Has John Key’s slavish support of the US ( pimping for the TPP, sending soldiers to Iraq, slagging off Putin, joining in military exercises in the South China Sea) meant a lot of the world sees us now as merely a puppet of Uncle Sam ?
And as a consequence, they can think of better people to vote for leader of the UN than a New Zealander, Helen Clark.
Just wondering….
Your thought makes sense to me Paul. Key is so ego driven, he seems to suck up to anyone whom is famous or important. He was happy as to slam Helen when he was in opposition, but as soon as she wants to go for the top job he starts sucking up to her. He is a disgrace. Hopefully the wise will understand that Key is just a star struck fool and not all kiwis are like that.
Also our headline news in overseas newspapers about milk product contamination and China’s annoyance, also our Clean Green image rubbished on the world stage with 5,200 citizens poisoned by our city water supply, we seem to be in the headlines a bit lately and not with a good look for us. The PM doesn’t help when he makes an idiot of himself on the US TV channels and 3-way handshakes, cringe material for us. Poor Helen doesn’t look like she is in with a chance. Anything the PM touches turns to shit for us and with his hands off attitude to importers and business to do the job properly we have a reinforced steel class action in the making – all because the market will do its job properly for the Government, what a laugh that is.
By the way why isn’t OSH stepping in and helping the doctors in their long hours and stating it is a health and safety issue. Are they also in the pockets of big government, we need Helen Kelly bless her heart to be well enough to come to their aid, she sure helped the Forestry Sector and the mortality rate has now come down for their workers because of her determination.
I wonder how much money New Zealand has wasted on trying to get a deluded Helen her dream of being a leader on the world stage?
I think you are right about wanting her out of New Zealand. She left the Labour party in such a dire state that without her Key had no opposition at all.
Also, of course as long as she had her dream Key owned her. She couldn’t do anything if Key wouldn’t support it. It hasn’t been Key sucking up to Clark. For the last 8 years it has been Clark sucking up to Key.
Ooh! Another Labour-can-do-no-wronger! Thought you might’ve been, you little piece of poo. Alwyn might be a RWNJ or Alwyn might not be – I don’t know and right now I don’t care. But the analysis – this time – is spot on. It’s fuckwits like you who’re responsible for fucking this country. No analysis, no critical faculty. Just blind support for a neo-liberal opposition that fucks our democracy. I suggest it’s you who should fuck off to the sewer where you belong. Hey, you might even meet Leftie there. You two could snuggle up, keep warm, hope you’re not eaten.
Sucking up to bask in the glory of UN importance is what Key does well, only too happy to give her a push no doubt, good point, out of the way and all that.
Would love her to get the job, but i do wonder if ‘able to be manipulated’ is part of their judging criteria? Shame if it is
Next year may we please have a dignified, switched on, strong PM… please please.
Cinny- wait for it. From the Tory trolls here it’ll soon be ‘Crooked Helen’. They are so blatantly lacking in historical facts or even a semblance of truth. Very ideological Trumpish trolling.
Me too proud of Helen and If our present PM ever tried for the same office he’d quickly be jettisoned like the Aussie kevin. Blokiness is not leadership.
It’s utterly fake blokey-ness in the Weak Man of course. A man who repeatedly pulls a young woman’s hair in the face of her objections is no good bloke. Someone who giggles girlishly on global television about the escape of a murderer/child rapist from prison in the country of which he’s PM…….he’s no decent fulla. He’s an horrific embarrassment.
North..Yes. your ‘blokey-ness’ better spelling than my ‘blokiness’.
Hey the cloying (albeit one way) blokey relationship with Richie Mcaw seems to have lost its intensity.
Sir (no thanks) Richie must be relieved.
Kieran Read- be warned of fickle politicians seeking vicarious blokey-ness.
I think she just put herself forward, said what she thought she needed to say, tried her hardest and things played out accordingly. This of course includes looking at everything you’ve referred to, as well as the F&S debacle, accusations of bullying both here and in NY, her treatment of New Zealand’s poor when PM, and no doubt a whole bunch of other stuff, too.
Has John Key’s slavish support of the US ( pimping for the TPP, sending soldiers to Iraq, slagging off Putin, joining in military exercises in the South China Sea) meant a lot of the world sees us now as merely a puppet of Uncle Sam ?
the BRICS countries particularly. Remember the US strategy is not merely to isolate those nations, but to ensure that countries like NZ cannot relate to those nations independently.
OMG ! Did this facile crap from Herald’s deputy politicial editor Trev’ ‘need’ to be written at all. Main point – “Weeeee…….look at me I’ve been in The Big Apple !”. Almost preferable and certainly intellectually weightier – the headline (didn’t click) – “What it’s like to be a sex toy tester.” Herald and Trev’ are such shit.
Switch off the mainstream news.
There are good alternatives now.
Highly recommend Waatea 5th Estate. RNZ is the best of the MSM, although it sources it’s foreign news through propaganda outlets, do it’s reporting of the Syrian conflict, the Ukraine, the Olympics and the Yemen show a clear US bias.
Seemorerocks is good for environmental news.
To get independent UK news, try the Canary.
The following journalists are worth reading.
John Pilger.
Robert Fisk.
George Monbiot.
Bryan Bruce ( NZ)
Waatea fifth estate =real life in NZ .
The rest is an alternative reality called planet key.
The journalists you mention Paul represent what is real journalism and Bryan Bruce made a contribution on Waatea a few days ago and it was great to have his input.
Made the bypass some time ago and never looked back.
Stuff isn’t much better. Their main story yesterday was Crystal Chenery handing out “sex advice”. Front page, first thing you see — ex-bachelorette crapping on about sex. As “newspapers” go, they’re collectively about as much use as a roll of Purex 2-ply.
Maurice Williamson is to be our commissioner in LA. How embarrassing, sick of cushy jobs offshore for failed Nat Party Politicians. Winston is speaking out, saying if he is part of the next government that Williamson will be coming back to NZ and someone whom cares about our country will be placed there instead. Sounds like Winnie is not into backing Nationals jobs for the boys agenda. Well said Sir Winston, well said. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/83767989/outgoing-national-mp-maurice-williamson-picks-up-plum-la-diplomatic-posting
There is a reward given for serving the corporate multinational agenda.
Politicians who sell their souls get very comfortable pastures in return for the betrayal of the country and citizens’ interests.
Look at the sad list of ex MPs who now shill even more for the corporates.
I think Katherine Rich pimping for Coca Cola and Nestle must be the nadir.
Of course we don’t have anyone in NZ like Bill Clinton or Tony Blair.
They have made it an art form.
From Herald’s Deputy Trev’ – “Williamson, who has been an MP since 1987, follows in a long line of politicians appointed to diplomatic postings. In recent years that has included former Speaker Sir Lockwood Smith to London, former Trade Minister Tim Groser to Washington and former Labour MP Shane Jones as a newly created Pacific Economic Ambassador.”
As though the mention of former “Labour” MP Shane Jones says we’re not squarely in dodgy, “share the spoils boys”, territory. Heightens the impression in my book.
From Herald’s Deputy Trev’ – “Williamson, who has been an MP since 1987, follows in a long line of politicians appointed to diplomatic postings. In recent years that has included former Speaker Sir Lockwood Smith to London, former Trade Minister Tim Groser to Washington and former Labour MP Shane Jones as a newly created Pacific Economic Ambassador.”
As though the mention of former “Labour” MP Shane Jones says we’re not squarely in dodgy, “share the spoils boys”, territory. Heightens the impression in my book.
Winston hates Key and NZF’s policies seem to have mellowed (maybe not Ron Mark)…..so my rolling averages for the Roy Morgan polls show that we will have a new government next year regardless of the MP’s support for Key’s policies (not sure if ACT and UF are really parties as they poll well under 1%):
Lab/Gr/NZF 49.8%
Nats/UF/ACT/MP 48.3%
Governments lose elections rather than oppositions win them. The water and housing crises and the education reforms are the latest symptoms of a government out of touch with reality.
I don’t like the concept third-termitis. Governments are perfectly capable of operating as well in a third term as in a first term….but this government has lost it.
I doubt Winston will go into a coalition with anybody CV and will stay on the cross benches after agreeing to support the largest party on confidence and supply.
Labour is still polling to low and that has not changed, hardly in a position to gain the authority of parliament.
No one will want to go back to the country and fight an early election.
