We do, he’s called Paul Holmes with 3 subtle differences:
1. He thinks he funny but isn’t
2. He think’s he relevant but isn’t
3. He thinks he’s fresh and unbiased etc etc
Yes thanks indeed for that link. Have been looking forward to this debate so thanks for making it easy to access.
Been a fan of Jon Stewart for many years but its hard to access unless you want to sit in front of a computer of an evening. Have finally sorted some kind of computer sorcery that will allow me to watch on telly from the comfort of the couch.
Agree with Anne that we need a Jon Stewart in NZ. Or any political satire in fact. I guess theres no room on nz tv these days for politcal satire as “dancing-with-the-celebrity-chefs-whose-got-americas-next-big-ridges-propertymakeover-mykitchensux-theGC-NZ’s-got-idiots have anihilated any smart and funny programming.
Rosie: Agree with Anne that we need a Jon Stewart in NZ. Or any political satire in fact.
Â
Bomber’s view on this posted today:
Sharp political satire that goes that extra mile can rate but few NZ broadcasters have the courage to produce it and the furore NZ on Air received over a child poverty documentary means they are highly unlikely to risk more political pressure by funding something that openly mocks the Government.
It’ll happen, but it will require a broadcaster with some vision.
Hey thanks Karol! Good timing. That was a good article. I noted what they said about 7 days. It is irreverent and essentailly not that political but I do watch it. I agree that theres too many dick jokes, especially when that creepy sleezy guy from Taranaki is on it. Ben Hurley I think it is. Some of the humour can be quite demeaning to women at times and that makes me a little uncomfortable. I wasn’t paying attention fully last Friday night but I am sure I heard the host call Shonkey a liar. What ever it was, it was said with serious intent. They haven’t gone that far before and I hope they continue to step up the criticism. The section of the show where they wheel a politician out to answer qustions without saying yes or no is quite funny and often smart.
Rosie, I used to be a fan of the UK and Aus equivalents (Have I Got News for You, and Good News Week). I tried watching 7 Days a couple of times way back when it started, but but got put off by the juvenile dick-level jokes, and masculine slant. If they are starting to be more mature and politically critical, maybe should start watching?
“…………….maybe should start watching?”
Hmmm, maybe give it a go if you’ve nothing better to do and can deflect the cringey bits. If you consider shows where there is a panel of comedians participating in a set of games you’ll find 7 days at the other end of the spectrum from say, QI. I just watched a bit of the last episode on TV on demand to see what the host did have to have to say and it was “we’ll be right back with plenty of celebrity and criminal themes and funnily enough John Key fits both those categories”. I think as the mood changes and the public perception of the performance of Key & Co changes they probably will become more critical and the Key govt will provide more comedy fodder for a show such as this.
It would be fantastic though to see a show fully committed to political satire. The silence is deafening.
joe90
Thanks – I had a tingling in my palms but wanted to confirm it. I wonder how Bill Rosenberg would be described? Is this serious enough for you Petra?
From the CT/U bio – Bill Rosenberg Economist and Director of Policy
Bill Rosenberg was appointed Economist and Director of Policy at the CTU in May 2009. He holds a B.Com in Economics, a BSc in Mathematics and a PhD in Mathematical Psychology. Bill was previously Deputy Director, University Centre for Teaching and Learning at the University of Canterbury, a Member of the Institute of Directors, a Commissioner on TEC, and was a member of the Regional Land Transport Committee of Environment Canterbury.
Bill Rosenberg is widely published on globalisation, trade and e-learning and has been an active trade unionist for 30 years including the Tramways Union and Association of University Staff where he was National President for several years.
Whereas the spokesperson for the NZ Institute of Economic Research from the right has been practising for 11 years (and mightn’t ever play it right.)
Shamubeel [Eaqub] holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Management with Honours in Economics from Lincoln University. He has worked as a macro economist in the private sector since 2001, both in New Zealand and Australia. His focus and interest is in analytical frameworks to aid economic forecasting, commentary and incisive research into topical areas of economics.
Incidentally the bio on Wikipedia of the USA William Rosenberg is an indication of how someone with chutzpah could get on there. (Thought – Peter Jackson also has chutzpah. Maybe we should be encouraging chutzpah!) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Rosenberg
He was forced to leave school to help support his family in the Great Depression. At 17 he started selling ice cream and at 21 became the Branch Manager.
He became Union Delegate at Bethlehem Steel Works in World War 2 and eventually Contract Co-Ordinator.
After that he borrowed some money to add to his own and started a business of mobile industrial catering. Soon he had 140 trucks. But he noticed that 40% of turnover came from coffee and doughnuts so he started Dunkin Donuts which he then franchised after opening six shops. There are now five thousand outlets.
In 1960, he founded the International Franchise Association.
We need more William Rosenbergs I think.
Shamubeel Eaqub is what you call a bank economist only puts forward ideas that benefit vested interests!
Any ideas that are outside those vested interests these bank economists become propaganda experts rubbishing those ideas with scare tactics.
Ganesh Nana is an economist not a bank economist he says we are getting screwed over by the devaluing economies!
Hollywood movie director James Cameron on RNZ news yesterday touting for more NZ taxpayer hand-outs for him and his Holywood mates. Instead of enriching the already rich even more and further backing the production of Hollywood crap we should be putting that money into our own movies, our own arts, our hospitals, our railway, our children. James Cameron you should be ashamed of yourself, greedy rich prick.
