and over irrigationpouring shit into rivers is degrading rivers but as for pouring shit into the river, not happening and if any knows were it is they should report it.
FTFY
It’s not just that farmers are pouring shit into the rivers but that we have far too much land as farms. We need to decrease the amount of farms to be enough to feed us and that’s it.
I don’t live in a town or city but rain is good so I get mine downstream from the clouds.
I would never say there are no good farmers – hell I know a few – but the bad ruin it for everyone – the good farmers have to tidy up their sandpit (farmers) rather than just hold their hands up pleading ignorance – they derive their profit from the commons and i think they are responsible to the commons too. And the same for cityfolk.
I’ve suggested to 3 bosses and two neighbours in the sheep n beef industry that they had a few creeks that would be easy to fence off it didn’t achieve much .
It’s going to take laws to make a change unfortunately.
I didn’t say farmers pour shit into rivers. I said NZers think it’s ok to pour shit into rivers. And I think it was obvious from the conversation that I didn’t mean this literally, but that we allow our rivers to be polluted by farming, mostly dairy farming. That’s not actually in dispute. Do you need a link?
I think you will also find that I’m one of the ones that’s been arguing recently for not lumping all farmers into one evil group and that it’s better to name the ones that are causing problems.
As for the GP, I suggest that you stop reading the spin via the media and go directly to the GP and see what they have to say about farming. They’re actually very supportive and progressive. You can look at their policy, which you may or may not agree with, but it’s not anti-farmer. You probably remember that Jeanette Fitzsimons was a farmer before during and after she was an MP and co-leader of the GP, and I see a lot of her influence in GP attitudes.
Yes, I know what you were referring to and I know what I said. I’ve just given you a detailed explanation of that. Did you even read it? How about you respond to my points?
edit, and just to make it really fucking clear, here’s what I said,
but these people are just getting on with doing the right thing by the land while NZ still thinks it’s acceptable to clear native ecosystems and pour cow shit into the water.
That’s not a statement about farmers, it’s a statement about NZers. As I explained.
Yeah, I don’t get it. Do you mean the greenies will be angry that Labour mentioned farmers? Bit subtle for me I’m afraid.
btw, I don’t think Little was talking about farming in his speech. He was talking about Fonterra, and the context was business productivity and worker rights. He did mention something about payouts but again, it was in the context of how the unions and Fonterra worked together.
I think it’s important to read as a warning that Little still intends to let business run the show. The planet cannot afford growth any more. We have to discover how to live without it.
When Rodney Hide likes something, I worry even more. It’s quite possible they can see Key is on a downward slope and are grooming a right wing successor. Little already caved on squirrel powers. What is he going to give away without a fight next?
FJK and FAL.
I disagree with your interpretation, I think Hide is just doing what all the other rightwingers have done in the wake of the state of the nation.
Farrar and Hooton instantly jumped on the talk about small business to say “oh, but if you really cared about small business you’d scrap the policy to abolish 90-day trials!”
Now Hide is trying to goad Labour into doing something stupid by “praising” Little as a non-leftwing leader. Look at the way he wilfully quotes “it’s important to create wealth before you can share it” then re-writes it one sentence later as “it’s important to create wealth before you can spend it.” It’s the same old rightwing claptrap about Labour being a terrifying tax-and-spend party. He’s dogwhistling to the right on one hand and trying to unsettle the left with the other.
Hard case that Rodney Hide believes the best way to find out what politicians are about is to listen to what they say – see opening line of the article.
By his own example that’s hardly good advice. Remember ThePerkBuster of yore ?
Again and again and again he said he was a straight-up, rort-hating type of guy.
Many people listened and believed that he was indeed what he said. Then it turns out that all along he was as bad a free-loading rorter, trougher, junketer, hypocrite as anyone. So no, listening doesn’t inform, particularly in respect of the Right.
The rest of his article – faint praise he can invoke later on to claim objectivity and balance. He remains an extreme right wing fantasist who’ll engage DP at will. Not to be trusted. Especially not on the score of what he says.
I never read Roddy’s columns why would I he is a non event politically and a certified failure.
Try NOT reading them a save your bloodpressure.
His last task of any note was throwing the carefully studied and thought out
plan for Auckland City into the rubbish bin and coming up with his version in a matter of months. Enough said.
And there’s more from NZH where they report on a 3 News/Reid Research poll and asks Has Key met his match?
A 3 News Reid-Research poll has revealed 55 per cent of voters think Little is potentially a better match for Prime Minister John Key than his Labour Party leader predecessors.
3 News political editor Patrick Gower said the poll result was a huge boost for Little.
“It means more than half of voters think he can do a better job than Phil Goff, David Shearer or David Cunliffe,” Gower said.
“And the fact that it’s over half shows it’s well and truly beyond the people who vote for Labour normally and into centre voters and probably some National voters as well.”
It’s too soon to tell, and Labour’s recovery will take more than Little to step up a few notches, but this poll result looks promising for Little’s prospects.
Little said the poll result was “nice” but he wouldn’t be taking any false hope from it.
“Things like this kind of go up and down. You’re in favour and you’re out of favour … it’s nice to have the kind of start that I’ve had. But we’ve got a long way to go yet and a lot of work to do so I’m focused on that.”
Little sounds realistic about where he’s at now.
So this is promising for Little but more important for Labour will be the party poll result, which will be revealed on 3 New tonight at 6 pm.
Pretty shifty there Petey. After yesterday’s all out troling, a pretty much unanimous cry from participants to stop, including being being told off by a moderator, you’ve picked a topic that all the lefties here might agree with and will want to talk about despite it meaning having you in the conversation.
It would be nice to think you learnt something yesterday, but I think the thread showed that the community had learnt something instead.
I think you have a lot of bridges to mend before you can expect to take part here in any genuine way.
Are you really thick? You could either:
1. Ignore the comment
2. Comment on the content
3. Start a new thread on the topic
4. Make it all about your petty crusade.
How about these idiot pollsters actually run polls on topic’s that people care about. Who gives a toss about dead beat former Labour leaders like Goff, Shearer, and too a lesser extent DC.
How about polling the U turn on further asset sales, given John Key wearing his National leaders hat categorically stated ‘no more asset sales’ during the last election campaign.
The Aussies in Queensland just threw the Tories out for the sheer mention of asset sales.
Did you vote for National to further sell public assets?
A public march protesting selling off state housing should be on the cards. Might see what can be arranged for up at Waitangi. Bit of a focus on asset sales might make the Nats visit that little bit more unpleasant.
Petty George.
Your Wikipedia stats don’t match up to stats nz or treasury numbers.
Quite often wikipedia is historically inaccurate as it is a popularity contest.
And often Right wing spuriously funded insitutes Spam Wikipedia to alter historical facts!
Yeeha! Good news from Queensland. The toxic little imitation of a man, Campbell Bjelke-Newman, has gone. Now I’m hoping for a reconstituted Crime and Misconduct Commission to put a few of the corrupt inbreds in prison.
That and reversing newmans gutting of the party donations legislation Anna Bligh rolled out so they could do as has been done here.
Unlike here Newman couldn’t own the MSM and had the bad luck / karma of getting on the wrong side of Alan jones over a mine in his home area. Jonesy paid out on him big time.
That and the perception that Campbell comes across as an arrogant bullying establishment twat.
Jones works in NSW. The LNP does pretty much run the Queensland media. The Courier Mail, Brisbane’s only daily, is a piece of Murdoch trash. It makes Whalespew look balanced.
Jones was raised in Acland, west of Brisbane where a coal mine expansion isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
Yes he works in Sydney, most of the top shock jocks do but they treasure their Aussie battler image, good for the ratings etc and Newman went up against that.
That’s such a great write up Shane, thanks. Her story covers so many important points, esp about the failures of legal meds and the problems when medical staff get stuck in their prejudices about pain syndromes. Very good to hear the success too, and the details on how she figured out what to do.
btw, your blog is looking good. Nice layout, uncluttered, easy to read and access, all of which is important for people in pain. The only thing I’d suggest is changing the header texts to a dark colour as the white is hard to read.
