I don’t think many people on the centre and right realise just how good our PM is at Question Time.
Not only has she an impressive, a really impressive command of detail across many portfolios, she also has a witty tongue: for example, her parting shot –
"I could speak at great length about what we have done in office to repair the damage of that time in office by the National Party, so if the member wants to ask more patsies, I would welcome it."
If the election in ’23 was based purely on the merit of the debating skill of Jacinda and Luxon, there would be no contest.
Unfortunately, blind adherence on failed Chicago School economics means that the emotional and empty appeal of ‘tax cuts’ and ‘more money in the pockets of hard-working kiwis' will still be a factor.
TBF, Robertson and Ardern are both adherents of that same failing neo-liberal experiment. Just a nicer spin put on it
I would love to see this new Health Authority ditch the sub-contracting model favoured by the current DHB's and bring most roles- security, meals, grounds, laundry, in-house.
Luxon got a serve from the PM who said she would not be lectured by a party (on new house builds) which built only 100 houses in 9 years and instead sold off state houses.
She also reminded the House that National had children living in cars during last time in office.
We must remember back to those times as to what National was like in its last term in office, and then consider how they would have dealt with pandemics and the other crises and issues which have come up since 2017.
Then, having considered all that, ponder how bad it will be for us if National get back into office.
I have, and I'm back into helping out in the party organisation, to work to get this government re-elected. I'd sincerely ask that all Standardistas do the same, in whatever party suits their style.
Alwyn, you obviously didn't watch or listen. So why such a question?
If you had watched, then you would have known that 1. she handled her questioners with skill and knowledge (if that is what you mean by 'scripted 🙂 ) and 2. she has now twice challenged Luxon to debate with her, 'toe to toe' today, and guess what? Luxon did not stay for or participate in the general debate.
I am sure that Luxon would be able to point out the truth of her statements. I mean, he’s really good at deadpan reading out of prepared questions……
Alwynm I first read your OIA requst and thought I must have misheard ot misremembered the PM's words in Q1 yesterday. I didn't. What I quoted was correct. That is what the PM said.
You have produced a document that refutes that. Your argument therefore is with the PM.
looking at the figures in the OIA request, provided in July 2019, Labour built 2801 houses in six years from 2002-2008. National built 2953 state houses in 9 years 2008-17.
Total state housing stock fell from a high of 69,489 in 2010, to 67,245 in 2015 and down to 64,607 in 2019.
Figues from Kainga Ora for 31/12/21 state that 68,459 bedrooms have been provided by KO mostly state rentals, but also Lease, Community group and transitional housing.
Like is difficult to compare with like. I presume that the OIA figures refer also to total bedroom numbers, as do the 2021 figures.
So, numbers have come back up to within 1030 of the 2010 high.
Putting aside Ardern's figures, there is a clear case to be made by the figures that you supplied and followed by the 2021 figures that numbers of state provided housing had dropped under National and have climbed back to 1000 by the end of 2021 and presumably have improved in 2022.
Not really. It is now quite a long time since I did argue with a PM and then it was on the basis of "Yes Prime Minister but with respect I suggest that………..".
That was quite a number of years ago and I am not talking about anyone in the last decade or two.
I now don't have to be extremely polite and I can describe her as I think she is, a liar. I wouldn't consider saying that " she handled her questioners with skill and knowledge" when was she did was lie.
I also wouldn't say "I am sure that Luxon would be able to point out the truth of her statements". The word you should be using is not "truth" by the way. It is "untruth" and it is actually not easy for him to do that. The rules of the House don't allow you to say, or even hint, that she is lying. The mad duck in the chair will kick you out.
I am disappointed these days in how people are so eager to accept things she says as being gospel. They aren't.
Alwyn, was there any follow up reaction from the opposition to the PM's figures?
I did hear on ThursdayQuestion Time Minister Megan Woods say something along the lines of if National while in government had built houses in the same volume as did Labour then there would be 22000 more houses today and that therefore 85% of the current waiting list would have been already housed.
Follow up? Not that I know of and I don't think they would try if they couldn't do it instantly. I doubt that anyone would have both picked it up instantly and actually known what the answer would be on the spot. After all it had nothing to do with any of the questions they had been asking at the time.
You couldn't really bring it up now. Try thinking of a question that would be in line with the rules. If they didn't want to say anything Trevor would simply rule a question out of order on the grounds that "The PM is not responsible for the actions of the previous Government".
As for Woods remark! What is that meant to mean. I suppose National could ask whether she really thought National was to blame because they didn't allow for how terrible their successors were going to be? It might be accurate but again Trevor would say she wasn't responsible and shut them off.
It does sound like a pretty stupid comment from Woods though doesn't it?
"One of the points of both sadness and frustration for us as a Government, however, is that we are making up for the squandered opportunities of the previous Government. Not only did they end up with 1,500 fewer houses than they started with, but if they had built at the same rate as we did, there would be over 22,000 more public houses in New Zealand today, accounting for 85 percent of the current waiting list. So while we are pulling every lever, unfortunately we are playing catch-up for the gutting of public housing by the previous National Government."
Alwyn, I've just read your reply to McFlock on Daily Review and what you said is so accurate. With appropriate revisions you wrote, "I think you will find that this is simply alwyn saying he doesn't like Labour or its leader." How perspicacious.
Good, that means now there is evidence that is more then just some grainy photos.
And that means that with evidence at hand charges can be laid. Properly. As for war yes, war is repellent. The war in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Afghanistan, and so on and so forth. All repellent and all full of various atrocities against humans by humans.
Maybe next time more effort is spend on actually preventing war – and that includes Nato and the US/UK/"free western world".
Maybe next time more effort is spend on actually preventing war
At present it is clear from their actions that neither the Russian nor Chinese regimes are in the least interested in this. As long as this remains the case then you need to distinguish between weakness and appeasement – and strength and deterrence.
If you genuinely want to prevent war, then I have written to this many times over the years here – but no-one ever shows any interest.
Maybe next time more effort is spend on actually preventing war
At present it is clear from their actions that neither the Russian nor Chinese regimes are in the least interested in this…….
Just as you say Red, the Russian and Chinese regimes, may be least interested in stopping war, but neither were the Americans in Vietnam.
But that interest in war can be changed.
"1,2,3,4, We don't want your bloody war"
"2,4,6, 8, Stop the killing, Stop the hate"
America lost interest in prosecuting the war in Vietnam, not just because the US army got bogged down in the jungles of South East Asia, but because of a powerful anti-war protest movement in America.
The same thing could happen in Russia.
Thousands Detained At Anti-War Protests Across Russia
Maybe next time more effort is spend on actually preventing war – and that includes Nato and the US/UK/"free western world".
Agree, though one should include the UN and it’s member states, as they had the chance to address the legitimate concerns that Russia had and has regarding security issues, but instead of debating these concerns they chose to cave in to the US and it’s war diseased machine called NATO that the war mongers on this site clearly follow.
Instead of trying to deflect, minimise, and justify this situation, how about you and Sabine actually expressing revulsion for what is actually happening right now, without qualification.
Really, Byd0nz, someone who tacitly tries to justify what Russia is doing in Ukraine is more of a war monger than anyone else who posts here as it is lending support for Russia's aggression.
Nowhere on any of my comments have I supported Putin, I have however expressed the hope that with the next Russian election, the people vote in the second most popular party, one that has been consistently against this war, that is the Communist Party. Let’s hope this comes to fruition.
If the communist party is against the war, I actually hope they do get into power in Russia. As much as communism is an anathema to me, they certainly can't be worse than the current situation.
Do you seriously believe that Putin has any chance of losing given his ubiquitous control of everything in Russia? What do you think of the chance of "free and fair" elections over there?
The Communist Party of the Russian Federation strongly condemns the heinous joint provocation of Ukrainian and Western politicians and demands a comprehensive thorough investigation not of staged fakes, but of numerous real crimes of Nazi Bandera, including the brutal torture of Russian military personnel.
I don’t know if it will be the end of the Putin Regime, but let’s just wait and see how the voters react.
despite GI Joe’s 2pence worth, the Communist Party believes in dialogue in the first instance to avoid conflicts, something NATO and the UN fail to grasp.
despite GI Joe’s 2pence worth, the Communist Party believes in dialogue in the first instance to avoid conflicts, something NATO and the UN fail to grasp.
First time I've ever heard someone claim the UN doesn't do enough talking
Another thoughtful article on the atrocities being committed in the Ukraine, but many minds are closed.
Byd0nz, you should know by now that you can't deviate a mm from the mainstream line without being called a putin supporter, or being called on Whataboutism
"Whataboutism" – a term created to extract western warmongers from the difficult position of having done All The Bad Things they accuse others of doing. When someone uses it on you, it means you just killed their argument and exposed their moral bankruptcy.
The allegations at Bucha and western foreign policy
It would of course, be morally wrong and deeply inappropriate to write off these allegations at face value. It is true that such claims should be taken seriously, investigated properly and be treated with the sensitivity they deserve especially in respect to the victims. However, at the same time the scenes of shock, outrage and repulsion in the western political discourse make a proper assessment of these events of course impossible at least in the short term. Undeniably so, the insight cannot be dismissed that such allegations are being politicized on a grand scale and even if not unfounded, are being utilized as a means of war propaganda. What has seemingly happened cannot be condoned if true, but one should always be mindful of the tactics which the West uses.
thanks for that link and have read it and I do understand your comment below
Byd0nz, you should know by now that you can't deviate a mm from the mainstream line without being called a putin supporter, or being called on Whataboutism
"Whataboutism" – a term created to extract western warmongers from the difficult position of having done All The Bad Things they accuse others of doing. When someone uses it on you, it means you just killed their argument and exposed their moral bankruptcy.
All to true, these people seem to misread the point one is making which backs up the above statement.
Thank you for patiently this ts in a patient manner I could not have without invoking the wrath of Incog. You have done a fantastic job on Ukraine generally.
My answer to the Russia apologists here is simple – on Feb 24 when Putin ordered his military over the Ukrainian border – he was from that moment on accountable for all blood, brutality and chaos that would inevitably flow. Everything else is semantics.
Thanks for the nice comments Red. You have been making great comments as well.
I think it is important that we counter the sort of narrative that Russian apologists put up because I think it is a concerted strategy to minimise what is going on.
You might enjoy this guy who is part of the military in Kiev. He gives regular short videos on the situation.
In the video the link above connects with, he does a short Q & A video. He responds to a question from someone who identifies as a poor student who has nothing to contribute financially, but wants to know what he can do to help.
The response given is that the student could look out for Russian misinformation and advised of several sites the student could report the misinformation so that it could be taken down.
I know you are right of centre and I am left of centre tsmithfield, but I have found your posts here helpful. It shows there are many facets of life where there is no real disagreement between us.
It is disappointing Helen Clark lost her campaign to become UN Secretary General. No disrespect to the incumbent, but Helen planned to overhaul that bureaucracy and give it more teeth than it appears to have these days. That just might have helped to avoid the more horrific aspects of this war:
It looks increasingly like the Russian will make some gains in the Donbas, seize Mariupol, declare victory, end active hostilities and sometime in the future annex all occupied territory to Russia after a fake plebiscite. They'll use their nuclear arsenal to threaten anyone who dares to challenge the de facto post bellum outcome of this war.
The current Russian strategy now appears to be if the troublesome Ukrainians insists on not being "de-Natzified" and fighting furiously then they'll make sure it has no industry or economic base left when the active fighting stops.
They'll then keep Ukraine fighting a low intensity, debilitating war in the east of their country designed to forever keep the country poor and leave the West to fume in public and rebuild energy and money laundering links in private. Whether or not Putin will still be around is an open question. If they can brazen it out he might hang on, or it may be convenient for the authoritarian oligarchs who run Russia to organise a coup and replace him with someone else so everyone can blame him and the west can move on with a new leader in the Kremlin, "someone they can work with."
But there is no way under any scenario Russia will let it's generals or soldiery be put on trial in any western court for crimes committed in the Ukraine.
However, it is not a slam dunk that this will happen:
Firstly, the performance of the Ukranian military, the poor performance of the Russians, and the horror at the atrocities in Bucha is motivating the West to provide the heavy weaponary Ukraine needs to defeat the Russians (along with bountiful donations from the Russians themselves.
For instance, the Czechs are providing tanks to Ukraine. The British is looking to provide anti-ship missiles so Ukraine can defend against the Russian ships firing cruise missiles. And I have also seen reports that the US is trying to facilitate the supply of weaponary the Ukranians know how to use.
