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notices and features - Date published:
6:00 am, January 4th, 2021 - 77 comments
Categories: open mike -
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The current rise of populism challenges the way we think about people’s relationship to the economy.We seem to be entering an era of populism, in which leadership in a democracy is based on preferences of the population which do not seem entirely rational nor serving their longer interests. ...
The server will be getting hardware changes this evening starting at 10pm NZDT.
The site will be off line for some hours.
I see that Mike Hosking is continuing to promote a crypto currency trading site. He claims, probably truthfully, that he is making large profits from his investments. One wonders what the source of these profits is. Or are these crypto currency investments just another 'ponzi' scheme, and due to crash at some point in the future.
"One wonders what the source of these profits is. Or are these crypto currency investments just another 'ponzi' scheme, and due to crash at some point in the future."
The bigger fool(s).
https://www.statista.com/statistics/326707/bitcoin-price-index/
It crashes regularly….if you have have money you are willing to lose then you could make a profit trading….until enough decide theres something else better to milk.
Do you feel lucky?
[Link required]
Given that global scammers frequently use high-profile local media figures to promote their wares, a link might not be helpful in this case. 🙂
True, true, but folks have become a little lazy linking here and there’s going to be tears soon. Ignorance is no excuse.
You know my feelings on that front..
I share them but Moderators cannot act on feelz alone.
Mine are informed by simple guidelines like:
– is there a quote?
– is there a claim that someone asserted something?
(which is why I would lean differently on yesterday's creative wordplay around Sir Dobbyn)
I don’t lean, I sway.
I rock for comfort
I quite enjoyed the Dobbo comment yesterday.
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/greaterfooltheory.asp
[Please explain why there are three different commenters here commenting from the same IP address.
All three commenters have attracted the attention of different Moderators, which is usually not a good sign either.
You may also want to explain why we should click on the link in this comment of yours, what to expect, why it is worth our time, what you think about it yourself, et cetera. Link dumping without a (brief) reason is spray & walkaway and a telltale sign of trolls who have no interest in engaging here.
Failing to acknowledge and respond to this Moderation note will see you banned – Incognito]
See my Moderation note @ 8:06 AM.
Correcting Pats Bigger Fool.
[Must try harder. You are wasting Moderator time. Put up or take a ban – Incognito]
[Let’s see whether a short instructive ban has the desired effect in lieu of an explanation or satisfactory response. One week for each of the three aliases coming from the same IP address that you are using. See also Lprent’s Moderation note to you, which I suggest you take seriously if you don’t want to receive a longer more punitive ban in future – Incognito]
Bigger , greater…depends which school you went to,,,the theory is the same.
See my Moderation note @ 11:04 AM.
See my second Moderation note @ 11:04 AM.
Wouldn't it be great if there was a political movement working for the environment in New Zealand to support our personal efforts in this. Imagine what could have been achieved in the last two generations has such a movement focused on environmental matters.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
[please don’t troll my posts – weka]
well I do actually think it is relevant. we are all personally contributing to climate change because to a very large extent except for a very few privileged like ourselves we really have no choice. The answer does lie in collective action and in our democratic situation that means govt. The derailment of environmental concerns by the NZ green party is very significant contribution to climate change. That they have occupied that space without actually largely giving a shit is a devastating betrayal. sorry but it does have to be said and if thats me then so be it.
“NZ Herald 4 January 2021
Pre-departure test move was inevitable – Prof Baker
[deleted]
[please repost with a link for the bits you cut and paste – weka]
mod note
Pre-departure test move was inevitable – Prof Baker
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-coronavirus-variant-will-become-dominant-all-over-the-world-epidemiologist/O73JXSZTQCIHQXSSQUB5O32D7I/
So rather than a risk a lock-down and waste time and money pre testing, which will not be fool proof anyway, would it not be sensible to close the border while it is dominant?
Given the nature of viruses, this will not be the last significant mutation. Pre-flight testing makes little difference – all the other protective measures need to stay in place.
I was meaning totally shut the door at the border while the virus is dominant .
I'd agree with Sacha.