Hang on, did you just say that I’m having a go at you by commenting positively to someone else when you’re not even in the conversation??
I’ve not serially sneered at your efforts/postings on dak. I’ve said I can’t read your comments because you insist on posting illiterately. Apart from you being pro-cannabis, I don’t actually know much about your position.
You’ve done this before phil, confused my critiques of your position on veganism with my non-critiques of your views on cannabis. I suggest from now on you link to show what you are talking about, otherwise I’ll just be telling you to fuck right off.
funny you’re making plenty of comments like you actually do give a fuck – you know, often the trailblazer doesn’t get the recognition they covert but that doesn’t mean the contribution wasn’t valuable
I know your supportive Phil, my POV is from the middle using rational arguments, I haven’t read your work, but If you are a sufferer yourself, you may not be looking at things from the other side of the fence? this post was to appeal to Tory concerns of cost etc, one less person a sickness benny, but there are many more like her.
Get over yourself, FFS. There was no passive aggression in weka’s comment. There was in your one about PG’s clothing. You should just be happy that someone is pushing something that you agree with. Try it.
bummer. WordPress went more towards paid in recent years. You used to be able to get themes with lots of control for free. The theme you are using is very nice otherwise though.
Jesus phil, if you’re trying to convince us that you really don’t care about weka paying someone else positive attention you’re going about it all wrong.
Last time phil did this, in the Spring, it was the claim that while he was on his ban I’d “pumped out yr (un-cited/footnoted) prohibitionist/anti-pot bullshit while i wasn’t here”.
I tried to point out that wasn’t true and eventually posted this comment, which is a search engine result for the time period in question, of weka +cannabis. The results show that I am pro-use and pro-decriminalisation (which I am).
What I didn’t say in that thread was that while phil was on his ban I posted some critical comments about vegan diets when they are presented as the one true way for all humans (I would link but the search still doesn’t go back past 35 pages. 35 pages of phil’s comments only takes us back to the end of Dec).
I think phil has gotten confused between his two pet projects and is now set in his head that I am anti-pot. I’m not even anti-vegan except where it’s presented as the one true way or as a quick fix for CC/the environment.
Phil, I haven’t said I can’t read your comments, I’ve said they are difficult for me to read so I don’t usually bother. Please don’t distort what I say. It’s starting to look like you are making up another lie about me.
Now, unless you can link to back up your assertions about me, I’m just going to keep linking back to this comment and the link above to demonstrated what you are more than happy to tell lies about someone even when you’ve been proven wrong (twice).
Categorising weka’s response as “fawning” because she gives a few simple compliments on a new blogger’s work is a sad little tactic.
You have outright lied about weka’s past behaviour and comments in order to fabricate a “pattern” to justify your harassment.
I’m also in the club of people who, 95% of the time, scroll past anything you say because it’s rarely worth the effort of interpretation. But when I see you having a personal go at someone just because they liked someone else’s work and didn’t kiss your ass sufficiently to your liking, I make the effort.
Question:
Does NZ still have some sort of press club – as in 4th Estate?
Back in the 70’s there used to be a primitive sort of thing in Hobson Street where various journalists went to get pissed as newts – even then nothing like the Australian Press Club that provides a venue where journalists and jonolists can have politicians give speeches and call them to account.
Henry, hoskings, Sabin, Simpson, young, hide etc as one subset of them with public declarations of support for national and or family connections before we start on the ones who play the impartial commenter role.
All that and DP thrown in for good measure, relentlessness and effective is what it has grown into while the sheeple graze on gazing at their house values thinking all is well in my world.
as I imagined then. One where they all go to get pissed and feed off each others egos. Where is it? The TVNZ caf, or Backbenches, or Mermaid’s possibly? Or maybe Barry and Heather’s basement?
“Shoot him in the back of the head.”
The BBC’s comedy crisis is now more than just a sick joke.
Since it was effectively spavined following its brief deviation into the reporting of facts that exposed government crimes in 2003 [1], the BBC has turned into nothing much more than the propaganda arm of the British government. In the rare event that a dissident, no matter how brilliant and respected, appears on a show like HARDtalk, he or she is almost inevitably hectored and ceaselessly interrupted, [2] in stark contrast to the virtually open forum accorded the continual stream of paid government, corporate and military spokespeople who appear.
The BBC has moved to censor, curb and/or ban its own “unacceptable” and critical voices too: clever and thoughtful talents like Frankie Boyle are systematically excluded from its increasingly anodyne comedy panel shows. Even the hilarious—and nonpolitical—Jack Dee was recently in danger of being censored by the mediocracy in charge of the modern BBC, [3] while crude, racist, unfunny but government-friendly louts like Jeremy Clarkson are indulged repeatedly. [4]
And now the BBC, which has given the world such immortal comedy-writing teams as Galton and Simpson, Croft and Perry, Esmonde and Larbey, Jay and Lynn, Clement and La Frenais, Curtis and Atkinson—to name only a few at random from a stratosphere of brilliance—has commissioned a team of “comedy” writers to make light of the British government’s persecution of the dissident journalist Julian Assange. I say “make light of” advisedly, because in case anyone harboured any lingering hope that the BBC might extend even a hint of fair treatment to Cabinet Enemy No. 1, consider this grim fact: the writer of this new “comedy” once called for the police to publicly shoot the Wikileaks founder in the head.
The Corporation’s comedy crisis, which was already painfully obvious, is now an unmitigated embarrassment. We are now accepting from the BBC the kind of anti-dissident ridicule that spewed out of Moscow in the 1930s and ’40s, and out of Peking in the 1960s and 70s. I would not be surprised at all to see some vicious moron like A.A. Gill appear on a special broadcast some time soon and start ranting from his prepared script: “It is our aim to expose and criticize the ways in which the political swindler Julian Assange made use of reactionary trends and reactionary schools of thought to attack the proletariat, so that we can fight more effectively against such swindlers.”
And they say the AMERICANS have no sense of irony…
Fury over BBC writer’s ‘kill Assange’ tweet Chortle, 30 January 2015
The writer of the BBC’s new comedy inspired by Julian Assange once called for the police to publicly shoot the Wikileaks founder in the head.
Supporters of Assange say tweets Thom Phipps posted about him were ‘shocking’ and ‘dangerous’ – and make him unfit to write about the issue. BBC Four’s new three-part sitcom Asylum is inspired by the controversial figure’s enforced stay in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. He took refuge there in June 2012 to escape extradition to Sweden on sexual assault charges, which he fears will pave the way for him to be sent to the US to face an espionage trial.
Two months after Assange was given political asylum, Phipps posted: ‘If the met [police] want to regain my trust they should drag Assange out the embassy + shoot him in the back of th head in the middle of traf square.’ Phipps now says: ‘It was something I tweeted over two years ago and it was clearly a joke.’
However, backers of Assange took the issue more seriously, and have complained to the BBC over its ‘shameful’ decision to employ Phipps. One of them, Emmy Butlin, said Phipps ‘advocated for the public extrajudicial assassination’ of the Wikileaks founder and queried why the corporation would ’employ someone with extreme views’ to write the comedy.
She is also angry that the show is to air as part of the BBC’s Taking Liberties season to mark the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, saying: ‘Mr Phipps has called for Mr Assange’s assassination, going against the most fundamental principals.’
On her blog she also highlighted another tweet Phipps made in 2012, saying: ‘its cool to imagine assange as a spartacus figure cuz that means he’s going to be forcibly nailed to a piece of wood at one point.’
Another blog, Domestic Empire, complained that the ‘writer chosen to write Assange-inspired comedy advocates murder over democratic free speech’.
Butlin complained to the Corporation saying: ‘I find it offensive that Mr Phipps who has publicly incited violence and propagated the murder of Mr Assange, has been employed by the BBC’ and calling for action…..
Sorry, weka. My words are the first four paragraphs, and then I cite the article from Chortle. Maybe I should just give the link in future after my preamble.
