Insanity has been defined as the act of doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. First, it was the Moskva which came within range of Ukrainian missiles. Then it was two patrol boats close to shore taken out by a Ukrainian drone. And, again, the Russians sent the Makarov close to shore to a similar location within the range of Ukrainian neptune missiles again. I wonder if they will keep up the insanity and send another one close to shore.
Thus far, the verified toll against the Russian navy in the Black Sea has been:
1 x landing ship, 2 x patrol boats, 1 x Cruiser, 1x frigate.
Isn’t it ironic…🎶…that the ship was named after Ukrainian born naval innovator Admiral Stepan Makarov who pioneered research into preventing warships from sinking.
The review of images following the strike of the two Neptune anti-ship missiles from open-source naval analyst and retired Navy Capt. Chris Carlson told USNI News that the guided-missile cruiser did not have its fire control radars activated and could not see the threat from the two sea skimming weapons.
In the photo of Moskva after the strike, the radars “are in their normal stowed position,” Carlson told USNI News on Monday.
“If you look at the pictures of Moskva, when she’s just dancing around going from place to place, or she’s anchored as a showboat, those directors are all facing aft every time,” he said.
Is Sinn Fein getting the majority in the Northern Ireland Parliament the equivalent of the Maori Party getting the majority in the New Zealand Parliament?
OK. The gist of this post is simple. If we do not add water capturing earthworks to our catchments we can expect to be left high and dry. No groundwater flow = no hydro power.
I'm quite sick of repeating myself on this, but I will continue. Also, TOLD YOU SO.
The rain cycle used to be that that lost to sea was equivalent to that gained from rain. Now the rains arrive less frequently, and more severely. That lost to sea is continuously increasing. That captured on land is continuously decreasing. It is a compounding problem that arrived very fast since predictions made only a few years back.
How hard is it to admit we can't manage land properly, and correct it.
Get this in your thick government heads or we shall certainly face disaster the likes of which we are utterly unprepared for.
NZ is so complacent about water. We think it's always going to be there no matter what we do. This is some kind of stupid really, given we have the science and history to understand the dynamics you are referring to.
I live in a part of Auckland where they are prevalent. Nothing incenses me more than SUVs dominating the streets, the parking lots and generally making life miserable for other road users – not to mention the environmental damage.
Yes those awful SUVs are really the ultimate in self-centred stupidity. They make driving for others risky and unpleasant. They take up too much space and reduce visibility . Worse, it seems from the way drivers often use them, their main purpose is to bully others by tail-gating and dangerous exits from side streets etc.. However, I don't think letting down tyres is a good idea – likely to make them worse!
Worse, it seems from the way drivers often use them, their main purpose is to bully others by tail-gating and dangerous exits from side streets etc..
I agree. thoroughly informal and anecdotal surveys while travelling up and back to Otaki regularly indicate that they are:
most likely to tail-gate
most likely not to use the 'merge like a zip' concept
least likely to acknowledge the good manners of other drivers in letting them in
least likely to obey the sometimes very slow speed limits, thus kicking up stones for others, while the new Expressway is being built.
most likely to have tyres that are unsuitable for highway driving, I may be wrong but I had thought that using the incorrect tyres adds to wear and tear on highways and is less fuel efficient.
Then don't get me started on my partner's view that they are penis extensions for inadequate males…he puzzles over the irony of making a penis extension the 'family' car so the female partner has to collect children from city based sport, activities driving these vehicles.
I am a driver who has worked on the roads for over 26 years. My observations are that there are two main types of people on the road who don't care a monkeys about safety, courtesy, respect for road rules and just plain commonsense – those who drive black cars and those who drive large overpowered SUVs.
I quite agree. What amazed me, watching as I did the whole of the convoy arriving in Wellington for the protest, was how many of these utes/SUVs were in it driven mainly by the scowling demographic that I believe is behind the 'pretty communist' and other misogynistic thoughts/ideas.
Then I look at the tradies I use with their fit for purpose sign written trade vehicles that are much more practical than utes with low canopies. They have no place in towns and cities.
My farmer bro in law believes in many lowland farms they have no place either. On his lowland Southland farm he used a combo of tractor and ancient old station wagons for all his farming ops. Yet the people who rent most of the land as a dairy run-off to a man, and they mostly are all men, need SUVs, Utes to work on the same land. Most have legs just painted on as well.
Vanity not need accounts for much of the growth of Utes/SUVs.
In the Wellington they park right on the street corners and to see the road around them you need to get right out sometimes into the face of oncoming traffic.
Perhaps they could blitz just with the leaflets rather than letting down the tyres tho' I do/did snicker at the thought of the scowling ones being forced to deal with a flat tyre.
… watching as I did the whole of the convoy arriving in Wellington for the protest, was how many of these utes/SUVs were in it driven mainly by the scowling demographic…
So. Those activists were not concealing their faces? Not hiding behind anonymity or a silly pseudonym? For "security reasons" ?
Your anti-SUV saboteurs lack the courage of their convictions. Cowards.
I don't understand this at all so whatever point you are making is lost on me.
I was able to watch the arrival in slow motion as it were and did not expect to see masked people in their cars.
I made comment at the time about these surly Ute drivers in the convoy, usually by themselves, a few with an equally surly mate. Of course at that stage we thought they were all going to make a protest, make a point then away again. As it is now whatever point they were making, and it become very difficult to find a common cause, is remembered only by a riot, fires.
I have no idea whether those letting tyres down were masked, or had a pseudonym.
And still the PM is subjected to macho posturing and innuendo.
I have no idea whether those letting tyres down were masked, or had a pseudonym.
You didn't actually read the article Anne linked to? Then of course you would not have understood what I was referring to.
You decided to bring up the Freedom protest and you chose comment on the scowling ute/SUV drivers you observed as these anti-mandate activists rolled into Wellington. Clearly you could see their faces.
I know some of those people. All are fully committed to the mission, and none would use a false name or hide behind a stupid sounding organisation. Up front and in your face. At least you know who you are dealing with..or perhaps you prefer…
…the activists who let the SUV tyres down who were too cowardly to do so out in the open, and hid behind silly names.
Anonymous activism? Worthless.
(Oh, an as an aside…very seldom, as you will have noticed, did any of the 'river of filth' wear medical masks or face coverings of any kind. 'Filth' that they were.
Only on that last day did there suddenly appear men wearing various full face masks, designed more to conceal their identity rather than protect against viruses or police pepper spray. These were the guys filmed near the first tent that caught fire. No one recalled seeing these guys in the Freedom Village until that morning. Funny that.)
My comment built on the SUV part. I was amazed by the number of SUV/Utes etc in the convoy. The demographic riding around in Utes/SUVs here in Wellington is much of the same, scowling late 30s/40s males. So I was surprised to see them in the convoy until I realised that they were the anti PM brigade/anti women, rather than strictly anti vax, coming along – the ones that had the 'pretty little communist' type placards in the Groundswell convoys.
