…and this condition is not restricted to the Right wing…it is found in the Left as well…and it usually comes in the guise of ‘holier than thou’ or keeping the Left movement pure…ie i am purer than thou , i am fighting to keep us pure, i am the bastion of purity, only I keep the code and know the True path
….in actual fact it is a form of self righteous fundamentalism and it is an inherently undemocratic frame of mind born of a privileged psyche…i am better than thou because of who i am
….bollocks!
….it has led to all sorts of crimes against humanity
Whilst never being one to give support to mumblefu*k and buttkiss, I’m not seeing right wing in any thing they’ve written. Are you sure you’re not just a little blinkered there mr ure? Maybe a little sleep still stuck around the eyes? Maybe just an ultra fanboy?
Goff ‘‘pure political opportunism’’, citing his previous donations to ACT MP John Banks, now the subject of a court case. ‘‘He wants to be able to influence and control politicians.’’
Goff ‘‘very critical’’ of National for exploiting MMP and failing to implement recommendations from the Electoral Commission to abolish the provision. ‘‘I’m scarcely likely to endorse another rort …I’m being entirely consistent,’’ ‘‘It will be the decision of the party leadership…but I see problems in creating a coalition where the philosophies and principle of people that you are trying to enter into a coalition with is unclear because they seem to be coming from diametrically opposed positions.’’
Shearer also used the social media site to write that although he wished the Internet-Mana ‘‘marriage’’ well, he knew ‘‘it’s going to end badly.’’
Hipkins ‘‘The good old days, when political parties formed from movements. Now all it takes is a couple of million and some unprincipled sellouts.’’
Contemptible.
Where is Labour’s “purity” and “principle” where it matters – in representing the interests of the most disadvantaged 20 percent? Allegedly Labour’s core constituency, but they are more than happy to throw them under the bus to further their own personal interests and ambitions.
Principle my arse, they disgust me.
NO ONE in ANY party or in ANY group of parties can effect ANY change in ANYTHING one desires UNLESS there is at least 50% of support from THE VOTERS. Elementary maths and elementary politics.
Ask yourself if you prefer to shuffle the progressive votes sideways and possibly lose the election or grow the vote and more possibly win the election for the progressive block?
The interminable exchanges in the columns of The Standard over David Shearer. And now he is revealed; a right faction bag man as suspected. Labour has had years to get its act together (no pun etc) since Clark handed the electorate Goff. Her departure was the time to democratise the party not anoint a successor.
Labour has had years to come up with super at 67, retaining the Reserve Bank Act and not removing GST from fruit and veg. Sure they have policy on CGT and asset sales etc but as Phillip alludes to seem determined to lose the election by not using MMP strategy to any extent let alone fully.
Meanwhile IMP has organised in mere months to bring something to politics that seems to have attracted support already. And no, mere cash cannot buy that type of experience and ability. Kiwibank, paid parental leave and banishing youth rates were Alliance initiatives which Labour grudgingly accepted. At least there is now political room for everyone to the left of National, but the fact is Key will not be denied a third term without an outbreak of strategic co-operation on the left.
The friendly Labour people that comment here will not like the ear bashing they are getting but the real life implications of a 3 term dirty filthy tory government are getting literally too much to bear for many of us.
I agree totally. What’s the point of Supporting Labour? Because they seemed not to have realised that that the LEFT Block can win the election. But Labour alone can lose the fucking thing!
So what Goff, Hipkins, Mallard, Davis and Shearer are really saying is…
By Martyn Bradbury / June 3, 2014
“This flexing of muscles and direct challenge to Cunliffe’s leadership is occurring while Labour’s factions thrash out the Party list. This sudden feigned political morality sounds more like the realisation of how far they’re dropping in that list…..
Of course I’m dark on national, I’m an age old left winger from last century, growing up in thatcher’s Britain, working class, when working class was the lowest of the low, before they invented the underclass.
What is your point? Apart from inferring right wing in the comments from Vance’s stuff page on three social media comments by Goff, DS and buttkiss where there is none.
@The Allen..so you are anti Laila Harre , Hone Harawira and the Mana/ Internet Party ….and you believe Martyn Bradbury is being used by Dotcom…..interesting
….i wonder where you are coming from?….care to elucidate
Certainly against the internet party, Harre was okay, but has lost a little of my respect in siding up to kim, Hone’s alright as far as leaders of 1% minority parties go.
“and you believe Martyn Bradbury is being used by Dotcom…..interesting”
Quite frankly i dont think Bomber Bradbury is anyone’s tool….and he makes up his own mind….and like many many other New Zealanders he wants a Left coalition government……No I dont think Martyn Bradbury is being used by Dotcom!
“Interference in the Kim Dotcom case?”
By Martyn Bradbury / June 2, 2014
“One of the worst lies being perpetrated by the mainstream media and Government mouthpieces is that Kim Dotcom has funded a political party to interfere in his extradition case…..
The sheer double standards being applied in this lie are remarkable because from the very first day, this Government have interfered with the Kim Dotcom case. The Campbell Live timeline establishes the process with which this interference has taken place and we now wait on the Snowden revelations and KDCs own evidence to fill in the details.
On top of the unseen political interference, we now have public statements by senior members of the Government cheerleading their lawyers into ‘nailing’ Kim Dotcom…
Screen Shot 2014-06-02 at 7.41.14 am
…how is what Bill English is saying here not interfering in the judicial process? Publicly hoping his Government’s lawyers nail someone before the court case has even been heard? How is that double standard allowed to go unchallenged by the mainstream media? Is English putting pressure on the prosecution the way Maurice Williamson tried to heavy the NZ Police into protecting one of National’s donors?
So let’s just get this straight in terms of the mainstream media narrative here, when the National Party instigates interference, it is not interference. When Opposition Parties question the level of National Party interference, THAT IS political interference.
Bomber bashing is a popular sport it seems, he deserves much praise imo.
Instrumental in The Daily Blog, second only to The Standard in left politics. Critics should try running a blog and sorting all the technical issues never mind the torrent of nutters that free of charge blather on.
And Bomber has a guest column in a prominent msm newspaper The NZ Herald, which should see Bradury banisher Jim Morar choking on his croissant on Sundays.
Tiger Mountain…Agreed !…Bradbury is a positive and articulate force for the Left imo…hence this:
“Brothers and Sisters – the Left are never going to get it this good – why you must vote this election”
By Martyn Bradbury / June 3, 2014
“We don’t want to just replace a Government, we want to change it
….The righteous cynicism many voters feel is matched by an intellectual existential Russel Brand mantra that legitimises apathy. Those are difficult arguments to overcome when so many political examples jade us election after election.
That’s why I think the possibility of a Labour-Green-Internet MANA majority should thrill any genuine progressive throughout NZ and call on their involvement.
What I think many still fail to grasp about MMP is that it’s one of the most representative democratic systems in the world and that every vote counts, and in this election there is the real possibility that the most progressive Government this country has ever seen may be the result and with that kind of majority comes the real ability to implement policy that is socially just and environmental.
Cynicism shouldn’t cloud our judgement, it should sharpen it.
A Labour-Green-Internet MANA majority is a genuinely exciting prospect, and one that progressives would be foolish to ignore if they really want to see the back of John Key….
“A Labour-Green-Internet MANA majority is a genuinely exciting prospect, and one that progressives would be foolish to ignore if they really want to see the back of John Key”
That’s bollocks. Like you only want to see the back of key if you vote for dotcom or you’re not progressive.
Well, I’m totally exited by the prospect of a Green Labour government as it’s one that progressives would be foolish to ignore if they really want to see the back of John Key.
Now rip that government to bits and show your left credentials… But only if you’re not taking the $8k pay cheque.
That’s bollocks. Like you only want to see the back of key if you vote for dotcom or you’re not progressive.
That is a pretty poor reading of what Bradbury was saying.
I’m o.k with a Labour and Green government – however you would be hard-pushed to convince me that having Mana and the Internet party involved wouldn’t make it more progressive. It seems to me that this is one of the points Martyn is making.
It is pretty obvious that you could vote for either one of those 4 parties and still be progressive and want National out – Mana or the Internet party, however, are included in the options of parties you can vote for to achieve those ends and dismissing them out of hand is to ignore these two parties capacity to achieve the end of ousting National and having a more progressive government.
This is the meaning I got out of Bradbury’s article. I think that ‘vote for Dotcom or you are supporting the Nats’ is neither a fair nor accurate reading of the article – it is ridiculous understanding to read from that article.
“Rob Salmond nails it. Bomber is going a bit nuts and demonstrating his grasp of reality in politics.”
“GREG PRESLAND’S… SAYS:
3 JUNE, 2014 – 10:52
Bomber should stick to real estate.”
Happy to defer to these two fine examples of left wing bloggers. 🙂
[It was not me. It is some troll who managed to get their comment approved using my name. For the record I enjoy Bomber’s passion and determination. Give me one Bomber for a thousand intellectual lefties decrying the current state of left wing politics any day – MS]
You are happy simply to cite an ‘article’ that provides no reasoning – rather just draws similar conclusions to your own sans reasoning? That leaves you highly open to being manipulated and manipulating others. This approach doesn’t hold water with me.
( I suggest you go and read my comment on that thread if you wish to find further out about what view I take toward Salmond’s article..)
You haven’t addressed the points I made. How do you get ‘vote for dotcom or else’ out of Bradbury’s article?
You think 2 ‘examples of blogging’ that diss another leftwing blogger and provide no reasoning are ‘fine examples of left wing bloggers’.
Heck, if your definition of left-wing is mindless divisiveness/attack – then fair enough. Sounds more like a right-wing framing of the leftwing, though, if you asked me. (You didn’t? oh…. 🙂 )
“You think 2 ‘examples of blogging’ that diss another leftwing blogger and provide no reasoning are ‘fine examples of left wing bloggers’.”
Just my opinion, but if I have to give a caveat, I’ll say I’ve always found their posts, comments and blogs to be informative, articulate and mostly they resonate in a positive manner.
“Sounds more like a right-wing framing of the leftwing”
Which doesn’t say much about your comprehension, if you ask me (even though you didn’t).
“Sounds more like a right-wing framing of the leftwing”
Which doesn’t say much about your comprehension, if you ask me (even though you didn’t).
What?
That the two provided articles weren’t simply two comments sounding off about someone else’s opinion without any reasons provided
or that the right-wing framing of the definition of left-wing is mindless divisiveness/attack?
I’m beginning to think that rightwing framing isn’t to far from the truth; it appears there are plenty on the left who can’t tell the difference between analysis/ raising discussion points/cooperation and ad hominem put-downs…. 🙁
“I’m beginning to think that rightwing framing isn’t to far from the truth”
Are you saying I’m right wing framing the left?
“it appears there are plenty on the left who can’t tell the difference between analysis/ raising discussion points/cooperation and ad hominem put-downs””
Congratulations on being the only lefty in the village 😆
p.s. I apologise for spelling your name wrong Al1en, that was an error.
p.s.s Oh dear, another one bites the dust; that means there is only one person you can cite as ‘fine examples of left wing bloggers’ [who diss another very active left-winger] …ah well, better luck next time, smarty pants 😉
“Bradbury is a positive and articulate force for the Left”; I do agree, but he is also not without faults. Chief of which is to let a nice turn of phrase trump factual accuracy.
Though Tiger Mountain is almost too restrained to call him; “Instrumental in The Daily Blog, second only to The Standard in left politics”. As, on top of editing, he damned near writes half of it (though more in publishing a large number of pithy short articles, than the longer more thoughtful pieces). TDB gets more page views than TS, and that’s after just over a year of its existence (though admittedly a lot may be just looking at the Daily Gallery or other click-bait).
Bomber ‘advertises’ on facebook regularly too which gets eyeballs. I like his sawn off shottie style word smithing, there are plenty of paragraph polishers around and they get it wrong too sometimes e.g. Pundit.
I like to think they complement each other. Every writer at the Standard brings different knowledge and networks with them. And a great depth and diversity of writers at “The Daily Blog”, not all of whom are regular contributors, plus it is sponsored by several old fashioned blue collar unions. It must have something going for it, with even herr Gosman patronising it.
The man is Minister of finance and he’s presenting misleading accounts. Surely Labour have someone who can do maths and work out the statistics properly?
For those wondering; for accounting purposes all welfare beneficiaries are counted as taxpayers and Crown tax receipts include tax on welfare payments. At the end of March 2013, 310,000 working-age people were receiving a main benefit. They are included in those figures on ‘nett taxpayers’
I don’t know the exact figures but if we assume an average benefit of around $20k before tax it would make up $6.2 billion of the “transfers received” in English’s chart and less than $1billion of the tax paid…. all in the lower income households groups.
Main benefits are not a redistribution of wealth from rich to poor. Every (working) taxpayer pitches in for those. But because benefits are low the welfare beneficiaries show up in the low income households in English’s chart and paint a completely false and misleading picture of taxpayers. That has nothing to do with redistribution, it is entirely down to the amount of their benefits.
As for English crowing about those on $150k+ paying more of the tax. Well in 2008 there were 203,000 households earning $150k+ and now there’s 249,000. Not exactly a surprise that group is paying more tax is it.
I find it quite disturbing that a Minister of Finance propagates such misleading financial information. He is supposed to be the country’s top accountant. It’s also a bit worrying that the opposition don’t seem to have anyone competent enough with numbers to figure out where it’s all wrong.
Bill english is misleading people again, and hand out a brief fact sheet stating as you have. Dont waste time explaining it, make the short statement, and do it over and over again.
Its what national does, but without any supporting fact sheet. For obvious reasons
“Dont waste time explaining it, make the short statement, and do it over and over again.”
I don’t think anyone in Labour has actually figured it out. Rob from Polity is the only person I’ve seen digging into it but he hasn’t picked up the most egregrious misuse of statistics either.
An obvious flaw is that no tax system has ever worked on income bands like that. English is claiming that each person’s share of the welfare bill is what people in their own income band are receiving. Those on $250k+ received an average of only $43.75 in transfers so English says their share of the welfare bill is $43.75 each.
“Except all that $250K+ is an economic transfer from the society to their household…”
Maybe, but that wasn’t my point. Even the rabid right would propose that every (working) taxpayer pays at least an equal share of the welfare bill. We’re all pitching in to pay for benefits, it’s not a rich/poor thing.
Divide gross transfers by total households and that comes to $5574 per household. English says those households on $250k+ only need to pay $43.75 as their share of welfare benefits…. when it should be at least $5574 even to the rabid right.
“Why does Labour let Bill English get away with pushing this nett taxpayer nonsense?”
Because David Parker is hopeless. He can not articulate himself or the left. I have never heard him and been convinced with the arguments he is making (even when I agree with him sometimes).
Contrast Parker with Norman. Russell is on point, talks to the interviewer (rather than looking all around the room like Parker does) and is often difficult to argue against because he has all his ducks in a row.
Parker is Labour’s weak link this election. Cunliffe needs to carry the burden of having Parker on the front bench.
Re Misleading Labeling of Food Products: Yes Paul and just last night I was yelling at the adverts on TV making all sorts of unsubstantiated claims for health and beauty. How come they can get away with these claims and not have to prove value at all. Just wheel in a sportsman, or a filmstar or a “scientist”. After all they must know a thing or two about stuff. Trust them? Sure can. In NZ it is cowboy country.
Voters want to know that Labour will form a stable relationship with the Greens.
The enemy is not the Greens or IMP (get that, ABCs?) Spending too much time differentiating yourselves from those who should/will be your allies is not only pissing off your allies, but believe me, it is turning away potential voters.
The Labour Party will gain more votes by being supportive of the Green’s carbon credit scheme. Dairy Farmers, who will oppose this policy, would NEVER vote for Labour even if Labour supported the current flawed ETS scheme.
Voters KNOW that Labour will not be able to govern on its own. They know that if they vote Labour they will get a Labour-Green Government (and probably IMP.)
The media love the in-fighting which makes a Party look disorganised and directionless. More common ground (like the Labour-Green electricity policy) is needed, not “differentiation” which is going to have to be compromised to some degree, after the election anyway.
This election is not about who wants to be Minister for what in the new Cabinet. Members of the Labour caucus need to put the people living in poverty first, before their own personal ambitions.
+100
Right wing Labour members of caucus threatening to undermine all the progress made by bold Green policies and great strategic plans by the IP and Mana.
Always wonder who these ABCs are Tautoko. Seems that some here “invent” some fresh “evidence” but do you think the Labour Caucus is stupid? The Greens and the Labourites are united in the need to be rid of the Key Misgovernment. As are the IMPs. So why don’t you help with a non-divisive front?
The Greens and the Labourites are united in the need to be rid of the Key Misgovernment
So, how many joint press conferences have Labour and Green MPs held on any policy issues or debates in the last 6 months? None? That’s showing a “united” front is it?
Labour appears totally split and putting up the pension age is the only policy they have that sticks in anybody’s mind.
Other parts of the left have convinced themselves that demonstrating they are just as cynical as the right is a brilliant strategy for bringing on board disillusioned voters.
National is awful in just about every way.
Peters has always been flaky.
The dodgy Maori Party is dying.
The Greens continue their march to the right under Russel’s guidance.
As a libertarian socialist I have always had some sympathy for anarchists ideals but ultimately rejected their theory because I couldn’t understand how a transition could occur without a socialist government to manage it.
But faced with the choices we have I do feel a kind of despair in the possibility of the sort of major changes required happening through our parliamentary system.
As a libertarian socialist I have always had some sympathy for anarchists ideals but ultimately rejected their theory because I couldn’t understand how a transition could occur without a socialist government to manage it.
A transition process could occur over a 5 year timeframe. Yes you would need a government and bureaucracy in Wellington willing to devolve their power and control over budgets and spending. (unlikely I know).
The process would consist of empowering transparent local community based organisations and grassroots community self-government, as well as democratising SMEs (ordinary workers get to choose their bosses, get to decide on the major business decisions, have worker representatives on the boards of directors). Significant assets across the country would be transferred into community owned trusts and worker owned co-ops. Consumers would be given a clear choice between spending their money at a big foreign corporate or giving their custom to a locally owned and run business.