There is nothing in this variant that should cause any more problems for us in terms of the existing MIQ. If it manages to break out of the quarantine, there are considerable defences behind that to constrain and quell outbreaks. An increase in transmission rates doesn't change anything with that.
As Sacha says – this won't be the last significiant mutation or selection for this virus. We will be in some form of quarantine for quite a lot longer as the world learns to manage, contain and quell the virus – especially those areas in the world like the US, Russia, UK, and Brazil that have been far too irresponsible and blase about dealing with it
Shutting the door won't increase the security of NZ because if this variant gives a selective advantage than it will become dominant world wide in areas without an effective quarantine – ie almost everywhere apart from here, Taiwan, and very few other countries (see map). So will later favourable mutations.
We'd be better off doing what we have already – just dealing with it at the border and with the in depth outbreak defences internally.
Agree that we should keep doing what's worked well so far, and implement any cost-effective improvements that may become available as pandemic responses 'bed in'.
Pre-flight testing will give us a (very?) rough idea of how effective the new (15 January) precaution is at decreasing the number of COVID-carriers boarding flights to NZ. If, after a month or two, it turns out to be ineffective (and/or unnecessary), then by all means can it. The Australian federal government currently deems pre-flight UK testing unnecessary, so NZ is the Australasian guinea pig on this one.
Taiwan's pre-flight precautions are interesting too.
can you feel the economic anxiety of the white male working class? Or should we file it under 'a mobster is gonna mobster'?
oh well, no one could have foreseen that voting for a shithead will result in shit being flung about everywhere and never mind the 350.000 dead people. But the economy aka the stock market is doing better then ever.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-raffensperger-call-transcript-georgia-vote/2021/01/03/2768e0cc-4ddd-11eb-83e3-322644d82356_story.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social
read the whole thing, or if you have the stomach listen to it. Mind its an hour long phone call featuring the mobster, his lawyers and the republican secretary of state of Georgia and their lawyers.
good grief.
In case anyone is curious what laws might be applicable, here's one:
https://twitter.com/SenWhitehouse/status/1345915993202286592?s=20
Well, searching for trump property in georgia turns up a lot of whiffy potential dealings in the former soviet country, but nothing that's actually gone ahead in the southern US state.
So the Georgia authorities don't have anything they can hold hostage, and I've no idea what kind of extradition arrangements there are between states. Maybe Drongo Unbrained will just avoid Georgia for the rest of his life.
https://twitter.com/j_putin/status/1345926259805544448
brief audio summary (for tone):
https://twitter.com/Bill_Maxwell_/status/1345817151114944512
Full audio..
https://twitter.com/HamillHimself/status/1345881068663046145
We need Hamill to re-record it in his Joker voice …
Ooh, had not heard those.
The foot-shooting continues..
https://twitter.com/lp2100rg/status/1345892972399906818
That is one case he should loose.
The "one consent law" has been around in the US for some time.
I really don't want to try to guess what kind of chatter is going around when all 10 living former Secretaries of Defense sign on to a letter saying the military has no place and no business in determining the outcome of an election.
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/03/politics/trump-election-defense-secretaries-public-letter/index.html
It's clear who the letter is aimed at – not the Tinyfingers Twittertwat, but those in the chain of command that might get asked or told to do something illegal.
Where there's smoke, a nearby dolt is playing with matches.
I invite Andre to tell us what kind of dolt. Sometimes I think the amount of product on his hair the usual one would be quite inflammable as well as being quite inflammable in other ways.
Well,
the Zodiac Killerson of JFK assassination co-conspiratorimmigrant preznit wannabe Ted Cruz swears he's not the one throwing matches around.I'm not sure it's wise to invite me to list the titles bestowed upon the failed QVC steak salesman that somehow became Dolt45, Supreme Dotard of Doltistan. It could take quite a while to cover the gamut, from the informal ones used by his friends, such as Donnie Two-Scoops, and "orange pustule on Pootee's sphincter", to those acknowledging his contributions to arts and culture such as "short-fingered vulgarian" and "genital-grabbing golem".