So good on them up in Auckland. They have got publicity and they may get a conversation going.
The depth of feeling about vehicles that are unsuitable for city/town traffic is not one that country dwellers will be really aware of. They make getting around much more difficult as sight lines are impeded for other traffic and pedestrians.
So I'm not interested in masks except to studiously wear one, respect others who do, avoid situations or people who do not. I am not interested in who did what in the protest.
In fact the protest and the whole anti vax is the stuff of irrelevance and yawn making to me, now. If I think about the protest at all it is to wonder how NZ got caught up in manufactured protests from overseas and I sometimes indulge in idle speculation about the finances, and 'dark' people behind it. We needed a public health response to a pandemic. We got one. The majority went along with it, some did not.
We have to deal with climate change, it is with us forever. Drawing attention to it is what the SUV protestors and the ones at the Southland coal mine are doing, on my behalf, as a 'ginger' group.
I realised that they were the anti PM brigade/anti women, rather than strictly anti vax, coming along – the ones that had the 'pretty little communist' type placards in the Groundswell convoys. Evidence of this?
…to wonder how NZ got caught up in manufactured protests from overseas err…you do realize that the Tyre Extinguishers are a proud overseas organisation?
How is it that its acceptable for Kiwis to join in protest actions that originate overseas, such as Black Lives Matter, Me Too, Extinction Rebellion, Greenpeace etc…but not in protest action that happens to also have activists in other countries… that is centered around draconian government laws that effectively force people to take an experimental pharmaceutical product with known performance issues and very real adverse effects for far too many people?
For a disease that failed to reach the projected case fatality rates forecast by the modellers?
Closing our borders helped reduce our case load and fatality rates…the so called 'vaccines'…not so much. Double and triple jabbed folk are getting infected at a higher rate than the unvaccinated. An awful lot are still getting sick and still ending up in hospital…at rates not much lower that us filthy unvaxxed, and people jabbed and unjabbed, are still dying with, but not necessarily of Covid.
A Health Ministry, truly committed to Medical Science, would have initiated a study comparing outcomes between eligible unvaccinated and eligible vaccinated. Like the Pfizer Trial… but this time doing an actual Long Term study.
Good that the whole thing is an irrelevance to you now…for some of us the unjustified discrimination still impacts our lives, every day.
Yeah, I know, they're committing crimes but good on them.
Protestors taking such action clearly don't have much between their ears.
We've never had so many EVs in New Zealand or around the world. Yet climate change continues to worsen. The more EVs we buy, the worse climate change gets!
Deflating the tyres of SUVs will have zero effect on climate change, as will buying an EV. We need better protestors.
Interesting further information from the author of a link I posted yesterday….
"We owe thanks to Interest.co. for journalistic bravery.
This article was sent to Newsroom – no acknowledgement, not even a ' no thanks'.
It was sent to Kim Hill, Kathryn Ryan, Bryan Crump and Jim Mora – collectively the journalism end of RNZ. I'm picking there will be no reply, and no coverage (will edit this post should that happen).
My question to all those folk, is this: If this article contains the truth of our predicament (rebuttal invited); how do we describe journalism which avoids the topic? What, indeed, is the difference between silence and falsehood-peddling?"
Thought experiment: what would happen if NZ grew most of its own food? Not coffee or chocolate or vanilla, but our staples and seasonal produce. We could still export what we we could produce sustainably and regeneratively that we didn’t need. For the experiment assume that enough people were ok with this because they understood the urgency of climate action, and food security, so it didn’t prompt political outrage. Eg maybe we’d had a year of many crop failures globally.
are the issues here mainly trade agreements? Perceptions of government policies interference?
I don't think that it's predominantly trade agreements or government policies preventing people eating home-grown. It's that other countries grow X crops cheaper/better and the economics of shipping them here is viable. And that Kiwis want to eat X crops.
For example, while it's technically possible to grow bananas in NZ (Far North) it's not an ideal climate for them. While Queensland and/or Fiji are ideal banana-growing climates. [And, while Fiji may have cheaper labour, I don't think Australia does – so that's not necessarily a factor]
Growing crops in ideal climates is both quicker and cheaper – and they often taste better (Italian tinned tomatoes are way tastier than kiwi ones). And, while there is a cost of shipping them to NZ – it clearly doesn't outweigh the cost of growing them here.
NZ could live on what we grow. But our choices at the supermarket/greengrocer would be a lot more limited; and probably more expensive (NZ olive oil is way more expensive than Italian, for example)
It's not just the fancy flavourings. Think rice, wheat flour (NZ wheat isn't good for baking), sugar, etc.
…while it's technically possible to grow bananas in NZ (Far North) it's not an ideal climate for them … Commercial banana growing is a thing up here. Bonza
Smaller fruit than the inferior tasting Cavendish variety, the things grow like weeds up here. Our Misi Luki plants have been in for 18 months, and each of the original three plants have large bunches of fruit. Other than removing the excess daughters, (which transplant really well) they get next to no attention. I have papaya trees, (grown from seed) and I'm just beginning to cover them with frost cloth on cold nights. Some commercial blueberry growers up here (often grown in high gro tunnels) are pulling out the blueberries and planting papaya.
We also have coffee growing up here….so its not all avos and citrus.
Much of the produce is sold at Farmers Markets…these guys are not big enough to take on the supermarket duopoly in order to get a fair price.
In a big tunnel house and out of doors as well. Frost certainly can set them back 🙂 but we have few if any frosts (we're southern but we're coastal). My out of door bananas are Cook Island plantains which are pretty hardy. I have misiluki (Samoan bananas) and others growing in the tunnel house.Thai ginger (galangal) grows readily outside here and has done for many years. Under the cover of plastic, it booms! I have Amarillo fruiting under cover. The plants are 3 or 4 metres tall. Lemons and grapefruit. Fruiting cherry guava, fig, Elephant grass, 5 metres tall (higher than an elephants eye 🙂 Brugmansias throughout the garden. Many of these plants look "scrappy" during the winter months, but bounce back strongly.
You are most welcome to visit. If you are unable to do so, we have a short-film by Happen Films about to be released – I'll let you know when. As well, there is this: An invitation for wildness – our first film about our forest-garden, you might enjoy 🙂
Well, you'd have to define how you'd envisage the 'government transition'.
If they use tariffs to make imported goods more expensive, then you'd fall foul of a whole host of international trade treaties (nuking NZ export trade).
If you give NZ goods a tax cut (e.g. no GST on NZ produce) then I think you run foul of the trade treaties again.
If they require local produce to be sold at a reasonable mark-up (thinking milk & cheese, NZ lamb, etc here) then I *think* they'd be OK with trade treaties (pretty sure France do this…)
If they require mandatory food labelling (and are very specific about what qualifies as NZ produce) – then there's no comeback.
If they run advertising campaigns (hopefully better ones than the disastrous 3 waters) and 3rd party organisations campaign for NZ produce to be promoted – and it becomes patriotic to buy Kiwi – then again no comeback. That's consumer choice.