Secondly, waging war is expensive. This is where sanctions will start to bite in a big way so far as Russia's ability to sustain the fight for the long haul. Especially if Ukraine is provided with weapons that can cause them major damage.
Finally, Another problem is that Russia is increasingly finding it difficult to replace the weapons they are using because a lot of the components are made in Ukraine. Ukraine is naturally unwilling to supply those components at the moment.
The chief outcome of this war will be to expose Russia as an aggressive second class power with an outsized legacy nuclear arsenal of limited practical use that is a threat to all it's smaller neighbours but completely unable to compete with other first class powers.
Putin’s miscalculation means he has reinvigorated NATO, got the world cheering German rearmament and paved the way for a wider anti-Russian alliance in eastern Europe.
His only friend of substance will be China, and that will be a relationship akin to that of the crumbling Austro-Hungarian empire to the Germans in the Great War – the shots will be called in Beijing.
Yes, I have said in previous posts that Russia just ends up as a vasal state for China out of this.
I think Putin is so obsessed with Ukraine, and is overly focused on the short-term objective of not being seen to lose. But what ever happens, he has lost strategically. Russia will never be a great power again after this.
Ad, you may be looking forward to Russian military leaders being put on trial. In addition to this, some of us want to see the US put on trial for the millions of people whose existence is being threatened by the starvation and the deliberate denial of life saving drugs. These sanctions are imposed without UN approval and enforced by the US and its proxies. Such sanctions are without doubt WAR CRIMES and like the alleged war crimes in Ukraine are ruthless. One can only assume that the western world turns a blind eye because the victims are not blue eyed Europeans.
You might also consider which parts of the world have no skin in the NATO/Russian confrontation but will be consigned to premature deaths in the pile on to impose sanctions.
Make sure that you take it easy Ad. The fatigue stage is something else that has to be experienced to fully understand.
On the subject of visual entertainment can I recommend a 2019 English comic drama. "years and years". Not sure if it is on Netflix but it is on dvd and maybe the library has a copy. Our local library here has it. It's very topical including refugees from Ukraine, and really good for political tragics such as us on TS. One of the teenagers communicates with her parents through a digital filter, and thinks that she is trans – transhuman and wants to become digital data.
He says that it should be 57 for Maori and I think he has a point however
"• The gap between Māori and non-Māori period life expectancy has fluctuated, but over the
long term narrowed. For the period 2012-14, period life expectancy at age 65 for Māori men
was 15.4 years, and women 17.5 years. The non-Māori figures were 19.1 and 21.6 years,
implying a gap for that period of 3.8 years for men and 4.1 years for women"
Now of course there are more ways to divide a population than by race I would be very confident to wager a fair portion of my puny wealth that rich people live longer than poor people and the same for disabled versus the abled. But as the co-leader of a race based party I can see why his priorities appear to be only for Maori outcomes. .
But it's not just the Māori Party … ethnic-based preferential treatment is very much the goal of Labour & Green Party elites & activists, heavily influenced by Critical Race Theory & its various bastardized ideological manifestations … (the doctrinal maxims handed down by Archbishops DiAngelo, Kendi, Applebaum, Coates & so on) …
A highly, highly selective 'equity' … in which poorer Pakeha, Asians & other non-Polynesians are outrageously labelled "privileged" & systematically scapegoated into second-class citizenship, largely by stealth … with all the dire health consequences, lifestyle degradation & early death that that process entails.
Quite possibly an inevitable corollary of an ultimately self-interested Professional Upper-Middle Class capture of the 'Left'.
I would be happy enough to offer a reduced pension from 60 if a) it was means tested and b) normal super payments kicked in at a slightly older age, like 67 or 68.
It's a big thank you to Ashley Bloomfield, he has achieved his opus magnum in public health and bigger, but perhaps not as important, stations are calling him after a well deserved break. He departs a hero of public health practitioners everywhere and one would imagine almost any public health related job he wishes will be his for the picking.
I wonder what the bookies are offering on Ashley Bloomfield being on the Labour party list in 2023? Andrew Little does little except be grumpy, Jacinda may need a genial new health minister.
Anyway, if he isn't doing politics it'll be arise Sir Ashley come new year mark my words.
Well said Sanctuary. Having a Sir Ashley would be a very welcome and well deserved honour, as opposed to, the all too often party donor business troughers.
AFAICR, when he was asked the question, about whether he'd like to be a politician, the answer was very much in the negative.
I don't think he has any ambitions at all for a 'public' life after the last 2.5 yearrs.
Ad, tsmithfield and others: can you explain why the U.K is delaying a meeting of the UN Security Council?
Nebenzia & co have have put out information contrary to the official western/Ukrainian line. Is it not in the best interests of us all to test the evidence presented in both narratives?
Trying to read UNSC politics right now is next to impossible with Russia toxic to all but China, French Presidential elections days away, and all the current non-permanent members studiously avoiding strong support of Europe right now.
why the U.K is delaying a meeting of the UN Security Council?
Because they’re complicit in the NATO proxy war using Ukraine as a pawn to topple Russia, this being a last ditch attempt to keep the West as the drivers of World Order.
they are pouring tax payers money in weaponry to keep their war going at the same time ignoring the well being and infrastructure badly needed by those tax paying vassals.
Wow mate you excel yourself – so this is a NATO proxy war designed to topple Russia dam those NATO guys are so clever getting Ukraine to attack and invade Russia …oh hang on a minute….
I hope the way the business sector and National/Act have prioritised their selfish demands over the health and well-being of people has not contributed to Ashley Bloomfield deciding to step down. Their constant lack of backing up and support for his recommendations would not have made his job easy. His calm, intelligent demeanour has been amazing in the midst of all that has been thrown at him to deal with.
On the same day, 2 April 2022, the head of Kiev’s territorial defense, Sergei Korotkikh, nicknamed Botsman (who fought in the neo-Nazi Azov regiment), publishes several videos of the work of ‘his guys’. In the second video of his post, at 6 seconds you can clearly hear one of the guys asking if he can shoot the “men who don’t have blue armbands” (Ukrainian army armbands). To which his commander (Botsman) replies positively.
Interesting that the guys in the "torture cellar," and some of those with their hands tied on the road, have visible white armbands(signalling non hostility to the Russian military in a Russian occupied area)
Also has a video of war victims being buried in a mass grave outside the church.The video makes clear the dead are the victims of bombing from round about the 13th March, and says there are about 67 people buried
Someone recommended Meduza as being reliable(read a pro western outlet …thought they'd been banned)
Finally, to complete the picture, in an interview given to the media outlet Meduza (classified as a foreign agent in Russia), a woman living in Bucha and a member of the territorial defense (so not a pro-Russian), says herself that “the people lying on Yablonskaya died because of chaotic shooting”, and she does not report any cases of Russian soldiers shooting civilians during the time they controlled the city. Rather odd.
So, to my mind , the Russians are in the wider sense, responsible for the carnage , by initiating the war , but they have not perpetrated all the deaths themselves by a long way., and I am highly suspicious of those deaths where the victims are wearing white armbands and have their hands tied behind their backs.
Stephen D – Is bringing the issue to the Security Council about holding "Putin or anybody" accountable or about trying to establish the truth of the matter?
Russia has said it's a false flag and they have evidence to that effect. I don't know if that's true or false. Do they have the right to be heard or don't they?
The resignation of Health Director General Ashley Bloomfield has spooky weirdness to it.
He has nothing to go to. ie lost half a mil a year with not so much as a Director's appointment.
He's centre and middle of the largest health restructure we've ever done, which he's leading, and none of it's ready except the Maori entity Board appointments.
He's leaving when the pandemic remains the highest it's been in the entire two years.
He did not see his own term out, nor the political term, nor have a successor in place for the Number 1 King job. Surely it would have been his for the taking.
The thanks from the Prime Minister was sweet but brief and his own Minister Little has said nothing.
And now there's this. The Treasury has just released its Investor Confidence Review into the Ministry of Health which collapsed into a D rating. The DHB's which Bloomfield had had ripped apart by his attack dog Lester Levy all actually were shown to be strong and should not have been attacked. There go the careers of the key leaders of Waitemata, Auckland, Counties Manukau, and Canterbury. No need to wonder why key managers don't want to stay in Health here.
This is all set out in rigorous detail over three posts by Ian Powell previous Exec Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. Each of them is detailed and worth the time to read. This degree of sustained bureaucratic knifing is rarely exposed.
Treasury's evaluation results of Bloomfield's Departmental performance are all in black and white here, also going through all key Departments and all DHBs.
Granted we will see more blood spilled as all those DHB Board directors really air out their dirty laundry one by one.
Like Ardern, Bloomfield looks like he was great in a crisis but when that started to wear off the truth of his actual operation has come out.
I doubt too much more will come out from around him as his immediate circle will all be angling for the jobs that are in contest now, including his own.
I would imagine all the failings you describe Ad could be attributed to one Chai Chuah the previous Director General. Didn't we dodge a bullet by not having a National appointed accountant in charge of health in the time of a pandemic.
I think he's burned out. Do you recall the interview (about a year into the pandemic) where he spoke of the stress he felt carrying the burden of responsibility in those first hectic months? And the pressure hasn't let up. That takes a toll.
I could see it in Chris Hipkins as well at the end of last year. I suspect many people throughout health and government are feeling drained, to say the least.
Basically, after reading the links and then the previous posts in the DB link, I still have no idea what the dude is one about, let alone whether an alleged "coup" in one DHB is enough to be a career-ending debacle.
But I suspect that the DG-Health job has been a particularly tough one over the last couple of years (in both workload and responsibility), and as a still-registered doctor I doubt Bloomfield will be on the dole queue any time soon.
I think you can be rid of just 'suspecting' the job has been tough one. Two more senior people are finishing too.
I see Dr Caroline McElnay, director of public health, has commuted from Napier for five years.
They certainly have done their best for the public in unbelievably difficult times. The difficulties of the circumstances were beyond the ken of most of the cretins they were serving. Whose lives they helped save.
No doubt there'll be scuttlebutt, speculation and conspiracy theories about why they're resigning. Naturally enough Ardern, Hipkins and Little will be accused of all sorts of things. And blamed.
Maybe, but apparently the previous 3 Director-Generals of Health also didn't finish their 5 year terms, so it would almost be more unusual if he did finish the term.
Christchurch has introduced changes to Airbnb et al.Often council changes have negative outcomes for many (cost plus) here this will provide positive outcomes while disadvantaging few.
With over 2000 units in CHCH city,for short stay accommodation ,unconsented and paying residential rates (and probably residential insurance etc) not meeting the requirements of the building act,these units have an unfair disadvantage over entrenched accommodation providers.
The possible outcomes are an increased rating income for CHCH,from existing inventory for those who remain.
Even a minor change in inventory use will have a large outcome in CHCH,say for example if we see 10% become available on the rental market,this will be a 25% increase in rental listings,and if 10% become available on the housing market that increases inventory by 5%.
Accommodation (motels etc) is around 35% down at present in CHCH,so there will be no short term constraints.
Nationwide it would have substantive benefits ( without a single nail being used)
The significance of this purchase that Poland had been reluctant to give its current Soviet era tanks and Migs unless they could be upgraded by the US. So, this deal suggests Poland may release its older stuff to Ukraine.
Looks like that is happening now, so Ukraine could soon have a major boost for ejecting the Russians
As part of the modernization of its military, Poland is also buying US-made F-35 stealth fighter jets in a deal signed in 2020. Those 32 warplanes are scheduled to begin arriving in Poland in 2026.
"Ukrainian soldiers reporting having found boxes of condoms in destroyed russian IFVs"…..you are off the fucking hook man, you, without even the slightest doubt in your mind, link us to a Ukrainian propaganda TV channel, a place where all opposition political new sources and political parties have been banned, WTF…is your bullshit detector completely broken…or did you turn it off yourself?
I thought this was where serious political debate took place.
Medvedchuk was put under house arrest long before the invasion , and opposition TV was also shut down
Medvedchuk's house arrest started on 13 May 2021. Medvedchuk escaped this house arrest on 28 February 2022, four days after the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and went missing. On 8 March 2022 he was deprived of the post of co-chairman of Opposition Platform — For Life.
you really are an ignorant dick head GI Joe. there is no Red Army, there is no Communist Russia.
Maybe with the next election they may make a comeback being the second most popular party by far and with a big swing against Putins version of Capitalism. In the meantime, educate yourself
And if Joe wants to go back to Red Army days, he might like to remind himself of the OUN's slaughter of jews, Poles, and Roma in the second world war, under the leadership of Stepan Bandera.That Bandera who is still revered in Western Ukraine today
I was watching a Real Crime documentary a few days ago on SKY – Catching The Nail Bomber. (It's on Youtube)
Just a Nazi doing Nazi shit.
