Paul Buchanan said on radio yesterday that Snowden is about to release files about NZ as one of the Five Eyes spying partners. The files may show that NZ was spying on China which could worsen our economic relations with that country.
The MSM’s re-modelling of Colin Craig as Nats’ potential coalition partner continues. But it looks like that no matter what the media is trying to do, the general public’s perception of Colin Craig as a nutter will not be changed. The December polls seem to suggest so.
Also, it seems that Rodney Hide will have a go at Act’s leadership. This Sunday on Radio Live, he was adamant that Act will win again in Epsom but would not disclose who will lead Act in 2014 on the way to election.
Be careful. Craig Colins may be unelectable but could get in on the list.
Bennett is going up against her thinner blonder? self in North Harbor.
The thinking I suppose is National voters may see no difference and know Bennett will get in on the National list.
Then whats her name will then get over the line, and drag Craig with her.
That’s what the freak show needs to be exposed, National extremist gambit in the North Auckland seat, putting in a religious right into parliament.
You see instead of whatshername winning on her record, she gets cover from the Craig and legitimacy from pounding the pavement against Bennett in a sideshow of vacuous sound bites.
Its why Key wouldn’t do away with the single member party loophole.
interesting indeed. Nicky hager is the first I recall reading of 5 eyes. I tip my hat to him. Corngate. Hollowmen. Five eyes and his fabulous bruce jesson speech.
imo he is a homwgrown hero for his digging and head above the parapet.
And don’t forget “Other People’s Wars” Tracey. It’s a tome, but well worth ploughing through…
That book came about because a group of concerned military officers – some very senior – were appalled by the lies and misinformation that was being reported about New Zealand’s involvement in Afghanistan in particular, and were willing to talk to him. He told a group of us “we would be amazed at just who was willing to come forward and talk to him”.
A repeat performance of “The Hollow Men” in many ways.
“Other People’s Wars” is well worth reading and rams home the senselessness of our having anything except a coastguard and some sort of peace keeping and disaster response ability. The RNZAF might as well wear USAF uniforms and as soon as our admirals get blue water ships, they sail off and mix themselves up in adventures on behalf of the yanks. If they won’t take orders from civilian authority, I don’t see why civilians should pay their salaries. I would say the spooks are even less interested in working for us.
I spent five years working in a civilian capacity on an Air Force base. During that time I had direct contact with flight crews on a daily basis. I don’t mind telling you I was impressed with their professionalism and the work they did. There were the Orions flying out on daily missions (almost) policing our 200 mile fishing zone. Hercules aircraft were constantly shifting equipment and personnel from one place to another. A couple of Boeing aircraft did the shifting of large numbers of Defence personnel around the country and overseas. There were search and rescue missions of one kind or another almost on a weekly basis and weather related emergencies. The Air Force did an exceptional job during the Cyclone Bola emergency – travelling backwards and forwards 24/7 for several weeks without let-up. They deserved a collective medal for that alone. And finally the overseas peace-keeping and “re-construction” missions. More than enough to keep a small but very professional group of people in full time employment.
We can fulfil out international obligations without fighting and scrapping in “other people’s wars”.
Always wondered what the inflight entertainment and catering was like on airforce Boeing flights? Do they have flight stewards just like on civilian aircraft with free food and grog?
Though not savvy enough to tie himself to various acolytes and apologists (RNZ gigs et al) when sleepy hobbits awaken and the masses look back in anger.
I want it, AND I want it NOW!
Might take a while though, and thankfully I’ll be long gone – either into the ether, or somewhere in the 90 degree parallel
Viewing that clip of the ‘Judge asking questions” suspected of getting him fired from Fox News http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=52b_1329796059
I was struck by and enjoyed his clear diction, something which with notable exceptions is largely missing in New Zealand reports and interviewees as with most of what emerges from around the world.
Which is a primary reason that the written word has such an attraction for me when one works through the typos and mis-spelling so common these days as people simply either do not know or do not check what they have written.
(this is a copy of my reply to Draco who posted the clip yesterday and i realise it has little to do with your particular point jcuknz but along with the deficient spelling etc, attention being paid to the world’s timeline is also something which seems to be diminishing)
and it was his job to be seen to ask those ‘radical’ questions so FOX could say it is balanced when delivering the plethora of ‘stay on message’ propaganda pieces that passes for news on FOX.
They don’t give a shit. Check out Homepaddock ‘Saving species nearly killed it’, Ele Ludemann making analogies about DOC wasting money saving genetic lines that she says should have been left to die out and likening that to welfare spending. G Edgeler called her out on it and she back tracked, but not before showing her true colours.
Her right wing blog is promoted by her being on Afternoons. The blog is nothing but pure right wing spin. As seen by the post I mentioned, her views are extreme.
Well spotted. That blog has everything…the preachy-teachy far right lines, direct from Nat HQ. The ‘let them eat cake’ condescension, almost a self -parody. Relentless farming coverups for the usual suspects..pollution and destruction. Sort of ‘twinset-and-pearls on steroids’.
Should be subtitled ‘The Red Neck with a Blue Rinse’…;)
There is talk of pardoning Snowden but I think he should be given the Medal of Honour for bravery in taking on the largest and most powerful country/ group of countries in the world, or perhaps a Nobel Prize with its monetry tags would be more useful
I tend to agree – he id’d an issue, recognised the action he could take at great personal risk, and executed that action intelligently and with care for the safety of himself and others.
I think the argument that he exposed national security, which he has, is wrong since who was handing out state secrets to contractors, not Snowden. How was Snowden to know they would harm National Security, he’s not suppose to have National Security secrets, he’s not a government employee.
Its hugely chilling to democracy to find out that private firms could be working state databases for profitable opportunities. Were the contracts auctioned? Did partially foreign owned entities win contracts? Will companies from five eye nations get to bid in the next round.
When the government spends billions collecting data on everyone on the planet and only private entities with connections in washington can harvest that information, protected by state national security laws, then we all better start worrying.
Well, yes he did compromise the state security apparatus by revealing the extent of their surveillance (and thus the fact they has misled their political overseers, for example). It’s now working its way through the legal system – and I wonder if even Scalia can argue it’s constitutional…
What he didn’t do (AFAIK) was compromise the safety of individuals, agents, or informants (other than himself).
Giving secrets to contractors can be a required part of the job – they just get bound by security agreements etc. Whether such work should be privatised is another argument altogether.
I don’t know Tracey. On the face of it, it does look like there are reasonable issues to object on. I’m sure there is more to the story than we can see in that article, but it does seem an odd design if you want cyclists and walkers to use the same track. Plus the concrete is ugly as, at least in that photo.
Rubbish Weka it’s rank nimbyism. If people like Sneddon get their way there will be no new public tracks through NZ, with their obvious massive economic and health benefits. Agree on the concrete though.
You must have read a different article to me then. Looks like they were objecting to the way the path was being constructed, not that it was there (looks to me like the access has been there for quite some time, that berm isn’t new). Plus my points about design stand. Where are you getting your information from?
The current focus on putting tracks in everywhere is a mire of conflicting needs. Simplifying that down to a catch-cry of NIMBYism is not helpful.
“An even worse situation is where the lessee of a Crown Pastoral Lease has, for no good reason apart from rank selfishness and nimbyism, absolutely refused access across Crown Land beside Lake Roxburgh causing the cycle/walking trail between Alexandra and Roxburgh to be discontinuous, necessitating an expensive and inconvenient boat trip for several kilometres, a situation that puts off many cyclists/walkers.”
Selfishness and nimbyism, how do you know? What has the farmer said?
It’s been well reported in the press down here Weka. Basically the farmers say it is our pastoral lease so stuff you. Admittedly there might be very slight, and I mean very slight, adverse effects from the track on farming, but these have to be weighed against the purposes of the Crown pastoral Lease Act which aims:
“to promote the management of reviewable land in a way that is ecologically sustainable………… to enable the protection of the significant inherent values of the reviewable land…………and to make easier the securing of public access to and enjoyment of reviewable land” (Crown Pastoral Land Act 1998, S.24).
Are you sure there is not more to it than that? Often in those situations there is history that needs to be resolved. And I still don’t see how you can make the same judgement about the Taupo situation unless you have more facts than the rest of us.
btw, last time I drove through the Millenium track from Miller’s Flat to Beaumont, I thought what a complete fuck up. Trees being removed, big fences put up, an increadibly beautiful piece of landscape made ugly (not that the farmers don’t contribute to that as well). I’m sure in time some of that will sort itself out, but bike tracks aren’t always the bees knees. Increasing numbers of access sometimes takes things away. Fuck tourism and this idea that development is always good.
What if the idea of trespass was dumped but access by way of neat little suburban like paths wasn’t provided?
Lack of trespass works well in other countries. And whereas tourists and ‘day trippers’ might be drawn by the idea of a nice stroll down a tarmac/concrete/rubber/gravel walkway, they might not be so drawn to walking/scrambling over ‘natural’ countryside.
As a trout fisher I am very aware of the erosion of access to prime spots in particular. There is not only encroachment by way of development (as around lake shores) but also the denial of access over surrounding land to public waters. The latter is often a result of a “deal” between landowners and tourist guides to effectively privatise Crown riverbeds to all except those willing to pay for access across private land.
What we are seeing is the constant erosion of the public domain where ever somebody sees a way of deriving an income from it, or of giving themselves a privileged position.
Weka and Bill-I read a few weeks ago that a big percentage of the people using the Otago Rail Trail come from Auckland and environs.
Weka-tracks always take a while to “bed-in’ Have a look at the Miller’s Flat-Beaumont track in 3 years time. (I agree when tracks are first built there are adverse effects). My understanding is that parts of this track have had to be put in beside the road because adjacent landowners refused access along the old rail line which they were given for a song.
Bill-go and say “fuck the tourism” to the people of Omakau and Lauder and Middlemarch and see the response you will get. The Maniototo’s economy has been boosted by the huge success of the rail trail.
Concrete is indeed ugly (and its manufacture also produces much CO2), but Sneddon et al only seem concerned with their particular patch; which would substantiate Tracey’s claim of NIMBYism on his part, given:
“The track, popular with walkers and cyclists, begins 10km away in central Taupo.”
When I read the article in the ODT earlier this morn, I was mainly struck by this:
“While the donation and the plan for the concrete track were notified in council agendas, letters to houses in the area, council press releases and media coverage, objectors with holiday homes say they had no knowledge of it until construction started in December.”
Surely it was the responsibility of the house owners to ensure that the council had an alternative address, or to have their mail redirected, while they were non-resident if they wanted to be consulted. They must pay rates on the properties after all, which means paperwork going somewhere.
Also Sneddon’s criticism of the track seems rather incoherent:
‘ The objection wasn’t against the path, which “goes nowhere”. “All it does is finish a little further on.” He said it was not properly suitable for cycling. “You can’t ride two bicycles side by side on this path.” ‘
Which, if anything, seems like an argument to have the track widened to better serve both pedestrians and cyclists.
“They must pay rates on the properties after all, which means paperwork going somewhere.”
Yes, generally councils send important letters to the ratepayer’s prefered address, not a letterbox drop. It’s not unusual for councils to do things without notifying people properly.
“Also Sneddon’s criticism of the track seems rather incoherent:
‘ The objection wasn’t against the path, which “goes nowhere”. “All it does is finish a little further on.” He said it was not properly suitable for cycling. “You can’t ride two bicycles side by side on this path.” ‘
Which, if anything, seems like an argument to have the track widened to better serve both pedestrians and cyclists.”
Yes, and I’m sure that they would prefer to not have more people crossing in front of their yard than before, and so they are trying to find ways to mitigate the problem. But that doesn’t make them wrong. Sedden is most likely a complete hypocrit given his day job (although he may not be responsible for his wife’s actions either), but I really don’t understand why people who object to impacts are automatically labelled nimbys and selfish. Not all development is good, and not all development that benefits in some ways is without negatives in other ways.
“It’s not unusual for councils to do things without notifying people properly.”
They did seem to have made the effort here though via “notifi[cation] in council agendas, letters to houses in the area, council press releases and media coverage”. That the holiday home owners didn’t pick up on any of this seems to speak more of their disengagement from the community than the council’s negligance.
“Not all development is good, and not all development that benefits in some ways is without negatives in other ways.”
I can definitely agree with you on that point, though remain in favour of expanding cycle-ways.
An even worse situation is where the lessee of a Crown Pastoral Lease has, for no good reason apart from rank selfishness and nimbyism, absolutely refused access across Crown Land beside Lake Roxburgh causing the cycle/walking trail between Alexandra and Roxburgh to be discontinuous, necessitating an expensive and inconvenient boat trip for several kilometres, a situation that puts off many cyclists/walkers.
My understanding is that the tenure review in question is up for review in 2017 (?) at which time the goverment of the day can create a marginal strip outside the pastoral lease land where the cycle/walkway can go as of right. Better hope that Labour/Greens are in by then because National will never go against its farming mates.
