….The wildfires that swept across Bastrop County in autumn 2011 were the worst in Texan history. They burnt 140 square kilometres of forest and destroyed around 1700 houses. The state climatologist, John Nielsen-Gammon of Texas A&M University, is reluctant to attribute the event to climate change, stressing that droughts are a regular feature of the Texan climate. He nonetheless describes the combination of extreme drought and record-breaking temperatures as “off the charts”.
George Marshall writing for New Scientist.
Marshall Noted that, while he found that there were pockets of extremes of belief in Climate Change, from denial to conviction.
“Generally”, the main response he encountered from Texans, was to, deliberately avoid talking about the issue.
Generally, though, my questions about climate change were met with polite embarrassment and a swift change of topic. Escobar could not recall a single discussion about climate change in relation to the Bastrop fires. Nor could the mayor, the editor of the local newspaper or the head of the chamber of commerce. The topic appears to have been actively excluded from public discourse.
George Marshall writing for New Scientist.
“Even among Republicans I think there’s a lot more belief in this than people are willing to say out loud. They just can’t talk about it.”
Gerald North professor of atmospheric sciences at Texas A&M
This reluctance to talk about climate change evidenced by the citizens of Texas, is for the same reasons that Shearer and Norman don’t talk about it. Talking about climate change would mean having to agree do something meaningful about it. If it were a country, Texas would be the seventh biggest emitter in the world, so any talk of cutting back, makes for some very unpalatable conversation for Texans.
Jenny, how about you produce some evidence that Norman is ignoring climate change? Several people pointed out to you the other day that Norman still talks about climate change, and that there are other people in the GP whose job it is to talk about CC and keep it on the agenda (links were provided). Rationales for the strategy were also provided.
It’s fairly ridiculous to say that Norman is ignoring climate change. Just because someone doesn’t dance to your tune doesn’t mean they’re not dancing.
You also stated the other day that the Green Party no longer opposes deep sea oil extraction. I’d like to see some evidence for that too (I provided links to show the opposite)
Telling lies about the GP, or making misleading statements about Norman’s actions and motives, doesn’t help your cause IMO.
Dr RUSSEL NORMAN to the Prime Minister: What policy directives has he given his two Ministers attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Doha?
I did not say that the Greens do not “oppose” deep sea oil extraction. What I am saying is that it is one of the things that the Greens are prepared to negotiate away in a coalition deal with Labour. You can still be opposed to something but agree not to do anything about it.
And nobody has been able to point to any recent speech by Russel Norman where he manages to force the words “climate change” out of his mouth, (or pen).
Of course he talked about it with James Hansen in 2011, but he couldn’t have avoided that one.
I might mention that this was some time ago.
I also might mention that since then we have had a National election in which the Greens deliberately decided not campaign on climate change, and barely even mention it . (If they mentioned it at all). I am told this was decided, “so as not to scare the horses”.
(The same sort of CCI strategy was also agreed in the US presidential elections.
Unfortunately for Obama and Romney an unprecedented superstorm disrupted this CCI election campaign making them both look like idiots.)
In your opinion weka. Will the Greens in a continuation of the policy of 2011 continue with their decision to Ignore Climate Change in the 2014 election campaign?
“Already the Greens have agreed not to challenge Deep Sea Oil drilling”
I think this might be the fourth time in the last few days that I have asked you for a citation for that statement. If you can’t produce one, then I am going to assume you made it up (hence I used the word ‘lie’). I see in other comments you have responded, but again without any evidence. It is of course entirely fine that you personally believe that the Greens will badly compromise on this issue, but personal belief is a completely different thing than the Greens having already agreed not to challenge Deep Sea Oil drilling, which is what you have said they did.
In fact, google “deep sea oil” and the “green party” news for the past few days and you will have examples of them challenging deep sea oil 🙄
In your opinion weka. Will the Greens in a continuation of the policy of 2011 continue with their decision to Ignore Climate Change in the 2014 election campaign?
The Green Party are not ignoring CC. Multiple links have been provided to you in the past few days that prove this. I can’t predict what will happen in 2014, but in general I support the Greens’ approach of focussing on what will win them the most seats at the next election. I don’t think CC is the most pressing issue for them to focus on if it means that they have less MPs as a result. A Labour/GP coalition with less MPs will be farless effective for the environment, including CC issues, than one where the GP is strong.
btw, comparing the Green Party’s approach to the US elections and Obama/Romney would have to be one of the stupider things I’ve seen lately. There is an obvious difference between a party that has worked hard to combat climate change, including spending years getting and keeping it on the public agenda, and US centrist parties who haven’t really taken any real action on CC at all. The GP can spend less time on CC now, to their advantage, because they’ve put so much time and effort into it. And it’s not like they’ve stopped everything on CC, which what you keep implying.
“In my opinion the horses need to be scared.”
On this we are agreed. I just don’t think it’s the job or responsibility of the GP to do this at this point. Time for others to step up.
“Already the Greens have agreed not to challenge Deep Sea Oil drilling, or the opening of the Deniston plateau for strip mining coal for export. As a condition of entering into coalition with the Labour Party.”
I ask you, Will the Green Party will let these two things stand, to get into government?
I and all those concerned about climate change await your answer.
All the evidence is that to secure cabinet positions, serious action against climate change is off the table.
There is no evidence Jenny, you are expression a belief about something in the future, but that belief is not based on anything concrete. I and others have repeatedly asked you to post something that supports your statement that the GP have already agreed to not challenge deep sea oil as a way of gaining cabinet seats. You haven’t, because you can’t. You made shit up about the GP, you lied.
I have no idea what the GP will do once part of govt, maybe they will compromise some things around CC as part of the bigger picture. We know that has already happened and the reasons why. Here is Toad’s comment yesterday –
The Greens’ preference is and always has been for a carbon tax and a regulatory regime rather than an ETS. There was a strong internal debate within the Greens over whether to support Labour’s ETS legislation or not – many Green MPs and activists considered it far too weak a response to climate change, but eventually the decision was made that it was better to support some response than oppose Labour’s ETS and have no response at all, given that the ETS was the only response on the table.
The strength of the response to climate change post-2014 really comes down to how the numbers stack up in a Labour-Green Government. If Labour have twice the number of MPs as the Greens, we probably won’t get much stronger response than Labour’s 2008 ETS legislation, as the Greens simply won’t have the bargaining power. If the numbers are closer to equal, expect a much stronger response
But your argument is getting tedious. Really, what you are doing is using the GP in a reality-manipulative way, as a way of pushing your agenda that CC (as you define it) is the most important issue we face and that we should all be following your lead. Those of us that don’t are Climate Change Ignorers according to you. You see the world in black and white – people who think CC is the most important thing and those that think it’s unimportant. There are other credible and useful ways of understanding the world.
Pascal’s bookie said it in the other thread: “what mandate do you have to claim to speak on behalf of everyone who cares about climate change?”
As an aside, I think the GP and its policies and directions should be open to critique. I just think it needs to be done with intelligence and using facts that are real not made up.
Toad is a long serving Green activist who blogs at g.blog about various environmental and social issues. Toad is also vocal on Frogblog and here at The Standard, which makes your claim that you’ve not heard of him/her rather silly.
I often struggle to find anything I disagree with what Toad writes.
Although I agree that Climate Change is the most pressing issue facing the world, weka is right that the Green party and its policies and directions should be open to critique. That critique should be based in reality and use verifiable facts. Unfortunately your argument does neither of these things Jenny.
And nobody has been able to point to any recent speech by Russel Norman where he manages to force the words “climate change” out of his mouth, (or pen).
This just makes you look foolish and ignorant! Try not to do that Jenny, it doesn’t make for good reading.
Dr Russel Norman: How can we ask the rest of the world to make the necessary cuts to avoid out-of-control climate change, when we ourselves are refusing to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, and we have the second-largest increase according to the United Nations?
Well, I mean, you know, we have a broad church, but I think when you look at what the caucus puts forward and what we put forward, that’s our agreed policy. When you think about how have environmental ideas been put on the agenda, 20 years ago people stood up for climate change, and people thought they were pretty extremist back then, but they made it part of the mainstream agenda, and obviously science backed what they were saying. So I think when you look at how change happens, it does require some people to speak out sometimes. But I think Gareth’s bigger point about us putting forward a smart, green economic alternative to the current Government’s agenda is the project that we’re engaged in, and I think he’s right to identify that project.
In some ways you remind me of those people who say the Greens don’t want marijuana to be decriminalized because they aren’t in the news every other day saying as much.
I think the Greens will push hard to have climate change legislation written into various acts and policy to ensure New Zealand once again starts to lead the world on environmental issues not to mention actually doing our part to avert climate catastrophe.
Russel Norman might not raise the issue in every speech he makes, but there’s no question that he’s as dedicated as they come to reducing GHG emissions. In fact his ability in the house to show National up for their environmental failures is second to none as far as I’m concerned.
Just today, Stuff reported that Russel Norman had tabled a tweet from the executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Christiana Figueres, who wrote:
Very disappointed that New Zealand will not enter #Kyoto2.
And none of those dimwitted National sycophants objected… Excellent!
Energy depletion at a time the world is making inroads into renewable energy hardly seems comparable to Climate Change that threatens billions of peoples lives.
There’s enough oil and coal in the ground to easily cook the world, that makes climate change a more serious issue.
But please, entertain me with an argument instead of just these grandiose statements of yours Colonial Viper, that seem to be without a modicum of evidence to back them up?
You’re right but here’s why you’re wrong… Contradict yourself much CV?
Climate change is already contributing to the deaths of nearly 400,000 people a year, and has been estimated to kill around 1 million per year by 2030. In comparison I cannot find any deaths associated with peak oil.
So why don’t you put up or shut up Colonial Viper?
Justice, Peace and the Israeli State
by WILLIAM A. COOK
“As for the rights of Jewish people in this land, I have a simple message for those people gathered in the General Assembly today, no decision by the U.N. can break the 4,000-year-old bond between the people of Israel and the land of Israel.”
– Ron Prosor, United Nations Ambassador from Israel, November 29, 2012
In today’s world a tragic hero is a representative figure who stands before us as one speaking for his people, an Ambassador if you will, addressing the citizens of the world at the United Nations, enunciating the beliefs and demands of his nation as they must confront an event of great magnitude that appears to represent a reversal of their fortunes. Such a figure was Ronald Prosor, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations on November 29th, 2012, as he addressed the assembled delegates before their vote on the recognition of the state of Palestine. “No decision by the UN can break the 4,000-year-old bond between the people of Israel and the land of Israel, “he arrogantly proclaimed, thereby determining that no decision by the UN can alter the absolute dictates of the state of Israel as they have impacted the desires and hopes and dreams of the citizens of the world regarding peace and justice in the land of Palestine.
That statement must stand as an articulated hamartia, a mistake of moral blindness, capturing in its hubris the downfall of a noble nation. Before the citizens of the world, Prosor demanded that Israel alone must determine what peace and justice will be, knowing beforehand that the UN, in General Assembly, would momentarily act to question the legitimacy of Israel’s unilateral defiance of its decrees. The vote to recognize the rights of the people of Palestine, by electing it to the forum of nation states, proclaims to all that they are equal to all assembled and can use the powers vested in the UN to bring their oppressors and occupiers before the International Courts of Justice and to seek redress for the rights denied them under its charters. No longer can they be shackled to the demands of either the United States or Israel. Now they can address the UN as victims of an aggressive nation that has defied more than 160 of its Resolutions since 1948 by imposing with force conditions inimical to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which it is a signatory. …..
Jenny, climate change is a really hard problem. For a politician to engage effectively on it they have to have thought deeply about the many connective issues that span just about every portfolio. I am sure the Greens have done that thinking because it is core to what they are about. But it takes two to create meaningful dialogue, and there is not much point in Norman going there unless Shearer is prepared. Can anyone point to one deep analysis and exposition of an issue by Shearer this year? Harsh perhaps, as he’s been trying to get briefed across all portfolios. But that’s what happens when you haven’t done an apprenticeship over time. And being ‘briefed’ is not the same as ‘nutting’ through the issues yourself. Fundamentally you need a good grasp of economics (both traditional economics and the latest thinking on environmental economics) to be able to drive a climate change response. I don’t think Shearer is anywhere near that level of understanding. The story doing the rounds in Wellington earlier in the year was Shearer didn’t understand the difference between mico and macro economics. If that is true, deep climate change analysis is beyond him.
From what I get whispered over the years very very few labour MP understand macro at any level and fewer support Keynesian theory, very good on social micro policy in specialised areas but nothing strategic or cross linked. Last convert to Keynesian was benson pope and he got rolled by the MSM., first causality. Mallard to his credit was left once and supported SOE investing outside NZ. Robertson aka H3 is an unknown should be left of centre but IMHO is a long term player an liberal social dem with an agenda.