David Copeland:
"I bomb the blacks, Pakis, degenerates. I would have bombed the Jews as well if I'd got a chance." Ryan writes that Copeland's first idea had been to bomb the Notting Hill Carnival after seeing images of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics bombing. When asked by police why he had targeted ethnic minorities, he replied, "Because I don't like them, I want them out of this country, I believe in the master race."
Amnesty International also said it was unable to find evidence for the accusation that the Libyan government had given Viagra to its troops and encouraged them to rape women in rebel-held areas. Then-Secretary of State Clinton, among others, had contributed to this unproven myth.
After Afghanistan, Chechnya, Georgia, and Syria, nothing the Russians have done in Ukraine comes as a surprise. And without doubt, you and your ilk's defence and deflection of Russia's crimes makes you complicit in their murderously indiscriminate brutality, cruelty and sexual violence.
Have found the updated (mātauranga Māori inclusive) Curriculum matrix for NCEA Level 6, and posting the link to the page and the pdf here for anyone interested:
I've only briefly looked, but I already have concerns. Substitution of Te Reo Māori phrases and terms where there is no direct translation, thereby muddying language and concepts.
eg. Under Big Idea
(Mauri – 1.(noun) life principle, life force, vital essence, special nature, a material symbol of a life principle, source of emotions – the essential quality and vitality of a being or entity. Also used for a physical object, individual, ecosystem or social group in which this essence is located.)
Mauri is present in all matter. All particles have their own mauri and presence as part of a larger whole, for example within a molecule, polymer, salt, or metal. When matter is broken into smaller particles each particle remains as part of the taiao, for example when a substance is burnt or dissolved the particles remain, with their own mauri. They do not just disappear.
Nah. They've just rediscovered quintessence, or the fifth element, also known as aether.
In this case I guess it would be the ancient Greek version
" Aether – personification of the sky or upper air breathed by the Olympians; son of Erebus and night or of Chaos and darkness. Greek deity – a deity worshipped by the ancient Greeks. "
I doubt if they are really up to the medieval version which was supposed to provide the transmission of em radiation described as
"aether, also known as the fifth element or quintessence, is the material that fills the region of the universe beyond the terrestrial sphere. The concept of aether was used in several theories to explain several natural phenomena, such as the traveling of light and gravity."
Whichever one "mauri" is it is just as mythological and non-scientific as the various forms of "aether" turned out to be.
Meh – a celebrity motoring journalist telling one side of the story – and rather badly at that – Might as well listen to Mike Hosking. Reporting from the Donbas region – large numbers of local casualties. Well you will get that when you rise against your government and provide a springboard for hostile Russian forces.
Are we to take it Adrian, that you are so blind you have no knowledge of the many Ukranians killed in Russia's phony war in Donbas? How about you show us some thus far never demonstrated evenhandedness and learn those numbers – or are we to suffer your pathetic pandering to Putin ad nauseum as usual?
13000 killed and 30 000 wounded as of 2019 – since we all know that you are too pathetic a Putin worshipping fascist to look for those numbers yourself.
[This is getting far too personal, again. I don’t want to have to step in and break up shit fights, so why don’t you two stop replying and referring to each other for a few days. Hopefully, this will calm the mind & temper and lower the levels of acrimony between you two – Incognito]
"since we all know that you are too pathetic a Putin worshipping fascist"…..find just one time when I have condoned or defended Putin..you won't you fucking idiot.
I am getting a little tired of your unhinged always slightly hysterical ad hominem attacks on me… I am an easy guy to find on in internet, so why don't you contact me directly, and I will tell my address so you can come here and say that shit right to my face…or is saying this stuff just something you are only brave enough to do online when it doesn't mean nothing…as I suspect it is.
[This is getting far too personal, again. I don’t want to have to step in and break up shit fights, so why don’t you two stop replying and referring to each other for a few days. Hopefully, this will calm the mind & temper and lower the levels of acrimony between you two – Incognito]
However – I have a policy of intolerance of fascists. Popper explains it best:
This Paradox of Tolerance, as it came to be known, argues that intolerant behaviors, irrespective of any judgement of the values that underlie them, ought to be actively fought against in order to preserve an inclusive society.
The Putin dupes are not progressives. They are really only Putin's version of the Hitler Youth. They don't know, and thus can neither argue nor explain a Russian viewpoint.
Instead they resort to whataboutery, a tactic familiar to households with feuding four-year-olds "He did it first", they cry, a tactic that gets short shrift from experienced parents.
The crowning arrogance is for Adrian to complain about being bullied. He or she is proudly championing a genocidal monster, at length, ad nauseum, on a progressive site. I should damned well hope they being bullied – until they desist.
I'd've preferred if that function were undertaken by the Mods – but I don't set the policy.
Thank you. Below is my reply intended for general audience as well.
The kaupapa (aka ‘policy’) of this site is debating not bullying. The couple of Mods around here each have their own areas of expertise and special interest. Moderation is predominantly on poor/bad behaviour and not on content or topic; Mods can only skim the most obvious and blatant offences, because of limited time and because of lack of familiarity with the matter under discussion. This site is as lenient as possible to allow commenters as much freedom to debate each other as they wish.
My advice is not to waste time on closed-minded ‘dupes’ and save your energy for commenters who are genuinely interested in debate even, or rather particularly, when you might not agree with them – debating people with whom you 100% agree is an oxymoron (aka echo chamber).
My suggestion is that we start a new daily post titled 'Special Operations Post for Putin Dick Suckers' and all their posts get moved there – where the rest of us can safely ignore them.
It irks me that TS is wasting pixels on their drivel, but free speech and all.
To me. The USA can do no wrong, fan boys, the ones who say if "you are not for us you are against us", AND the advocates for Putin, can be put in their own thread entitled "Baby Killer" fanboys!
There are people I work with now, who are very worried about relatives involved in several wars. It is not a joke!
I know workers are needed for a range of jobs in the country. In the news today:
"Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi last year launched the 2021 Resident Visa – a one-off pathway to residency for migrants affected by the pandemic.
At the time it was estimated there would be 110,000 applications and 165,000 people would become residents through the scheme, in what was labelled the biggest change to immigration in recent history.
Yet just over halfway into the application process being open, 86,000 applications covering close to 170,000 people have come in – already more than estimated. Applications opened in December and finish at the end of July."
Housing. How will 165,000 people find houses? I’d heard there was a bit of a housing problem.
Yesterday Transport Minister Michael Wood was stood down after failing to properly declare a conflict of interest - namely his continued ownership of Auckland Airport shares while transport minister. Chris Hipkins and his Labour cronies tried to pass this off as Wood simply being forgetful, but this was somewhat undercut ...
Last year the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Solomon Islands signed a bilateral security agreement that includes police training and port visits by Chinese security advisors and naval vessels. This includes training in “crowd control” and protection of … Continue reading → ...
Yesterday’s revelation yesterday that Michael Wood’s ‘life admin’ got away on him and he didn't sell his Auckland Airport shares despite six warnings from the Cabinet Office was messy and 'unacceptable' enough for Hipkins to stand Wood down as Transport Minister until it was 'resolved'. Now it’s got even messier. ...
This is a guest post from Cameron Pitches is the former Convenor for the Campaign for Better Transport. These days he’s the Technology Manager at PortConnect It should be a surprise to nobody that cars are expensive to own and operate. Obviously they are an inherent part of the ...
You might’ve seen reports of the draft recommendations of the Electoral System review, released following a long public consultation. In this newsletter I’d like to offer some thoughts on those proposals, who they benefit, and a couple of other changes I think we need.It’s worth bearing in mind that these ...
Chris Hipkins must be starting to wonder whether any more Cabinet Ministers might embarrass him. The procession of Ministers this year making the headlines for the wrong reasons recalls the same sort of saga in the Key Government. Then, in 2014, Labour’s Chief Whip, Chris Hipkins said Key had ...
Hi,Thanks for the outpouring of advice and love over the weekend’s Wolves on the Roofpiece. I’m gonna throw some of your comments into a future newsletter, as I think there’s genuinely great advice in there for anyone suffering any kind of chronic pain, or battling the dark nighttime thoughts ...
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 ...
Socrates Takes The Rap: “Corrupting the youth”, the Athenian philosopher Socrates was convicted and executed for this offence more than 2,400 years ago. It is a sure sign of generational desperation: of the old order’s fear of the values and aspirations of its younger citizens; and of a generation no ...
Labour's "independent" review of the electoral system reported back today. You can read the full thing here, but most of it was basicly a rehash of the 2012 Electoral Commission review, and in response to the same questions, produced mostly the same answers: a lower threshold and removing the one-seat ...
ACT preens as party in waiting ahead of Election 2023, read an RNZ headline this morning. Foregone conclusions are totally the new black in election reporting this season. The article that followed was not quite so breathless, and concluded with the reminder that in the end it’s all up to the ...
ACT preens as party in waiting ahead of Election 2023, read an RNZ headline this morning. Foregone conclusions are totally the new black in election reporting this season. The article that followed was not quite so breathless, and concluded with the reminder that in the end it’s all up to the ...
Today transport Minister Michael Wood was stood down after failing to properly declare a conflict of interest. He'd bought shares in Auckland airport "as a teenager", hidden them in a trust when he became an MP, and failed to declare them for seven years, for three of which he was ...
Buzz from the Beehive At least one headline-grabbing ministerial announcement had not been posted on the government’s official website, when Point of Order checked early this afternoon. We learned from other sources that Michael Wood has been stood down as Transport Minister over over failing to properly disclose shares owned ...
Battered by storms, and soaring costs, New Zealand dairy farmers have countered by extracting higher production. As one commentator put it, end-of-season production “has been through the roof” . Westpac senior agri economist Nathan Penny notes in a report in the NZ Herald that we are probably looking at two ...
Not for the first time, David Seymour looks like an answer to a non-existent problem. Reportedly, ACT is promising to establish a Ministry of Regulations to cut through all that bureaucracy and red tape. Yep. To cut down on bureaucracy. Seymour is promising to create a whole new bureaucracy, presumably ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sara Peach In 1989, cartoonist Matt Groening told a reporter that his new television show, “The Simpsons,” would tackle the serious subjects in life. “It always amazes me how few cartoonists in print or animation go after the bigger issues, the kinds ...
This is a cross post from our friends at Bike Auckland. You can see the original post here.An Auckland for EverybodyIt’s 2024, and the Auckland Harbour Bridge is finally open and available to all modes of everyday transport. Using a dedicated lane protected from traffic, people walk, ...
It could be easy to shrug away Education Minister Jan Tinetti’s referral to the Privileges Committee as just another example of a Minister not following the rules of Parliament. But its significance should be recognised in the fact it is only the second time since 2008 that a Member of ...
Seeing is no longer believing. Surprisingly realistic – yet fake – images created by Artificial Intelligence (AI) are here. To date, most have seemed more like curiosities than genuine deception attempts. Last month, it was revealed that New Zealand’s National Party had used the AI image generation app Midjourney to ...
Young climate activists watch a livestream of Jacinda Ardern declaring a climate emergency in December 2020. File photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: There’s another call this morning to lower the voting age and to lower the threshold for parties to get into Parliament under MMP.Elsewhere, there’s news:most social homes ...
Interesting speech by Rowan Atkinson where he defends free speech. Timely too, as several countries are now facing the introduction of legislation which will be used to attack freedom of speech. New Zealand/Aotearoa is no exception. And this comes on top of actions of censorship, de-platforming and social pressure ...
The left has really been silent and allowed the traditional leftist commitment to free speech to erode and even fall out of favor. This has had an effect on a whole range of leftist issues, from journalism to environmental activism, worker’s rights, animal rights, etc. From June 17 to June ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – dominated today by announcements of who has been awarded King’s Birthday gongs – also carries news of a development in New Zealand’s relationship with Japan. This sits alongside the speech which Defence Minister Andrew Little delivered to the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue ...
The world is full of climate dashboards (and dashboards of dashboards), and so you might imagine that all datasets and comparisons are instantly available in whatever graphical form you like. Unfortunately, we often want graphics to emphasize a particular point or comparison, and generic graphs from the producers of ...
Not Even Close, Comrades! Occupy made it all the way to New Zealand, but its fate here did not differ substantially from its fate everywhere else around the world. The political praxis of identity politics, its extraordinary disintegrative power, made the organisation of any kind of credible threat to the ...
