….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!
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 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hyperventilation-Syndrome-Breathing-Disorders-Overcome/dp/0857830295
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.
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8. The universe was ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
Peter Dunne writes – The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
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Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
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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 –
http://thestandard.org.nz/taking-the-gap/comment-page-1/#comment-558202
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”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXEZuAfxT3I
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
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hyperventilation-Syndrome-Breathing-Disorders-Overcome/dp/0857830295
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.