I think a series of significant policy concessions by National to NZF as well as a bunch of outside Cabinet posts may be sufficient for Winston to sign up to this.
Have you no ‘ashpirayshun’ CV ? Why aren’t you panting for a 6th nay 7th term for the National Party. You’d be well made up wouldn’t you ? The Left, not controlled/directed by you’d be despatched to the rubbish bin of history. Sweet !
My strategic analysis is simple. I’m sorry that you cannot understand it.
Allow me to restate: in this game, National needs to understand the benefits awaiting it if it chooses to bend over backwards and make a few significant concessions to Winston and NZ First. The goal would be to gain NZ First’s commitment as the National Party’s new, strong MMP partner.
With the 10% to 14% that Winston will bring to the table in 2017, as well as new policy energy, coming to such an arrangement will guarantee National not just a fourth term, but also a fifth term.
How many times does it have to be said? You cannot trust NZF.
What Winston says and what Winston does are poles apart. He makes the right populist noises but he takes his one man band where the pickings are best suited to his whims.Do not count on him backing the Left. NZF CANNOT BE TRUSTED TO SUPPORT US ON THE LEFT.
The difference Bearded Git with this third term government is the media is on side has been even before the 2008 election.
Normally even with third term National governments years past the media were always reminding us of how tired and out of touch they were and how prone the government was to a succession of disasters and their handling of them and being increasingly out of touch with the country and in the case of Labours last term we kept being told it was time for a change – but a change to what ? well we have found that one out.
The spin and manipulation with an aggressive PR machine and the loyal journalists to do their bidding this government is well placed to win next year and the National parties massive war chest is bursting with money to spend on the campaign.
Crosby Textor are still here advising them on strategy and Key will only respond to issues and how to handle them after he has polling data telling him what to think and how to play it.
Its not what they say , its how they say it.
This will be the first fourth term government scince 1969 when we had Mr holyoake followed of course with Big Norm Kirk and the watershed election of 1972.
Good to see the EU taking a stance against Apple.
Here’s a prediction.
Money man and corporate puppet Key will do absolutely nothing about these multinational bludgers.
And because these large internet companies don’t fulfil their part of the social contract, there will not be the taxes to pay for a civil society.
NZ companies ( who pay their taxes) will struggle to compete with these gigantic parasites. And some will go bust.
There will be fewer jobs.
And a lot more low quality precarious jobs. Working for Uber lacks the security of being employed in a regulated taxi industry.
The race to the bottom will accelerate.
More parts of the health, housing and education sectors will be privatised as a government without the necessary tax take will withdraw further from actually governing.
If you think New Zealand is bad now, it’s going to be a lot worse with 10 more years of neoliberal policies wreaking havoc.
As yet, the Labour Party is failing to offer a real alternative.
So Rousseff, leader of the Brazilian left has been impeached for “budget irregularities”. Surprise, surprise but what is interesting is the Senate vote (61 – 20). Considering the 2 opposition comminst parties (PCDoB and PT) are 12 of the opposition votes where did the majority of votes come from? Well the Centre/Centre Left screwed her (PSDP, PMDB, PDT etc). Hardly the political elite but more like the Left canabilising it’s own. Just like the left in NZ and UK, principals go out the door when it comes to money.
Righty @ 5 – “principals” ? Seems your’s didn’t do that well Righty. Guess you’d be a fan of results-based performance pay in the education sector. Can’t have shit product floating around can we ? Note…….you’re under recall Righty.
North, while I agree with you totally, you ought to be aware that your’s can mean only ‘your is’ or ‘your has’. And I find it hard to create a sentence where either could be used. Please be careful…
Turks lay siege to Rojava – Much like they did to the Christians in Constantinople in 1453, the Turks are now laying siege to the Syrian Kurdish automous region of Rojava in northern Syria. After the Kurds took the large city of Manbij from ISIS a couple of weeks ago (with the loss of 250 fighters) they were preparing to liberate Jarabulus west of Rojava and close to the Turkish border, which would have closed the corridor for Turkish assistance to ISIS and other jihadists groups. Instead, Turkey invaded with a proxy bunch of jihardist fighters, after prior agreement with ISIS who simply stayed in the city and were incorporated into the “liberating” forces (who have since reasserted Sharia law and murdered one of the city’s leaders one hour after he put out a press statement condemning the Turks and jihardists). The United States who assisted the Turkish forces with air strikes told the Kurds they had to retreat from Manbij back to across the Euphrates River to continue to get support from the US (mostly air support, small arms and advisors on the ground). Theoretically, the United States has managed to stop the Kurdish and Turkish forces from fighting but what is really happening is that the Turks are right now building a wall along Kobane (which is the originally Kurdish city that fought back at ISIS and expanded from there) so that no people or supplies can get in or out of there. It has its own jihardist forces blocking the Kurds in the west around Jarabulus (getting new fighters from the refugee camps in Turkey amongst other places, and using child solders), Assad’s Syrian government forces blocking them to the south (Russia, Iran, Turkey and Assad have come to an understanding over this) and ISIS blocking them from the east. The aim is to make sure the Kurds are completely isolated and then to wear them down by making life hell for everyone living in Rojava (Kurds, Arabs etc) and using Turkey’s proxy militias to wear them down militarily. If that doesn’t work, I expect the Turks will simply give up the veneer and simply go in with their full army.
To e.p. From current events, the Kurds have been prevented from gaining too much territory in Syria, despite these hard fighting men and women soldiers, unlike the Syrian army, are a real match for ISIS. The Turks have been playing a fast and loose game as a NATO member and ISIS associate, oil trade and slack border controls.
We hear very little of all those ISIS fighters now that they are beaten back. Where do they disappear to, back to Saudi Arabia, the Urals, Europe… no body count for them??? At the moment all we see on MSM is the discovery of mass graves of civilians killed by these ISIS thugs.
That’s the most depressing news I’ve heard in quite a while.
The “War on Terror”…. unless it’s ‘our’ “War with Terror” or terror being inflicted by ‘our’ many convenient friends.
If the peoples in Rojava are waiting for any international outcry or help, they’ll be waiting a long, long time. They don’t count. Worse, any ordinary person helping them out (eg Labor Party NT president Matthew Gardine), is deemed to be a terrorist sympathiser, threatened with many years in jail just for going to the region and regardless, subjected to what seems to have been, a very heavy handed gagging order .
And war pillocks like Hilary Ben have the gall to stand up in parliament and cynically evoke memories of the Spanish Civil War…
I wish I could contradict something in this to give some hope to the Kurds, but I can’t. I know they have the spirit to fight like hell, but why are they so alone? Utter corruption on the part of the West – our side. We started all this with the Sykes/Picot agreement, we are betraying them again, and their blood is on our hands.
Writing comments has been a bit painful so far this morning. I’m on ‘holiday’ doing a bit of maintenance. And we all know what that means…
I upgraded the firmware in the network WAN this morning. So the site was off for a while.
Just replaced a dodgy 120GB SSD on The Standard RAID with one where I am confident in the manufacturers ability to make good storage. The drive is copying and making writes really slow on TS. Should be done in 5 minutes.
Police calls from Oamaru are diverted to gawd knows where, so the locals are not bothering to report crime, & on the front page of the same paper was a story about crime rising in the south, go John Key rararara!!!!!
“”It’s bloody hopeless. We’ve had the situation in Oamaru where police have asked us to [keep an eye out] for someone who has gone missing, we find them, we end up trying to call them and you end up anywhere but Oamaru.””
With the police and social services budget being diverted to spying (65% budget increase to GCSB for terrorists here in NZ, sarc), and the police doing political ground work like investigating Nicky Hagar and investigative journalists rather than actually concentrating on law and order, the public are being left in the lurch and actually soon realise there is no point even reporting crime, especially if you don’t have an local police anymore (apart from revenue gathering traffic police).
All the cops are in South Auckland working through a backlog of burglaries as per Judith Collins instructions. I’m sorry ‘rest of New Zealand’, you’re just going to have to join the end of the queue. We’ll get to you eventually; try not to die in the meantime.
thats the thing, do most people think it’s handy or do they just have it lest the miss something from work or an update form something that actually does nothing to enhance their lifes?
One reason i believe the planet is so fucked up is this lack of quiet time, undisturbed me time or us time, time without beeps and bings.
