Open mike 03/01/2023
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6:00 am, January 3rd, 2023 - 38 comments
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Who doesn't love to watch Tūī? Who doesn't love those colours, almost too good to be true - the deepest, glossiest, most lustrous of deep blue, the iridescent turquoise, the crisp-as-a-vicar's-collar white tuft?Who doesn't love the way they move, swooping as swift as a jet or occasionally bashing the hell ...10 hours ago - Fact brief – Has human-caused climate change increased extreme weather?
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Property rights – which enable decisions over tangible and intangible assets – are critical to an economy as Why Nations Fail pointed out. Not just private property rights for, as we shall see, they are more complicated than that. Neoliberals argue that private property rights lead to the maximum economic ...2 days ago - The Hoon around the week to November 22
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Back in 2022, RNZ took an in-depth look at the "Independent" Police Conduct Authority and its handling of killings by police. These are the most serious test of oversight, and you would expect the police's use of lethal force to receive the most severe scrutiny. But despite the police regularly ...3 days ago
- Thursday 21 November 2024
The Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti arrived at Parliament on Tuesday – the size is being debated but estimates range from 42,000 to 100,000. The Prime Minister is defending not attending due to some of the organisers being affiliated with Te Pāti Māori. The national gang patch ban came into force ...3 days ago - ‘These budget cuts are counter-productive and make no sense’
I spoke to former Productivity Chair Nana this morning about the letter he and a group of other economists sent to PM Christopher Luxon to urge the Government to urgently suspend cuts to spending and investment for the sake of the economy, struggling businesses and the wellbeing of vulnerable ...3 days ago
- ACT’s Astroturfing & A Co-ordinated Attack on Te Pati Māori
Unity on the Streets / Unity at the TableAfter the Hīkoi, all three right wing Coalition leaders came together to push the idea that the 42,000 - 50,000 + strong Hikoi was somehow less potent and brave, and more illegitimate than the energy and crowd displayed.Prime Minister Christopher Luxon 20-November: ...3 days ago - Durability of carbon dioxide removal is critical for stabilizing temperatures
This is a re-post from the Climate Brink The world is emitting over 40 gigatons of CO2 per year, contributing to an accelerating warming of the planet. The world needs to cut emissions rapidly to be remotely on track to meet our Paris Agreement goals of limiting warming to well-below 2C, and we ...3 days ago
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Like everyone else (everyone who wasn't there, anyway), I've spent the morning watching the hikoi march on Parliament. The pictures are astounding: parliament grounds and the surrounding streets are full, and there are still people backed up along Lambton Quay. The police are estimating 35,000 people, and that's a floor ...5 days ago
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There were urgent moves yesterday at Parliament to try and defuse the tension building up over ACT’s Treaty Principles Bill. The Bill’s author, ACT leader David Seymour, told reporters that he understood the Justice Select Committee met yesterday to discuss how long it should take to consider submissions on the ...5 days ago
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The NZNO have announced a nationwide strike for December over its pay dispute with Health NZ, who have put a 1 per cent cap on pay rises. The Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti and Treaty Principles Bill remain front and centre in the media, with the impacts of the Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke-led ...6 days ago
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..Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.Self-appointed “Bishop” and proto-fascist, Brian Tamaki was at it again on 16 November, blocking Auckland’s southern motorway, SH1.This time, the target of his ire wasn’t the Civil Unions Act; covid lock-downs; mask mandates; or ...7 days ago - Rip up a bill, lead a haka are words to live by
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The Treaty Principles Bill continues to dominate political news, with it passing its first reading in the House. Parliament was briefly suspended and Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke suspended for 24 hours after leading a haka that was joined by opposition MPs and the public in the gallery. Willie ...1 week ago
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Louise Upston has revealed her diminished vision for vulnerable youth against a backdrop of snubbed advice, scrapped priorities, shifted goal posts and thousands more children projected to fall into poverty. ...3 days ago
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National Government’s backward-looking climate policy has seen New Zealand fall seven places on the Climate Change Performance Index to 41 out of 63 countries measured. ...3 days ago
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When the Government says it has reduced the number of people in emergency housing, what it means is it is stopping people from accessing it in the first place. ...3 days ago
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The Government is turning its back on children by not only weakening child poverty reduction targets, but also removing child mental wellbeing as a priority focus in their Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy. ...3 days ago