It is possible that when Labour/Greens get in later this year they could legislate to push the cyleway through the pastoral lease land as a matter of public interest.
TV3 dignifies a science-denier by calling him a “skeptic”
TV3 News, Monday 6 January 2014, 6:10 p.m.
As even the supremely insensate John “Cabbage” Banks must have noticed, it’s been hot in New Zealand lately.
At the same time, however, it’s been extremely cold in the United States and Europe, and a couple of boats have been caught in the ice in Antarctica. This naturally calls into question the whole idea of global warming, as the intelligent folk at one of our premier blogs have noted…. http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2014/01/ice-veteran-slams-ship-fools/
With all this heat in the air, the producers at TV3 News evidently thought it was time to assign ace reporter Emma Brannam to come up with a short, sweet item about the heat wave. A “balanced” item, of course, which means that you balance up the bias of scientists by countering it with the well reasoned denials of cantankerous fanatics who insist the world’s scientists are engaged in a massive scam along the lines of the Illuminati conspiracy, the Harold Holt defection to the USSR or the 9/11 “inside job”.
The item began with shots of Aucklanders swimming, rubbing sunscreen on their bodies, and eating ice cream. All this served to establish the theme: it’s hot. Emma Brannam then gave about twenty seconds of air time to the leading climate scientist Professor Jim Salinger.
This was “balanced” by going to a crank, Bryan Leyland, one of the New Zealand advocates for Screaming Lord Monckton, the infamous science-denier who caused a fuss recently when Victoria University refused to treat him as a serious person….. http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-17042013/#comment-620413
In the interests of “balance” rather than accuracy, Emma Branham called Leyland a “skeptic”, as if he were some kind of Voltaire, rather than a science-denying fruitcake.
Since “balance” is obviously the watchword for TV3 News, I guess we can expect to see a Holocaust-denier interviewed every time World War II is mentioned, an Elvis-worshipper brought on to assert Elvis is still alive whenever any mention is made of his death, and a member of the Flat Earth Society hauled out to refute the scientific establishment’s socialist propaganda every time an item on space travel is aired.
“..In the interests of “balance” rather than accuracy, Emma Branham called Leyland a “skeptic”, as if he were some kind of Voltaire, rather than a science-denying fruitcake..
“Ace reporter”…..At this juncture I tend to blanch, I have since I left Uni (sometime in the Jurassic) met, socialised with, know (some are even children of my old friends) several TV “jornos”. They have two things in common: they talk nicely for the camera, they look good and presentable on the screen.
This adds up to one thing: they are talking heads. Without being too mean to people I like I cant think of one who has life experience, actual knowledge, etc. That is because in the role it is not needed, it is light weight / follow the script stuff. To assign intelligence to them (and I am not saying they are unintelligent) is to miss the point. So “ace”, wtf does that convey? I gave up listening to mainstream news eons ago for this very reason.
PS If you want to see some good reporters asking difficult questions try the Russian TV reporters (RT).
Please Morrissey, you must get the story right.
Harold Holt did NOT defect to the USSR.
He swam out to sea and was picked up by a Chinese submarine. In other words he defected to China.
Everybody knows that. Please don’t confuse them by mentioning the USSR.
As an aside there is a memorial to Holt in Melbourne. Sombody with a macabre sense of humour decided that a suitable memorial for someone who had drowned would be a public swimming pool!
Indeed, alwyn, I learned of the Harold Holt Swim Centre (in Malvern) many years ago, while reading Barry Humphries’ fantastically funny book about Australian kitsch.
The Australian establishment’s capacity for irony is almost as keen as the South African establishment’s legendary black humour.
Listening to the radio this morning I think I got some insight.
1 There was an item on the difficulties that Disney had opening a theme park in Paris and it nearly went broke. Something the management found was that with the sale of food, Europeans are different to the USA who tend tosnack a lot between meals. Europeans don’t they focus on the meal at meal times. And in buying stuff, Europeans tend to buy I think good stuff, infrequently unlike USA frequent purchases.
Maybe the snacking is what has changed the USA shape dramatically wider and heavier of late decades.
2 The hunting of whale oil. Sir Geoffrey Palmer was talking about eating whales and referred to a part of the scientific whaling clauses that say the whales should be used for something of value after the ‘science’. He referred to earlier days where whale oil was important but that died away when they discovered oil in Pennsylvania, I think.
That is what the Japanese are anxious about. I don’t think they have any or not much oil (and also may be one reason for getting uptight about nearby islands being taken over by Chinese, apart from the security angle). There may be oil reserves in the waters there.
Also any thinking country knows that oil supplies are getting tight. The Japanese would not like a scenario where they have to beg for oil from others, and be under their thumb, and have to pay big time for it. Also they know how a country can suffer when there is hostility and war, and they had the two atomic bombs and the fire storm in Tokyo. And their own filthy record to consider which they wouldn’t enjoy in reverse. The Chinese notice that they don’t hesitate to pay homage at the memorials of some of their dastardly military and scientific leaders. The Chinese haven’t forgotten the Manchurian atrocities at the beginning of the 20th century.
So the Japanese would think, better to ensure some independence in oil for the future by keeping on with the whales and want to keep this ‘pipeline’ open which also would provide food for their large population.
I think whale oil was mainly used for lighting, soap, and margarine. It was gas and electricity, plus the killing of too many whales, that cause its use to die out. I doubt if there is enough oil in all the whales in the sea to make a difference to the Japanese energy budget. I also don’t think they’re ever going to manage to feed themselves with whale meat. The whaling they do seems to be one of the last remaining ways that they can express their nationalism.
Murray O
Sir G Palmer mentioned the whale oil at the same time as he mentioned oil finds in the USA so thought that he connected them. Yes the nationalism thing could be strong – you can’t push us around stuff, but they must be looking at the global energy and political power too. Was I right that they don’t have their own oil reserves? I haven’t looked up.
Some whale oil was used for domestic lighting, but it stunk. Kerosene was used as one of the replacements. In the US, this was originally distilled from coal, but the process of distilling it from crude oil was more effective, and I think that started in Pennsylvania around 1850.
As far as I know, Japan has no oil reserves on their own territory. This was one of the causes behind WW2, where they wanted access to South East Asian oil. It’s also a factor in the number of nuclear power plants in Japan.
I know John Banks — we were hosts at Radio Pacific at the same time and I got to know him well.
He’s a good man. His background is well enough known — his bank-robber father was a crook and his mother an abortionist, both had serious drinking problems. He grew up in Auckland’s underworld of the fifties and sixties.
I can’t speak to Karol’s intent obviously, (I’m just not seeing what you are) but when I responded to Weka’s original question, it was off the cuff facts from memory, with no judgement attached. I don’t hold John Banks accountable for his folks, only himself.
I did not get the same impression of karol’s comment, phillip. I thought she was pointing out the redundancy of describing Archie as a bank robber and a crook. I could be sensitive on such issues if I felt like it. I don’t.
Archie Banks was a notorious career criminal and Banks’ mother Kitty was an alcoholic (Mayor Banks does not drink) and they were both jailed while he was attending Avondale College (after failing to get in to Auckland Grammar for being a “drongo”. Banks is a strange mix of boasting and self-deprecation.)
His parents’ crime was procuring abortions; this is all spelled out in an authorised biography written some years ago by Paul Goldsmith who is now on the council.
Deuteronomy 24:16 – The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
So long as Banks gets “put to death” electorally for his multitude of sins.
Try this
Here are the passages I found in which Jesus tells his followers that they have a duty to take care of children, the poor, and other vulnerable people:
Matthew 18:6, 18:10, 19:21, 23:14, and 25:31-46; Mark 9:36-37, 10:21, and 12:40; and Luke 10:30-37, 11:41, 12:33, 14:12-14, 18:22, and 20:47.
Here are the passages in which Jesus tells his followers to pay their taxes without complaining:
Matthew 5:42, 17:24-27, and 22:19-21; Mark 12:14-17; and Luke 6:30 and 20:21-25.
Here are the passages in which Jesus tells his followers that they aren’t supposed to obsess about other people’s sins, but should leave that to God, and attend to their own moral failings instead:
Matthew 7:1-5 and 9:10-13; Mark 2:15-17; Luke 6:37, 6:41-42, 7:44-48, 15:2, 18:10-14, and 19:7; and John 8:2-11.
And here are the passages in which Jesus tells his followers to blame the poor and vulnerable for their plight, direct benefits toward the already well-to-do at the expense of everyone else, refuse to pay their fair share of taxes, and obsessively denounce and punish the sins of people they don’t like while finding every opportunity to excuse their own sins and those of their friends:
Deliberately left blank until somebody can find some…
Ennui I just meant to list the icons but of course copied them with the colons so got the faces not the names – so match the face with the design –
grin razz idea shock wink cool sad
lol.
Good quote from Deuteronomy, also. Like you, I changed my ‘pseudonym’ – previously Deuto, short for …. Not so much to do with the bible, rather more to do with cats and ‘Cats’. Know cattiness when I see, hear, read it. Used to be something of an expert myself, but have mellowed with age.
Archie’s main claim to fame was as a fence. Apparently he was an honourable man, his word was his bond and all that stuff. John’s mother doesn’t have such fame in the folklore, which is possibly a reflection of the times.
It wouldn’t surprise me if John Key announces the election date this month, like he did at the start of 2011, to be seen to be ‘principled’ and above petty politics.
Furthermore, this belief that the government would fall if Banks lost his seat is, once again, incorrect. The government has a confidence and supply agreement with the Maori Party so will be able to win any vote of no confidence. I daresay that breaking that agreement would hurt the MP more than it would hurt National. Banks leaving parliament means National would only have trouble passing right-wing legislation, which seems like it wouldn’t be a problem in this case as there would only be a few months left of the term – they can arrange for urgency before then to pass any legislation that would require Banks’ vote.
Finally, calling an election because a minor party MP is removed from parliament really taints National a lot – they want to keep as much distance from Banks as possible, so it’s better to carry on with ‘business as usual’.
Lanth, I was talking more about the ordure that will fly around Banks’ sentencing and it’s association with Key (let’s have a cuppa) dragging down National’s poll ratings.
Well aware the ‘orrible twosome have hitched themselves to National for this term, and so ending the Maori Party.
I can’t find Banks’ actual court dates, but it’s scheduled for 10 days in May.
Are you saying that John Key will shortly announce an election before May? Or that after Banks is convicted but before he’s sentenced, Key will call an election then?
Since the budget is delivered in May, and National definitely want to get in a 6th one, I think we can rule the first possibility out.
I’ve already described why I think the 2nd won’t happen, not the least of which is that by that point it will be ~6 months until an election in November anyway so the Epsom seat can be declared vacant and not filled anyway.
As Lanthanide said, it is expected to take 10 days. So, unless Key and Co break with convention, the trial will coincide with the lead up to, and aftermath of the 2014 Budget – usually held in the second half of May. Convenient somewhat?
My money is on an early election – possibly as early as early/mid July, or in August/September – announced after the Royal visit or on Budget Day with a short lead-in time only (can be as short as six weeks’ notice).
Key will want to capitalise on the warm fuzzies, photo ops etc from the Royal Visit in early April – and also overshadow both the Dotcom compensation hearing in March, and possible extradition hearing currently scheduled for April, but expected to again be delayed until July, with possible ‘revelations’ unfavourable to/re Key.
I don’t believe he will leave it until November, as he will be hoping to attend the G20 Summit in Brisbane on 15/16 November 2014. NZ is not a member of G20 but Australia is hosting the 2014 G20 meetings and have invited NZ to attend the meetings for the first time.
Yes, an October election is possible. In addition to the issue in my earlier comment, my gut feeling is that Key will not use the same strategy as in 2011 – ie announcing the election at the beginning of the year – but will go for the opposite this time around.
IMO he will not want to give Cunliffe the time to establish a following/presence for too long, or give too much forewarning in the hopes that Labour will be behind in developing/announcing policies, getting their electorate candidates sorted etc. The number of Nats who have already announced their retirements etc suggests that National are well ahead in sorting their list.
A mid-winter election could also result in an even lower voter turnout than in 2011 due to weather, which would probably also work to National’s advantage.
But don’t forget that ‘early’ elections don’t reflect well on the incumbent.
Labour and Helen got a lot of flak for going early in 2002 (which prevented me from voting, as I turned 18 in October). The strategists reckon they did better by going early, but we can’t really know for sure.
mmm given the above discussion maybe you (Lanth and Veuto) are right and I’m wrong-election is likely in Sept-Oct. Banks is likely to be lead of to the cells in July, having been booted out of parliament earlier.
IMO this is close enough to the election for Key/National to suffer collateral damage in terms of loss in poll ratings. Labour and Greens cannot say “John Key’s mate John Banks is in chokey” often enough during the campaign.
I am still of the opinion that it will be earlier – eg July – but there is a lot of water to go under the bridge in the next few months, so anything could happen based on the ever-changing situation in 2013.