It appears that folks end up quite addicted to their phones Sabine. They don’t take time to look around when they’re waiting at the bus stop, the train station etc and when they get on board their transport it’s all tap tap tap. Not looking at the scenery. They are not observing life passing by, noticing things, being aware of how they are feeling, except for maybe getting a crick in their neck for staring down at the god like screen for so long.
I got given an iphone as a gift recently. It’s my first one. It only gets used for taking photo’s and sending the odd message. It’s better that way. I don’t become reliant upon it. And the faceblab I keep on the P.C only. There’s a time for faceblab and a time for living life uninterrupted.
Then there’s that creepy stuff that CV was referring to, so best to keep as little info on your iphone/spy phone as possible.
“Now I have a smart phone and it mostly gets used for reading books”
lol the younger generation e by gum, when we were kids we had to HOLD the bloody books and they were on fucken paper and the skin of animals arrr but try telling that to the younguns now and they just laugh at ya
Yep your phone to produce is associated with slavery, exploitation, economic servitude, environmental destruction and toxic pollution. Yep real good device that one – as long as we close our ears and eyes to the immeasurable suffering created so you can read whilst holding your phone. And the comparison with books? Killing animals – if you were vegetarian your view may have a little wee wee merit – but you aren’t are you, so it doesn’t does it.
debatable in many ways, from many angles and certainly not true in any sense of the word true – let’s just say I disagree and find it amusing, your position that is.
“An 18-year-old black high school student in the United States was awarded just US$18 after being punched, Tasered and arrested over a crime he did not commit….
Local South Bend, Indiana pastor Reverend Mario Sims said the award sends an unfortunate message: “Your rights are worth a dollar.”
“To me it’s just solidifying that blacks in America, we have no rights,” says Mr Franklin’s nephew, Russell Thomas Jr.”
I see in the article that the police were at the right house, and mistook him for his brother (he matched the description fairly well) whom they were after for something serious (domestic violence related). They seem to have realised that they had the wrong man, but in the meantime he “resisted police”, and that is why they then arrested him.
Depending on what “resisted” actually means, and I expect the jury and judge heard the detail, then $18 might be $18 too much.
I guess you’re assuming the cops were white – or that just because he was black it is automatically a race issue.
Depending on the manner in which he resisted, he may well be lucky they did not empty a clip into him given the apparent American obsession with clip emptying (I think the report said he was tasered – shocking as it is).
Tauranga agencies struggling with growing number of homeless
A “tsunami” of homelessness has ripped through Tauranga, with more than 30 families seeking emergency accommodation each week, social agencies say.
i have been saying that for at least 3.5 years now. That shit is spreading like wildfire, and anyone who believes they are safe and it’s not gonna happen here cause its only AKL problem is in for a rude awaking.
This country is being sold, one house at a time and its not Kiwis that need a home doing the buying.
Yes ….New Zealand thought it could play USA off against China and get the best of both worlds .Instead we get the worst of both …. owned by American Corporates and overrun by immigrants.
So, so true. We are constantly lied to about what is the obvious takeover happening right in front of us. Kiwis have been betrayed by our elected leaders for 32 years. Now Pakehas get to feel what it’s like to be colonised.
not pakeha as in not of maori descend of whom many are not white?
I don’t understand at this comment as not all pakehas have been here when NZ was colonialised, and not all have been here literally like 25 years ago.
I do also believe that the ones to suffer the most in this recent sale of NZ is still the indigenous people of NZ as this is the only land they have, many pakehas can pack if and go back to where ever they came from if it gets to bad.
but for the Maori population and the what now up to 5th generation of born into NZ pakehas – many whom have maori family ties, where will they go?
So no, i don’t feel getting colonialised, I don’t feel angsty for mine self, but i do feel upset for those around me that only have this country to call Motherland or Fatherland if you are so inclined.
By Pakeha I mean NZers mainly of European descent who grew up here and assumed that by studying, working hard and saving they might have a future in NZ. But that has been taken away by Nat supporters’ greed for endless capital gains on housing, no matter the wider costs to the rest of society.
I am feeling pretty ripped off by prices inflating out of reach, driven by investors with zero stake in NZ and who have never paid 1c in tax here. I can’t go anywhere else, except perhaps Aussie, but they treat Kiwis like shit
Beware, beware……the persons quoted in the report are currently lined up, hand in each others pockets, with one of the biggest property developers in the area (who has a great cloak of ‘philanthropy’) to be gifted over 1000 State Houses..already making noises about wrong houses, wrong areas, big sections…this is a softening up exercise, a tilling of the ground.
I hope you’ll join the Boycott Wilson NZ Facebook group and come to the protest rally I’ve planned for Saturday. We aim to educate Kiwis that Wilson Parking, whom we all know for their extortionate prices, is a tentacle of the same corporate monster that operates Wilson Security, responsible for running Australia’s notorious offshore detention centres.
The rally (and call to boycott Wilson) is in solidarity with the Boycott Wilson campaign coordinated by Whistleblowers, Activists and Citizens Alliance
(waca.net.au/boycott_wilson) which has already claimed some success for getting Transfield (now known as Broad Spectrum) to back away from the contract to run the camps, but Wilson was brought in as a subcontractor and has perpetuated the abysmal record of human rights abuses.
The aim is to pressure Wilson so that they won’t be inclined to bid outright for the contract when it comes up for renewal. Of course the ultimate aim is to force the Australian government itself to process asylum seekers in a humane, timely and transparent fashion on their own soil ie to close these modern day concentration camps.
Nelson Mandela said our Springbok protests were like the sun coming out for him and his imprisoned comrades. It is time for Kiwis who believe in justice and love to once again raise our voices so that those unjustly held and mistreated on Nauru and Manus Island can feel our sunshine.
Also have heard that one of the reasons why we are not getting rail to the Auckland airport is that the airport is making something like 1 million dollars a week in ripping off people through parking charges. They don’t want public transport to interfere with their profits. (I don’t think this is Wilson Parking at the airport), but just shows how high parking charges are stopping public transport growth and groups like Auckland Council and the airport are profiting from having bad transport links.
Still waiting for it Ad though and we are in 2016, bit like those affordable houses in Auckland. That’s the point. In the meantime the parking people many of those who actually are making the rail decisions are actually benefiting from the lack of rail, coming soon, coming soon, um hopefully coming soon, bit more talking and then maybe coming soon.
You can catch some of this detail on TransportBlog.
To save you the pain of dealing with the transport nerds, it’s looking like this:
– The only new funded capex on rail of any note in Auckland is the City Rail Link. This job is underway. Central government has promised to pay half of about $3billion, but no firm agreement has been formed and signed. It’s by a fair way the most expensive piece of infrastructure in New Zealand.
– Next off the blocks for the City is light rail up some of the main arterials like Dominion Road and Mt Eden Road. There’s huge momentum for it inside Auckland Transport, but no funding and not much enthusiasm for it in central government. It would take at least a decade to do.
– Next off the blocks would be a third rail line in central and southern Auckland. This will separate the freight rail from the passenger rail. Very congested currently. Sometime in the next decade.
– After that I suspect would come the tunnel to Auckland’s North Shore, currently on the books for 2025 start. Gov’t may push for faster, but I haven’t seen it. This will have rail capacity underneath it. The North Shore busway has grades for conversion to light rail, but not heavy rail.
– Somewhere in that is rail to the airport. It’s in the mix, but TBH it’s competing against a bunch of other stuff. And TBH the hardest thing about rail projects is getting the funding through. It seriously takes at least a decade of argument to make it.
Which is quite a lot of your life, if you’re prepared to devote yourself to it.
“Any foodie will tell you it’s all about the ingredients. Yet Auckland’s ingredients – so fresh, so flavoursome – have been processed by forces so negligent they should be in jail. It’s like they took wagyu and decided to make mince lasagne.
The people who’ve tied up Auckland for 40 or 50 years have methodically worked through a recipe to produce not an oasis, but an aneurism. Traffic that’s fractal: from overhead, it is a seizure.
Inside the driver’s head, yet another seizure. The economic cost of cars not moving – another seizure. But I’m sure the traffic looks good in photos.”
This is fascinating and the type of research which should be happening in NZ.
“A forest is much more than what you see,” says ecologist Suzanne Simard. Her 30 years of research in Canadian forests have led to an astounding discovery — trees talk, often and over vast distances. Learn more about the harmonious yet complicated social lives of trees and prepare to see the natural world with new eyes.”