Take Me Home: Bowalley Road, North Otago. The long gravel road after which Chris Trotter’s blog is named. Near the road’s end is the farm where he spent the first nine years of his life.ONE OF THE JOYS of blogging is the instant feedback you get. Certainly, there are the trolls who ...
Steven Levitt, famous for his Freakanomics, shows that being an economist is not just mouthing supply and demand.Brian Easton writes – Anyone can call themselves an ‘economist’. Many do, despite having no qualifications in economics and hardly any formal training; they often make elementary errors. That is the ...
Today is New Zealand’s first King’s Birthday since 1951. It’s not Charlie’s actual birthday, any more than Queen’s Birthday was Liz’s, but it’s a public holiday nonetheless. Until the creation of Matariki, the monarch’s observed birthday marked the start of a black hole in New Zealand’s holiday calendar, stretching ...
All things change. Nations, sporting teams, individuals. All have a time of ascent, and, in time, of decline. Their time on the stage, in the spotlight - however brightly they shone, gone. A new generation in their place.We see it on this day, in what still sounds strange, King’s Birthday. ...
Hi,A few days ago I screwed up my back. Rather, I inflamed an old injury — agitating a naughty protruding disc on my spine so it pinched a nerve, turning my lower back into a swarm of confused electrical signals. As a bonus feature, my entire right leg felt like ...
Seymour smirked at his reflection.Hi he said.Hi Hi Hi Hi the different reflections from the mirrored surfaces around the bathroom responded. Those days are over he thought, no more having to knock on every bloody door in Epsom - everybody knows my name now.The theme tune to Cheers ran through ...
Last Sunday, we looked out across the seas to, of all places, the USA for inspiration and hope. We're going back again today to visit Joe Biden.But first, an octopus. Arguably this creature with more neurons in its arms than head qualifies as this planet’s first intelligent being.Arguably it also qualifies ...
When I left academia in 2011 I was forced to stop two book projects that were in the works. Without institutional support and resourcing it is impossible to conduct in-depth academic research that requires field research in foreign countries and … Continue reading → ...
Buzz from the Beehive Defence Minister Andrew Little, addressing big-wigs from around the world in Singapore, was oh-so-diplomatically disinclined to identify some countries as goodies or baddies in his government’s defence thinking. In his Speech To The IISS Shangri-La Dialogue 2023, he did say New Zealand’s most recent defence assessment ...
This week’s hoon included Wellington City Councillor Tamatha Paulon the politics ofLets Get Wellington Movingand the great battle for the Thorndon Quay cycle way. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTLDR: The week’s news in Aotearoa’s political economy I covered via The Kākā for subscribers included:The Labour Government’s ...
Morning all,I’ve been taking a look at some of the new features Substack have released and I’m keen to find out how you access newsletters. Some of the features are only available on certain platforms.Whether you use a mobile device like a phone or tablet, or a PC or laptop. ...
Hello! This is the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the week.Here’s what you may have missed.Last Sunday’s column had a genuinely inspiring story about political leaders getting huge things done in the face of culture wars and conservative resistance. Readers told me this should ...
Steven Levitt, famous for his Freakanomics, shows that being an economist is not just mouthing supply and demand.Anyone can call themselves an ‘economist’. Many do, despite having no qualifications in economics and hardly any formal training; they often make elementary errors. That is the result of a conscious decision of ...
Over the years, we've published several calls for help with translations but most of them were rather generalized in nature like last year's blog post published in February 2022. This time around, we are asking for help with a quite specific task, namely to update existing translations for the rebuttals included ...
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Buzz from the BeehiveEducation Minister Jan Tinetti brings news of a book of rules for school board members at the same time as her own grasp of Parliament’s rule book has been brought into question. Tinetti has announced a compulsory code of conduct to “ensure school board members are ...
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Open access notables Multiple studies indicate changes in the properties of Antarctic bottom water (AABW) over the past half century. These changes involve density and hence will affect both local and distant circulation of the oceans, not least overturning effects that are vital for marine biology but also climate and ...
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Ben Roberts-Smith is apparently "Australia’s most decorated living soldier", having won a Victoria Cross for killing people in Afghanistan. But today, after a stupendous self-own defamation case, he's also been proven to be a war criminal who committed multiple murders: Ben Roberts-Smith VC, Australia’s most decorated living soldier, has ...
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The government has looked at imposing a tax on nitrogen fertiliser, used heavily in NZ agriculture, but yesterday Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor conceded he had not convinced farming leaders to go ahead with it. ACT”s Mark Cameron claimed credit in Parliament for “killing” the plan. Both Federated ...
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Buzz from the Beehive An email from Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta had yet to be posted on the government’s official website, when Point of Order made its morning check on our ministers and what they are (officially) up to. She was providing us with an account – a ...
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Property values fell a further 0.7% in May from April across Aotearoa, but Core Logic sees evidence in the data “the current downturn is winding up.” Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: There are fresh signs this morning the housing market-with-bits-tacked-on economy is brightening up going into winter, and just ...
This is a cross post by Malcom McCracken at Better things are possible. It was from between when National signalled their change in housing policy but before they announced it but highlights why the Medium Density Residential Standards are important. Yesterday, the leader of the National Party, Christopher Luxon, ...
Do the global climate models (GCMs) we use for describing future climate change really capture the change and variations in the region that we want to study? There are widely used tools for evaluating global climate models, such as the ESMValTool, but they don’t provide the answers that I ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). The world is getting hotter and the headlines are scary. So does climate change mean the world is about to pass ...
Politik (paywalled) reports that He waka eke noa, the farmers' scam to have the rest of us subsidise their emissions forever, so they can keep on destroying the planet, is dead: Reality appears to be about to shatter Jacinda Ardern's dream that New Zealand could lead the world in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two ministerial press statements today draw attention to the Government’s incorporation of mātauranga Māori in its science policies and programmes. One of these announced the launch of the national space policy, which will oblige our space boffins to bring indigenous knowledge into their considerations. The ...
The Stations of the Cross, as all of us know from our devout and Godly ways, is a series of fourteen stations that depict the final hours in the story of Christ our Lord - appearing before Pilate, shouldering the wooden cross, whistling the Monty Python tune, so on and ...
The Green Party are today launching a campaign asking for people to submit their stories of subpar, substandard and downright awful experiences of renting in Aotearoa. ...
The Green Party is welcoming the draft report of the Independent Electoral Review and challenging all political parties to commit to implementing its final recommendations after the 2023 general election. ...
Today, Te Pāti Māori announce Takuta Ferris will contest the Te Tai Tonga seat at this year’s General Election. “Takura ran for the Te Tai Tonga seat for Te Pāti Māori in 2020. It takes tremendous courage and commitment to put your hand up for another round in the ring ...
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Today, President of Te Pāti Māori, John Tamihere has confirmed that Heather Te-Au Skipworth will stand for Te Pāti Māori in the Tukituki electorate this election. ...
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Katie Kenny from Stuff published an article today with a lazy attempt at so-called ‘fact checking’ my recent comments on the World Health Organisation’s concerning new regulations being developed. What is most surprising is that throughout this entire ‘fact checking’ process, Kenny never once rang me asking for my side ...
The National Party has released another confused and rushed policy that will only further worsen the inequality that is driven by unaffordable housing. ...
Welcome to sunny and calm Wellington, which I know those of you who are visiting would of course expect to be the case. It’s been a busy week since we put forward the 2023 Budget. Labour MPs have been out across the motu giving the good oil on the Budget. ...
Kia orana, Talofa lava, Mālo e lelei, Taloha ni, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Noa’ia e mauri, Ni sa bula vinaka, Kia ora, Tena Koutou Katoa. Labour Party President Jill Day, Prime Minister Hipkins, Party faithful, delegates and comrades, whānau and friends, it’s a privilege to be here today. I begin my ...
One of my kaumātua up North stood before the Waitangi Tribunal and said: ‘He aha kē ahau, te tangata kore hara i mua i te Atua, e tu nei kia whakawaatia e koe, te tangata tāhae, te tangata hara, te tangata kore tikanga?Ko koe kē te tika, kia tū ...
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The Green Party is calling on the Government to take responsibility for reducing inflation by taxing wealth instead of leaving RBNZ to continue hiking the Official Cash Rate. ...
The Green Party has released its list of candidates for the 2023 election. With a mix of familiar faces, fresh new talent, and strong tangata whenua voices, this exceptional group of candidates are ready to set the direction of the next Government. ...
Thank you for your invitation to be here, after yesterday's budget, and for the opportunity to talk with you. In the economic and social turmoil following the arrival of COVID 19 in New Zealand many concerns emerged. How would we keep our economy going and maintain our exports which are ...
The Māori Budget this year continues our proud track record of investing in whānau wellbeing, access to whare, and whakapapa, all of which support our Government’s plan to address the cost of living. ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Grant Robertson and Disability Issues Minister Priyanca Radhakrishnan have wished the 39-strong New Zealand Special Olympics squad heading to Berlin the best of luck. The New Zealand athletes departed for Germany today and will begin competing from next week. “The athletes heading to the Special Olympics ...
A proposed temporary law change would enable rural Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti landowners dealing with masses of cyclone and flood debris to burn mixed waste so they can replant and return their land to productivity, Environment Minister David Parker said today. The proposed short-term law change would ensure that any ...
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Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka met in Wellington this morning, reaffirming the strength and spirit of New Zealand and Fiji’s relationship, as outlined in the Duavata Relationship Statement of Partnership. “New Zealand and Fiji are connected by a kinship forged in Pacific culture, identity and interests, ...
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Tena koutou katoa and welcome to Parliament. It is a great pleasure for me to host you here today, for the second New Zealand Seafood Sustainability Awards. The awards started in 2020 and officially, are to be held every two years. But as with so many things, COVID got in the ...
Representation for women on public sector boards and committees is the highest it’s ever been with wāhine now making up 53.1 percent of public board and committee members,” Minister for Women Jan Tinetti said. Manatū Wāhine Ministry for Women’s 2022 stocktake of public sector boards and committees shows for the ...
A new law enabling sole parents on a benefit to receive child support payments for their tamariki was passed in Parliament today. “This change is estimated to lift as many as 14,000 children out of poverty and give families a median of $20 extra a week,” said Social Development and ...
Crack down on disposable vapes No new vape shops near schools or marae Restricted descriptions for product flavours The Government is taking action to reduce the number of young people taking up vaping, Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall has announced. “Too many young people are vaping, which is why we’re ...
Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka will visit New Zealand this week, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. “Prime Minister Rabuka officially visited New Zealand in 1998, over 25 years ago, and we look forward to welcoming him here once again,” Chris Hipkins said. “New Zealand and Fiji have a long ...
The King’s Birthday and Coronation Honours List 2023 includes sporting stars and administrators who reflect the best of New Zealand’s sporting community. Sir Wayne Smith has been knighted for services to rugby. Sir Wayne was Assistant Coach of the All Blacks at the 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cups and ...
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The strength and diversity of service in New Zealand is a standout feature of today’s King’s Birthday and Coronation Honours list, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said. “Each of today’s 182 recipients has contributed individually to our country. Viewed collectively, their efforts reflect an overwhelming commitment to service.” Chris Hipkins said. ...
The Defence Ministers of New Zealand and Japan have signed a statement of intent for closer defence cooperation between the two Pacific regional partners. Andrew Little and H. E. Yasukazu Hamada met to sign the ‘Statement of Intent on Defence Cooperation in Maritime Security, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief and ...
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The government is continuing to support rangatahi in providing more funding into Maori Trades training and new He Poutama Rangatahi programmes across Aotearoa. “We’re backing 30 new by Māori for Māori Kaupapa employment and training programmes, which will help iwi into sustainable employment or progress within their chosen careers” says ...
Murihiku Marae was officially reopened today, setting a gold standard in sustainable building practices as well as social outcomes for the people of Waihōpai Invercargill, Regional Development Minister Kiri Allan says. “The marae has been a central hub for this community since the 1980’s. With the support of $9.65 million ...
The first major public housing development in Whangārei for decades has reached completion, with 37 new homes opened in the suburb of Maunu today. The project on Tapatahi Crescent and Puriri Park Road, consists of 15 one-bedroom, 4 two-bedroom, 7 three-bedroom, 8 four-bedroom and 3 five-bedroom homes, as well as ...
Trade and Export Growth Minister Damen O’Connor will depart tomorrow for London to represent New Zealand at the Commonwealth Trade Ministers’ Meeting and then to Paris to vice-chair the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting. “My travel to the United Kingdom is well-timed, with the United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (UK FTA) ...