Remember, that NZ is also vulnerable to the need to export in order to afford imports.
And that many essentials, sugar, rice, etc. are either not grown in NZ or will never be grown in the quantities that Kiwi consumers want them.
Just come across this list of countries which are self-sufficient in food (of course some continue to import – but they don't have to).
The only country in Europe that’s self-sufficient is France. Other countries in the exclusive club of self sufficiency: Canada, Australia, Russia, India, Argentina, Burma, Thailand, the U.S. and a few small others.
Article is from 2014 – so subject to being corrected by later-arriving information.
There's a link in the article to a nice source map – with the relative proportions of imports (NZ at the 30% level)
By and large it tends to be the largest countries which cross a wide latitude which are self-sufficient (wide variety of micro-climates and growing conditions). A fair split between authoritarian and democratic governments – so that's not an obvious factor.
They may be able to get back to growing their own food on their own land, instead of it being taken for growing monocultures, for export for corporate profits, while they have to migrate in desperation to outer city shanty towns.
That depends on the country. Assuming it isn't a totally corrupt one, you can't make infrastructure and healthcare with bananas. And in an increasingly uncertain climate future, some countries may not be able to rely exclusively on domestic agriculture, including our own.
Subsistence farming – which is what you're talking about – with airy assumptions that developing countries will be "able to get back to growing their own food on their own land" isn't really a very attractive modern lifestyle. Especially without the technical support and infrastructure that you need foreign sales to bring in.
No tractors built in Fiji (for example) or diesel to run them. No communications gear (so no phone or IT infrastructure). Little medical infrastructure (apart from the most basic of care), etc., etc.
All of those are 'bought' by the export of commodities (e.g. raw sugar – and, bizarrely, bottled water, in the case of Fiji – who knew? But it it's a money-spinner for them – why take it away?).
How about you give a real life example of a country which could "get back to growing their own food on their own land" without killing off their external trade and therefore their imports of all the things they are unable to produce.
There have been several examples given in-thread of countries for which this would be disastrous.
Funny that you gave Fiji as an example.. Fiji is one where locals retain ownership of their land.
We will forget about the many places where large scale agriculture, and other resource extraction, benefits a very few, mostly offshore, profit takers, while the locals are forced into poverty and even, starvation!
South American countries were called, banana Republics, for a reason.
There are too many examples to count.
We will also forget about other examples. Such as African grain farmers who lost their livilihoods after being undercut by grain imported from the West.
Believers in the “Free trade” religion, like other believers in “Woo”, ignore the disasters it has caused. Including preventing third world countries from developing the protected internal economies that made Western countries prosperous.
But are you saying Fiji wouldn't be affected though? Also you have a very strange idea of the history of economic development in the West – that prosperity mostly came off the back of centuries of feudalism and imperial conquest.
Well, in our immediate vicinity, Samoa's economy is largely agricultural exports, fish, and foreign manufacturing. Fiji, which is arguably the most developed economy in the region outside Australia and New Zealand is also a major exporter of sugar cane, coconuts, cassava, rice, sweet potato, bananas, ginger, taro etc. Further afield, Ghana is heavily dependent on exporting cacao.
There is sufficient ethical production to supply some manufacturers. There really isn't much incentive to continue to improve ethics and sustainability without an export market.
I'd be good with trade with our Pacific neighbours provided it was actually ecologically sustainable (not greenwashed). I don't know if Fijians are being economically forced to cash crop and then can't afford to buy food themselves. Do you?
A sure winner for the government, taxing the company, not the individual. Put the money to helping families over the cost of living until Fair Pay agreements kick in.
Here's an article from 2006 discussing the baby trade, or "reproductive market", in the US. Fewer abortions may help to make it easier, and cheaper, for couples to become parents. The gay community, in particular, could benefit from fewer abortions.
It is entirely possible to conceive of the reproductive market in the United States as a small enclave of science. The market is irrelevant to 85% to 90% of the population—that is, to those lucky enough to conceive children the old-fashioned way. Nearly by definition, then, it shouldn’t share the traits that characterize the markets for potato chips or sneakers or even general health services. It is a niche market, one that is unlikely to expand beyond a small segment of customers. Most of these potential customers, moreover, never avail themselves of any form of treatment: Only 36% of infertile women in the United States seek medical assistance in conceiving, 15% use fertility drugs, 5.5% employ artificial insemination, and only 1% try IVF or other high-tech treatments.
…
In the baby business, even private transactions can impose costs on the rest of society. Consider, for instance, the babies born to 25-year-old Teresa Anderson of Mesa, Arizona, in April 2005. Anderson was a gestational surrogate who, for $15,000, had agreed to carry a child for Enrique Moreno, a landscaper, and his 32-year-old wife, Luisa Gonzalez. To increase the chance of pregnancy, doctors transplanted five embryos into Anderson’s womb. They all survived, and Anderson subsequently bore quintuplets for the couple. When the babies arrived, the news media showed the smiling surrogate, the delighted couple, and the five relatively healthy babies. These babies, however, were extraordinarily expensive: The costs of delivery almost certainly ran to well over $400,000. Gonzalez and Moreno paid to conceive these children, but U.S. consumers—through increased insurance fees and hospital costs—are paying, too. According to one recent study, the total cost of delivering a child born through IVF ranges between $69,000 and $85,000. If the child is born to an older woman, the cost rises to between $151,000 and $223,000. The prospective parents in these cases pay for part of these costs—the IVF, the hormones, the multiple medical visits—but their fellow citizens are paying as well. (See the exhibit “What Price Babies?”)
Presumably the author is setting up a public debate between the ethical and commercial costs of adoption versus the ethical and commercial costs of aborting unborn children.
The US movement against abortion will be seeking to push this kind of contest worldwide through the media, as distinct from the narrow band of international aid and development as they did under Bush.
The upcoming abortion argument contest is going to make the Trans debate look like a very, very small thing in comparison.
I don't think so, Ad. Firstly, discussing rights for women, while reframed as a trans debate, is more of a maintaining of boundaries. However, the infiltration of institutions, companies and schools, and the negative effect on children and young people has meant that more people are getting interested in exploring past the #NoDebate edicts. That's going to take a while.
The abortion debate has never been hampered by #NoDebate tactics, and those who want to be informed will have plenty of opportunities to do so, with articles and television broadcasts from both sides.
It will be interesting to see on TS which of the male commentators will be able to demonstrate their knowledge of the aspects of the abortion topic.
They are birthing bodies with unproductive uteruses that need to be put to work. And yes, quite a few people are not at all fussed by the idea that birthing bodies are nothing more then bipedal gestation units for lease and profit, to be hired and discarded at will.
There will be a future were fertile wombs will be told by WINZ that if they need a job they could gestate a human being for a paying third party. Its like slavery but kind and inclusive.
Women aren't brood mares producing a fucking commodity to be traded.
Thats an opinion rather than fact. Adoption has been around for quite a while, and to a lesser extent surrogacy and IVF. What benefits have these brought parents-to-be and wider society? Where would we be without these options?