Most people on ts are using either blockquote or italics to quote, or if it’s very short, “double quotes”. It’s a kind of informal house style. Not saying you have to use these, you may find another way, but it’s that same thing of making comments accessible and respecting the readers enough to make it clear what you are saying, and what is something else’s words (that’s respect for the other writers too).
Short but crucial reading for anyone wanting to understand more about the role of women in Islam in the US context. I think there are also things here for the West to learn about the value of gender specific spaces, and how culture affects that.
David Seymour is reported as saying “The worst thing I could do is to prejudge it if there isn’t anything perverse,”
So he was saying perversion is the point at which they can be prejudged, which might be unwelcome news by any who have been falsely accused of a crime.
This battleground between indigenous people and projects designed to maintain the extravagant western lifestyles is HOT and will continue to heat up.
The LA Times indicates, we are at a “Flashpoint” between competing value-systems. Bodies have been exhumed, and geoglyphs destroyed, in an area that is a long-term indigenous settlement.
“Who Are My People?” depicts how the world’s energy firms like Solar Millennium, have met their match in a small group of Native American elders, in the hottest desert on the planet.
The film takes us behind the scenes of two of the largest solar projects in the world,
“fast tracked” by US renewable energy policies.
It’s why the whole green tech as saviour thing is just wrong, because it keeps us in the same belief systems, value systems and behaviours as what got us in this mess in the first place. It won’t solve CC, and even if it did we would still fuck up all the other things that are consequences of humans ruling the world.
Am I missing something or is John Roughan actually saying something quite on to it here?
Basic benefits have been increasing with the cost of living as measured by the consumer prices index, which was generous in the 1970s when wages could never quite catch galloping inflation.
Since the reforms of the 80s, New Zealand has enjoyed low inflation and economic growth that has enabled wages to rise more than prices, increasing the national living standard.
Boston and Chapple make a good case for increasing benefits by the rate of average wage rises.
It is strange that Labour did not make this change 10 or more years ago when it had budget surpluses, National should do now. Ideally, it would backdate the increases as far as surpluses might permit, giving benefits quite a boost in the next few years.
I find this:
“Since the reforms of the 80s, New Zealand has enjoyed low inflation and economic growth that has enabled wages to rise more than prices, increasing the national living standard.”
Hard to square with this:
“child … poverty rate in recent years has been around 25%; this is almost twice the rate experienced during the 1980s, which averaged about 13%” (Perry 2012, 124)
How so? Isn’t that the discrepancy between beneficiaries and wager earners, with child poverty being weighted into the beneficiary group? I would expect the increase in standard of living just means some people are doing way better and others are doing worse ie they’re not using a very subtle measuring tool.
I imagine he is technically correct, and the average standard of living has increased.
Real shame that during that time the percentage of children in poverty has nearly doubled.
Might be worth seeing if the median standard of living has increased.
Well he is of the class that has done very well out of the 80s reforms, so I expect he is blind, probable willfully blind, to the numbers of people that haven’t done well.
I don’t know how they measure standard of living. Hopefully a boffin will post.
The child poverty increased with the Richardson black budget which slashed beneficiary rates – and these have never been increased back to the level they were at during the 1980s.
“So far, the biggest hurdle has been the environmental concerns.”
Wrong!
By far, the biggest hurdle has been concerns about climate change.
The Keystone XL requires an appraisal by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) and approval by both Congress and the President.
So far, the biggest hurdle has been the environmental concerns.
Most of them have been dealt with in a preliminary DOS finding (the full report has yet to be released) and with the recent verdict by Nebraska that the pipeline poses no environmental threat.
DR. KENT MOORS Oil and energy investor
As students prepare to return to their studies in a few weeks, many will be wondering how on earth they will be able to afford it, and survive getting a mortgage of student debt many years before the can dream of owning a home. Let’s remember that when we help the next generation to fulfil its potential, we help our whole country to be the best it can be. Labour will do a ground-up review of student loans and allowances when next in office.
David Cunliffe on Facebook.
I for one hope that means scrapping the student loan scheme is on the table.
It’s time NZ started following international best practice, by making education free, rather than continuing to unthinkingly follow failed ideology. This applies to other policies too.
Be nice to see Labour wake up from its market fundamentalist stupor.
I wonder if they are going to announce Gerry Brownlee comes out in support of his mini me national list MP to seek the party nomination to contest the candidacy and become the next Northland MP. This comes after he failed to beat Shane Reti for the Whangarei candidacy. Brownlee is rumoured to be heading to Waitangi in an attempt to secure the nod for his mini me from party members.
Apparently Gerrys errant boy has contacted the head chef at the Copthorpe hotel Waitangi and will be forwarding Gerrys dietary requests, including his favorite pork pie recipe.
The whole 200kg pig is spit roasted and then pastry wrapped and glazed. The newbie MP’s get briefed not to get too close to Brownlee whilst eating his pork pie. Appears Gerry is well known for lashing out at the trough, guess you just have to look at Nic Smiths scarred face as proof.
That’s not actually true.
It’s just that few people are so obsessed with whinging that they push that particular barrow at the slightest (and yes, it was very slight) excuse.
Depends on the audience.
I thought it was pretty reasonable.
And (sadly) one of the few times I could both understand and agree with ure, the thread gets zonked by someone who can’t just feel happy about recognising the success of others without turning it into a whinge-fest.
Just watched TV3 news & Gower was showing his bias & arse licking towards Key & was blatantly putting the knife into Andrew Little, while reporting on the latest poll. Every time I see Gower or hear his voice it makes me want to puke.
I wondered how long it would take Gower to put the knife in to Andrew Little.
Looks like Dirty Politics part 2 has begun
National would have drawn its gains from the Cons and NZF. Labour would have made its gains from the Greens, NZF and IMP. Internet-Mana is pretty much dead (although I wouldn’t rule out Harawira making a successful run in 2017).
NZF is the big loser in this poll. As Little continues to build his profile, he should start pulling some soft National supporters too as the year progresses.
I also think international trends will play into 2017. We ‘re looking at a single-term LNP government in Australia and in the UK Labour are enjoying a narrow lead (with the further spoiler of UKIP likely to split the Tory vote in this year’s election). Our electoral outlook may synch up with the rest of the Anglosphere.
Yes the Tories have wreacked havoc in the UK, Cameron and his cronies will be sent packing as will idiot Abbott in OZ.
Which makes things a lot easier here. Little is smart enough to either get the Left leaders out here or get on a plane and go on a visit to strengthen relationships. Key should get the cold shoulder from them.
New Zealander’s are sheep and if the slogan ‘time for a change’ is repeated often enough they will duly oblige by voting the Nats out. The odds are Key will hand over the leadership once the worm really turns. Sabin’s hurried exit is the start of a bad year for Key and it will get worst I’m picking.
I just hope you are right.
I am worried the government will press ahead with the TPP, charter schools, destroying the RMA, and privatising health and housing further.
Key is desperate to comply with instructions from America to get the TPPA signed and our fate sealed, the EMA is all part and parcel. The Maori-Tory party should ethically cross the house as the TPPA & RMA reforms will lead to bad outcomes for Maori in particular.
Anyway the last anti TPPA rallies were well attended, I can see huge crowds at the next round.
If only our opposition politicians dealt with our media the way Greece’s New Finance Minister handles a Newsnight Interview.
Greece’s new finance minister Yanis Varoufakis interviewed on 30 January 2015 on BBC’s Newsnight.
“As a fan of the BBC, I must say I was appalled by the depths of inaccuracy in the reporting underpinning this interview (not to mention the presenter’s considerable rudeness).Still, and despite the cold wind on that balcony, it was fun!” – Yanis Varoufakis
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Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
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People in Britain are hearing about greedy, bully boy and culture less government.
Eleanor Catton has shone a light on its crassness.
Good on her.
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jan/30/eleanor-catton-blasts-critics-jingoistic-national-tantrum
And a good article explains how Key and Plunket have proved the point Catton was making.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11394725
Europe in revolt.
‘Tens of thousands rally in Madrid demanding end to austerity
Inspired by events in Greece, support grows for Podemos and its call for a new political order.’