The story doing the rounds in Wellington earlier in the year was Shearer didn’t understand the difference between mico and macro economics.
Most economists don’t either and that’s why the policies for the macro resemble those for the micro. Policies for infinite competition and international trade rather than taking into account the real available resources.
Most economists don’t either and that’s why the policies for the macro resemble those for the micro
Actually orthodox economics deliberately takes micro-economic theory and by making massive and falsifiable assumptions, pretends that you can derive big picture macro-economic theory from it. Hence their idiotic and incorrect focus on utilisation maximation of individual rational agents, etc.
From what I get whispered over the years very very few labour MP understand macro at any level and fewer support Keynesian theory, very good on social micro policy in specialised areas but nothing strategic or cross linked.
Neoleftie
In my opinion it is a matter of lack of leadership, or more accurately the suppression of leadership.
There was that one MP that talked about climate change. What was his name?
Oh, that’s right, he was banished to the back benches.
True poor cunliffe can’t scare the centre voters now can we we.
Labour election strategy is all about saying little and praying that the election cycle holds true. Two years is a very long time for the suffering people to wait for what….the same with a token smattering of social policy penned in by budgetary constraints.
My line for last 15 years was we need a left block that is prepared to reconnect and reeducate, maybe prepare the public for the new direction.
Time for shearer and co to start the campaign now. The party and public crave direction hope and inclusiveness.
From the *Police/Politicial Archives of shame*, this on I recall causing some serious problems for The Clark govt, meanwhile AK is still pedling her sphere of influence inside the LP.
Its these sort articles illustrate of the types who control NZ, or represent those who do. It illustrates how the cops and politicians were, and thus still are working to cover up serious abuses inside NZ, and give credence to the masses of unsolved murders in NZ which have been linked to all manor of vile institutionalised cover ups.
It also gives an insight into how those charged with protecting and serving NZ society are controlled, which goes a long ways to helping understand by NZ is so broken!
In 2001, Annette King’s daughter Amanda was convicted of dangerous driving causing injury and possession of Ecstasy after she crashed her mother’s ministerial car.
In 2002, the conviction for possession was overturned and the dangerous driving convictions were downgraded to careless driving causing injury.
You just can’t buy that sort of voice inside government….hang on!
Last year, officials surrendered to a revolt by scientists over attempts to purge all mention of climate change and sea level rise from a report on the environment of Galveston Bay. And criticism from climate specialists, North and Nielsen-Gammon among them, led to the 2012 State Water Plan including mentions of “potential” climate impacts, albeit as an “ambiguous” risk.
The use of this sort of “ambiguous” language reminds me strongly of Alex’s weak defence of Russel Norman’s CCI phrasing, “repeatedly” replacing the words climate change with the more vaguely ambiguous phrase, “environmental degradation”;
Yes, the phrase climate change doesn’t appear, but he talks repeatedly about environmental degradation, the need to avoid growth based on wanton resource exploitation and how our environment is crucial to our global brand.
One of the contributors to the report I cited above, Jennifer Walker of the Sierra Club an American environmental organisation, describes the small insertion of the phrase “environmental degradation” in the Galveston report as a “major breakthrough”. Such a phrase would also be seen as a major breakthrough in the Texas inhabited by Shearer and Norman. Just as well Jennifer Walker was not in the NZ Labour Party caucus, or she would have been quickly shown to the backbenches.
Treasury’s spending on consultants is expected to go up tenfold over the past five years.
In 2007-08 it was $1.97 million. In 2012-13 it is expected to be $21.93 million.
The advice being bought is all neoliberal from the likes of Deloittes, KPMG and PWC. This amount of money could restore night classes with change left over.
MS – I suspect if you look at the history there will be a trend which is somewhat consistant, yet agnostic of the government at the time..The articles have been pumped out regulary for as long as I can recall. I see it as the establishment showing off to the public via their media about whats happening, and given nothing has changed, its hard not to consider that!
All this shows is the power of the consultancies (banks) – Just take a look at Auckland to understand the takeover which has been executed by the amount of money Deloitte are taking out of the place. Its not just the obvious amounts of cunsultants directly working through Deloitte, the place is crawling with *independent* ex Deloitte contractors also!
Who ownes the consultancies again, and who owns them!
Don’t get tied down in the unimportant trivia, like which government has racked up the latest massive bill!
“The oil wells are full of smells
Deep in the heart of Texas”
As the original lyrics go.
However that is not the only thing that smells in Texas, (or New Zealand for that matter).
Climate Change Ignoring is pretty whiffy too.
In keeping with the psychology of CCI, the Texas Chamber of Commerce TXCOC, blatantly ignore this prominent line in their modern rendition of this song.
Trust National? Sure can’t!
From Gordon Campbell at Scoop:-
Gordon Campbell on Tim Groser’s ‘political projectile vomiting’ about the TPPA
December 4th, 2012
“Remember how the Key government has justified being so very, very secretive about the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) because goodness me, you don’t negotiate these things in public? Well, guess who has just been negotiating the TPP in public? Trade Minister Tim Groser, that’s who. In an interview published yesterday in the influential Inside US Trade publication, Groser “signalled” to the Americans that he is “willing to be flexible on two key issues in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations: new disciplines for New Zealand’s pharmaceutical pricing agency and protections for geographical indications (or GIs).” (GIs are a system of quality assurance in dairy products.)
Groser seemed pretty confident in his Inside US Trade interview that he can both please the Americans, and manage any outcry that might break out here at home: “I am confident we can find ways that advance U.S. interests [on these two issues] without causing projectile political vomiting in New Zealand, and many of the other countries of the TPP,” Groser said. Plainly, by being seen to be seeking to “advance US interests” and by casting himself as a deal broker within the TPP, Groser would also be doing no harm at all to his bid to become the next head of the World Trade Organisation. Let’s just hope and pray that Groser’s personal ambition and New Zealand’s best interests manage to intersect at some point.”
There is a headline on the ‘money’ section of stuff that states ‘SCF case lifts fraud to a
record high’ one poster blames labour for introducing the retail deposit scheme,but
obviously you aren’t allowed to correct that belief, by answering that English actually
changed the terms and conditions which allowed SCF into the scheme against treasury
advice.
This denial of retort illustrates what has been going on in the media and press over the last
few years,everything has to be ‘Nact’ friendly.
Sorry i can’t link.
Thanks Karol, i am registered etc, i made two comments defending labour and both
were moderated out, they were both in the vein that english changed the terms and
conditions allowing scf into the scheme, denial of reply irked me.
I just clicked on the link that Karol provided at 10.1 and it still goes through to the Stuff article. Comments are at the bottom of the page and there are two there which could be yours.
Yeah if you are PatJohn then your comments are there. I think stuff moderates before they show comments (well they used to anyway). So it can sometimes take a while to show, particularly on articles that aren’t attracting a lot of comments.
Hi Starlight and Co. Regarding the Stuff.co.nz comments “forum”. You mentioned your comments were moderated out. I was interested to hear that. I very rarely comment on stuff these days – I just can’t be bothered and you just end up going around in circles with talk back caller types, with no grasp of the topic they are meant to be commenting on. In saying that, in relation to your observation, what I have noticed is that my comments only ever made it about half of the time. They tend to make it if I say something reactive, petty or polarising but when I try to put a reasoned argument forward, using examples in relation to the topic to illustrate a point, they don’t make it.
I’ve often wondered what it would be like if the knowledgable and wise authors of and visitors to this site and others occupied the MSM comments section for a week. It would freak all their regulars out. It would be great. But I don’t think their moderators could handle such a flood of reason and sense and they would stick to their routine which seems to be “Lets have a fight! Yeaaaaahhhh!!”. It seems to be how they roll.
Cyclone Bopha: The biggest Super Storm to ever strike Mindanao hits.
“We have suffered enough,” Felicitas Cabusao said, clutching a Holy Rosary beside her crying 12-year-old daughter.
Cabusao said her daughter survived Typhoon Washi, almost exactly a year ago, after she was washed out to sea when flash floods swept away entire coastal villages…. stuff.co.nz
Mindanao rarely gets hit by typhoons, since the island is too close to the Equator, and the infrastructure of Mindanao is not prepared to handle heavy typhoon rains as well as the more typhoon-prone northern islands. Bopha is potentially a catastrophic storm for Mindanao. The typhoon is following a similar track to last year’s Tropical Storm Washi, which hit Mindanao on December 16, 2011 with 60 mph winds and torrential rains. Washi triggered devastating flooding that killed 1268 people. Washi was merely a tropical storm, and Bopha is likely to hit at Category 4 or 5 strength, making it the strongest typhoon ever recorded in Mindanao. Super Storm Bopha
…..Typhoon Bopha, with wind gusts of up to 195 kph, made landfall at dawn, uprooting trees and tearing off roofs.
About 40 people were killed or missing in flash floods and landslides near a mining area on Mindanao, ABS-CBN television reported, saying waters and soil had swept through an army post.
A television reporter said she saw numerous bodies lined up near the army base. A military spokesman earlier said about 20 people, including six soldiers, were missing.
Disaster official Liza Mazo, said more casualties were expected to be discovered as search and rescue teams fanned out.
Media said dozens of people were injured by flying debris, falling trees and swept away by swollen rivers and flash floods.
But the relatively low death toll was due in part to an early evacuation. More than 155,000 people were in shelters late on Tuesday. stuff.co.nz
Bopha: the 2nd most southerly typhoon on record
Bopha became a tropical depression unusually close to the Equator, at 3.6°N latitude. Tropical cyclones rarely form so close to the Equator, because they cannot leverage the Earth’s rotation to get themselves spinning. According to hurricane expert Dr. Paul Roundy of SUNY Albany, Bopha got its spin from a large-scale atmospheric wave called a mixed Rossby gravity wave. Because of the lack of atmospheric spin so close to the Equator, it took Bopha over four days to intensify into a typhoon, and it stayed a relatively small storm. Bopha became the 2nd most southerly typhoon ever recorded in the Western Pacific at 06 GMT on November 30, when the storm was at 3.8°N latitude. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center lists Typhoon Vamei of 2001 as the most southerly typhoon on record, at 1.5°N. However, other meteorological agencies do not credit Vamei with reaching typhoon strength, so this record is disputed. The previous most southerly typhoon was Typhoon Kate of 14 – 25 October 1970, which reached typhoon intensity at 4.3°N, 137.4°E.
My question is this: Will we have to wait for a superstorm devastates Auckland or Wellington before our political leaders stop ignoring and start addressing climate change.
Climate Change Ignorers like Shearer, and Climate Change Apologists like Key should pray that while they refuse to address the question of climate change, that a superstorm does not strike the already vulnerable population of our second most populous and earthquake damaged city.
He said people should not read too much in to Clarke’s appearance in the Herald last weekend – the same weekend as the Labour Party Conference. “ ” Oh look I think people have got past that, I mean Helen Clark is now firmly ensconced for the last four years as the UNDP Administrator, great job, and she was talking about climate change, which is a hugely significant issue for not only the UN but obviously us. So I think that people have moved on from that.
Just catching up on Yesterdays Question time. How did I know that Parkers Inability to count correctly would come back to bite him, So now the NATS have yet another free target courtesy of the Labour Caucus when are they going to get something / Anything right?
How can the public have faith that Jan Wright is undertaking an unbiased investigation if she doesn’t even mention all the fracking problems in Taranaki that have already occurred?
Well it is very hot here in our region, anecdotally 41 Degrees celsius in Brisbane
That Bel and the Dragon is apocryphal
Yet guess what blew in beside the Nor’Wester
Hyperventilation Syndrome
my GP who I trust says she is seeing increasing prevalence of people presenting with this disorder
so I read this book this morning and British figures were 40% presenting with symptoms
and quote “a silent epidemic” (nervous system arousal)
to paraphrase, “for better sleep AVOID television news and Talk-Back Radio 🙂
so I’m listening to the radio, Who is The Pilot of The Airwaves? Th ITU want to. Will consider
Political Activity according to an interesting article in the Herald by Chris Barton; interesting article
If you are not sleeping, don’t stay in bed, I’ve read that once before
So it may be a very HOT summer according to the HB Today; the airconditioners block the light
When the power’s off in New York.Breathe Breathe in The Air…don’t be afraid to care
Stand your own ground. In 10 Days Time the Pope will tweet.White dog for God locally.