The end results of this are solutions which come from the community, profits owned by workers, and a Wellington structure more focused on strategic nationwide co-ordination.
I don’t think passers-by would take notice of a chap talking quietly about his point of view Bob. Not much chance of the MSM reporting quiet protest. So if you believe in a cause shout it out.
Jones is more concerned that wealthy Parnell residents might have their peace disturbed for a few hours than for the victims of drone attacks.
Breathtaking.
From wikipedia.
“Jones………..formed the short-lived libertarian New Zealand Party in 1983, just before Robert Muldoon’s snap 1984 election. Jones explicitly stated his disgust that the supposedly pro-free-enterprise National Party of New Zealand had implemented socialist polices like price and wage freezes, and a top tax rate of 66%. His party acted as a spoiler, helping to deliver the government to the New Zealand Labour Party. Then, surprisingly for an ostensibly socialist party, this implemented free market reforms under Finance Minister Roger Douglas (hence Rogernomics). When the election was over, Jones disbanded the party, seeing that Labour had implemented many of his policies.”
Complicit then in the heist that occurred in the 1980s.
Listening this morning to Radionz and discussion about how tourists find driving on our roads difficult, it was interesting to hear the hostility to ideas for trying to prevent this. Mild suggestions for some new methods were pooh-poohed and I feel that this represents much of NZs thinking, to find negatives immediately, exaggerate difficulties, scorn the suggestion, show reluctance to consider and examine new ideas that could ameliorate or solve present problems.
This is why we are wallowing nationally, with dull, prejudiced minds finding group think with similar others reinforces their own impaired thinking and problem solving lack of ability.
An example from this morning. There was a suggestion about multi-lingual signs at certain spots from Dog & Lemon Guide guy who seems switched on and thoughtful. The journalist taking part scorned this and exaggerated the extent of languages needed to probably 150, which of course would not be the number. She therefore could not think lucidly, really not think at all.
Police spoke also, dissed new ideas and pointed out that a few things had already been done like the arrows on the roads at certain spots.
Listen to the editor of the Dog and Lemon Guide Clive Matthew-Wilson and motoring journalist Jacqui Madelin debate the issues. http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/246095/safety-research-to-focus-on-tourists
Mathew-Wilson was right about judder bars at Stop intersections. But putting Stop in lots of different languages isn’t going to help.
Madelin was right about more arrows on the road indicating drive on the left. I have mistakenly driven on the left in Spain and after returning form Europe driven on the right here.
My mantra whenever driving in Europe was, “Drive on the Right! Give Way on the Left! Drive on the Right…..” My fear was that if distracted or careless my habits of a lifetime would kick in and I would start on the left. Horror! So sorry for the Dutch driver. I could make a mistake like that.
For heaven’s sake, ianmac. Europeans drive on the right, but they still give way to the right, just as we do. Which is why their roundabouts are ridiculous. They do NOT give way to the left. You may well be lucky that you did not land up not in that poor Dutchman’s position!
Thanks In Vino. Just looked it up and it seems there are variations and it is unclear and different European countries have different rules. In Croatia and in the Emirates I drove very carefully and gave way to the left when entering a roundabout. But it seems that in some countries any car entering a roundabout has right of way over the car already in the roundabout. Go figure. Giveway and Stop signs still the same as here. Will look a bit harder tomorrow.
So here’s a simple idea. Maybe they already do it since I’ve never rented a car I would’t know.
Put on the dashboard, prominent to the driver, stickers saying “Keep left, drive on the left side. Look right at intersections”.
Her point about it being worst when you’ve been driving around already for a while and in a moment of inattention you get it wrong – having stickers on the dashboard would help to remind people.
I’ve always considered that the position of the steering wheel should be the dead giveaway as to which side to drive on because the steering wheel should always be next to the centre line.
True, but people spend large amounts of driving in a dissociated state. Think about the trip you just did and how much detail you actually remember, esp if you were listening to the radio or thinking about something important. This is normal. In those situations the body’s memory has more influence on what happens ie we drive by rote. If we are used to driving on one side of the road, then that’s what the body memory will default us to in certain situations.
True, but people spend large amounts of driving in a dissociated state.
And habit is a killer. If you were taught at 16 to stay on the right side of the road and that’s the way you have been doing it every day for the next 30 years…
The problem of tourist drivers is very real, in the parts of the country they frequent. Just two days before this tragic crash I commented to a truck driver that imo the greatest danger when driving certain highways were tourist drivers ….. coming around a corner and finding some loopy on the wrong side of the road heading straight for you …..
The copper on the tele last night said ” blah blah only 6% are tourists … blah blah”. Well, actually 6% is a significant number. And when you look closely that 6% becomes probably something like 20-30% in the parts of NZ concerned….
Try driving the west coast highway, McKenzie country, southland or central Otago, pretty much anywhere rural and touristy in the South Island. In the last 12 months I have personally witnessed two tourists driving on the wrong side of the road – it took a great deal of horn-tooting and light-flashing to get them to realise …. all the while on a deadly trajectory.
Only solution is a beeper that goes nuts as soon as the vehicle crosses the centre-line …
vto
Yes good idea. Another one that Dog&Lemon suggested was a rumble strip in certain places to ensure they kept to the right track.
My idea is that on each rental vehicle there would be a stick-on panel on the windscreen along the right hand bottom showing a highway with dots down the middle and a large white arrow going forward on the left and a large truck in view facing the wheel on the other side. It would be not intrusive on the view forward through the windscreen but be perpetually on the edge of the vision, and once seen then would be constantly reinforcing the message. [Edit I see Lanthanide already suggested this so I just endorse that.]
Also a short recorded message could play when the vehicle started after stopping or pausing for a turn, just saying – choose from three languages – ‘Remember keep left.’
Something like the 5 minute video before taking the rental car would be good and it must involve some action to correct something by the driver and needs to be done sucessfully or repeated. I couldn’t care less about the Swedish driver who said he would never come again if asked to do that. Plenty of more responsible people still will do that. It is overlooked that tourists can cost us a lot of money as well as bring it into the economy.
We need to look after them while they are here better than we have in the past, and we need them to look after us better too, so that we can all stay alive and enjoy the mutual experience of meeting new people.
Yep, it needs to be something that activates and gets their attention every time they get in the car …….
….. this is the common scenario as witnessed ….. said tourist has pulled off the south westland highway at a place called Ship Creek, a delightful creek and beach just off the main road between Haast and Fox. Said tourists wander around and enjoy the waves and the tawaki and the seals and blue sky (and sandflies). Soaked in this natural glory, their minds over-relaxed and taken to other places, they pile back in the car and pull out onto the main highway again, straight into the right hand lane and continue in this manner until ……..
Yes ingrained habit rises to the fore after a period of relaxation and they do the usual thing without any prompts otherwise, and turn into the right land. We have known this for some time but the government these days does anything of practical value reluctantly. And of course there is the old personal responsibility mantra.
I spent 5 years in Europe. In year 4 I pulled out of a remote country Petrol Station on a straight, empty road. Luckily, I had 3 French passengers in my Kombi. They all screamed, “A droite, à droite!” and I quickly caught on. (I had forgotten where I was..)
A year later I was back in England. From another trivial stop I pulled out onto the road, only to see a truck coming towards me. I quickly corrected to the left, but got highly expressive hand signals from the truck driver.
Those are the moments that trap us all – Kiwis included. And don’t get too aggressive about this: in driving on the left we are a tiny minority. Ex British Empire countries (but not Canada) and Japan.
As such a minority, maybe we need to rethink our whole policy, instead of clinging to a lost policy simply because our nearest neighbour (Australia, for the dumbies) also illogically clings to driving on the left.
This is all off topic and likely to be moved to Open Mike?
Interesting! Chris Barton points out :”Could Judith Collin’s recent outburst on Twitter against press gallery journalist Katie Bradford have seen her prosecuted under the proposed Harmful Digital Communications Bill?
Could the Justice Minister, who has vowed to stomp out cyber bullies – “Your behaviour is not acceptable” – have been hoist on her own petard?”
This was on Fearfacts this morn, with no author attribution or source; does anyone know where it’s come from?
Norman revealed that new Internet Party leader Laila Harre had wanted to be a Green Party MP before she quit her adviser role in December.
A spokesman confirmed she was also on the campaign committee until a fortnight ago.
“so that was all it took..eh allen..? ..just $148,000..?”
So it would appear.
“..gee..!..her soul was cheap..eh..?”
Being on the dole at the moment, I wouldn’t say 148k was cheap, hell, even bombers 8k a week isn’t cheap, but then after paying my low mortgage and utilities (no hp, no loans) I’m left with $60 to buy food for me, my daughter and the cat for the week. Either way, her grab at the cash, seeing she was up for an mp spot and part of the election committee, seems a bit distasteful.
“.seriously allen..!..you are so full of shite…!”
With as much or as little respect as you want to claim, get fucked, nugget 😉
I’m still wondering why people are so upset about a political party supporting their candidates. It’s not as if they can do any other job while they are a candidate.
@The Allen …..re “get fucked , nugget” …. and I thought you were a sensitive New Age guy?!?…
….also i doubt Laila Harre has ever been in politics for the money ….she has the smarts and a good law degree to earn considerably more than an MP over the years …but has instead dedicated herself to working for the unions, the Left in general and Left wing political parties in particular
“@The Allen …..re “get fucked , nugget” …. and I thought you were a sensitive New Age guy?!?”
You give it you take it, and being third of five brothers, I’m cool with that. If Phil’s feeling are genuinely hurt, then of course I’ll apologise and refrain from now on.
As for new age, I don’t even know what that means these days. I remember new age first time around, which surely would make me old age new age if anything.
Like the joke about the museum guide telling the tour group the dinosaur bones are 65 million and 12 years old. How can you be so precise? Came the question, well it was 65 million years old when I started working here 12 years ago. Ba dum tish.
if you believe the unsourced statement from stuff. Remember the right dont understand principles. They cant relate to it unless they are using it in a rehearsed line
I’ve said if it’s not accurate, then I’ll retract. In fact, I won’t even wait for the defamation case, I’ll just man up and do it. How’s that?
As an aside, what do you think of it? LH being on the green party election team, possibly on the list, then leaving for the well paid position offered?
Lisa Owen: You were considering standing for the Green Party weren’t you. So why didn’t you do that?
Laila Harre: I gave it some consideration but at no point did I feel like it was right thing to do or the best use of my talents and skills and experience at that time. In fact, I’d committed this year to working on the Council of Trade Unions ‘Get Out the Vote’ campaign and we’ve been setting that up since the beginning of the year, it’s going very well.
“Internet Party leader Laila Harre reveals has revealed she is being a paid back-bench MP salary as leader of the Internet Party
A backbench MP is paid $147,800, plus perks including travel and accommodation expenses plus super.”
Though she states
” But I have to say that there simply wasn’t any discussion at all about personal remuneration for me at any stage during this decision and it just was not a factor in me making up my mind,”
hmmmmm because you cant imagine someone considering taking a position without considering the remuneration or something else.
Harres statement aboce, thank karol, strikes me as the facts so far.
For the record my partner interviewed for a job in 2010. They offered it to her. Twice they rang back to make sure she would do it for what they were offerin, because it was less than she had been on and far less than she was worth. So, people do take jobs for the job, not the money.
So, people do take jobs for the job, not the money.
I do that fairly routinely. It really is the only way to both keep ahead of the ever changing game and from topping yourself from terminal boredom because you are always doing same things over and over again.
Just at present I’m job-hunting again. Something new is really high on my list of priorities..
“then leaving for the well paid position offered?”
You naturally have some proof for this statement?
I ask because you seem to have ignored the fact that since December, Laila Harre was actually working for the CTU.
“Laila Harre worked for the Green Party for about 18 months, but left in December 2013 to work for the Council of Trade Unions.” – RNZ
As far as resigning from the campaign committee, lots of people have to drop volunteer work to accommodate new professional duties. And being the leader of a new political party is a pretty good reason to stop doing work on another party’s campaign. (if it was a paid gig, I am sure the resignation was done according to the requirements of any agreement) Being a well respected lawyer Laila Harre would surely not have left the Greens in any way but by the book. The Greens you may notice, have not released any information that says they have any concerns with what has transpired from an employment perspective or even on a strategic/intellectual property angle.
(on a related issue…as the Labour Party knows… some people have to take more drastic moves than drop volunteer work to go to a new job. Some people have to drop their volunteer work, such as electorate campaign management, just to have time to find a job so they can feed their kids. For some, working to better their country is a dream they cannot even afford to partake in)
So I can only surmise your issue is the amount Laila Harre is being paid to run a political party. Are you suggesting that the Leader of a new political party that is 100% commited to removing John Key’s government, should only attempt to do so if paid under a particular sum?
Since the stated rate is too high in your opinion, what is an acceptable pay rate for the leader of a political party and all that comes with that?
“The Greens you may notice, have not released any information that says they have any concerns with what has transpired from an employment perspective or even on a strategic/intellectual property angle.”
In fact Turei said outright that she had no concerns about the strategy angle because Harre was a person of integrity.
It’s the on-line version of the Dom Post’sToday in Politics column. Which is at top of Page 2 of the newspaper and always anonymous. Presumably penned by Watkins/Small/Vance/Rutherford.or other Fairfax pol journo. And, yeah, no source.
Are wind farms full of 150 meter tall windmills so last centuries technology, if the Invelox wind energy systems are proven to deliver what the inventors say they can then the answer to that question is a big YES,
More on this later and why i totally applaud the Green Party abandoning the ”emissions Trading Scam” with plans to replace that with a ”Carbon tax” while only giving the announced policy a 6 outta 10,
Draco, i laugh out loud, such attitude as the theory has been known for years so it cannot be altered is incredibly, well for want of a word that you wouldn’t see as a direct insult, incredible,
According to the info i garnered off of the Googles i point readers at is the fact that they have working machines that ARE doing just that,
10 K wind in one end 15 K wind out the other, near enough to breaking that Law of thermo-whats-its,
The inventors/makers already have one little town/city signed up to buy the installation,
IF, this proves to be true, it is cheaper per kilowatt hour than current wind-mills, cheaper to maintain, less of a footprint on the landscape, and, probably could be mounted on existing buildings with flat roofs,
i have another interest in this tech as well, it is perfect for furthering technology which would enable CO2 to be removed from the atmosphere on an industrial scale, allowing that CO2 to then be adapted into a burnable gas and in turn be burned in a generator equipped with the full carbon capture tech to generate electricity…
Of course the other ingredient necessary to enable the design and installation of such equipment would be inherent in the price of Carbon as per the Green Party announcement on the weekend,
At $25 a tonne i would suggest the removal and burning of CO2 to create electricity would become a very profitable enterprise…
No need to be sorry CV, i think you will find that that is just not true, Iceland which generates electricity from Geo-thermal,(their geo-thermal also generates CO2), captures the CO2 and re-burns it in what is pretty much a closed loop system,
The CO2 does have to go through a process to enable it’s combustion but combust it does, it then comes down to a measurement of how much electricity is needed to process the CO2 versus how much electricity the burned CO2 produces…
yep…like getting ethanol from corn…what’s you take into account all the energy inputs from fertiliser, diesel, processing…you’re pretty much close to a stand still. It’s the Red Queen problem: running faster and faster just to stay in the same place.
Martin Hansen, a wind energy expert at the Technical University of Denmark, disagrees. He says INVELOX will draw in and speed up the wind as claimed, but when the turbine is placed inside the ductwork it will create such high pressure that little additional air will be drawn into the device, making it a poor alternative to conventional turbine designs.
The design looks interesting, but isn’t going to break any laws of thermodynamics. The interesting thing for me is that it can operate at very low wind speeds and is supposedly more efficient than a turbine, although it’s not clear how they made the comparison.
It uses the venturi effect to speed up air where the tube narrows, which means that the pressure goes down. I’m assuming that the higher velocity is an advantage in running the generating turbine more efficiently. They have small working models and it’s always possible that these won’t scale well to bigger sizes. The numerical modelling they have done generally gives an indication of whether something will work or not, but how accurate it is can be another question.
PS I wrote this before I saw 17.1.1.2, but it might as well stay here.
Are wind-farms so last centuries technology, if the inventors of the Invelox wind energy systems are proven correct then i would have to say a big YES to that question,
The capabilities and design of this particular instrument of capturing wind, speeding it up, and using it for the generation of electricity have far greater ramifications in terms of climate than first meets the eye,
The google for a look is:
Sheerwind Minnesota,
or,
Invelox wind energy systems…
I don’t see Lab, Greens and Mana/IP competing. Labour is targetting mainstream NZ. Greens the enviroment vote, Mana the poor who are disaffected by Labour, and now IP the non-voting online denizen.
Ford saw that to sell more cars he needed to pay his workers enough so they could afford them.
Dotcom realizes to grow the internet he needs to lower the cost of access to it.
Mana realizes that the best economy is a more equal society, and so have a synergy with Dotcom.
It is however inspiring how dumb the Q+A panel was.
We are seeing Mana/IP branding.
NZF is targets the older voters. ACT stupid rich. UF the deranged. Maori the Maori elite. And Crazy Colins, its hard to tell what world he is on. And lastly, National who are things to all people.
When I look left I see pragmatic progressive policies for the medium to long term.
When I look right I see sad pathetic policies designed to grow inequality and harm the economy all for short-term gains.
And please why would Pacific voters want a Nat-NZF tie up, welfare bashers and immigration basher, just because Cunliffe wants to stop a few immigrants from India and China, entering under the National rich prick visa, that forces up housing prices for them.
Listening to the political show on RNZ today I have to laugh at Hooton and his spin, which sounded like a paid advertisement for the corporates.