Agree marsman. An intervention on behalf of yank studio bosses from a usually âhands offâ prime minister.
Sell socially profitable assets built over generationsâfine, send kiwi rail workers down the road and buy dodgy imported rolling stockâfine. Gut the public serviceâfine. âNot ruling it in, or ruling it outâ is ShonKeyâs regular weasel line, he has certainly ruled in more taxpayer assistance for the bloated studios and Lord Jackson.
Cameron is an experienced producer/director and knows how to follow the money trail, you can’t blame him he’s just following johnnylocks’ trail of taxpayer money crumbs.
Beware the diversions kids…..sparkles has come back with his masters script and rehearsed lines to play the red herring while they plunder more assets.
Tiwai and Norske skog should be front and centre, job losses and smashes the wholesale power market.
I just posted (on Karol’s Hollywood Rules post here) a link to a post by Gordon Campbell on Scoop this morning in which he quotes a Guardian article revealing that Cameron has recently been in China pursuing more US-Chinese co-productions.
Education Secretary Ron Tomalis’ change, made without federal approval, might have skewed the results of the 2011-12 PSSA scores to make it appear charter schools were outperforming traditional public schools, according to a Morning Call review of publicly available test score data.
Front page commentary on the US election…run up! Good God is there NOTHING else we can report on? Anything!? Please send us a natural disaster…or let Hekia speak again.
What proportion of New Zealander’s care deeply, if at all, about some aging reptilian overlords fighting a highly manipulative PR war with the blindfolded public over an aging and soon to be ex-superpower? Their nation clearly suffers from a misplaced sense of patriotism….is is absolutely necessary that their pathetic puppet politicians are inflicted upon a NZ public, or is this preparation for who has real influence over us with the signing away of our sovereignty that comes with the TPPA?
Though the name of the Federal Reserve includes the word “federal,” it’s not actually part of the government. It’s an independent institution tasked with something very simple, but very huge: Creating money out of thin air. And during this last financial crisis, the leaders of the Fed did things that they would never have considered doing in the past. Alex Blumberg and David Kestenbaum report on what the Fed usually does, and how, since 2008, it’s taken a trip to what amounts to Fed Crazytown. (26 minutes)
Gisborne people are fighting to keep their rail access. They make good points. Kiwirail is too scared to persevere with this practical infrastructure that is needed by this region isolated from the main transport lines.
The government should be putting funds into infrastructure like this as well as improving the roads. But they are a comedy team, with the boss for entertainment jobs like a theatrical agent, and any effort to look seriously at our economy and unglamorous and permanent jobs in the rural fastness of the country is called ‘voodoo economics’.
By the way Steven Joyce says he knows all about the exchange rate and exporting as he has been an exporter. Does anyone know in what? He has been in tourism, but that’s all I could see that could qualify from his bio. By the way he lives in Albany so that new northern motorway will be a boon for him while getting to the airport. Or does he have his own jet, yet?
Our experts.
John Key is apparently becoming a clinical psychologist as every solution suggested is termed “Loony” or “Wacky”. (Acshly, to his credit, more than single syllable words.)
And then there is Tina there-is-no-alternative Joyce.
Here’s one for both of them. Reinstate the tax levels to the 2008 state and also tax the multinationals before they ship their monies offshore.
Here’s another “Loony” one for starters. Given that the evil of fast-food hamburgers is with us for some time, why not have a government funded and run chain of hamburger joints modelled on McDonalds. Ultimately have PPP franchises to New Zealanders. That way, all the profit remains in New Zealand.
Government burgers? No thank you. Im not that left wing. Believer in the common ownership of production distrubution and exchange as I may be, I am no more keen on government run takeaway shops as someome like Farrar is.
Though, a co-operative farmer and grower owned fast food chain (perhaps collectively owned by Fonterra, Silver Fern Farms, Inghams and the like), , or even a Maori owned hangi takeaway chain, sounds like a good idea.
So how did this heading for RW Aotearoa page get featured in the Comments listings after
Colonial Viper on Govt defends tax haven?
Russell Norman Channels His Inner Mugabe, The Left Wing Bloggosphere Goes Agog and Reason Leaves the Building. So what is QE and Why Is It Destroying The Global Economy? ÂŤ Aotearoa: A Wider Perspective on Greens call for new tools, QE to save jobs
karol
Thanks – weird to see though interesting seeing the firepower on Aotearoa being manned to shoot down any new economic forays. Can’t disturb the present system that suits so many suits so can’t tear through the Ideological Curtain (like the Iron Curtain but with a Right Wing design this time).
Food in Schools
So KidsCan are pleased that the government has seen that there is an alternative. (Wonder how Tina Joyce feels about that.)
However, a close look at just what the well-meaning Kids-Can actually provides for schools should be made before the government climbs on board. From what we saw on Campbell Live, it is snack food and lunch-box fillers – not wholesome food.
Suspend the Middle Classes (they are in detention anyway) that they might share their play-lunch
money.
(i have said it before, that Canterbury V.C is an unhelpful man; cross me)
I dont know why the prospect of food in schools make people cringe? I see it as an extension to other popular social programs in our education system: the school dental service, eye and hearing tests, MMR vaccinations (remember lining up and getting them back in ’92), school nurses and the now defunct milk in schools program (though those who benefited from all tend to bitch and moan about how sour the milk was, or how the milk monitors were little Hitlers).