Moral of story: LABOUR, GREENS, be prepared to go AT ANY TIME! Surprise will be just one of Natzis tactics, alongside Mr Slip Slime Dirty Trix and his enterage of the 10% including a compliant media (playing their last round).
Cunliffe has been well aware of the possibility of an early election from the time he was elected leader. I think that is why we didn’t hear too much from him in the last couple of months of the year. He was busy doing the behind the scenes campaign preparation – putting strategy into place etc. That’s my understanding anyway.
dec-jan always quiet politically, and difficult for opposition to get coverage. No point doing king-hits when they’ll be quickly enveloped and forgotten by the election.
The hubbub will start up in late feb – I’d expect about 50% of policy announced before campaign starts, with a couple more flagship lab/grn/mana complementary policy announcements (like NZpower and housing). Grn on 12-15% and lab on 36-40% by start of campaign is my hope.
“I think that is why we didn’t hear too much from him in the last couple of months of the year.”
Exactly my thoughts ….. although hopefully he’s not losing sight of the old guard a-wishin an-a-hopin he fucks up, and occasionally completely stuffing things up with media pronouncements and pontifications – after having looked at their gorgeous image in the mirror.
[Looks at Parker, Maid Marion, Billy Bunter from Wainui, and others sideways]
Foot shooting and clinging to romantic notions of how life could have been (if only) are trademarks of a certain clique that only have their egos to cling to (and by GOD they’ll hold out – probably even after I, and a few others piss on their graves.
(I’m sorry your honour, I was drunk at the time after visiting the local supermarket and taking advantage of a loss-leader item, and didn’t know what I was doing!
Awwwe – you poor poor thang – I sentence you to a King Hit – stand down!)
Btw … there’ll be quite a few gerries up on that charge before the sun goes down for the last time (I’ll be the one in the wheelchair)
The trial has apparently been set to start on May 19..
As Lanthanide said, it is expected to take 10 days. So, unless Key and Co break with convention, the trial will coincide with the lead up to, and aftermath of the 2014 Budget – usually held in the second half of May. Convenient somewhat?
Have a look at what type of trial it is. Jury or judge.
The difference are that a judge will often reserve their judgement decision, often for several weeks. Whereas a jury will (usually if not hung) deliver a decision at the end of the trial (and the judge will frequently reserve the their sentencing decision).
If you look at the rules on MPs, only a *conviction* of the offense is required (ie based on potential prison term) to cause the effects on the coalition.
I agree Key will go early, but I’d be very surprised if he announces the date prior to calling the election, like he did in 2011. Then National outsmarted the opposition, by refusing to debate anything whatsoever until after the Rugby World Cup. That left just 5 weeks. Democracy it wasn’t.
My pick, and the one hesitation is what’s happening rugby wise, is that Key will call the election the day after Will and Kate leave New Zealand. Call me a cynic, not really, but the Woman’s mags will be lined up to print stories, Key will be featured right in the middle of it all, the right wing media will be fawning themselves over Wills and Kate, and all that publicity will too much to let slip. Key’s ratings should be sky high because of their visit.
the other point is that if banks goes the MP might decide to go at any time (I have the ompression that they’re still in the midst of a generational leadership transition). So if Key declares a Nov election in Jan, and loses confidence in June, he looks weak.
But if he “spontaneously” calls a snap election after a royal visit, he looks like the same fuckwit that’s worked for him for years.
“So if Key declares a Nov election in Jan, and loses confidence in June, he looks weak.”
Does he? Or do the Maori Party look petty for bringing an already-scheduled election forwards for purely political reasons, breaking their promises in the process.
That has to be countered with the ‘mana’ the MP might gain from bringing down a right-wing government. I suspect there’s probably more mana in keeping your promises than breaking them, though, especially if the resultant election sees National win again – the MP would be unlikely to get another deal from Key.
The Maori party can choose any pretext for knocking out the govt. If the pretext holds up to the electorate, then it’s not a petty reason and key looks bad for being incapable of holdng a coalition together. If the pretext looks petty, then Key can’t even hold a coalition of children. The Prime Minister cannot look like a victim of a smaller party’s whims.
That’s why I think Key would be stupid to announce a november election this far out.
I suspect a lolly scramble budget following a royal visit and using the pretext of Banks’ trial (regardless of outcome) would be the most opportune time for the nats to announce/hold the election.
4th quarter election is running at 80c on iPredict, so if you’re right about your 3rd quarter prediction you could make a good return on it.
Also I don’t think the MP will turn on him, not this close to an election, and take the risk of not getting back into government if National were to win.
Unless there were some extreme circumstances, like Key retiring as leader & PM and the MP used that as an excuse, or National just had terrible polling (say around 39-40%) so it became clear that Labour would win the election, the MP could then claim they were doing the public’s will. But otherwise I just don’t see it happening.
I’m not discounting a 4Q election, I’m just doubtful that key will be announcing the election well in advance like he did last time – the possibility of a steep nat plumment after the early year’s good-news events would be too great, and that would make their current and future partners shaky.
The Maori Party may not even need to choose a pretext. They have not supported every piece of legislation put up by National – eg asset sales – where the Dunne/Banks votes have been vital.
Another factor is the absentee rules in respect of voting. As I commented on a number of times in 2013, the MP only registered two votes, not three, on many occasions due to absences from Parliament due to these rules. IIRC, it would only take all three of the MP members to be absent without prior approval of the Speaker for their votes to drop to one or nil (I cannot recall the rules exactly, and don’t have time now to check) – thereby ‘inadvertently’ allowing a crucial (to National) vote to fail, if the Epsom seat was also vacant.
Labour’s numbers in the House are now back up to full strength after being down for various periods in 2013 due to Parekura Horomia’s death and Dalziel’s departure; so National will need all their coalition numbers in 2014.
These are also reasons why I believe that Key will call an early election, in addition to those in my two earlier comments above in this thread,
“The Maori Party may not even need to choose a pretext. They have not supported every piece of legislation put up by National – eg asset sales – where the Dunne/Banks votes have been vital.”
But that’s the entire point of their supply and confidence agreement. They guarantee their vote on matters on supply and confidence only. So far they’ve kept their word and there’s no reason to break it.
Agreed, Lanthanide, re supply and confidence agreement; and that they have kept their word on that. But also often with only two votes, not three due to the parliamentary absence rules. (The particular ‘quirk’ in the rules only seems to affect the MP at present).
But Turia and Sharples are often absent from the House, and it would not surprise me if this increases with their impending retirements and they forget to get the required approval to allow them to still register the one vote they can get when they are both absent. Time will tell.
Thank you Lanthanide, veutoviper, bearded git, Will@Welly, Tim and McFlock. I really enjoyed that discussion about election timing possibilities. Something I had been wondering about given the influence of scheduled events around Dotcom and Banks.
Wish the Windsors’ weren’t popping in with the new bubba though. It’s an unwelcome candyfloss coated distraction in what could otherwise be a glee fest of come uppances for the high tard of Nu Zuland.
Bear in mind also Dotcom’s extradition hearing. The last I heard, the FBI were looking to have it delayed until October 2014 on the pretext they weren’t going to be ready sooner. Now that would fit in nicely with an election around August wouldn’t it. Anything negative that comes out about Key – and there clearly is something – isn’t going to matter.
Hi Anne. I am interested in your comments re the FBI seeking to have the extradition hearing delayed until Oct. Have you any links etc for this information? I obviously must have missed this, despite following the case closely.
Would not surprise me, but I also think the separate but related ongoing legal issues /hearings re the release of seized records back to Dotcom to allow him and the others to prepare their defence will also affect matters and timing of the extradition hearing.
Thanks also for you unnumbered comment re Cunliffe being well prepared for an early election. Did not doubt that he would be doing so, but as you are closer to the inner workings of Labour, that is reassuring. I also understand that electoral candidates will be finalised by the end of Feb, which is also good.
I think it was brought up by someone (an American I think) during an interview on Radio NZ in December. Trying to trace it but no luck so far. The FBI are just requesting a further delay at this point… so it will be some time in Feb/March before it will actually be heard and a decision made. It’s getting suspicious in my view – these FBI initiated delays.
There are a number of possibilities. One set revolves around the Federal case having suffered a major (or fatal) set back of some kind. Whether it is legal advice received which indicates charges against Dotcom would fail (perhaps for reasons of technicality), an inability to find or access incriminating data they had made assumptions about, or some other factor in a similar vein. I can hope against hope, but sadly seriously doubt, that lack of cooperation from NZ authorities plays a role somewhere.
Which leads to a related second set of possibilities. Letting Dotcom off scot free is no doubt politically unpalatable to some parties on both sides of the Pacific. So the delay may be related to special law which is to be passed specifically targeting Dotcom (such special law being a favourite of totalitarian regimes still interested in maintaining sack cloth like rags of legitimacy), waiting to see if his new services eg MEGA somehow incriminate him, or perhaps simply stalling the whole process in order to not make it obvious to one and all that the whole thing has been a contrived bloody cockup from the get-go.
…or perhaps simply stalling the whole process in order to not make it obvious to one and all that the whole thing has been a contrived bloody cockup from the get-go.
Very good Bill, lots of layers in that. It’s a shame if you don’t comment as I think your perspectives would be helpful (given your relative semi-neutrality).
I like this bit from the link Nuclear Unicorn – It’s a thoughtful piece and heartfelt. So much online social justice activism has become hyper-vigilant against sin, great or small, past or present.
Hi Bill,
I read the link. I think it’s a pity that you don’t want to comment because beyond all the anger (note – not rage) I also wanted to understand. Maybe that’s one kind of ‘walking and chewing gum’ that just can’t be done, and I think there are tight limits to what can be achieved in a forum like this anyway.
I love this song – it has always felt like it was written for the family I grew up in.
Blue eyes fighting the gray eyes
Fighting the tears
Armed to the teeth for a war of words
Reachin’ all the years
I advanced across a poppy field
I saw the gleam as you raised your shield
And love screamed down
With the sun behind its back
Our fathers were all soldiers
Shall we be soldiers too?
Fighting and falling like soldiers do
Nothing is clear in this tactical
Unclear war
I can’t be bothered to find out
What we are fighting for
No one can win this war of the senses
I see no reason to drop my defenses
So stand fast my emotions
Rally ’round my shaking heart
Our fathers were all soldiers
Shall we be soldiers too?
Fighting and falling like soldiers do
Blue eyes fighting the gray eyes
Fighting the tears
Armed to the teeth for a war of words
Reachin’ all the years
I advanced across a poppy field
I saw the gleam as you raised your shield
And love screamed down
With the sun behind its back
I knew once again I was under attack
So stand fast my emotions
Rally ’round my shaking heart
Our fathers were all soldiers
Shall we be soldiers too?
Fighting and falling like soldiers
Fighting and falling like soldiers
Fighting and falling like soldiers do
” GOP critics have said the Fed has inflated stock and real estate prices by pumping money into the markets, creating investment bubbles that could burst and wound the economy anew.”
We didnt have qe, as advocated by the green party, but we have an inflated auckland property market.
put money in. Pull money out. Both equal inflated house prices…
weka
I say nimbys for a couple of reasons…
prof people with access to media
sneddon a lawyer and one other named. Lawyers are very good at wanting to stop something for self interest and the ability to make it seem altruistic.
my brother is in a similar socio econmoic bracket to these folks and he is very protective of his part time piece of paradise… despises the building going on in what used to be paddocks by his beach front and the noise of people it brings.
lastly I wanted to provoke a discussion. Thanks to your queries and others responses I learned a smidge more but remain convinced the white upper class wants separation from the great unwashed
Thinking of their attitude as nimbyism sits comfortably with my prejudices about the rich and their rural retreats. Once their particular mansion is finished and the road is sealed, they generally want all development to stop. I say why wait that long? If they don’t like what happens on public land, they shouldn’t have built there in the first place.
There has been a similar problem over here, on the Gold Coast. Some people with houses near the beach are annoyed about a walking track that passes in front of their sections. The local right wing politicians want to privatise the land and sell it to them for a song, so they won’t have to see the great unwashed crossing their lines of sight.
More brilliance from the NZ Herald. Reckons that Onion growers plan to place forward cover for sales at a “higher” cross rate rather than take the predicted lower spot rate in march…just weird. They are exporters not importers, locking in the higher rate with forward cover will cost them money.
+1
We’re on the way here too phillip.
Imagine if you will, two international students (conned by one of those tertiary institutions – since gone under – promising the world but delivering SFA through false advertising)
Imagine their folks raise the tens of thousands necessary to get their kids to the land of milk and honey
Then imagine after they complete their ‘degrees’ with flying colours, they find work (minimum wage of course and after paying various consultant and government dept fees).
Imagine they get bashed up, their documentation and only means of communication stolen by a few who’ve been let in by the local alcohol pumping station, and who as a result have gone feral.
Imagine getting dawn raided (of course we don’t do that anymore, OH NO) by ‘officials’ looking for ‘illegals’ – luckily photocopies of passports were held elsewhere.