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/31/podemos-spain-austerity-rally-madrid-syriza
(gratified to see my milk-health-concerns seeping thru into the mainstream/corporate-media.)
“..Milk does the body good? – A look at science..
..RECENT QUESTIONS:
Some scientists have begun to question previous statements about milk’s benefits.
For example – some researchers have noted low fracture rates in Asian countries where little milk is consumed-
– and questioned whether there is enough evidence to support the federal milk consumption recommendations.
What’s more – some studies have linked milk to risk of ovarian and prostate cancers–
– though many scientists believe more research is needed before drawing conclusions about milk as a cause.
THE SWEDISH STUDY
Last year a Swedish study published in a British medical journal –
– found women who drank three or more glasses a day died at a nearly twice the rate of those who drank less than one glass a day.
Broken bones were more common in women who were heavy milk drinkers – too..”
(cont..)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/well-good/teach-me/65631672/milk-does-the-body-good-a-look-at-science
In the Swedish study, they’re differentiating between milk, and fermented products like cheese and yoghurt.
“Further analysis showed a positive association between milk intake and biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation.
In contrast, a high intake of fermented milk products with a low lactose content (including yoghurt and cheese) was associated with reduced rates of mortality and fracture, particularly in women.”
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141028214051.htm
I would posit two things here. One is that modern diets are high in refined sugars and so eating another high sugar food like milk is probably overloading people into earlier deaths from things like Syndrome X (via insulin resistance). This is true for big populations that have been studied like the US. I don’t know what the usual diets are like in Sweden.
The other is that traditional diets all over the world have prioritised fermented milk over unfermented. They also drink milk raw. These are crucial differences.
That article you link to has a pretty misleading and narrow visioned public health control approach to raw milk, so I wouldn’t take anything it says too seriously. It also fails to point out that the Swedish researchers say there is a correlation but no proven causation between milk consumption and early death, and completely ignores that the findings for fermented dairy were the opposite. This is typical of much superficial health reporting, and it’s also grossly negligent IMO. You need to go to professional medical and health journalists if you want to understand the research and what it means.
The Asian thing is a different story, because most people in east Asian countries are not genetically adapted to eating milk (although I’m curious about the cross overs between India/Tibet/Nepal etc and East Asia and where dairy stops being a traditional staple). The low fracture rate can also be attributed to other things in the diet rather than absence of milk.
Moderation is thr mantra.
Cheese yes cheese has been shown to be the most Dangerous food when it comes to strokes.
Those with a high consumption of cheese are the most likely to die of strokes.
High in fat and very high in salt!
are the reasons.
With our government about to hack into state housing, we will soon be in the state London is in.
‘Thousands gather in London to protest against lack of affordable housing
The March for Homes brings together campaigners, tenants and trade unionists to demand building of council homes and curbing of private rents.’
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/jan/31/hundreds-gather-london-march-for-homes-protest-city-hall-affordable-housing
Here’s the guts of it by Paul Little –
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11394725
Bears repeating my earlier comment on “Eleanor Catton responds” –
“Deep inside Plunket squirms with embarrassment because he KNOWS he’s been OWNED by Eleanor Catton. Deliciously it’s all his own work.”
Is this a genuine John Key “muppet” or what ?
yeah..i don’t often link to little..but i did to that one…
Whereas Heather du Plessis-Allan can muster only catty passive-aggression to dampen Catton’s essential message. And in the process highlights it.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11394709
Ever seen Ms Heather giggly-mouthed cavorting on TVOne trying to be satellite to Key acolyte Hosking ?
Obscene it is. Another Cafe Society twit consumed by ‘self’ is Ms Heather.
du-plessy-allen is a shocker..
..she has proved that over and over again..
Land of the Wrong White Clowns
Never thought I’d recommend a Rodney Hide column but this is interesting reading.
“Little spoke of reducing inequality. Good. And even here he was interesting: he says the spin-off of reducing inequality is better growth. That, too, would be better for business and farmers.
Jobs and growth are his focus. And small business. That sets him apart from Key who, in his deals with Warner Bros, SkyCity and Rio Tinto, is tied to the big end of town.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11394722
What !! a labour leader who mentioned farmers ‘well I never’
Angry greenys In 321…
short-listed for silly-comment-of-the-day..?
..and so early in the day..!
..and did you miss the serial blowing of reassuring-kisses from norman to the cow-folk..?
Cool to use a dog trial term ” I hope I’m still on the board at the end of the day “
Yes I missed Normans comments? Look I support the greens I have voted for them once it’s the tarring us all as ecological destroyer s that I will attack at every chance.
Just yesterday weka said something about farmers pouring shit into the rivers and that is a lie on the odd occasion a farmer gets caught literally doing that the book gets thrown at them and rightly so.
I let it pass and I shouldn’t have.
Before dismissing it as an occasional event, you should watch the documentary River Dog
In short, it’s about a number of farmers in a region who regularly graze their cattle on a stretch of river and the lack of action by the authorities.
[Link fixed – MS]
so..waghorn..
..if the farmers aren’t doing it…
..who is making most of our rivers unswimmable/polluted..?
..the tooth-fairy..?
I have no doubt that that over stocking, use of urea and over irrigation is degrading rivers but as for pouring shit into the river, not happening and if any knows were it is they should report it.
r u not just fussing over a mostly irrelevant point..?
..the facts r..the rivers r fucked..farmers did it..
..any questions..?
FTFY
It’s not just that farmers are pouring shit into the rivers but that we have far too much land as farms. We need to decrease the amount of farms to be enough to feed us and that’s it.
I’ll say it again – let farmers get their drinking and house water from the river below their farms. If they want to drink shit water they can.
As long as all you’r water comes from below you’re town/city that’s fine
I don’t live in a town or city but rain is good so I get mine downstream from the clouds.
I would never say there are no good farmers – hell I know a few – but the bad ruin it for everyone – the good farmers have to tidy up their sandpit (farmers) rather than just hold their hands up pleading ignorance – they derive their profit from the commons and i think they are responsible to the commons too. And the same for cityfolk.
I’ve suggested to 3 bosses and two neighbours in the sheep n beef industry that they had a few creeks that would be easy to fence off it didn’t achieve much .
It’s going to take laws to make a change unfortunately.
It’s a pity shame doesn’t work.
I didn’t say farmers pour shit into rivers. I said NZers think it’s ok to pour shit into rivers. And I think it was obvious from the conversation that I didn’t mean this literally, but that we allow our rivers to be polluted by farming, mostly dairy farming. That’s not actually in dispute. Do you need a link?
I think you will also find that I’m one of the ones that’s been arguing recently for not lumping all farmers into one evil group and that it’s better to name the ones that are causing problems.
As for the GP, I suggest that you stop reading the spin via the media and go directly to the GP and see what they have to say about farming. They’re actually very supportive and progressive. You can look at their policy, which you may or may not agree with, but it’s not anti-farmer. You probably remember that Jeanette Fitzsimons was a farmer before during and after she was an MP and co-leader of the GP, and I see a lot of her influence in GP attitudes.
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-30012015/#comment-960150 This link would say other wise re cow shit and water
Yes, I know what you were referring to and I know what I said. I’ve just given you a detailed explanation of that. Did you even read it? How about you respond to my points?
edit, and just to make it really fucking clear, here’s what I said,
That’s not a statement about farmers, it’s a statement about NZers. As I explained.
then of course there are the green party bbq’s..
..where they show their support for the ‘industry’..
..in the most sincere/practical of ways..
“What !! a labour leader who mentioned farmers ‘well I never’
Angry greenys In 321…”
What does that mean?
Its very rear that labour appears to think about the rural sector IMO.
The next bit was a we poke/joke
Yeah, I don’t get it. Do you mean the greenies will be angry that Labour mentioned farmers? Bit subtle for me I’m afraid.
btw, I don’t think Little was talking about farming in his speech. He was talking about Fonterra, and the context was business productivity and worker rights. He did mention something about payouts but again, it was in the context of how the unions and Fonterra worked together.
i think that he was expecting u to come and grumble/grump at him..
..ready..?..3..2..1..