I see Raybon Kan is once again raising the finger to the Government in the Herald today about the state of the river water and how its acceptable to have a wading standard only. He really does sail close to the wind these days and I am amazed granny allows his columns to be published. He is either going to lose his job writing for the paper or Granny is becoming jaded with the Government and its lack lustre performance. He writes in such a funny way and I see he is a comedian – it shines through with his biting way he gets stuff across albeit it in a humorous way. The PR machine of the Government won’t be pleased.
Still funny though Paul – he’s channeling the government discourses so well…
“Then there’s Havelock North.
Of course Havelock North’s water is drinkable. Look how many people drank it.
A third of the population were laid low. But look on the bright side: while one third of the population of Havelock North were poisoned, that means two-thirds weren’t. And in a democracy, two-thirds is a majority, an absolute landslide, who support the local water and all its diverse populations of bacteria.”
Bears investigating, save nz. I’m believing my forest garden acts this way also and that’s why I champion it. No bears yet, though my wife said she saw an orangutan in the plum tree recently (but it was me:-)
Not if you read it: it’s probably largely the results of a publisher’s publicity arm.
Author of upcoming book (amazon link supplied) on US constitution is the main source for commentary on issue that the book “touches on” (lol of thirty-odd articles and amendments in constitution, four deal with the presidency) after rumours about Clinton’s health and Trump’s age/possibility of dropping out.
I am pleasantly surprised that Obama has made it thus far without someone taking a shot at him. When he was elected I thought it was only a matter of time before some redneck had a go.
Given their ages, the odds of either Trump or Clinton making it to the end of a term (let alone two) must be lower than most, and that is just from natural causes.
Converting the site to https is having a few quirks that didn’t show up on the test framework. Notable was the way that it lost all of the right hand site widgets.
Got the most of the tabs back, and the mobile theme is back again.
Just letting the database scan on the backend run at present.
Two Deeply Disliked Presidential Candidates
(Trigger warning: This may upset Clinton supporters of a nervous disposition)
From Time:
Hillary Clinton’s reputation among Americans has hit rock bottom, according to a new survey.
America’s Opinion of Hillary Clinton Hits Record Low
Daniel White @danielatlarge
Aug. 31, 2016
(But Donald Trump’s favorability rating is even lower)
A Washington Post–ABC News poll released Wednesday shows that 56% of Americans view Clinton unfavorably, while 41% have a favorable impression of the Democrat—the worst she’s been viewed in her time in public life.
Clinton’s previous low was in July when her favorable rating was 42%, according to the Post, while her previous unfavorable high was 55% in June.
Trump’s image, however, remains worse, with 63% of Americans holding an unfavorable opinion of him and only 35% having a favorable view.
Clinton’s image had managed to rebound a bit after the Democratic National Convention in July—48% favorable and 50% unfavorable—but things appear to have bottomed out.
The latest survey was conducted Aug. 24-28 among a national sample of 1,020 adults with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5%.
The Week
At first glance, Clinton’s favorability rating might at least look better than Donald Trump’s. But, The Washington Post noted, when only registered voters are taken into consideration, “Clinton’s image is about as bad as Trump’s.” While Clinton sees a split of 38 percent favorable and 59 percent unfavorable, Trump’s split is 37 percent favorable and 60 percent unfavorable.
So, Clinton at minus 21 / Trump on minus 23.
A look through Real Clear Politics also suggests Clinton has suffered worse Favourability negs in recent months – minus 25 / minus 26 – and higher overall Unfavourability ratings – 60% / 61%.
Maybe, they’re simply comparing it with previous Washington Post–ABC News polls.
538 pointed out that at least some of the ‘dislike’ of Hillary probably stems from sexism, eg people don’t like to see successful women, or at least a woman like HIllary who is not typically feminine.
Probably true for social conservatives. But, you know, there are other reasons … for those who care to look at her record and policy proposals from a cold, hard, objective left-leaning stance, unencumbered by tribal sentimentality or the outrageous romanticisation of the Centre-Right / Neo-Liberal power-mongers at the top of the Democratic Party hierarchy.
The Democrats are a coalition – only some factions can be considered in any way social democratic.
Many who have little regard for uber-Hawkish, Wall St Girl, Hillary, have a great deal of time for Jill Stein and Elizabeth Warren.
What I can’t get my head around is those individuals that point to every flaw in Hillary’s records and positions (real, perceived, and outright debunked smear), claim to support Stein and Warren based on their positions, that then go on to claim Trump is a better choice than Clinton.
Looks to me like a massive case of blinding Hillary-hatred comes first, then an overdose of confirmation bias in evaluating any subsequent information about Clinton and Trump.
Simeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...
Buzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...
Chris Trotter writes – Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...
David Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...
The tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied…Gary Judd KC writes – I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...
The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...
TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...
A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...
Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
The OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...
After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading → ...
In 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...
Buzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report:District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – 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 (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
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 Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
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. ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
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 ...
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Has John Key’s slavish support of the US ( pimping for the TPP, sending soldiers to Iraq, slagging off Putin, joining in military exercises in the South China Sea) meant a lot of the world sees us now as merely a puppet of Uncle Sam ?
And as a consequence, they can think of better people to vote for leader of the UN than a New Zealander, Helen Clark.
Just wondering….
Your thought makes sense to me Paul. Key is so ego driven, he seems to suck up to anyone whom is famous or important. He was happy as to slam Helen when he was in opposition, but as soon as she wants to go for the top job he starts sucking up to her. He is a disgrace. Hopefully the wise will understand that Key is just a star struck fool and not all kiwis are like that.
Go for it Aunty Helen, proud of you.
Also our headline news in overseas newspapers about milk product contamination and China’s annoyance, also our Clean Green image rubbished on the world stage with 5,200 citizens poisoned by our city water supply, we seem to be in the headlines a bit lately and not with a good look for us. The PM doesn’t help when he makes an idiot of himself on the US TV channels and 3-way handshakes, cringe material for us. Poor Helen doesn’t look like she is in with a chance. Anything the PM touches turns to shit for us and with his hands off attitude to importers and business to do the job properly we have a reinforced steel class action in the making – all because the market will do its job properly for the Government, what a laugh that is.
By the way why isn’t OSH stepping in and helping the doctors in their long hours and stating it is a health and safety issue. Are they also in the pockets of big government, we need Helen Kelly bless her heart to be well enough to come to their aid, she sure helped the Forestry Sector and the mortality rate has now come down for their workers because of her determination.
+100 Whispering Kate.
This.
TPPA. Clark’s UN bid. Tea-towel flag. And those are just the things he’s touched personally.
Key backed Helen for her current UN position, partly to get her off the NZ stage.
I wonder how much money New Zealand has wasted on trying to get a deluded Helen her dream of being a leader on the world stage?
I think you are right about wanting her out of New Zealand. She left the Labour party in such a dire state that without her Key had no opposition at all.
Also, of course as long as she had her dream Key owned her. She couldn’t do anything if Key wouldn’t support it. It hasn’t been Key sucking up to Clark. For the last 8 years it has been Clark sucking up to Key.
Makes her shafting of labour on the tppa obvious .
Nasty little man/woman you are alwyn. Fuck off to the sewer where you belong.
Ooh! Another Labour-can-do-no-wronger! Thought you might’ve been, you little piece of poo. Alwyn might be a RWNJ or Alwyn might not be – I don’t know and right now I don’t care. But the analysis – this time – is spot on. It’s fuckwits like you who’re responsible for fucking this country. No analysis, no critical faculty. Just blind support for a neo-liberal opposition that fucks our democracy. I suggest it’s you who should fuck off to the sewer where you belong. Hey, you might even meet Leftie there. You two could snuggle up, keep warm, hope you’re not eaten.
There, there diddums.
Have a nice relaxing cup of herbal tea and a lie-down.
You’ll feel much better.
Sucking up to bask in the glory of UN importance is what Key does well, only too happy to give her a push no doubt, good point, out of the way and all that.
Would love her to get the job, but i do wonder if ‘able to be manipulated’ is part of their judging criteria? Shame if it is
Next year may we please have a dignified, switched on, strong PM… please please.
Time for a change
Cinny- wait for it. From the Tory trolls here it’ll soon be ‘Crooked Helen’. They are so blatantly lacking in historical facts or even a semblance of truth. Very ideological Trumpish trolling.