The Fuel Industry (Improving Fuel Resilience) Amendment Bill would: boost New Zealand’s fuel supply resilience and economic security enable the minimum stockholding obligation regulations to be adapted as the energy and transport environment evolves. “Last November, I announced a six-point plan to improve the resiliency of our fuel supply from ...
The Government is making sure those on low incomes will no longer have to wait five weeks to get the minimum weekly rate of ACC, and improving the data collected to make the system fairer, Minister for ACC Peeni Henare said today. The Accident Compensation (Access Reporting and Other Matters) ...
A compulsory code of conduct will ensure school board members are crystal clear on their responsibilities and expected standard of behaviour, Minister of Education Jan Tinetti said. It’s the first time a compulsory code of conduct has been published for state and state-integrated school boards and comes into effect on ...
Tena koutou katoa and thank you, Mayor Nadine Taylor, for your welcome to Marlborough. Thanks also Doug Saunders-Loder and all of you for inviting me to your annual conference. As you might know, I’m quite new to this job – and I’m particularly pleased that the first organisation I’m giving a ...
The Government will enter into a funding arrangement with councils in cyclone and flood affected regions to support them to offer a voluntary buyout for owners of Category 3 designated residential properties. It will also co-fund work needed to protect Category 2 designated properties. “From the beginning of this process ...
The Government has announced changes to strengthen requirements in venues with pokie (gambling) machines will come into effect from 15 June. “Pokies are one of the most harmful forms of gambling. They can have a detrimental impact on individuals, their friends, whānau and communities,” Internal Affairs Minister Barbara Edmonds said. ...
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The Government’s Research and Development Tax Incentive has supported more than $2 billion of New Zealand business innovation – an increase of around $1 billion in less than nine months. "Research and innovation are essential in helping us meet the biggest challenges and seize opportunities facing New Zealand. It’s fantastic ...
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Protecting the environment by establishing a stronger, more consistent system for freedom camping Supporting councils to better manage freedom camping in their region and reduce the financial and social impacts on communities Ensuring that self-contained vehicle owners have time to prepare for the new system The Self-Contained Motor Vehicle ...
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Research, Science and Innovation Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall and the Chinese Minister of Science and Technology Wang Zhigang met in Wellington today and affirmed the two countries’ long-standing science relationship. Minister Wang was in New Zealand for the 6th New Zealand-China Joint Commission Meeting on Science and Technology Cooperation. Following ...
5 percent uplift clearer and simpler to navigate Domestic productions can access more funding sources 20 percent rebate confirmed for post-production, digital and visual effects Qualifying expenditure for post-production, digital and visual effects rebate dropped to $250,000 to encourage more smaller productions The Government is making it easier for the ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs (Pacific Region) Carmel Sepuloni will represent New Zealand at Samoa’s 61st Anniversary of Independence commemorations in Apia. “Aotearoa New Zealand is pleased to share in this significant occasion, alongside other invited Pacific leaders, and congratulates Samoa on the milestone of 61 ...
The Government is continuing to support retailers with additional funding for the highly popular Fog Cannon Subsidy Scheme, Police and Small Business Minister Ginny Andersen announced today. “The Government is committed to improving retailers’ safety,” Ginny Andersen said. “I’ve seen first-hand the difference fog cannons are making. Not only do ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Bean, Research Fellow, School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, The University of Queensland Hans de Bull, Alchemical Hand Bell of Rudolf II, ca. 1600Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, CC BY-NC-SA Scholars are baffled by a mysterious object from Emperor Rudolf II’s ...
The capital is bursting with life, art and the best vibes in the country right now. The reason? Kia Mau Festival. Sam Brooks interviews the founders and some of the participants about what makes the festival so special.For the bulk of June, Pōneke will feel a little different. The ...
The former transport minister was asked 12 times to sell his Auckland Airport shares and didn’t do it. Emily Writes, a parent, knows exactly what that’s like.It was revealed at question time today that now-former transport minister Michael Wood was asked 12 times by the cabinet office to sell ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Scott F. Heron, Associate Professor in Physics, James Cook University The Bureau of Meteorology this week declared a 70% chance of an El Niño developing this year. This raises concern for the health of the Great Barrier Reef, which is under continuing ...
Closing its early childhood services may end up costing the council, while also taking away a vital community resource.On the Facebook page for Kauri Kids, the network of council-funded community early childhood education centres across Auckland, things seem rosy. Children experience sustainability by playing with shredded paper; they make ...
Calls for Michael Wood to be sacked from Cabinet are growing after more details emerged about decisions he made as Transport Minister while a shareholder in Auckland Airport. ...
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In an unexpected plot twist, it’s now been revealed embattled minister Michael Wood was actually asked to get rid of his shares in Auckland Airport 12 times. Yesterday, prime minister Chris Hipkins said he believed Wood was asked to divest his shares on about half a dozen occasions – though ...
In an unexpected plot twist, it’s now been revealed embattled minister Michael Wood was actually asked to get rid of his shares in Auckland Airport 12 times. Yesterday, prime minister Chris Hipkins said he believed Wood was asked to divest his shares on about half a dozen occasions – though ...
EU members at Massey University are bitterly disappointed that the Vice-Chancellor has continued to push ahead with disruptive and unnecessary plans to disestablish 178 administration and finance jobs only to establish 141 new roles. A preliminary ...
Watch out, Silicon Valley is trying to make wearable face tech cool again. Its creators say it’s “revolutionary”. Apple reckons its new spatial face computer will blend digital content with the physical world in a way Pokémon Go could only dream of. It will provide an “infinite canvas” for apps, ...
It might not be sinister, but the latest stuff-up by a government minister layers on the pain for Chris Hipkins. A clutch of Auckland airport shares purchased by a teenage Michael Wood, and his failure to get rid of them as a minister, have created a fresh headache for Labour ...
A group of concerned communities and businesses are today appealing to the Government to make a change that will stop the sudden and significant postal price increase that threatens to cut them off. From July 1, New Zealand Post is hiking its postage ...
The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation is disappointed by the new vaping regulations announced by the Government yesterday, saying they are inadequate to address the scale and seriousness of youth vaping in Aotearoa. "While we are pleased that ...
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This week, two deserving women won Whānau Ora awards. Today, one of them wins the Best Fit award.Tasteful, sophisticated and straight up slay. These are all light words to describe the indescribable outfit that Kim Wi wore to receive her well-deserved Whānau Ora award, alongside her colleague Ngaire Harris. ...
Xiaole Zhan’s vivid, award-winning essay about how music can shape the perception of one’s own body was originally published in Landfall 245. I am seventeen with naked knees hacking into the trachea of a dead sheep. The smell will stain me, like bloodshot snow, or the taste of cigarettes and ...
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The Chairperson of the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee is calling for public submissions on the Fuel Industry (Improving Fuel Resilience) Amendment Bill. The bill aims to ensure that New Zealand has adequate fuel stocks to mitigate ...
This week on our pop culture podcast we talk Tina from Turners, Pete Evans’ new ‘do and the secrets of the Love Island villa from Iain Stirling himself. Eat, sleep, crack on, repeat – It’s Love Island week and we could not be more excited to return to ...
“Common sense, driven by Groundswell NZ, seems to be finally permeating the He Waka Eke Noa space. A tax on the world’s most efficient farmers is counterproductive to food security, pricing, and would drive emissions offshore and in greater volume ...
A Malaysian lawyer who petitioned for New Zealand to stop sending plastic recycling to developing countries will be facing off against industry groups in Parliament tomorrow. This Thursday morning, petition leader Lydia Chai will argue for a ban ...
Homelessness is traumatic for young people, with potentially lifelong impacts on their mental, physical, and emotional well-being. According to data by STATS NZ, almost 50% of all those experiencing homelessness in Aotearoa are tamariki and rangatahi. ...
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has released its most recent report on the use of animals in science , stating that 308,872 animals were used for research, testing and teaching in NZ that year, and nearly half (47%) of these animals were ...
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Leading road transport body Transporting New Zealand is calling on all political parties to make transport a top priority in this year’s election. The organisation has released the Road Transport Industry Platform for the 2023 General Election. ...
The Chairperson of the Justice Committee is calling for submissions on the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Rugby World Cup 2023 Extended Trading Hours) Amendment Bill. The 2023 men’s Rugby World Cup will take place from 9 September 2023 to 29 October ...
National’s unveiled a new election year policy dubbed “infrastructure for the future”, which the party said will address the country’s “yawning” infrastructure deficit. It includes a new National Infrastructure Agency that would help coordinate government funding and improve delivery, new partnership deals between the government and local councils to create ...
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Duncan Greive has a story on The Spinoff this morning on the awards designed to recognise the service of frontline workers during the pandemic. A year on from the announcement of the awards, hundreds of seemingly eligible people and organisations have been turned down, while around 50,000 awards remain unclaimed. Greive spoke ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lucinda McKnight, Senior Lecturer in Pedagogy and Curriculum, Deakin University Shutterstock The world of writing is changing. Things have moved very quickly from keyboards and predictive text. The rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) means bots can now write ...
Primary teachers have accepted the latest collective agreement put forward by the education ministry – the fourth offer proposed following lengthy negotiations and strike action. In a statement, the head of the education union NZEI, Mark Potter, said the new agreement included significant wins for teachers. “The biggest win was ...
Fuel companies are preparing marketing campaigns to sheet home the blame for next month's rise in fuel prices – and controversially, to show motorists how to avoid paying ...
The National Party is standing by its call for Michael Wood to be sacked from all his ministerial posts. Wood, who retains his roles in the immigration and Auckland portfolio, was stood down as transport minister yesterday after it emerged he had continued to hold undeclared shares in Auckland Airport. ...
Michael Wood got parked as transport minister yesterday, his explanation about not selling airport shares found wanting. He’s the fifth minister to cause the prime minister problems since January, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Grant Duncan, Associate Professor, School of People, Environment and Planning, Massey University Getty Images Among a host of other recommendations, the Independent Electoral Review has proposed a referendum on extending the term of parliament to four years (from the current ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Grant Duncan, Associate Professor, School of People, Environment and Planning, Massey University Getty Images Among a host of other recommendations, the Independent Electoral Review has proposed a referendum on extending the term of parliament to four years (from the current ...
Jacinda Ardern announced military-style awards to formally acknowledge the pandemic’s frontline workers. But a year on, hundreds of seemingly eligible people and organisations have been turned down, while around 50,000 awards remain unclaimed.The early days of the pandemic were a blur for Terry Taylor. The president of the New ...
A proposal to put te reo Māori on New Zealand's road signs has sparked outcries at the cost and the confusion bilingual signage could bring. But as The Detail finds out, bilingual signage has been around for decades — and it works. In Wales, bilingual signage is everywhere. "You've got road signs ...
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By Alice Lolohea of Tagata Pasifika Twenty five broadcasters from 13 Pacific countries touched down in Auckland recently for the Pacific Broadcasters conference. A meet and greet filled with lots of talanoa, networking and healthy debate, the conference was a welcome change from a typical Zoom meeting. Natasha Meleisea, chief ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe and his board have pushed up interest rates yet again – for the twelfth time in 14 months – because they want to damage the ...
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I don’t think many people on the centre and right realise just how good our PM is at Question Time.
Not only has she an impressive, a really impressive command of detail across many portfolios, she also has a witty tongue: for example, her parting shot –
https://ondemand.parliament.nz/parliament-tv-on-demand/?itemId=224240
If the election in ’23 was based purely on the merit of the debating skill of Jacinda and Luxon, there would be no contest.
Unfortunately, blind adherence on failed Chicago School economics means that the emotional and empty appeal of ‘tax cuts’ and ‘more money in the pockets of hard-working kiwis' will still be a factor.
Exactly right Tony V…she is excellent at PMQ. Contrast this with Luxon's chronically bad performance on Radio NZ’s Morning Report this AM.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018837169/ukraine-invasion-luxon-wants-stronger-sanctions-ambassador-expelled
TBF, Robertson and Ardern are both adherents of that same failing neo-liberal experiment. Just a nicer spin put on it
I would love to see this new Health Authority ditch the sub-contracting model favoured by the current DHB's and bring most roles- security, meals, grounds, laundry, in-house.
I'll take results over rhetoric thanks.
Wednesday update: another embarrassing question time for Luxon.
Reading from scripted questions which simply allowed the PM to catalogue the many achievements of her government.
Though, to be fair – maybe the contrast is so marked because Luxon (who used to run an airline, don’t you know) is so appallingly bad.
Luxon got a serve from the PM who said she would not be lectured by a party (on new house builds) which built only 100 houses in 9 years and instead sold off state houses.