Milan has an Exorcism HotLine while we fly the unemployed to Australia.Gidday Mate
Nice to see ya; Tiwai Uncertain. Rancid Aluminium not my Pot of Tea,too Violent
so it’s
Breathing retraining
Esteem
Total body relaxation
Talk
Exercise
Rest and Sleep
If we are Mindful we then begin to Remember The Body
Computers are apparently a factor and I can understand that.Take Care out there, it’s not quite
Hill Street Blues. A Rocking Chair is “wooden valium”.To be a “shock jock” you have to Be
Rude and Insensitive; a post-modern Archie Bunker, not alls viewed a Family
Substantively cloudy weather, oh resignation “naughty boy” from the 6 OClock Roundup
Our living word, will film ever be over? Dependent on the “good graces” of NZ film distributors
Media Bites “nine hours of film to do justice to a book”. Stoicism is helpful.Weather the Storm
(it is a Fienne mess we may getting into). Media Media Media.In a safe place now, a man 10 years
older than me said he too had watched the Clampdown of the powers that be
In His lifetime. “Come in he said I’ll give you Shelter from The Storm”
Hi RT. As a quick non political aside: Last year I flicked through the pages of a book of the same topic as you mention above. What a fascinating subject and food for thought for those who are over worked/unrested, have an anxious disposition or have an underperforming nervous system due to excess stressors and illness.
Come to think of it, you might see signs of mild hyperventilation in some of our ministers and our PM as they emerge from a room within parliament and are pounced upon by journalists who are asking them really hard questions and trying to get them admit they are responsible for the cock up of the moment. Shoulders up, inhale and not breathe out. Eyes fixed in fright, that kind of thing.
Yep, so true CV. Key is a classic example but has adapted to hiding his fatigue (except when confronted by balcony jumpers in the house).His remarkable indifference to issues that don’t concern him (ie: everything that matters) does a good job of masking his true state. Seems to need quite a lot of holidays. (A luxury that most overworked workers can only dream of). Holidays required for restoration of well being OR simply because he couldn’t give flying F about his position and needs to maintain a lifestyle. You choose!
David Roberts, policy writer at Grist.org, put emphasis on the fact that Obama could pick up this policy recommendation without any input from Congress, which has repeatedly stalled any and all climate-related legislation in recent years. “This chance to spur decarbonization in the power sector is Obama’s greatest second-term opportunity on climate change,” he said.
“The genius of NRDC’s proposal,” Roberts continues, “is that it solves the most difficult dilemma facing the agency when it comes to stationary-source regulations.”
According the NRDC analysis, which was presented Tuesday at the National Press Club in Washington, the plan would:
Cut carbon pollution from the nation’s existing power plants 26 percent by 2020 and 34 percent by 2025.
Make large reductions in other dangerous pollutants, such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, from existing power plants.
At a cost of about $4 billion in 2020, save Americans between $25 billion and $60 billion in lives saved, avoided illnesses and reduced climate change.
Save 3,600 lives, prevent more than 23,000 asthma attacks, avoid more than 2,300 emergency room visits and prevent nearly 1.2 million restricted activity and lost work days.
Stimulate investments of more than $90 billion in energy efficiency and renewable energy sources in the next eight years.
Create thousands of jobs, boost local and state economies, and move America toward a clean energy, clean air future.
And Roberts concludes by asking if President Obama will seize the “extraordinary opportunity” of a simple and flexible plan that “is already in [his regulatory] toolbox; does not require any action by Congress; reduces U.S. emissions by 10 percent by 2020; and has the net effect of stimulating the economy through lower power bills and better health.”
Roberts contends: “Whether he does will determine whether he goes down in history as a climate champion or someone who, despite lofty rhetoric, fiddled at the margins while Rome burned.”
Common Dreams staff Tuesday, December 4, 2012 (Wednesday NZ time)
All that is missing is leadership, will Obama rise up to the challenge?
At a cost of about $4 billion in 2020, save Americans between $25 billion and $60 billion in lives saved, avoided illnesses and reduced climate change.
Saving lives and extending life span worsens energy and resource consumption over the long run. Need fewer people on Earth, surely?
Misanthropic nonsense. When people’s lifestyle improves population increase lessens and even drops. So much so that in some European countries if it wasn’t for immigration population growth would be in negative figures.
Goff nailed McCully, more to come on that (note to Patrick Gower – this is a damn sight more important than some unknown ex-weatherman).
Genter got English all muddled on road numbers.
Key lost the plot at the end – Damien O’Connor wants to kill miners – WTF?
It shows what they can do when they’re not wasting questions, not giving Key a free hit. Shearer wasn’t there, and so the gov’t Ministers were struggling. If only that happened every time.
Definition: The CCDs argue that climate change is not real and is not happening. CCDs explain the controversy as a result of a global conspiracy concocted by scientists politicians and media, unfortunately they have not been able to give any rational explanation of the reasons for this global conspiracy.
Current Status: The CCDs are Pretty much at the fringes of the current debate on climate change
Title: Climate Change Apologists
Definition: CCAs admit that climate change is happening, but say that jobs, profits, the economy and growth, and a myriad other issues are far more important than taking steps to address climate change. The apologists are also adept at blaming or scapegoating others, usually groups that they have already taken a dislike to anyway. This group are quite comfortable with the idea of millions if not billions of human deaths, as well as the destruction of entire eco systems and the resulting mass animal and plant extinctions. Their previously listed preoccupations are considered far more important.
Current status: The most sinister, pernicious, cynical and dangerous of the different Climate Change factions. Currently the CCAs are the main spear carriers for opposing action on climate change.
And now a third category has arisen:
Title: Climate Change Ignorers
Definition: Political leaders and parties who refuse to even mention Climate Change, if they can avoid it. Usually for sectarian political advantage, ie, “not scare the horses”, “not look too radical in the eyes of the voters”, “not offend vested interest”, etc etc.
Rather than alert the electorate and the wider population to the danger, the CCIs put getting bums on seats for their particular sectarian grouping, more important than even alerting their political rivals who would steal a policy march on them if they were made aware of the danger.
The whole topic of Climate Change is a ‘no go area’ for these politicians. They will rarely if ever mention the subject of Climate Change, unless it is pushed right up under their noses, and often not even then. If forced to mention Climate Change CCIs say that one day when they are in complete control of the presidency and the congress, or have the most seats in the house of parliament, then (and only then), will they call for action on Climate Change. CCIs neither deny, or apologise for climate change, they just simply ignore it.
Current Status: The most ridiculous and laughable faction of all, I don’t expect it to last long.
People have been promised a grand lifestyle and consumption pattern; the middle aged middle classes aren’t going to give up their SUVs and overseas holidays, the young need economic growth to pay off their student debt.
The ship’s systems are locked on course for the iceberg and everyone is busy trying to get last drinks from the bar before it hits.
Trees Are beautiful beings. I’ve always loved trees.Sit amongst some old trees. They’re Powerful
Not politicians, so many being publically dishonest. Heard a prophecy thr the grapevine That
Hawkes Bay’s gonna Rock, gently. Ah the virtuosity goes on. Horan again.
Ever dogs gotta earn his keep and you can’t keep a good dog down.Be Thyself. Blog Masters
Many of you are, and very experienced too. It’s not looking too great is it. Teleportation.
The Tomorrow People. They have carried out participant observation random allocation trials
prayer over people works. The Force Is Strong with that one Dr Luke. It could be worse
some reverb going on outback. Tijuana Brass balls. The Big Kahuna. No Men without Hats
in the hot sun, we can dance to the safety dance,many in Hi-Viz now They are growing Hemp
in Canterbury, that idea’s been grown all my life-time. Children of Men. A Complete Circle.
While packing the groceries wrapped in an article yesterdays Dom, yesterdays news once more
about potential Bear slumps in the commodities supercycle covering the ground of the Increased
cost of carbon / fuels. Australia, a country described as ” a credit bubble built on a commodity market built on an even bigger Chinese credit bubble” is the dinner talk over the ditch.Might start
reading online papers more. Make Love not War. Radio Free Europe. Does a person have to be
Job? Volunteer (Jefferson Airplane). Gautama how long need you suffer. Freedom Hallelujah
and the less we eat, the less we eat, interestingly. Auckland “lacking” in rankings for Infrastructure
43rd. The same thing’s witnessed in the States. Sydney to Hobart. The Sound of Wind-Sheet
Clapping. The end of Television? “Calling Mr Lee” Know Thyself; “kiwis are socialists at heart”
Thats the key. Which shepherds saw the star that night;recovering that thread. Is Poltics in NZ
getting worse.I can imagine a JT reality tv show; it wouldn’t be suitable for all families.
Cotton-wheel tractor with rubber bands and knitting rats-tail; As the mat gets larger the progress
gets slower. What’s The Frequency Kenneth, oh it’s Hauraki. Remember Pirate Rock.Rainbow
Warrior.Another former stomping ground has empty units now.It is quite a process dealing with
HNZ now only two staff Mondays and Tuesdays; helpful staff I found though;Very friendly
and supportive but there is only so much they can do.Lookin for a preachers daughter not a Wino
we might as well whistle Lynard Skynard while Rome Burns or Tuesdays gone with the Wind.
Yesterdays News once more.Wasn’t The Fisher King just fetching, “just a step to the left and
put your knees inside, do the pelvic thrust, it will drive you insaaaane ane.Lets do the Time Warp
Again.Be Thyself. Ramble On.
What did Maggie Barry say that upset Metiria Turei so much in a debate this afternoon? I caught the end, with Barry very dismissively and insincerely withdrawing and apologising, and making derogatory remarks about List MPs along the way.
It’s Hump Day and I’m overtired, but I propose a new drinking game: every time someone leaves successive unthreaded comments about the same issue which they’ve already copy-pasted multiple articles about into Open Mike, take a drink.
Every time they make a snide comment about Standard authors not posting on said issue, take a drink.
When they imply there’s a vast underground conspiracy to hush up the issue, finish your vessel, close the browser window, and find something else to do for the evening.
Tonight, the most staggering argument I’ve heard in the House since…. whenever…
On the Employment Relations (Protection of young workers) amendment Bill – first reading. e.g.s were given of children as young as 9 or 10 years being employed as independent contractors, such as doing deliveries, without supervision – without full protections of an employee.
Nat Adam Bennett attacked it as undemocratic and on the individual’s right to choose – in this case the right of “young people” to choose to be an independent contractor.
For Our Own Good? Police officers knocking on New Zealanders’ doors on account of what they might think, or what they have said, is more likely to make the rest of us think we are living in Nazi Germany – not drawing lessons from it. The disharmony such heavy-handed state ...
by Don Franks Details of proposed new hate speech laws have been revealed in a December Cabinet paper obtained by Newsroom. The paper, seeking to “strengthen the protections against hate speech”, would extend existing provisions against incitement and hate speech. It would also move hate speech offences from the Human Rights Act to ...
Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Apr 11, 2021 through Sat, Apr 17, 2021 Not having had a chance to garner much attention by the time last week's review was published, the last article in that batch - First-Ever Observations From ...
Every year in April, the trees start changing colour, the clocks go back an hour, and the national greenhouse gas figures are released and promptly forgotten. They take fifteen months to prepare, so by the time they come out it’s very easy for commentators to point out that they are ...
While checking my spam folder (before yeeting the contents permanently) I noticed that I’d been sent a bunch of email ‘newsletters’ from the group “Voices for Freedom.” Out of interest I opened one, just in case the contents were worth a post or two – & indeed they were. The ...
Humans are hard-wired to classify, categorise and compare, or in other words, to taxonomize. We may be born tabula rasa but quickly are taught that the world is divided into types of things, subtypes of those and assorted other categories. The operative term is “taught” rather than “realise.” Taxonomies are ...
The Labour Government received plaudits this week for its historic announcement that it will ban the live export of animals by sea. It’s said to be a world first. The decision comes after years of pressure, which increased after last year’s tragedy when the ship Gulf Livestock 1 left New ...
As one does on a Friday evening, I yesterday made a point of heading along to the Dunedin Public Library’s event, Mystery in the Library. This was a panel of local crime-fiction writers, and a follow-up to a similar one in April 2019 (no prizes for guessing why ...
Now is about the time that the Government is getting its Budget Strategy togetherIn the week before the budget – the 2021 one is to be delivered on Thursday 20 May – there is a strange ritual in which all the commentariat and lobbyists (who are not necessarily distinct from ...
Climate Change Minister James Shaw has admitted that the government is not doing enough on climate change: Appearing on Breakfast alongside Greenpeace director and former Green Party leader Russel Norman, the current Greens co-leader was asked: “Are you as Government living up to promise of delivery implicit in those ...
We can all agree that a free press (and free media more generally) are important factors in a well-functioning democracy. But I am beginning to wonder if they provide us with an unalloyed benefit. I am an avid consumer of daily news – whether delivered by the press or by ...