Come on Hooton selectively quoting low company tax rates in Nordic countries like Finland are an exception to the norm. Most Western Nations have far higher company tax rates to ours. Your elite corporate friends need to be paying far more than what they are now.
You could have mentioned the Nordic countries more progressive social policies aswell. No you couldn’t possibly mention these as they are an affront to your ideology. Having balance to your opinion gives credibility rather than making you look like a rightwing mug.
US federal corporate tax is 39% according to that list.
In reality of course the corporates have convinced Congress to pass through massive amounts of exemptions, loop holes, rebates etc so the real rate for big corporates is a pittance of that…SMEs still get smashed at the maximum rate though because they don’t have as good lobbyists.
i thought wee Matty’s effort on the wireless this morning was one of His better efforts, on Mana/Dotcom Hooton is behaving akin to a washing machine where the electronics have gone haywire,
He appears to be stuck on ‘agitate’ while the command from the wiring has also ordered ‘spin’, one minute the evil DotCom has sucked all the maori boys and girls of the Mana Party in big time,
In the next breath Matty postulates that all them aging Socialists have suckered poor old Dotcom outta 3 odd million dollars…
Very good comment – like the washing machine analogy.
But I don’t think I have ever thought the “maori boys and girls” have been sucked in by Dotcom. I have thought since I saw Hone being interviewed on Q&A a month or so ago that he is in charge and Dotcom has been duped.
Does your washing machine come with a ‘slip’ and ‘slither’ command Matty, without a dig through the information super-highway to dredge up your various ‘positions’ on InternetMana which on an issue that carries as much importance as, well you,which i don’t plan on taxing my severely depleted pile of neurons over, i will have to take your word,
Did i detect tho, with Your latest effort on the wireless a barely suppressed rage at the sheer audacity of all them aged Socialists having turned the 2014 election on it’s head via having 3 million bucks dumped in their lap to fight the contest with,
i was breathless waiting for another Matty meltdown moment which seemed to me to be bubbling incoherently below the surface of your comments…
Nice try Matthew, however your link states a ‘subjective’ element to it.
I think America’s 39% is more reflective of how low company tax rates are here, rather than many of the fuk nations you have linked us too. David Parker will sort this anomaly out, along with upping the tax rate for high income earners such as yourself. Those slush fund trusts will be reworked so that rort of a loop hole is closed out also.
Btw Hope you sprung for Pagani’s brunch after her cheerleading display for you on Q & A on Sunday. I found that most comical as I’m sure you did by the smitten look on ya face lol.
David Parker will sort this anomaly out, along with upping the tax rate for high income earners such as yourself. Those slush fund trusts will be reworked so that rort of a loop hole is closed out also.
As much as I’d like that to happen the fact that Parker still says we must increase retirement to 67 would indicate that having that much trust in him is contraindicated.
The problem is the raising the age of retirement policy became policy because the active members turned up at remit/policy review & LEC/branch meetings too endorse it. I turned up and was simply out voted. Believe it or not there was strong support from left minded members of the LP. Reasoning was put forward that many workers need too worker longer because they don’t have enough savings to retire. My argument was a hell of a lot of workers struggle to make 65 as it is, also computerization/robotic’s means that jobs won’t be there fullstop.
After Douglas ran a muck any rogue MP/s ‘must stick to policy’ they can blow their arse about any notion they like, however their sorry arse will be dragged back to the party’s policy if they try straying.
Sure the 39% US rate is nonsense. No one pays it. Mainly because it is so high. If they cut it, some people might start paying it rather than directing revenues through lower tax regimes.
Corporates are pulling $15B out of our country in profits every year mate. That’s what’s really high. And here you are wanting to increase that current account drain out of the nation even further. What is your problem?
today i listened to hoots and mike w. It occurred to me that to a large extent mike w is there as himself, to say what he thinks. Hoots is there helping to frame a viewpoint that assist the right. Thats why its so frustrating and why mike w will agree with hoots far more than the other way. Hoots is playing a role, mike w is being himself. Just a thought.
Hi Matthew, yes NZ is with its corporate tax rate higher then some of the Euro countries. However, you need to take all taxes into consideration. In most if not all Euro countries GST is certainly a lot higher and personal insurance cost (pension and health) contributions are considerably more. In the end this should not be a race to the bottom where we are content with 250 000 kids going hungry but any tax take should rather a tool to facilitate a civilized participation via economic means – this would mean infrastructure on logistical and humanistic terms. Sure, NZ with its physical isolation and small population will always face a challenge to participate against economies of scale. Instead of making things cheaper NZ should provide goods that have more value added.
We’re at the high end of the gst scale (especially considering that many of the higher rates have exemptions for food and other items) but you won’t see matty complaining about that.
Thinking of the future, I am reading Lark Rise, particularly the introduction to that book by Flora Thompson. It covers the demise of rural England and paints a picture that might be one to strive to return to when continuation as present becomes no longer viable.
What Flora Thompson depicts is the utter ruin of a closely knit organic society with a richly interwoven and traditional culture that had defied every change, every aggression, except the one that established the modern world…..
The old open fields community of co-operative self-help destroyed by the Enclosures is caught in the worlds….
In remembering the Rise when it was common land…carrying in her mind the England of small properties based on the land, the England whose native land belonged to its own people, not to a State masquerading as such, not even to the manorial lords who exacted services, but not from a landless proletariat. Still less to big business…
..it was Victoria’s reign that, partly through their agency [the Vicar and the Squire] but mainly by the growth of the industrial town and the industrial mentality, ended the self-sufficient England of peasant and craftsman…the attempted murder of something timeless in and quintessential to the spirit of man. A design for living has become unravelled, and there can be no substitute, because however imperfect the pattern, it was part of the essential constitution of human nature.
It seems that there is much in the musings of the writer. With the Enclosures went the ability to be self-sufficient so one then had to be a supplicant in the labour market which might reject you as an adult wishing to work in the fabric mills, but your children might be set to the ‘treadmill’ in a disciplined way far beyond the bursts of hard work and long hours at harvest time in the old days. How many ohus and co-ops are surviving in NZ I wonder? There have been speakers and economists interested in co-ops in NZ – I wonder how many still exist.
The old status quo was overthrown by the industrial age, now we should be looking at a new one relishing hand -crafted things, conserving and repairing with new skills. Perhaps we can convert and still have some graciousness in our living, not the harrassed stress of survivalists, and not the naked disdain and aggression ruling that arises from time to time in us all. To be continued – after the election.
Has key managed two election bribes from one policy?
“The Government is moving to increase the number of Pacific workers who can come into the country under the regional season employment (RSE) scheme.
Prime Minister John Key said a small increase was on the cards, partly driven by the likely return of Fiji to the scheme if it went ahead with democratic elections.
His comments followed a traditional Ava ceremony at Poutasi village where he was made a matai or chief after his visit to the tsunami-hit village after the devastation there in 2009.
During the ceremony one of the senior villagers thanked him and New Zealand for allowing its workers to come to New Zealand for temporary seasonal jobs.
But he also called on Key to lift the number of places available. ”
Cheap labour for businesses and jobs for pasifika family members
Yep cheap labour of the variety that the neo-lib Tories just love, use em and lose em, once the season they are employed for is over send them packing…
Astonishing, 6% unemployed but more immigrants that will most likely be ending up in seasonal short term work and then on the unemployment benefit. I don’t understand the logic, who is going to pay for that? But maybe it is true that the aim is to have enough unemployed to make sure wages don’t rise.
The main reason will be less about the return to a democratic process in Fiji (sometimes for the betterment of a Country democracy plays 2nd fiddle) but more a favour to another group of National’s donators. Fruit & vegie growers who struggle to get their produce harvested here in New Zeandand. Even the majority of the unemployed balk at such slave labour. I think we have all seen or heard examples of Island Nation people being exploited by scumbag contractor bosses. Of course many of the growers know these vulnerable workers are being exploited, however when confronted by the authorities they deny all knowledge.
Casual/seasonal workers are getting stiffed by this National outfit and things just keep getting worst, like the new 80 hour employment law change that ‘another group’ of donators have got rammed thru parliament. Yip those bloody dirty dairy farmers.
“Bracanov later reappeared in court and pleaded not guilty to the charge. He has been remanded on bail until late August for a case-review hearing.
Outside court he said his grudge against John Banks began when he was fined $10,000 for throwing a bucketful of horse manure at a car carrying King Juan Carlos of Spain in the late 1980s.
Banks was minister of police when Bracanov was fined.
“He should not have charged me so much … the law is not for the people,” he said.
In 1994, Bracanov was convicted of disorderly behaviour after spraying air freshener as he rushed at Prince Charles who was on a royal walkabout at Auckland’s Viaduct Basin.
Banks also allegedly cut Bracanov off when he was making a point on a Radio Pacific show in 1997 that Banks was hosting.
Bracanov said it was important to throw the manure in public so people would get the point.”
This is getting stupid, i make 3 comments this morning, they don’t appear, i check later and all 3 have appeared and i make another comment that appears,
Then another 2 comments that don’t,
Is this a ”novel” form of censorship, or, just the computers viewing my comments as spam,???…
[lprent: It is the server and not just you. I can’t see any reason for it. At present I’m simply turning off possible causes one at a time and then seeing if anything else gets trapped. If it does I move to the next possible cause. It is a slow way of debugging, but there really isn’t any other way. It started on sunday. ]
No offence taken here Tracey. I’m well use to rough and tumble and didn’t feel under attack, but ta anyway.
Being unemployed stinks and having to deal with the ss makes it even worse. I’m glad you’re in a position to avoid that certain ‘pleasure’.
Still don’t think I should have kept my mouth shut and thus my job, so no regrets here. I’m just pleased I avoided the 13 week stand down and only had the 3 weeks without money – That would have been extra harsh.
Mercy, lord have mercy, you will have to ask Phillip to put up His link to Doctor Tashkin He supplied the other week as part of His other little crusade, dope,
And dope it was as Doctor Tashkin Oops pointed out that the miracle cures as expounded had all been arrived at by inflicting various cancers on animals and then pumping them full of dope….
just seen john ‘shifty’ key pretending to be enjoying himself in Samoa. anyway he should know that the all-blacks do not want to play in Samoa or other P.I. nations because the locals just want to bash them up for the hell of it. But I guess he knows better.sacrificing an all Blacks career for a few votes is really his style.
Prof Colin Campbell discovered that by adding animal/dairy to cancer cells in a petrie dish caused them to grow, adding plant products did not. My understanding of tamoxifen is that it will cause cancer of the reproductive organs so am surprised Jane Plant is using this. Many years ago I gave a friend with breast cancer Prof Plant’s book Your Life in your Hands. Unfortunately she couldnt give up meat and dairy and died 2 years later. Is meat and dairy worth dying for, I just dont get it.
I dont know the answer to that but it seems it will dramatically cut your risk of reproductive cancers by avoiding meat/dairy and having a healthy diet. Some vegans can have a diet very high in junk food so not sure where they sit with health stats.
Dr John McDougall has many testimonials on his website where people with chronic disease have recovered on a vegan diet.
So true. For my auto-immune illness, advice over the years about diets that will definitely cure me (and I’m sure people with cancer have had similar advice about absolutely proven cures) include:
Gelatine diet
Avoid all citrus
Avoid wheat
Go completely gluten free
Avoid refined carbs
Avoid all carbs
Go on the ‘caveman’ diet
Avoid red meat
Avoid all meat
Go vegetarian
Avoid all dairy
Go vegan
Have more probiotic foods
Go totally organic
Eat more chilli (avoid chilli)
Have more ginger / turmeric
Have more foods with omega3 / chondritin / glucosamine
Have cinnamon every morning
Have apple cider and manuka honey every morning
The latest was avoid foods of the solanine family (potatoes, tomatoes, capsicum etc).
Most have amazingly straightforward and superficially believable logic around them.
Recently I heard that soaking raisins in gin and have a spoonful each morning is the answer.
I’m quite liking the idea of this last one instead of a cup of tea (which is to be avoided) 😉
“But you’ve found that diet can have a major effect on how ill you are, right?”
No.
Edit: Obviously for so-called lifestyle diseases and general well-being a good diet is important. In terms of reducing auto-immune symptoms? No, diet doesn’t seem to have an effects (with the exception of ensuring I don’t have iron-deficiency anaemia).
Absolutely. I’m not arguing that a diet that supplies people all the nutrients they need and limits foods that contain damaging compounds doesn’t make them feel better. Otherwise we may as well all go choose our favourite junk food and live on that.
I should have stuck with my original ‘no’ answer to cv 😉
A problem with this chronic disease is that the disease (not dietary deficiency) can cause anaemia and then this in turn can have knock on effect of increasing the disease activity that is already present, and will remain after the anaemia is resolved.
It’s a new and very expensive drug that I can’t get in NZ that cured the very serious anaemia within a month after years of enduring it. Now I just make sure I get dietary sources of iron and reduce iron-stripping compound from products like tea (it’s all those polyphenol anti-oxidants). With the anaemia under control because the drug works on the cause of the original chronic illness, this dietary effect is enough to keep it that way, where it wasn’t enough before, that’s all.
The intention of that list was to indicate why dietary advice which is apparently well-meaning, is confusing and may be rejected. It’s not that people don’t want to get better. I get quite tired of people telling me that their diet will ‘fix’ me. I don’t think they realise how many, often conflicting, dietary ‘cures’ are out there.
Aside the errant nonsense about extrapolating petri dish experiments to making inferences about human diets, let me clarify what tamoxifen does – it’s an anti-oestrogen. It’s used in treating breast cancer that is oestrogen sensitive. If you reduce the oestrogen levels, the cancer growth rate is slowed. Combined with anticancer drugs or radiation, this increases survival rates.
It’s not too hard to check your understanding before you make statements like the above – wikipedia is a quick google away: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamoxifen
And this arises out of its anti-androgen effect, and is also true of what, every oestrogen based contraception? Tamoxifen has demonstrated benefits greatly outweighing its risks, and it’s plain irresponsible to be running around bagging it while you’re on a drugs-are-bad-veganism-is-good kick.
Doubt it. WP’s body of work was on how traditional cultures had such excellent oral health due to their diets, which included meat and dairy (although meat and dairy in quite different forms than what we eat today).
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11266341
How can someone be convicted for accepting a bribe and yet from this article no one be found guilty of offering?
“Ping Ma and his wife, Jianping Shen, were convicted of accepting bribes and jailed for 13 and five years in prison respectively for obtaining $375,000 through the real estate deals.”
Many people have been unsatisfied for years that things have not improved for them, some as individuals, many more however because their families are clearly putting in more work, for less money – and certainly far less purchase on society. This general discontent has grown exponentially since the GFC. ...
A listing of 34 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, February 9, 2025 thru Sat, February 15, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report shows worsening food poverty and housing shortages mean more than 400,000 people now need welfare support, the highest level since the 1990s. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and ...
You're just too too obscure for meOh you don't really get through to meAnd there's no need for you to talk that wayIs there any less pessimistic things to say?Songwriters: Graeme DownesToday, I thought we’d take a look at some of the most cringe-inducing moments from last week, but don’t ...
Please note: I’ve delayed my “What can we do?” article for this video.The video above shows Destiny Church members assaulting staff and librarians as they pushed through to a room of terrified parents and young children.It was posted to social media last night.But if you read Sinead Boucher’s Stuff, you ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is sea level rise exaggerated? Sea levels are rising at an accelerating rate, not stagnating or decreasing. Warming global temperatures cause land ice ...
Here is a scenario, but first a historical parallel. Hitler and the Nazis could well have accomplished everything that they wanted to do within German borders, including exterminating Jews, so long as they confined their ambitious to Germany itself. After all, the world pretty much sat and watched as the ...
I’ve spent the last couple of days in Hamilton covering Waikato University’s annual NZ Economics Forum, where (arguably) three of the most influential people in our political economy right now laid out their thinking in major speeches about the size and role of Government, their views on for spending, tax ...
Simeon Brown’s Ideology BentSimeon Brown once told Kiwis he tries to represent his deep sense of faith by interacting “with integrity”.“It’s important that there’s Christians in Parliament…and from my perspective, it’s great to be a Christian in Parliament and to bring that perspective to [laws, conversations and policies].”And with ...
Severe geological and financial earthquakes are inevitable. We just don’t know how soon and how they will play out. Are we putting the right effort into preparing for them?Every decade or so the international economy has a major financial crisis. We cannot predict exactly when or exactly how it will ...
Questions1. How did Old Mate Grabaseat describe his soon-to-be-Deputy-PM’s letter to police advocating for Philip Polkinghorne?a.Ill-advisedb.A perfect letterc.A letter that will live in infamyd.He had me at hello2. What did Seymour say in response?a.What’s ill-advised is commenting when you don’t know all the facts and ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff has called on OJI Fibre Solutions to work with the government, unions, and the community before closing the Kinleith Paper Mill. “OJI has today announced 230 job losses in what will be a devastating blow for the community. OJI needs to work with ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff is sounding the alarm about the latest attack on workers from Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden, who is ignoring her own officials to pursue reckless changes that would completely undermine the personal grievance system. “Brooke van Velden’s changes will ...
Hi,When I started writing Webworm in 2020, I wrote a lot about the conspiracy theories that were suddenly invading our Twitter timelines and Facebook feeds. Four years ago a reader, John, left this feedback under one of my essays:It’s a never ending labyrinth of lunacy which, as you have pointed ...
And if you said this life ain't good enoughI would give my world to lift you upI could change my life to better suit your moodBecause you're so smoothAnd it's just like the ocean under the moonOh, it's the same as the emotion that I get from youYou got the ...
Aotearoa remains the minority’s birthright, New Zealand the majority’s possession. WAITANGI DAY commentary see-saws manically between the warmly positive and the coldly negative. Many New Zealanders consider this a good thing. They point to the unexamined patriotism of July Fourth and Bastille Day celebrations, and applaud the fact that the ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: and on the week in geopolitics, including the latest from Donald Trump’s administration over Gaza and Ukraine; on the ...