Though I would keep KidsCan out of it, better to have the schools do it themselves.
I think its unlikely. Carmel Sepuloni is hugely popular out West.
Tamihere’s claim on Q&A that Waitakere is a safe Labour seat and Labour should have won it just isn’t true any more. The demographics of the electorate have altered since the last boundary changes. Carmel did extremely well to come within 9 votes of winning the seat. Indeed if Labour wasn’t so cash-strapped and had been able to afford a judicial recount, then I’m picking she would have won the seat.
I heard that a number of Polynesian votes were not counted on the grounds they were incorrectly cast or their intention was (supposedly) unclear. From past experiences, there was a strong chance many of them would have been accepted at a recount.
Anne
I can imagine that some people keen to cast their vote might put a line or a cross over whom they didn’t want, to make it clear that the one they ticked got in.
And of course that is not following the instructions. Possibly some people can’t read too well and though there’s an example shown with the tick only, the importance of that may not have registered.
Yes prism that is the sort of thing that goes on – especially amongst our immigrant population.
I heard about a large Polynesian family in the Waitakere electorate who were so keen to vote for Carmel they went and voted as soon as the polling booths opened. Later that day they went to another polling booth and voted again because they thought they had done it wrong the first time and their votes wouldn’t be counted. They ended up having none of their votes counted of course. I understand their first votes would have been counted, so if they hadn’t voted again Carmel would probably be the MP for Waitakere.
Anne
What a pity. I would have thought that one of their votes would have been accepted. It isn’t a case that it can be assumed that illegality is intended.
Well I guess the view was… the law is the law. No matter the law is an ass sometimes, if you vote twice you’re gone – end of story. That’s the sort of thing a judicial recount can – and often does – overturn. But its something that can never be guaranteed so I understand why Labour (and Carmel) felt they couldn’t take the risk.
In my view it’s wrong that some political parties and their candidates can’t get electoral justice because they lack the money, while others (namely the Nats) can do so whenever they choose. Hardly a level playing field.
There would be a rebellion out west if head office went for Tamihere. Â The locals support Carmel and do not like Tamihere. Â With one interview he managed to write off the support of women and gays. Â God knows hoe much damage he could cause if he really tried.
Yesterday or Friday? on Radionz there was a discussion on the Novopay new electronic program that is paying teachers salaries. So many stuff ups. One teacher had to hang on for two hours to reach someone at a call desk, the accent was hard to understand, when it was understood the desk person didn’t know what they were talking about. Double fudge.
Incidentally the word is that Novopay hadn’t fixed all the bugs, knew it wasn’t ready to fly, but the MOE (Ministry of Exclamation, Expiration, Expiation, Excitation, Education, Effectuation, Elimination, Vexation – dunno, one of those) insisted on it being released – perhaps they thought they would use it as a beta model.
Not so good when you’ve got accounts to pay and food to buy and transport or car registration or children’s needs or the electricity. Perhaps people like leading Light in the MOE getting over $500,000 p.a. (not over her lifetime) don’t worry about these. Just set up a direct debit and suck it out you tradespeople. No worries.
Missed out Ministry of Evacuation – that’s meaningful in a number of ways after the Christchurch
announcements about possible closures – Ministry of Expose, Exposure. They feel out in the cold down there.
Let’s be perfectly clear, Smith resigned to avoid an investigation into the extent of his corruption. Without an investigation, Smith can never be exonerated, which should mean he never again returns to a position within cabinet…
As it is now clear the LA dinner was not a quiet social event with a few studio heads perhaps Peter Jackson would like to share the full message that was shown to all and sundry?
Yeah, didnt think Chavez would make it across the line this time, but he did. The Bolivarian Revolution is safe — for now. Though the guy needs to start realising that he is not immortal and needs to start planning for the future, ie sorting out a successor.
Not a successor but more democracy and he seems to be doing that. From the WSJ link:
Mr. ChĂĄvez, who will have been in power for 20 years by the next election, has vowed to give more power to grass-roots community councils to carry out social programs with state money. Critics say that would undermine democratically elected mayors across the country.
The rich are getting pissed off that their system of dictatorship is being undermined.
Melissa Rock ⥠â@MeowwItsMelissa
I’m starting to believe there’s no morals in this world at all. How can Chavez win when it’s evident 99.9% of the country voted Capriles?!
Kinda sad looking at all the Caprilles supporters crying fraud. From what I’ve read most of the polls leading up to the election had Chavez winning and only one with Caprilles. There’s fraud alright but it isn’t from the Chavez camp.
Dunne-“legitimate to avoid taxes” Done!
Slippery-” well from my university days” ($180 annual tuition fees that Mum saved)”there is tax evasion and then there is tax avoidance” ????
He Wept. (NAct supporters caudally lured by hemipenes)
The reason that the economic recovery is coinciding with middle class decline is increasingly clear. America is creating jobs, but they are bad jobs: retailing, food preparation, and table waiting, for exampleâin other words, jobs that donât pay much.
Which is exactly what’s been happening in NZ since the advent of neo-liberalism under the 4th Labour Government. The reduction in manufacturing and R&D has seen to that.