You really wanna do this?
Those are good…too many and it is like eating too much chocolate at a time. Makes my day, in a way, to see the day's name for the fiend!
Trump needs to go quietly. Nah not his style. With a bit of luck Trump can be managed for 18 days.
I want to see if Trump will attend Biden's inauguration. I think not.
At 12 noon on the 20th, I dunno what to put my money on for what the terracotta turdface will be doing.
Clinging to the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office as the Secret Service comes in to remove trespassers?
Supervising renovations at Mal-a-Plaguo coz he didn't like the ones Melanoma had done?
Holding an "I wuz robbed" grievance rally somewhere in Drumpfuckistan?
Fronting an all-day craptavaganza for the start-up of his new TV channel?
Smearing his feces all over the second floor residential area walls?
I certainly wouldn't put money on him quietly and respectfully attending Biden's inauguration, but if anyone else wants to put money on that, I'll take the bet.
So up until the second Biden is sworn in is Trump still the President?
Your last paragraph says a lot. I plan to make an occasion of it to see Biden sworn in.
Probably Biden has some options or a contingency were Trump to cause havoc.
Knowing when Trump is no longer President will need to be considered. With a bit of luck from 11.59 pm on 19 January 2021.
The 20th Amendment of the Constitution says:
Thanks for that.
I looked up the time for the inauguration yesterday and I could not find it. So it is 12 noon.
this clearly draws the lines between what we do to animals..
and the pandemics we have had..have now..and will have again in the future..
if we don't change our ways/diets..
https://plantbasednews.org/culture/film/pbn-documentary-vegan-2020-available-now/I
Thanks Phillip for your leadership here.
I stopped eating meat 3 years ago because of climate change and animal cruelty.
A welcome side effect is that a plant based diet is also excellent for one’s health.
My nephew showed me the film ‘Earthlings ‘ which was the end of eating animals for me.
yes..I have much respect for films like 'earthlings'..
so many people cite them as changing their lives..
and what is not often talked about is how bloody good it feels to be a vegan..
in the sense of how you feel within yourself..
I was vegetarian for 15 yrs before going vegan..
so I already knew that being vegetarian felt better than being a flesh-eaters..
but my expectations for feeling even better from going vegan weren't much..
and much to my surprise..the improvement in general feelings of wellbeing was far greater going vegan .. than it had been going from fleshie to vegetarian..
and I really must emphasise..just how bloody good it feels to live on a vegan diet..
..and I love food..and I miss nothing..
..being vegan is almost decadent..the food is so good..
..and I feel so good…
really..!..people don't know what they are missing..
they could follow your path..
and watch ‘earthlings’
one for the vegan-curious..
current favourite vegan fast-food:
wraps..
slice a couple of vegan burger patties into slivers..
..and throw into frying pan/under grill..
while they are cooking on the wrap put some vegan butter..then some vegemite .
..then some avocado..(squeeze a bit of lemon juice onto avo..and grind some black pepper onto it)
then some hummus..then some tomato/sprouts/beetroot..and then some grated vegan cheese..
then pile the cooked slivers on the top..and put some high quality tomato sauce on them..
then roll it all up…
it tastes really fucken good..
miso rather than vegemite, please
yep. Misomite from the company in Nelson is awesome.
ok..miso on both of yours..
Whilst we are on about prisons and prisoners, let's all have a bit of thought for Assange who has suffered as an innocent person (by UK law a person is innocent until found guilty) gone though conditions worse than a convicted murderer because he brought to light and had the courage through Wiki Leaks to show what a pack of scum the American Administration are murdering innocent people
The treatment and conditions he has had to go through have not been reported by the compliant media. who toe the rightwing vested interest line. Today is the day we find out after months of torture if he will be extradited to America to live the rest of his life possibly in confinement and subject to further torture because he had the courage to report to the world what really was going on. So on that note fuck the Herald, Stuff, The backstabbing Guardian, RNZ, TVNZ Media Works and all the other pathetic outlets that pass themselves off as news outlets, stuff the lot of you for not having the courage like this guy to report what has been going on or protesting for the future freedom of the press.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
[lprent: Hey, fuckwit (to quote an expression of yours from a previous comment) – Banned for 4 weeks. This was completely off topic in my post about prison conditions in NZ.