I was commenting on Joe’s opinion. To repeat: adoption has been around a while and to a lesser extent surrogacy and IVF. Do the existence of each of these imply or suggest that women are broodmares? I wouldn’t have thought so but you may disagree.
Similarly, should men be allowed to sell sperm? What are the pros and cons of allowing such a transaction?
have you ever given birth Ross? Do you have *any sense of what that process involves for women, and why many of us don't want to go through it unnecessarily.
There was a slogan a while back in regards to the violence against women. 'She is not your therapy'. I guess the woke left saw that and decided that 'She is your therapy' was the correct way to go forward.
A progressive activist has suggested Mother's Day be renamed to reflect how transgender men are now classified as giving birth.
Norrie May-Welby, who was born a male and had gender reassignment surgery at age 28, said the term 'mother' was not exclusive to females.
So a man is telling us to stop calling mothers mothers. Not hidden agenda there.
Probably the most disturbing thing about that is the degree to which society (looking at you liberals) think that we should centre people with mental health distress (gender dysphoria) and base our cultural practices on what they want. And invent whole new sets of language to do that. Have we lost our goddamn minds?
The left have had all those years of screaming "TERF" at us when we said that biological sex existed and was important. Meanwhile the right wingers in the reality based world where biological sex not only exists but functions as a weapon to control women were organising and strategising for this victory. You cannot identify out of this one kiddies – enjoy your pronouns.
As has been discussed previously, abortion is not an absolute right. Similarly, people who chose (perhaps sensibly) not to be vaccinated against COVID-19 apparently didn’t have the right to choose. I imagine that losing their job and possibly their home was quite inconvenient and upsetting.
As English author Julian Barnes once said: we can have our cake and eat it. The trouble is, we get fat.
There are costs and benefits to any course of action. Your focus is on the costs while ignoring the benefits. The costs of IVF are discussed above. Some of those costs are born by taxpayers. Should that be the case? Maybe society thinks the benefits outweigh the costs.
Given how little you appear know about the difference between producing a child and producing sperm – "Similarly, should men be allowed to sell sperm?", I'm trying to gauge where your level of knowledge is on this topic.
1. a) What are the possible negative effects (physical, financial, social, psychological) of producing sperm on the male body?
b) What are the possible negative effects (physical, financial, social, psychological) of pregnancy on the female body?
c) Which one of these two will have an ongoing effect after production?
"Fewer abortions may help to make it easier, and cheaper, for couples to become parents. The gay community, in particular, could benefit from fewer abortions."
The quotes you provided specifically talk about women's bodies in production lines terms, and a child as a commodity.
There is a conversation to be had about the provision of IVF, and adoption. If you have spent time investigating adoption you may find that regardless of the care and love provided by adoptive parents, a significant percentage of adoptees have had disrupted lives due to their emotional reaction to their adoptive status.
But I'd be interested in hearing what you understand of the possible costs of pregnancy, just to get started.
a significant percentage of adoptees have had disrupted lives due to their emotional reaction to their adoptive status.
Yep life isn't fair. I'm sure a significant percentage of adoptees from Ukraine have had more than disrupted lives given that both of their biological parents may be dead. We should stop the war there.
Once you select your child, and the documents are prepared, you will be accompanied to the local court, where the adoption will be granted. There is now a 10 day appeal period following the court. It might be extended ONLY if there are serious complications, which happens extremely rarely. Then an additional 7 – 10 days is required to obtain the child’s documents. Families may choose to return to the U.S. until their adoption order is final and documents are ready. You will return to Kiev and be accompanied to the U.S. Embassy to undergo the required medical exams and receive your immigrant visa for new your child.
What are the possible negative effects (physical, financial, social, psychological) of pregnancy on the female body?
What are the positive effects of pregnancy on the female body?
The quotes you provided specifically talk about women's bodies in production lines terms, and a child as a commodity.
A woman who makes a logical and well-thought out decision to have one or more babies may be nothing more than a production line? That's fairly insulting towards women who wish to be a surrogate or to place their child for adoption. It suggests that they are incapable of making good decisions about their own body. That sort of attitude may be behind the (interim) decision to overturn Roe v Wade.
Actually, it was a thinly veiled suggestion to go away and inform yourself before participating further. Sometimes it is clear that a comment is made from someone who hasn't explored the topic before submitting their reckons. This was one such time.
Now I've seen your reply, I still don't rate it highly, because it is a simplistic – and therefore basic understanding of what is being discussed.
"A woman who makes a logical and well-thought out decision to have one or more babies may be nothing more than a production line? That's fairly insulting towards women who wish to be a surrogate or to place their child for adoption. It suggests that they are incapable of making good decisions about their own body. That sort of attitude may be behind the (interim) decision to overturn Roe v Wade."
That position assumes that there are no forms of coercion, or exploitation of women' bodies happening. If you know of such a place, do tell.
If women are in a tenuous or vulnerable position, and have choices other than adoption or surrogacy, and still choose them, then I'd say that choice is fairly autonomous, but still not without harm. Given that the majority of women in commercial surrogacy are there for financial relief or in desperate circumstances – I'd say there is something else occurring other than autonomy. There are also knock on social effects – on the child, the purchasing parents, and the wider community, that need to be recognised and assessed for harm.
But I’m game to learn of a different perspective, so have at it, what are the "positive effects of pregnancy on the female body?"
(I know of a couple, but would be interested in seeing your list, since you seem to want to avoid any mention of the negative effects that IIRC were not limited to physical, but included social, financial, psychological.)
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Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
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 ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to ...
Asia Pacific Report Chief Mandla Mandela, a member of the National Assembly of South Africa and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, has joined the Freedom Flotilla in istanbul as the ships prepare to sail for Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. Mandela is also the ambassador for the Global Campaign to Return to ...
Pacific Media Watch Journalists who report on environmental issues are encountering growing difficulties in many parts of the world, reports Reporters Without Borders. According to the tally kept by RSF, 200 journalists have been subjected to threats and physical violence, including murder, in the past 10 years because they were ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
ACT's Rural Communities and Veterans spokesman Mark Cameron responds to cancellations and protests of ANZAC Day commemorations in Wellington. He says, "These pitiful attempts to detract from ANZAC Day are not at all indicative of the feelings of mainstream ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Pōneke based peace activists staged a silent protest at the ANZAC day service to highlight New Zealand’s complicity in war and genocide, and urge the government to take concrete steps to stop the genocide in Palestine. ...
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From the "Whoops I did it again file." It looks like the Russians have lost another ship. This time one of their most modern frigates, the Admiral Makarov.
Insanity has been defined as the act of doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. First, it was the Moskva which came within range of Ukrainian missiles. Then it was two patrol boats close to shore taken out by a Ukrainian drone. And, again, the Russians sent the Makarov close to shore to a similar location within the range of Ukrainian neptune missiles again. I wonder if they will keep up the insanity and send another one close to shore.