Up until now, the prevailing coalition view of public servants was that there were simply too many of them. But yesterday the new Public Service Commissioner, handpicked by the Luxon Government, said it was not so much numbers but what they did and the value they produced that mattered. Sir ...
In a moment we explore the question: What is Andrew Bayly wanting to tell ACC, and will it involve enjoying a small wine tasting and then telling someone to fuck off? But first, for context, a broader one: What do we look for in a government?Imagine for a moment, you ...
As expected, Donald Trump just threw Ukraine under the bus, demanding that it accept Russia's illegal theft of land, while ruling out any future membership of NATO. Its a colossal betrayal, which effectively legitimises Russia's invasion, while laying the groundwork for the next one. But Trump is apparently fine with ...
This is a guest post by George Weeks, reviewing a book called ‘How to Fly a Horse’ by Kevin AshtonBook review: ‘How to Fly a Horse’ by Kevin Ashton (2015) – and what it means for Auckland. The title of this article might unnerve any Greater Auckland ...
This story was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Within just a week, the sheer devastation of the Los Angeles wildfires has pushed to the fore fundamental questions about the impact of the climate crisis that have been ...
In this world, it's just usYou know it's not the same as it wasSongwriters: Harry Edward Styles / Thomas Edward Percy Hull / Tyler Sam JohnsonYesterday, I received a lovely message from Caty, a reader of Nick’s Kōrero, that got me thinking. So I thought I’d share it with you, ...
In past times a person was considered “unserious” or “not a serious” person if they failed to grasp, behave and speak according to the solemnity of the context in which they were located. For example a serious person does not audibly pass gas at Church, or yell “gun” at a ...
Long stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, February 13 are:The coalition Government’s early 2024 ‘fiscal emergency’ freeze on funding, planning and building houses, schools, local roads and hospitals helped extend and deepen the economic and jobs recession through calendar ...
For obvious reasons, people feel uneasy when the right to be a citizen is sold off to wealthy foreigners. Even selling the right to residency seems a bit dubious, when so many migrants who are not millionaires get turned away or are made to jump through innumerable hoops – simply ...
A new season of White Lotus is nearly upon us: more murder mystery, more sumptuous surroundings, more rich people behaving badly.Once more we get to identify with the experience of the pampered tourist or perhaps the poorly paid help; there's something in White Lotus for all New Zealanders.And unlike the ...
In 2016, Aotearoa shockingly plunged to fourth place in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index. Nine years later, and we're back there again: New Zealand has seen a further slip in its global ranking in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). [...] In the latest CPI New Zealand's score ...
1. You’ve started ranking your politicians on how much they respect the rule of law2. You’ve stopped paying attention to those news publications3. You’ve developed a sudden interest in a particular period of history4. More and more people are sounding like your racist, conspiracist uncle.5. Someone just pulled a Nazi ...
Transforming New Zealand: Brian EastonBrian Easton will discuss the above topic at 2/57 Willis Street, Wellington at 5:30pm on Tuesday 26 February at 2/57 Willis Street, WellingtonThe sub-title to the above is "Why is the Left failing?" Brian Easton's analysis is based on his view that while the ...
Salvation Army’s State of the Nation 2025 report highlights falling living standards, the highest unemployment rates since the 1990s and half of all Pacific children going without food. There are reports of hundreds if not thousands of people are applying for the same jobs in the wake of last year’s ...
Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Correction: On the article The Condundrum of David Seymour, Luke Malpass conducted joint reviews with Bryce Wilkinson, the architect of the Regulatory Standards Bill - not Bryce Edwards. The article ...
Tomorrow the council’s Transport, Resilience and Infrastructure Committee meet and agenda has a few interesting papers. Council’s Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport Every year the council provide a Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport which is part of the process for informing AT of the council’s priorities and ...
All around in my home townThey're trying to track me down, yeahThey say they want to bring me in guiltyFor the killing of a deputyFor the life of a deputySongwriter: Robert Nesta Marley.Support Nick’s Kōrero today with a 20% discount on a paid subscription to receive all my newsletters directly ...
Hi,I think all of us have probably experienced the power of music — that strange, transformative thing that gets under our skin and helps us experience this whole life thing with some kind of sanity.Listening and experiencing music has always been such a huge part of my life, and has ...
Business frustration over the stalled economy is growing, and only 34% of voters are confidentNicola Willis can deliver. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, February 12 are:Business frustration is growing about a ...
I have now lived long enough to see a cabinet minister go both barrels on their Prime Minister and not get sacked.It used to be that the PM would have a drawer full of resignations signed by ministers on the day of their appointment, ready for such an occasion. But ...
This session will feature Simon McCallum, Senior Lecturer in Engineering and Computer Science (VUW) and recent Labour Party candidate in the Southland Electorate talking about some of the issues around AI and how this should inform Labour Party policy. Simon is an excellent speaker with a comprehensive command of AI ...
The proposed Waimate garbage incinerator is dead: The company behind a highly-controversial proposal to build a waste-to-energy plant in the Waimate District no longer has the land. [...] However, SIRRL director Paul Taylor said the sales and purchase agreement to purchase land from Murphy Farms, near Glenavy, lapsed at ...
The US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has been a vital tool in combatting international corruption. It forbids US companies and citizens from bribing foreign public officials anywhere in the world. And its actually enforced: some of the world's biggest companies - Siemens, Hewlett Packard, and Bristol Myers Squibb - have ...
December 2024 photo - with UK Tory Boris Johnson (Source: Facebook)Those PollsFor hours, political poll results have resounded across political hallways and commentary.According to the 1News Verizon poll, 50% of the country believe we are heading in the “wrong direction”, while 39% believe we are “on the right track”.The left ...
A Tai Rāwhiti mill that ran for 30 years before it was shut down in late 2023 is set to re-open in the coming months, which will eventually see nearly 300 new jobs in the region. A new report from Massey University shows that pensioners are struggling with rising costs. ...
As support continues to fall, Luxon also now faces his biggest internal ructions within the coalition since the election, with David Seymour reacting badly to being criticised by the PM. File photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Not since 1988 when Richard Prebble openly criticised David Lange have we seen such a challenge to a Prime Minister as that of David Seymour to Christopher Luxon last night. Prebble suggested Lange had mental health issues during a TV interview and was almost immediately fired. Seymour hasn’t gone quite ...
Three weeks in, and the 24/7 news cycle is not helping anyone feel calm and informed about the second Trump presidency. One day, the US is threatening 25% trade tariffs on its friends and neighbours. The reasons offered by the White House are absurd, such as stopping fentanyl coming in ...
This video includes personal musings and conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Wherever you look, you'll hear headlines claiming we've passed 1.5 degrees of global warming. And while 2024 saw ...
Photo by Heather M. Edwards on UnsplashHere’s the key news, commentary, reports and debate around Aotearoa’s politics and economy in the week to Feb 10 below. That’s ahead of live chats on the Substack App and The Kākā’s front page on Substack at 5pm with: on his column in The ...
Is there anyone in the world the National Party loves more than a campaign donor? Why yes, there is! They will always have the warmest hello and would you like to slip into something more comfortable for that great god of our age, the High Net Worth Individual.The words the ...
Waste and fraud certainly exist in foreign aid programs, but rightwing celebration of USAID’s dismantling shows profound ignorance of the value of soft power (as opposed to hard power) in projecting US influence and interests abroad by non-military/coercive means (think of “hearts and minds,” “hugs, not bullets,” “honey versus vinegar,” ...
Health New Zealand is proposing to cut almost half of its data and digital positions – more than 1000 of them. The PSA has called on the Privacy Commissioner to urgently investigate the cuts due to the potential for serious consequences for patients. NZNO is calling for an urgent increase ...
We may see a few more luxury cars on Queen Street, but a loosening of rules to entice rich foreigners to invest more here is unlikely to “turbocharge our economic growth”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Let us not dance daintily around the elephant in the room. Our politicians who serve us in the present are not honest, certainly not as honest as they should be, and while the right are taking out most of the trophies for warping narratives and literally redefining “facts”, the kiwi ...
A few weeks ago I took a look at public transport ridership in 2024. In today’s post I’m going to be looking a bit deeper at bus ridership. Buses make up the vast majority of ridership in Auckland with 70 million boardings last year out of a total of 89.4 ...
Oh, you know I did itIt's over and I feel fineNothing you could say is gonna change my mindWaited and I waited the longest nightNothing like the taste of sweet declineSongwriters: Chris Shiflett / David Eric Grohl / Nate Mendel / Taylor Hawkins.Hindsight is good, eh?The clarity when the pieces ...
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on UnsplashHere’s what we’re watching in the week to February 16 and beyond in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty:Monday, February 10The Kākā’s weekly wrap-up of news about politics and the economy is due at midday, followed by webinar for paying subscribers in Substack’s ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, February 2, 2025 thru Sat, February 8, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
Today, I stumbled across a Twitter Meme: the ending of The Lord of the Rings as a Chess scenario: https://x.com/mellon_heads/status/1887983845917564991 It gets across the basic gist. Aragorn and Gandalf offering up ‘material’ at the Morannon allows Frodo and Samwise to catch Sauron unawares – fair enough. But there are a ...
Last week, Kieran McAnulty called out Chris Bishop and Nicola Willis for their claims that Kāinga Ora’s costs were too high.They had claimed Kāinga Ora’s cost were 12% higher than market i.e. private devlopersBut Kāinga Ora’s Chair had already explained why last year:"We're not building to sell, so we'll be ...
Stuff’s Political Editor Luke Malpass - A Fellow at New Zealand IniativeLast week I half-joked that Stuff / The Post’s Luke Malpass1 always sounded like he was auditioning for a job at the New Zealand Initiative.Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. For a limited time, subscriptions are 20% off. Thanks ...
At a funeral on Friday, there were A4-sized photos covering every wall of the Dil’s reception lounge. There must have been 200 of them, telling the story in the usual way of the video reel but also, by enlargement, making it more possible to linger and step in.Our friend Nicky ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with members from our team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is methane the ...
The Government’s idea is that the private sector and Community Housing Providers will fund, build and operate new affordable housing to address our housing crisis. Meanwhile, the Government does not know where almost half of the 1,700 children who left emergency housing actually went. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong ...
Oh, home, let me come homeHome is wherever I'm with youOh, home, let me come homeHome is wherever I'm with youSongwriters: Alexander Ebert / Jade Allyson CastrinosMorena,I’m on a tight time frame this morning. In about an hour and a half, I’ll need to pack up and hit the road ...
This is a post about the Mountain Tui substack, and small tweaks - further to the poll and request post the other day. Please don’t read if you aren’t interested in my personal matters. Thank you all.After oohing-and-aahing about how to structure the Substack model since November, including obtaining ...
This transcript of a recent conversation between the Prime Minister and his chief economic adviser has not been verified.We’ve announced we are the ‘Yes Government’. Do you like it?Yes, Prime Minister.Dreamed up by the PR team. It’s about being committed to growth. Not that the PR team know anything about ...
The other day, Australian Senator Nick McKim issued a warning in the Australian Parliement about the US’s descent into fascim.And of course it’s true, but I lament - that was true as soon as Trump won.What we see is now simply the reification of the intention, planning, and forces behind ...
Among the many other problems associated with Musk/DOGE sending a fleet of teenage and twenty-something cultists to remove, copy and appropriate federal records like social security, medicaid and other supposedly protected data is the fact that the youngsters doing the data-removal, copying and security protocol and filter code over-writing have ...
Jokerman dance to the nightingale tuneBird fly high by the light of the moonOh, oh, oh, JokermanSong by Bob Dylan.Morena folks, I hope this fine morning of the 7th of February finds you well. We're still close to Paihia, just a short drive out of town. Below is the view ...
It’s been an eventful week as always, so here’s a few things that we have found interesting. We also hope everyone had a happy and relaxing Waitangi Day! This week in Greater Auckland We’re still running on summer time, but provided two chewy posts: On Tuesday, a guest ...
National’s cuts to disability support funding and freezing of new residential placements has resulted in significant mental health decline for intellectually disabled people. ...
The hundreds of jobs lost needlessly as a result of the Kinleith Mill paper production closure will have a devastating impact on the Tokoroa community - something that could have easily been avoided. ...
Today Te Pāti Māori MP for Te Tai Tokerau, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, released her members bill that will see the return of tamariki and mokopuna Māori from state care back to te iwi Māori. This bill will establish an independent authority that asserts and protects the rights promised in He Whakaputanga ...
The Whangarei District Council being forced to fluoridate their local water supply is facing a despotic Soviet-era disgrace. This is not a matter of being pro-fluoride or anti-fluoride. It is a matter of what New Zealanders see and value as democracy in our country. Individual democratically elected Councillors are not ...
Nicola Willis’ latest supermarket announcement is painfully weak with no new ideas, no real plan, and no relief for Kiwis struggling with rising grocery costs. ...
Half of Pacific children sometimes going without food is just one of many heartbreaking lowlights in the Salvation Army’s annual State of the Nation report. ...
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report is a bleak indictment on the failure of Government to take steps to end poverty, with those on benefits, including their children, hit hardest. ...
New Zealand First has today introduced a Member’s Bill which would restore decision-making power to local communities regarding the fluoridation of drinking water. The ‘Fluoridation (Referendum) Legislation Bill’ seeks to repeal the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021 that granted centralised authority to the Direct General of Health ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill aimed at preventing banks from refusing their services to businesses because of the current “Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Framework”. “This Bill ensures fairness and prevents ESG standards from perpetuating woke ideology in the banking sector being driven by unelected, globalist, climate ...
Erica Stanford has reached peak shortsightedness if today’s announcement is anything to go by, picking apart immigration settings piece by piece to the detriment of the New Zealand economy. ...
Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...
Despite being confronted every day with people in genuine need being stopped from accessing emergency housing – National still won’t commit to building more public houses. ...
The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis. ...
Before any thoughts of the New Year and what lies ahead could even be contemplated, New Zealand reeled with the tragedy of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming losing her life. For over 38 years she had faithfully served as a front-line Police officer. Working alongside her was Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson will return to politics at Waitangi on Monday the 3rd of February where she will hold a stand up with fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. ...
Te Pāti Māori is appalled by the government's blatant mishandling of the school lunch programme. David Seymour’s ‘cost-saving’ measures have left tamariki across Aotearoa with unidentifiable meals, causing distress and outrage among parents and communities alike. “What’s the difference between providing inedible food, and providing no food at all?” Said ...
The Government is doubling down on outdated and volatile fossil fuels, showing how shortsighted and destructive their policies are for working New Zealanders. ...
Green Party MP Steve Abel this morning joined Coromandel locals in Waihi to condemn new mining plans announced by Shane Jones in the pit of the town’s Australian-owned Gold mine. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to strengthen its just-announced 2030-2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and address its woeful lack of commitment to climate security. ...
Today marks a historic moment for Taranaki iwi with the passing of the Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill in Parliament. "Today, we stand together as descendants of Taranaki, and our tūpuna, Taranaki Maunga, is now formally acknowledged by the law as a living tūpuna. ...
Labour is relieved to see Children’s Minister Karen Chhour has woken up to reality and reversed her government’s terrible decisions to cut funding from frontline service providers – temporarily. ...
It is the first week of David Seymour’s school lunch programme and already social media reports are circulating of revolting meals, late deliveries, and mislabelled packaging. ...
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035. “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious ...
Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi ...
As schools start back for 2025, there will be a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly so all Kiwi kids grow up with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to grow the New Zealand of the future, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “A world-leading education system is a key ...
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson have welcomed Kāinga Ora’s decision to re-open its tender for carpets to allow wool carpet suppliers to bid. “In 2024 Kāinga Ora issued requests for tender (RFTs) seeking bids from suppliers to carpet their properties,” Mr Bishop says. “As part ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today visited Otahuhu College where the new school lunch programme has served up healthy lunches to students in the first days of the school year. “As schools open in 2025, the programme will deliver nutritious meals to around 242,000 students, every school day. On ...
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos can continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline. “When I found out about the potential impact to this service, I asked Oranga Tamariki for an explanation. Based on the information ...
A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said today. “The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill modernises the way in which Customs can recover the costs of services that are needed ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] has achieved significant progress in completing applications for New Zealand citizenship. “December 2024 saw the Department complete 5,661 citizenship applications, the most for any month in 2024. This is a 54 per cent increase compared ...
Reversals to Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions begin tonight and will be in place by 1 July, says Minister of Transport Chris Bishop. “The previous government was obsessed with slowing New Zealanders down by imposing illogical and untargeted speed limit reductions on state highways and local roads. “National campaigned on ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced Budget 2025 – the Growth Budget - will be delivered on Thursday 22 May. “This year’s Budget will drive forward the Government’s plan to grow our economy to improve the incomes of New Zealanders now and in the years ahead. “Budget 2025 will build ...
For the Government, 2025 will bring a relentless focus on unleashing the growth we need to lift incomes, strengthen local businesses and create opportunity. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today laid out the Government’s growth agenda in his Statement to Parliament. “Just over a year ago this Government was elected by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra With the unembarrassed audacity parties show as an election nears, the government has stolen the opposition’s policy to ban foreign investors buying established homes. Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Housing Minister Clare O’Neil have announced ...
The Jewish Council’s proposals are divisive, contrary to New Zealand’s human rights framework, and ignore the rights of other ethnic minorities in Aotearoa. ...
"This is shocking, and astounding," says Augusta Macassey-Pickard, spokesperson for the group. "We knew that this process was rushed, and flawed, but this is another level of compromised." ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific presenter/Bulletin editor Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark maintains that Cook Islands, a realm of New Zealand, should have consulted Wellington before signing a “partnership” deal with China. “[Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown] seems to have signed behind the backs of his own ...
COMMENTARY:By Saige England Mediawatch on RNZ today strongly criticised Stuff and YouTube among other media for using Israeli propaganda’s “Outbrain” service. Outbrain is a company founded by the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) military and its technology can be tracked back to a wealthy entrepreneur, which in this case could ...