Then imagine the costs of replacing doccumentation AND the time taken to do so (travel, time of work to do so, fees – such as over $100 for a replacement sticker ffs!). Time taken off btw posing a threat to their continued employment.
….. all up …. well over 2 grand including GST, plus racist jibes from gubbamint officials in various agencies.
What a nasty, petty, punitive, fascist little state we’ve become!
Kind of Rough Justice if you ask me! I’ll be checking out the antidote tomorrow at the Pines, Wellington
…. oh, and btw
there are local bodies right here in little ole NuZuln who are for all practical purposes, enforcing (or at least attempting to) those same limitations on rain water collection.
…. all the while not-so-much-concerned with collecting the alternative ( of shit-laden H2O – o…o…oh) ‘water’ from a stream – somewhat downstream from those lugzurrrryis images of the truly green green 100% (only slightly tainted with cow ahit – BUT …. apparently better than rain water).
Fuk ’em all Phill. Ignore it – best policy, but be prepared to shuv it up them if ever they have the balls to contest
The biggest difference I can see from the original dawn raids is that the current ones are televised and turned into entertainment. NZ On Air pays to make crude propaganda for racist immigration policies so that NAct voting morons can sit on their fat arses thinking about how that bunch of Asians won’t be stealing their jobs. It’s not hard to see how fascism would be popular.
India, Sir Lanka, Sub-Sahara, Arab nations all sign an agreement, to dna
all state public servents. Charities, involved in sex and slavery crimes
likewise collect familiar matches with the missing, enslaved and raped
(and also fetuses).
Cross matching is automated for anonymity, but when matches are found
between say military officers and raped Tamils fetuses. Or sex slaves
in a NY, London, Dubai brothel is matched with their African sub-saharan
families enslaved daughter.
Children in the future worried about their heritage could
also match their own dna against these databases and find their parents
aren’t theirs but paid to buy them, or worse, kept the offspring from
their real enslaved mothers.
Now imagine the immediate threat, when any public servant, any slave
trader, any brothel owner, worried that they may in future be criminally
charged. It would have immediate effect to chill rapes in India
and Sri Lakia, to sex slavery in major global cities. Its would
show those countries also who are supporting global slavery,
the sex trade and rapists, that need servants of the state to ply their
criminal trades.
So is there a dna database without borders? Such a powerful tool.
I dedicate this post to Caroline Cox, her emotional voyeurism, her
spiritual conceit, and her unwillingness to take the wrongs to the wrong
doers, in a NR podcast 15 dec.
A powerful tool indeed. Consider also the cross database access that the intelligence services have. Their ability to match information that was never intended to be matched or alter/add/subtract records in various ways is, I believe, unparalleled, and the implications for civil life as yet, barely thought through.
On the one hand I’m thinking “yay, jobs for the beleagured Dunedin economy”, on the other hand I’m thinking “this is not going to help climate change”. On a third mutated hand I’m slightly worried the fracking might trigger an earthquake and tsunami, obliterating my beloved home town.
That’s a technical way of saying: “Yay, the shareholders of Shell, OMV and Mitsui are going to get a lot of money, and the New Zealand taxpayer will clear up the mess.”
On the one hand I’m thinking “yay, jobs for the beleagured Dunedin economy”, on the other hand I’m thinking “this is not going to help climate change”. On a third mutated hand I’m slightly worried the fracking might trigger an earthquake and tsunami, obliterating my beloved home town.
Not to worry, think of the helicopter tourism when the next lot of icebergs float past. There’s always the disaster tourism if things go badly. Plenty of jobs there.
What jobs for Dunedites? The exploratory ship and workers will all be from overseas. There may be a bit of a boost for the town’s; hotels, bars, and brothels if any of them ever come ashore, but that’s about all I can think of.
Also, this seems more of a conventional drilling operation (albeit in very deep water), rather than one involving fracking. I have to assume that you’ve been eating produce from Taranaki’s “landfarms” which would explain that “third mutated hand”.
That cyclist killed at the Parnell Rise incident. It’s depressing. My condolences to all concerned.
I have long felt there was always an accident waiting to happen at that intersection. However, I had thought it would be a pedestrian that would be hit. Motorists continue to turn at the lights after the lights turn red. Lorries/trucks, especially long ones, are the worst for pedestrians as the trucks take so long to clear the intersection, often after the pedestrian green light has turned red.
Haven’t been there for a while, so maybe they have improved the intersection recently. And maybe that truck driver wasn’t rushing to take the turn rather than wait for the next green light.
But, for a truck and cyclist to meet and impact – something wrong with the road provisions.
In dunedin, the scenario that seemed to really take a toll on cyclists was when drivers of parked cars opened doors into cycle lanes without looking, cyclist couldn’t stop in time and goes under truck. Last one I read about, the truck driver didn’t even know the cyclist had gone under his wheels – he’d purposely left good distance between the two and thought he’d passed without incident. Cops managed to tell him on the outskirts of town.
Since then they’ve roughly doubled the width of the cycle lanes – hopefully that will really cut things down (although I’ve noticed more pricks driving with their wheels in the cycle lane – although it seems to be about the same numbers as cyclists who cruise through red lights).
yeah, dunedin’s fecking abysmal like that – no hgv bypass, with the main highway going straight through the middle of town, right next to the regional tertiary care hospital and going through the university campus. Throw in a moronic and user-expensive public transport system, and frankly I’m surprised we don’t get more traffic fatalities.
There is so much good craic going on on Open Mike today, barely time to reflect and no time to respond except to say that the music will always amplify the voices of the collective thought and experience of those who are itching for change. Big ups too to just saying for the classic Billy Bragg.
Snow and ice are disappearing from the Arctic region at unprecedented rates, leaving behind relatively warmer open water, which is much less reflective to incoming sunlight than ice. That, among other factors, is causing the northern polar region of our planet to warm at a faster rate than the rest of the northern hemisphere. (And, just to state the obvious, global warming describes a global trend toward warmer temperatures, which doesn’t preclude occasional cold-weather extremes.)
Since the difference in temperature between the Arctic and the mid-latitudes helps drive the jet stream (which, in turn, drives most US weather patterns), if that temperature difference decreases, it stands to reason that the jet stream’s winds will slow down. Why does this matter?
Well, atmospheric theory predicts that a slower jet stream will produce wavier and more sluggish weather patterns, in turn leading to more frequent extreme weather. And, turns out, that’s exactly what we’ve been seeing in recent years. Superstorm Sandy’s uncharacteristic left hook into the New Jersey coast in 2012 was one such example of an extremely anomalous jet stream blocking pattern.
When these exceptionally wavy jet stream patterns occur mid-winter, it’s a recipe for cold air to get sucked southwards. This week, that’s happening in spectacular fashion.
By disturbing a massive ocean current, melting Arctic sea ice might trigger colder weather in Europe and North America.
That’s the paradoxical scenario gaining credibility among many climate scientists. The thawing of sea ice covering the Arctic could disturb or even halt large currents in the Atlantic Ocean. Without the vast heat that these ocean currents deliver—comparable to the power generation of a million nuclear power plants—Europe’s average temperature would likely drop 5 to 10°C (9 to 18°F), and parts of eastern North America would be chilled somewhat less.
Xox
As the climate changes, established weather patterns will change, causing freaky weather to happen. The IPCC has detailed modelling showing a range of forecasts. A huge amount of of information.
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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 ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The 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. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
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 ...
Asia Pacific Report From France to Australia, university pro-Palestine protests in the United States have now spread to several countries with students pitching on-campus camps. And students at Columbia and other US universities remain defiant as campuses have witnessed the biggest protests since the anti-Vietnam war and anti-apartheid eras in ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
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The MSM’s re-modelling of Colin Craig as Nats’ potential coalition partner continues. But it looks like that no matter what the media is trying to do, the general public’s perception of Colin Craig as a nutter will not be changed. The December polls seem to suggest so.
Also, it seems that Rodney Hide will have a go at Act’s leadership. This Sunday on Radio Live, he was adamant that Act will win again in Epsom but would not disclose who will lead Act in 2014 on the way to election.
Interesting times ahead.
Vote the bastards out!
Also, it seems that Rodney Hide will have a go at Act’s leadership.
Didn’t the dark lord Douglas recently say that Rodney Hide shouldn’t be ACT leader again?
Edit:
Ah yes, here it is..
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11174085
Not that it matters, neither the ACT party, Roger Douglas or Rodney Hide are worth two knobs of goat shit.
Be careful. Craig Colins may be unelectable but could get in on the list.
Bennett is going up against her thinner blonder? self in North Harbor.
The thinking I suppose is National voters may see no difference and know Bennett will get in on the National list.
Then whats her name will then get over the line, and drag Craig with her.
That’s what the freak show needs to be exposed, National extremist gambit in the North Auckland seat, putting in a religious right into parliament.
You see instead of whatshername winning on her record, she gets cover from the Craig and legitimacy from pounding the pavement against Bennett in a sideshow of vacuous sound bites.
Its why Key wouldn’t do away with the single member party loophole.
Amrite
interesting indeed. Nicky hager is the first I recall reading of 5 eyes. I tip my hat to him. Corngate. Hollowmen. Five eyes and his fabulous bruce jesson speech.
imo he is a homwgrown hero for his digging and head above the parapet.
And don’t forget “Other People’s Wars” Tracey. It’s a tome, but well worth ploughing through…
That book came about because a group of concerned military officers – some very senior – were appalled by the lies and misinformation that was being reported about New Zealand’s involvement in Afghanistan in particular, and were willing to talk to him. He told a group of us “we would be amazed at just who was willing to come forward and talk to him”.
A repeat performance of “The Hollow Men” in many ways.
Arise Sir Nicky then. (Though I would hope he would tell them where to stuff their knighthood.)
😆
“Other People’s Wars” is well worth reading and rams home the senselessness of our having anything except a coastguard and some sort of peace keeping and disaster response ability. The RNZAF might as well wear USAF uniforms and as soon as our admirals get blue water ships, they sail off and mix themselves up in adventures on behalf of the yanks. If they won’t take orders from civilian authority, I don’t see why civilians should pay their salaries. I would say the spooks are even less interested in working for us.
Murray O
+1
Agree Murray Olsen.
I spent five years working in a civilian capacity on an Air Force base. During that time I had direct contact with flight crews on a daily basis. I don’t mind telling you I was impressed with their professionalism and the work they did. There were the Orions flying out on daily missions (almost) policing our 200 mile fishing zone. Hercules aircraft were constantly shifting equipment and personnel from one place to another. A couple of Boeing aircraft did the shifting of large numbers of Defence personnel around the country and overseas. There were search and rescue missions of one kind or another almost on a weekly basis and weather related emergencies. The Air Force did an exceptional job during the Cyclone Bola emergency – travelling backwards and forwards 24/7 for several weeks without let-up. They deserved a collective medal for that alone. And finally the overseas peace-keeping and “re-construction” missions. More than enough to keep a small but very professional group of people in full time employment.
We can fulfil out international obligations without fighting and scrapping in “other people’s wars”.
Always wondered what the inflight entertainment and catering was like on airforce Boeing flights? Do they have flight stewards just like on civilian aircraft with free food and grog?
Amrite
maybe hooten is standing. Apart from calling garth george a socialist he has been quite moderate for him lately.
Hooton is too savvy to tie himself to a political corpse.
@ lanth..
..hooten could argue he will reinviorate the party..start anew..
..and the alternative for tory voters..
..is ‘chem-trails’-colin..?
..whoar..!..
..hooten/act/epsom looks like a safe haven..compared to that madness..
..so i wouldn’t be so dismissive of that possibility..
..but of course hooten wouldn’t announce that until later in the year..
..because he would lose his (valuable) profile-building/tory policy-arguing slot on radio new zealand..
..as soon as that announcement is made..
phillip ure..
Though not savvy enough to tie himself to various acolytes and apologists (RNZ gigs et al) when sleepy hobbits awaken and the masses look back in anger.
I want it, AND I want it NOW!
Might take a while though, and thankfully I’ll be long gone – either into the ether, or somewhere in the 90 degree parallel
Hooton’s really trying to re-fashion his public image. Recently he even pretended to be an admirer of Nelson Mandela…..
http://publicaddress.net/hardnews/mandela/
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-30122013/#comment-750859
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-31122013/#comment-751356
Lanth
had been thinking about that but never underestimate the ego to take one in a contradictory direction.
+1
How come you’re so smart Tracey?
Viewing that clip of the ‘Judge asking questions” suspected of getting him fired from Fox News
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=52b_1329796059
I was struck by and enjoyed his clear diction, something which with notable exceptions is largely missing in New Zealand reports and interviewees as with most of what emerges from around the world.
Which is a primary reason that the written word has such an attraction for me when one works through the typos and mis-spelling so common these days as people simply either do not know or do not check what they have written.