Thus far, the verified toll against the Russian navy in the Black Sea has been:
1 x landing ship, 2 x patrol boats, 1 x Cruiser, 1x frigate.
All this from a country that doesn't have a navy.
Isn’t it ironic…🎶…that the ship was named after Ukrainian born naval innovator Admiral Stepan Makarov who pioneered research into preventing warships from sinking.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stepan_Makarov
btw
The crew of RTS Moskva (121) was blind to and not ready for the Ukrainian missile attack that sank Russia’s Black Sea flagship, according to a new analysis of the April 13 strike reviewed by USNI News.
The review of images following the strike of the two Neptune anti-ship missiles from open-source naval analyst and retired Navy Capt. Chris Carlson told USNI News that the guided-missile cruiser did not have its fire control radars activated and could not see the threat from the two sea skimming weapons.
In the photo of Moskva after the strike, the radars “are in their normal stowed position,” Carlson told USNI News on Monday.
“If you look at the pictures of Moskva, when she’s just dancing around going from place to place, or she’s anchored as a showboat, those directors are all facing aft every time,” he said.
https://news.usni.org/2022/05/05/warship-moskva-was-blind-to-ukrainian-missile-attack-analysis-shows
Is Sinn Fein getting the majority in the Northern Ireland Parliament the equivalent of the Maori Party getting the majority in the New Zealand Parliament?
Local elections 2022: Tories lose hundreds of seats to Labour and Lib Dems; Sinn Féin set to become largest party in NI elections – live (theguardian.com)
There's some real fun in some of these results today.
The bloody people have stolen our election!
Not unless the Maori party has a murderous, bank robbing military wing.
Northern Ireland's two biggest parties Sin Fein and the equally murderous DUP had military wings.
Whoever wins I'll doubt theyll win a majority more likely a plurality but whoever wins .. I hope there's calm and understanding not bloodshed.
Their government MUST be a power sharing between the 2 largest parties.
Having the most seats just means Sinn Fein is is first minister while DUP is the deputy position for government
Still way short of a majority in 90 seat parliament as they may have 27 seats or so.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Northern_Ireland_Assembly_election#Results
OK. The gist of this post is simple. If we do not add water capturing earthworks to our catchments we can expect to be left high and dry. No groundwater flow = no hydro power.
I'm quite sick of repeating myself on this, but I will continue. Also, TOLD YOU SO.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/128551741/drought-conditions-threaten-southlands-power-supply
The rain cycle used to be that that lost to sea was equivalent to that gained from rain. Now the rains arrive less frequently, and more severely. That lost to sea is continuously increasing. That captured on land is continuously decreasing. It is a compounding problem that arrived very fast since predictions made only a few years back.
How hard is it to admit we can't manage land properly, and correct it.
Get this in your thick government heads or we shall certainly face disaster the likes of which we are utterly unprepared for.
And have a great weekend, HA!
NZ is so complacent about water. We think it's always going to be there no matter what we do. This is some kind of stupid really, given we have the science and history to understand the dynamics you are referring to.
For French specialists: does unifying the French left into a bloc give Melenchon a shot at being Prime Minister?
France: Socialist Party joins leftist coalition against President Emmanuel Macron | News | DW | 06.05.2022
Sadly the left in france will splinter at some time again, so i guess no.
Macrons party is also forming a coalition with other centre right parties too
Insoumise only strong in the Paris region and 2 other low population places .
I dont think forming an election alliance committs them to a parliamentary bloc after the election
Yeah, I know, they're committing crimes but good on them.
https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/05/07/climate-protest-group-deflating-auckland-tyres-first-action-in-new-wave/
I live in a part of Auckland where they are prevalent. Nothing incenses me more than SUVs dominating the streets, the parking lots and generally making life miserable for other road users – not to mention the environmental damage.
Yes those awful SUVs are really the ultimate in self-centred stupidity. They make driving for others risky and unpleasant. They take up too much space and reduce visibility . Worse, it seems from the way drivers often use them, their main purpose is to bully others by tail-gating and dangerous exits from side streets etc.. However, I don't think letting down tyres is a good idea – likely to make them worse!
How might it make them worse, Jan?
By developing 'righteous indignation' and a desire for payback
I agree. thoroughly informal and anecdotal surveys while travelling up and back to Otaki regularly indicate that they are:
Then don't get me started on my partner's view that they are penis extensions for inadequate males…he puzzles over the irony of making a penis extension the 'family' car so the female partner has to collect children from city based sport, activities driving these vehicles.
I am a driver who has worked on the roads for over 26 years. My observations are that there are two main types of people on the road who don't care a monkeys about safety, courtesy, respect for road rules and just plain commonsense – those who drive black cars and those who drive large overpowered SUVs.
I quite agree. What amazed me, watching as I did the whole of the convoy arriving in Wellington for the protest, was how many of these utes/SUVs were in it driven mainly by the scowling demographic that I believe is behind the 'pretty communist' and other misogynistic thoughts/ideas.
Then I look at the tradies I use with their fit for purpose sign written trade vehicles that are much more practical than utes with low canopies. They have no place in towns and cities.
My farmer bro in law believes in many lowland farms they have no place either. On his lowland Southland farm he used a combo of tractor and ancient old station wagons for all his farming ops. Yet the people who rent most of the land as a dairy run-off to a man, and they mostly are all men, need SUVs, Utes to work on the same land. Most have legs just painted on as well.
Vanity not need accounts for much of the growth of Utes/SUVs.
In the Wellington they park right on the street corners and to see the road around them you need to get right out sometimes into the face of oncoming traffic.
Perhaps they could blitz just with the leaflets rather than letting down the tyres tho' I do/did snicker at the thought of the scowling ones being forced to deal with a flat tyre.
… watching as I did the whole of the convoy arriving in Wellington for the protest, was how many of these utes/SUVs were in it driven mainly by the scowling demographic…
So. Those activists were not concealing their faces? Not hiding behind anonymity or a silly pseudonym? For "security reasons" ?
Your anti-SUV saboteurs lack the courage of their convictions. Cowards.
I don't understand this at all so whatever point you are making is lost on me.
I was able to watch the arrival in slow motion as it were and did not expect to see masked people in their cars.
I made comment at the time about these surly Ute drivers in the convoy, usually by themselves, a few with an equally surly mate. Of course at that stage we thought they were all going to make a protest, make a point then away again. As it is now whatever point they were making, and it become very difficult to find a common cause, is remembered only by a riot, fires.
I have no idea whether those letting tyres down were masked, or had a pseudonym.
And still the PM is subjected to macho posturing and innuendo.
I have no idea whether those letting tyres down were masked, or had a pseudonym.
You didn't actually read the article Anne linked to? Then of course you would not have understood what I was referring to.
You decided to bring up the Freedom protest and you chose comment on the scowling ute/SUV drivers you observed as these anti-mandate activists rolled into Wellington. Clearly you could see their faces.