She also reminded the House that National had children living in cars during last time in office.
We must remember back to those times as to what National was like in its last term in office, and then consider how they would have dealt with pandemics and the other crises and issues which have come up since 2017.
Then, having considered all that, ponder how bad it will be for us if National get back into office.
I have, and I'm back into helping out in the party organisation, to work to get this government re-elected. I'd sincerely ask that all Standardistas do the same, in whatever party suits their style.
Did she tell the truth in any of her scripted comments?
Alwyn, you obviously didn't watch or listen. So why such a question?
If you had watched, then you would have known that 1. she handled her questioners with skill and knowledge (if that is what you mean by 'scripted 🙂 ) and 2. she has now twice challenged Luxon to debate with her, 'toe to toe' today, and guess what? Luxon did not stay for or participate in the general debate.
I am sure that Luxon would be able to point out the truth of her statements. I mean, he’s really good at deadpan reading out of prepared questions……
You never answered my question did you? Instead you quote some b**s about National building only a 100 houses in 9 years.
The actual figures for their time in office, and I have included the fiscal years from 2009/2010 to 2017/2018 as being their term are as follows.
2009/2010 372. Then for the following years they were 165, 123, 100, 173, 408, 732, 419, and in 2017/2018 841.
!00 homes in 9 years? b**s. So that statement you have quoted was a lie. Were any of the other lines she parroted any closer to the truth?
The numbers are from the bottom of page 3 of this document.
https://kaingaora.govt.nz/assets/Publications/OIAs-Official-Information-Requests/July-2019/OIA-9-July-2019-number-of-state-houss-built.pdf
Alwynm I first read your OIA requst and thought I must have misheard ot misremembered the PM's words in Q1 yesterday. I didn't. What I quoted was correct. That is what the PM said.
You have produced a document that refutes that. Your argument therefore is with the PM.
looking at the figures in the OIA request, provided in July 2019, Labour built 2801 houses in six years from 2002-2008. National built 2953 state houses in 9 years 2008-17.
Total state housing stock fell from a high of 69,489 in 2010, to 67,245 in 2015 and down to 64,607 in 2019.
Figues from Kainga Ora for 31/12/21 state that 68,459 bedrooms have been provided by KO mostly state rentals, but also Lease, Community group and transitional housing.
Like is difficult to compare with like. I presume that the OIA figures refer also to total bedroom numbers, as do the 2021 figures.
So, numbers have come back up to within 1030 of the 2010 high.
Putting aside Ardern's figures, there is a clear case to be made by the figures that you supplied and followed by the 2021 figures that numbers of state provided housing had dropped under National and have climbed back to 1000 by the end of 2021 and presumably have improved in 2022.
citation for the Kainga Ora figures above .https://kaingaora.govt.nz/assets/Publications/Managed-stock/Managed-Stock-December-2021-National-Summary.pdf
I should add, and this compounds the difficulty I am having comparing like with like, is that some 1700 housing 'units' are owned by, but currently untenanted, at 31/12/2021. These possibly should be added to the 'total housing portfolio administered by the state'.
https://kaingaora.govt.nz/assets/Publications/Vacant-properties/Vacant-Stock-December-2021-National-Summary.pdf
" Your argument therefore is with the PM"
Not really. It is now quite a long time since I did argue with a PM and then it was on the basis of "Yes Prime Minister but with respect I suggest that………..".
That was quite a number of years ago and I am not talking about anyone in the last decade or two.
I now don't have to be extremely polite and I can describe her as I think she is, a liar. I wouldn't consider saying that " she handled her questioners with skill and knowledge" when was she did was lie.
I also wouldn't say "I am sure that Luxon would be able to point out the truth of her statements". The word you should be using is not "truth" by the way. It is "untruth" and it is actually not easy for him to do that. The rules of the House don't allow you to say, or even hint, that she is lying. The mad duck in the chair will kick you out.
I am disappointed these days in how people are so eager to accept things she says as being gospel. They aren't.
Alwyn, was there any follow up reaction from the opposition to the PM's figures?
I did hear on ThursdayQuestion Time Minister Megan Woods say something along the lines of if National while in government had built houses in the same volume as did Labour then there would be 22000 more houses today and that therefore 85% of the current waiting list would have been already housed.
Follow up? Not that I know of and I don't think they would try if they couldn't do it instantly. I doubt that anyone would have both picked it up instantly and actually known what the answer would be on the spot. After all it had nothing to do with any of the questions they had been asking at the time.
You couldn't really bring it up now. Try thinking of a question that would be in line with the rules. If they didn't want to say anything Trevor would simply rule a question out of order on the grounds that "The PM is not responsible for the actions of the previous Government".
As for Woods remark! What is that meant to mean. I suppose National could ask whether she really thought National was to blame because they didn't allow for how terrible their successors were going to be? It might be accurate but again Trevor would say she wasn't responsible and shut them off.
It does sound like a pretty stupid comment from Woods though doesn't it?
Alwyn, here is what she said, from Hansard. Question 12.
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansDeb_20220407_20220407_16
"One of the points of both sadness and frustration for us as a Government, however, is that we are making up for the squandered opportunities of the previous Government. Not only did they end up with 1,500 fewer houses than they started with, but if they had built at the same rate as we did, there would be over 22,000 more public houses in New Zealand today, accounting for 85 percent of the current waiting list. So while we are pulling every lever, unfortunately we are playing catch-up for the gutting of public housing by the previous National Government."
That might better explain her point.
Alwyn, I've just read your reply to McFlock on Daily Review and what you said is so accurate. With appropriate revisions you wrote, "I think you will find that this is simply alwyn saying he doesn't like Labour or its leader." How perspicacious.
For those who want to push the Russian narrative that the Bucha attrocities were faked:
1. The atrocities have been geolocated to when the Russians were in control of Bucha.
2. Drone footage showing a Russian tank firing on a civilian walking with a bike in Bucha.
3. This DW report debunking Russian claims about "evidence" of staging.
This situation is absolutely repellant, and probably only the tip of the iceberg I expect.
Good, that means now there is evidence that is more then just some grainy photos.
And that means that with evidence at hand charges can be laid. Properly. As for war yes, war is repellent. The war in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Afghanistan, and so on and so forth. All repellent and all full of various atrocities against humans by humans.
Maybe next time more effort is spend on actually preventing war – and that includes Nato and the US/UK/"free western world".
Maybe next time more effort is spend on actually preventing war
At present it is clear from their actions that neither the Russian nor Chinese regimes are in the least interested in this. As long as this remains the case then you need to distinguish between weakness and appeasement – and strength and deterrence.
If you genuinely want to prevent war, then I have written to this many times over the years here – but no-one ever shows any interest.
Lol the old "I always you never " line
Just as you say Red, the Russian and Chinese regimes, may be least interested in stopping war, but neither were the Americans in Vietnam.
But that interest in war can be changed.
"1,2,3,4, We don't want your bloody war"
"2,4,6, 8, Stop the killing, Stop the hate"
America lost interest in prosecuting the war in Vietnam, not just because the US army got bogged down in the jungles of South East Asia, but because of a powerful anti-war protest movement in America.
The same thing could happen in Russia.
Maybe next time more effort is spend on actually preventing war – and that includes Nato and the US/UK/"free western world".
Agree, though one should include the UN and it’s member states, as they had the chance to address the legitimate concerns that Russia had and has regarding security issues, but instead of debating these concerns they chose to cave in to the US and it’s war diseased machine called NATO that the war mongers on this site clearly follow.
Instead of trying to deflect, minimise, and justify this situation, how about you and Sabine actually expressing revulsion for what is actually happening right now, without qualification.
Really, Byd0nz, someone who tacitly tries to justify what Russia is doing in Ukraine is more of a war monger than anyone else who posts here as it is lending support for Russia's aggression.
Nowhere on any of my comments have I supported Putin, I have however expressed the hope that with the next Russian election, the people vote in the second most popular party, one that has been consistently against this war, that is the Communist Party. Let’s hope this comes to fruition.
If the communist party is against the war, I actually hope they do get into power in Russia. As much as communism is an anathema to me, they certainly can't be worse than the current situation.
Do you seriously believe that Putin has any chance of losing given his ubiquitous control of everything in Russia? What do you think of the chance of "free and fair" elections over there?
Nah, they're in.
The Communist Party of the Russian Federation strongly condemns the heinous joint provocation of Ukrainian and Western politicians and demands a comprehensive thorough investigation not of staged fakes, but of numerous real crimes of Nazi Bandera, including the brutal torture of Russian military personnel.
https://twitter.com/G_Zyuganov/status/1511444400290910213
I don’t know if it will be the end of the Putin Regime, but let’s just wait and see how the voters react.
despite GI Joe’s 2pence worth, the Communist Party believes in dialogue in the first instance to avoid conflicts, something NATO and the UN fail to grasp.
First time I've ever heard someone claim the UN doesn't do enough talking
Another thoughtful article on the atrocities being committed in the Ukraine, but many minds are closed.
Byd0nz, you should know by now that you can't deviate a mm from the mainstream line without being called a putin supporter, or being called on Whataboutism
"Whataboutism" – a term created to extract western warmongers from the difficult position of having done All The Bad Things they accuse others of doing. When someone uses it on you, it means you just killed their argument and exposed their moral bankruptcy.
The allegations at Bucha and western foreign policy
https://english.dotdotnews.com/a/202204/05/AP624bf362e4b0adad9d2fb2aa.html
thanks for that link and have read it and I do understand your comment below
Byd0nz, you should know by now that you can't deviate a mm from the mainstream line without being called a putin supporter, or being called on Whataboutism
"Whataboutism" – a term created to extract western warmongers from the difficult position of having done All The Bad Things they accuse others of doing. When someone uses it on you, it means you just killed their argument and exposed their moral bankruptcy.
All to true, these people seem to misread the point one is making which backs up the above statement.
thanks for your posts
Crimea river Putin is s nasty meglomaniac
Thank you for patiently this ts in a patient manner I could not have without invoking the wrath of Incog. You have done a fantastic job on Ukraine generally.
My answer to the Russia apologists here is simple – on Feb 24 when Putin ordered his military over the Ukrainian border – he was from that moment on accountable for all blood, brutality and chaos that would inevitably flow. Everything else is semantics.
Thanks for the nice comments Red. You have been making great comments as well.
I think it is important that we counter the sort of narrative that Russian apologists put up because I think it is a concerted strategy to minimise what is going on.
You might enjoy this guy who is part of the military in Kiev. He gives regular short videos on the situation.
In the video the link above connects with, he does a short Q & A video. He responds to a question from someone who identifies as a poor student who has nothing to contribute financially, but wants to know what he can do to help.
The response given is that the student could look out for Russian misinformation and advised of several sites the student could report the misinformation so that it could be taken down.
So, I guess we can all be doing something.
I know you are right of centre and I am left of centre tsmithfield, but I have found your posts here helpful. It shows there are many facets of life where there is no real disagreement between us.
It is disappointing Helen Clark lost her campaign to become UN Secretary General. No disrespect to the incumbent, but Helen planned to overhaul that bureaucracy and give it more teeth than it appears to have these days. That just might have helped to avoid the more horrific aspects of this war:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/464711/ukraine-war-zelensky-tells-un-of-horrors-of-russian-invasion
Thank you Anne. I think there are issues like these that make our differing political perspectives seem quite trivial.
I suppose the BBC can be considered a 'reliable' source of info on the war?
If that is so, this short documentary on a Russian Special Elite force is damning indeed!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chwUmbOTjPU
I'm looking forward to Russian military leaders being put on trial for this.
It might be a bit easier to identify the direct culprits of this brutality as Anonymous has published the names of the Russian soldiers in Bucha.
It will never happen.
It looks increasingly like the Russian will make some gains in the Donbas, seize Mariupol, declare victory, end active hostilities and sometime in the future annex all occupied territory to Russia after a fake plebiscite. They'll use their nuclear arsenal to threaten anyone who dares to challenge the de facto post bellum outcome of this war.
The current Russian strategy now appears to be if the troublesome Ukrainians insists on not being "de-Natzified" and fighting furiously then they'll make sure it has no industry or economic base left when the active fighting stops.
They'll then keep Ukraine fighting a low intensity, debilitating war in the east of their country designed to forever keep the country poor and leave the West to fume in public and rebuild energy and money laundering links in private. Whether or not Putin will still be around is an open question. If they can brazen it out he might hang on, or it may be convenient for the authoritarian oligarchs who run Russia to organise a coup and replace him with someone else so everyone can blame him and the west can move on with a new leader in the Kremlin, "someone they can work with."