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Labour warmly welcomes the Restoring Samoan Citizenship Bill as it passes its third reading, before becoming law. ...3 days ago
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The Government has taken a giant step backwards by reinstating live animal exports. ...4 days ago
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Teanau Tuiono’s Member’s Bill, the Citizenship (Western Samoa Restoration) Amendment Bill, has passed its third reading and will become law. ...4 days ago
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- Economists sound alarm on Government’s slash-and-burn approach
A group of prominent economists has released an open letter to the Government, raising grave concerns about the far-reaching consequences of its fiscal policy. ...4 days ago
- Release: Smoking numbers up under Costello’s watch
National’s repeal of Labour’s smokefree legislation has taken New Zealand further away from achieving a Smokefree 2025 and a smokefree generation. ...4 days ago
- Release: Call for Palestine recognition by NZ, Australian and Canadian MPs
Parliamentarians from Australia, Canada and New Zealand have written an open letter to their respective Prime Ministers calling on them to recognise Palestine. ...4 days ago
- Justice Select Committee opens floor for Treaty Principles submissions
Today, the Justice Select Committee has decided to officially open submissions for the controversial Treaty Principles Bill. ...5 days ago
- Power of the people on full display as hīkoi approaches Parliament
Today, Hīkoi mō te Tiriti arrived in Wellington, with thousands gathering to march in unity against the divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...5 days ago
- Hypocrisy as Te Whatu Ora contractor bill balloons
Te Whatu Ora’s bill for contracting and consulting staff has ballooned by nearly 20 percent under the National Government, breaking a promise they made during the election campaign to cut contractors. ...6 days ago
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The newly released Section 7AA Repeal Bill's select committee report is further evidence that the Government should scrap it. ...7 days ago
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The Green Party is voicing serious concerns over the Government’s proposal to charge for access to public conservation land, released today. ...1 week ago
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The Green Party condemns the passing of the Treaty Principles Bill at first reading, and is clear that the fight is not over. ...1 week ago
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Te Tiriti o Waitangi is our country’s founding document. It forms the basis of the relationship between Māori and the Crown – and the Aotearoa New Zealand we live in today. ...1 week ago
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The fast-track legislation passing its second reading in Parliament is another step towards environmental ruin. ...2 weeks ago
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...2 weeks ago
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Labour joins with the Government in unreservedly apologising for the abuse, neglect and trauma including torture in state and faith-based care and for ignoring the voices of survivors for too long. ...2 weeks ago
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Today, the Green Party stands alongside the survivors of abuse in state care and faith-based care as the Government issues an historic apology. ...2 weeks ago
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The Green Party has written to the Speaker of the House requesting he enable a personal vote on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
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The Green Party is alarmed by the Government’s move to exclude a journalist from covering this week’s apology for the survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care. ...2 weeks ago
- Without action, an apology will be empty air
For tomorrow’s apology to survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care to hold any water, the Government must not pursue the same policies that drove the abuse in the first place. ...2 weeks ago
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Concerns about the tobacco industry’s ability to interfere in government policy making remain, despite the inability of the Office of the Auditor-General to investigate the Government’s decision to halve the excise tax on heated tobacco products. ...2 weeks ago
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The Climate Change Commission’s latest advice indicates Aotearoa needs to be stepping up on climate action. ...2 weeks ago
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- Release: Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principle...
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The lack of eggs is meant to be an ongoing thing.
For your baking needs many chefs are now recommending Aqua faba (the water in cans of chick peas), and some have even mentioned you might 'use the chick peas for something too' though they've no suggestions because they're clearly chefs in fantasy as real chefs use their 'leftovers'.
Humus: Blend (drained) chick peas with salt, lemon juice and garlic. Alternatives can be made with added kumara, pumpkin, and various spices like cumin, smoked paprika, tumeric, black pepper, vinegar, brown sugar… etc. Learn your own tastes, tinker till you make the best humus you ever had.