Me too proud of Helen and If our present PM ever tried for the same office he’d quickly be jettisoned like the Aussie kevin. Blokiness is not leadership.
Substance counts!
It’s utterly fake blokey-ness in the Weak Man of course. A man who repeatedly pulls a young woman’s hair in the face of her objections is no good bloke. Someone who giggles girlishly on global television about the escape of a murderer/child rapist from prison in the country of which he’s PM…….he’s no decent fulla. He’s an horrific embarrassment.
North..Yes. your ‘blokey-ness’ better spelling than my ‘blokiness’.
Hey the cloying (albeit one way) blokey relationship with Richie Mcaw seems to have lost its intensity.
Sir (no thanks) Richie must be relieved.
Kieran Read- be warned of fickle politicians seeking vicarious blokey-ness.
I think she just put herself forward, said what she thought she needed to say, tried her hardest and things played out accordingly. This of course includes looking at everything you’ve referred to, as well as the F&S debacle, accusations of bullying both here and in NY, her treatment of New Zealand’s poor when PM, and no doubt a whole bunch of other stuff, too.
Has John Key’s slavish support of the US ( pimping for the TPP, sending soldiers to Iraq, slagging off Putin, joining in military exercises in the South China Sea) meant a lot of the world sees us now as merely a puppet of Uncle Sam ?
You hit the nail on the head
the BRICS countries particularly. Remember the US strategy is not merely to isolate those nations, but to ensure that countries like NZ cannot relate to those nations independently.
OMG ! Did this facile crap from Herald’s deputy politicial editor Trev’ ‘need’ to be written at all. Main point – “Weeeee…….look at me I’ve been in The Big Apple !”. Almost preferable and certainly intellectually weightier – the headline (didn’t click) – “What it’s like to be a sex toy tester.” Herald and Trev’ are such shit.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11702315
The media sucks.
Lol Paul. Sex toy tester, the media sucks. Intentional?
Switch off the mainstream news.
There are good alternatives now.
Highly recommend Waatea 5th Estate. RNZ is the best of the MSM, although it sources it’s foreign news through propaganda outlets, do it’s reporting of the Syrian conflict, the Ukraine, the Olympics and the Yemen show a clear US bias.
Seemorerocks is good for environmental news.
To get independent UK news, try the Canary.
The following journalists are worth reading.
John Pilger.
Robert Fisk.
George Monbiot.
Bryan Bruce ( NZ)
We can bypass these corporate puppets.
May i add the “Listening Post” to that list? Richard Gizbert is worth watching, every sunday morning at 7;30am on Al Jazeera.
Best international media round up on the planet IMO
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/listeningpost/
yes i do enjoy this programme
The media sucks.
Switch off the mainstream news.
There are good alternatives now.
We can bypass these corporate puppets.
Good advice Paul.
You will be taking it?
No more wallowing in the filth of MSM lies for you?
Waatea fifth estate =real life in NZ .
The rest is an alternative reality called planet key.
The journalists you mention Paul represent what is real journalism and Bryan Bruce made a contribution on Waatea a few days ago and it was great to have his input.
Made the bypass some time ago and never looked back.
Stuff isn’t much better. Their main story yesterday was Crystal Chenery handing out “sex advice”. Front page, first thing you see — ex-bachelorette crapping on about sex. As “newspapers” go, they’re collectively about as much use as a roll of Purex 2-ply.
Wensleydale Stuff is a product of Fairfax media ( J M T P) just more tory propaganda and dumbed down crap.
Thank god the net has alternatives.
Maurice Williamson is to be our commissioner in LA. How embarrassing, sick of cushy jobs offshore for failed Nat Party Politicians. Winston is speaking out, saying if he is part of the next government that Williamson will be coming back to NZ and someone whom cares about our country will be placed there instead. Sounds like Winnie is not into backing Nationals jobs for the boys agenda. Well said Sir Winston, well said.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/83767989/outgoing-national-mp-maurice-williamson-picks-up-plum-la-diplomatic-posting
There is a reward given for serving the corporate multinational agenda.
Politicians who sell their souls get very comfortable pastures in return for the betrayal of the country and citizens’ interests.
Look at the sad list of ex MPs who now shill even more for the corporates.
I think Katherine Rich pimping for Coca Cola and Nestle must be the nadir.
Of course we don’t have anyone in NZ like Bill Clinton or Tony Blair.
They have made it an art form.
Yes we do but you will not find out till he’s residing in the land of the free.
I would quite happily vote for you to go and take the job Paul
Williamson’s mouth will be kept well shut no doubt by the LA sinecure. And, oh joy !, he’ll have the time to catch up with Ellen.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11702315
From Herald’s Deputy Trev’ – “Williamson, who has been an MP since 1987, follows in a long line of politicians appointed to diplomatic postings. In recent years that has included former Speaker Sir Lockwood Smith to London, former Trade Minister Tim Groser to Washington and former Labour MP Shane Jones as a newly created Pacific Economic Ambassador.”
As though the mention of former “Labour” MP Shane Jones says we’re not squarely in dodgy, “share the spoils boys”, territory. Heightens the impression in my book.
Maybe Winnie will recall Groser as well. I’d love that lolololz.
Giving Jones the Pacific Economic Ambassador role, is a nice little distraction so national doesn’t look as biased as what they are.
Williamson’s mouth will be kept well shut no doubt by the LA sinecure. And, oh joy !, he’ll have the time to catch up with Ellen.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11702315
From Herald’s Deputy Trev’ – “Williamson, who has been an MP since 1987, follows in a long line of politicians appointed to diplomatic postings. In recent years that has included former Speaker Sir Lockwood Smith to London, former Trade Minister Tim Groser to Washington and former Labour MP Shane Jones as a newly created Pacific Economic Ambassador.”
As though the mention of former “Labour” MP Shane Jones says we’re not squarely in dodgy, “share the spoils boys”, territory. Heightens the impression in my book.
Share the spoils sums it up.
Treasonous politicians.
They need an appointment in court.
And a long stay at their local Serco house of fun.
Key can tell that funny joke about the shower soap, the boys will love that one.
Winston hates Key and NZF’s policies seem to have mellowed (maybe not Ron Mark)…..so my rolling averages for the Roy Morgan polls show that we will have a new government next year regardless of the MP’s support for Key’s policies (not sure if ACT and UF are really parties as they poll well under 1%):
Lab/Gr/NZF 49.8%
Nats/UF/ACT/MP 48.3%
Governments lose elections rather than oppositions win them. The water and housing crises and the education reforms are the latest symptoms of a government out of touch with reality.
I don’t like the concept third-termitis. Governments are perfectly capable of operating as well in a third term as in a first term….but this government has lost it.
LAB/GR/NZF 3 party coalition trying to govern with a 2 seat majority at the start of their first term?
That’s the recipe for a short lived government and a snap election at the end of year 2.
I doubt Winston will go into a coalition with anybody CV and will stay on the cross benches after agreeing to support the largest party on confidence and supply.
Labour is still polling to low and that has not changed, hardly in a position to gain the authority of parliament.
No one will want to go back to the country and fight an early election.
I think a series of significant policy concessions by National to NZF as well as a bunch of outside Cabinet posts may be sufficient for Winston to sign up to this.
It will also guarantee a fifth National term.
Have you no ‘ashpirayshun’ CV ? Why aren’t you panting for a 6th nay 7th term for the National Party. You’d be well made up wouldn’t you ? The Left, not controlled/directed by you’d be despatched to the rubbish bin of history. Sweet !
My strategic analysis is simple. I’m sorry that you cannot understand it.
Allow me to restate: in this game, National needs to understand the benefits awaiting it if it chooses to bend over backwards and make a few significant concessions to Winston and NZ First. The goal would be to gain NZ First’s commitment as the National Party’s new, strong MMP partner.
With the 10% to 14% that Winston will bring to the table in 2017, as well as new policy energy, coming to such an arrangement will guarantee National not just a fourth term, but also a fifth term.
How many times does it have to be said? You cannot trust NZF.
What Winston says and what Winston does are poles apart. He makes the right populist noises but he takes his one man band where the pickings are best suited to his whims.Do not count on him backing the Left. NZF CANNOT BE TRUSTED TO SUPPORT US ON THE LEFT.
The difference Bearded Git with this third term government is the media is on side has been even before the 2008 election.