Yes They Can - So Why Don't They? In matters relating to child poverty, homelessness, mental health, climate change and, of course, Covid-19, the answers are right in front of the Government's collective nose - often in the form of reports it has specifically commissioned. Why can’t Jacinda and her ...
Richard Edwards, Janet Hoek, Anaru Waa, George Thomson, Nick Wilson (author details*) We congratulate the NZ Government on its proposed Action Plan for the Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 goal. Here we examine the evidence for three key ideas outlined in the plan: permitting tobacco products to be sold in only ...
Punished, But Not Prevented: Though bitterly contested by those firmly convinced that the Christchurch Mosque Shootings represent something more than the crime of a Lone Wolf terrorist, the Royal Commission’s finding that no state agency could have prevented Brenton Tarrant from carrying out his deadly intent – except by chance ...
The Government has announced it intends making sex self-identification possible this year, as a priority. That would mean anyone could change the sex documented on their birth certificate by a simple declaration that they “identify” as the opposite sex. Speak Up For Women have launched a campaign encouraging New Zealanders ...
The travel bubble with Australia has not brought room for others to come into the MIQ system from overseas. Instead, spaces are being decommissioned. Why? The system is leaky. The government cannot afford to let riskier people into those spaces, because the system can’t handle them. My column in Insights ...
A Second Term Labour-led Government in New Zealand,a new Biden-led Administration in the US, a continuance of the Johnson Government in the UK: different approaches to major issues, same global problems – and discontent rising. Some warranted, some unwarranted, but as each emerges from the Covid pandemic, what ...
I will update this post as new information comes to handWhat has happened? Recently the vaccine safety watch dogs in Europe noted reports of unusual types of blood clots in people vaccinated with the AstraZeneca (AZ) COVID-19 vaccine. This prompted investigations across many countries to ascertain what, why, and ...
Alex Ford, University of Portsmouth and Gary Hutchison, Edinburgh Napier UniversityWithin just a few generations, human sperm counts may decline to levels below those considered adequate for fertility. That’s the alarming claim made in epidemiologist Shanna Swan’s new book, “Countdown”, which assembles a raft of evidence to show that ...
Just like last year, this year's General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU) will happen virtually instead of in person in Vienna. Contrary to last year, the organizers decided early on to hold their conference online and planned for it accordingly (quite a difference to last year's scramble where they switched ...
Time for a strange rant. A very strange rant. But bear with me, because this is serious business. A True Story, by Lucian of Samosata is not Science-Fiction. What on earth am I talking about? Well, it was one of those Wikipedia rabbit holes. I was reading ...
By Kate Evans for UndarkOne of New Zealand’s most spectacular fossil sites originated 23.2 million years ago. It was formed in a valley dotted with small volcanoes, when rising magma deep below the Earth’s surface came into contact with groundwater. Lava and water don’t mix — they explode. The ...
A Thorn In Their Side: As Chair of the Auckland Regional Council, Mike Lee made sure Auckland’s municipal resources remained in Aucklanders’ hands. Not surprisingly the neoliberal powers-that-be (in both their centre-left and centre-right incarnations) hated this last truly effective standard-bearer for democratic-socialist values and policies.MIKE LEE is the closest ...
It’s always something of a shock to come across a page run by a health-focused business that contains substantial misinformation. This one left me gobsmacked, given the sheer number of statements that are demonstrably untrue. And while a fair bit of the content is prefaced by the statement that it’s ...
Previously (9 February) I wrote about how business consultants Ernst & Young were used to do a hatchet job on the former senior management team at Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB). While this hatchet job was planned in 2019 its gestation was much longer. Its underlying causes involved differences in ...
Flying beneath the radar of guilt Fight or Flight: How Advertising for Air Travel Triggers Moral Disengagement(open access) by Stubenvoll & Neureiter not only takes an interesting approach to decomposing the effects of airline travel advertisements but also helps us to understand the general psychological landscape of our often conflicted ...
Yesterday I got told to “do some research” &, by extension, to think critically. The biologist in me cringed a little when I read it (and not because of the advice about doing research). Biology teachers I know suggested that perhaps everyone should take the NCEA standard that ...
Lis Ku, De Montfort University Since the onset of the pandemic, everyone from newspaper columnists to Twitter users has advanced the now idea that extroverts and introverts are handling the crisis differently. Many claim that introverts adapt to social distancing and isolation better than extroverts, with some even suggesting that ...
A friend of mine pointed me in the direction of this blog post by New Zealand’s “Plan B” group. While initially this group opposed the government’s use of lockdowns to manage covid19 outbreaks in this country, they seem to have since moved on to opposing the rollout of vaccines against ...
Twenty years after it invaded, the US is finally leaving Afghanistan. What's surprising is that it took them so long - its been clear for over a decade that their presence there was pointless and just pissing people off. But imperial pride leads to exactly this sort of stupidity. Their ...
The government has announced that it will ban the export of livestock by sea. Huzzah! A vile, cruel and unconscionable trade will be ended! But there's a catch: the ban won't kick in until 2023, giving farmers two ful years to continue to profit from extreme animal cruelty. But why ...
Today is unexpectedly a Member's Day - the Business Committee granted it early in the year, to make up for time list to government business. First up is a two-hour debate on the budget policy statement, with questions to Ministers, replacing the general debate. Then its the second reading of ...
. . Two stories which appeared almost side-by-side on RNZ’s website. Parent, Miranda Cross, was quoted as saying; “I think the expectations are that we can at least send our kids to school where they will receive an education.” An American parent would probably demand; “I think the expectations are ...
Time for reviewing something a bit different. Move over Tolkien adaptations, hello Japanese splatter movie. Specifically, a certain 2009 movie called Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl. I watched this one a few days ago with some acquaintances, never having seen it before, and not being familiar with the manga ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters, PhD An above-average Atlantic hurricane season is likely in 2021, the Colorado State University (CSU) hurricane forecasting team says in its latest seasonal forecast issued April 8. Led by Dr. Phil Klotzbach, with coauthors Dr. Michael Bell and Jhordanne Jones, the CSU ...
How seriously does the Māori Party take issues of corruption and the untoward influence of big money in politics? Not very, based on how it’s handling a political finance scandal in which three large donations were kept hidden from the public. The party is currently making excuses, and largely failing ...
The annual inventory report [PDF] of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing a significant increase in emissions: (Note that this is UNFCCC accounting, not the weird fudged figures the Climate Change Commission is using). Emissions increased by almost 2 million tons in 2019, from 80.6 MT ...
The melody from the classic movie Wizard of Oz echoes as Jacinta Ruru explains what inspired her to attend university, and her ambition to help create a more just society in Aotearoa. Jacinta, who affiliates to Raukawa and Ngāti Ranginui, specialises in the research areas of indigenous peoples and the law. ...
Stuff reports that National is refusing to back the Climate Change Commission's recommendations, which is apparently a Bad Thing: The National Party says it can’t support the Climate Change Commission’s draft plan to cut New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions unless changes are made. If National maintains this position when ...
Driven, accountable, unafraid to test limits and connected to the communities she serves are traits that come to mind when thinking about Dr Anne-Marie Jackson. (Ngāti Whātua, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu o Whangaroa, Ngāti Wai) She specialises in Māori physical education and health research disciplines while incorporating tikanga Māori and Te ...
This is my first post for a while. I have been a bit overwhelmed by other work in the last several weeks, with teaching and other commitments, and the blog has sadly suffered. But I’m still here. This morning, while sitting in a car in the permanent traffic jam through ...
Predatory Morality: Is geopolitical consultant, Paul Buchanan, right? Does the rest of the world truly monitor New Zealand’s miniscule contribution to the international arms trade so closely? Are foreign chancelleries truly so insensitive to their own governments’ complicity in the world’s horrors that they expect all other sovereign states to ...
Anna Källén, Stockholm University and Daniel Strand, Uppsala University A middle-aged white man raises his sword to the skies and roars to the gods. The results of his genetic ancestry test have just arrived in his suburban mailbox. His eyes fill with tears as he learns that he is “0.012% ...
March 2021 The housing crisis right now in New Zealand is one of our biggest contributors to income and wealth inequality. “With the explosive increase in sales and prices, those with houses have their income and/or wealth rapidly increasing, and those who are not on the property ladder are falling ...
Samoans went to the polls on Friday, and delivered a stinging blow to Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi one-party state. Pre-election Malielegaoi's Human Rights Protection Party had controlled 44 of 49 seats in Parliament, while using restrictive standing orders to prevent there from even being a recognised opposition in ...
Prof Nick Wilson, Dr Jennifer Summers, Prof Michael BakerIn this blog we briefly consider a new Report from a European think tank that aims to identify an optimal COVID-19 response strategy. It considers mortality data, GDP impacts, and mobility data and suggests that COVID-19 elimination appears to be superior ...
Something I missed on Friday: the Māori Party has been referred to police over failure to disclose donations over $30,000. Looking at the updated return of large donations, this is about $320,000 donated to them by three donors - John Tamihere, the National Urban Māori Authority, and Aotearoa Te Kahu ...
Stormy Seas: Will Jacinda Ardern's Labour Government stand behind the revolutionary proposals contained in He Puapua – the 20-year plan devised by a government appointed working group to realise the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Aotearoa/New Zealand?“GETTING AHEAD of the story” is one of the most ...
We have not been fans of the Climate Change Commission’s draft report. New Zealand has an Emissions Trading Scheme with a binding cap, and a declining path for net emissions in the covered sector. Measures taken within the covered sector cannot reduce net emissions. NZU not purchased by one sector get ...
For several decades under Labour and National-led governments New Zealand has claimed to have an independent (and sometimes autonomous) foreign policy. This foreign policy independence is said to be gained by having a “principled but pragmatic” approach to international relations: principled when possible, pragmatic when necessary. More recently NZ foreign ...
This video produced in Seattle looks at the gender identity curriculum used in schools in the US. A thin veneer of pseudoscience is being used to indoctrinate children with an ideology based on scientific and medical inaccuracies. ...
For once, I have written my submission on a bill with enough time to spare to both enocurage any of you who wants to make a submission to do so as well, and to give you time to spot the typos in mine.Louisa Wall's Harmful Digital Communications (Unauthorised Posting of Intimate ...
A friend found a concerning FB post (see below – this is a public post & so I have not redacted the name) & – as you do – immediately queried it with Southern Cross Life & Health Insurance as well as sending the screenshot to me¹. We both read ...
Judith Collins’ National Party leadership is under more scrutiny, with increased talk in the media of her being replaced by brand new MP Christopher Luxon. For many commentators it’s just a question of “when” rather than “if” Collins is replaced. While others ponder whether Luxon really has what it takes ...
‘Tis the season for unearthing the rarest gems in Tolkien adaptation – which, considering that the fandom has been dominated by Peter Jackson for nigh on two decades, is a positively heart-warming development. It is why I have devoted so much blog space to the obscure and weirdly wonderful ...
Whatever the damage, especially to the British economy, Brexit has done us a service by illustrating the complexity of trade.Brexit is the only example we have of two closely integrated sophisticated economies severing trading ties. The European Union and Britain still do not have tariffs or import quotas between them ...
The Palmerston North City Council has voted for Māori wards: Palmerston North Māori will be guaranteed one or two seats on the city council from 2022, and this time, there is nothing opponents can do about it. The council decided by an 11-5 vote at its monthly meeting this ...
Kids are striking for the climate today, demanding a decent, liveable future. Meanwhile, the National Party, the reliable servant of the farm lobby and other polluting businesses, is calling for action to be delayed: National has written to Climate Change Minister James Shaw calling for him to extend the ...
Today tens of thousands of schoolkids have walked out of school to strike for a future free from climate change. And tens of thousands of older New Zealanders have joined them. Their demands are clear: eliminate fossil fuels, implement 100% renewable energy with a just transition, and support our Pacific ...
The Gods That Failed.We studied the dialecticRead the whole of ‘Capital’So we could follow youSo we could follow youHow we shoutedHow we scrawledPainted slogans on city wallsOn prison wallsProof we had followed youBut, we still didn’t find what we’re looking forAnd we still haven’t found what we’re looking forWhen they ...
Conventional Wisdom? The Republican Right is convinced that to “go woke” is to “go broke”. It simply does not believe sufficient Americans feel strongly enough about social justice to make any kind of boycott remotely effective. Clearly, the Boards of Directors of more and more American corporations disagree. RECENT MOVES by ...
On November 25, 2020 Skeptical Science Inc. became a registered nonprofit organization and on March 17, 2021 our application to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service for 501(c)(3) status was approved. In this blog post, we’ll explain why we went down this path and what will come next. Since its ...