That’s a model which will inevitably lead to consumerism. Make people want more in order to sell them more, so that we can make more things for more money using more of the world’s constrained resources.
the only people making anything in NZ are the National Party gang making a killing out of their share parcels when they sell the states assets that they thieved from the legitimate owners..
Lprent, are you looking into the issue of the “too many redirects” issue that your Chrome readers are experiencing? There are plenty of examples scattered around the threads and comments. I like reading your site but I’m getting a bit tired of having to launch IE just to read it.
This is the error that a lot of Chrome users are experiencing when accessing your site. Please have a go at sorting it out as Chrome is one of the most widely used browsers and you’re losing out on viewer stats by having this happen…
Sheryl bleep you are not the only one that’s having problems I use fire fox and msn its the standards server its always having teething problems.
You just have to be patient it takes lots of money and or time to keep a sever functioning optimally!
That is likely to be the posting problem. New or edited posts cause a hell of a load on the primary server because it informs damn near everyone that a post has been posted or live edited. It meant that there was a flood of requests at the primary server for everything from search engines to RSS feeds. Shows up as a server unavailable error to readers and as a major spike in queries and CPU.
I moved the SEO system from event driven to periodic last week and that seems to have helped by time offsetting of the server.
This week or next, I am going to move the RSS to feedburner and remove direct RSS feeds from the main server. It will redirect automatically once I have it running. And before anyone asks, I know about the feedburner API change and that isn’t really an issue. We currently don’t count RSS in page stats. And I haven’t seen any other RSS sevice that is comparable. It also means that we can start looking at RSS more closely on analytics.
Clear the cookies for the site on your Chrome. I had it show on one machine once (I use Chrome as my default browser across 4 systems). When I was tracking it, it would disappear as soon as some or all of the cookies for the site were cleared. You can either ean all of your cookies, just the ones for the site, or down to individual ones. I will link to pages for the latter when I get off the pad if I aren’t beaten to it.
After repeated restores and testing last week, it appears to have been one of a group of cookies set by chrome for the site caching by google on chrome rather than anything put out by the site – which explains why it only showed on chrome. It also expired during testing, so I presumed it had a finite lifetime and would eventually clean itself up.
BTW: I ran comparisions of weekly code snapshots backups. There were no changes in any cookie management for the last month in the sites code. I love diffzilla on slickedit.
I offer this salient piece of advice to Dear Leader and the National Party; if we expect commitment from New Zealanders â then, as a nation, we must show commitment to our young folk, and to each other.
That involves old fashioned concepts and values such as pride in our country. Not just our flag or rugby team or latest successful movie by Peter Jackson â but pride in a nation that invests in each citizen with universal, free education; food in schools programmes; decent housing; comprehensive free healthcare for our young people; fair wages sufficient to raise a family on; everyone paying their taxes (no exceptions for capital gains, sorry), and ensuring that no one is left behind.
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For years and years and years, David Seymour and his posse of deluded neoliberals have been preaching their âtough on crimeâ gospel to voters. Harsher sentences! More police! Lock âem up! Throw away the key. But when it comes to their own, namely former Act Party president Tim Jago, a ...
Judith Collins is a seasoned master at political hypocrisy. As New Zealandâs Defence Minister, she's recently been banging the war drum, announcing a jaw-dropping $12 billion boost to the defence budget over the next four years, all while the coalition of chaos cries poor over housing, health, and education.Apparently, thereâs ...
I’m on the London Overground watching what the phones people are holding are doing to their faces: The man-bun guy who could not be less impressed by what he's seeing but cannot stop reading; the woman who's impatient for a response; the one who’s frowning; the one who’s puzzled; the ...
You don't have no prescriptionYou don't have to take no pillsYou don't have no prescriptionAnd baby don't have to take no pillsIf you come to see meDoctor Brown will cure your ills.Songwriters: Waymon Glasco.Dr Luxon. Image: David and Grok.First, they came for the Bottom FeedersAnd I did not speak outBecause ...
The Health Minister says the striking doctors already “well remunerated,” and are “walking away from” and “hurting” their patients. File photo: Lynn GrievesonLong stories short from our political economy on Wednesday, April 16:Simeon Brown has attacked1 doctors striking for more than a 1.5% pay rise as already “well remunerated,” even ...
The time is ripe for Australia and South Korea to strengthen cooperation in space, through embarking on joint projects and initiatives that offer practical outcomes for both countries. This is the finding of a new ...
Hi,When Trump raised tariffs against China to 145%, he destined many small businesses to annihilation. The Daily podcast captured the mass chaos by zooming in and talking to one person, Beth Benike, a small-business owner who will likely lose her home very soon.She pointed out that no, she wasn’t surprised ...
Nationalâs handling of inflation and the cost-of-living crisis is an utter shambles and a gutless betrayal of every Kiwi scraping by. The Coalition of Chaos Ministers strut around preaching about how effective their policies are, but really all they're doing is perpetuating a cruel and sick joke of undelivered promises, ...
Most people wouldn't have heard of a little worm like Rhys Williams, a so-called businessman and former NZ First member, who has recently been unmasked as the venomous troll behind a relentless online campaign targeting Green Party MP Benjamin Doyle.According to reports, Williams has been slinging mud at Doyle under ...