I know some of those people. All are fully committed to the mission, and none would use a false name or hide behind a stupid sounding organisation. Up front and in your face. At least you know who you are dealing with..or perhaps you prefer…
…the activists who let the SUV tyres down who were too cowardly to do so out in the open, and hid behind silly names.
Anonymous activism? Worthless.
(Oh, an as an aside…very seldom, as you will have noticed, did any of the 'river of filth' wear medical masks or face coverings of any kind. 'Filth' that they were.
Only on that last day did there suddenly appear men wearing various full face masks, designed more to conceal their identity rather than protect against viruses or police pepper spray. These were the guys filmed near the first tent that caught fire. No one recalled seeing these guys in the Freedom Village until that morning. Funny that.)
I did read the article.
My comment built on the SUV part. I was amazed by the number of SUV/Utes etc in the convoy. The demographic riding around in Utes/SUVs here in Wellington is much of the same, scowling late 30s/40s males. So I was surprised to see them in the convoy until I realised that they were the anti PM brigade/anti women, rather than strictly anti vax, coming along – the ones that had the 'pretty little communist' type placards in the Groundswell convoys.
So good on them up in Auckland. They have got publicity and they may get a conversation going.
The depth of feeling about vehicles that are unsuitable for city/town traffic is not one that country dwellers will be really aware of. They make getting around much more difficult as sight lines are impeded for other traffic and pedestrians.
So I'm not interested in masks except to studiously wear one, respect others who do, avoid situations or people who do not. I am not interested in who did what in the protest.
In fact the protest and the whole anti vax is the stuff of irrelevance and yawn making to me, now. If I think about the protest at all it is to wonder how NZ got caught up in manufactured protests from overseas and I sometimes indulge in idle speculation about the finances, and 'dark' people behind it. We needed a public health response to a pandemic. We got one. The majority went along with it, some did not.
We have to deal with climate change, it is with us forever. Drawing attention to it is what the SUV protestors and the ones at the Southland coal mine are doing, on my behalf, as a 'ginger' group.
I realised that they were the anti PM brigade/anti women, rather than strictly anti vax, coming along – the ones that had the 'pretty little communist' type placards in the Groundswell convoys. Evidence of this?
…to wonder how NZ got caught up in manufactured protests from overseas err…you do realize that the Tyre Extinguishers are a proud overseas organisation?
How is it that its acceptable for Kiwis to join in protest actions that originate overseas, such as Black Lives Matter, Me Too, Extinction Rebellion, Greenpeace etc…but not in protest action that happens to also have activists in other countries… that is centered around draconian government laws that effectively force people to take an experimental pharmaceutical product with known performance issues and very real adverse effects for far too many people?
For a disease that failed to reach the projected case fatality rates forecast by the modellers?
Closing our borders helped reduce our case load and fatality rates…the so called 'vaccines'…not so much. Double and triple jabbed folk are getting infected at a higher rate than the unvaccinated. An awful lot are still getting sick and still ending up in hospital…at rates not much lower that us filthy unvaxxed, and people jabbed and unjabbed, are still dying with, but not necessarily of Covid.
A Health Ministry, truly committed to Medical Science, would have initiated a study comparing outcomes between eligible unvaccinated and eligible vaccinated. Like the Pfizer Trial… but this time doing an actual Long Term study.
Good that the whole thing is an irrelevance to you now…for some of us the unjustified discrimination still impacts our lives, every day.
Yeah, I know, they're committing crimes but good on them.
Protestors taking such action clearly don't have much between their ears.
We've never had so many EVs in New Zealand or around the world. Yet climate change continues to worsen. The more EVs we buy, the worse climate change gets!
Deflating the tyres of SUVs will have zero effect on climate change, as will buying an EV. We need better protestors.
https://www.carsguide.com.au/ev/advice/how-many-electric-cars-are-there-in-the-world-85961
🙄 🙄
Interesting further information from the author of a link I posted yesterday….
"We owe thanks to Interest.co. for journalistic bravery.
This article was sent to Newsroom – no acknowledgement, not even a ' no thanks'.
It was sent to Kim Hill, Kathryn Ryan, Bryan Crump and Jim Mora – collectively the journalism end of RNZ. I'm picking there will be no reply, and no coverage (will edit this post should that happen).
My question to all those folk, is this: If this article contains the truth of our predicament (rebuttal invited); how do we describe journalism which avoids the topic? What, indeed, is the difference between silence and falsehood-peddling?"
https://www.interest.co.nz/public-policy/115678/murray-grimwood-outlines-why-and-how-be-believes-our-relationship-and
Thanks for posting Pat. Our media simply ignore some stories. It's not good
Thought experiment: what would happen if NZ grew most of its own food? Not coffee or chocolate or vanilla, but our staples and seasonal produce. We could still export what we we could produce sustainably and regeneratively that we didn’t need. For the experiment assume that enough people were ok with this because they understood the urgency of climate action, and food security, so it didn’t prompt political outrage. Eg maybe we’d had a year of many crop failures globally.
are the issues here mainly trade agreements? Perceptions of government policies interference?
We already do….around 20% of food products are imported, though that may be increasing.
https://www.infometrics.co.nz/article/2020-03-nz-continues-to-produce-and-import-food-so-theres-no-need-to-panic-buy
I don't think that it's predominantly trade agreements or government policies preventing people eating home-grown. It's that other countries grow X crops cheaper/better and the economics of shipping them here is viable. And that Kiwis want to eat X crops.
For example, while it's technically possible to grow bananas in NZ (Far North) it's not an ideal climate for them. While Queensland and/or Fiji are ideal banana-growing climates. [And, while Fiji may have cheaper labour, I don't think Australia does – so that's not necessarily a factor]
Growing crops in ideal climates is both quicker and cheaper – and they often taste better (Italian tinned tomatoes are way tastier than kiwi ones). And, while there is a cost of shipping them to NZ – it clearly doesn't outweigh the cost of growing them here.
NZ could live on what we grow. But our choices at the supermarket/greengrocer would be a lot more limited; and probably more expensive (NZ olive oil is way more expensive than Italian, for example)
It's not just the fancy flavourings. Think rice, wheat flour (NZ wheat isn't good for baking), sugar, etc.
…while it's technically possible to grow bananas in NZ (Far North) it's not an ideal climate for them … Commercial banana growing is a thing up here. Bonza
Smaller fruit than the inferior tasting Cavendish variety, the things grow like weeds up here. Our Misi Luki plants have been in for 18 months, and each of the original three plants have large bunches of fruit. Other than removing the excess daughters, (which transplant really well) they get next to no attention. I have papaya trees, (grown from seed) and I'm just beginning to cover them with frost cloth on cold nights. Some commercial blueberry growers up here (often grown in high gro tunnels) are pulling out the blueberries and planting papaya.
We also have coffee growing up here….so its not all avos and citrus.
Much of the produce is sold at Farmers Markets…these guys are not big enough to take on the supermarket duopoly in order to get a fair price.
Bananas grow and fruit all over the show…Whanganui, Gisborne.