Normally even with third term National governments years past the media were always reminding us of how tired and out of touch they were and how prone the government was to a succession of disasters and their handling of them and being increasingly out of touch with the country and in the case of Labours last term we kept being told it was time for a change – but a change to what ? well we have found that one out.
The spin and manipulation with an aggressive PR machine and the loyal journalists to do their bidding this government is well placed to win next year and the National parties massive war chest is bursting with money to spend on the campaign.
Crosby Textor are still here advising them on strategy and Key will only respond to issues and how to handle them after he has polling data telling him what to think and how to play it.
Its not what they say , its how they say it.
This will be the first fourth term government scince 1969 when we had Mr holyoake followed of course with Big Norm Kirk and the watershed election of 1972.
Good to see the EU taking a stance against Apple.
Here’s a prediction.
Money man and corporate puppet Key will do absolutely nothing about these multinational bludgers.
And because these large internet companies don’t fulfil their part of the social contract, there will not be the taxes to pay for a civil society.
NZ companies ( who pay their taxes) will struggle to compete with these gigantic parasites. And some will go bust.
There will be fewer jobs.
And a lot more low quality precarious jobs. Working for Uber lacks the security of being employed in a regulated taxi industry.
The race to the bottom will accelerate.
More parts of the health, housing and education sectors will be privatised as a government without the necessary tax take will withdraw further from actually governing.
If you think New Zealand is bad now, it’s going to be a lot worse with 10 more years of neoliberal policies wreaking havoc.
As yet, the Labour Party is failing to offer a real alternative.
Is that an acorn I felt or the sky falling, Mr Little?
So Rousseff, leader of the Brazilian left has been impeached for “budget irregularities”. Surprise, surprise but what is interesting is the Senate vote (61 – 20). Considering the 2 opposition comminst parties (PCDoB and PT) are 12 of the opposition votes where did the majority of votes come from? Well the Centre/Centre Left screwed her (PSDP, PMDB, PDT etc). Hardly the political elite but more like the Left canabilising it’s own. Just like the left in NZ and UK, principals go out the door when it comes to money.
Another unreported corporate coup.
New Zealand 1984 fronted by the puppet Douglas.
Brazil 2016 fronted by the puppet Temer.
And all the pseudo left polticiNs who stabbed Roussef in the back will be expecting their cushy job at Petrobas or diplomatic posting to Washington.
And neoliberalism will continue to put money above people in Brazil.
Righty @ 5 – “principals” ? Seems your’s didn’t do that well Righty. Guess you’d be a fan of results-based performance pay in the education sector. Can’t have shit product floating around can we ? Note…….you’re under recall Righty.
North, while I agree with you totally, you ought to be aware that your’s can mean only ‘your is’ or ‘your has’. And I find it hard to create a sentence where either could be used. Please be careful…
Thanks In Vino. As I wrote the question of its correctness did cross my mind. I blame my ‘principle’ of course.
Good job Brazil, the woman is a disgrace
Research the topic in more detail than what the msm tells you.
From what I’ve been reading and hearing, the entire impeachment process was total corruption from the right-wing.
US sponsored effort to break up the BRICS
Turks lay siege to Rojava – Much like they did to the Christians in Constantinople in 1453, the Turks are now laying siege to the Syrian Kurdish automous region of Rojava in northern Syria. After the Kurds took the large city of Manbij from ISIS a couple of weeks ago (with the loss of 250 fighters) they were preparing to liberate Jarabulus west of Rojava and close to the Turkish border, which would have closed the corridor for Turkish assistance to ISIS and other jihadists groups. Instead, Turkey invaded with a proxy bunch of jihardist fighters, after prior agreement with ISIS who simply stayed in the city and were incorporated into the “liberating” forces (who have since reasserted Sharia law and murdered one of the city’s leaders one hour after he put out a press statement condemning the Turks and jihardists). The United States who assisted the Turkish forces with air strikes told the Kurds they had to retreat from Manbij back to across the Euphrates River to continue to get support from the US (mostly air support, small arms and advisors on the ground). Theoretically, the United States has managed to stop the Kurdish and Turkish forces from fighting but what is really happening is that the Turks are right now building a wall along Kobane (which is the originally Kurdish city that fought back at ISIS and expanded from there) so that no people or supplies can get in or out of there. It has its own jihardist forces blocking the Kurds in the west around Jarabulus (getting new fighters from the refugee camps in Turkey amongst other places, and using child solders), Assad’s Syrian government forces blocking them to the south (Russia, Iran, Turkey and Assad have come to an understanding over this) and ISIS blocking them from the east. The aim is to make sure the Kurds are completely isolated and then to wear them down by making life hell for everyone living in Rojava (Kurds, Arabs etc) and using Turkey’s proxy militias to wear them down militarily. If that doesn’t work, I expect the Turks will simply give up the veneer and simply go in with their full army.
http://aranews.net/2016/08/turkey-building-barrier-wall-border-kobane-syrian-kurds-protest/
To e.p. From current events, the Kurds have been prevented from gaining too much territory in Syria, despite these hard fighting men and women soldiers, unlike the Syrian army, are a real match for ISIS. The Turks have been playing a fast and loose game as a NATO member and ISIS associate, oil trade and slack border controls.
We hear very little of all those ISIS fighters now that they are beaten back. Where do they disappear to, back to Saudi Arabia, the Urals, Europe… no body count for them??? At the moment all we see on MSM is the discovery of mass graves of civilians killed by these ISIS thugs.
That’s the most depressing news I’ve heard in quite a while.
The “War on Terror”…. unless it’s ‘our’ “War with Terror” or terror being inflicted by ‘our’ many convenient friends.
If the peoples in Rojava are waiting for any international outcry or help, they’ll be waiting a long, long time. They don’t count. Worse, any ordinary person helping them out (eg Labor Party NT president Matthew Gardine), is deemed to be a terrorist sympathiser, threatened with many years in jail just for going to the region and regardless, subjected to what seems to have been, a very heavy handed gagging order .
And war pillocks like Hilary Ben have the gall to stand up in parliament and cynically evoke memories of the Spanish Civil War…
The world’s a long time fucking fucked
RT have just done a good show on what the hell Turkey is up to
Whew EP! You mean there is a plan? Whose plan do you reckon?
good post e.p…….who in this world would ever trust Erdogan?
Better to just regime change him out…whoops that was tried recently
There’s no surprise here – the Turks will carry out genocide on the Kurds just like they did on the Armenians.
I’m just surprised the yankers haven’t shafted the Kurds yet. They will: they always do.
I wish I could contradict something in this to give some hope to the Kurds, but I can’t. I know they have the spirit to fight like hell, but why are they so alone? Utter corruption on the part of the West – our side. We started all this with the Sykes/Picot agreement, we are betraying them again, and their blood is on our hands.
Writing comments has been a bit painful so far this morning. I’m on ‘holiday’ doing a bit of maintenance. And we all know what that means…
I upgraded the firmware in the network WAN this morning. So the site was off for a while.
Just replaced a dodgy 120GB SSD on The Standard RAID with one where I am confident in the manufacturers ability to make good storage. The drive is copying and making writes really slow on TS. Should be done in 5 minutes.
Should be back to normal now (Testing)
Yep – the delay has reverted to merely annoying – not like “get another cup of coffee” of the last 40 minutes.
lemmie guess, you are running some consumer level ssd in raid? samsung evo?
I do wonder if self-hosting is really a false economy these days.
For your smoko……..twisted sister Ann Coulter. Emblem of US right wing sociopathy. Debating the intelllect of George Dubya Bush. Not a large topic…….
Police calls from Oamaru are diverted to gawd knows where, so the locals are not bothering to report crime, & on the front page of the same paper was a story about crime rising in the south, go John Key rararara!!!!!
https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/north-otago/angry-calls-police-diverted
“”It’s bloody hopeless. We’ve had the situation in Oamaru where police have asked us to [keep an eye out] for someone who has gone missing, we find them, we end up trying to call them and you end up anywhere but Oamaru.””
With the police and social services budget being diverted to spying (65% budget increase to GCSB for terrorists here in NZ, sarc), and the police doing political ground work like investigating Nicky Hagar and investigative journalists rather than actually concentrating on law and order, the public are being left in the lurch and actually soon realise there is no point even reporting crime, especially if you don’t have an local police anymore (apart from revenue gathering traffic police).