Illustration credit: Jonathan McHugh (New Statesman)The other day, a subscriber said they were unsubscribing because they needed “some good news”.I empathised. Don’t we all.I skimmed a NZME article about the impacts of tariffs this morning with analysis from Kiwibank’s Jarrod Kerr. Kerr, their Chief Economist, suggested another recession is the ...
Letâs assume, as prudence demands we assume, that the United States will not at any predictable time go back to being its old, reliable self. This means its allies must be prepared indefinitely to lean ...
Over the last three rather tumultuous US trade policy weeks, I’ve read these four books. I started with Irwin (whose book had sat on my pile for years, consulted from time to time but not read) in a week of lots of flights and hanging around airports/hotels, and then one ...
Indonesia could do without an increase in military spending that the Ministry of Defence is proposing. The country has more pressing issues, including public welfare and human rights. Moreover, the transparency and accountability to justify ...
Former Hutt City councillor Chris Milne has slithered back into the spotlight, not as a principled dissenter, but as a vindictive puppeteer of digital venom. The revelations from a recent court case paint a damning portrait of a man whose departure from Hutt City Council in 2022 was merely the ...
That's the conclusion of a report into security risks against Green MP Benjamin Doyle, in the wake of Winston Peters' waging a homophobic hate-campaign against them: GRCâs report said a âhostility networkâ of politicians, commentators, conspiracy theorists, alternative media outlets and those opposed to the rainbow community had produced ...
That's the conclusion of a report into security risks against Green MP Benjamin Doyle, in the wake of Winston Peters' waging a homophobic hate-campaign against them: GRCâs report said a âhostility networkâ of politicians, commentators, conspiracy theorists, alternative media outlets and those opposed to the rainbow community had produced ...
National Party MP Hamish Campbellâs ties to the secretive Two By Twos "church" raises serious questions that are not being answered. This shadowy group, currently being investigated by the FBI for numerous cases of child abuse, hides behind a facade of faith while Campbell dodges scrutiny, claiming itâs a âprivate ...
National Party MP Hamish Campbellâs ties to the secretive Two By Twos "church" raises serious questions that are not being answered. This shadowy group, currently being investigated by the FBI for numerous cases of child abuse, hides behind a facade of faith while Campbell dodges scrutiny, claiming itâs a âprivate ...
The economy is not doing what it was supposed to when PM Christopher Luxon said in January it was ‘going for growth.’ Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short from our political economy on Tuesday, April 15:New Zealand’s economic recovery is stalling, according to business surveys, retail spending and ...
This is a guest post by Lewis Creed, managing editor of the University of Auckland student publication Craccum, which is currently running a campaign for a safer Symonds Street in the wake of a horrific recent crash.The post has two parts: 1) Craccum’s original call for safety (6 ...
NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff has published an opinion piece which makes the case for a different approach to economic development, as proposed in the CTUâs Aotearoa Reimagined programme. The number of people studying to become teachers has jumped after several years of low enrolment. The coalition has directed Health New ...
The growth of Chinaâs AI industry gives it great influence over emerging technologies. That creates security risks for countries using those technologies. So, Australia must foster its own domestic AI industry to protect its interests. ...
Unfortunately we have another National Party government in power at the moment, and as a consequence, another economic dumpster fire taking hold. Inflationâs hurting Kiwis, and instead of providing relief, National is fiddling while wallets burn.Prime Minister Chris Luxon's response is a tired remix of tax cuts for the rich ...
Girls who are boys who like boys to be girlsWho do boys like they're girls, who do girls like they're boysAlways should be someone you really loveSongwriters: Damon Albarn / Graham Leslie Coxon / Alexander Rowntree David / Alexander James Steven.Last month, I wrote about the Birds and Bees being ...
Australia needs to reevaluate its security priorities and establish a more dynamic regulatory framework for cybersecurity. To advance in this area, it can learn from Britainâs Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, which presents a compelling ...
Deputy PM Winston Peters likes nothing more than to portray himself as the only wise old head while everyone else is losing theirs. Yet this time, his âold masterâ routine isnât working. What global trade is experiencing is more than the usual swings and roundabouts of market sentiment. President Donald ...
President Trump’s hopes of ending the war in Ukraine seemed more driven by ego than realistic analysis. Professor Vladimir Brovkin’s latest video above highlights the internal conflicts within the USA, Russia, Europe, and Ukraine, which are currently hindering peace talks and clarity. Brovkin pointed out major contradictions within ...
In the cesspool that is often New Zealandâs online political discourse, few figures wield their influence as destructively as Ani OâBrien. Masquerading as a champion of free speech and womenâs rights, OâBrienâs campaigns are a masterclass in bad faith, built on a foundation of lies, selective outrage, and a knack ...
The international challenge confronting Australia today is unparalleled, at least since the 1940s. It requires what the late Brendan Sargeant, a defence analyst, called strategic imagination. We need more than shrewd economic manoeuvring and a ...
This year's General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU) will take place as a fully hybrid conference in both Vienna and online from April 27 to May 2. This year, I'll join the event on site in Vienna for the full week and I've already picked several sessions I plan ...
Hereâs a book that looks not in at China but out from China. David Daokui Liâs China’s World View: Demystifying China to Prevent Global Conflict is a refreshing offering in that Li is very much ...
The New Zealand National Party has long mastered the art of crafting messaging that resonates with a large number of desperate, often white middle-class, voters. From their 2023 campaign mantra of âgetting our country back on trackâ to promises of economic revival, safer streets, and better education, their rhetoric paints ...