I think it’s important to read as a warning that Little still intends to let business run the show. The planet cannot afford growth any more. We have to discover how to live without it.
When Rodney Hide likes something, I worry even more. It’s quite possible they can see Key is on a downward slope and are grooming a right wing successor. Little already caved on squirrel powers. What is he going to give away without a fight next?
FJK and FAL.
I disagree with your interpretation, I think Hide is just doing what all the other rightwingers have done in the wake of the state of the nation.
Farrar and Hooton instantly jumped on the talk about small business to say “oh, but if you really cared about small business you’d scrap the policy to abolish 90-day trials!”
Now Hide is trying to goad Labour into doing something stupid by “praising” Little as a non-leftwing leader. Look at the way he wilfully quotes “it’s important to create wealth before you can share it” then re-writes it one sentence later as “it’s important to create wealth before you can spend it.” It’s the same old rightwing claptrap about Labour being a terrifying tax-and-spend party. He’s dogwhistling to the right on one hand and trying to unsettle the left with the other.
+1 So many whistles, it might be a dog trial.
He also pushed the divide between Labour and the crazy Greens who can’t be trusted.
Fairly typical Hyde, hard to see it as anything other than PR for NACT.
+1 Stephanie
Hard case that Rodney Hide believes the best way to find out what politicians are about is to listen to what they say – see opening line of the article.
By his own example that’s hardly good advice. Remember ThePerkBuster of yore ?
Again and again and again he said he was a straight-up, rort-hating type of guy.
Many people listened and believed that he was indeed what he said. Then it turns out that all along he was as bad a free-loading rorter, trougher, junketer, hypocrite as anyone. So no, listening doesn’t inform, particularly in respect of the Right.
The rest of his article – faint praise he can invoke later on to claim objectivity and balance. He remains an extreme right wing fantasist who’ll engage DP at will. Not to be trusted. Especially not on the score of what he says.
I never read Roddy’s columns why would I he is a non event politically and a certified failure.
Try NOT reading them a save your bloodpressure.
His last task of any note was throwing the carefully studied and thought out
plan for Auckland City into the rubbish bin and coming up with his version in a matter of months. Enough said.
Just another Herald hack.
And there’s more from NZH where they report on a 3 News/Reid Research poll and asks Has Key met his match?
It’s too soon to tell, and Labour’s recovery will take more than Little to step up a few notches, but this poll result looks promising for Little’s prospects.
Little sounds realistic about where he’s at now.
So this is promising for Little but more important for Labour will be the party poll result, which will be revealed on 3 New tonight at 6 pm.
Pretty shifty there Petey. After yesterday’s all out troling, a pretty much unanimous cry from participants to stop, including being being told off by a moderator, you’ve picked a topic that all the lefties here might agree with and will want to talk about despite it meaning having you in the conversation.
It would be nice to think you learnt something yesterday, but I think the thread showed that the community had learnt something instead.
I think you have a lot of bridges to mend before you can expect to take part here in any genuine way.
He’s out to get the nasty we hobbits he is they ruins it for him
Are you really thick? You could either:
1. Ignore the comment
2. Comment on the content
3. Start a new thread on the topic
4. Make it all about your petty crusade.
Chelsea 1, Manchester city 1.
Discuss
United Win 3-1
Liverpool 2-0
Five points clear with nine to go, I’m cautiously optimistic.
See?
🙄
more a ‘petey’-crusade..?
🙄
How about these idiot pollsters actually run polls on topic’s that people care about. Who gives a toss about dead beat former Labour leaders like Goff, Shearer, and too a lesser extent DC.
How about polling the U turn on further asset sales, given John Key wearing his National leaders hat categorically stated ‘no more asset sales’ during the last election campaign.
The Aussies in Queensland just threw the Tories out for the sheer mention of asset sales.
Did you vote for National to further sell public assets?
A public march protesting selling off state housing should be on the cards. Might see what can be arranged for up at Waitangi. Bit of a focus on asset sales might make the Nats visit that little bit more unpleasant.
Agreed.
A pointless poll to encourage people to talk about pointless subjects.
Petty George.
Your Wikipedia stats don’t match up to stats nz or treasury numbers.
Quite often wikipedia is historically inaccurate as it is a popularity contest.
And often Right wing spuriously funded insitutes Spam Wikipedia to alter historical facts!
All this does is clearly display the dismal level of political reporting in New Zealand.
The article tells me absolutely nothing of any import.
I want the 20 seconds of my life I wasted reading the article back!!
Yeeha! Good news from Queensland. The toxic little imitation of a man, Campbell Bjelke-Newman, has gone. Now I’m hoping for a reconstituted Crime and Misconduct Commission to put a few of the corrupt inbreds in prison.
that is an astonishing turn-around..
..i think labour were down to about 7-9 mp’s after the last election..
..where they were whupped for promising not to sell-assets..
..and then selling assets..
..(much like key is doing here with state houses..and whatever upcoming/still-secret nasty-surprises he has lined up..)
..labour have again promised not to sell-assets..
..and they will likely keep their word this time..
That and reversing newmans gutting of the party donations legislation Anna Bligh rolled out so they could do as has been done here.
Unlike here Newman couldn’t own the MSM and had the bad luck / karma of getting on the wrong side of Alan jones over a mine in his home area. Jonesy paid out on him big time.
That and the perception that Campbell comes across as an arrogant bullying establishment twat.
Jones works in NSW. The LNP does pretty much run the Queensland media. The Courier Mail, Brisbane’s only daily, is a piece of Murdoch trash. It makes Whalespew look balanced.
Jones was raised in Acland, west of Brisbane where a coal mine expansion isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
Yes he works in Sydney, most of the top shock jocks do but they treasure their Aussie battler image, good for the ratings etc and Newman went up against that.
A return to work thanks to the pain relief effects of Cannabis, here in NZ, cost savings abound.
http://yournz.org/2015/01/31/medicinal-cannabis-and-the-return-to-work/
Alternate address
https://mmj4chronicpain.wordpress.com/2015/02/01/medicinal-cannabis-and-the-return-to-work/
as you are a running-dog/fellow-traveller with the beige-one..
..r u able to confirm 4 us the beige safari-jacket/perma-press polyester-trousers/ elastic-sided ‘loafers’ rumours..?
That’s such a great write up Shane, thanks. Her story covers so many important points, esp about the failures of legal meds and the problems when medical staff get stuck in their prejudices about pain syndromes. Very good to hear the success too, and the details on how she figured out what to do.
btw, your blog is looking good. Nice layout, uncluttered, easy to read and access, all of which is important for people in pain. The only thing I’d suggest is changing the header texts to a dark colour as the white is hard to read.
heh..!..and there is some more of that passive-aggression..g.p.-style..
.’cos..y’see..that weka has done nothing but serially-sneer at my efforts/postings in support of medical-cannabis..
..and then you come along..and she falls over herself in her fawning…
..v.funny..!
..and so so obvious..it sticks out like a vegan at a green party bbq…
Hang on, did you just say that I’m having a go at you by commenting positively to someone else when you’re not even in the conversation??
I’ve not serially sneered at your efforts/postings on dak. I’ve said I can’t read your comments because you insist on posting illiterately. Apart from you being pro-cannabis, I don’t actually know much about your position.
You’ve done this before phil, confused my critiques of your position on veganism with my non-critiques of your views on cannabis. I suggest from now on you link to show what you are talking about, otherwise I’ll just be telling you to fuck right off.
oh..!..i must have missed yr fawning-support for all the med-pot pieces i have posted..
..my bad..!
Did you read what Weka said, Phil? Make any attempt to understand it?
did you miss my point..?..(selective-fawning..)
..(the ‘point’ that still stands..)
“..Make any attempt to understand it?..”
Like Weka, I find your comments unreadable.
However, in this case, I think the spectacle of a grown man whining that someone else is getting attention is a little…Petty, to say the least.
that’s ‘petey’..
..and no..’whine’-free..i am laughing @ the inconsistancies/blatant-biases/passive-aggression of the weka..
..i really couldn’t give a fuck..otherwise..
..and that wd also go for yr also being ‘unable to read’..