Blowing Hot And Cold: Mike Hosking’s bosses should, perhaps, ask themselves what message Newstalk-ZB (and NZME) is sending to the people of New Zealand if Mike Hosking, their self-appointed “People’s Prosecutor”, is accorded bragging rights for “cancelling” the democratically-elected Prime Minister of New Zealand. Especially when said Prime Minister’s only ...
Ali Boyle, University of CambridgeIf you ask people to list the most intelligent animals, they’ll name a few usual suspects. Chimpanzees, dolphins and elephants are often mentioned, as are crows, dogs and occasionally pigs. Horses don’t usually get a look in. So it might come as a surprise that ...
I tēnei tau i Waitangi, I whakahua ake te Tira o Te Mātāwaka o te Pātī Kākāriki i tā rātau aronga matua, ki te waihanga I tētahi Manatū Hauora Māori, mā Māori te kawe, mā Māori ngā whakahaere. Ko tā te tira; Kua rongohia ngā karanga a ngā Tangata Whenua, ...
During Waitangi this year the Green Party’s Te Mātāwaka caucus announced their priority for an independent Māori Health Authority. We have heard the call from Tangata Whenua wanting any authority to be independent, and properly resourced. ...
The Greens welcome $6.6 million from the Government’s $455 million programme to increase access to mental health and addiction services for our Pasifika communities in Auckland and Wellington. ...
The Green Party is putting a Member’s Bill into the ballot today which will be a significant step towards overhauling the Social Security Act by embedding a tikanga Māori framework into the welfare system. ...
The Green Party have reaffirmed their strong commitment to the union movement in Aotearoa New Zealand by renewing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with E Tū. ...
Soon, more kids in Aotearoa will have access to the in-school mental health support that has boosted the resilience of tamariki and whānau in Canterbury. ...
The Green Party supports the open letter released today by a cross-sector coalition calling for the Government to treat all drug use as a health issue, to repeal and replace the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975. ...
Small businesses are not only the heart of our economy – they’re also the heart of our communities. They provide important goods and services, as well as great employment opportunities. They know and love their locals. And after a tough year, they need our support! ...
Green Party spokesperson for Pacific Peoples Teanau Tuiono MP, supports the demand from Pasifika communities fighting for climate action as their homelands are more at risk in the Pacific region. ...
The Green Party supports the six demands for climate action put forward by School Strike for Climate NZ, who are striking across the country today. ...
The Ministry of Justice Māori victimisation report, released today, reinforces what we already know about the impact of systemic racism in Aotearoa and that urgent action is needed. ...
Ricardo Menéndez March’s Members Bill to ensure that disabled New Zealanders do not face discrimination for having a disability assist dog was today pulled from the biscuit tin to be debated in Parliament. ...
More than one million people will be better off from today, thanks to our Government’s changes to the minimum wage, main benefits and superannuation. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to do more for New Zealanders who continue to miss out, as main benefits are set to rise by less than $8 a week tomorrow, Thursday 1 April (at the start of the financial year). ...
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today that Australian Foreign Minister Hon Marise Payne will visit Aotearoa New Zealand for the first face-to-face Foreign Ministers’ Consulations since the COVID-19 pandemic began. “Australia is New Zealand’s closest and most important international partner. I’m very pleased to be able to welcome Hon Marise ...
Hundreds more families who were separated by the border closure will be reunited under new border exceptions announced today, Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi said. “The Government closed the border to everyone but New Zealand citizens and residents, in order to keep COVID-19 out, keep our economy open and keep New ...
Hon Nanaia Mahuta, Foreign Minister 8.30am, 19 April 2021 [CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY] Speech to the NZCC Korihi Pō, Korihi Ao E rongo e turia no Matahau Nō Tū te winiwini, Nō Tū te wanawana Tū Hikitia rā, Tū Hapainga mai Ki te Whai Ao, Ki te Ao Mārama Tihei Mauri ...
The Government is supporting a new project with all-wool New Zealand carpet company, Bremworth, which has its sights on developing more sustainable all-wool carpets and rugs, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced. The Ministry for Primary Industries is contributing $1.9 million towards Bremworth’s $4.9 million sustainability project through its Sustainable Food ...
New Zealand is providing further support to Timor-Leste following severe flooding and the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “Our thoughts are with the people of Timor-Leste who have been impacted by the severe flooding and landslides at a time when the country is ...
A ceremony has been held today in Gisborne where the unclaimed medals of 28 (Māori) Battalion C Company soldiers were presented to their families. After the Second World War, returning service personnel needed to apply for their medals and then they would be posted out to them. While most medals ...
New Zealand has today added its voice to the international condemnation of the malicious compromise and exploitation of the SolarWinds Orion platform. The Minister Responsible for the Government Communications Security Bureau, Andrew Little, says that New Zealand's international partners have analysed the compromise of the SolarWinds Orion platform and attributed ...
An expert consenting panel has approved the Queenstown Arterials Project, which will significantly improve transport links and reduce congestion for locals and visitors in the tourism hotspot. Environment Minister David Parker welcomed the approval for the project that will construct, operate and maintain a new urban road around Queenstown’s town ...
Economic and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash says a landmark deal has been agreed with Amazon for The Lord of the Rings TV series, currently being filmed in New Zealand. Mr Nash says the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) secures multi-year economic and tourism benefits to New Zealand, outside the screen ...
The Government welcomes the findings from a rapid review into the health system response to lead contamination in Waikouaiti’s drinking water supply. Sample results from the town’s drinking-water supply showed intermittent spikes in lead levels above the maximum acceptable value. The source of the contamination is still under investigation by ...
Transport Minister Michael Wood today marked the start of construction on the New Zealand Upgrade Programme’s Papakura to Drury South project on Auckland’s Southern Motorway, which will create hundreds of jobs and support Auckland’s economic recovery. The SH1 Papakura to Drury South project will give more transport choices by providing ...
CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā karanga maha o te wa, tēnā koutou, tēna koutou, tēna tātou katoa. Ki ngā mana whenua, ko Ngāi Tahu, ko Waitaha, ko Kāti Māmoe anō nei aku mihi ki a koutou. Nōku te hōnore kia haere mai ki te ...
Transport Minister Michael Wood today marked the completion of upgrades to State Highway 20B which will give Aucklanders quick electric bus trips to and from the airport. The State Highway 20B Early Improvements project has added new lanes in each direction between Pukaki Creek Bridge and SH20 for buses and ...
The Government is putting in place a review of the work being done on animal welfare and safety in the greyhound racing industry, Grant Robertson announced today. “While Greyhound Racing NZ has reported some progress in implementing the recommendations of the Hansen Report, recent incidents show the industry still has ...
The infringement fee for using a mobile phone while driving will increase from $80 to $150 from 30 April 2021 to encourage safer driving, Transport Minister Michael Wood announced today. Michael Wood said too many people are still picking up the phone while driving. “Police issued over 40,000 infringement notices ...
Pacific people in New Zealand will be better supported with new mental health and addiction services rolling out across the Auckland and Wellington regions, says Aupito William Sio. “One size does not fit all when it comes to supporting the mental wellbeing of our Pacific peoples. We need a by ...
New measures are being proposed to accelerate progress towards becoming a smokefree nation by 2025, Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced. “Smoking or exposure to second-hand smoke kills around 12 people a day in New Zealand. Recent data tells us New Zealand’s smoking rates continue to decrease, but ...
More children will be able to access mental wellbeing support with the Government expansion of Mana Ake services to five new District Health Board areas, Health Minister Andrew Little says. The Health Minister made the announcement while visiting Homai School in Counties Manukau alongside Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Associate ...
The Government’s COVID-19 response has meant a record number of people moved off a Benefit and into employment in the March Quarter, with 32,880 moving into work in the first three months of 2021. “More people moved into work last quarter than any time since the Ministry of Social Development ...
A stocktake undertaken by France and New Zealand shows significant global progress under the Christchurch Call towards its goal to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. The findings of the report released today reinforce the importance of a multi-stakeholder approach, with countries, companies and civil society working together to ...
Racing Minister Grant Robertson has announced he is appointing Elizabeth Dawson (Liz) as the Chair of the interim TAB NZ Board. Liz Dawson is an existing Board Director of the interim TAB NZ Board and Chair of the TAB NZ Board Selection Panel and will continue in her role as ...
The Government has announced that the export of livestock by sea will cease following a transition period of up to two years, said Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. “At the heart of our decision is upholding New Zealand’s reputation for high standards of animal welfare. We must stay ahead of the ...
WORKSHOP ON LETHAL AUTONOMOUS WEAPONS SYSTEMS Wednesday 14 April 2021 MINISTER FOR DISARMAMENT AND ARMS CONTROL OPENING REMARKS Good morning, I am so pleased to be able to join you for part of this workshop, which I’m confident will help us along the path to developing New Zealand’s national policy on ...
For the first time, all 18 prisons in New Zealand will be invited to participate in an inter-prison kapa haka competition, Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis announced today. The 2021 Hōkai Rangi Whakataetae Kapa Haka will see groups prepare and perform kapa haka for experienced judges who visit each prison and ...
The Government has introduced the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Bill, designed to boost New Zealand's ability to respond to a wider range of terrorist activities. The Bill strengthens New Zealand’s counter-terrorism legislation and ensures that the right legislative tools are available to intervene early and prevent harm. “This is the Government’s first ...
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Attorney-General David Parker today announced the appointment of Cassie Nicholson as Chief Parliamentary Counsel for a term of five years. The Chief Parliamentary Counsel is the principal advisor and Chief Executive of the Parliamentary Counsel Office (PCO). She is responsible for ensuring PCO, which drafts most of New Zealand’s legislation, provides ...
Every part of Government will need to take urgent action to bring down emissions, the Minister for Climate Change, James Shaw said today in response to the recent rise in New Zealand’s greenhouse emissions. The latest annual inventory of New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions shows that both gross and net ...
Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister David Clark says Aotearoa New Zealand has become the first country in the world to introduce a law that requires the financial sector to disclose the impacts of climate change on their business and explain how they will manage climate-related risks and opportunities. The Financial ...
Exceptional employment practices in the primary industries have been celebrated at the Good Employer Awards, held this evening at Parliament. “Tonight’s awards provided the opportunity to celebrate and thank those employers in the food and fibres sector who have gone beyond business-as-usual in creating productive, safe, supportive, and healthy work ...
Applications are now invited from all councils for a slice of government funding aimed at improving tourism infrastructure, especially in areas under pressure given the size of their rating bases. Tourism Minister Stuart Nash has already signalled that five South Island regions will be given priority to reflect that jobs ...
Tēnā koutou e ngā maata waka Tenā koutou te hau kāinga ngā iwi o Te Whanganui ā TaraTēnā koutou i runga i te kaupapa o te Rā. No reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tatou katoa. It is a pleasure to be here tonight. Thank you Graeme (Peters, ENA Chief ...
The Construction Skills Action Plan has delivered early on its overall target of supporting an additional 4,000 people into construction-related education and employment, says Minister for Building and Construction Poto Williams. Since the Plan was launched in 2018, more than 9,300 people have taken up education or employment opportunities in ...
An innovative new Youth Justice residence designed in partnership with Māori will provide prevention, healing, and rehabilitation services for both young people and their whānau, Children’s Minister Kelvin Davis announced today. Whakatakapokai is located in South Auckland and will provide care and support for up to 15 rangatahi remanded or ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today expressed New Zealand’s sorrow at the death of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. “Our thoughts are with Her Majesty The Queen at this profoundly sad time. On behalf of the New Zealand people and the Government, I would like to express ...
We, the Home Affairs, Interior, Security and Immigration Ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America (the ‘Five Countries’) met via video conference on 7/8 April 2021, just over a year after the outbreak of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Guided by our shared ...
Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Carmel Sepuloni has today announced the opening of the first round of Ngā Puninga Toi ā-Ahurea me ngā Kaupapa Cultural Installations and Events. “Creating jobs and helping the arts sector rebuild and recover continues to be a key part of the Government’s COVID-19 response,” Carmel ...
Interim legislation that is already proving to keep people safer from drugs will be made permanent, Health Minister Andrew Little says. Research by Victoria University, on behalf of the Ministry of Health, shows that the Government’s decision in December to make it legal for drug-checking services to operate at festivals ...
Public consultation launched on ways to improve behaviour and reduce damage Tighter rules proposed for either camping vehicles or camping locations Increased penalties proposed, such as $1,000 fines or vehicle confiscation Rental companies may be required to collect fines from campers who hire vehicles Public feedback is sought on proposals ...