Serve generous lashing on vege wraps,as a dip with vegetables, or use your imagination.
Spicy Peas: These are great. Drain chick peas add tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper, 1/2 tsp tumeric, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, tablespoon of flour – plus onion powder (tsp) and garlic powder (1/2 tsp). Mix well but gently so as not to damage peas. Lay out on roasting dish around edges to cook evenly at 200C for about half an hour. Ovens differ so keep an eye out/nose on the job, if you can smell them, test and turn them.
These are a brilliant snack in and of themselves. They also make a very professional looking soup topping, and with a creamy blended soup provide amazing textual and visual contrast.
May your baked goods be light and fluffy, and may your improvisation in the kitchen bring you the joy of creativity it brings me.
Most homuses include tahini as the principal ingredient along with chickpeas and various other ingredients. I have always used that, and found it satisfactory.
I often use hummus on my pizzas instead of tomato paste. Italians may shudder but I prefer to call it fusion (or confusion) cooking…..the Levant meets l'Aventine. The Mediterranean is where the African and European plates meet after all.
Peal your chick peas for the smoothest hummus you'll ever eat and add ice cubes rather than water to stop the heat of the processing cooking things.
And if you're a falafel fan, ditch the canned peas and use dried, well rinsed chic peas soaked overnight with a little bicarb.
Thanks for the ideas DB. I bought a carton of egg replacer, vegan, just in case. People would be well advised to have golden syrup on hand for many eggless recipes.
Golden syrup aye – now we're getting old school. I didn't know there was a 'vegan egg replacer' product. Interesting. I used to eat a lot of 'vegan' meats/cheese type stuff trying to replace these as I changed my diet but now I hardly bother with them I just eat other things.
Can't edit original post. You want some tahini for your humus recipes (or try some type of seed/nut butter replacement), otherwise, experiment wildly.
What I eat today is unrecognisable to what I was eating a year ago. Going vegan basically took a lot of stuff off the shelves for me. Because of this my improvisational cooking game has gone next level.
The lack of eggs is an opportunity for all of us to learn to swap out ingredients and ultimately be better cooks. Or not.
Hi DB. Happy New Year. Re going Vegan. That is pretty much up there in commitment level !
You probably know this…
We used (and kids : ) to make pancakes with . yum
Also ?…sounds Interesting. (and I got Flax : )
FYI Im not Vegan..but know some. Nice People : )
I strongly suspected flax had great binding properties due to the consistency of smoothies with it added. ALWAYS grind flax seed, they're a bit small to chew proper and can get in the lining of the gut!
I had dubious blood pressure doctor wanted to put me on medication. I asked for a few months for proof of concept re diet change instead. Vegan diet and flax seed meal, blood pressures normal, pre-diabetes gone, most aches and pains gone, 10 kilos gone…
Vegan diet punches well above it's ecological weight (well, whole food plant based actually, plenty of vegan junk food out there). It was a difficult transition and I had cravings for cheese the most, now, it's just a better/cheaper/healthier way to eat.
I'm considering getting more chooks for the food forest extension I'm making, the neighbors will appreciate the eggs.
Oh thanks for that ! That might have been in the small print…that I (guy…would have missed : )
I can relate to change of diet…as alternative to medication. Cold turkey ! ..off muesli bars(quick snack, but healthy?ha ! ), chip bags, choc biscuits…just try abstain junk food in general.
Food Forest sounds good. Can Happily Graze : ) ?
Oh I also recently started another compost for Native plants.
People been bringing grass, leaves, horse poo etc. And I added my Tiger worms. Had the first wheel barrow full of organic compost on Our Natives. A great feeling !
Oh and yea 10 kg too. Good onya mate !
I am almost vegan and I've got curly hair! I use ground flaxseed gel in baking and it makes excellent hair gel. Honestly!
If you don't have tahini – you can substitute with Sesame oil (the toasted or dark one with tons of flavour) which I already have in the cupboard for Asian stir-fries.
https://thewoksoflife.com/sesame-oil/
And, agree that Cumin takes hummus to the next level.
An Israeli visitor taught me this 25 years ago 🙂
Onya! Always keen on new (old) ideas.