Climate change…if we can't beat it…
Well, Rosemary – you live and learn!
I had no idea that commercial banana plantations were a thing up north.
How about sugar cane? IIRC it needs roughly the same climate as bananas – but it may need a bigger area in order to be commercially viable.
I have bananas and sugar cane growing in Riverton 🙂
Good Lord! Outdoors? Or in some form of climate control?
I'd have thought that frost would be a killer for both of them.
In a big tunnel house and out of doors as well. Frost certainly can set them back 🙂 but we have few if any frosts (we're southern but we're coastal). My out of door bananas are Cook Island plantains which are pretty hardy. I have misiluki (Samoan bananas) and others growing in the tunnel house.Thai ginger (galangal) grows readily outside here and has done for many years. Under the cover of plastic, it booms! I have Amarillo fruiting under cover. The plants are 3 or 4 metres tall. Lemons and grapefruit. Fruiting cherry guava, fig, Elephant grass, 5 metres tall (higher than an elephants eye 🙂 Brugmansias throughout the garden. Many of these plants look "scrappy" during the winter months, but bounce back strongly.
That is so cool. I'd love to see it!
You are most welcome to visit. If you are unable to do so, we have a short-film by Happen Films about to be released – I'll let you know when. As well, there is this: An invitation for wildness – our first film about our forest-garden, you might enjoy 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GJFL0MD9fc
It's worth it.
so there would be no international pressure if a NZ government tried to transition us to eating mostly from what we grow ourselves?
Well, you'd have to define how you'd envisage the 'government transition'.
If they use tariffs to make imported goods more expensive, then you'd fall foul of a whole host of international trade treaties (nuking NZ export trade).
If you give NZ goods a tax cut (e.g. no GST on NZ produce) then I think you run foul of the trade treaties again.
If they require local produce to be sold at a reasonable mark-up (thinking milk & cheese, NZ lamb, etc here) then I *think* they'd be OK with trade treaties (pretty sure France do this…)
If they require mandatory food labelling (and are very specific about what qualifies as NZ produce) – then there's no comeback.
If they run advertising campaigns (hopefully better ones than the disastrous 3 waters) and 3rd party organisations campaign for NZ produce to be promoted – and it becomes patriotic to buy Kiwi – then again no comeback. That's consumer choice.
Remember, that NZ is also vulnerable to the need to export in order to afford imports.
And that many essentials, sugar, rice, etc. are either not grown in NZ or will never be grown in the quantities that Kiwi consumers want them.
Just come across this list of countries which are self-sufficient in food (of course some continue to import – but they don't have to).
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/is-your-country-food-independent
Article is from 2014 – so subject to being corrected by later-arriving information.
There's a link in the article to a nice source map – with the relative proportions of imports (NZ at the 30% level)
By and large it tends to be the largest countries which cross a wide latitude which are self-sufficient (wide variety of micro-climates and growing conditions). A fair split between authoritarian and democratic governments – so that's not an obvious factor.
You'd be cutting off revenue to a lot of developing countries that rely heavily on it.
They may be able to get back to growing their own food on their own land, instead of it being taken for growing monocultures, for export for corporate profits, while they have to migrate in desperation to outer city shanty towns.
Terrible!
That depends on the country. Assuming it isn't a totally corrupt one, you can't make infrastructure and healthcare with bananas. And in an increasingly uncertain climate future, some countries may not be able to rely exclusively on domestic agriculture, including our own.
Subsistence farming – which is what you're talking about – with airy assumptions that developing countries will be "able to get back to growing their own food on their own land" isn't really a very attractive modern lifestyle. Especially without the technical support and infrastructure that you need foreign sales to bring in.
No tractors built in Fiji (for example) or diesel to run them. No communications gear (so no phone or IT infrastructure). Little medical infrastructure (apart from the most basic of care), etc., etc.
All of those are 'bought' by the export of commodities (e.g. raw sugar – and, bizarrely, bottled water, in the case of Fiji – who knew? But it it's a money-spinner for them – why take it away?).
https://oec.world/en/profile/country/fji
No. It is not what I'm talking about.
But keep your simplistic assumptions.
How about you give a real life example of a country which could "get back to growing their own food on their own land" without killing off their external trade and therefore their imports of all the things they are unable to produce.
There have been several examples given in-thread of countries for which this would be disastrous.
Where's your counter example?
Funny that you gave Fiji as an example.. Fiji is one where locals retain ownership of their land.
We will forget about the many places where large scale agriculture, and other resource extraction, benefits a very few, mostly offshore, profit takers, while the locals are forced into poverty and even, starvation!
South American countries were called, banana Republics, for a reason.
There are too many examples to count.
We will also forget about other examples. Such as African grain farmers who lost their livilihoods after being undercut by grain imported from the West.
Believers in the “Free trade” religion, like other believers in “Woo”, ignore the disasters it has caused. Including preventing third world countries from developing the protected internal economies that made Western countries prosperous.
But are you saying Fiji wouldn't be affected though? Also you have a very strange idea of the history of economic development in the West – that prosperity mostly came off the back of centuries of feudalism and imperial conquest.
To help you open your mind away from unthinkingly repeating memes.
Better than a summary “Kicking Away the Ladder” book by Ha-Joon Chang (blinkist.com)
You mean like you're doing?
Confirmed my point.
Thank you..
Can you please give some examples?
Well, in our immediate vicinity, Samoa's economy is largely agricultural exports, fish, and foreign manufacturing. Fiji, which is arguably the most developed economy in the region outside Australia and New Zealand is also a major exporter of sugar cane, coconuts, cassava, rice, sweet potato, bananas, ginger, taro etc. Further afield, Ghana is heavily dependent on exporting cacao.
Ghana?
How does poverty taste? Chocolatey. – Solidaridad Network
There is sufficient ethical production to supply some manufacturers. There really isn't much incentive to continue to improve ethics and sustainability without an export market.
I'd be good with trade with our Pacific neighbours provided it was actually ecologically sustainable (not greenwashed). I don't know if Fijians are being economically forced to cash crop and then can't afford to buy food themselves. Do you?
A sure winner for the government, taxing the company, not the individual. Put the money to helping families over the cost of living until Fair Pay agreements kick in.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/opinion-analysis/128536233/why-are-we-not-discussing-a-windfall-tax
Gotta keep the domestic supply going.
//
https://twitter.com/BFriedmanDC/status/1522576662218649602
What's your point, Joe?
Here's an article from 2006 discussing the baby trade, or "reproductive market", in the US. Fewer abortions may help to make it easier, and cheaper, for couples to become parents. The gay community, in particular, could benefit from fewer abortions.
Presumably the author is setting up a public debate between the ethical and commercial costs of adoption versus the ethical and commercial costs of aborting unborn children.
The US movement against abortion will be seeking to push this kind of contest worldwide through the media, as distinct from the narrow band of international aid and development as they did under Bush.
Abortion laws worldwide: In what countries is abortion legal? (nbcnews.com)
The upcoming abortion argument contest is going to make the Trans debate look like a very, very small thing in comparison.
gee, I wonder what both those things have in common.