A global contest of ideas is underway, and democracy as an ideal is at stake. Democracies must respond by lifting support for public service media with an international footprint. With the recent decision by the ...
It is almost six weeks since the shock announcement early on the afternoon of Wednesday 5 March that the Governor of the Reserve Bank, Adrian Orr, was resigning effective 31 March, and that in fact he had already left and an acting Governor was already in place. Orr had been ...
The PSA surveyed more than 900 of its members, with 55 percent of respondents saying AI is used at their place of work, despite most workers not being in trained in how to use the technology safely. Figures to be released on Thursday are expected to show inflation has risen ...
After stonewalling requests for information on boot camps, the Government has now offered up a blog post right before Easter weekend rather than provide clarity on the pilot. ...
More people could be harmed if Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey does not guarantee to protect patients and workers as the Police withdraw from supporting mental health call outs. ...
The Green Party recognises the extension of visa allowances for our Pacific whÄnau as a step in the right direction but continues to call for a Pacific Visa Waiver. ...
The Government yesterday released its annual child poverty statistics, and by its own admission, more tamariki across Aotearoa are now living in material hardship. ...
Today, Te PÄti MÄori join the motu in celebration as the Treaty Principles Bill is voted down at its second reading. âFrom the beginning, this Bill was never welcome in this House,â said Te PÄti MÄori Co-Leader, Rawiri Waititi. âOur response to the first reading was one of protest: protesting ...
The Green Party is proud to have voted down the Coalition Governmentâs Treaty Principles Bill, an archaic piece of legislation that sought to attack the nationâs founding agreement. ...
A Memberâs Bill in the name of Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter which aims to stop coal mining, the Crown Minerals (Prohibition of Mining) Amendment Bill, has been pulled from Parliamentâs âbiscuit tinâ today. ...
Labour MP Kieran McAnultyâs Members Bill to make the law simpler and fairer for businesses operating on Easter, Anzac and Christmas Days has passed its first reading after a conscience vote in Parliament. ...
Nicola Willis continues to sit on her hands amid a global economic crisis, leaving the Reserve Bank to act for New Zealanders who are worried about their jobs, mortgages, and KiwiSaver. ...
Today, the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill has passed its third and final reading, but there is one more stage before it becomes law. The Governor-General must give their âRoyal assentâ for any bill to become legally enforceable. This means that, even if a bill gets voted ...
Abortion care at WhakatÄne Hospital has been quietly shelved, with patients told they will likely have to travel more than an hour to Tauranga to get the treatment they need. ...
Thousands of New Zealandersâ submissions are missing from the official parliamentary record because the National-dominated Justice Select Committee has rushed work on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...
Todayâs announcement of 10 percent tariffs for New Zealand goods entering the United States is disappointing for exporters and consumers alike, with the long-lasting impact on prices and inflation still unknown. ...
The National Governmentâs choices have contributed to a slow-down in the building sector, as thousands of people have lost their jobs in construction. ...
Willie Apiataâs decision to hand over his Victoria Cross to the Minister for Veterans is a powerful and selfless act, made on behalf of all those who have served our country. ...
The Privileges Committee has denied fundamental rights to Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, Rawiri Waititi and Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, breaching their own standing orders, breaching principles of natural justice, and highlighting systemic prejudice and discrimination within our parliamentary processes. The three MPs were summoned to the privileges committee following their performance of a haka ...
April 1 used to be a day when workers could count on a pay rise with stronger support for those doing it tough, but thatâs not the case under this Government. ...
Winston Peters is shopping for smaller ferries after Nicola Willis torpedoed the original deal, which would have delivered new rail enabled ferries next year. ...
The Government should work with other countries to press the Myanmar military regime to stop its bombing campaign especially while the country recovers from the devastating earthquake. ...
New Zealand commemoration lead John McLeod said a small team, including members of the NZDF and the NZ Embassy, assisted in the covering up of remains that were exposed. ...
This Bill is a great opportunity to improve our system of government across all levels. Letâs make sure we get it right and give the public a say on a simple and enduring solution. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Nicholls, Senior Research Associate in Media and Communications, University of Sydney Tech giant Google has just suffered another legal blow in the United States, losing a landmark antitrust case. This follows on from the companyâs loss in a similar case last ...
Paddy GowerAmanda Luxon. I mean what can you say. Easter is a good time to publish my latest reckons at Stuff because without exaggeration or making too much of things, Amanda Luxon walks among us like Jesus but probably with better shoes.Jesus healed. How good is that? It’s really good, ...
How can an afternoon be long when it starts at one o’clock and finishes at half past three? Beauden thought about that as he stood at the back of the classroom and looked through the large window to the upper grounds where his colleague Monty Spiers was taking a phys ed ...
Alex Casey delves into the enduring success of The Artistâs Way, a self-help book beloved by everyone from retirees to famous rappers. On the video call, my mum is gesticulating so wildly while recounting all her recent creative endeavours that she knocks her cup of tea over a work-in-progress jigsaw ...
Feijoa scholar Kate Evans reviews the dish everybody raves about at Metroâs 2024 restaurant of the year, Forest. People have been telling me I need to try the deep-fried feijoa dessert at Forest for about three years now. Iâm embarrassed it took me this long, but it takes a lot ...