All the cops are in South Auckland working through a backlog of burglaries as per Judith Collins instructions. I’m sorry ‘rest of New Zealand’, you’re just going to have to join the end of the queue. We’ll get to you eventually; try not to die in the meantime.
Face Book now geotracking mobile phones of everyone you are near/that you visit/that visit you
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-08-31/facebook-just-got-whole-lot-creepier
don’t have a mobile phone. seriously. we used to live quite well without phones.
Nice one. Now today I feel trapped by these technological “conveniences”.
No need to feel trapped by them CV. You don’t need to let them be your master. An “aid”. That’s all they are.
We used to live quite well without writing either, but most people find it very handy.
thats the thing, do most people think it’s handy or do they just have it lest the miss something from work or an update form something that actually does nothing to enhance their lifes?
One reason i believe the planet is so fucked up is this lack of quiet time, undisturbed me time or us time, time without beeps and bings.
I pity people on their phones. I do.
It appears that folks end up quite addicted to their phones Sabine. They don’t take time to look around when they’re waiting at the bus stop, the train station etc and when they get on board their transport it’s all tap tap tap. Not looking at the scenery. They are not observing life passing by, noticing things, being aware of how they are feeling, except for maybe getting a crick in their neck for staring down at the god like screen for so long.
I got given an iphone as a gift recently. It’s my first one. It only gets used for taking photo’s and sending the odd message. It’s better that way. I don’t become reliant upon it. And the faceblab I keep on the P.C only. There’s a time for faceblab and a time for living life uninterrupted.
Then there’s that creepy stuff that CV was referring to, so best to keep as little info on your iphone/spy phone as possible.
if face book get a hold of your mobile phone number they can track your movements with your smartphone even if you don’t have Face Book on your phone.
“I pity people on their phones. I do.”
Me too.
I have one (not smart) which I conveniently leave at home unless I feel the need to carry it for safety reasons. A $20 top up lasts me about 6 months.
It’s useful if travelling abroad and then only because you have to supply contact phone for bookings etc.
I used to use one of those (still have it actually). A $20 top up would last me a full year.
Now I have a smart phone and it mostly gets used for reading books and using public transport. Unfortunately, the data costs me $6/month.
“Now I have a smart phone and it mostly gets used for reading books”
lol the younger generation e by gum, when we were kids we had to HOLD the bloody books and they were on fucken paper and the skin of animals arrr but try telling that to the younguns now and they just laugh at ya
Strange, I still seem to have to hold the phone. Thankfully it’s no longer necessary to kill unnecessarily to produce the book.
Yep your phone to produce is associated with slavery, exploitation, economic servitude, environmental destruction and toxic pollution. Yep real good device that one – as long as we close our ears and eyes to the immeasurable suffering created so you can read whilst holding your phone. And the comparison with books? Killing animals – if you were vegetarian your view may have a little wee wee merit – but you aren’t are you, so it doesn’t does it.
Lol – silliest comment of the day, so far
Only if you failed to understand it.
“We used to live quite well without writing either, but most people find it very handy.”
there it is, explain away big brain…
and don’t forget this is in the context of Sabine’s comment which pm replied to
“don’t have a mobile phone. seriously. we used to live quite well without phones.”
way you go Bastard, the floor is yours
Keyboards and touchscreens, mate 🙂
no, still don’t get it – my bad 🙁
It’s simple.
Writing has allowed us to learn more and live better. Phones and the internet are now doing the same as writing did ~5000 years ago.
debatable in many ways, from many angles and certainly not true in any sense of the word true – let’s just say I disagree and find it amusing, your position that is.
“For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbours, and laugh at them in our turn?”.
Some interesting stuff in here:
http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/income-and-work/employment_and_unemployment/improving-labour-market-statistics/union-memship-emplymt-agmt.aspx
“An 18-year-old black high school student in the United States was awarded just US$18 after being punched, Tasered and arrested over a crime he did not commit….
Local South Bend, Indiana pastor Reverend Mario Sims said the award sends an unfortunate message: “Your rights are worth a dollar.”
“To me it’s just solidifying that blacks in America, we have no rights,” says Mr Franklin’s nephew, Russell Thomas Jr.”
http://www.newshub.co.nz/world/innocent-man-awarded-18-after-punched-and-tasered-2016083121?ref=newshubFB
I see in the article that the police were at the right house, and mistook him for his brother (he matched the description fairly well) whom they were after for something serious (domestic violence related). They seem to have realised that they had the wrong man, but in the meantime he “resisted police”, and that is why they then arrested him.
Depending on what “resisted” actually means, and I expect the jury and judge heard the detail, then $18 might be $18 too much.
I guess the Black kid should be thankful he didn’t get a clip emptied into him, eh.
I guess you’re assuming the cops were white – or that just because he was black it is automatically a race issue.
Depending on the manner in which he resisted, he may well be lucky they did not empty a clip into him given the apparent American obsession with clip emptying (I think the report said he was tasered – shocking as it is).
Racist right wing Scott on the block again. Like he never heard about the spectacular brutalisation of blacks by US police.
” I guess you’re assuming the cops were white – or that just because he was black it is automatically a race issue.”
No, just saying you think the kid should thank his lucky stars that the cops didn’t empty a clip into him.
Beware ‘trickle up’ is spreading”
Tauranga agencies struggling with growing number of homeless
A “tsunami” of homelessness has ripped through Tauranga, with more than 30 families seeking emergency accommodation each week, social agencies say.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/201814355/tauranga-agencies-struggling-with-growing-number-of-homeless
i have been saying that for at least 3.5 years now. That shit is spreading like wildfire, and anyone who believes they are safe and it’s not gonna happen here cause its only AKL problem is in for a rude awaking.
This country is being sold, one house at a time and its not Kiwis that need a home doing the buying.
New Zealanders has been sold.
The fight is over who owns us.
China or the US.
Yes ….New Zealand thought it could play USA off against China and get the best of both worlds .Instead we get the worst of both …. owned by American Corporates and overrun by immigrants.
So, so true. We are constantly lied to about what is the obvious takeover happening right in front of us. Kiwis have been betrayed by our elected leaders for 32 years. Now Pakehas get to feel what it’s like to be colonised.
with pakeha you mean white people?
not pakeha as in not of maori descend of whom many are not white?
I don’t understand at this comment as not all pakehas have been here when NZ was colonialised, and not all have been here literally like 25 years ago.
I do also believe that the ones to suffer the most in this recent sale of NZ is still the indigenous people of NZ as this is the only land they have, many pakehas can pack if and go back to where ever they came from if it gets to bad.
but for the Maori population and the what now up to 5th generation of born into NZ pakehas – many whom have maori family ties, where will they go?
So no, i don’t feel getting colonialised, I don’t feel angsty for mine self, but i do feel upset for those around me that only have this country to call Motherland or Fatherland if you are so inclined.
By Pakeha I mean NZers mainly of European descent who grew up here and assumed that by studying, working hard and saving they might have a future in NZ. But that has been taken away by Nat supporters’ greed for endless capital gains on housing, no matter the wider costs to the rest of society.
I am feeling pretty ripped off by prices inflating out of reach, driven by investors with zero stake in NZ and who have never paid 1c in tax here. I can’t go anywhere else, except perhaps Aussie, but they treat Kiwis like shit
Beware, beware……the persons quoted in the report are currently lined up, hand in each others pockets, with one of the biggest property developers in the area (who has a great cloak of ‘philanthropy’) to be gifted over 1000 State Houses..already making noises about wrong houses, wrong areas, big sections…this is a softening up exercise, a tilling of the ground.
Glen Innes/Tamaki on repeat
I hope you’ll join the Boycott Wilson NZ Facebook group and come to the protest rally I’ve planned for Saturday. We aim to educate Kiwis that Wilson Parking, whom we all know for their extortionate prices, is a tentacle of the same corporate monster that operates Wilson Security, responsible for running Australia’s notorious offshore detention centres.
The rally (and call to boycott Wilson) is in solidarity with the Boycott Wilson campaign coordinated by Whistleblowers, Activists and Citizens Alliance
(waca.net.au/boycott_wilson) which has already claimed some success for getting Transfield (now known as Broad Spectrum) to back away from the contract to run the camps, but Wilson was brought in as a subcontractor and has perpetuated the abysmal record of human rights abuses.