Bad idea taking a risk like that. Bearing in mind that Assange just had a excellent reprieve, I thought that your effort deserved a reward for stupidity – you won’t be able to comment here. I suspect that will enhance the discussion considerably.
BTW: please complain. I like judging
ranting moronspeople who shout at others and try to trash my posts with off topic comments. ]Do the crime, do the time, especially if you try to evade justice by hiding out in a foreign embassy, hardly the actions of an innocent man awaiting his time in court
So I take it then dickhead reporting the truth is now a crime is it? What other crimes has he done? apart from the so-called jacked-up rape charges and what trail has he attended and been found guilty?
Cmon can we please not drag up that guy again. Had more than enough of the topic last year. I doubt anyone here is learning anything new by now.
Halfdick He had a rape charge in Sweden, plus faces 18 federal charges in the US including espionage and hacking He took a risk got caught, face the music and prove his innocence in a court of law He Just needs to suck it up, like you need do as well and not hide in the basement South American embassy or spin bs he is a journalist
You're so hopelessly ignorant of the matter I cant even be bothered correcting you. For fucks sake go do a bit of research. Just to start your off there was no rape charge.
Note, “he had” ( past tense)
he “still “ faces 18 US federal charges, hope this helps with your comprehension Brigid
Assuming that the US is able to extradite him on appeal. Which seems like a hard ask because they have to prove that the UK district court judge got it wrong on the probability of suicide within the inhumane US supermax prison system.
Most of the charges look spurious. Since none of them have been tested in a US court of law (Grand Juries being a useless farce governed only by a prosecutor and definitely not a court), I suspect that the federal prosecution would be a comedic farce. What will be certain is that they will drag on for years with freedom of the press and major jurisdictional issues.
There is a nice bit of good scientific forecasting for the NH stratosphere,that is now underway,a sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) the Arctic vortex should split,and concomitant with a negative Arctic oscillation should see some significant cold events over NH mid and high latitudes.
https://twitter.com/DrAHButler/status/1342218041279578112
SSW is called that for a reason.
That is not good on top of Covid-19 lockdowns
That arctic stratospheric warming is going to make for some bloody cold surface weather somewhere further south. What is the usual delay before the cold hits Eurasia / North America? It’d take a couple of weeks from memory. I suppose I could look up the current oscillation..
Looks like a probable cold snap in northern Europe and mid-Russia to my eye.
Yep – UK news https://www.express.co.uk/news/weather/1379279/Snow-forecast-latest-live-update-weather-cold-UK-heavy-snow
The AO is negative and will deepen then split with a breakdown of the arctic vortex. Propogation to the troposphere is around 2 weeks.There is already significant cold events in Eurasia eg mongolia.
https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/precip/CWlink/daily_ao_index/ao_index.html
Assange not extradited from UK because of suicide risk in a US prison.
https://twitter.com/Snowden/status/1346048761588543490
Judge's full ruling: https://www.judiciary.uk/judgments/usa-v-julian-assange/
I suppose that's another way to avoid extradition.
Given the Obama administration's attitude to the case, Biden might choose to not appeal the ruling. Which would be a good thing.
Their officials will make that decision – in the next hour or three.
Judge heavily sided with the US case otherwise, and opened door for a UK prosecution.
Yeah, I've been flicking through the judgement (cheers for the link).
I guess he only had to be lucky once, but sheesh – other than the argument that his possible US prison conditions might be bad enough for him to kill himself, his lawyers seemed to lose every single legal argument they came up with (and got slapped badly on a couple).
So now the UK can deport him back to Aussie. Good.
Not if they decide to prosecute him themselves.
Who? Brits or Aussies?
Brits. See comment above. Turning in now.
Can't see why they'd bother.
He's got no reason to stay in the UK, so best fuck him off back to his homeland and be rid. 501 in reverse.