Brava!
I don't think so, Ad. Firstly, discussing rights for women, while reframed as a trans debate, is more of a maintaining of boundaries. However, the infiltration of institutions, companies and schools, and the negative effect on children and young people has meant that more people are getting interested in exploring past the #NoDebate edicts. That's going to take a while.
The abortion debate has never been hampered by #NoDebate tactics, and those who want to be informed will have plenty of opportunities to do so, with articles and television broadcasts from both sides.
It will be interesting to see on TS which of the male commentators will be able to demonstrate their knowledge of the aspects of the abortion topic.
Women aren't brood mares producing a fucking commodity to be traded.
useful I guess to hear it said outloud.
shh, you need to get on with times
They are birthing bodies with unproductive uteruses that need to be put to work. And yes, quite a few people are not at all fussed by the idea that birthing bodies are nothing more then bipedal gestation units for lease and profit, to be hired and discarded at will.
There will be a future were fertile wombs will be told by WINZ that if they need a job they could gestate a human being for a paying third party. Its like slavery but kind and inclusive.
Women aren't brood mares producing a fucking commodity to be traded.
Thats an opinion rather than fact. Adoption has been around for quite a while, and to a lesser extent surrogacy and IVF. What benefits have these brought parents-to-be and wider society? Where would we be without these options?
Ross, are you expressing the opinion that women are brood mares?
Weka
I was commenting on Joe’s opinion. To repeat: adoption has been around a while and to a lesser extent surrogacy and IVF. Do the existence of each of these imply or suggest that women are broodmares? I wouldn’t have thought so but you may disagree.
Similarly, should men be allowed to sell sperm? What are the pros and cons of allowing such a transaction?
Commercial surrogacy treats women like brood mares, yes.
https://twitter.com/glosswitch/status/1522839324089274368
have you ever given birth Ross? Do you have *any sense of what that process involves for women, and why many of us don't want to go through it unnecessarily.
they really don't care.
did you see this?
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10788221/Call-Mothers-Day-renamed-transgender-men-classified-giving-birth.html
Can't have motherday now that 'men' give birth.
There was a slogan a while back in regards to the violence against women. 'She is not your therapy'. I guess the woke left saw that and decided that 'She is your therapy' was the correct way to go forward.
So a man is telling us to stop calling mothers mothers. Not hidden agenda there.
Probably the most disturbing thing about that is the degree to which society (looking at you liberals) think that we should centre people with mental health distress (gender dysphoria) and base our cultural practices on what they want. And invent whole new sets of language to do that. Have we lost our goddamn minds?
The left have had all those years of screaming "TERF" at us when we said that biological sex existed and was important. Meanwhile the right wingers in the reality based world where biological sex not only exists but functions as a weapon to control women were organising and strategising for this victory. You cannot identify out of this one kiddies – enjoy your pronouns.
Have we lost our goddamn minds? I'm surprised you need to ask.
it was rhetorical 😈
Weka
As has been discussed previously, abortion is not an absolute right. Similarly, people who chose (perhaps sensibly) not to be vaccinated against COVID-19 apparently didn’t have the right to choose. I imagine that losing their job and possibly their home was quite inconvenient and upsetting.
As English author Julian Barnes once said: we can have our cake and eat it. The trouble is, we get fat.
rights are granted and taken away by society. In that sense no-one has an absolute right to anything.
I see you ignored my point about the impact on women of unnecessary pregnancy, childbirth and post-partum.
There are costs and benefits to any course of action. Your focus is on the costs while ignoring the benefits. The costs of IVF are discussed above. Some of those costs are born by taxpayers. Should that be the case? Maybe society thinks the benefits outweigh the costs.
do you consider birthing bodies to be even human?
Given how little you appear know about the difference between producing a child and producing sperm – "Similarly, should men be allowed to sell sperm?", I'm trying to gauge where your level of knowledge is on this topic.
1. a) What are the possible negative effects (physical, financial, social, psychological) of producing sperm on the male body?
b) What are the possible negative effects (physical, financial, social, psychological) of pregnancy on the female body?
c) Which one of these two will have an ongoing effect after production?
"Fewer abortions may help to make it easier, and cheaper, for couples to become parents. The gay community, in particular, could benefit from fewer abortions."
The quotes you provided specifically talk about women's bodies in production lines terms, and a child as a commodity.
There is a conversation to be had about the provision of IVF, and adoption. If you have spent time investigating adoption you may find that regardless of the care and love provided by adoptive parents, a significant percentage of adoptees have had disrupted lives due to their emotional reaction to their adoptive status.
But I'd be interested in hearing what you understand of the possible costs of pregnancy, just to get started.
Given how little you appear know
That's never a great start to a discussion lol.
a significant percentage of adoptees have had disrupted lives due to their emotional reaction to their adoptive status.
Yep life isn't fair. I'm sure a significant percentage of adoptees from Ukraine have had more than disrupted lives given that both of their biological parents may be dead. We should stop the war there.
What are the possible negative effects (physical, financial, social, psychological) of pregnancy on the female body?
What are the positive effects of pregnancy on the female body?
The quotes you provided specifically talk about women's bodies in production lines terms, and a child as a commodity.
A woman who makes a logical and well-thought out decision to have one or more babies may be nothing more than a production line? That's fairly insulting towards women who wish to be a surrogate or to place their child for adoption. It suggests that they are incapable of making good decisions about their own body. That sort of attitude may be behind the (interim) decision to overturn Roe v Wade.
https://www.opendooradoption.org/adoption-services/international-adoptions/ukraine/
Actually, it was a thinly veiled suggestion to go away and inform yourself before participating further. Sometimes it is clear that a comment is made from someone who hasn't explored the topic before submitting their reckons. This was one such time.
Now I've seen your reply, I still don't rate it highly, because it is a simplistic – and therefore basic understanding of what is being discussed.
"A woman who makes a logical and well-thought out decision to have one or more babies may be nothing more than a production line? That's fairly insulting towards women who wish to be a surrogate or to place their child for adoption. It suggests that they are incapable of making good decisions about their own body. That sort of attitude may be behind the (interim) decision to overturn Roe v Wade."
That position assumes that there are no forms of coercion, or exploitation of women' bodies happening. If you know of such a place, do tell.
If women are in a tenuous or vulnerable position, and have choices other than adoption or surrogacy, and still choose them, then I'd say that choice is fairly autonomous, but still not without harm. Given that the majority of women in commercial surrogacy are there for financial relief or in desperate circumstances – I'd say there is something else occurring other than autonomy. There are also knock on social effects – on the child, the purchasing parents, and the wider community, that need to be recognised and assessed for harm.
But I’m game to learn of a different perspective, so have at it, what are the "positive effects of pregnancy on the female body?"
(I know of a couple, but would be interested in seeing your list, since you seem to want to avoid any mention of the negative effects that IIRC were not limited to physical, but included social, financial, psychological.)