The Government is continuing to support Air New Zealand while aviation markets stabilise and the world moves towards more normal border operations. The Crown loan facility made available to Air New Zealand in March 2020 has been extended to a debt facility of up to $1.5 billion (an additional $600 ...
On a day that has seen a successful start to the re-opening of the border between New Zealand and Australia, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is hosting a briefing on Cabinet's discussions. ...
Police Minister Poto Williams has once again stated that the Iwi Community Panels are a success because the 'referrals resulted in a 22.5 percent reduction in harm caused by reoffending'; what she is failing to mention is that almost 75 percent ...
New Zealanders can explore how wellbeing has changed over time in a new interactive tool, Stats NZ said today. The wellbeing time series explorer allows people to compare selected wellbeing data from the 2014, 2016, and 2018 general social surveys (GSS). ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Megan Munsie, Deputy Director – Centre for Stem Cell Systems and Head of Engagements, Ethics & Policy Program, Stem Cells Australia, The University of Melbourne The recent announcement that scientists have made human-monkey embryos and cultured them in the lab for two ...
Brain-controlled devices could give people with disabilities or severe injuries new access to the world. But it could also be used to enhance humans, create super soldiers or even transcend the human body entirely. Mirjam Guesgen looks at how far we are willing to go and New Zealand’s role in ...
The proposed Death Approved Information Sharing Agreement is now open for public consultation. Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages Jeff Montgomery says the agreement is designed to make things a little easier for families when someone ...
Australia Week: What happens when you get two trans-Tasman soap immortals together in the same room? We found out in 2016.To mark the opening of the trans-Tasman bubble, The Spinoff is casting an eye across the ditch all week – read our Australia Week content here. It could be a vision ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta has delivered a significant speech on New Zealand-China relations, saying China must act in ways consistent with its role as a growing power New Zealand must not put all its eggs in one basket when it comes to trade, Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta has ...
BusinessNZ has welcomed the announcement of increased border exceptions to allow family reunification for some migrant workers in NZ. The exceptions will be for the families of health care workers and of a small number of high-skilled workers in ...
Fiame Naomi Mata’afa is the eight term MP and first-term party leader who just gave Sāmoa’s sleeping democracy the kick it needed, writes Sapeer Mayron of the Samoa Observer.Not for the first time in recent years, the world is abuzz with the news coming out of Sāmoa. But this time, ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta got a slice of action on the international front at the weekend, but not with an announcement as vituperative as Andrew Little’s rebuke of the Russians. Mahuta’s task was much more in line with the PM’s fondness for improving the wellbeing of anybody whose wellbeing ...
Every weekday morning, a group of Auckland city commuters fight to claim one of 10 free car parks. How long can this ‘secret oasis’ last?“Do not write this story.” Her eyes flare, her lips thin. Her warning gets sterner. “You’re ruining their lives,” she says. “Don’t drag ‘The Eye of ...
While the trans-Tasman bubble is "a significant day" for New Zealanders, any moves to open the borders to other countries will need to be be based on hard evidence, Jacinda Ardern says. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris O’Neill, Research fellow, Monash University COVID-19 lockdowns were a huge disruption for Australian universities. With students unable to come to campus, many universities turned to “online proctoring solutions” to monitor students during exam time. Many of these systems rely on automated ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Blair Williams, Research Fellow, Global Institute for Women’s Leadership (GIWL), Australian National University It feels like every day brings more harrowing claims of harassment, bullying and abuse of women in our community. In the space of just two months, we have seen ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato Very recently in the Bay of Bengal a naval exercise took place involving India, France, Japan and Australia. While it received little or no coverage in New Zealand, it nonetheless represented a foreign policy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Director, Health Program, Grattan Institute Australia’s aged-care system is in a state of a disaster. The aged care royal commission’s final report, released last month, is just the latest in a decades-long string of depressing reports and inquiries exposing horrific ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Corey J. A. Bradshaw, Matthew Flinders Professor of Global Ecology and Models Theme Leader for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Flinders University They’re one of the most damaging environmental forces on Earth. They’ve colonised pretty much every ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Caitlyn Forster, PhD Candidate, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney People may think of comics and science as worlds apart, but they have been cross-pollinating each other in more than ways than one. Many classic comic book characters are ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Gahan, Professor of Management, Faculty of Business and Economics, The University of Melbourne The Australian government has abandoned its ambitious targets to have the adult population vaccinated by the end of October. It has, in fact, abandoned having any target. We ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nick Prescott, Lecturer, School of Humanities and Creative Arts, Flinders University With the release of the first-world-war film Gallipoli in 1981, director Peter Weir could finally shrug off the nickname he had laboured under since making his first films: “Peter Weird”. Idiosyncratic ...
Emergency housing has been described as dangerous and terrifying for some, with families mixed in with gang members and many places rife with crime and intimidation. ...
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for April 19, bringing you the latest news live from Auckland International Airport. Get in touch at stewart@thespinoff.co.nzTo mark the opening of the trans-Tasman bubble, The Spinoff is casting an eye across the ditch all week – read our Australia Week content here. 7.50am: ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Risks and benefits loom as trans-Tasman bubble opens, government signs big deal with Amazon, and cabinet paper produced on hate speech law change proposals.New Zealand is more open today than it has been at any time in the past twelve ...
Emergency housing has been described as dangerous and terrifying for some, with families mixed in with gang members and many places rife with crime and intimidation. ...
Business & Investing: A new survey of manufacturing sees production and orders soaring, Plus two NZ energy shares close higher despite index linked sell-off ...
Passengers could share their first rides with strangers in Auckland this month, as part of the company’s global strategy to reduce cars on the road. ...
The two-year phaseout of the export of livestock by sea, announced by Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor last week, could mean over 200,000 animals will be shipped overseas before the cruel trade is ended. TVNZ’s ‘Sunday’ programme last night ...
You are more likely to be hit by lightning than suffer a blood clot after a Covid vaccine, but consequences can be dire for those who do. Vaccinologist Helen Petousis-Harris explains. COMMENT: Recently the vaccine safety watch dogs in Europe noted reports of unusual types of blood clots in people vaccinated ...
The one about a tough loner from Quebec who comes to New Zealand and writes a crime novel that screens tonight on TV2 Where I grew up, there were two ways to make big money: farming pigs for the corporate machine or running drugs over the border for the gangs. ...
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'We're from the Government, we're here to help' might well be the message from the holders of Kris Faafoi's new $50m of taxpayer money as they start to dispense it to the nation's media. Stephen Parker examines the implications of the PIJF. Later this year, when reading daily news, you ...
We live in post-normal times: A time which means nothing will ever be normal again, writes Peter O'Connor of the University of Auckland. The world order has stumbled under the devastating global impact of Covid-19, resulting in the most serious assault to the economic, public health and social order of ...
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Are David Shearer and Russel Norman, Texans?
To understand the sort of Climate Change Ignorer psychology evidenced by both Shearer and Norman you couldn’t go past Texas. The US oil state.
Texas the CCI capital of the world
Marshall Noted that, while he found that there were pockets of extremes of belief in Climate Change, from denial to conviction.
“Generally”, the main response he encountered from Texans, was to, deliberately avoid talking about the issue.
This reluctance to talk about climate change evidenced by the citizens of Texas, is for the same reasons that Shearer and Norman don’t talk about it. Talking about climate change would mean having to agree do something meaningful about it. If it were a country, Texas would be the seventh biggest emitter in the world, so any talk of cutting back, makes for some very unpalatable conversation for Texans.
“Deep in the heart of Texas”
http://www.janbrett.com/piggybacks/deep_tex.mid
Jenny, how about you produce some evidence that Norman is ignoring climate change? Several people pointed out to you the other day that Norman still talks about climate change, and that there are other people in the GP whose job it is to talk about CC and keep it on the agenda (links were provided). Rationales for the strategy were also provided.
It’s fairly ridiculous to say that Norman is ignoring climate change. Just because someone doesn’t dance to your tune doesn’t mean they’re not dancing.
You also stated the other day that the Green Party no longer opposes deep sea oil extraction. I’d like to see some evidence for that too (I provided links to show the opposite)
Telling lies about the GP, or making misleading statements about Norman’s actions and motives, doesn’t help your cause IMO.
Question Time today. Question 1:
‘
Hooray!
Storm’n Norman
Returns to the fray.
I look forward to seeing what answer the Green Party leader receives. And how he responds in turn. (no pressure Russel)
I think the question is a forerunner to Norman’s Climate Change superannuation bill, due to have its first reading today.
weka be careful who you accuse of telling lies.
Otherwise you risk looking foolish.
I did not say that the Greens do not “oppose” deep sea oil extraction. What I am saying is that it is one of the things that the Greens are prepared to negotiate away in a coalition deal with Labour. You can still be opposed to something but agree not to do anything about it.
And nobody has been able to point to any recent speech by Russel Norman where he manages to force the words “climate change” out of his mouth, (or pen).
Of course he talked about it with James Hansen in 2011, but he couldn’t have avoided that one.
I might mention that this was some time ago.
I also might mention that since then we have had a National election in which the Greens deliberately decided not campaign on climate change, and barely even mention it . (If they mentioned it at all). I am told this was decided, “so as not to scare the horses”.
(The same sort of CCI strategy was also agreed in the US presidential elections.
Unfortunately for Obama and Romney an unprecedented superstorm disrupted this CCI election campaign making them both look like idiots.)
In your opinion weka. Will the Greens in a continuation of the policy of 2011 continue with their decision to Ignore Climate Change in the 2014 election campaign?
In my opinion the horses need to be scared.
Your actual words from a few days ago –
“Already the Greens have agreed not to challenge Deep Sea Oil drilling”
I think this might be the fourth time in the last few days that I have asked you for a citation for that statement. If you can’t produce one, then I am going to assume you made it up (hence I used the word ‘lie’). I see in other comments you have responded, but again without any evidence. It is of course entirely fine that you personally believe that the Greens will badly compromise on this issue, but personal belief is a completely different thing than the Greens having already agreed not to challenge Deep Sea Oil drilling, which is what you have said they did.
In fact, google “deep sea oil” and the “green party” news for the past few days and you will have examples of them challenging deep sea oil 🙄
The Green Party are not ignoring CC. Multiple links have been provided to you in the past few days that prove this. I can’t predict what will happen in 2014, but in general I support the Greens’ approach of focussing on what will win them the most seats at the next election. I don’t think CC is the most pressing issue for them to focus on if it means that they have less MPs as a result. A Labour/GP coalition with less MPs will be far less effective for the environment, including CC issues, than one where the GP is strong.
btw, comparing the Green Party’s approach to the US elections and Obama/Romney would have to be one of the stupider things I’ve seen lately. There is an obvious difference between a party that has worked hard to combat climate change, including spending years getting and keeping it on the public agenda, and US centrist parties who haven’t really taken any real action on CC at all. The GP can spend less time on CC now, to their advantage, because they’ve put so much time and effort into it. And it’s not like they’ve stopped everything on CC, which what you keep implying.
“In my opinion the horses need to be scared.”
On this we are agreed. I just don’t think it’s the job or responsibility of the GP to do this at this point. Time for others to step up.
your reply in another thread –
There is no evidence Jenny, you are expression a belief about something in the future, but that belief is not based on anything concrete. I and others have repeatedly asked you to post something that supports your statement that the GP have already agreed to not challenge deep sea oil as a way of gaining cabinet seats. You haven’t, because you can’t. You made shit up about the GP, you lied.
I have no idea what the GP will do once part of govt, maybe they will compromise some things around CC as part of the bigger picture. We know that has already happened and the reasons why. Here is Toad’s comment yesterday –
But your argument is getting tedious. Really, what you are doing is using the GP in a reality-manipulative way, as a way of pushing your agenda that CC (as you define it) is the most important issue we face and that we should all be following your lead. Those of us that don’t are Climate Change Ignorers according to you. You see the world in black and white – people who think CC is the most important thing and those that think it’s unimportant. There are other credible and useful ways of understanding the world.
Pascal’s bookie said it in the other thread: “what mandate do you have to claim to speak on behalf of everyone who cares about climate change?”
As an aside, I think the GP and its policies and directions should be open to critique. I just think it needs to be done with intelligence and using facts that are real not made up.
Who?
Toad is a long serving Green activist who blogs at g.blog about various environmental and social issues. Toad is also vocal on Frogblog and here at The Standard, which makes your claim that you’ve not heard of him/her rather silly.
I often struggle to find anything I disagree with what Toad writes.
Although I agree that Climate Change is the most pressing issue facing the world, weka is right that the Green party and its policies and directions should be open to critique. That critique should be based in reality and use verifiable facts. Unfortunately your argument does neither of these things Jenny.
This just makes you look foolish and ignorant! Try not to do that Jenny, it doesn’t make for good reading.