(this is a copy of my reply to Draco who posted the clip yesterday and i realise it has little to do with your particular point jcuknz but along with the deficient spelling etc, attention being paid to the world’s timeline is also something which seems to be diminishing)
the clip was from February 2012, here is what Napolitano had to say about the cancellation
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/14/andrew-napolitano-fans-fox-email_n_1276468.html
and it was his job to be seen to ask those ‘radical’ questions so FOX could say it is balanced when delivering the plethora of ‘stay on message’ propaganda pieces that passes for news on FOX.
and remember he is currently senior judicial analyst for Fox News Channel
http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/personalities/andrew-p-napolitano/bio/#s=m-q
Thanx for that.
what david cunnliffe needs to do..in his state of the nation speech..
http://whoar.co.nz/2014/the-us-declared-war-on-poverty-50-years-ago-you-would-never-know-it-comment-what-cunnliffe-must-do-and-how-about-that-glaucoma-madnessblindness-eh/
and how about that glaucoma-madness..?..eh..?
(excerpt..)
“….and as an aside:..here is another example of the madness that labour/the next progressive govt must tend to..
..did you know that if you get glaucoma..that you can get a relatively simple operation to fix that..or you can slowly go blind..
..now..these (uncaring/randite-madness-driven)tory arsewipes who currently rule over us..
..have ordered that if you get glaucoma when you are over the age of sixty..
..and you don’t have the few grand it costs to get the operation private..
..that you can just get fucked..
..you can just go slowly blind..
..now..do i have to point out to readers the utterly mindfucking madness of a policy like this..?
..and how these shortsighted-fools (pun intentional) obviously have not factored into their brilliant cost-saving policy..
..the costs to the country of caring for those soon to be blind elderly..
..utter..fucken..madness..
..and as for the human costs to those slowly going blind elderly new zealanders..?
..they just don’t fucken care…
..and there you are mr cunnliffe..
..there is a populism-drenched idea/promise for you to both easily make..
..and to use as an example-club of how these tories are both totally uncaring for the poor citizens of this country..
..and fucken economically-illiterate..
..their greed-driven neo-lib/randite ‘beliefs’..
..seeming to shield them from viewing the human outcomes of what they preach..”
(cont.)
phillip ure..
They don’t give a shit. Check out Homepaddock ‘Saving species nearly killed it’, Ele Ludemann making analogies about DOC wasting money saving genetic lines that she says should have been left to die out and likening that to welfare spending. G Edgeler called her out on it and she back tracked, but not before showing her true colours.
and of course ludemann is a part of that huge number of rightwing voices on national radio afternoon..
..and she usually trots out absolutely ancient internet-drivel..
..(leavened with neo-lib-seasoning..)
..ludemann is as funny as a piece of wood..and as insightful as a rock,..
..i dunno what she is meant to be doing in that slot..
..(some kind on online/new-journalism/blog-expert..?..oh dear..!..)
phillip ure..
Her right wing blog is promoted by her being on Afternoons. The blog is nothing but pure right wing spin. As seen by the post I mentioned, her views are extreme.
Well spotted. That blog has everything…the preachy-teachy far right lines, direct from Nat HQ. The ‘let them eat cake’ condescension, almost a self -parody. Relentless farming coverups for the usual suspects..pollution and destruction. Sort of ‘twinset-and-pearls on steroids’.
Should be subtitled ‘The Red Neck with a Blue Rinse’…;)
There is talk of pardoning Snowden but I think he should be given the Medal of Honour for bravery in taking on the largest and most powerful country/ group of countries in the world, or perhaps a Nobel Prize with its monetry tags would be more useful
I tend to agree – he id’d an issue, recognised the action he could take at great personal risk, and executed that action intelligently and with care for the safety of himself and others.
I think the argument that he exposed national security, which he has, is wrong since who was handing out state secrets to contractors, not Snowden. How was Snowden to know they would harm National Security, he’s not suppose to have National Security secrets, he’s not a government employee.
Its hugely chilling to democracy to find out that private firms could be working state databases for profitable opportunities. Were the contracts auctioned? Did partially foreign owned entities win contracts? Will companies from five eye nations get to bid in the next round.
When the government spends billions collecting data on everyone on the planet and only private entities with connections in washington can harvest that information, protected by state national security laws, then we all better start worrying.
Well, yes he did compromise the state security apparatus by revealing the extent of their surveillance (and thus the fact they has misled their political overseers, for example). It’s now working its way through the legal system – and I wonder if even Scalia can argue it’s constitutional…
What he didn’t do (AFAIK) was compromise the safety of individuals, agents, or informants (other than himself).
Giving secrets to contractors can be a required part of the job – they just get bound by security agreements etc. Whether such work should be privatised is another argument altogether.
If you wondered who is able to afford lakeside holiday homes, wonder no more…
A bit of nimbyism from our tourism chief?
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11182176
I don’t know Tracey. On the face of it, it does look like there are reasonable issues to object on. I’m sure there is more to the story than we can see in that article, but it does seem an odd design if you want cyclists and walkers to use the same track. Plus the concrete is ugly as, at least in that photo.
Rubbish Weka it’s rank nimbyism. If people like Sneddon get their way there will be no new public tracks through NZ, with their obvious massive economic and health benefits. Agree on the concrete though.
You must have read a different article to me then. Looks like they were objecting to the way the path was being constructed, not that it was there (looks to me like the access has been there for quite some time, that berm isn’t new). Plus my points about design stand. Where are you getting your information from?
The current focus on putting tracks in everywhere is a mire of conflicting needs. Simplifying that down to a catch-cry of NIMBYism is not helpful.
“An even worse situation is where the lessee of a Crown Pastoral Lease has, for no good reason apart from rank selfishness and nimbyism, absolutely refused access across Crown Land beside Lake Roxburgh causing the cycle/walking trail between Alexandra and Roxburgh to be discontinuous, necessitating an expensive and inconvenient boat trip for several kilometres, a situation that puts off many cyclists/walkers.”
Selfishness and nimbyism, how do you know? What has the farmer said?
It’s been well reported in the press down here Weka. Basically the farmers say it is our pastoral lease so stuff you. Admittedly there might be very slight, and I mean very slight, adverse effects from the track on farming, but these have to be weighed against the purposes of the Crown pastoral Lease Act which aims:
“to promote the management of reviewable land in a way that is ecologically sustainable………… to enable the protection of the significant inherent values of the reviewable land…………and to make easier the securing of public access to and enjoyment of reviewable land” (Crown Pastoral Land Act 1998, S.24).
Are you sure there is not more to it than that? Often in those situations there is history that needs to be resolved. And I still don’t see how you can make the same judgement about the Taupo situation unless you have more facts than the rest of us.
btw, last time I drove through the Millenium track from Miller’s Flat to Beaumont, I thought what a complete fuck up. Trees being removed, big fences put up, an increadibly beautiful piece of landscape made ugly (not that the farmers don’t contribute to that as well). I’m sure in time some of that will sort itself out, but bike tracks aren’t always the bees knees. Increasing numbers of access sometimes takes things away. Fuck tourism and this idea that development is always good.
What if the idea of trespass was dumped but access by way of neat little suburban like paths wasn’t provided?
Lack of trespass works well in other countries. And whereas tourists and ‘day trippers’ might be drawn by the idea of a nice stroll down a tarmac/concrete/rubber/gravel walkway, they might not be so drawn to walking/scrambling over ‘natural’ countryside.
And yes. Agree. Fuck the tourism.
As a trout fisher I am very aware of the erosion of access to prime spots in particular. There is not only encroachment by way of development (as around lake shores) but also the denial of access over surrounding land to public waters. The latter is often a result of a “deal” between landowners and tourist guides to effectively privatise Crown riverbeds to all except those willing to pay for access across private land.
What we are seeing is the constant erosion of the public domain where ever somebody sees a way of deriving an income from it, or of giving themselves a privileged position.
Weka and Bill-I read a few weeks ago that a big percentage of the people using the Otago Rail Trail come from Auckland and environs.
Weka-tracks always take a while to “bed-in’ Have a look at the Miller’s Flat-Beaumont track in 3 years time. (I agree when tracks are first built there are adverse effects). My understanding is that parts of this track have had to be put in beside the road because adjacent landowners refused access along the old rail line which they were given for a song.
Bill-go and say “fuck the tourism” to the people of Omakau and Lauder and Middlemarch and see the response you will get. The Maniototo’s economy has been boosted by the huge success of the rail trail.
Ennui-agree entirely.
so I wonder what they’d say if a gubbamint came along and said ….. hey chaps, we’re going to re-establish the railway?
Concrete is indeed ugly (and its manufacture also produces much CO2), but Sneddon et al only seem concerned with their particular patch; which would substantiate Tracey’s claim of NIMBYism on his part, given:
“The track, popular with walkers and cyclists, begins 10km away in central Taupo.”
When I read the article in the ODT earlier this morn, I was mainly struck by this:
“While the donation and the plan for the concrete track were notified in council agendas, letters to houses in the area, council press releases and media coverage, objectors with holiday homes say they had no knowledge of it until construction started in December.”
Surely it was the responsibility of the house owners to ensure that the council had an alternative address, or to have their mail redirected, while they were non-resident if they wanted to be consulted. They must pay rates on the properties after all, which means paperwork going somewhere.
Also Sneddon’s criticism of the track seems rather incoherent:
‘ The objection wasn’t against the path, which “goes nowhere”. “All it does is finish a little further on.” He said it was not properly suitable for cycling. “You can’t ride two bicycles side by side on this path.” ‘
Which, if anything, seems like an argument to have the track widened to better serve both pedestrians and cyclists.
“They must pay rates on the properties after all, which means paperwork going somewhere.”
Yes, generally councils send important letters to the ratepayer’s prefered address, not a letterbox drop. It’s not unusual for councils to do things without notifying people properly.
“Also Sneddon’s criticism of the track seems rather incoherent:
‘ The objection wasn’t against the path, which “goes nowhere”. “All it does is finish a little further on.” He said it was not properly suitable for cycling. “You can’t ride two bicycles side by side on this path.” ‘
Which, if anything, seems like an argument to have the track widened to better serve both pedestrians and cyclists.”
Yes, and I’m sure that they would prefer to not have more people crossing in front of their yard than before, and so they are trying to find ways to mitigate the problem. But that doesn’t make them wrong. Sedden is most likely a complete hypocrit given his day job (although he may not be responsible for his wife’s actions either), but I really don’t understand why people who object to impacts are automatically labelled nimbys and selfish. Not all development is good, and not all development that benefits in some ways is without negatives in other ways.
Weka
“It’s not unusual for councils to do things without notifying people properly.”
They did seem to have made the effort here though via “notifi[cation] in council agendas, letters to houses in the area, council press releases and media coverage”. That the holiday home owners didn’t pick up on any of this seems to speak more of their disengagement from the community than the council’s negligance.
“Not all development is good, and not all development that benefits in some ways is without negatives in other ways.”
I can definitely agree with you on that point, though remain in favour of expanding cycle-ways.
Nice post Tracey.
An even worse situation is where the lessee of a Crown Pastoral Lease has, for no good reason apart from rank selfishness and nimbyism, absolutely refused access across Crown Land beside Lake Roxburgh causing the cycle/walking trail between Alexandra and Roxburgh to be discontinuous, necessitating an expensive and inconvenient boat trip for several kilometres, a situation that puts off many cyclists/walkers.
My understanding is that the tenure review in question is up for review in 2017 (?) at which time the goverment of the day can create a marginal strip outside the pastoral lease land where the cycle/walkway can go as of right. Better hope that Labour/Greens are in by then because National will never go against its farming mates.
It is possible that when Labour/Greens get in later this year they could legislate to push the cyleway through the pastoral lease land as a matter of public interest.
+1
TV3 dignifies a science-denier by calling him a “skeptic”
TV3 News, Monday 6 January 2014, 6:10 p.m.
As even the supremely insensate John “Cabbage” Banks must have noticed, it’s been hot in New Zealand lately.
At the same time, however, it’s been extremely cold in the United States and Europe, and a couple of boats have been caught in the ice in Antarctica. This naturally calls into question the whole idea of global warming, as the intelligent folk at one of our premier blogs have noted….
http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2014/01/ice-veteran-slams-ship-fools/
With all this heat in the air, the producers at TV3 News evidently thought it was time to assign ace reporter Emma Brannam to come up with a short, sweet item about the heat wave. A “balanced” item, of course, which means that you balance up the bias of scientists by countering it with the well reasoned denials of cantankerous fanatics who insist the world’s scientists are engaged in a massive scam along the lines of the Illuminati conspiracy, the Harold Holt defection to the USSR or the 9/11 “inside job”.
The item began with shots of Aucklanders swimming, rubbing sunscreen on their bodies, and eating ice cream. All this served to establish the theme: it’s hot. Emma Brannam then gave about twenty seconds of air time to the leading climate scientist Professor Jim Salinger.
This was “balanced” by going to a crank, Bryan Leyland, one of the New Zealand advocates for Screaming Lord Monckton, the infamous science-denier who caused a fuss recently when Victoria University refused to treat him as a serious person…..