The aim is to pressure Wilson so that they won’t be inclined to bid outright for the contract when it comes up for renewal. Of course the ultimate aim is to force the Australian government itself to process asylum seekers in a humane, timely and transparent fashion on their own soil ie to close these modern day concentration camps.
Nelson Mandela said our Springbok protests were like the sun coming out for him and his imprisoned comrades. It is time for Kiwis who believe in justice and love to once again raise our voices so that those unjustly held and mistreated on Nauru and Manus Island can feel our sunshine.
Protest event details: https://www.facebook.com/events/861707600640405/
+1 Julia Schiller
Maybe they can pay some tax too, for their outrageous charges
http://www.smh.com.au/business/wilson-parkings-tax-numbers-appear-to-defy-economic-reality-20160408-go1w4u.html
Also have heard that one of the reasons why we are not getting rail to the Auckland airport is that the airport is making something like 1 million dollars a week in ripping off people through parking charges. They don’t want public transport to interfere with their profits. (I don’t think this is Wilson Parking at the airport), but just shows how high parking charges are stopping public transport growth and groups like Auckland Council and the airport are profiting from having bad transport links.
The airport has designed for the future around light rail.
You can see their plans on line.
Still waiting for it Ad though and we are in 2016, bit like those affordable houses in Auckland. That’s the point. In the meantime the parking people many of those who actually are making the rail decisions are actually benefiting from the lack of rail, coming soon, coming soon, um hopefully coming soon, bit more talking and then maybe coming soon.
You can catch some of this detail on TransportBlog.
To save you the pain of dealing with the transport nerds, it’s looking like this:
– The only new funded capex on rail of any note in Auckland is the City Rail Link. This job is underway. Central government has promised to pay half of about $3billion, but no firm agreement has been formed and signed. It’s by a fair way the most expensive piece of infrastructure in New Zealand.
– Next off the blocks for the City is light rail up some of the main arterials like Dominion Road and Mt Eden Road. There’s huge momentum for it inside Auckland Transport, but no funding and not much enthusiasm for it in central government. It would take at least a decade to do.
– Next off the blocks would be a third rail line in central and southern Auckland. This will separate the freight rail from the passenger rail. Very congested currently. Sometime in the next decade.
– After that I suspect would come the tunnel to Auckland’s North Shore, currently on the books for 2025 start. Gov’t may push for faster, but I haven’t seen it. This will have rail capacity underneath it. The North Shore busway has grades for conversion to light rail, but not heavy rail.
– Somewhere in that is rail to the airport. It’s in the mix, but TBH it’s competing against a bunch of other stuff. And TBH the hardest thing about rail projects is getting the funding through. It seriously takes at least a decade of argument to make it.
Which is quite a lot of your life, if you’re prepared to devote yourself to it.
I agree more with Raybon Kan…
“Any foodie will tell you it’s all about the ingredients. Yet Auckland’s ingredients – so fresh, so flavoursome – have been processed by forces so negligent they should be in jail. It’s like they took wagyu and decided to make mince lasagne.
The people who’ve tied up Auckland for 40 or 50 years have methodically worked through a recipe to produce not an oasis, but an aneurism. Traffic that’s fractal: from overhead, it is a seizure.
Inside the driver’s head, yet another seizure. The economic cost of cars not moving – another seizure. But I’m sure the traffic looks good in photos.”
So in short nobody knows when rail will get to the airport, it’s a talk fest subject.
This is fascinating and the type of research which should be happening in NZ.
“A forest is much more than what you see,” says ecologist Suzanne Simard. Her 30 years of research in Canadian forests have led to an astounding discovery — trees talk, often and over vast distances. Learn more about the harmonious yet complicated social lives of trees and prepare to see the natural world with new eyes.”
https://www.ted.com/talks/suzanne_simard_how_trees_talk_to_each_other
I see Raybon Kan is once again raising the finger to the Government in the Herald today about the state of the river water and how its acceptable to have a wading standard only. He really does sail close to the wind these days and I am amazed granny allows his columns to be published. He is either going to lose his job writing for the paper or Granny is becoming jaded with the Government and its lack lustre performance. He writes in such a funny way and I see he is a comedian – it shines through with his biting way he gets stuff across albeit it in a humorous way. The PR machine of the Government won’t be pleased.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11702398
Faux balance.
That’s all.
Still funny though Paul – he’s channeling the government discourses so well…
“Then there’s Havelock North.
Of course Havelock North’s water is drinkable. Look how many people drank it.
A third of the population were laid low. But look on the bright side: while one third of the population of Havelock North were poisoned, that means two-thirds weren’t. And in a democracy, two-thirds is a majority, an absolute landslide, who support the local water and all its diverse populations of bacteria.”
Bears investigating, save nz. I’m believing my forest garden acts this way also and that’s why I champion it. No bears yet, though my wife said she saw an orangutan in the plum tree recently (but it was me:-)
Candidate death may delay or eliminate Presidential election
What a weird article from the US mainstream MSM
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-08-30/candidate-death-could-delay-or-eliminate-presidential-election
Not if you read it: it’s probably largely the results of a publisher’s publicity arm.
Author of upcoming book (amazon link supplied) on US constitution is the main source for commentary on issue that the book “touches on” (lol of thirty-odd articles and amendments in constitution, four deal with the presidency) after rumours about Clinton’s health and Trump’s age/possibility of dropping out.
I am pleasantly surprised that Obama has made it thus far without someone taking a shot at him. When he was elected I thought it was only a matter of time before some redneck had a go.
Given their ages, the odds of either Trump or Clinton making it to the end of a term (let alone two) must be lower than most, and that is just from natural causes.
yeah, apparently more than a couple had a go (beyond just mouthing off in bars). Fortunately they never got there.
Converting the site to https is having a few quirks that didn’t show up on the test framework. Notable was the way that it lost all of the right hand site widgets.
Got the most of the tabs back, and the mobile theme is back again.
Just letting the database scan on the backend run at present.
Font seems to have changed (seem to remember that happening in the past too). Looks like a different font, and it’s a bit blurry.
Yep.
That is because the font was a google font, and the code called for a http rather than a https.
Just got the replies tab back. I really don’t know how it was working before. It must have been picking up on some other plugin that I removed.
It’s back, but still just as broken.
Getting there. I have a few days away from work.
‘Replies’ Tab is working again for me, after quite a while not.
Thanks!
Yeah, looks like it’s fixed now. Thanks!
Two Deeply Disliked Presidential Candidates
(Trigger warning: This may upset Clinton supporters of a nervous disposition)
From Time:
The Week
So, Clinton at minus 21 / Trump on minus 23.
A look through Real Clear Politics also suggests Clinton has suffered worse Favourability negs in recent months – minus 25 / minus 26 – and higher overall Unfavourability ratings – 60% / 61%.
Maybe, they’re simply comparing it with previous Washington Post–ABC News polls.
I’m still picking an easy win by Trump…
Care to wager a lazy $100 on it……………charity of your choice ?
Already have skin in the game thanks 🙂
Clinton is 5% ahead on the Real Clear Politics site poll of polls. And she is ahead in all of the key battleground states.
And this changes the fact that most people don’t actually like her how?
538 pointed out that at least some of the ‘dislike’ of Hillary probably stems from sexism, eg people don’t like to see successful women, or at least a woman like HIllary who is not typically feminine.
Probably true for social conservatives. But, you know, there are other reasons … for those who care to look at her record and policy proposals from a cold, hard, objective left-leaning stance, unencumbered by tribal sentimentality or the outrageous romanticisation of the Centre-Right / Neo-Liberal power-mongers at the top of the Democratic Party hierarchy.
The Democrats are a coalition – only some factions can be considered in any way social democratic.
Many who have little regard for uber-Hawkish, Wall St Girl, Hillary, have a great deal of time for Jill Stein and Elizabeth Warren.
What I can’t get my head around is those individuals that point to every flaw in Hillary’s records and positions (real, perceived, and outright debunked smear), claim to support Stein and Warren based on their positions, that then go on to claim Trump is a better choice than Clinton.
Looks to me like a massive case of blinding Hillary-hatred comes first, then an overdose of confirmation bias in evaluating any subsequent information about Clinton and Trump.
” … then go on to claim Trump is a better choice than Clinton.”
I’d take that up with Trump supporters if I were you.
” … every flaw in Hillary’s records and positions (real, perceived, and outright debunked smear)”
You’re indulging in the usual minimisation / outright denial.