Russel Norman could be finance minister
Hansard: Greenhouse Gas Emissions—Rate of Change and Current International Ranking
Q+A: Transcript of Gareth Morgan and Russel Norman interview
‘
My apologies. I was going by the Russel Norman speeches put up on the Green Party website. Presumably the ones that the Green Party want us to see.
http://www.greens.org.nz/advancedsearch?tid_1=174
After poring through as many of these speeches as I could and not finding any mention of climate change by Russel Norman.
I challenged anyone to find where Russel Norman had mentioned the phrase climate change in any of these speeches.
No one could.
Though alex did make a rather brave attempt.
As a result of this disappointing result I admit I may have got a bit cocky and supposed that Norman had made no such mentions, anywhere.
Again I apologise, one of the examples you gave was not too bad either.
http://m.nbr.co.nz/article/russel-norman-could-be-finance-minister-ck-131342
It might have been the headline that made me miss it.
In some ways you remind me of those people who say the Greens don’t want marijuana to be decriminalized because they aren’t in the news every other day saying as much.
I think the Greens will push hard to have climate change legislation written into various acts and policy to ensure New Zealand once again starts to lead the world on environmental issues not to mention actually doing our part to avert climate catastrophe.
Russel Norman might not raise the issue in every speech he makes, but there’s no question that he’s as dedicated as they come to reducing GHG emissions. In fact his ability in the house to show National up for their environmental failures is second to none as far as I’m concerned.
Just today, Stuff reported that Russel Norman had tabled a tweet from the executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Christiana Figueres, who wrote:
And none of those dimwitted National sycophants objected… Excellent!
Jackal, energy depletion is.
Energy depletion at a time the world is making inroads into renewable energy hardly seems comparable to Climate Change that threatens billions of peoples lives.
There’s enough oil and coal in the ground to easily cook the world, that makes climate change a more serious issue.
But please, entertain me with an argument instead of just these grandiose statements of yours Colonial Viper, that seem to be without a modicum of evidence to back them up?
Nah you’re the smart one you win.
BTW the global economy has been suffering from peak oil for almost 10 years now. Another 10 years and it’ll be obvious to even the self-smug like you.
BTW energy depletion also threatens billions of peoples lives. You just haven’t thought it through yet.
You’re right but here’s why you’re wrong… Contradict yourself much CV?
Climate change is already contributing to the deaths of nearly 400,000 people a year, and has been estimated to kill around 1 million per year by 2030. In comparison I cannot find any deaths associated with peak oil.
So why don’t you put up or shut up Colonial Viper?
OK Fair enough Jenny, but what about the rest of my comment?
What part in particular?
You and I both know you’ve already responded Jenny.
http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/12/04/justice-peace-and-the-israeli-state/
Justice, Peace and the Israeli State
by WILLIAM A. COOK
“As for the rights of Jewish people in this land, I have a simple message for those people gathered in the General Assembly today, no decision by the U.N. can break the 4,000-year-old bond between the people of Israel and the land of Israel.”
– Ron Prosor, United Nations Ambassador from Israel, November 29, 2012
In today’s world a tragic hero is a representative figure who stands before us as one speaking for his people, an Ambassador if you will, addressing the citizens of the world at the United Nations, enunciating the beliefs and demands of his nation as they must confront an event of great magnitude that appears to represent a reversal of their fortunes. Such a figure was Ronald Prosor, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations on November 29th, 2012, as he addressed the assembled delegates before their vote on the recognition of the state of Palestine. “No decision by the UN can break the 4,000-year-old bond between the people of Israel and the land of Israel, “he arrogantly proclaimed, thereby determining that no decision by the UN can alter the absolute dictates of the state of Israel as they have impacted the desires and hopes and dreams of the citizens of the world regarding peace and justice in the land of Palestine.
That statement must stand as an articulated hamartia, a mistake of moral blindness, capturing in its hubris the downfall of a noble nation. Before the citizens of the world, Prosor demanded that Israel alone must determine what peace and justice will be, knowing beforehand that the UN, in General Assembly, would momentarily act to question the legitimacy of Israel’s unilateral defiance of its decrees. The vote to recognize the rights of the people of Palestine, by electing it to the forum of nation states, proclaims to all that they are equal to all assembled and can use the powers vested in the UN to bring their oppressors and occupiers before the International Courts of Justice and to seek redress for the rights denied them under its charters. No longer can they be shackled to the demands of either the United States or Israel. Now they can address the UN as victims of an aggressive nation that has defied more than 160 of its Resolutions since 1948 by imposing with force conditions inimical to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which it is a signatory. …..
Read more….
http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/12/04/justice-peace-and-the-israeli-state/
Jenny, climate change is a really hard problem. For a politician to engage effectively on it they have to have thought deeply about the many connective issues that span just about every portfolio. I am sure the Greens have done that thinking because it is core to what they are about. But it takes two to create meaningful dialogue, and there is not much point in Norman going there unless Shearer is prepared. Can anyone point to one deep analysis and exposition of an issue by Shearer this year? Harsh perhaps, as he’s been trying to get briefed across all portfolios. But that’s what happens when you haven’t done an apprenticeship over time. And being ‘briefed’ is not the same as ‘nutting’ through the issues yourself. Fundamentally you need a good grasp of economics (both traditional economics and the latest thinking on environmental economics) to be able to drive a climate change response. I don’t think Shearer is anywhere near that level of understanding. The story doing the rounds in Wellington earlier in the year was Shearer didn’t understand the difference between mico and macro economics. If that is true, deep climate change analysis is beyond him.
From what I get whispered over the years very very few labour MP understand macro at any level and fewer support Keynesian theory, very good on social micro policy in specialised areas but nothing strategic or cross linked. Last convert to Keynesian was benson pope and he got rolled by the MSM., first causality. Mallard to his credit was left once and supported SOE investing outside NZ. Robertson aka H3 is an unknown should be left of centre but IMHO is a long term player an liberal social dem with an agenda.
Benghazi would you mind using some paragraphs please?
It’s all wonderfully penetrating, but for us of advancing years a certain syntactical flow would assist.
Sorry foibles of a mobile phone post!
Most economists don’t either and that’s why the policies for the macro resemble those for the micro. Policies for infinite competition and international trade rather than taking into account the real available resources.
Actually orthodox economics deliberately takes micro-economic theory and by making massive and falsifiable assumptions, pretends that you can derive big picture macro-economic theory from it. Hence their idiotic and incorrect focus on utilisation maximation of individual rational agents, etc.
In my opinion it is a matter of lack of leadership, or more accurately the suppression of leadership.
There was that one MP that talked about climate change. What was his name?
Oh, that’s right, he was banished to the back benches.
True poor cunliffe can’t scare the centre voters now can we we.
Labour election strategy is all about saying little and praying that the election cycle holds true. Two years is a very long time for the suffering people to wait for what….the same with a token smattering of social policy penned in by budgetary constraints.
My line for last 15 years was we need a left block that is prepared to reconnect and reeducate, maybe prepare the public for the new direction.
Time for shearer and co to start the campaign now. The party and public crave direction hope and inclusiveness.
But Shearer won’t. He’s too connected to the old neo-liberal way of doing things.
Ex-cop denies having supplied porn movie
From the *Police/Politicial Archives of shame*, this on I recall causing some serious problems for The Clark govt, meanwhile AK is still pedling her sphere of influence inside the LP.
Its these sort articles illustrate of the types who control NZ, or represent those who do. It illustrates how the cops and politicians were, and thus still are working to cover up serious abuses inside NZ, and give credence to the masses of unsolved murders in NZ which have been linked to all manor of vile institutionalised cover ups.
It also gives an insight into how those charged with protecting and serving NZ society are controlled, which goes a long ways to helping understand by NZ is so broken!
More arm twisting resulting, and why are ministers offspring involved with the gear….
You just can’t buy that sort of voice inside government….hang on!
Meanwhile back In Texas
The use of this sort of “ambiguous” language reminds me strongly of Alex’s weak defence of Russel Norman’s CCI phrasing, “repeatedly” replacing the words climate change with the more vaguely ambiguous phrase, “environmental degradation”;
One of the contributors to the report I cited above, Jennifer Walker of the Sierra Club an American environmental organisation, describes the small insertion of the phrase “environmental degradation” in the Galveston report as a “major breakthrough”. Such a phrase would also be seen as a major breakthrough in the Texas inhabited by Shearer and Norman. Just as well Jennifer Walker was not in the NZ Labour Party caucus, or she would have been quickly shown to the backbenches.
Wow.
Treasury’s spending on consultants is expected to go up tenfold over the past five years.
In 2007-08 it was $1.97 million. In 2012-13 it is expected to be $21.93 million.
The advice being bought is all neoliberal from the likes of Deloittes, KPMG and PWC. This amount of money could restore night classes with change left over.
Just goes to show this Government’s priorities.
The link is at http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/8036074/Rise-in-consultant-costs-gob-smacking
MS – I suspect if you look at the history there will be a trend which is somewhat consistant, yet agnostic of the government at the time..The articles have been pumped out regulary for as long as I can recall. I see it as the establishment showing off to the public via their media about whats happening, and given nothing has changed, its hard not to consider that!
All this shows is the power of the consultancies (banks) – Just take a look at Auckland to understand the takeover which has been executed by the amount of money Deloitte are taking out of the place. Its not just the obvious amounts of cunsultants directly working through Deloitte, the place is crawling with *independent* ex Deloitte contractors also!
Who ownes the consultancies again, and who owns them!
Don’t get tied down in the unimportant trivia, like which government has racked up the latest massive bill!
Deloitte, PWC, KPMG all robbers…
A more pertinent question which may pique the public’s conscious more on these rorts is not the total sum spent but the hourly rate charged.
Get hold of some details around this becuase it is obscene.
While at it, try asking Deloitte what they charge to wind up finance companies. The investors are getting fleeced again.
“The oil wells are full of smells
Deep in the heart of Texas”
As the original lyrics go.
However that is not the only thing that smells in Texas, (or New Zealand for that matter).
Climate Change Ignoring is pretty whiffy too.
In keeping with the psychology of CCI, the Texas Chamber of Commerce TXCOC, blatantly ignore this prominent line in their modern rendition of this song.
I don’t think spamming Open Mike helps your cause either.
Yes. Silence is golden.
http://www.janbrett.com/piggybacks/deep_tex.mid
Trust National? Sure can’t!
From Gordon Campbell at Scoop:-
Gordon Campbell on Tim Groser’s ‘political projectile vomiting’ about the TPPA
December 4th, 2012
“Remember how the Key government has justified being so very, very secretive about the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) because goodness me, you don’t negotiate these things in public? Well, guess who has just been negotiating the TPP in public? Trade Minister Tim Groser, that’s who. In an interview published yesterday in the influential Inside US Trade publication, Groser “signalled” to the Americans that he is “willing to be flexible on two key issues in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations: new disciplines for New Zealand’s pharmaceutical pricing agency and protections for geographical indications (or GIs).” (GIs are a system of quality assurance in dairy products.)
Groser seemed pretty confident in his Inside US Trade interview that he can both please the Americans, and manage any outcry that might break out here at home: “I am confident we can find ways that advance U.S. interests [on these two issues] without causing projectile political vomiting in New Zealand, and many of the other countries of the TPP,” Groser said. Plainly, by being seen to be seeking to “advance US interests” and by casting himself as a deal broker within the TPP, Groser would also be doing no harm at all to his bid to become the next head of the World Trade Organisation. Let’s just hope and pray that Groser’s personal ambition and New Zealand’s best interests manage to intersect at some point.”
http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2012/12/04/gordon-campbell-on-tim-grosers-political-projectile-vomiting-about-the-tppa/
There is a headline on the ‘money’ section of stuff that states ‘SCF case lifts fraud to a
record high’ one poster blames labour for introducing the retail deposit scheme,but
obviously you aren’t allowed to correct that belief, by answering that English actually
changed the terms and conditions which allowed SCF into the scheme against treasury
advice.
This denial of retort illustrates what has been going on in the media and press over the last
few years,everything has to be ‘Nact’ friendly.
Sorry i can’t link.
Thanks for the heads-up, starlight. Link. I think you can reply to comments below the article if you register first.
Thanks Karol, i am registered etc, i made two comments defending labour and both
were moderated out, they were both in the vein that english changed the terms and
conditions allowing scf into the scheme, denial of reply irked me.
Is there a delay before comments are posted, starlight? Are your comments up there now?
The headline has now gone into a black hole, thanks for your attention on the matter.:)
Hi starlight.
I just clicked on the link that Karol provided at 10.1 and it still goes through to the Stuff article. Comments are at the bottom of the page and there are two there which could be yours.