Chef, author and reality television judge Colin Fassnidge takes us through his life in television. Colin Fassnidge is a huge television fan. He watches every blockbuster TV series the moment it drops and scores every single show on his Instagram account. Itâs a habit that recently caught the attention of ...
Why are shops on Parnell Road allowed to open on Easter Sunday? Itâs all thanks to an obsolete rule from the 1970s thatâs been âfrozen in timeâ.Originally published in 2023.Under our current trading laws, most stores are required to stay closed on Good Friday and Easter Sunday (along ...
Yael Shochat, chef-owner of Auckland restaurant Ima Cuisine, shares the recipe for her hot cross buns â regularly voted among the best in the city.Originally published in 2019.HOT CROSS BUNSMakes 12You may use equal weights of pre-ground spices, but youâll get a much better flavour if ...
GrĂ inne Moss knows she canât tackle the final leg of one of the worldâs toughest swimming challenges alone.In her quest to complete the Oceans Seven marathon challenge, 38 years after she began, sheâs enlisted the help of two remarkable women â one barely out of her teens, and the other ...
By Susana Leiataua, RNZ National presenter There are calls for greater transparency about what the HMNZS Manawanui was doing before it sank in Samoa last October â including whether the New Zealand warship was performing specific security for King Charles and Queen Camilla. The Manawanui grounded on the reef off ...
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 Labor increased its lead again in a YouGov poll, but Freshwater put the party ahead by just 50.3â49.7. This article also covers ...
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 18, 2025. Laborâs poll surge continues in YouGov, but theyâre barely ahead in FreshwaterSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Booksâ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic, $30) Haymitchâs Hunger Games. 2 Careless People: A ...
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 Labor increased their lead again in a YouGov poll, but Freshwater put them ahead by just 50.3â49.7. This article also covers the ...
A new poem by Tusiata Avia. How to make a terrorist First make a whistling sound which is the sound of a bomb just before it lands on a house. Then make an exploding sound which is the sound of the bomb which kills a father, decapitates a mother, roasts ...
The top-rated Scrabble players in the country go head-to-head this Easter weekend. Watch games live from 9.30am on the stream below.How does it all work?The Masters is different to most Scrabble tournaments in that itâs invitational, open only to the top-rated players in the country. The ...
Books editor Claire Mabey appraises all the Austen-adapted films from 1990 onwards to separate the delightful from the duds.For the purists, read our ranking of Jane Austenâs novels here.It is a truth universally acknowledged that not everything is created equal. Since 1990 there have been 12 attempts to ...
To arrive through the heavy red door of Margot in Newtown is to be invited to the best dinner party in town, hosted by the best friends you havenât yet made. Table Service is a column about food and hospitality in Wellington, written by Nick Iles.Hospitality is a term ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 18 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NONFICTION1 No Words for This by Ali Mau (HarperCollins, $39.99)A free copy of the author’s new memoir was up for grabs in last week’s giveaway contest. Readers were asked to share their feelings about Mau, a former broadcaster and one of the most powerful figures in the New Zealand #metoo ...
Analysis: The announcement last week that Colossal Biosciences in the USA had âde-extinctedâ the dire wolf, which was last seen 13,000 years ago, was reported worldwide.The three wolf pups generated equal parts fascination and widespread scientific criticism. But is this actually de-extinction, and what are the implications for the potential ...
We recommend the best â and longest â television series to watch this holiday weekend. As the Easter holiday weekend descends and the weather turns a little grim, many of us will turn to the trusty old television for comfort and entertainment. If youâre lucky, youâll have some time over ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gode Bola, Lecturer in Hydrology, University of Kinshasa The April 2025 flooding disaster in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, wasnât just about intense rainfall. It was a symptom of recent land use change which has occurred rapidly in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Peter Dutton, now seriously on the back foot, has made an extraordinarily big âaspirationalâ commitment at the back end of this campaign. He says he wants to see a move to indexing personal income ...
Essay by Keith Rankin. Operation Gomorrah may have been the most cynical event of World War Two (WW2). Not only did the name fully convey the intent of the war crimes about to be committed, it, also represented the single biggest 24-hour murder toll for the European war that I ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Tietz, Senior Lecturer in Industrial Design, UNSW Sydney A New South Wales Senate inquiry into public toilets is underway, looking into the provision, design and maintenance of public toilets across the state. Whenever I mention this inquiry, however, everyone nervously ...
Shrinking budgets and job insecurity means there are fewer opportunities for young journalists, and thatâs bad news, especially in regional Australia, reports 360infoANALYSIS:By Jee Young Lee of the University of Canberra Australia risks losing a generation of young journalists, particularly in the regions where they face the closure ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tessa Charles, Accelerator Physicist, Monash University An artist’s impression of the tunnel of the proposed Future Circular Collider.CERN The Large Hadron Collider has been responsible for astounding advances in physics: the discovery of the elusive, long-sought Higgs boson as well as ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer McKay, Professor in Business Law, University of South Australia Parkova/Shutterstock Could someone take you to court over an agreement you made â or at least appeared to make â by sending a âđâ? Emojis can have more legal weight ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Trang Nguyen, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Centre for Global Food and Resources, University of Adelaide Stokkete, Shutterstock Australians waste around 7.68 million tonnes of food a year. This costs the economy an estimated A$36.6 billion and households up to $2,500 annually. ...