Luxon said protesters linked to Destiny Church "went too far" by disrupting Pride events in Auckland, while church leader Brian Tamaki said he told protesters, "I want you to storm the library they're in." ...
Hundreds of engineers are losing their jobs and leaving our shores due to infrastructure project delays, creating "significant" risk to our nation's development, says the head of New Zealand's engineering body. ...
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown says the deal with China “complements, not replaces” the relationship with New Zealand after signing it yesterday. Brown said “The Action Plan for Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) 2025-2030” provides a structured framework for engagement between the Cook Islands ...
The government should not set military style academies into youth justice law, the children's commissioner says, despite its first bootcamp getting a glowing report. ...
The infamous over-the-suit T-shirt worn by the PM at a Parliament barbecue has gone on sale to raise funds for children living in poverty, in a TradeMe auction. ...
MONDAYSheriff Seymour rode slowly down the main street of Dodge on his faithful white horse Atlas Network.He liked what he saw.Children were being fed free lunches prepared by kind people who collected the scraps from an offal rendering plant.“Very strongly flavoured liver, such as ox liver, can be soaked overnight ...
Once upon a time it was all about being an astronaut, a firefighter or doctor; but these days kids have their sights set on becoming vloggers or YouTubers.That’s according to a 2019 study by Lego that surveyed 3000 children between the ages of eight to 12 from the US, the ...
Madeleine Chapman reflects on the week that was. From the moment I started high school and realised almost every other girl in my year was at least partially interested in what the boys were up to, I realised that I would be single for life. The feeling wasn’t one of ...
The Pacific profiles series shines a light on Pacific people in Aotearoa doing interesting and important work in their communities, as nominated by members of the public. Today, Selina Alesana Alefosio.All photos by Geoffery Matautia.On a bright Sunday morning from her grandparent’s home in Pito-one, I spoke with ...
The White Lotus star reflects on her life in TV, including the local ad reference that doesn’t work in Australia, and her bananas co-star on Neighbours.Morgana O’Reilly was scrolling her phone next to her sleeping son on an idle Saturday morning when she got the call confirming that she ...
Claire Mabey explores the pros and cons of puff quotes on book covers.In January, Publishers Weekly put out an article by Sean Manning – publisher of Simon & Schuster’s flagship US imprint – in which he said he’d “no longer require authors to obtain blurbs for their books”.The ...
New Zealand’s Entomological Society is hosting its annual bug of the year contest. Here are some of the insects in the running. For some reason – perhaps humans’ inherent competitiveness, the idealisation of democracy, the need to demarcate winners and losers – one of the best ways to get people ...
A journey along the border, with words and illustrations by Bob Kerr.The Spinoff Essay showcases the best essayists in Aotearoa, on topics big and small. Made possible by the generous support of our members.The Sunset Limited leaves Union Station New Orleans on time at nine in the morning. We ...
Neville Peat is the 2024 recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement in nonfiction. He’s written 56 books, mostly on natural history; this excerpt is from The Falcon and the Lark: A New Zealand High Country Journal, first published in 1992. The falcon wintering on the Rock and ...
It was a light-hearted gesture Greta Pilkington will be forever grateful for – thanks to an Aussie rival who jumped in when the Olympic sailor couldn’t be at her own graduation.Pilkington, then 20, had been leading a double life – while qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics in the ILCA ...
I was born in the back of my grandfather’s ute, by an overgrown windbreak in a remote place called Wahi-Rakauyou can’t find on a map. I was born a girl but given the man’s name Harvey, as my dad always wanted a violent-minded boy to one day help him ...
“We’re not here to interfere in people’s property rights,” Ngāi Tahu’s Te Maire Tau has told the High Court.Tau, a historian, Upoko (traditional leader) of Ngāi Tūāhuriri, and a university professor of history, is the lead witness in a case designed to force the Crown to recognise the tribe’s rangatiratanga ...
Pacific Media Watch Trump administration officials barred two Associated Press (AP) reporters from covering White House events this week because the US-based independent news agency did not change its style guide to align with the president’s political agenda. The AP is being punished for using the term “Gulf of Mexico,” ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific Presenter/Bulletin editor France’s top diplomat in the Pacific region says talks around the “unfreezing” of New Caledonia’s highly controversial electoral roll are back on the table. The French government intended to make a constitutional amendment that would lift restrictions prescribed under the Nouméa Accord, which ...
By bringing these global voices to the fight for free expression in New Zealand, we’ll continue to protect and expand our culture of free speech, says Nathan Seiuli, the Free Speech Union's Events Manager. ...
The issue is no longer a hypothetical one. US President Donald Trump will not explicitly suggest death camps, but he has already consented to Israel’s continuing a war that is not a war but rather a barbaric assault on a desolate stretch of land. From there, the road to annihilation is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cecelia Cmielewski, Research Fellow, Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University To be selected as the artist and curator team to represent Australia at the Venice Biennale is considered the ultimate exhibition for an artistic team. To have your selection rescinded, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steve Turton, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Geography, CQUniversity Australia Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia is bearing down on the northwest coast of Australia and is likely to make landfall early Friday evening. It’s a monster storm of great concern to Western Australia. ...
“..Paul Krugman Utterly Destroys Inequality Deniers – and Piketty’s Critics..
..Columnist lays bare the real motivation for denying the obvious economic reality..”
http://www.alternet.org/economy/paul-krugman-utterly-destroys-inequality-deniers-and-pikettys-critics
Please forward to Key and English.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/10052733/PM-John-Key-defends-equality-after-protest
I would like to see a journalist ask John Key to his face if he is ‘relaxed’ and ‘comfortable’ with New Zealand’s level of inequality.
Not if inequality has gone up or down during his tenure but the actual state of inequality, right now, in the country as he perceives it.
Journalists like that don’t exist as they work for Fearfax and other big corporates.
True Paul.
Tim Groser trying to defend the government’s failure to tackle climate change on RNZ. Failing.
Espiner asked him 2 or 3 decent questions.
Yep Paul I thought Espiner was good this AM hassling Groser.
But this is the first time he has been good-maybe someone has given him a rocket about being even-handed? It is his job after all.
hasn’t the excuse from national always been:..’we can’t do anything until others do’..
..well..now that obama is ‘doing something’..
..what will be their bullshit excuse to just-do-nothing! now..?
slight correction. Obama is saying he will do something… And lil johnny key will trot along behind him.
(my comment on the rightwing ratbags in labour..moaning about internet/mana..)
(ed:..i mean..goff/shearer/hipkins..?
..ya gotta laff..!..eh..?..
..those rightwingers in labour are probably terrified labour might get bullied into being a real ‘labour party’..
..not neo-lib/rand-ite/total sellouts of the poor – that the goff/shearer/hipkins coven wd rather be.)
..i am actually starting to get the real shits about/with labour..
..’plonkers’ like davis..(‘sgt schultz’..?)
..labor now against a carbon-taxing scheme they once supported..?
..the ‘we will win all maori-seats!’-bullshit..
..the list goes on and on..
..i’m about the point where i want to see their vote collapse..
..and those voters to turn to the greens/internet/mana..
..as the only ‘left’ parties offering any real change..
..labour just want more of the fucken same..
..but with them in charge..
..fuck them..!
+100 phillip ure…like an old oligarchy some Labour MPs have a sense of entitlement
…it seems to be inherent in human nature that some because of where they areor to whom they were born , feel that they can lord it over others
…and this condition is not restricted to the Right wing…it is found in the Left as well…and it usually comes in the guise of ‘holier than thou’ or keeping the Left movement pure…ie i am purer than thou , i am fighting to keep us pure, i am the bastion of purity, only I keep the code and know the True path
….in actual fact it is a form of self righteous fundamentalism and it is an inherently undemocratic frame of mind born of a privileged psyche…i am better than thou because of who i am
….bollocks!
….it has led to all sorts of crimes against humanity
Whilst never being one to give support to mumblefu*k and buttkiss, I’m not seeing right wing in any thing they’ve written. Are you sure you’re not just a little blinkered there mr ure? Maybe a little sleep still stuck around the eyes? Maybe just an ultra fanboy?
Goff ‘‘pure political opportunism’’, citing his previous donations to ACT MP John Banks, now the subject of a court case. ‘‘He wants to be able to influence and control politicians.’’
Goff ‘‘very critical’’ of National for exploiting MMP and failing to implement recommendations from the Electoral Commission to abolish the provision. ‘‘I’m scarcely likely to endorse another rort …I’m being entirely consistent,’’ ‘‘It will be the decision of the party leadership…but I see problems in creating a coalition where the philosophies and principle of people that you are trying to enter into a coalition with is unclear because they seem to be coming from diametrically opposed positions.’’
Shearer also used the social media site to write that although he wished the Internet-Mana ‘‘marriage’’ well, he knew ‘‘it’s going to end badly.’’
Hipkins ‘‘The good old days, when political parties formed from movements. Now all it takes is a couple of million and some unprincipled sellouts.’’
Contemptible.
Where is Labour’s “purity” and “principle” where it matters – in representing the interests of the most disadvantaged 20 percent? Allegedly Labour’s core constituency, but they are more than happy to throw them under the bus to further their own personal interests and ambitions.
Principle my arse, they disgust me.
NO ONE in ANY party or in ANY group of parties can effect ANY change in ANYTHING one desires UNLESS there is at least 50% of support from THE VOTERS. Elementary maths and elementary politics.
Ask yourself if you prefer to shuffle the progressive votes sideways and possibly lose the election or grow the vote and more possibly win the election for the progressive block?
The interminable exchanges in the columns of The Standard over David Shearer. And now he is revealed; a right faction bag man as suspected. Labour has had years to get its act together (no pun etc) since Clark handed the electorate Goff. Her departure was the time to democratise the party not anoint a successor.
Labour has had years to come up with super at 67, retaining the Reserve Bank Act and not removing GST from fruit and veg. Sure they have policy on CGT and asset sales etc but as Phillip alludes to seem determined to lose the election by not using MMP strategy to any extent let alone fully.
Meanwhile IMP has organised in mere months to bring something to politics that seems to have attracted support already. And no, mere cash cannot buy that type of experience and ability. Kiwibank, paid parental leave and banishing youth rates were Alliance initiatives which Labour grudgingly accepted. At least there is now political room for everyone to the left of National, but the fact is Key will not be denied a third term without an outbreak of strategic co-operation on the left.
The friendly Labour people that comment here will not like the ear bashing they are getting but the real life implications of a 3 term dirty filthy tory government are getting literally too much to bear for many of us.
“..but the real life implications of a 3 term dirty filthy tory government are getting literally too much to bear for many of us..”
..+ 1..
I’ve been at that point for some time. Best thing that could happen to this country is a Greens led government.
QFT
I agree totally. What’s the point of Supporting Labour? Because they seemed not to have realised that that the LEFT Block can win the election. But Labour alone can lose the fucking thing!
So what Goff, Hipkins, Mallard, Davis and Shearer are really saying is…
By Martyn Bradbury / June 3, 2014
“This flexing of muscles and direct challenge to Cunliffe’s leadership is occurring while Labour’s factions thrash out the Party list. This sudden feigned political morality sounds more like the realisation of how far they’re dropping in that list…..
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/06/03/so-what-goff-hipkins-mallard-davis-and-shearer-are-really-saying-is/
Bradbury would say that, wouldn’t he? Definitely a tool, but at least we know who’s using him now.
who is using Bradbury now? ( who has used him before?)…and why is he a tool?.
…he makes a lot of sense to me
For real? As far as I’m concerned he lost credibility ages ago, and certainly, since he took dotcom’s shilling.
shit allen..!
..you must be really dark on national..
..and their spending $2.5 million to lie their way to winning the last election..
..for national to moan about ‘money influencing politics’..
..is beyond fucken irony…
Of course I’m dark on national, I’m an age old left winger from last century, growing up in thatcher’s Britain, working class, when working class was the lowest of the low, before they invented the underclass.
What is your point? Apart from inferring right wing in the comments from Vance’s stuff page on three social media comments by Goff, DS and buttkiss where there is none.
@The Allen..so you are anti Laila Harre , Hone Harawira and the Mana/ Internet Party ….and you believe Martyn Bradbury is being used by Dotcom…..interesting
….i wonder where you are coming from?….care to elucidate
Certainly against the internet party, Harre was okay, but has lost a little of my respect in siding up to kim, Hone’s alright as far as leaders of 1% minority parties go.
“and you believe Martyn Bradbury is being used by Dotcom…..interesting”
And you think he’s not?
Quite frankly i dont think Bomber Bradbury is anyone’s tool….and he makes up his own mind….and like many many other New Zealanders he wants a Left coalition government……No I dont think Martyn Bradbury is being used by Dotcom!
“Interference in the Kim Dotcom case?”
By Martyn Bradbury / June 2, 2014
“One of the worst lies being perpetrated by the mainstream media and Government mouthpieces is that Kim Dotcom has funded a political party to interfere in his extradition case…..
The sheer double standards being applied in this lie are remarkable because from the very first day, this Government have interfered with the Kim Dotcom case. The Campbell Live timeline establishes the process with which this interference has taken place and we now wait on the Snowden revelations and KDCs own evidence to fill in the details.
On top of the unseen political interference, we now have public statements by senior members of the Government cheerleading their lawyers into ‘nailing’ Kim Dotcom…
Screen Shot 2014-06-02 at 7.41.14 am
…how is what Bill English is saying here not interfering in the judicial process? Publicly hoping his Government’s lawyers nail someone before the court case has even been heard? How is that double standard allowed to go unchallenged by the mainstream media? Is English putting pressure on the prosecution the way Maurice Williamson tried to heavy the NZ Police into protecting one of National’s donors?
So let’s just get this straight in terms of the mainstream media narrative here, when the National Party instigates interference, it is not interference. When Opposition Parties question the level of National Party interference, THAT IS political interference.
Unbelievable.”
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/06/02/interference-in-the-kim-dotcom-case/
“Quite frankly i dont think Bomber Bradbury is anyone’s tool”
No, he’s just a tool
If a right winger like you does not like him, then that’s a sign he’s making the correct choices.
+1
But I am not a right-winger, I’m a green voter.
What does it mean when a left winger like myself also thinks Bradbury is a tool?
If a right winger like you does not like him, then that’s a sign he’s making the correct choices.
Pure nonsense. If this was an example of political interference then the opposition should hound Bill English till he resigns.
Well if you say so gosman, it must be true.
Do you think there will be any opposition taking up this serious abuse of democracy then?
+1
+1 Chook
Bomber bashing is a popular sport it seems, he deserves much praise imo.
Instrumental in The Daily Blog, second only to The Standard in left politics. Critics should try running a blog and sorting all the technical issues never mind the torrent of nutters that free of charge blather on.
And Bomber has a guest column in a prominent msm newspaper The NZ Herald, which should see Bradury banisher Jim Morar choking on his croissant on Sundays.
“Bomber bashing is a popular sport it seems”
Because he is a sanctimoniousness and dishonest windbag
@ The Contrarian…well if you say so from the Right wing …this adds to his credentials imo
Right-wing? I’m a green voter you muppet.
Tory swine.
Contrarian
Indeed? Yet your first comment when you came off ban in May stated:
I don’t disagree with everything you type, but it’s hard to square that comment with your being a committed Green Party supporter.
As the election creeps closer my decision becomes clearer.
If an election were held today I would vote Green.
Right wing people can vote GP, it’s not against the rules. I’m sure you are not the only one TC.
Lots of people voted GP party vote and chose a National candidate for their electorate MP, not a Labour one.
Apparently the Greens are going for soft Tories like you now. Or so states Mr Bradbury.
so, he and hoots should be the left and right commentators. Different side of the same coin
Tiger Mountain…Agreed !…Bradbury is a positive and articulate force for the Left imo…hence this:
“Brothers and Sisters – the Left are never going to get it this good – why you must vote this election”
By Martyn Bradbury / June 3, 2014
“We don’t want to just replace a Government, we want to change it
….The righteous cynicism many voters feel is matched by an intellectual existential Russel Brand mantra that legitimises apathy. Those are difficult arguments to overcome when so many political examples jade us election after election.
That’s why I think the possibility of a Labour-Green-Internet MANA majority should thrill any genuine progressive throughout NZ and call on their involvement.
What I think many still fail to grasp about MMP is that it’s one of the most representative democratic systems in the world and that every vote counts, and in this election there is the real possibility that the most progressive Government this country has ever seen may be the result and with that kind of majority comes the real ability to implement policy that is socially just and environmental.
Cynicism shouldn’t cloud our judgement, it should sharpen it.
A Labour-Green-Internet MANA majority is a genuinely exciting prospect, and one that progressives would be foolish to ignore if they really want to see the back of John Key….
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/06/03/brothers-and-sisters-the-left-are-never-going-to-get-it-this-good-why-you-must-vote-this-election/.
“A Labour-Green-Internet MANA majority is a genuinely exciting prospect, and one that progressives would be foolish to ignore if they really want to see the back of John Key”
That’s bollocks. Like you only want to see the back of key if you vote for dotcom or you’re not progressive.
Well, I’m totally exited by the prospect of a Green Labour government as it’s one that progressives would be foolish to ignore if they really want to see the back of John Key.
Now rip that government to bits and show your left credentials… But only if you’re not taking the $8k pay cheque.
That’s bollocks. Like you only want to see the back of key if you vote for dotcom or you’re not progressive.
That is a pretty poor reading of what Bradbury was saying.
I’m o.k with a Labour and Green government – however you would be hard-pushed to convince me that having Mana and the Internet party involved wouldn’t make it more progressive. It seems to me that this is one of the points Martyn is making.
It is pretty obvious that you could vote for either one of those 4 parties and still be progressive and want National out – Mana or the Internet party, however, are included in the options of parties you can vote for to achieve those ends and dismissing them out of hand is to ignore these two parties capacity to achieve the end of ousting National and having a more progressive government.