Yeah if you are PatJohn then your comments are there. I think stuff moderates before they show comments (well they used to anyway). So it can sometimes take a while to show, particularly on articles that aren’t attracting a lot of comments.
Hi to all, yes they are my comments, i clicked on Karol’s link and got it, blushing a bit
though, so thanks for your help,have a nice day 🙂
Hi Starlight and Co. Regarding the Stuff.co.nz comments “forum”. You mentioned your comments were moderated out. I was interested to hear that. I very rarely comment on stuff these days – I just can’t be bothered and you just end up going around in circles with talk back caller types, with no grasp of the topic they are meant to be commenting on. In saying that, in relation to your observation, what I have noticed is that my comments only ever made it about half of the time. They tend to make it if I say something reactive, petty or polarising but when I try to put a reasoned argument forward, using examples in relation to the topic to illustrate a point, they don’t make it.
I’ve often wondered what it would be like if the knowledgable and wise authors of and visitors to this site and others occupied the MSM comments section for a week. It would freak all their regulars out. It would be great. But I don’t think their moderators could handle such a flood of reason and sense and they would stick to their routine which seems to be “Lets have a fight! Yeaaaaahhhh!!”. It seems to be how they roll.
“We have suffered enough”
Cyclone Bopha: The biggest Super Storm to ever strike Mindanao hits.
My question is this: Will we have to wait for a superstorm devastates Auckland or Wellington before our political leaders stop ignoring and start addressing climate change.
Climate Change Ignorers like Shearer, and Climate Change Apologists like Key should pray that while they refuse to address the question of climate change, that a superstorm does not strike the already vulnerable population of our second most populous and earthquake damaged city.
Climate Change Ignorers like Shearer? You’re so full of it Jenny it’s not funny.
David Shearer not looking for Helen Clark’s endorsement
Emphasis mine.
One swallow does not a summer make.
P.S. My sympathies on translating Shearer.
Just catching up on Yesterdays Question time. How did I know that Parkers Inability to count correctly would come back to bite him, So now the NATS have yet another free target courtesy of the Labour Caucus when are they going to get something / Anything right?
Jan Wright’s fracking publicity stunt
How can the public have faith that Jan Wright is undertaking an unbiased investigation if she doesn’t even mention all the fracking problems in Taranaki that have already occurred?
Is Bill English a drinker?
That’s exactly what I was thinking.
Well it is very hot here in our region, anecdotally 41 Degrees celsius in Brisbane
That Bel and the Dragon is apocryphal
Yet guess what blew in beside the Nor’Wester
Hyperventilation Syndrome
my GP who I trust says she is seeing increasing prevalence of people presenting with this disorder
so I read this book this morning and British figures were 40% presenting with symptoms
and quote “a silent epidemic” (nervous system arousal)
to paraphrase, “for better sleep AVOID television news and Talk-Back Radio 🙂
so I’m listening to the radio, Who is The Pilot of The Airwaves? Th ITU want to. Will consider
Political Activity according to an interesting article in the Herald by Chris Barton; interesting article
If you are not sleeping, don’t stay in bed, I’ve read that once before
So it may be a very HOT summer according to the HB Today; the airconditioners block the light
When the power’s off in New York.Breathe Breathe in The Air…don’t be afraid to care
Stand your own ground. In 10 Days Time the Pope will tweet.White dog for God locally.
Milan has an Exorcism HotLine while we fly the unemployed to Australia.Gidday Mate
Nice to see ya; Tiwai Uncertain. Rancid Aluminium not my Pot of Tea,too Violent
so it’s
Breathing retraining
Esteem
Total body relaxation
Talk
Exercise
Rest and Sleep
If we are Mindful we then begin to Remember The Body
Computers are apparently a factor and I can understand that.Take Care out there, it’s not quite
Hill Street Blues. A Rocking Chair is “wooden valium”.To be a “shock jock” you have to Be
Rude and Insensitive; a post-modern Archie Bunker, not alls viewed a Family
Substantively cloudy weather, oh resignation “naughty boy” from the 6 OClock Roundup
Our living word, will film ever be over? Dependent on the “good graces” of NZ film distributors
Media Bites “nine hours of film to do justice to a book”. Stoicism is helpful.Weather the Storm
(it is a Fienne mess we may getting into). Media Media Media.In a safe place now, a man 10 years
older than me said he too had watched the Clampdown of the powers that be
In His lifetime. “Come in he said I’ll give you Shelter from The Storm”
Hi RT. As a quick non political aside: Last year I flicked through the pages of a book of the same topic as you mention above. What a fascinating subject and food for thought for those who are over worked/unrested, have an anxious disposition or have an underperforming nervous system due to excess stressors and illness.
Come to think of it, you might see signs of mild hyperventilation in some of our ministers and our PM as they emerge from a room within parliament and are pounced upon by journalists who are asking them really hard questions and trying to get them admit they are responsible for the cock up of the moment. Shoulders up, inhale and not breathe out. Eyes fixed in fright, that kind of thing.
Yep classic fight or flight response, but chronically induced, and supported by coffee/alcohol/over eating/stimulants/…
Interesting thing is that short term memory, concentration, communication skills etc. all end up in the toilet under these conditions.
Yep, so true CV. Key is a classic example but has adapted to hiding his fatigue (except when confronted by balcony jumpers in the house).His remarkable indifference to issues that don’t concern him (ie: everything that matters) does a good job of masking his true state. Seems to need quite a lot of holidays. (A luxury that most overworked workers can only dream of). Holidays required for restoration of well being OR simply because he couldn’t give flying F about his position and needs to maintain a lifestyle. You choose!
All that is missing is leadership
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/04-11
All that is missing is leadership, will Obama rise up to the challenge?
Saving lives and extending life span worsens energy and resource consumption over the long run. Need fewer people on Earth, surely?
Misanthropic nonsense. When people’s lifestyle improves population increase lessens and even drops. So much so that in some European countries if it wasn’t for immigration population growth would be in negative figures.
Opposition had a good session at Question Time.
Goff nailed McCully, more to come on that (note to Patrick Gower – this is a damn sight more important than some unknown ex-weatherman).
Genter got English all muddled on road numbers.
Key lost the plot at the end – Damien O’Connor wants to kill miners – WTF?
It shows what they can do when they’re not wasting questions, not giving Key a free hit. Shearer wasn’t there, and so the gov’t Ministers were struggling. If only that happened every time.
yes, I noticed that Goff and Genter did a great job – Ardern not so much.
Question Time Genter question video.
That was extraordinary Key really did lose it there.
Title: Climate Change Deniers
Definition: The CCDs argue that climate change is not real and is not happening. CCDs explain the controversy as a result of a global conspiracy concocted by scientists politicians and media, unfortunately they have not been able to give any rational explanation of the reasons for this global conspiracy.
Current Status: The CCDs are Pretty much at the fringes of the current debate on climate change
Title: Climate Change Apologists
Definition: CCAs admit that climate change is happening, but say that jobs, profits, the economy and growth, and a myriad other issues are far more important than taking steps to address climate change. The apologists are also adept at blaming or scapegoating others, usually groups that they have already taken a dislike to anyway. This group are quite comfortable with the idea of millions if not billions of human deaths, as well as the destruction of entire eco systems and the resulting mass animal and plant extinctions. Their previously listed preoccupations are considered far more important.
Current status: The most sinister, pernicious, cynical and dangerous of the different Climate Change factions. Currently the CCAs are the main spear carriers for opposing action on climate change.
And now a third category has arisen:
Title: Climate Change Ignorers
Definition: Political leaders and parties who refuse to even mention Climate Change, if they can avoid it. Usually for sectarian political advantage, ie, “not scare the horses”, “not look too radical in the eyes of the voters”, “not offend vested interest”, etc etc.
Rather than alert the electorate and the wider population to the danger, the CCIs put getting bums on seats for their particular sectarian grouping, more important than even alerting their political rivals who would steal a policy march on them if they were made aware of the danger.
The whole topic of Climate Change is a ‘no go area’ for these politicians. They will rarely if ever mention the subject of Climate Change, unless it is pushed right up under their noses, and often not even then. If forced to mention Climate Change CCIs say that one day when they are in complete control of the presidency and the congress, or have the most seats in the house of parliament, then (and only then), will they call for action on Climate Change. CCIs neither deny, or apologise for climate change, they just simply ignore it.
Current Status: The most ridiculous and laughable faction of all, I don’t expect it to last long.
People have been promised a grand lifestyle and consumption pattern; the middle aged middle classes aren’t going to give up their SUVs and overseas holidays, the young need economic growth to pay off their student debt.
The ship’s systems are locked on course for the iceberg and everyone is busy trying to get last drinks from the bar before it hits.
I would add another lot.
The ones who say we are stuffed whatever we do.
Equally as bad as deniers because the logical response to that is to give up and party.
Which suits the deniers as well.Yet another reason to do nothing.
What would you call this faction KJT?
Trees Are beautiful beings. I’ve always loved trees.Sit amongst some old trees. They’re Powerful
Not politicians, so many being publically dishonest. Heard a prophecy thr the grapevine That
Hawkes Bay’s gonna Rock, gently. Ah the virtuosity goes on. Horan again.
Ever dogs gotta earn his keep and you can’t keep a good dog down.Be Thyself. Blog Masters
Many of you are, and very experienced too. It’s not looking too great is it. Teleportation.
The Tomorrow People. They have carried out participant observation random allocation trials
prayer over people works. The Force Is Strong with that one Dr Luke. It could be worse
some reverb going on outback. Tijuana Brass balls. The Big Kahuna. No Men without Hats
in the hot sun, we can dance to the safety dance,many in Hi-Viz now They are growing Hemp
in Canterbury, that idea’s been grown all my life-time. Children of Men. A Complete Circle.
While packing the groceries wrapped in an article yesterdays Dom, yesterdays news once more
about potential Bear slumps in the commodities supercycle covering the ground of the Increased
cost of carbon / fuels. Australia, a country described as ” a credit bubble built on a commodity market built on an even bigger Chinese credit bubble” is the dinner talk over the ditch.Might start
reading online papers more. Make Love not War. Radio Free Europe. Does a person have to be
Job? Volunteer (Jefferson Airplane). Gautama how long need you suffer. Freedom Hallelujah
and the less we eat, the less we eat, interestingly. Auckland “lacking” in rankings for Infrastructure
43rd. The same thing’s witnessed in the States. Sydney to Hobart. The Sound of Wind-Sheet
Clapping. The end of Television? “Calling Mr Lee” Know Thyself; “kiwis are socialists at heart”
Thats the key. Which shepherds saw the star that night;recovering that thread. Is Poltics in NZ
getting worse.I can imagine a JT reality tv show; it wouldn’t be suitable for all families.
Cotton-wheel tractor with rubber bands and knitting rats-tail; As the mat gets larger the progress
gets slower. What’s The Frequency Kenneth, oh it’s Hauraki. Remember Pirate Rock.Rainbow
Warrior.Another former stomping ground has empty units now.It is quite a process dealing with
HNZ now only two staff Mondays and Tuesdays; helpful staff I found though;Very friendly
and supportive but there is only so much they can do.Lookin for a preachers daughter not a Wino
we might as well whistle Lynard Skynard while Rome Burns or Tuesdays gone with the Wind.
Yesterdays News once more.Wasn’t The Fisher King just fetching, “just a step to the left and
put your knees inside, do the pelvic thrust, it will drive you insaaaane ane.Lets do the Time Warp
Again.Be Thyself. Ramble On.
Nice poem?
What did Maggie Barry say that upset Metiria Turei so much in a debate this afternoon? I caught the end, with Barry very dismissively and insincerely withdrawing and apologising, and making derogatory remarks about List MPs along the way.
It’s Hump Day and I’m overtired, but I propose a new drinking game: every time someone leaves successive unthreaded comments about the same issue which they’ve already copy-pasted multiple articles about into Open Mike, take a drink.
Every time they make a snide comment about Standard authors not posting on said issue, take a drink.
When they imply there’s a vast underground conspiracy to hush up the issue, finish your vessel, close the browser window, and find something else to do for the evening.
Growth is apparent in many areas but not in the ones that really count. http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz/2012/12/new-zealand-is-high-growth-economy.html
Tonight, the most staggering argument I’ve heard in the House since…. whenever…
On the Employment Relations (Protection of young workers) amendment Bill – first reading. e.g.s were given of children as young as 9 or 10 years being employed as independent contractors, such as doing deliveries, without supervision – without full protections of an employee.
Nat Adam Bennett attacked it as undemocratic and on the individual’s right to choose – in this case the right of “young people” to choose to be an independent contractor.