But there is no way under any scenario Russia will let it's generals or soldiery be put on trial in any western court for crimes committed in the Ukraine.
Yes, I am sure that is the Russian plan.
However, it is not a slam dunk that this will happen:
Firstly, the performance of the Ukranian military, the poor performance of the Russians, and the horror at the atrocities in Bucha is motivating the West to provide the heavy weaponary Ukraine needs to defeat the Russians (along with bountiful donations from the Russians themselves.
For instance, the Czechs are providing tanks to Ukraine. The British is looking to provide anti-ship missiles so Ukraine can defend against the Russian ships firing cruise missiles. And I have also seen reports that the US is trying to facilitate the supply of weaponary the Ukranians know how to use.
Secondly, waging war is expensive. This is where sanctions will start to bite in a big way so far as Russia's ability to sustain the fight for the long haul. Especially if Ukraine is provided with weapons that can cause them major damage.
Finally, Another problem is that Russia is increasingly finding it difficult to replace the weapons they are using because a lot of the components are made in Ukraine. Ukraine is naturally unwilling to supply those components at the moment.
Here is a report on the effect of sanctions on the the ability for Russia to keep waging war.
The chief outcome of this war will be to expose Russia as an aggressive second class power with an outsized legacy nuclear arsenal of limited practical use that is a threat to all it's smaller neighbours but completely unable to compete with other first class powers.
Putin’s miscalculation means he has reinvigorated NATO, got the world cheering German rearmament and paved the way for a wider anti-Russian alliance in eastern Europe.
His only friend of substance will be China, and that will be a relationship akin to that of the crumbling Austro-Hungarian empire to the Germans in the Great War – the shots will be called in Beijing.
Yes, I have said in previous posts that Russia just ends up as a vasal state for China out of this.
I think Putin is so obsessed with Ukraine, and is overly focused on the short-term objective of not being seen to lose. But what ever happens, he has lost strategically. Russia will never be a great power again after this.
In a globalised world, all sanctions and measures to punish can have unforeseen consequences .
https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-oligarchs-seized-superyachts-may-become-environmental-hazard-experts-2022-3
Incidentally, the ordinary Russian people are just loving seeing the almighty oligarchs getting their comeuppance
I'm looking forward to all living military and political leaders being put on trial for all war crimes committed under their watch.
Ad, you may be looking forward to Russian military leaders being put on trial. In addition to this, some of us want to see the US put on trial for the millions of people whose existence is being threatened by the starvation and the deliberate denial of life saving drugs. These sanctions are imposed without UN approval and enforced by the US and its proxies. Such sanctions are without doubt WAR CRIMES and like the alleged war crimes in Ukraine are ruthless. One can only assume that the western world turns a blind eye because the victims are not blue eyed Europeans.
You might also consider which parts of the world have no skin in the NATO/Russian confrontation but will be consigned to premature deaths in the pile on to impose sanctions.
Day 3 in bed, binge-watching The Watchers on Netflix (recommended).
Part 2 of the final series of Ozark starts on 29th April as well for anyone who is into that.
Ozark is a great series. Thanks for that I was wondering when it was returning.
There is a trailer for it on youtube atm I think.
Thanks again. Just watched it. Looks awesome.
I just finished Bel Air (TVNZ), that was good.
I hope the nasty Omicron doesn't lay you too low Ad. Get well.
My bad it's actually called Secret City.
Make sure that you take it easy Ad. The fatigue stage is something else that has to be experienced to fully understand.
On the subject of visual entertainment can I recommend a 2019 English comic drama. "years and years". Not sure if it is on Netflix but it is on dvd and maybe the library has a copy. Our local library here has it. It's very topical including refugees from Ukraine, and really good for political tragics such as us on TS. One of the teenagers communicates with her parents through a digital filter, and thinks that she is trans – transhuman and wants to become digital data.
Something for all. 😏😊
If you don't mind a bit of violence, and haven't caught up with Peaky Blinders, watch it. Some of the best TV ever!
I want some of that stuff you are on! You make Lala Land sound so cool!
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
Thank you for your intelligent contribution to this debate /s
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/new-zealand-superannuation-maori-party-co-leader-rawiri-waititi-suggests-lowering-eligibility-age/ABLOZ5Q7EBVVWRHXFLEHQTLL2Y/
He says that it should be 57 for Maori and I think he has a point however
"• The gap between Māori and non-Māori period life expectancy has fluctuated, but over the
long term narrowed. For the period 2012-14, period life expectancy at age 65 for Māori men
was 15.4 years, and women 17.5 years. The non-Māori figures were 19.1 and 21.6 years,
implying a gap for that period of 3.8 years for men and 4.1 years for women"
https://actuaries.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/2-Longevity-RIIG-FINAL-Oct-19.pdf
Now of course there are more ways to divide a population than by race I would be very confident to wager a fair portion of my puny wealth that rich people live longer than poor people and the same for disabled versus the abled. But as the co-leader of a race based party I can see why his priorities appear to be only for Maori outcomes.
.
Perhaps men should get the pension sooner than women because women tend to live longer.
I am sure non smokers and non drinkers live longer to
should ……
.
But it's not just the Māori Party … ethnic-based preferential treatment is very much the goal of Labour & Green Party elites & activists, heavily influenced by Critical Race Theory & its various bastardized ideological manifestations … (the doctrinal maxims handed down by Archbishops DiAngelo, Kendi, Applebaum, Coates & so on) …
A highly, highly selective 'equity' … in which poorer Pakeha, Asians & other non-Polynesians are outrageously labelled "privileged" & systematically scapegoated into second-class citizenship, largely by stealth … with all the dire health consequences, lifestyle degradation & early death that that process entails.
Quite possibly an inevitable corollary of an ultimately self-interested Professional Upper-Middle Class capture of the 'Left'.
I would be happy enough to offer a reduced pension from 60 if a) it was means tested and b) normal super payments kicked in at a slightly older age, like 67 or 68.
It's a big thank you to Ashley Bloomfield, he has achieved his opus magnum in public health and bigger, but perhaps not as important, stations are calling him after a well deserved break. He departs a hero of public health practitioners everywhere and one would imagine almost any public health related job he wishes will be his for the picking.
I wonder what the bookies are offering on Ashley Bloomfield being on the Labour party list in 2023? Andrew Little does little except be grumpy, Jacinda may need a genial new health minister.
Anyway, if he isn't doing politics it'll be arise Sir Ashley come new year mark my words.
Well said Sanctuary. Having a Sir Ashley would be a very welcome and well deserved honour, as opposed to, the all too often party donor business troughers.
Agreed !
I give you New Zealander of the year 2022
AFAICR, when he was asked the question, about whether he'd like to be a politician, the answer was very much in the negative.
I don't think he has any ambitions at all for a 'public' life after the last 2.5 yearrs.
His reply: 'Not . . . a jot!'
Ad, tsmithfield and others: can you explain why the U.K is delaying a meeting of the UN Security Council?
Nebenzia & co have have put out information contrary to the official western/Ukrainian line. Is it not in the best interests of us all to test the evidence presented in both narratives?
Trying to read UNSC politics right now is next to impossible with Russia toxic to all but China, French Presidential elections days away, and all the current non-permanent members studiously avoiding strong support of Europe right now.
It's not a parlour game I want to observe.
why the U.K is delaying a meeting of the UN Security Council?
Because they’re complicit in the NATO proxy war using Ukraine as a pawn to topple Russia, this being a last ditch attempt to keep the West as the drivers of World Order.
they are pouring tax payers money in weaponry to keep their war going at the same time ignoring the well being and infrastructure badly needed by those tax paying vassals.
Wow mate you excel yourself – so this is a NATO proxy war designed to topple Russia dam those NATO guys are so clever getting Ukraine to attack and invade Russia …oh hang on a minute….
BydONZ.
Putin didn't need to invaded now he is in danger of being toppledev.
A corrupt regime poisoning murdering those who speak out.
I hope the way the business sector and National/Act have prioritised their selfish demands over the health and well-being of people has not contributed to Ashley Bloomfield deciding to step down. Their constant lack of backing up and support for his recommendations would not have made his job easy. His calm, intelligent demeanour has been amazing in the midst of all that has been thrown at him to deal with.
A comprehensive look at the four different locations in Bucha.
https://www.donbass-insider.com/2022/04/04/ukraine-the-massacre-of-bucha-a-ukrainian-timisoara/
Interesting that the guys in the "torture cellar," and some of those with their hands tied on the road, have visible white armbands(signalling non hostility to the Russian military in a Russian occupied area)
Also has a video of war victims being buried in a mass grave outside the church.The video makes clear the dead are the victims of bombing from round about the 13th March, and says there are about 67 people buried
Someone recommended Meduza as being reliable(read a pro western outlet …thought they'd been banned)
So, to my mind , the Russians are in the wider sense, responsible for the carnage , by initiating the war , but they have not perpetrated all the deaths themselves by a long way., and I am highly suspicious of those deaths where the victims are wearing white armbands and have their hands tied behind their backs.
Francesca-Are you saying the West/NATO are spreading propaganda? Perish the thought. After all this never happened once in 5 years of the Second WW.
Wait a minute…..
The Security Council is a mess. Russia, Ukraine, and the USA do not recognise the ICC.
The chance of Putin or anybody being held accoutable are pretty much nil.
https://twitter.com/maxmorton6GDM/status/1511023028896940039?cxt=HHwWjoCyzYzcnfgpAAAA
I was interested to read about these Russian soldiers/mercenaries today.
The terrible thing is I have never heard of them and their atrocities before ..but then I see the line…
"Images taken yesterday show a soldier wearing the insignia of the paramilitary group which has been active in civil wars in Africa"
and I am reminded, yet again, how little we care about other people who we deem to be less than..
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10687901/Russias-feared-Wagner-mercenaries-spotted-Ukraine-time-1-000-deployed.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wagner_Group
Stephen D – Is bringing the issue to the Security Council about holding "Putin or anybody" accountable or about trying to establish the truth of the matter?
Russia has said it's a false flag and they have evidence to that effect. I don't know if that's true or false. Do they have the right to be heard or don't they?
If atrocities can be proven, Then someone should be accountable.
But don't count on it.
The resignation of Health Director General Ashley Bloomfield has spooky weirdness to it.
He has nothing to go to. ie lost half a mil a year with not so much as a Director's appointment.
He's centre and middle of the largest health restructure we've ever done, which he's leading, and none of it's ready except the Maori entity Board appointments.
He's leaving when the pandemic remains the highest it's been in the entire two years.
He did not see his own term out, nor the political term, nor have a successor in place for the Number 1 King job. Surely it would have been his for the taking.
The thanks from the Prime Minister was sweet but brief and his own Minister Little has said nothing.
And now there's this. The Treasury has just released its Investor Confidence Review into the Ministry of Health which collapsed into a D rating. The DHB's which Bloomfield had had ripped apart by his attack dog Lester Levy all actually were shown to be strong and should not have been attacked. There go the careers of the key leaders of Waitemata, Auckland, Counties Manukau, and Canterbury. No need to wonder why key managers don't want to stay in Health here.
This is all set out in rigorous detail over three posts by Ian Powell previous Exec Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. Each of them is detailed and worth the time to read. This degree of sustained bureaucratic knifing is rarely exposed.
GUEST BLOG: Ian Powell – More than egg running down face; it’s an entire poultry farm’s yolk | The Daily Blog
Treasury's evaluation results of Bloomfield's Departmental performance are all in black and white here, also going through all key Departments and all DHBs.
Investor Confidence Rating Results Analysis: Round 1 and Round 2 (treasury.govt.nz)
Granted we will see more blood spilled as all those DHB Board directors really air out their dirty laundry one by one.
Like Ardern, Bloomfield looks like he was great in a crisis but when that started to wear off the truth of his actual operation has come out.
I doubt too much more will come out from around him as his immediate circle will all be angling for the jobs that are in contest now, including his own.
Wellington looks a shade darker today.
I would imagine all the failings you describe Ad could be attributed to one Chai Chuah the previous Director General. Didn't we dodge a bullet by not having a National appointed accountant in charge of health in the time of a pandemic.
I don't claim to be an expert in Chai Chuah but the posts from Ian Powell show differently.
Irrespective, it's Ashley Bllomfield walking out now.
Maybe he can see the Health restructure going the same way as Kiwibuild and decided that enough is enough.
Why Chuah resigned.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/99564217/chai-chuah-had-no-choice-but-to-resign
two simpler explanations.
1. he's burned out (look at him)
2. he can't support the government's current pandemic plan because it fails public health.
or both.