This is the meaning I got out of Bradbury’s article. I think that ‘vote for Dotcom or you are supporting the Nats’ is neither a fair nor accurate reading of the article – it is ridiculous understanding to read from that article.
“Rob Salmond nails it. Bomber is going a bit nuts and demonstrating his grasp of reality in politics.”
“GREG PRESLAND’S… SAYS:
3 JUNE, 2014 – 10:52
Bomber should stick to real estate.”
Happy to defer to these two fine examples of left wing bloggers. 🙂
[It was not me. It is some troll who managed to get their comment approved using my name. For the record I enjoy Bomber’s passion and determination. Give me one Bomber for a thousand intellectual lefties decrying the current state of left wing politics any day – MS]
‘Fine articles’ ??
You are happy simply to cite an ‘article’ that provides no reasoning – rather just draws similar conclusions to your own sans reasoning? That leaves you highly open to being manipulated and manipulating others. This approach doesn’t hold water with me.
( I suggest you go and read my comment on that thread if you wish to find further out about what view I take toward Salmond’s article..)
You haven’t addressed the points I made. How do you get ‘vote for dotcom or else’ out of Bradbury’s article?
“‘Fine articles’ ??”
Actually it was “fine examples of left wing bloggers”
You think 2 ‘examples of blogging’ that diss another leftwing blogger and provide no reasoning are ‘fine examples of left wing bloggers’.
Heck, if your definition of left-wing is mindless divisiveness/attack – then fair enough. Sounds more like a right-wing framing of the leftwing, though, if you asked me. (You didn’t? oh…. 🙂 )
“You think 2 ‘examples of blogging’ that diss another leftwing blogger and provide no reasoning are ‘fine examples of left wing bloggers’.”
Just my opinion, but if I have to give a caveat, I’ll say I’ve always found their posts, comments and blogs to be informative, articulate and mostly they resonate in a positive manner.
“Sounds more like a right-wing framing of the leftwing”
Which doesn’t say much about your comprehension, if you ask me (even though you didn’t).
“Sounds more like a right-wing framing of the leftwing”
Which doesn’t say much about your comprehension, if you ask me (even though you didn’t).
What?
That the two provided articles weren’t simply two comments sounding off about someone else’s opinion without any reasons provided
or that the right-wing framing of the definition of left-wing is mindless divisiveness/attack?
I’m beginning to think that rightwing framing isn’t to far from the truth; it appears there are plenty on the left who can’t tell the difference between analysis/ raising discussion points/cooperation and ad hominem put-downs…. 🙁
“I’m beginning to think that rightwing framing isn’t to far from the truth”
Are you saying I’m right wing framing the left?
“it appears there are plenty on the left who can’t tell the difference between analysis/ raising discussion points/cooperation and ad hominem put-downs””
Congratulations on being the only lefty in the village 😆
…what a cheeky smart-arse Al1ien you turned out to be….
( 🙂 )
“…what a cheeky smart-arse Al1ien you turned out to be….”
😉
“It was not me. It is some troll who managed to get their comment approved using my name.”
That’s pretty poor stuff on their part, but I still stand by the compliment.
“Give me one Bomber for a thousand intellectual lefties decrying the current state of left wing politics any day”
I’d accept half a bomber for the bottom drawer or back of the wardrobe.
p.s. I apologise for spelling your name wrong Al1en, that was an error.
p.s.s Oh dear, another one bites the dust; that means there is only one person you can cite as ‘fine examples of left wing bloggers’ [who diss another very active left-winger] …ah well, better luck next time, smarty pants 😉
“p.s. I apologise for spelling your name wrong Al1en, that was an error.”
No apology needed.
“p.s.s Oh dear, another one bites the dust; that means there is only one person you can cite as ‘fine examples of left wing blogger”
I still think MS is a fine left wing blogger.
“smarty pants”
I go commando like Kate, so smart arse was right in the first place 😉
as opposed to
Nats
Unclecousin
For every willing buyer theres a willing martyr
I will pay for the right to hit my children when and where they like
No wonder hoots is spinning on radio this morning.
Chooky
“Bradbury is a positive and articulate force for the Left”; I do agree, but he is also not without faults. Chief of which is to let a nice turn of phrase trump factual accuracy.
Though Tiger Mountain is almost too restrained to call him; “Instrumental in The Daily Blog, second only to The Standard in left politics”. As, on top of editing, he damned near writes half of it (though more in publishing a large number of pithy short articles, than the longer more thoughtful pieces). TDB gets more page views than TS, and that’s after just over a year of its existence (though admittedly a lot may be just looking at the Daily Gallery or other click-bait).
Bomber ‘advertises’ on facebook regularly too which gets eyeballs. I like his sawn off shottie style word smithing, there are plenty of paragraph polishers around and they get it wrong too sometimes e.g. Pundit.
According to Mr Bradbury the Daily Blog is better than The Standard in terms of it’s popularity.
Isn’t that one of your arguments for Slater’s sewer?
I like to think they complement each other. Every writer at the Standard brings different knowledge and networks with them. And a great depth and diversity of writers at “The Daily Blog”, not all of whom are regular contributors, plus it is sponsored by several old fashioned blue collar unions. It must have something going for it, with even herr Gosman patronising it.
+100 Tiger Mountain.. re the Standard and the Daily Blog: “I like to think they complement each other”.
There are some heavy weight Lefties on the Daily Blog eg Jane Kelsey and Nicky Hager…not to mention the regulars
….you dont have to agree with them all the time …in fact i frequently disagree but to completely dis Martyn Bradbury is stupid or worse!
“This sudden feigned political morality sounds more like the realisation of how far they’re dropping in that list…..”
All have safe seats. If they’re being de-selected and put on the list, then that would be a story.
Then they had better work bloody hard to get re-elected then.
Why does Labour let Bill English get away with pushing this nett taxpayer nonsense?
http://admin.beehive.govt.nz/release/significant-income-redistribution-after-tax-reforms
http://admin.beehive.govt.nz/sites/all/files/Net_Tax_Paid_by_Households,_estimated_for_the_tax_year_ending_31_March_2015.png
The man is Minister of finance and he’s presenting misleading accounts. Surely Labour have someone who can do maths and work out the statistics properly?
For those wondering; for accounting purposes all welfare beneficiaries are counted as taxpayers and Crown tax receipts include tax on welfare payments. At the end of March 2013, 310,000 working-age people were receiving a main benefit. They are included in those figures on ‘nett taxpayers’
I don’t know the exact figures but if we assume an average benefit of around $20k before tax it would make up $6.2 billion of the “transfers received” in English’s chart and less than $1billion of the tax paid…. all in the lower income households groups.
Main benefits are not a redistribution of wealth from rich to poor. Every (working) taxpayer pitches in for those. But because benefits are low the welfare beneficiaries show up in the low income households in English’s chart and paint a completely false and misleading picture of taxpayers. That has nothing to do with redistribution, it is entirely down to the amount of their benefits.
As for English crowing about those on $150k+ paying more of the tax. Well in 2008 there were 203,000 households earning $150k+ and now there’s 249,000. Not exactly a surprise that group is paying more tax is it.
I find it quite disturbing that a Minister of Finance propagates such misleading financial information. He is supposed to be the country’s top accountant. It’s also a bit worrying that the opposition don’t seem to have anyone competent enough with numbers to figure out where it’s all wrong.
All they have to say is
Bill english is misleading people again, and hand out a brief fact sheet stating as you have. Dont waste time explaining it, make the short statement, and do it over and over again.
Its what national does, but without any supporting fact sheet. For obvious reasons
The “net tax payer” thing is a Right Wing think tank meme out of the USA.
“Dont waste time explaining it, make the short statement, and do it over and over again.”
I don’t think anyone in Labour has actually figured it out. Rob from Polity is the only person I’ve seen digging into it but he hasn’t picked up the most egregrious misuse of statistics either.
An obvious flaw is that no tax system has ever worked on income bands like that. English is claiming that each person’s share of the welfare bill is what people in their own income band are receiving. Those on $250k+ received an average of only $43.75 in transfers so English says their share of the welfare bill is $43.75 each.
Except all that $250K+ is an economic transfer from the society to their household…
“Except all that $250K+ is an economic transfer from the society to their household…”
Maybe, but that wasn’t my point. Even the rabid right would propose that every (working) taxpayer pays at least an equal share of the welfare bill. We’re all pitching in to pay for benefits, it’s not a rich/poor thing.
Divide gross transfers by total households and that comes to $5574 per household. English says those households on $250k+ only need to pay $43.75 as their share of welfare benefits…. when it should be at least $5574 even to the rabid right.
“Why does Labour let Bill English get away with pushing this nett taxpayer nonsense?”
Because David Parker is hopeless. He can not articulate himself or the left. I have never heard him and been convinced with the arguments he is making (even when I agree with him sometimes).
Contrast Parker with Norman. Russell is on point, talks to the interviewer (rather than looking all around the room like Parker does) and is often difficult to argue against because he has all his ducks in a row.
Parker is Labour’s weak link this election. Cunliffe needs to carry the burden of having Parker on the front bench.
this is a 13 min tour de force from oliver..
..on the subject of net-neutrality..
..a subject/topic he describes as being as boredom-inducing..
.. as the words:
..’and featuring sting’..
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/02/john-oliver-net-neutrality-last-week-tonight_n_5431215.html?ref=topbar
John Oliver doing a lot of good work.
The death penalty in the US
Misleading Labeling of Food Products
Tony Abbott
Re Misleading Labeling of Food Products: Yes Paul and just last night I was yelling at the adverts on TV making all sorts of unsubstantiated claims for health and beauty. How come they can get away with these claims and not have to prove value at all. Just wheel in a sportsman, or a filmstar or a “scientist”. After all they must know a thing or two about stuff. Trust them? Sure can. In NZ it is cowboy country.
Yup.
Can’t have any p.c. nonsense here, can we?
Voters want to know that Labour will form a stable relationship with the Greens.
The enemy is not the Greens or IMP (get that, ABCs?) Spending too much time differentiating yourselves from those who should/will be your allies is not only pissing off your allies, but believe me, it is turning away potential voters.
The Labour Party will gain more votes by being supportive of the Green’s carbon credit scheme. Dairy Farmers, who will oppose this policy, would NEVER vote for Labour even if Labour supported the current flawed ETS scheme.
Voters KNOW that Labour will not be able to govern on its own. They know that if they vote Labour they will get a Labour-Green Government (and probably IMP.)
The media love the in-fighting which makes a Party look disorganised and directionless. More common ground (like the Labour-Green electricity policy) is needed, not “differentiation” which is going to have to be compromised to some degree, after the election anyway.
This election is not about who wants to be Minister for what in the new Cabinet. Members of the Labour caucus need to put the people living in poverty first, before their own personal ambitions.
+100
Right wing Labour members of caucus threatening to undermine all the progress made by bold Green policies and great strategic plans by the IP and Mana.
Always wonder who these ABCs are Tautoko. Seems that some here “invent” some fresh “evidence” but do you think the Labour Caucus is stupid? The Greens and the Labourites are united in the need to be rid of the Key Misgovernment. As are the IMPs. So why don’t you help with a non-divisive front?
So, how many joint press conferences have Labour and Green MPs held on any policy issues or debates in the last 6 months? None? That’s showing a “united” front is it?
Ummm. Just read http://imperatorfish.com/2014/06/03/how-to-win-an-election/ where he quotes some of the Hitchens/Davis/Goff comments. The buggers must be mad. Attack Key not IMP. Idjits!
ianmac..so true.”inventing ” ‘fresh evidence’ ” is prevalent.
Labour appears totally split and putting up the pension age is the only policy they have that sticks in anybody’s mind.
Other parts of the left have convinced themselves that demonstrating they are just as cynical as the right is a brilliant strategy for bringing on board disillusioned voters.
National is awful in just about every way.
Peters has always been flaky.
The dodgy Maori Party is dying.
The Greens continue their march to the right under Russel’s guidance.
As a libertarian socialist I have always had some sympathy for anarchists ideals but ultimately rejected their theory because I couldn’t understand how a transition could occur without a socialist government to manage it.
But faced with the choices we have I do feel a kind of despair in the possibility of the sort of major changes required happening through our parliamentary system.
A transition process could occur over a 5 year timeframe. Yes you would need a government and bureaucracy in Wellington willing to devolve their power and control over budgets and spending. (unlikely I know).
The process would consist of empowering transparent local community based organisations and grassroots community self-government, as well as democratising SMEs (ordinary workers get to choose their bosses, get to decide on the major business decisions, have worker representatives on the boards of directors). Significant assets across the country would be transferred into community owned trusts and worker owned co-ops. Consumers would be given a clear choice between spending their money at a big foreign corporate or giving their custom to a locally owned and run business.
The end results of this are solutions which come from the community, profits owned by workers, and a Wellington structure more focused on strategic nationwide co-ordination.
Corey Dann, a preacherman for the religion of neoliberalism.
No evidence can turn his faith.
He is a true believer.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11266258
This is how you say sweatshop.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11266600
A democratic message from New Zealand’s extreme right.
‘Shut up.’
Why? Are the neoliberal elite scared people might listen?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11266262
I don’t think passers-by would take notice of a chap talking quietly about his point of view Bob. Not much chance of the MSM reporting quiet protest. So if you believe in a cause shout it out.
Jones is more concerned that wealthy Parnell residents might have their peace disturbed for a few hours than for the victims of drone attacks.
Breathtaking.
From wikipedia.
“Jones………..formed the short-lived libertarian New Zealand Party in 1983, just before Robert Muldoon’s snap 1984 election. Jones explicitly stated his disgust that the supposedly pro-free-enterprise National Party of New Zealand had implemented socialist polices like price and wage freezes, and a top tax rate of 66%. His party acted as a spoiler, helping to deliver the government to the New Zealand Labour Party. Then, surprisingly for an ostensibly socialist party, this implemented free market reforms under Finance Minister Roger Douglas (hence Rogernomics). When the election was over, Jones disbanded the party, seeing that Labour had implemented many of his policies.”
Complicit then in the heist that occurred in the 1980s.
bob jones should be a swear phrase, just add an! when you say it
Bob Jones telling John Minto to shut up.
Chris Trotter telling Kelvin Davis to shut up.
What is happening to the idea of free speech and tolerance of opposing voices and views?
Any view genuinely opposing the neo-liberal doctrine is suppressed in NZ.
jones has ‘lost it’..
..he is bouncing off the walls..
They do seem a little rattled – are they petrified of the thought of John Minto in parliament?
John Key branding young people “cynical” too. Bit of a mistake I think.
Listening this morning to Radionz and discussion about how tourists find driving on our roads difficult, it was interesting to hear the hostility to ideas for trying to prevent this. Mild suggestions for some new methods were pooh-poohed and I feel that this represents much of NZs thinking, to find negatives immediately, exaggerate difficulties, scorn the suggestion, show reluctance to consider and examine new ideas that could ameliorate or solve present problems.
This is why we are wallowing nationally, with dull, prejudiced minds finding group think with similar others reinforces their own impaired thinking and problem solving lack of ability.
An example from this morning. There was a suggestion about multi-lingual signs at certain spots from Dog & Lemon Guide guy who seems switched on and thoughtful. The journalist taking part scorned this and exaggerated the extent of languages needed to probably 150, which of course would not be the number. She therefore could not think lucidly, really not think at all.
Police spoke also, dissed new ideas and pointed out that a few things had already been done like the arrows on the roads at certain spots.
Listen to the editor of the Dog and Lemon Guide Clive Matthew-Wilson and motoring journalist Jacqui Madelin debate the issues.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/246095/safety-research-to-focus-on-tourists
Mathew-Wilson was right about judder bars at Stop intersections. But putting Stop in lots of different languages isn’t going to help.
Madelin was right about more arrows on the road indicating drive on the left. I have mistakenly driven on the left in Spain and after returning form Europe driven on the right here.
My mantra whenever driving in Europe was, “Drive on the Right! Give Way on the Left! Drive on the Right…..” My fear was that if distracted or careless my habits of a lifetime would kick in and I would start on the left. Horror! So sorry for the Dutch driver. I could make a mistake like that.
For heaven’s sake, ianmac. Europeans drive on the right, but they still give way to the right, just as we do. Which is why their roundabouts are ridiculous. They do NOT give way to the left. You may well be lucky that you did not land up not in that poor Dutchman’s position!
Thanks In Vino. Just looked it up and it seems there are variations and it is unclear and different European countries have different rules. In Croatia and in the Emirates I drove very carefully and gave way to the left when entering a roundabout. But it seems that in some countries any car entering a roundabout has right of way over the car already in the roundabout. Go figure. Giveway and Stop signs still the same as here. Will look a bit harder tomorrow.
So here’s a simple idea. Maybe they already do it since I’ve never rented a car I would’t know.
Put on the dashboard, prominent to the driver, stickers saying “Keep left, drive on the left side. Look right at intersections”.
Her point about it being worst when you’ve been driving around already for a while and in a moment of inattention you get it wrong – having stickers on the dashboard would help to remind people.
those stickers are already in place in rentals Lanthanide
I’ve always considered that the position of the steering wheel should be the dead giveaway as to which side to drive on because the steering wheel should always be next to the centre line.
True, but people spend large amounts of driving in a dissociated state. Think about the trip you just did and how much detail you actually remember, esp if you were listening to the radio or thinking about something important. This is normal. In those situations the body’s memory has more influence on what happens ie we drive by rote. If we are used to driving on one side of the road, then that’s what the body memory will default us to in certain situations.
And habit is a killer. If you were taught at 16 to stay on the right side of the road and that’s the way you have been doing it every day for the next 30 years…
The problem of tourist drivers is very real, in the parts of the country they frequent. Just two days before this tragic crash I commented to a truck driver that imo the greatest danger when driving certain highways were tourist drivers ….. coming around a corner and finding some loopy on the wrong side of the road heading straight for you …..