..go and stand in the corner..next to her…
..share yr ignorance..
😆
Keep telling yourself that Phil.
yr..right..!..
..i really just want weka/you to love me..!
..i lie awake at nite – tossing and turning..(that’s ‘toss’ in its’ rolling-over meaning..but not always..)
..sob..!
..heh..!
..you’ll get comedian-of-the-day – if yr not careful..
“.i really couldn’t give a fuck”
funny you’re making plenty of comments like you actually do give a fuck – you know, often the trailblazer doesn’t get the recognition they covert but that doesn’t mean the contribution wasn’t valuable
interesting/amusing typo..
..and arguing for med-pot in the 60’s might have been ‘trailblazing’..
..hardly now..
..and i am pointing out a knowledge-asset to a (welcomed) new campaigner in that cause..
..who seem to believe i have done ten yrs of bong-reviews..
..and that his ‘rational’-arguments will be like a tsunami in a desert..(more than a whiff of hubris there/in that..)
..and when general-polling shows 87% of new zealanders favour ending prohibition..
..is he targeting that recalcitrant 13% of right/left-wingers/non-thinkers..?
..to my mind the arguments have been made/won..
..it is the politicians who are the problem..
..not the proving/arguing of the ‘rational’ evidence..
no typo 🙂
but seriously – what’s the point?
ahh I see you added the point – seems a bit more to it than that but whatever
phil,
I DON’T READ YOUR POSTS ON YOUR BLOG, OR 95% OF YOUR COMMENTS ON TS.
Grow the fuck up.
shouting won’t help weka..u know that…
(what was that ‘boom!’-sound..?
..was that the sound of an exploding weka..?..)
“..I’ve said I can’t read your comment..”
..yet..u seem to be able to..
..does someone translate 4 u..?
ok, fine. You’re in full out trole mode, happy to treat you as such.
translator present then..?
I know your supportive Phil, my POV is from the middle using rational arguments, I haven’t read your work, but If you are a sufferer yourself, you may not be looking at things from the other side of the fence? this post was to appeal to Tory concerns of cost etc, one less person a sickness benny, but there are many more like her.
yes..that is one of many facets i cover/have covered..
..I don’t just do bong-reviews..in fact i have never done a bong-review..
..what i have done is cached ten yrs worth of material/evidence in support of that cause..
..maybe you need to read not so much /’my work’..
..but the small mountain of evidence from others..
..that i have collected/collated/cached..
http://whoar.co.nz/?s=medical+marijuana+cannabis
(and i don’t wanna go all sub-editor on you..
..but i wd tweak the end of yr intro..
(in my ‘teaser’ i inserted another word..did the edit for you..)
(and we are all ‘sufferers’..it’s the human-condition..)
thanks, will keep that as a bookmark to go through, thanks for the repost. (I assume it was you)
thanks, will keep that as a bookmark to go through, thanks for the repost. (I assume it was you)
Get over yourself, FFS. There was no passive aggression in weka’s comment. There was in your one about PG’s clothing. You should just be happy that someone is pushing something that you agree with. Try it.
yeah I know, unpaid one wont let me change the color, 🙁
that’s a bit harsh on petey..!
..does he insist on pastels..?
No, on the alternative site of my own, using the free wordpress schemes, the white text header doesnt go so well on on the light green leaves.
whoar..!..yes..i did know what u meant..
..r u aware of the rightwing s.o.h-byepass syndrome..?
..do you recognise the symptoms..?
SOH byepass, stop speaking in riddles! out with it! 🙂
sense-of-humour.
bummer. WordPress went more towards paid in recent years. You used to be able to get themes with lots of control for free. The theme you are using is very nice otherwise though.
‘should i break out the doilies..?..cup of tea..?..’
How about a nice cold cup of sour grapes? 😆
..sounds good..i like the bitter/tart..
Jesus phil, if you’re trying to convince us that you really don’t care about weka paying someone else positive attention you’re going about it all wrong.
r u seriously saying u cannot see the incongruities i highlighted..?
..the sneer/fawn-contrast..(and weka suddenly finding an inner pot-warrior..?..whoar..!..colour me pot-surprised..!)
..i actually find it filed under ‘funny’..
..along with being ‘unable to read comments’..but seeming able to do so..
..when it is so desired..
..no amusing-pattern available there 4 u..?
..nothing of any note..?
Unreadable prose
Or unread erudition
Meh I scroll along
Last time phil did this, in the Spring, it was the claim that while he was on his ban I’d “pumped out yr (un-cited/footnoted) prohibitionist/anti-pot bullshit while i wasn’t here”.
I tried to point out that wasn’t true and eventually posted this comment, which is a search engine result for the time period in question, of weka +cannabis. The results show that I am pro-use and pro-decriminalisation (which I am).
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-24112014/#comment-930382
What I didn’t say in that thread was that while phil was on his ban I posted some critical comments about vegan diets when they are presented as the one true way for all humans (I would link but the search still doesn’t go back past 35 pages. 35 pages of phil’s comments only takes us back to the end of Dec).
I think phil has gotten confused between his two pet projects and is now set in his head that I am anti-pot. I’m not even anti-vegan except where it’s presented as the one true way or as a quick fix for CC/the environment.
Phil, I haven’t said I can’t read your comments, I’ve said they are difficult for me to read so I don’t usually bother. Please don’t distort what I say. It’s starting to look like you are making up another lie about me.
Now, unless you can link to back up your assertions about me, I’m just going to keep linking back to this comment and the link above to demonstrated what you are more than happy to tell lies about someone even when you’ve been proven wrong (twice).
“..35 pages of phil’s comments only takes us back to the end of Dec)…”
bloody hell..!
Categorising weka’s response as “fawning” because she gives a few simple compliments on a new blogger’s work is a sad little tactic.
You have outright lied about weka’s past behaviour and comments in order to fabricate a “pattern” to justify your harassment.
I’m also in the club of people who, 95% of the time, scroll past anything you say because it’s rarely worth the effort of interpretation. But when I see you having a personal go at someone just because they liked someone else’s work and didn’t kiss your ass sufficiently to your liking, I make the effort.
power-imbalance kicks in again…eh..?
..and stills my tongue..
..i wd like to draw this exchange to a close..
Ah, so we should all read what you want, discuss what you want, and cease discussion when you want.
Who are you, Louis XIV? 🙄
“power-imbalance kicks in again…eh..?”
um..!..no..
..more a fear of banning..
..what about ‘power imbalance’ do u not understand..?
..you really do have the intelligence of a broom-handle..
..don’t you..?
“..more a fear of banning..”
Which buys your silence, which makes you a coward, which proves me right, which trumps your faux intellectualism.
Question:
Does NZ still have some sort of press club – as in 4th Estate?
Back in the 70’s there used to be a primitive sort of thing in Hobson Street where various journalists went to get pissed as newts – even then nothing like the Australian Press Club that provides a venue where journalists and jonolists can have politicians give speeches and call them to account.
Oh there’s a club alright, but not as you’ve described it.
A long list of media hacks in club national too.
Henry, hoskings, Sabin, Simpson, young, hide etc as one subset of them with public declarations of support for national and or family connections before we start on the ones who play the impartial commenter role.
All that and DP thrown in for good measure, relentlessness and effective is what it has grown into while the sheeple graze on gazing at their house values thinking all is well in my world.
as I imagined then. One where they all go to get pissed and feed off each others egos. Where is it? The TVNZ caf, or Backbenches, or Mermaid’s possibly? Or maybe Barry and Heather’s basement?
They rotate venues think it’s Hoskings or Smiths, correction it’s a BBQ on the back lawn at Garner and boyfriend Gowers place.
“Shoot him in the back of the head.”
The BBC’s comedy crisis is now more than just a sick joke.
Since it was effectively spavined following its brief deviation into the reporting of facts that exposed government crimes in 2003 [1], the BBC has turned into nothing much more than the propaganda arm of the British government. In the rare event that a dissident, no matter how brilliant and respected, appears on a show like HARDtalk, he or she is almost inevitably hectored and ceaselessly interrupted, [2] in stark contrast to the virtually open forum accorded the continual stream of paid government, corporate and military spokespeople who appear.