I think he's burned out. Do you recall the interview (about a year into the pandemic) where he spoke of the stress he felt carrying the burden of responsibility in those first hectic months? And the pressure hasn't let up. That takes a toll.
I could see it in Chris Hipkins as well at the end of last year. I suspect many people throughout health and government are feeling drained, to say the least.
I don't remember that but it makes sense.
Ardern looks like she needs a break too.
He's leaving at the end of July.
Basically, after reading the links and then the previous posts in the DB link, I still have no idea what the dude is one about, let alone whether an alleged "coup" in one DHB is enough to be a career-ending debacle.
But I suspect that the DG-Health job has been a particularly tough one over the last couple of years (in both workload and responsibility), and as a still-registered doctor I doubt Bloomfield will be on the dole queue any time soon.
I wish him well.
I think you can be rid of just 'suspecting' the job has been tough one. Two more senior people are finishing too.
I see Dr Caroline McElnay, director of public health, has commuted from Napier for five years.
They certainly have done their best for the public in unbelievably difficult times. The difficulties of the circumstances were beyond the ken of most of the cretins they were serving. Whose lives they helped save.
No doubt there'll be scuttlebutt, speculation and conspiracy theories about why they're resigning. Naturally enough Ardern, Hipkins and Little will be accused of all sorts of things. And blamed.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/public-health-exodus-chiefs-caroline-mcelnay-niki-stefanogiannis-join-ashley-bloomfield-in-departing-from-ministry-of-health/VSOKUPYSVOI4IAMKAPIDFAL2PY/
Maybe, but apparently the previous 3 Director-Generals of Health also didn't finish their 5 year terms, so it would almost be more unusual if he did finish the term.
Christchurch has introduced changes to Airbnb et al.Often council changes have negative outcomes for many (cost plus) here this will provide positive outcomes while disadvantaging few.
With over 2000 units in CHCH city,for short stay accommodation ,unconsented and paying residential rates (and probably residential insurance etc) not meeting the requirements of the building act,these units have an unfair disadvantage over entrenched accommodation providers.
The possible outcomes are an increased rating income for CHCH,from existing inventory for those who remain.
Even a minor change in inventory use will have a large outcome in CHCH,say for example if we see 10% become available on the rental market,this will be a 25% increase in rental listings,and if 10% become available on the housing market that increases inventory by 5%.
Accommodation (motels etc) is around 35% down at present in CHCH,so there will be no short term constraints.
Nationwide it would have substantive benefits ( without a single nail being used)
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/128264975/airbnb-slams-christchurchs-new-house-sharing-rules-as-most-restrictive-in-australasia
Hmmm it looks like Ukraine is about to get a major boost to both its air force and its battle tank forces.
Poland has just signed a deal for purchase of both US tanks and warplanes.
The significance of this purchase that Poland had been reluctant to give its current Soviet era tanks and Migs unless they could be upgraded by the US. So, this deal suggests Poland may release its older stuff to Ukraine.
Looks like that is happening now, so Ukraine could soon have a major boost for ejecting the Russians
From your link (did you read it?)
2026 is a bit of a long wait!
Yes. I noticed that as well. It was under the Ukraine page for CNN, so I assumed there was an implied deal being done.
Not that we would necessarily know. I saw one of the US government guy saying they don't state everything they are giving Ukraine for obvious reasons.
Just the Red Army doing Red Army shit.
https://twitter.com/olenalennon/status/1510423825158082564
"Ukrainian soldiers reporting having found boxes of condoms in destroyed russian IFVs"…..you are off the fucking hook man, you, without even the slightest doubt in your mind, link us to a Ukrainian propaganda TV channel, a place where all opposition political new sources and political parties have been banned, WTF…is your bullshit detector completely broken…or did you turn it off yourself?
I thought this was where serious political debate took place.
Opposition political parties banned in Ukraine and ‘unified information policy’ imposed
https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/03/21/opposition-political-parties-banned-in-ukraine-and-unified-information-policy-imposed/
Yeah and Churchill imprisoned Oswald Mosely I presume you would find that objectionable?
Some opposition parties banned for the duration of the war.
PS Demonisation of Ukraine as of Nazi regime has consequences, given what the Red Army did to women of Germany.
Medvedchuk was put under house arrest long before the invasion , and opposition TV was also shut down
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viktor_Medvedchuk#:~:text=Medvedchuk's%20house%20arrest%20started%20on,of%20Opposition%20Platform%20%E2%80%94%20For%20Life.
https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-zelenskiy-bans-three-opposition-tv-stations/a-56438505
And meanwhile in Russia Putin grants amnesty to …
Olympian sportsmen & women are supplied with condoms while in the Olympic village. So does this mean they came prepared to "gang rape girls"?
um, do you have any understanding of context???
Just the Red Army doing Red Army shit.
you really are an ignorant dick head GI Joe. there is no Red Army, there is no Communist Russia.
Maybe with the next election they may make a comeback being the second most popular party by far and with a big swing against Putins version of Capitalism. In the meantime, educate yourself
And if Joe wants to go back to Red Army days, he might like to remind himself of the OUN's slaughter of jews, Poles, and Roma in the second world war, under the leadership of Stepan Bandera.That Bandera who is still revered in Western Ukraine today
I was watching a Real Crime documentary a few days ago on SKY – Catching The Nail Bomber. (It's on Youtube)
Just a Nazi doing Nazi shit.
David Copeland:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999_London_nail_bombings#Political_views
6 April 2022 at 2:31 pm
Just the Red Army doing Red Army shit.
Gosh, I remember that happening in Libya, where Gadaffi’s men were give viagra to enable them to be rape machines. .Remember that Joe?
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/apr/29/diplomat-gaddafi-troops-viagra-mass-rape
oh, hang on
https://www.salon.com/2016/09/16/u-k-parliament-report-details-how-natos-2011-war-in-libya-was-based-on-lies/
propaganda got to propaganda
Exactly. Lies get found out later on, not that the Joe’s of this world get enlightened.
Is the world better off for murdering Saddam Hussain. Ask the parents of depleted uranium child victims.
same as Gadaffis’ Libya which had no foreign debt and where all were entitled to accommodation at a just rent. Talk about a war crime.
keep up the good work Francesca
After Afghanistan, Chechnya, Georgia, and Syria, nothing the Russians have done in Ukraine comes as a surprise. And without doubt, you and your ilk's defence and deflection of Russia's crimes makes you complicit in their murderously indiscriminate brutality, cruelty and sexual violence.
For shame.
/
^^^^ THIS
Have found the updated (mātauranga Māori inclusive) Curriculum matrix for NCEA Level 6, and posting the link to the page and the pdf here for anyone interested:
https://ncea.education.govt.nz/science/chemistry-and-biology?view=learning
https://ncea-live-3-storagestack-53q-assetstorages3bucket-2o21xte0r81u.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/2021-11/CB%20Learning%20Matrix_1.pdf?VersionId=cvRzAyGel6WeB_xoxwhY7RPGwruXyVxl
I've only briefly looked, but I already have concerns. Substitution of Te Reo Māori phrases and terms where there is no direct translation, thereby muddying language and concepts.
eg. Under Big Idea
(Mauri – 1. (noun) life principle, life force, vital essence, special nature, a material symbol of a life principle, source of emotions – the essential quality and vitality of a being or entity. Also used for a physical object, individual, ecosystem or social group in which this essence is located.)
Conservation of mass, huh.
Nah. They've just rediscovered quintessence, or the fifth element, also known as aether.
In this case I guess it would be the ancient Greek version
" Aether – personification of the sky or upper air breathed by the Olympians; son of Erebus and night or of Chaos and darkness. Greek deity – a deity worshipped by the ancient Greeks. "
I doubt if they are really up to the medieval version which was supposed to provide the transmission of em radiation described as
"aether, also known as the fifth element or quintessence, is the material that fills the region of the universe beyond the terrestrial sphere. The concept of aether was used in several theories to explain several natural phenomena, such as the traveling of light and gravity."
Whichever one "mauri" is it is just as mythological and non-scientific as the various forms of "aether" turned out to be.
Here is a real journalist doing their job….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbiAGkBQ9HY&t=0s
Meh – a celebrity motoring journalist telling one side of the story – and rather badly at that – Might as well listen to Mike Hosking. Reporting from the Donbas region – large numbers of local casualties. Well you will get that when you rise against your government and provide a springboard for hostile Russian forces.
Are we to take it Adrian, that you are so blind you have no knowledge of the many Ukranians killed in Russia's phony war in Donbas? How about you show us some thus far never demonstrated evenhandedness and learn those numbers – or are we to suffer your pathetic pandering to Putin ad nauseum as usual?
13000 killed and 30 000 wounded as of 2019 – since we all know that you are too pathetic a Putin worshipping fascist to look for those numbers yourself.
[This is getting far too personal, again. I don’t want to have to step in and break up shit fights, so why don’t you two stop replying and referring to each other for a few days. Hopefully, this will calm the mind & temper and lower the levels of acrimony between you two – Incognito]
"since we all know that you are too pathetic a Putin worshipping fascist"…..find just one time when I have condoned or defended Putin..you won't you fucking idiot.
I am getting a little tired of your unhinged always slightly hysterical ad hominem attacks on me… I am an easy guy to find on in internet, so why don't you contact me directly, and I will tell my address so you can come here and say that shit right to my face…or is saying this stuff just something you are only brave enough to do online when it doesn't mean nothing…as I suspect it is.
[This is getting far too personal, again. I don’t want to have to step in and break up shit fights, so why don’t you two stop replying and referring to each other for a few days. Hopefully, this will calm the mind & temper and lower the levels of acrimony between you two – Incognito]
Adrian is right. I have never seen a comment from him condoning or defending Russia.
https://twitter.com/mehdirhasan/status/1511160772281479182?cxt=HHwWnMC95eit3PgpAAAA
Mod note
find just one time when I have condoned or defended Putin.
You never fail to repeat his propaganda.
You attempt to rebut anything critical of him.
You are never remotely even-handed nor do you ever try to check or balance your sources.
Were you a Putin appointed staffer of the Russian embassy you wouldn't do a thing different.
How about you stop pretending and come clean.
Mod note
Noted.
However – I have a policy of intolerance of fascists. Popper explains it best:
This Paradox of Tolerance, as it came to be known, argues that intolerant behaviors, irrespective of any judgement of the values that underlie them, ought to be actively fought against in order to preserve an inclusive society.
The Putin dupes are not progressives. They are really only Putin's version of the Hitler Youth. They don't know, and thus can neither argue nor explain a Russian viewpoint.
Instead they resort to whataboutery, a tactic familiar to households with feuding four-year-olds "He did it first", they cry, a tactic that gets short shrift from experienced parents.
The crowning arrogance is for Adrian to complain about being bullied. He or she is proudly championing a genocidal monster, at length, ad nauseum, on a progressive site. I should damned well hope they being bullied – until they desist.
I'd've preferred if that function were undertaken by the Mods – but I don't set the policy.
Thank you. Below is my reply intended for general audience as well.
The kaupapa (aka ‘policy’) of this site is debating not bullying. The couple of Mods around here each have their own areas of expertise and special interest. Moderation is predominantly on poor/bad behaviour and not on content or topic; Mods can only skim the most obvious and blatant offences, because of limited time and because of lack of familiarity with the matter under discussion. This site is as lenient as possible to allow commenters as much freedom to debate each other as they wish.
My advice is not to waste time on closed-minded ‘dupes’ and save your energy for commenters who are genuinely interested in debate even, or rather particularly, when you might not agree with them – debating people with whom you 100% agree is an oxymoron (aka echo chamber).
My suggestion is that we start a new daily post titled 'Special Operations Post for Putin Dick Suckers' and all their posts get moved there – where the rest of us can safely ignore them.
It irks me that TS is wasting pixels on their drivel, but free speech and all.
Yup, nobody has ever said that free speech is as beautiful as the smell of roses at a moonlit night.
Some here act as horny teenagers (M & F) masturbating at war porn as if their lives depend on it. It is pathetic, embarrassing and off-putting, IMHO.
To me. The USA can do no wrong, fan boys, the ones who say if "you are not for us you are against us", AND the advocates for Putin, can be put in their own thread entitled "Baby Killer" fanboys!
There are people I work with now, who are very worried about relatives involved in several wars. It is not a joke!
I find the bloviating and War Porn, obnoxious.
I know workers are needed for a range of jobs in the country. In the news today:
Housing. How will 165,000 people find houses? I’d heard there was a bit of a housing problem.
They're already here.