DB the egg replacement is vegan Orgran. Cheers
It's my 65th birthday this January. People are asking, "What do you want?"
Answer: banana fritters.
It comes down to this.
🙂
I expect you will now get enough banana fritters to last you a year and will be fed up with bfs long before then. 😉
Perhaps they can have a roster – supplying banana fritters for the next year 😉
birthday banana fritter recipe please!
"Him indoors is 81 this month. Enjoy the fritters.
Exit..stage right….crying. lol.
Hope for Brasil….and the Amazon rain Forest
Making lemonade..
https://twitter.com/snolen/status/1609649144825520134
Topical framing
https://twitter.com/lindyli/status/1609760172200656898
The pizza boxes are piling up.
I Like : ) …
Also….the two of them can probably harmonise (string accompaniment by Worlds Smallest Violins )
Bolsonaro …once such a staunch "paratrooper/dictator"….like all bullies revealed as limper than a wet noodle. Gotta laugh : )
does this mean they are preparing a dacha for putin ,somewhere in the florida swamp?
Then maybe some horrific mutant 'Gator…or indeed Swamp Thing ….. deals to the three of them. Maybe a special Axis of Evil "Veg Revenge" Episode could be made ? : )
Bomber has made a lot of predictions for 2023, but about the ’23 election he is absolutely spot on!
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2023/01/02/the-daily-blog-predictions-2023/
Bang – Nailed it! Ah crypto the new way to steal from fans.
This is probably not news to some…..but the accommodation shortage is pretty short too. Workers cant live in tents….or cardboard boxes.
So…cmon Employers….rather than continually banging the Worker shortage drum…what are you doing to sort where they can actually LIVE? (and yea I get that some Employers are OK, and Care…)
Poor dears have exhausted themselves whinging for two years instead.
Absolutely agree. The NZ economy did rather well despite Covid, and absorbed all those lost jobs into other sectors which made life even harder for them, but welcome to labour markets.
Covid indecision
In 2020 the authorities appeared in control and decisive and the Labour government was rewarded with a landslide election victory. Here we are almost three years later with a similarly perceived threat from open borders with Chinese tourism and what are we getting – indecision and vague statements. For goodness sake can we have some action and clear direction.
Logie97 We would also need to control visitors from UK and USA, where the new variant XBB15 is doubling quickly and is a slippery beasty.
Planes Cruise ships migrants…….???? " Don't Dream It's Over" (Apologies to Crowded House) but in the circumstances that name is prophetic. imo
3 years ago the Medical fraternity advised the government that it did not know, nor did anyone else, what we were about to deal with. Jacinda always said that when vaccines, if any were to become available and then when 95% of the population was immunised it would be OK to ease restrictions as that was pretty much the maximum that could be done, she said this many, many times. The fact that a significant percentage of boofheads refused to follow up with 2nds and boosters meant we lost the chance to eliminate or seriously minimise its impact. You have had the action and the clear direction now don't blame the Government, blame the fuckwits. Wear a mask and pay attention. Bugger me the amount of hand-holding some expect is ridiculous. Grow up.
… thank you o learned one. You clearly know the risk potential better than most regarding what is coming out of China. I am so reassured. Strangely, I am one of the few who still wears a mask whenever in shops and closed spaces. This is not about handholding – it is about reducing the risks. I hope you won't be eating your words in a month or two. Cheers
Nope. SARS1 and HIV had already provided plenty of insight. The former is why Taiwan was so well prepared, and the latter helped NZ public health leaders advocate so convincingly for strong protections. Thousands of New Zealanders owe their lives to Ashley Bloomfield, Michael Baker and others.
Apparently a preliminary assessment of the cost of repairing NS 1 and restoring gas supply has begun, too.
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https://twitter.com/k_sonin/status/1609088250735464451
Reuters) – Moscow is ready to resume gas supplies to Europe through the Yamal-Europe Pipeline, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told state TASS news agency.
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/russia-ready-resume-gas-supplies-europe-via-yamal-europe-pipeline-novak-2022-12-25/
NZ twitter's favourite pass time, correcting overseas people about NZ stuff.
https://twitter.com/sujaybhatta2009/status/1609890852163448832