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-17042013/#comment-620413
In the interests of “balance” rather than accuracy, Emma Branham called Leyland a “skeptic”, as if he were some kind of Voltaire, rather than a science-denying fruitcake.
Since “balance” is obviously the watchword for TV3 News, I guess we can expect to see a Holocaust-denier interviewed every time World War II is mentioned, an Elvis-worshipper brought on to assert Elvis is still alive whenever any mention is made of his death, and a member of the Flat Earth Society hauled out to refute the scientific establishment’s socialist propaganda every time an item on space travel is aired.
“..In the interests of “balance” rather than accuracy, Emma Branham called Leyland a “skeptic”, as if he were some kind of Voltaire, rather than a science-denying fruitcake..
(heh..!..)
phillip ure..
“Ace reporter”…..At this juncture I tend to blanch, I have since I left Uni (sometime in the Jurassic) met, socialised with, know (some are even children of my old friends) several TV “jornos”. They have two things in common: they talk nicely for the camera, they look good and presentable on the screen.
This adds up to one thing: they are talking heads. Without being too mean to people I like I cant think of one who has life experience, actual knowledge, etc. That is because in the role it is not needed, it is light weight / follow the script stuff. To assign intelligence to them (and I am not saying they are unintelligent) is to miss the point. So “ace”, wtf does that convey? I gave up listening to mainstream news eons ago for this very reason.
PS If you want to see some good reporters asking difficult questions try the Russian TV reporters (RT).
some ‘good’ news sources most may not know of are..
..alternet..information clearing house..salon..utne reader..mother jones..the nation..boing-boing..
..and for newspapers..the guardian..and the independant..
..and of course (ahem..!..that local scurrillous-rag..that whoar.co.nz..)
..that lot’ll see ya right..eh..?
phillip ure..
Please Morrissey, you must get the story right.
Harold Holt did NOT defect to the USSR.
He swam out to sea and was picked up by a Chinese submarine. In other words he defected to China.
Everybody knows that. Please don’t confuse them by mentioning the USSR.
As an aside there is a memorial to Holt in Melbourne. Sombody with a macabre sense of humour decided that a suitable memorial for someone who had drowned would be a public swimming pool!
Indeed, alwyn, I learned of the Harold Holt Swim Centre (in Malvern) many years ago, while reading Barry Humphries’ fantastically funny book about Australian kitsch.
The Australian establishment’s capacity for irony is almost as keen as the South African establishment’s legendary black humour.
mandela astride a springbok..?
..too soon..?
phillip ure..
Yes… perhaps those who think human pollution is impacting climate for the worse should be called
Nonsense skeptics
Anne
absolutely. I couldnt recall the name.
Listening to the radio this morning I think I got some insight.
1 There was an item on the difficulties that Disney had opening a theme park in Paris and it nearly went broke. Something the management found was that with the sale of food, Europeans are different to the USA who tend tosnack a lot between meals. Europeans don’t they focus on the meal at meal times. And in buying stuff, Europeans tend to buy I think good stuff, infrequently unlike USA frequent purchases.
Maybe the snacking is what has changed the USA shape dramatically wider and heavier of late decades.
2 The hunting of whale oil. Sir Geoffrey Palmer was talking about eating whales and referred to a part of the scientific whaling clauses that say the whales should be used for something of value after the ‘science’. He referred to earlier days where whale oil was important but that died away when they discovered oil in Pennsylvania, I think.
That is what the Japanese are anxious about. I don’t think they have any or not much oil (and also may be one reason for getting uptight about nearby islands being taken over by Chinese, apart from the security angle). There may be oil reserves in the waters there.
Also any thinking country knows that oil supplies are getting tight. The Japanese would not like a scenario where they have to beg for oil from others, and be under their thumb, and have to pay big time for it. Also they know how a country can suffer when there is hostility and war, and they had the two atomic bombs and the fire storm in Tokyo. And their own filthy record to consider which they wouldn’t enjoy in reverse. The Chinese notice that they don’t hesitate to pay homage at the memorials of some of their dastardly military and scientific leaders. The Chinese haven’t forgotten the Manchurian atrocities at the beginning of the 20th century.
So the Japanese would think, better to ensure some independence in oil for the future by keeping on with the whales and want to keep this ‘pipeline’ open which also would provide food for their large population.
I think whale oil was mainly used for lighting, soap, and margarine. It was gas and electricity, plus the killing of too many whales, that cause its use to die out. I doubt if there is enough oil in all the whales in the sea to make a difference to the Japanese energy budget. I also don’t think they’re ever going to manage to feed themselves with whale meat. The whaling they do seems to be one of the last remaining ways that they can express their nationalism.
Murray O
Sir G Palmer mentioned the whale oil at the same time as he mentioned oil finds in the USA so thought that he connected them. Yes the nationalism thing could be strong – you can’t push us around stuff, but they must be looking at the global energy and political power too. Was I right that they don’t have their own oil reserves? I haven’t looked up.
Some whale oil was used for domestic lighting, but it stunk. Kerosene was used as one of the replacements. In the US, this was originally distilled from coal, but the process of distilling it from crude oil was more effective, and I think that started in Pennsylvania around 1850.
As far as I know, Japan has no oil reserves on their own territory. This was one of the causes behind WW2, where they wanted access to South East Asian oil. It’s also a factor in the number of nuclear power plants in Japan.
Surely Key will call and election before Banks is sentenced? See:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/politics/9580345/Banks-faces-daunting-new-year
Early election either way.
Anyone know what Banks’ parents were jailed for?
locking him under the stairs for 18 years? That would explain a lot (as would consorting intimately with demons).
From memory, they were bootleggers and provided illegal abortions.
Archibald Banks, John’s father & his mother:
As if a bank-robber wasn’t always a “crook”?
Have to differentiate the shotgun-holders from the managers somehow 🙂
Well, there are those thieves with, and those without, honour…
sheesh karol..!..ever heard of rehabilitation..?
..getting yr act a bit more together..?
..(i speak as an ex-junkie/ex-con..eh..?..’always’ one..eh..?..)
..and as banks’ parents were abortionists..
..shouldn’t they be heroes to many here..?
..hasn’t that penny dropped yet..?
..(just saying..!..)
phillip ure..
See, that’s not how I took Karol’s comment. I thought she was pointing out the redundancy of the word “crook” in the original sentence she quoted:
“…his bank-robber father was a crook…”
I mean, it’s not really needed. It could have just said:
“…his father was a bank-robber…”
YMMV of course!
@ nz femme..
..i re-read it..and nah..!..
..karol is saying once a crook..always a crook..
..if i am incorrect in that reading..
..i will withdraw and apoligise..
..but from here it just looks like a cheap-shot..
..and spilling the sins of the father onto the son..
..and that ain’t right..
..in fact it gives every appearance of being the kind of nz small-town curtain-twitching janet frame skewered/detailed so well..
..eh..?
phillip ure..
Oh, really, phillip. Of course it’s what NZ Femme said. The crook phrase was redundant – maybe just to stress Archie was a crook?
I thought it was a small point – an aside, but also so obvious it didn’t need explaining.
@ karol..so..were you being pedantic/tautology-alerting..?..and not sneering..?
..if not the latter i withdraw and apologise..
..but that’s bye the bye..
..perhaps weka cd explain why she kicked off this witch-hunt on banks..thru the ‘sins’ of his parents..
..and i really would like an answer to the question..
..as banks’ parents were abortionists..
..shouldn’t they be hailed as heroes..by many here..?
..and i include yrslf/weka in that question/category..
..phillip ure..
I can’t speak to Karol’s intent obviously, (I’m just not seeing what you are) but when I responded to Weka’s original question, it was off the cuff facts from memory, with no judgement attached. I don’t hold John Banks accountable for his folks, only himself.
:::Snap::: @ Karol 🙂
I did not get the same impression of karol’s comment, phillip. I thought she was pointing out the redundancy of describing Archie as a bank robber and a crook. I could be sensitive on such issues if I felt like it. I don’t.
Archie Banks was a notorious career criminal and Banks’ mother Kitty was an alcoholic (Mayor Banks does not drink) and they were both jailed while he was attending Avondale College (after failing to get in to Auckland Grammar for being a “drongo”. Banks is a strange mix of boasting and self-deprecation.)
His parents’ crime was procuring abortions; this is all spelled out in an authorised biography written some years ago by Paul Goldsmith who is now on the council.
From this article
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?objectid=10662438
Deuteronomy 24:16 – The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
So long as Banks gets “put to death” electorally for his multitude of sins.
the drone strike case of US citizen Anwar al-Awlaki and then his US born 16 year old son 2 weeks later seems to contravene this.
Wish I could smile CV (or do one of hose smiley objects). If it was not so tragic, but American “Christian” morality is rather odd as the Archdruid points out http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.co.nz/search?updated-min=2013-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2014-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=50
Try this
Here are the passages I found in which Jesus tells his followers that they have a duty to take care of children, the poor, and other vulnerable people:
Matthew 18:6, 18:10, 19:21, 23:14, and 25:31-46; Mark 9:36-37, 10:21, and 12:40; and Luke 10:30-37, 11:41, 12:33, 14:12-14, 18:22, and 20:47.
Here are the passages in which Jesus tells his followers to pay their taxes without complaining:
Matthew 5:42, 17:24-27, and 22:19-21; Mark 12:14-17; and Luke 6:30 and 20:21-25.
Here are the passages in which Jesus tells his followers that they aren’t supposed to obsess about other people’s sins, but should leave that to God, and attend to their own moral failings instead:
Matthew 7:1-5 and 9:10-13; Mark 2:15-17; Luke 6:37, 6:41-42, 7:44-48, 15:2, 18:10-14, and 19:7; and John 8:2-11.
And here are the passages in which Jesus tells his followers to blame the poor and vulnerable for their plight, direct benefits toward the already well-to-do at the expense of everyone else, refuse to pay their fair share of taxes, and obsessively denounce and punish the sins of people they don’t like while finding every opportunity to excuse their own sins and those of their friends:
Deliberately left blank until somebody can find some…
chrs 4 that ennui..
i’m gonna lift it wholesale for whoar..
..v.good..
..i have felt for some time that we will never get real progressive-change..
..until we get the churches onside/beside us..
..this is good religious agit-prop to use to help achieve that alliance..
..phillip ure..
+1
Ennui
If you want to do a smile – press the key for colon – then it’s colonsmilecolon and same for these –
😀 😛 💡
😯 😉 😎 🙁
Moving mouth 😆
Ennui I just meant to list the icons but of course copied them with the colons so got the faces not the names – so match the face with the design –
grin razz idea shock wink cool sad
lol.
Agreed, Ennui – that is to you last sentence.
Good quote from Deuteronomy, also. Like you, I changed my ‘pseudonym’ – previously Deuto, short for …. Not so much to do with the bible, rather more to do with cats and ‘Cats’. Know cattiness when I see, hear, read it. Used to be something of an expert myself, but have mellowed with age.
Archie’s main claim to fame was as a fence. Apparently he was an honourable man, his word was his bond and all that stuff. John’s mother doesn’t have such fame in the folklore, which is possibly a reflection of the times.
It wouldn’t surprise me if John Key announces the election date this month, like he did at the start of 2011, to be seen to be ‘principled’ and above petty politics.
Furthermore, this belief that the government would fall if Banks lost his seat is, once again, incorrect. The government has a confidence and supply agreement with the Maori Party so will be able to win any vote of no confidence. I daresay that breaking that agreement would hurt the MP more than it would hurt National. Banks leaving parliament means National would only have trouble passing right-wing legislation, which seems like it wouldn’t be a problem in this case as there would only be a few months left of the term – they can arrange for urgency before then to pass any legislation that would require Banks’ vote.
Finally, calling an election because a minor party MP is removed from parliament really taints National a lot – they want to keep as much distance from Banks as possible, so it’s better to carry on with ‘business as usual’.
Lanth, I was talking more about the ordure that will fly around Banks’ sentencing and it’s association with Key (let’s have a cuppa) dragging down National’s poll ratings.
Well aware the ‘orrible twosome have hitched themselves to National for this term, and so ending the Maori Party.
I can’t find Banks’ actual court dates, but it’s scheduled for 10 days in May.
Are you saying that John Key will shortly announce an election before May? Or that after Banks is convicted but before he’s sentenced, Key will call an election then?
Since the budget is delivered in May, and National definitely want to get in a 6th one, I think we can rule the first possibility out.
I’ve already described why I think the 2nd won’t happen, not the least of which is that by that point it will be ~6 months until an election in November anyway so the Epsom seat can be declared vacant and not filled anyway.
The trial has apparently been set to start on May 19 according to this MSM article
http://news.msn.co.nz/nationalnews/8769177/act-leader-banks-returns-to-court
As Lanthanide said, it is expected to take 10 days. So, unless Key and Co break with convention, the trial will coincide with the lead up to, and aftermath of the 2014 Budget – usually held in the second half of May. Convenient somewhat?