The BBC has moved to censor, curb and/or ban its own “unacceptable” and critical voices too: clever and thoughtful talents like Frankie Boyle are systematically excluded from its increasingly anodyne comedy panel shows. Even the hilarious—and nonpolitical—Jack Dee was recently in danger of being censored by the mediocracy in charge of the modern BBC, [3] while crude, racist, unfunny but government-friendly louts like Jeremy Clarkson are indulged repeatedly. [4]
And now the BBC, which has given the world such immortal comedy-writing teams as Galton and Simpson, Croft and Perry, Esmonde and Larbey, Jay and Lynn, Clement and La Frenais, Curtis and Atkinson—to name only a few at random from a stratosphere of brilliance—has commissioned a team of “comedy” writers to make light of the British government’s persecution of the dissident journalist Julian Assange. I say “make light of” advisedly, because in case anyone harboured any lingering hope that the BBC might extend even a hint of fair treatment to Cabinet Enemy No. 1, consider this grim fact: the writer of this new “comedy” once called for the police to publicly shoot the Wikileaks founder in the head.
The Corporation’s comedy crisis, which was already painfully obvious, is now an unmitigated embarrassment. We are now accepting from the BBC the kind of anti-dissident ridicule that spewed out of Moscow in the 1930s and ’40s, and out of Peking in the 1960s and 70s. I would not be surprised at all to see some vicious moron like A.A. Gill appear on a special broadcast some time soon and start ranting from his prepared script: “It is our aim to expose and criticize the ways in which the political swindler Julian Assange made use of reactionary trends and reactionary schools of thought to attack the proletariat, so that we can fight more effectively against such swindlers.”
And they say the AMERICANS have no sense of irony…
Fury over BBC writer’s ‘kill Assange’ tweet
Chortle, 30 January 2015
The writer of the BBC’s new comedy inspired by Julian Assange once called for the police to publicly shoot the Wikileaks founder in the head.
Supporters of Assange say tweets Thom Phipps posted about him were ‘shocking’ and ‘dangerous’ – and make him unfit to write about the issue. BBC Four’s new three-part sitcom Asylum is inspired by the controversial figure’s enforced stay in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. He took refuge there in June 2012 to escape extradition to Sweden on sexual assault charges, which he fears will pave the way for him to be sent to the US to face an espionage trial.
Two months after Assange was given political asylum, Phipps posted: ‘If the met [police] want to regain my trust they should drag Assange out the embassy + shoot him in the back of th head in the middle of traf square.’ Phipps now says: ‘It was something I tweeted over two years ago and it was clearly a joke.’
However, backers of Assange took the issue more seriously, and have complained to the BBC over its ‘shameful’ decision to employ Phipps. One of them, Emmy Butlin, said Phipps ‘advocated for the public extrajudicial assassination’ of the Wikileaks founder and queried why the corporation would ’employ someone with extreme views’ to write the comedy.
She is also angry that the show is to air as part of the BBC’s Taking Liberties season to mark the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, saying: ‘Mr Phipps has called for Mr Assange’s assassination, going against the most fundamental principals.’
On her blog she also highlighted another tweet Phipps made in 2012, saying: ‘its cool to imagine assange as a spartacus figure cuz that means he’s going to be forcibly nailed to a piece of wood at one point.’
Another blog, Domestic Empire, complained that the ‘writer chosen to write Assange-inspired comedy advocates murder over democratic free speech’.
Butlin complained to the Corporation saying: ‘I find it offensive that Mr Phipps who has publicly incited violence and propagated the murder of Mr Assange, has been employed by the BBC’ and calling for action…..
Read more….
http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2015/01/30/21744/fury_over_bbc_writers_kill_assange_tweet
[1] http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2004/07/butl-j16.html
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B00qgKnz-uU
[3] http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/jun/20/jack-dee-threatens-to-leave-im-sorry-i-havent-a-clue
[4] http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/lostinshowbiz/2011/sep/15/day-the-festival-dream-died
Morrisey, I can’t tell if those are your words or someone elses. Didn’t we have this conversation?
Sorry, weka. My words are the first four paragraphs, and then I cite the article from Chortle. Maybe I should just give the link in future after my preamble.
You obviously know how to use html tags. Is there some reason you won’t use blockquotes? Or italics?
Actually, I don’t know how to do the blockquotes technique. I don’t use italics except for emphasis and titles.
What do you have to mark up to get blockquotes?
Instead of bold /bold write blockquote /blockquote
http://thestandard.org.nz/faq/#simple_tags
Most people on ts are using either blockquote or italics to quote, or if it’s very short, “double quotes”. It’s a kind of informal house style. Not saying you have to use these, you may find another way, but it’s that same thing of making comments accessible and respecting the readers enough to make it clear what you are saying, and what is something else’s words (that’s respect for the other writers too).
Thanks very much! You’re a big help.
Cool. I just had to edit that because it kept reverting my examples to html, so hope it’s clearer now.
Interesting to see the way Frankie Boyle’s been given the cold shoulder over the last couple of years.
He is especially impressive and thoughtful in the following interview, in spite of the irritating interviewer….
Short but crucial reading for anyone wanting to understand more about the role of women in Islam in the US context. I think there are also things here for the West to learn about the value of gender specific spaces, and how culture affects that.
http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-82686764/
National Party values on display again.
Yep. According to David Seymour, it seems perversion is the point at which a teacher becomes unsuitable.
Any other dodgy behaviour?
In fine ACT tradition, no worries.
David Seymour is reported as saying “The worst thing I could do is to prejudge it if there isn’t anything perverse,”
So he was saying perversion is the point at which they can be prejudged, which might be unwelcome news by any who have been falsely accused of a crime.
good laugh for a Sun morning.
http://www.iflscience.com/editors-blog/richard-dawkins-reads-hate-mail-fans
Is weka the most bat shit crazy contributor on this site
Discussion
[r0b: I will let this comment through, but I strongly suggest not feeding the troll]
no..
..t.s. has the likes of wayne-the-warmonger..and missry-guts…
..u also step up sometimes..eh..?
..with yr ‘batshit-crazy’ rightwing ideas..
..eh..?
Nope, the most bat shit crazy contributor is Draco “lets smash comets and dwarf planets into Mars to make it more habitable” T Bastard.
It’d make a good movie, but I’m afraid science fiction ain’t gonna save this civilisation.
weka os one the most sane, actually I can’t think of anyone here I’d call ‘bat shit crazy’.
Worst tr0ll: Gosman, srylands
Worst waste of time: Pete George
Worst writing style / most pointless arguments: Phil Ure
Agreed fully, except fisiani gets a special commendation for being the closest to being a trousered ape.
How can you be sure that he wears trousers while commenting on The Standard?
i always thought he had fins and a fish tail
Not even close. Have a look at a couple of comments from one contributor:
“Global warming was made up by the Masons, was it not.”
“Proud to be a bigot, […] call me a bigot, I don’t care.”
yeah..that’s pretty ‘woof!..woof!’..
Not by a long shot. I’d say you’d be a better candidate for that title.
Murdoch on the differences between Norman’s resignation and Sabin’s (also GP leadership and National).
https://twitter.com/domesticanimal/status/561632145433559042
Past and Present
http://thebilzerianreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/past-present.gif
This battleground between indigenous people and projects designed to maintain the extravagant western lifestyles is HOT and will continue to heat up.
http://whoaremypeople.com/
What price progress? Who pays that price?
This.
It’s why the whole green tech as saviour thing is just wrong, because it keeps us in the same belief systems, value systems and behaviours as what got us in this mess in the first place. It won’t solve CC, and even if it did we would still fuck up all the other things that are consequences of humans ruling the world.
Am I missing something or is John Roughan actually saying something quite on to it here?
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11394288
see first comment in yesterdays’ o.m..
I find this:
“Since the reforms of the 80s, New Zealand has enjoyed low inflation and economic growth that has enabled wages to rise more than prices, increasing the national living standard.”