The copper on the tele last night said ” blah blah only 6% are tourists … blah blah”. Well, actually 6% is a significant number. And when you look closely that 6% becomes probably something like 20-30% in the parts of NZ concerned….
Try driving the west coast highway, McKenzie country, southland or central Otago, pretty much anywhere rural and touristy in the South Island. In the last 12 months I have personally witnessed two tourists driving on the wrong side of the road – it took a great deal of horn-tooting and light-flashing to get them to realise …. all the while on a deadly trajectory.
Only solution is a beeper that goes nuts as soon as the vehicle crosses the centre-line …
this problem is very real
vto
Yes good idea. Another one that Dog&Lemon suggested was a rumble strip in certain places to ensure they kept to the right track.
My idea is that on each rental vehicle there would be a stick-on panel on the windscreen along the right hand bottom showing a highway with dots down the middle and a large white arrow going forward on the left and a large truck in view facing the wheel on the other side. It would be not intrusive on the view forward through the windscreen but be perpetually on the edge of the vision, and once seen then would be constantly reinforcing the message. [Edit I see Lanthanide already suggested this so I just endorse that.]
Also a short recorded message could play when the vehicle started after stopping or pausing for a turn, just saying – choose from three languages – ‘Remember keep left.’
Something like the 5 minute video before taking the rental car would be good and it must involve some action to correct something by the driver and needs to be done sucessfully or repeated. I couldn’t care less about the Swedish driver who said he would never come again if asked to do that. Plenty of more responsible people still will do that. It is overlooked that tourists can cost us a lot of money as well as bring it into the economy.
We need to look after them while they are here better than we have in the past, and we need them to look after us better too, so that we can all stay alive and enjoy the mutual experience of meeting new people.
Yep, it needs to be something that activates and gets their attention every time they get in the car …….
….. this is the common scenario as witnessed ….. said tourist has pulled off the south westland highway at a place called Ship Creek, a delightful creek and beach just off the main road between Haast and Fox. Said tourists wander around and enjoy the waves and the tawaki and the seals and blue sky (and sandflies). Soaked in this natural glory, their minds over-relaxed and taken to other places, they pile back in the car and pull out onto the main highway again, straight into the right hand lane and continue in this manner until ……..
kabaam
Yes ingrained habit rises to the fore after a period of relaxation and they do the usual thing without any prompts otherwise, and turn into the right land. We have known this for some time but the government these days does anything of practical value reluctantly. And of course there is the old personal responsibility mantra.
What do you mean “They”, Paleface?
I spent 5 years in Europe. In year 4 I pulled out of a remote country Petrol Station on a straight, empty road. Luckily, I had 3 French passengers in my Kombi. They all screamed, “A droite, à droite!” and I quickly caught on. (I had forgotten where I was..)
A year later I was back in England. From another trivial stop I pulled out onto the road, only to see a truck coming towards me. I quickly corrected to the left, but got highly expressive hand signals from the truck driver.
Those are the moments that trap us all – Kiwis included. And don’t get too aggressive about this: in driving on the left we are a tiny minority. Ex British Empire countries (but not Canada) and Japan.
As such a minority, maybe we need to rethink our whole policy, instead of clinging to a lost policy simply because our nearest neighbour (Australia, for the dumbies) also illogically clings to driving on the left.
This is all off topic and likely to be moved to Open Mike?
maybe they should only be allowed to bike?…or drive vehicles that go no more than 20kph
The casino economy.
Just substitute the word speculator for investor.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11266674
+1
Interesting! Chris Barton points out :”Could Judith Collin’s recent outburst on Twitter against press gallery journalist Katie Bradford have seen her prosecuted under the proposed Harmful Digital Communications Bill?
Could the Justice Minister, who has vowed to stomp out cyber bullies – “Your behaviour is not acceptable” – have been hoist on her own petard?”
Lets go with that when the Bill is debated again!
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11266589
This was on Fearfacts this morn, with no author attribution or source; does anyone know where it’s come from?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/10111559/Today-in-politics-Tuesday-June-3
and who was that numpty who said i was talking shit..
..when i talked about just this the other day..?
So upshot is LH wanted the $148,000 on offer. That’s very principled and progressive of her.
so that was all it took..eh allen..?
..just $148,000..?
..gee..!..her soul was cheap..eh..?
..seriously allen..!..you are so full of shite…!
“so that was all it took..eh allen..? ..just $148,000..?”
So it would appear.
“..gee..!..her soul was cheap..eh..?”
Being on the dole at the moment, I wouldn’t say 148k was cheap, hell, even bombers 8k a week isn’t cheap, but then after paying my low mortgage and utilities (no hp, no loans) I’m left with $60 to buy food for me, my daughter and the cat for the week. Either way, her grab at the cash, seeing she was up for an mp spot and part of the election committee, seems a bit distasteful.
“.seriously allen..!..you are so full of shite…!”
With as much or as little respect as you want to claim, get fucked, nugget 😉
you were that ‘numpty’..weren’t you..?
If you say so mate.
I’m still wondering why people are so upset about a political party supporting their candidates. It’s not as if they can do any other job while they are a candidate.
+1, which skews candidacy towards wealthy people. I’m glad Harre is getting paid and can’t see how this is an issue of integrity at all.
@The Allen …..re “get fucked , nugget” …. and I thought you were a sensitive New Age guy?!?…
….also i doubt Laila Harre has ever been in politics for the money ….she has the smarts and a good law degree to earn considerably more than an MP over the years …but has instead dedicated herself to working for the unions, the Left in general and Left wing political parties in particular
“@The Allen …..re “get fucked , nugget” …. and I thought you were a sensitive New Age guy?!?”
You give it you take it, and being third of five brothers, I’m cool with that. If Phil’s feeling are genuinely hurt, then of course I’ll apologise and refrain from now on.
As for new age, I don’t even know what that means these days. I remember new age first time around, which surely would make me old age new age if anything.
Like the joke about the museum guide telling the tour group the dinosaur bones are 65 million and 12 years old. How can you be so precise? Came the question, well it was 65 million years old when I started working here 12 years ago. Ba dum tish.
if you believe the unsourced statement from stuff. Remember the right dont understand principles. They cant relate to it unless they are using it in a rehearsed line
Just commenting on the story being lauded by phil.
If the story isn’t correct, of course I’ll retract when LH successfully sues for defamation.
But having wrote that, $148k if true, speaks volumes. I wouldn’t be in a rush to apologise.
are you saying that an unsourced statement, unless proven false by defamation proceedings is treated as true, by you?
I’ve said if it’s not accurate, then I’ll retract. In fact, I won’t even wait for the defamation case, I’ll just man up and do it. How’s that?
As an aside, what do you think of it? LH being on the green party election team, possibly on the list, then leaving for the well paid position offered?
I refuse to comment until someone sources it 😉
Fair enough, but I’m sure if it’s incorrect we’ll know about it sooner than later.
To me the comment by Norman is in keeping with what Harre said herself on The Nation:
Transcript:
That might have been quite a while ago and not really relevant to the current situation.
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/harre-confirms-she-being-paid-dotcom-and-how-much-ck-157052
“Internet Party leader Laila Harre reveals has revealed she is being a paid back-bench MP salary as leader of the Internet Party
A backbench MP is paid $147,800, plus perks including travel and accommodation expenses plus super.”
Though she states
” But I have to say that there simply wasn’t any discussion at all about personal remuneration for me at any stage during this decision and it just was not a factor in me making up my mind,”
Hmmm
hmmmmm because you cant imagine someone considering taking a position without considering the remuneration or something else.
Harres statement aboce, thank karol, strikes me as the facts so far.
For the record my partner interviewed for a job in 2010. They offered it to her. Twice they rang back to make sure she would do it for what they were offerin, because it was less than she had been on and far less than she was worth. So, people do take jobs for the job, not the money.
I do that fairly routinely. It really is the only way to both keep ahead of the ever changing game and from topping yourself from terminal boredom because you are always doing same things over and over again.
Just at present I’m job-hunting again. Something new is really high on my list of priorities..
Yep. Always go for the job as a priority. I might not have considered a job if it was less than a living wage. But that never happened to me.
No, hmmm because I’m not quite convinced money wasn’t raised, but will give her the benefit of the doubt and take her at her word this time.
“So, people do take jobs for the job, not the money.”
Absolutely they do, have done many times myself.
ditto.
I ended a contract last year for ethical reasons. Am struggling to replace it financially.
ditto.
Except I had a contract ended last month for ethical reasons. Am struggling to replace it .
Sure they do – when they can afford to. Most of the people in this country can’t afford to.
true enough draco.
I have a leaky home rebuild to pay for, and we are now a one income family BUT i recognise that i am still in a very good position compared to most.
My point remains that harre considering the job not the remuneration is entirely possible. I want some decent proof to undo my opinion of her.
“then leaving for the well paid position offered?”
You naturally have some proof for this statement?
I ask because you seem to have ignored the fact that since December, Laila Harre was actually working for the CTU.
“Laila Harre worked for the Green Party for about 18 months, but left in December 2013 to work for the Council of Trade Unions.” – RNZ
As far as resigning from the campaign committee, lots of people have to drop volunteer work to accommodate new professional duties. And being the leader of a new political party is a pretty good reason to stop doing work on another party’s campaign. (if it was a paid gig, I am sure the resignation was done according to the requirements of any agreement) Being a well respected lawyer Laila Harre would surely not have left the Greens in any way but by the book. The Greens you may notice, have not released any information that says they have any concerns with what has transpired from an employment perspective or even on a strategic/intellectual property angle.
(on a related issue…as the Labour Party knows… some people have to take more drastic moves than drop volunteer work to go to a new job. Some people have to drop their volunteer work, such as electorate campaign management, just to have time to find a job so they can feed their kids. For some, working to better their country is a dream they cannot even afford to partake in)
So I can only surmise your issue is the amount Laila Harre is being paid to run a political party. Are you suggesting that the Leader of a new political party that is 100% commited to removing John Key’s government, should only attempt to do so if paid under a particular sum?
Since the stated rate is too high in your opinion, what is an acceptable pay rate for the leader of a political party and all that comes with that?
“The Greens you may notice, have not released any information that says they have any concerns with what has transpired from an employment perspective or even on a strategic/intellectual property angle.”
In fact Turei said outright that she had no concerns about the strategy angle because Harre was a person of integrity.
“I ask because you seem to have ignored the fact that since December, Laila Harre was actually working for the CTU.”
Not ignored, but point accepted.
@ Pasupial
It’s the on-line version of the Dom Post’s Today in Politics column. Which is at top of Page 2 of the newspaper and always anonymous. Presumably penned by Watkins/Small/Vance/Rutherford.or other Fairfax pol journo. And, yeah, no source.
“..Anger as report exposes kitten experiments at top universities..”
“..Claims that animals were paralysed –
had skulls cracked open –
and had electrodes stuck into brains..”
(cont..)
(ed:..and be in no doubt that shit like that happens here in new zealand..)
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/anger-as-report-exposes-kitten-experiments-at-top-universities-9474017.html
(..sick/evil-fucks..)
phillip ure …i dont want to read that….and I wont…but I agree with you !
Are wind farms full of 150 meter tall windmills so last centuries technology, if the Invelox wind energy systems are proven to deliver what the inventors say they can then the answer to that question is a big YES,
More on this later and why i totally applaud the Green Party abandoning the ”emissions Trading Scam” with plans to replace that with a ”Carbon tax” while only giving the announced policy a 6 outta 10,
For more on ”Invelox” google:
Invelox wind energy systems,
or,
Sheerwind Minnesota…
It can’t. The formula for energy from wind has been known for decades and nobody has been able to break it yet.
Draco, i laugh out loud, such attitude as the theory has been known for years so it cannot be altered is incredibly, well for want of a word that you wouldn’t see as a direct insult, incredible,
According to the info i garnered off of the Googles i point readers at is the fact that they have working machines that ARE doing just that,
10 K wind in one end 15 K wind out the other, near enough to breaking that Law of thermo-whats-its,
The inventors/makers already have one little town/city signed up to buy the installation,
IF, this proves to be true, it is cheaper per kilowatt hour than current wind-mills, cheaper to maintain, less of a footprint on the landscape, and, probably could be mounted on existing buildings with flat roofs,
i have another interest in this tech as well, it is perfect for furthering technology which would enable CO2 to be removed from the atmosphere on an industrial scale, allowing that CO2 to then be adapted into a burnable gas and in turn be burned in a generator equipped with the full carbon capture tech to generate electricity…
Of course the other ingredient necessary to enable the design and installation of such equipment would be inherent in the price of Carbon as per the Green Party announcement on the weekend,
At $25 a tonne i would suggest the removal and burning of CO2 to create electricity would become a very profitable enterprise…
Sorry it is difficult to chemically extract any more energy out of CO2. It’s a very stable end product which doesn’t release any more heat easily.
No need to be sorry CV, i think you will find that that is just not true, Iceland which generates electricity from Geo-thermal,(their geo-thermal also generates CO2), captures the CO2 and re-burns it in what is pretty much a closed loop system,
The CO2 does have to go through a process to enable it’s combustion but combust it does, it then comes down to a measurement of how much electricity is needed to process the CO2 versus how much electricity the burned CO2 produces…
It seems that they’re not extracting more energy out of CO2 but pumping more energy into it to turn it into methanol.
yep…like getting ethanol from corn…what’s you take into account all the energy inputs from fertiliser, diesel, processing…you’re pretty much close to a stand still. It’s the Red Queen problem: running faster and faster just to stay in the same place.
http://www.technologyreview.com/view/508136/ducted-wind-turbines-an-energy-game-changer/
http://phys.org/news/2013-05-sheerwind-invelox-turbine-power.html
When all we have is claim s from the company making them and they’re not allowing outside testing then I’m going to call BS on their claims.
The design looks interesting, but isn’t going to break any laws of thermodynamics. The interesting thing for me is that it can operate at very low wind speeds and is supposedly more efficient than a turbine, although it’s not clear how they made the comparison.
It uses the venturi effect to speed up air where the tube narrows, which means that the pressure goes down. I’m assuming that the higher velocity is an advantage in running the generating turbine more efficiently. They have small working models and it’s always possible that these won’t scale well to bigger sizes. The numerical modelling they have done generally gives an indication of whether something will work or not, but how accurate it is can be another question.
PS I wrote this before I saw 17.1.1.2, but it might as well stay here.
Are wind-farms so last centuries technology, if the inventors of the Invelox wind energy systems are proven correct then i would have to say a big YES to that question,
The capabilities and design of this particular instrument of capturing wind, speeding it up, and using it for the generation of electricity have far greater ramifications in terms of climate than first meets the eye,
The google for a look is:
Sheerwind Minnesota,
or,
Invelox wind energy systems…
Not again, all my comments are disappearing into the ethereal unknown again this morning…
And then, they all appear at once even the ones i repeated…
I don’t see Lab, Greens and Mana/IP competing. Labour is targetting mainstream NZ. Greens the enviroment vote, Mana the poor who are disaffected by Labour, and now IP the non-voting online denizen.
Ford saw that to sell more cars he needed to pay his workers enough so they could afford them.
Dotcom realizes to grow the internet he needs to lower the cost of access to it.
Mana realizes that the best economy is a more equal society, and so have a synergy with Dotcom.
It is however inspiring how dumb the Q+A panel was.
We are seeing Mana/IP branding.
NZF is targets the older voters. ACT stupid rich. UF the deranged. Maori the Maori elite. And Crazy Colins, its hard to tell what world he is on. And lastly, National who are things to all people.
When I look left I see pragmatic progressive policies for the medium to long term.
When I look right I see sad pathetic policies designed to grow inequality and harm the economy all for short-term gains.
And please why would Pacific voters want a Nat-NZF tie up, welfare bashers and immigration basher, just because Cunliffe wants to stop a few immigrants from India and China, entering under the National rich prick visa, that forces up housing prices for them.
cos that lovely mr key has gone to the pacific to use lots of words to say nothing.
Presumably labour is on the ground where it matters
Listening to the political show on RNZ today I have to laugh at Hooton and his spin, which sounded like a paid advertisement for the corporates.
Come on Hooton selectively quoting low company tax rates in Nordic countries like Finland are an exception to the norm. Most Western Nations have far higher company tax rates to ours. Your elite corporate friends need to be paying far more than what they are now.
You could have mentioned the Nordic countries more progressive social policies aswell. No you couldn’t possibly mention these as they are an affront to your ideology. Having balance to your opinion gives credibility rather than making you look like a rightwing mug.
You’re wrong. Check out http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_tax_rates
28% is high.
You’re high, Matthew.
US federal corporate tax is 39% according to that list.
Anyway, typical of an entry-level corporate toadie, you’ll cherry pick away at any stats to try and prop up your miserable world view.
Go and read Picketty.
In reality of course the corporates have convinced Congress to pass through massive amounts of exemptions, loop holes, rebates etc so the real rate for big corporates is a pittance of that…SMEs still get smashed at the maximum rate though because they don’t have as good lobbyists.
Matthew is paid to think what he does.
I feel sorry for him in some ways.
It must be depressing not have lost your freedom to think for yourself.
Then I remember the damage the spinning he does causes to the vulnerable in our society and that brief moment of sympathy disappears.
and he sounds so pleased with himself
i thought wee Matty’s effort on the wireless this morning was one of His better efforts, on Mana/Dotcom Hooton is behaving akin to a washing machine where the electronics have gone haywire,
He appears to be stuck on ‘agitate’ while the command from the wiring has also ordered ‘spin’, one minute the evil DotCom has sucked all the maori boys and girls of the Mana Party in big time,
In the next breath Matty postulates that all them aging Socialists have suckered poor old Dotcom outta 3 odd million dollars…
lol
Yeah. Dat was a laff. He was all over the place and it was soooh obvious.
Very good comment – like the washing machine analogy.
But I don’t think I have ever thought the “maori boys and girls” have been sucked in by Dotcom. I have thought since I saw Hone being interviewed on Q&A a month or so ago that he is in charge and Dotcom has been duped.