My money is on an early election – possibly as early as early/mid July, or in August/September – announced after the Royal visit or on Budget Day with a short lead-in time only (can be as short as six weeks’ notice).
Key will want to capitalise on the warm fuzzies, photo ops etc from the Royal Visit in early April – and also overshadow both the Dotcom compensation hearing in March, and possible extradition hearing currently scheduled for April, but expected to again be delayed until July, with possible ‘revelations’ unfavourable to/re Key.
I don’t believe he will leave it until November, as he will be hoping to attend the G20 Summit in Brisbane on 15/16 November 2014. NZ is not a member of G20 but Australia is hosting the 2014 G20 meetings and have invited NZ to attend the meetings for the first time.
http://johnkey.co.nz/archives/1770-New-Zealand-to-join-2014-G20-meetings.html
Good point, I hadn’t thought about the G20 summit. Still, October is still a feasible target.
Yes, an October election is possible. In addition to the issue in my earlier comment, my gut feeling is that Key will not use the same strategy as in 2011 – ie announcing the election at the beginning of the year – but will go for the opposite this time around.
IMO he will not want to give Cunliffe the time to establish a following/presence for too long, or give too much forewarning in the hopes that Labour will be behind in developing/announcing policies, getting their electorate candidates sorted etc. The number of Nats who have already announced their retirements etc suggests that National are well ahead in sorting their list.
A mid-winter election could also result in an even lower voter turnout than in 2011 due to weather, which would probably also work to National’s advantage.
But don’t forget that ‘early’ elections don’t reflect well on the incumbent.
Labour and Helen got a lot of flak for going early in 2002 (which prevented me from voting, as I turned 18 in October). The strategists reckon they did better by going early, but we can’t really know for sure.
mmm given the above discussion maybe you (Lanth and Veuto) are right and I’m wrong-election is likely in Sept-Oct. Banks is likely to be lead of to the cells in July, having been booted out of parliament earlier.
IMO this is close enough to the election for Key/National to suffer collateral damage in terms of loss in poll ratings. Labour and Greens cannot say “John Key’s mate John Banks is in chokey” often enough during the campaign.
I am still of the opinion that it will be earlier – eg July – but there is a lot of water to go under the bridge in the next few months, so anything could happen based on the ever-changing situation in 2013.
Moral of story: LABOUR, GREENS, be prepared to go AT ANY TIME! Surprise will be just one of Natzis tactics, alongside Mr Slip Slime Dirty Trix and his enterage of the 10% including a compliant media (playing their last round).
Cunliffe has been well aware of the possibility of an early election from the time he was elected leader. I think that is why we didn’t hear too much from him in the last couple of months of the year. He was busy doing the behind the scenes campaign preparation – putting strategy into place etc. That’s my understanding anyway.
Yep. Got my LEC campaign meeting tomorrow, Anne. Got a superb candidate, a small but perfectly formed team and a will to win. Bring it on!
dec-jan always quiet politically, and difficult for opposition to get coverage. No point doing king-hits when they’ll be quickly enveloped and forgotten by the election.
The hubbub will start up in late feb – I’d expect about 50% of policy announced before campaign starts, with a couple more flagship lab/grn/mana complementary policy announcements (like NZpower and housing). Grn on 12-15% and lab on 36-40% by start of campaign is my hope.
TRP and McFlock
Can’t wait for it to start.
I’m quite enjoying the break, even if there is a bit of bickering going on 🙂
scrappers gon’ scrap
“I think that is why we didn’t hear too much from him in the last couple of months of the year.”
Exactly my thoughts ….. although hopefully he’s not losing sight of the old guard a-wishin an-a-hopin he fucks up, and occasionally completely stuffing things up with media pronouncements and pontifications – after having looked at their gorgeous image in the mirror.
[Looks at Parker, Maid Marion, Billy Bunter from Wainui, and others sideways]
Foot shooting and clinging to romantic notions of how life could have been (if only) are trademarks of a certain clique that only have their egos to cling to (and by GOD they’ll hold out – probably even after I, and a few others piss on their graves.
(I’m sorry your honour, I was drunk at the time after visiting the local supermarket and taking advantage of a loss-leader item, and didn’t know what I was doing!
Awwwe – you poor poor thang – I sentence you to a King Hit – stand down!)
Btw … there’ll be quite a few gerries up on that charge before the sun goes down for the last time (I’ll be the one in the wheelchair)
Have a look at what type of trial it is. Jury or judge.
The difference are that a judge will often reserve their judgement decision, often for several weeks. Whereas a jury will (usually if not hung) deliver a decision at the end of the trial (and the judge will frequently reserve the their sentencing decision).
If you look at the rules on MPs, only a *conviction* of the offense is required (ie based on potential prison term) to cause the effects on the coalition.
Timing details are everything
It’s a judge-only trial.
I agree Key will go early, but I’d be very surprised if he announces the date prior to calling the election, like he did in 2011. Then National outsmarted the opposition, by refusing to debate anything whatsoever until after the Rugby World Cup. That left just 5 weeks. Democracy it wasn’t.
My pick, and the one hesitation is what’s happening rugby wise, is that Key will call the election the day after Will and Kate leave New Zealand. Call me a cynic, not really, but the Woman’s mags will be lined up to print stories, Key will be featured right in the middle of it all, the right wing media will be fawning themselves over Wills and Kate, and all that publicity will too much to let slip. Key’s ratings should be sky high because of their visit.
the other point is that if banks goes the MP might decide to go at any time (I have the ompression that they’re still in the midst of a generational leadership transition). So if Key declares a Nov election in Jan, and loses confidence in June, he looks weak.
But if he “spontaneously” calls a snap election after a royal visit, he looks like the same fuckwit that’s worked for him for years.
“So if Key declares a Nov election in Jan, and loses confidence in June, he looks weak.”
Does he? Or do the Maori Party look petty for bringing an already-scheduled election forwards for purely political reasons, breaking their promises in the process.
That has to be countered with the ‘mana’ the MP might gain from bringing down a right-wing government. I suspect there’s probably more mana in keeping your promises than breaking them, though, especially if the resultant election sees National win again – the MP would be unlikely to get another deal from Key.
The Maori party can choose any pretext for knocking out the govt. If the pretext holds up to the electorate, then it’s not a petty reason and key looks bad for being incapable of holdng a coalition together. If the pretext looks petty, then Key can’t even hold a coalition of children. The Prime Minister cannot look like a victim of a smaller party’s whims.
That’s why I think Key would be stupid to announce a november election this far out.
I suspect a lolly scramble budget following a royal visit and using the pretext of Banks’ trial (regardless of outcome) would be the most opportune time for the nats to announce/hold the election.
4th quarter election is running at 80c on iPredict, so if you’re right about your 3rd quarter prediction you could make a good return on it.
Also I don’t think the MP will turn on him, not this close to an election, and take the risk of not getting back into government if National were to win.
Unless there were some extreme circumstances, like Key retiring as leader & PM and the MP used that as an excuse, or National just had terrible polling (say around 39-40%) so it became clear that Labour would win the election, the MP could then claim they were doing the public’s will. But otherwise I just don’t see it happening.
I’m not discounting a 4Q election, I’m just doubtful that key will be announcing the election well in advance like he did last time – the possibility of a steep nat plumment after the early year’s good-news events would be too great, and that would make their current and future partners shaky.
The Maori Party may not even need to choose a pretext. They have not supported every piece of legislation put up by National – eg asset sales – where the Dunne/Banks votes have been vital.
Another factor is the absentee rules in respect of voting. As I commented on a number of times in 2013, the MP only registered two votes, not three, on many occasions due to absences from Parliament due to these rules. IIRC, it would only take all three of the MP members to be absent without prior approval of the Speaker for their votes to drop to one or nil (I cannot recall the rules exactly, and don’t have time now to check) – thereby ‘inadvertently’ allowing a crucial (to National) vote to fail, if the Epsom seat was also vacant.
Labour’s numbers in the House are now back up to full strength after being down for various periods in 2013 due to Parekura Horomia’s death and Dalziel’s departure; so National will need all their coalition numbers in 2014.
These are also reasons why I believe that Key will call an early election, in addition to those in my two earlier comments above in this thread,
“The Maori Party may not even need to choose a pretext. They have not supported every piece of legislation put up by National – eg asset sales – where the Dunne/Banks votes have been vital.”
But that’s the entire point of their supply and confidence agreement. They guarantee their vote on matters on supply and confidence only. So far they’ve kept their word and there’s no reason to break it.
Agreed, Lanthanide, re supply and confidence agreement; and that they have kept their word on that. But also often with only two votes, not three due to the parliamentary absence rules. (The particular ‘quirk’ in the rules only seems to affect the MP at present).
But Turia and Sharples are often absent from the House, and it would not surprise me if this increases with their impending retirements and they forget to get the required approval to allow them to still register the one vote they can get when they are both absent. Time will tell.
Thank you Lanthanide, veutoviper, bearded git, Will@Welly, Tim and McFlock. I really enjoyed that discussion about election timing possibilities. Something I had been wondering about given the influence of scheduled events around Dotcom and Banks.
Wish the Windsors’ weren’t popping in with the new bubba though. It’s an unwelcome candyfloss coated distraction in what could otherwise be a glee fest of come uppances for the high tard of Nu Zuland.
+1 McFlock @ 3:41
Bear in mind also Dotcom’s extradition hearing. The last I heard, the FBI were looking to have it delayed until October 2014 on the pretext they weren’t going to be ready sooner. Now that would fit in nicely with an election around August wouldn’t it. Anything negative that comes out about Key – and there clearly is something – isn’t going to matter.
Hi Anne. I am interested in your comments re the FBI seeking to have the extradition hearing delayed until Oct. Have you any links etc for this information? I obviously must have missed this, despite following the case closely.
Would not surprise me, but I also think the separate but related ongoing legal issues /hearings re the release of seized records back to Dotcom to allow him and the others to prepare their defence will also affect matters and timing of the extradition hearing.
Thanks also for you unnumbered comment re Cunliffe being well prepared for an early election. Did not doubt that he would be doing so, but as you are closer to the inner workings of Labour, that is reassuring. I also understand that electoral candidates will be finalised by the end of Feb, which is also good.
I think it was brought up by someone (an American I think) during an interview on Radio NZ in December. Trying to trace it but no luck so far. The FBI are just requesting a further delay at this point… so it will be some time in Feb/March before it will actually be heard and a decision made. It’s getting suspicious in my view – these FBI initiated delays.
There are a number of possibilities. One set revolves around the Federal case having suffered a major (or fatal) set back of some kind. Whether it is legal advice received which indicates charges against Dotcom would fail (perhaps for reasons of technicality), an inability to find or access incriminating data they had made assumptions about, or some other factor in a similar vein. I can hope against hope, but sadly seriously doubt, that lack of cooperation from NZ authorities plays a role somewhere.
Which leads to a related second set of possibilities. Letting Dotcom off scot free is no doubt politically unpalatable to some parties on both sides of the Pacific. So the delay may be related to special law which is to be passed specifically targeting Dotcom (such special law being a favourite of totalitarian regimes still interested in maintaining sack cloth like rags of legitimacy), waiting to see if his new services eg MEGA somehow incriminate him, or perhaps simply stalling the whole process in order to not make it obvious to one and all that the whole thing has been a contrived bloody cockup from the get-go.
That’s my pick.
Weather skeptics reasoning the weather goes up and down like that waving his finger up and down wow is that the comefy section of the news.
I won’t be commenting on this.
I’m merely providing the link because I found it a thought provoking and insightful and think that some people might appreciate it being signposted.
Link fixed.
Very good Bill, lots of layers in that. It’s a shame if you don’t comment as I think your perspectives would be helpful (given your relative semi-neutrality).
I like this bit from the link Nuclear Unicorn – It’s a thoughtful piece and heartfelt.
So much online social justice activism has become hyper-vigilant against sin, great or small, past or present.
Hi Bill,
I read the link. I think it’s a pity that you don’t want to comment because beyond all the anger (note – not rage) I also wanted to understand. Maybe that’s one kind of ‘walking and chewing gum’ that just can’t be done, and I think there are tight limits to what can be achieved in a forum like this anyway.
I love this song – it has always felt like it was written for the family I grew up in.
Like Soldiers Do – Billy Bragg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpIbPh44pH4
Blue eyes fighting the gray eyes
Fighting the tears
Armed to the teeth for a war of words
Reachin’ all the years
I advanced across a poppy field
I saw the gleam as you raised your shield
And love screamed down
With the sun behind its back
Our fathers were all soldiers
Shall we be soldiers too?
Fighting and falling like soldiers do
Nothing is clear in this tactical
Unclear war
I can’t be bothered to find out
What we are fighting for
No one can win this war of the senses
I see no reason to drop my defenses
So stand fast my emotions
Rally ’round my shaking heart
Our fathers were all soldiers
Shall we be soldiers too?