Hard to square with this:
“child … poverty rate in recent years has been around 25%; this is almost twice the rate experienced during the 1980s, which averaged about 13%” (Perry 2012, 124)
How so? Isn’t that the discrepancy between beneficiaries and wager earners, with child poverty being weighted into the beneficiary group? I would expect the increase in standard of living just means some people are doing way better and others are doing worse ie they’re not using a very subtle measuring tool.
I imagine he is technically correct, and the average standard of living has increased.
Real shame that during that time the percentage of children in poverty has nearly doubled.
Might be worth seeing if the median standard of living has increased.
Well he is of the class that has done very well out of the 80s reforms, so I expect he is blind, probable willfully blind, to the numbers of people that haven’t done well.
I don’t know how they measure standard of living. Hopefully a boffin will post.
The child poverty increased with the Richardson black budget which slashed beneficiary rates – and these have never been increased back to the level they were at during the 1980s.
Let’s all ignore climate change.
“Why the Keystone XL Will Be Built”
by DR. KENT MOORS | published January 30th, 2015
“So far, the biggest hurdle has been the environmental concerns.”
Wrong!
By far, the biggest hurdle has been concerns about climate change.
Why climate change is not an environmental issue
lol
Plot idea: 97% of the world’s scientists contrive an environmental crisis, but are exposed by a plucky band of billionaires & oil companies.
https://twitter.com/scottwesterfeld/status/446805144781348865
Fonterra lurching from crisis to farce and all points in between.
sounds sticky.
David Cunliffe on Facebook.
I for one hope that means scrapping the student loan scheme is on the table.
It’s time NZ started following international best practice, by making education free, rather than continuing to unthinkingly follow failed ideology. This applies to other policies too.
Be nice to see Labour wake up from its market fundamentalist stupor.
TV3 poll out tonight. Oh well. Never mind.
I wonder if they are going to announce Gerry Brownlee comes out in support of his mini me national list MP to seek the party nomination to contest the candidacy and become the next Northland MP. This comes after he failed to beat Shane Reti for the Whangarei candidacy. Brownlee is rumoured to be heading to Waitangi in an attempt to secure the nod for his mini me from party members.
Apparently Gerrys errant boy has contacted the head chef at the Copthorpe hotel Waitangi and will be forwarding Gerrys dietary requests, including his favorite pork pie recipe.
is that the one where he gets served the whole pig on a platter..?
..with some pastry on the sides..?
Close Phil.
The whole 200kg pig is spit roasted and then pastry wrapped and glazed. The newbie MP’s get briefed not to get too close to Brownlee whilst eating his pork pie. Appears Gerry is well known for lashing out at the trough, guess you just have to look at Nic Smiths scarred face as proof.
does anyone know how long nic smith has been a gurner..?
..it is one of the highlights of commentating on q-time..
..smith somewhere in shot..
..gurning his little head off..
Rumor has it Gerry prefers whale blubber.
what is it with the young people of today..?
..that lorde..and that ko…
..are they trying to make the rest of us feel inadequate..?
..or something..?
Girls to we’ll have to left our game us blokes.
Kiwi boys are doing much worse in school and university numbers these days, not that anyone cares enough to take affirmative action.
well, that went downhill quickly.
From young people are awesome to the men’s rights brigade in three short comments.
Like I said, few people give a shit.
That’s not actually true.
It’s just that few people are so obsessed with whinging that they push that particular barrow at the slightest (and yes, it was very slight) excuse.
Shit I was having a joke didn’t work obviously.
Depends on the audience.
I thought it was pretty reasonable.
And (sadly) one of the few times I could both understand and agree with ure, the thread gets zonked by someone who can’t just feel happy about recognising the success of others without turning it into a whinge-fest.
that battle is well lost..
..tho’ lord did have little-the-ditty-maker..
..and ko did have that bloke-coach for all of those development yrs..
Just watched TV3 news & Gower was showing his bias & arse licking towards Key & was blatantly putting the knife into Andrew Little, while reporting on the latest poll. Every time I see Gower or hear his voice it makes me want to puke.
I wondered how long it would take Gower to put the knife in to Andrew Little.
Looks like Dirty Politics part 2 has begun
Do you remember the poll numbers?
I think it was 49% national & 28% labour.
– National 49.8% (up 2,8)
– Labour 29.1% (up 4.0)
– Greens 9.3% (down 1,4)
– NZ First 6.9% (down 1.9)
– Conservatives 2.7% (down 1.3)
– Maori Party 1.3% (no change)
– Internet Mana 0.6% (down 0.8)
– ACT 0.4% (down 0.3)
– United Future 0% (down 0.2)
More details: http://yournz.org/2015/02/01/3-news-poll-first-for-2015/
NAT – 49.8% –
LAB – 29.1 –
GRN – 9.3
NZf – 6.9
CON 2.7
MAO- 1.3%
INT-MANA 0.6
ACT – 0.4%
UF – 0
National really high and Labour cannabilising the Left
It will be interesting to see if you’re still crowing here in 2016
Awwww, Fisi, Fisi, Fisi, why must we go through this charade every single time ?
Reality:
Labour cannibalising the Left, National cannibalising the Right.
National would have drawn its gains from the Cons and NZF. Labour would have made its gains from the Greens, NZF and IMP. Internet-Mana is pretty much dead (although I wouldn’t rule out Harawira making a successful run in 2017).
NZF is the big loser in this poll. As Little continues to build his profile, he should start pulling some soft National supporters too as the year progresses.
I also think international trends will play into 2017. We ‘re looking at a single-term LNP government in Australia and in the UK Labour are enjoying a narrow lead (with the further spoiler of UKIP likely to split the Tory vote in this year’s election). Our electoral outlook may synch up with the rest of the Anglosphere.
Yes the Tories have wreacked havoc in the UK, Cameron and his cronies will be sent packing as will idiot Abbott in OZ.
Which makes things a lot easier here. Little is smart enough to either get the Left leaders out here or get on a plane and go on a visit to strengthen relationships. Key should get the cold shoulder from them.
New Zealander’s are sheep and if the slogan ‘time for a change’ is repeated often enough they will duly oblige by voting the Nats out. The odds are Key will hand over the leadership once the worm really turns. Sabin’s hurried exit is the start of a bad year for Key and it will get worst I’m picking.
I just hope you are right.
I am worried the government will press ahead with the TPP, charter schools, destroying the RMA, and privatising health and housing further.
Key is desperate to comply with instructions from America to get the TPPA signed and our fate sealed, the EMA is all part and parcel. The Maori-Tory party should ethically cross the house as the TPPA & RMA reforms will lead to bad outcomes for Maori in particular.
Anyway the last anti TPPA rallies were well attended, I can see huge crowds at the next round.
fisi..never mind a silly poll..
..isn’t it exciting what has happened in greece..?
..and is about to also happen in spaim/portugal/scotland..and likely ireland..
..in the fairly near future..
..the destruction of the neo-lib paradigm..?..(i do so like writing those words..)
..isn’t it exciting..?
..and given yr political-analysis skills..
..how much contagion d’ya reckon will have seeped down here by ’17..?
..and how about that labour in that queensland..eh..?
..from 7 mp’s to ruling..now that is a landslide on steroids..
..are you at all fretting about these outbreaks of lefty-looniness all over the place..?
..if u aren’t..u r seriously in denial..eh..?
..and for us..happier days soon..eh..?
Every second typing messages to fisi and his ilk is a second of your life wasted.
nah..!..he is just a foil..
..a blank sheet upon which to write..
Abbot s called a emergency cabinet meeting wonder if he’s going to quit.
Cheers fellas.
If only our opposition politicians dealt with our media the way Greece’s New Finance Minister handles a Newsnight Interview.
Greece’s new finance minister Yanis Varoufakis interviewed on 30 January 2015 on BBC’s Newsnight.
“As a fan of the BBC, I must say I was appalled by the depths of inaccuracy in the reporting underpinning this interview (not to mention the presenter’s considerable rudeness).Still, and despite the cold wind on that balcony, it was fun!” – Yanis Varoufakis
Full interview here.