Does your washing machine come with a ‘slip’ and ‘slither’ command Matty, without a dig through the information super-highway to dredge up your various ‘positions’ on InternetMana which on an issue that carries as much importance as, well you,which i don’t plan on taxing my severely depleted pile of neurons over, i will have to take your word,
Did i detect tho, with Your latest effort on the wireless a barely suppressed rage at the sheer audacity of all them aged Socialists having turned the 2014 election on it’s head via having 3 million bucks dumped in their lap to fight the contest with,
i was breathless waiting for another Matty meltdown moment which seemed to me to be bubbling incoherently below the surface of your comments…
Nice try Matthew, however your link states a ‘subjective’ element to it.
I think America’s 39% is more reflective of how low company tax rates are here, rather than many of the fuk nations you have linked us too. David Parker will sort this anomaly out, along with upping the tax rate for high income earners such as yourself. Those slush fund trusts will be reworked so that rort of a loop hole is closed out also.
Btw Hope you sprung for Pagani’s brunch after her cheerleading display for you on Q & A on Sunday. I found that most comical as I’m sure you did by the smitten look on ya face lol.
As much as I’d like that to happen the fact that Parker still says we must increase retirement to 67 would indicate that having that much trust in him is contraindicated.
DTB
The problem is the raising the age of retirement policy became policy because the active members turned up at remit/policy review & LEC/branch meetings too endorse it. I turned up and was simply out voted. Believe it or not there was strong support from left minded members of the LP. Reasoning was put forward that many workers need too worker longer because they don’t have enough savings to retire. My argument was a hell of a lot of workers struggle to make 65 as it is, also computerization/robotic’s means that jobs won’t be there fullstop.
After Douglas ran a muck any rogue MP/s ‘must stick to policy’ they can blow their arse about any notion they like, however their sorry arse will be dragged back to the party’s policy if they try straying.
Sure the 39% US rate is nonsense. No one pays it. Mainly because it is so high. If they cut it, some people might start paying it rather than directing revenues through lower tax regimes.
Corporates are pulling $15B out of our country in profits every year mate. That’s what’s really high. And here you are wanting to increase that current account drain out of the nation even further. What is your problem?
today i listened to hoots and mike w. It occurred to me that to a large extent mike w is there as himself, to say what he thinks. Hoots is there helping to frame a viewpoint that assist the right. Thats why its so frustrating and why mike w will agree with hoots far more than the other way. Hoots is playing a role, mike w is being himself. Just a thought.
re williams..
..there was of course that question williams just didn’t answer..
..ie..’who/what stopped the carbon tax plans of yesteryear..?..you’d know mike..!’
..williams didn’t even try to answer that..(and of course ryan just let him get away with it/not answering..)
..maybe ‘cos his ‘old mate’ winston peters was the one who killed that earlier carbon-tax..?..
..just ‘mike’..being himself…
..problem is..’himself’ wants labour/nz first after the election..
ryan also didnt know a couple of basic things… Like mana running annette sykes andnot just having te tai tokerau.
so, you think we should also follow some scandanavian countries on social policy and education too?
You know the right are worried when they suggest we should be more like scandanavian countries.
There is much we can learn from Norway, in particular.
If we would – hurray lets bring it on….
Hi Matthew, yes NZ is with its corporate tax rate higher then some of the Euro countries. However, you need to take all taxes into consideration. In most if not all Euro countries GST is certainly a lot higher and personal insurance cost (pension and health) contributions are considerably more. In the end this should not be a race to the bottom where we are content with 250 000 kids going hungry but any tax take should rather a tool to facilitate a civilized participation via economic means – this would mean infrastructure on logistical and humanistic terms. Sure, NZ with its physical isolation and small population will always face a challenge to participate against economies of scale. Instead of making things cheaper NZ should provide goods that have more value added.
We’re at the high end of the gst scale (especially considering that many of the higher rates have exemptions for food and other items) but you won’t see matty complaining about that.
National’s latest attempt to solve the housing crisis: Build ugly houses
Thinking of the future, I am reading Lark Rise, particularly the introduction to that book by Flora Thompson. It covers the demise of rural England and paints a picture that might be one to strive to return to when continuation as present becomes no longer viable.
What Flora Thompson depicts is the utter ruin of a closely knit organic society with a richly interwoven and traditional culture that had defied every change, every aggression, except the one that established the modern world…..
The old open fields community of co-operative self-help destroyed by the Enclosures is caught in the worlds….
In remembering the Rise when it was common land…carrying in her mind the England of small properties based on the land, the England whose native land belonged to its own people, not to a State masquerading as such, not even to the manorial lords who exacted services, but not from a landless proletariat. Still less to big business…
..it was Victoria’s reign that, partly through their agency [the Vicar and the Squire] but mainly by the growth of the industrial town and the industrial mentality, ended the self-sufficient England of peasant and craftsman…the attempted murder of something timeless in and quintessential to the spirit of man. A design for living has become unravelled, and there can be no substitute, because however imperfect the pattern, it was part of the essential constitution of human nature.
It seems that there is much in the musings of the writer. With the Enclosures went the ability to be self-sufficient so one then had to be a supplicant in the labour market which might reject you as an adult wishing to work in the fabric mills, but your children might be set to the ‘treadmill’ in a disciplined way far beyond the bursts of hard work and long hours at harvest time in the old days. How many ohus and co-ops are surviving in NZ I wonder? There have been speakers and economists interested in co-ops in NZ – I wonder how many still exist.
The old status quo was overthrown by the industrial age, now we should be looking at a new one relishing hand -crafted things, conserving and repairing with new skills. Perhaps we can convert and still have some graciousness in our living, not the harrassed stress of survivalists, and not the naked disdain and aggression ruling that arises from time to time in us all. To be continued – after the election.
look forward to it!
Has key managed two election bribes from one policy?
“The Government is moving to increase the number of Pacific workers who can come into the country under the regional season employment (RSE) scheme.
Prime Minister John Key said a small increase was on the cards, partly driven by the likely return of Fiji to the scheme if it went ahead with democratic elections.
His comments followed a traditional Ava ceremony at Poutasi village where he was made a matai or chief after his visit to the tsunami-hit village after the devastation there in 2009.
During the ceremony one of the senior villagers thanked him and New Zealand for allowing its workers to come to New Zealand for temporary seasonal jobs.
But he also called on Key to lift the number of places available. ”
Cheap labour for businesses and jobs for pasifika family members
Yep cheap labour of the variety that the neo-lib Tories just love, use em and lose em, once the season they are employed for is over send them packing…
Apparently and neither one good for NZ.
Astonishing, 6% unemployed but more immigrants that will most likely be ending up in seasonal short term work and then on the unemployment benefit. I don’t understand the logic, who is going to pay for that? But maybe it is true that the aim is to have enough unemployed to make sure wages don’t rise.
It’s National so that is most definitely the goal.
The main reason will be less about the return to a democratic process in Fiji (sometimes for the betterment of a Country democracy plays 2nd fiddle) but more a favour to another group of National’s donators. Fruit & vegie growers who struggle to get their produce harvested here in New Zeandand. Even the majority of the unemployed balk at such slave labour. I think we have all seen or heard examples of Island Nation people being exploited by scumbag contractor bosses. Of course many of the growers know these vulnerable workers are being exploited, however when confronted by the authorities they deny all knowledge.
Casual/seasonal workers are getting stiffed by this National outfit and things just keep getting worst, like the new 80 hour employment law change that ‘another group’ of donators have got rammed thru parliament. Yip those bloody dirty dairy farmers.
What a hoot !
“Bracanov later reappeared in court and pleaded not guilty to the charge. He has been remanded on bail until late August for a case-review hearing.
Outside court he said his grudge against John Banks began when he was fined $10,000 for throwing a bucketful of horse manure at a car carrying King Juan Carlos of Spain in the late 1980s.
Banks was minister of police when Bracanov was fined.
“He should not have charged me so much … the law is not for the people,” he said.
In 1994, Bracanov was convicted of disorderly behaviour after spraying air freshener as he rushed at Prince Charles who was on a royal walkabout at Auckland’s Viaduct Basin.
Banks also allegedly cut Bracanov off when he was making a point on a Radio Pacific show in 1997 that Banks was hosting.
Bracanov said it was important to throw the manure in public so people would get the point.”
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/10113578/Manure-protester-Banks-grudge-is-done
Yes, just read that. Gee, he holds a grudge for a long time. I’d have thought there were far more recent things to criticize Banks for.
Mad as a March Hare.
and even worse..terrible dress sense..
Are you meaning Banks for wearing a soiled suit
Anyway, wasn’t $10,000 fine excessive? Was he able to pay it at is he still paying it at $5 a fortnight or something?
This is getting stupid, i make 3 comments this morning, they don’t appear, i check later and all 3 have appeared and i make another comment that appears,
Then another 2 comments that don’t,
Is this a ”novel” form of censorship, or, just the computers viewing my comments as spam,???…
[lprent: It is the server and not just you. I can’t see any reason for it. At present I’m simply turning off possible causes one at a time and then seeing if anything else gets trapped. If it does I move to the next possible cause. It is a slow way of debugging, but there really isn’t any other way. It started on sunday. ]
Thanks for that LPrent, i will just have to exercise patience but knowing where the problem is will allow me to keep the blood pressure under control…
[lprent: Well it isn’t in the blacklist. Next one… ]
not attacking you al1en, sorry if it seemed that way.
She would have known she would be paid just not how much.
I have been effectively unemployed since 2013. Im not amongst the stats though cos i am not drawing welfare.
Wishing you best of luck finding some work.
No offence taken here Tracey. I’m well use to rough and tumble and didn’t feel under attack, but ta anyway.
Being unemployed stinks and having to deal with the ss makes it even worse. I’m glad you’re in a position to avoid that certain ‘pleasure’.
Still don’t think I should have kept my mouth shut and thus my job, so no regrets here. I’m just pleased I avoided the 13 week stand down and only had the 3 weeks without money – That would have been extra harsh.
testing…
Not on animals I hope, ’cause p u will be sending a celery rocket up your arse otherwise 😆
Mercy, lord have mercy, you will have to ask Phillip to put up His link to Doctor Tashkin He supplied the other week as part of His other little crusade, dope,
And dope it was as Doctor Tashkin Oops pointed out that the miracle cures as expounded had all been arrived at by inflicting various cancers on animals and then pumping them full of dope….
Prepare for a caulicluster bomb, or worse still, a spud missile 😆
Lolz, we have already discussed the topic at length, Phillip chose to use psychic emanations as His method of conversation,(also known as silence)…
Guess you know when the argument has been won
hi..!..it’s me again..!
..(that annoying vegan guy..)
..i’ve got some more dairy/cancer evidence for ya..eh..?
“..Will quitting dairy defeat cancer?..
..A leading scientist and cancer survivor says the disease is overwhelmingly linked to animal products..”
(cont..)
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11266900
..yr welcome..!
would you like cheese with that..?
I don’t know why, but that just takes me back to pre muckdonald days of yore, and now I so fancy a Wimpy half pounder (minus the tomato).
you just laugh in the face of the evidence…eh allen..?
..fuck cancer.!..gizza ciggy..!
..when did you stop smoking tobacco..allen..?
“you just laugh in the face of the evidence…eh allen..?”
I just really fancied a wimpy half pounder with cheese, don’t get sanctimonious on me.
“..fuck cancer.!..gizza ciggy..!
..when did you stop smoking tobacco..allen..?”
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away
so why did you stop..?
..was it because smoking causes cancer..?
..and you didn’t want to get cancer..?
Amongst other diseases, yes, it was certainly one factor in stopping smoking.
Am I going to stop eating meat and dairy products and go vegan, no, no I am not.
Am I prepared to risk it and eat cheese (when I can afford to again), yes, yes I will.
And the worst thing of all, and call child services on me if you like, I feed my daughter the same food I eat.
staunch in yr ignorances…eh..?
‘i smoked..so my daughter should smoke too..’
Have you seen this movie phil?
Very powerful
chrs 4 that paul..
more evidence..
http://whoar.co.nz/?s=dairy+cancer
test
just seen john ‘shifty’ key pretending to be enjoying himself in Samoa. anyway he should know that the all-blacks do not want to play in Samoa or other P.I. nations because the locals just want to bash them up for the hell of it. But I guess he knows better.sacrificing an all Blacks career for a few votes is really his style.
Prof Colin Campbell discovered that by adding animal/dairy to cancer cells in a petrie dish caused them to grow, adding plant products did not. My understanding of tamoxifen is that it will cause cancer of the reproductive organs so am surprised Jane Plant is using this. Many years ago I gave a friend with breast cancer Prof Plant’s book Your Life in your Hands. Unfortunately she couldnt give up meat and dairy and died 2 years later. Is meat and dairy worth dying for, I just dont get it.
Are you suggesting that no vegans ever get cancer?
I dont know the answer to that but it seems it will dramatically cut your risk of reproductive cancers by avoiding meat/dairy and having a healthy diet. Some vegans can have a diet very high in junk food so not sure where they sit with health stats.
Dr John McDougall has many testimonials on his website where people with chronic disease have recovered on a vegan diet.
Likewise the Weston Price Foundation, who advocate a traditional (pre-industrial) diet that includes meat and dairy. One size doesn’t fit all.
“One size doesn’t fit all
So true. For my auto-immune illness, advice over the years about diets that will definitely cure me (and I’m sure people with cancer have had similar advice about absolutely proven cures) include:
Gelatine diet
Avoid all citrus
Avoid wheat
Go completely gluten free
Avoid refined carbs
Avoid all carbs
Go on the ‘caveman’ diet
Avoid red meat
Avoid all meat
Go vegetarian
Avoid all dairy
Go vegan
Have more probiotic foods
Go totally organic
Eat more chilli (avoid chilli)
Have more ginger / turmeric
Have more foods with omega3 / chondritin / glucosamine
Have cinnamon every morning
Have apple cider and manuka honey every morning
The latest was avoid foods of the solanine family (potatoes, tomatoes, capsicum etc).
Most have amazingly straightforward and superficially believable logic around them.
Recently I heard that soaking raisins in gin and have a spoonful each morning is the answer.
I’m quite liking the idea of this last one instead of a cup of tea (which is to be avoided) 😉
But you’ve found that diet can have a major effect on how ill you are, right?
“But you’ve found that diet can have a major effect on how ill you are, right?”
No.
Edit: Obviously for so-called lifestyle diseases and general well-being a good diet is important. In terms of reducing auto-immune symptoms? No, diet doesn’t seem to have an effects (with the exception of ensuring I don’t have iron-deficiency anaemia).
which would be another example of one size not fitting all 🙂 Some people find diet helps, others don’t.
Absolutely. I’m not arguing that a diet that supplies people all the nutrients they need and limits foods that contain damaging compounds doesn’t make them feel better. Otherwise we may as well all go choose our favourite junk food and live on that.
I should have stuck with my original ‘no’ answer to cv 😉
A problem with this chronic disease is that the disease (not dietary deficiency) can cause anaemia and then this in turn can have knock on effect of increasing the disease activity that is already present, and will remain after the anaemia is resolved.
It’s a new and very expensive drug that I can’t get in NZ that cured the very serious anaemia within a month after years of enduring it. Now I just make sure I get dietary sources of iron and reduce iron-stripping compound from products like tea (it’s all those polyphenol anti-oxidants). With the anaemia under control because the drug works on the cause of the original chronic illness, this dietary effect is enough to keep it that way, where it wasn’t enough before, that’s all.
The intention of that list was to indicate why dietary advice which is apparently well-meaning, is confusing and may be rejected. It’s not that people don’t want to get better. I get quite tired of people telling me that their diet will ‘fix’ me. I don’t think they realise how many, often conflicting, dietary ‘cures’ are out there.
Aside the errant nonsense about extrapolating petri dish experiments to making inferences about human diets, let me clarify what tamoxifen does – it’s an anti-oestrogen. It’s used in treating breast cancer that is oestrogen sensitive. If you reduce the oestrogen levels, the cancer growth rate is slowed. Combined with anticancer drugs or radiation, this increases survival rates.
It’s not too hard to check your understanding before you make statements like the above – wikipedia is a quick google away: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamoxifen
A side effect of tamoxifen is uterine cancer, check it out for yourself.
And this arises out of its anti-androgen effect, and is also true of what, every oestrogen based contraception? Tamoxifen has demonstrated benefits greatly outweighing its risks, and it’s plain irresponsible to be running around bagging it while you’re on a drugs-are-bad-veganism-is-good kick.
Except for the people who get uterine cancer it doesn’t.
Weston Price was a dentist and apparently later in life advised his family not to eat meat and dairy or so I have read.
Doubt it. WP’s body of work was on how traditional cultures had such excellent oral health due to their diets, which included meat and dairy (although meat and dairy in quite different forms than what we eat today).
man I feel like a fresh baked gnu tonite!
What language of gnu? c++, objectivec, fortran…. ?
So the NZ Navy are to be welcomed into Pearl Harbour.
“We’ve all been briefed on the background and the requirement for this to be seen as a keynote event in our history,” says Commander David Turner, HMNZS Canterbury commanding officer.
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/nz-navy-welcomed-into-pearl-harbour-after-30-year-freeze-5989672
What is the significance of this “keynote event”?
The US needs allies to counterbalance China in the Pacific
NZ would be stupid to pick sides in that coming superpower tussle
no gnus is good gnus!
ask any hominid hanging out in the paleolithic savannah circa 50,000 y.a.
The biggest robbery ever enacted upon the American people
The US Federal Reserve
A nice little 7 minute primer for those who are not yet familiar
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11266341
How can someone be convicted for accepting a bribe and yet from this article no one be found guilty of offering?
“Ping Ma and his wife, Jianping Shen, were convicted of accepting bribes and jailed for 13 and five years in prison respectively for obtaining $375,000 through the real estate deals.”
It must be like all the times people would appear in court with resisting arrest as the only charge. I could never figure it out.
Testing testing …