Fighting and falling like soldiers do
Blue eyes fighting the gray eyes
Fighting the tears
Armed to the teeth for a war of words
Reachin’ all the years
I advanced across a poppy field
I saw the gleam as you raised your shield
And love screamed down
With the sun behind its back
I knew once again I was under attack
So stand fast my emotions
Rally ’round my shaking heart
Our fathers were all soldiers
Shall we be soldiers too?
Fighting and falling like soldiers
Fighting and falling like soldiers
Fighting and falling like soldiers do
Appreciate the link, Bill.
Helps to put some things into perspective.
The Harper assault on science continues.
http://thetyee.ca/News/2013/12/30/Harper-Library-Closures/
http://thetyee.ca/News/2013/12/09/Dismantling-Fishery-Library/
http://www.canada.com/Harper+government+cutting+more+than+million+related+protection+water/9328179/story.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/22/opinion/sunday/silencing-scientists.html?
http://scienceblogs.com/confessions/2013/10/17/reading-diary-the-war-on-science-muzzled-scientists-and-wilful-blindness-in-stephen-harpers-canada-by-chris-turner/
Hey Colin Craig
http://polentical.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/mitch-and-cam-wanna-get-married.jpg?w=630&h=354
” GOP critics have said the Fed has inflated stock and real estate prices by pumping money into the markets, creating investment bubbles that could burst and wound the economy anew.”
We didnt have qe, as advocated by the green party, but we have an inflated auckland property market.
put money in. Pull money out. Both equal inflated house prices…
weka
I say nimbys for a couple of reasons…
prof people with access to media
sneddon a lawyer and one other named. Lawyers are very good at wanting to stop something for self interest and the ability to make it seem altruistic.
my brother is in a similar socio econmoic bracket to these folks and he is very protective of his part time piece of paradise… despises the building going on in what used to be paddocks by his beach front and the noise of people it brings.
lastly I wanted to provoke a discussion. Thanks to your queries and others responses I learned a smidge more but remain convinced the white upper class wants separation from the great unwashed
Thinking of their attitude as nimbyism sits comfortably with my prejudices about the rich and their rural retreats. Once their particular mansion is finished and the road is sealed, they generally want all development to stop. I say why wait that long? If they don’t like what happens on public land, they shouldn’t have built there in the first place.
There has been a similar problem over here, on the Gold Coast. Some people with houses near the beach are annoyed about a walking track that passes in front of their sections. The local right wing politicians want to privatise the land and sell it to them for a song, so they won’t have to see the great unwashed crossing their lines of sight.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11182520
More brilliance from the NZ Herald. Reckons that Onion growers plan to place forward cover for sales at a “higher” cross rate rather than take the predicted lower spot rate in march…just weird. They are exporters not importers, locking in the higher rate with forward cover will cost them money.
(this is your life..)
“..You must not paint your house a wrong color – collect rain water – or hand out sandwiches to the homeless –
– but a uniformed pervert is free to diddle your pudenda before you board that jet plane – ma’am.
Just be glad you ain’t on that no-fly list.
we must donate half of our shriveling paychecks to the health extortionist company.
An army of goons are also overhearing our phone conversations – and reading our emails –
– and the top thug of all can even have any of us snagged – medievally tortured – or shot –
– without charge – and in secret –
– and if we rebel – we’re only doing it in the prescribed manners –
– by abusing or mutilating ourselves – lashing out at other hapless sinkers –
– or best yet – waving cute signs for an hour or two.
Meanwhile – those who have herded us all into this quicksand – are glorified and worshipped.
Too often – our hatred of suffering is transformed into a contempt for sufferers –
– and – as programmed – we marvel at the undeservingly or criminally powerful.
Over and over again – we vote for our own doom –
– and the more serious our predicament –
– the more trivial the news that’s jammed down our throats…”
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article37314.htm
phillip ure…
+1
We’re on the way here too phillip.
Imagine if you will, two international students (conned by one of those tertiary institutions – since gone under – promising the world but delivering SFA through false advertising)
Imagine their folks raise the tens of thousands necessary to get their kids to the land of milk and honey
Then imagine after they complete their ‘degrees’ with flying colours, they find work (minimum wage of course and after paying various consultant and government dept fees).
Imagine they get bashed up, their documentation and only means of communication stolen by a few who’ve been let in by the local alcohol pumping station, and who as a result have gone feral.
Imagine getting dawn raided (of course we don’t do that anymore, OH NO) by ‘officials’ looking for ‘illegals’ – luckily photocopies of passports were held elsewhere.
Then imagine the costs of replacing doccumentation AND the time taken to do so (travel, time of work to do so, fees – such as over $100 for a replacement sticker ffs!). Time taken off btw posing a threat to their continued employment.
….. all up …. well over 2 grand including GST, plus racist jibes from gubbamint officials in various agencies.
What a nasty, petty, punitive, fascist little state we’ve become!
Kind of Rough Justice if you ask me! I’ll be checking out the antidote tomorrow at the Pines, Wellington
…. oh, and btw
there are local bodies right here in little ole NuZuln who are for all practical purposes, enforcing (or at least attempting to) those same limitations on rain water collection.
…. all the while not-so-much-concerned with collecting the alternative ( of shit-laden H2O – o…o…oh) ‘water’ from a stream – somewhat downstream from those lugzurrrryis images of the truly green green 100% (only slightly tainted with cow ahit – BUT …. apparently better than rain water).
Fuk ’em all Phill. Ignore it – best policy, but be prepared to shuv it up them if ever they have the balls to contest
The biggest difference I can see from the original dawn raids is that the current ones are televised and turned into entertainment. NZ On Air pays to make crude propaganda for racist immigration policies so that NAct voting morons can sit on their fat arses thinking about how that bunch of Asians won’t be stealing their jobs. It’s not hard to see how fascism would be popular.
(heh..!..(that’s all i’m saying..!)..heh..!..)
http://boingboing.net/2014/01/06/passive-aggressive-notes-bes.html
“..The annual best-of collections from Passive Aggressive Notes are always a great read –
– and this year is no exception..”
phillip ure..
India, Sir Lanka, Sub-Sahara, Arab nations all sign an agreement, to dna
all state public servents. Charities, involved in sex and slavery crimes
likewise collect familiar matches with the missing, enslaved and raped
(and also fetuses).
Cross matching is automated for anonymity, but when matches are found
between say military officers and raped Tamils fetuses. Or sex slaves
in a NY, London, Dubai brothel is matched with their African sub-saharan
families enslaved daughter.
Children in the future worried about their heritage could
also match their own dna against these databases and find their parents
aren’t theirs but paid to buy them, or worse, kept the offspring from
their real enslaved mothers.
Now imagine the immediate threat, when any public servant, any slave
trader, any brothel owner, worried that they may in future be criminally
charged. It would have immediate effect to chill rapes in India
and Sri Lakia, to sex slavery in major global cities. Its would
show those countries also who are supporting global slavery,
the sex trade and rapists, that need servants of the state to ply their
criminal trades.
So is there a dna database without borders? Such a powerful tool.
I dedicate this post to Caroline Cox, her emotional voyeurism, her
spiritual conceit, and her unwillingness to take the wrongs to the wrong
doers, in a NR podcast 15 dec.
A powerful tool indeed. Consider also the cross database access that the intelligence services have. Their ability to match information that was never intended to be matched or alter/add/subtract records in various ways is, I believe, unparalleled, and the implications for civil life as yet, barely thought through.
I suppose you’ll tell me that if I don’t keep sub-Saharan sex slaves, I have nothing to fear? No thanks.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11182574
Good
your inverted perspective strikes again
On the one hand I’m thinking “yay, jobs for the beleagured Dunedin economy”, on the other hand I’m thinking “this is not going to help climate change”. On a third mutated hand I’m slightly worried the fracking might trigger an earthquake and tsunami, obliterating my beloved home town.
I’m worried about the cruise ship season if the pipe breaks.
“yay, jobs for the beleagured Dunedin economy”
That’s a technical way of saying: “Yay, the shareholders of Shell, OMV and Mitsui are going to get a lot of money, and the New Zealand taxpayer will clear up the mess.”
+1
On the one hand I’m thinking “yay, jobs for the beleagured Dunedin economy”, on the other hand I’m thinking “this is not going to help climate change”. On a third mutated hand I’m slightly worried the fracking might trigger an earthquake and tsunami, obliterating my beloved home town.
Not to worry, think of the helicopter tourism when the next lot of icebergs float past. There’s always the disaster tourism if things go badly. Plenty of jobs there.
Pete
What jobs for Dunedites? The exploratory ship and workers will all be from overseas. There may be a bit of a boost for the town’s; hotels, bars, and brothels if any of them ever come ashore, but that’s about all I can think of.
Also, this seems more of a conventional drilling operation (albeit in very deep water), rather than one involving fracking. I have to assume that you’ve been eating produce from Taranaki’s “landfarms” which would explain that “third mutated hand”.
Yellen confirmed.
http://business.time.com/2014/01/06/janet-yellen-fed-chair/
http://www.nationaljournal.com/magazine/how-janet-yellen-s-agenda-could-transform-washington-20140106
That cyclist killed at the Parnell Rise incident. It’s depressing. My condolences to all concerned.
I have long felt there was always an accident waiting to happen at that intersection. However, I had thought it would be a pedestrian that would be hit. Motorists continue to turn at the lights after the lights turn red. Lorries/trucks, especially long ones, are the worst for pedestrians as the trucks take so long to clear the intersection, often after the pedestrian green light has turned red.
Haven’t been there for a while, so maybe they have improved the intersection recently. And maybe that truck driver wasn’t rushing to take the turn rather than wait for the next green light.
But, for a truck and cyclist to meet and impact – something wrong with the road provisions.
In dunedin, the scenario that seemed to really take a toll on cyclists was when drivers of parked cars opened doors into cycle lanes without looking, cyclist couldn’t stop in time and goes under truck. Last one I read about, the truck driver didn’t even know the cyclist had gone under his wheels – he’d purposely left good distance between the two and thought he’d passed without incident. Cops managed to tell him on the outskirts of town.
Since then they’ve roughly doubled the width of the cycle lanes – hopefully that will really cut things down (although I’ve noticed more pricks driving with their wheels in the cycle lane – although it seems to be about the same numbers as cyclists who cruise through red lights).
Well, we can all make bad moves on occasions, but I think that cyclists and trucks shouldn’t be anywhere near in the same traffic stream.
yeah, dunedin’s fecking abysmal like that – no hgv bypass, with the main highway going straight through the middle of town, right next to the regional tertiary care hospital and going through the university campus. Throw in a moronic and user-expensive public transport system, and frankly I’m surprised we don’t get more traffic fatalities.
Stop someone voting National – Legend
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0tdzJ1oVb4&feature=share
Great to hear it thanks TA.
There is so much good craic going on on Open Mike today, barely time to reflect and no time to respond except to say that the music will always amplify the voices of the collective thought and experience of those who are itching for change. Big ups too to just saying for the classic Billy Bragg.
About that big freeze.
Snow and ice are disappearing from the Arctic region at unprecedented rates, leaving behind relatively warmer open water, which is much less reflective to incoming sunlight than ice. That, among other factors, is causing the northern polar region of our planet to warm at a faster rate than the rest of the northern hemisphere. (And, just to state the obvious, global warming describes a global trend toward warmer temperatures, which doesn’t preclude occasional cold-weather extremes.)
Since the difference in temperature between the Arctic and the mid-latitudes helps drive the jet stream (which, in turn, drives most US weather patterns), if that temperature difference decreases, it stands to reason that the jet stream’s winds will slow down. Why does this matter?
Well, atmospheric theory predicts that a slower jet stream will produce wavier and more sluggish weather patterns, in turn leading to more frequent extreme weather. And, turns out, that’s exactly what we’ve been seeing in recent years. Superstorm Sandy’s uncharacteristic left hook into the New Jersey coast in 2012 was one such example of an extremely anomalous jet stream blocking pattern.
When these exceptionally wavy jet stream patterns occur mid-winter, it’s a recipe for cold air to get sucked southwards. This week, that’s happening in spectacular fashion.
http://qz.com/163636/how-global-warming-can-make-cold-snaps-even-worse/
Interestingly the Arctic ice is very near its all-time low for this time of year.
http://www.ijis.iarc.uaf.edu/en/home/seaice_extent.htm
And the process was predicted in 2004.
By disturbing a massive ocean current, melting Arctic sea ice might trigger colder weather in Europe and North America.
That’s the paradoxical scenario gaining credibility among many climate scientists. The thawing of sea ice covering the Arctic could disturb or even halt large currents in the Atlantic Ocean. Without the vast heat that these ocean currents deliver—comparable to the power generation of a million nuclear power plants—Europe’s average temperature would likely drop 5 to 10°C (9 to 18°F), and parts of eastern North America would be chilled somewhat less.
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2004/05mar_arctic/
Xox
As the climate changes, established weather patterns will change, causing freaky weather to happen. The IPCC has detailed modelling showing a range of forecasts. A huge amount of of information.