Pushing people off income support doesnât make the job market fairer or more accessible. It just assumes success is possible while unemployment rises and support systems become harder to navigate. ...
A year since the inquest into the death of Gore three-year-old Lachlan Jones began and the Coroner has completed his provisional findings. Interested parties have been provided with a copy of Coroner Hoâs provisional findings and have until May 16 to respond.The Coroner has indicated the final decision will be delivered on June 3 in Invercargill, citing high ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ken Nosaka, Professor of Exercise and Sports Science, Edith Cowan University Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock Do you ever feel like you canât stop moving after youâve pushed yourself exercising? Maybe you find yourself walking around in circles when you come off the pitch, ...
The Guardian has a story and link to the big US election debate. No, not Obama/Mittens, Bill O’Reilly vs Jon Stewart.
Crikey Te Reo Putake. You caused me to spend 1:33hrs watching a fascinating encounter. Couldn’t stop watching. Thanks – I think?
Ditto: Just wasted a whole morning but every moment worth it. Oh for a Jon Stewart in NZ!
We do, he’s called Paul Holmes with 3 subtle differences:
1. He thinks he funny but isn’t
2. He think’s he relevant but isn’t
3. He thinks he’s fresh and unbiased etc etc
Same but NOT a waste of time. But it also allowed me to find some of the Clinton Interviews and they are great. Especially this one..
Love Jon Stewart’s ..”They can’t privatize the profits but socialize the losses..”
Many thanks for that link.
I think NZ has the same quality of idiots as in USA politics but not the quantity to make a full length daily programme.
Cheers, guys, I knew you’d like it, though I figured only CV would have time to watch it during the day đ
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Yes thanks indeed for that link. Have been looking forward to this debate so thanks for making it easy to access.
Been a fan of Jon Stewart for many years but its hard to access unless you want to sit in front of a computer of an evening. Have finally sorted some kind of computer sorcery that will allow me to watch on telly from the comfort of the couch.
Agree with Anne that we need a Jon Stewart in NZ. Or any political satire in fact. I guess theres no room on nz tv these days for politcal satire as “dancing-with-the-celebrity-chefs-whose-got-americas-next-big-ridges-propertymakeover-mykitchensux-theGC-NZ’s-got-idiots have anihilated any smart and funny programming.
Rosie: Agree with Anne that we need a Jon Stewart in NZ. Or any political satire in fact.
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Bomber’s view on this posted today:
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Hey thanks Karol! Good timing. That was a good article. I noted what they said about 7 days. It is irreverent and essentailly not that political but I do watch it. I agree that theres too many dick jokes, especially when that creepy sleezy guy from Taranaki is on it. Ben Hurley I think it is. Some of the humour can be quite demeaning to women at times and that makes me a little uncomfortable. I wasn’t paying attention fully last Friday night but I am sure I heard the host call Shonkey a liar. What ever it was, it was said with serious intent. They haven’t gone that far before and I hope they continue to step up the criticism. The section of the show where they wheel a politician out to answer qustions without saying yes or no is quite funny and often smart.
Rosie, I used to be a fan of the UK and Aus equivalents (Have I Got News for You, and Good News Week). I tried watching 7 Days a couple of times way back when it started, but but got put off by the juvenile dick-level jokes, and masculine slant. If they are starting to be more mature and politically critical, maybe should start watching?
“…………….maybe should start watching?”
Hmmm, maybe give it a go if you’ve nothing better to do and can deflect the cringey bits. If you consider shows where there is a panel of comedians participating in a set of games you’ll find 7 days at the other end of the spectrum from say, QI. I just watched a bit of the last episode on TV on demand to see what the host did have to have to say and it was “we’ll be right back with plenty of celebrity and criminal themes and funnily enough John Key fits both those categories”. I think as the mood changes and the public perception of the performance of Key & Co changes they probably will become more critical and the Key govt will provide more comedy fodder for a show such as this.
It would be fantastic though to see a show fully committed to political satire. The silence is deafening.
Petra rules !!!!
signing off the PM slot today: ” Thank you Prime Minister. Next we speak with a serious Economist”
Lol. Did she say that with a straight face?
freedom 2
Don’t leave us in suspense. Who was the Serious Economist?
This bloke.
http://nzier.org.nz/user/shamubeeleaqub
joe90
Thanks – I had a tingling in my palms but wanted to confirm it. I wonder how Bill Rosenberg would be described? Is this serious enough for you Petra?
From the CT/U bio – Bill Rosenberg Economist and Director of Policy
Bill Rosenberg was appointed Economist and Director of Policy at the CTU in May 2009. He holds a B.Com in Economics, a BSc in Mathematics and a PhD in Mathematical Psychology. Bill was previously Deputy Director, University Centre for Teaching and Learning at the University of Canterbury, a Member of the Institute of Directors, a Commissioner on TEC, and was a member of the Regional Land Transport Committee of Environment Canterbury.
Bill Rosenberg is widely published on globalisation, trade and e-learning and has been an active trade unionist for 30 years including the Tramways Union and Association of University Staff where he was National President for several years.
Whereas the spokesperson for the NZ Institute of Economic Research from the right has been practising for 11 years (and mightn’t ever play it right.)
Shamubeel [Eaqub] holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Management with Honours in Economics from Lincoln University. He has worked as a macro economist in the private sector since 2001, both in New Zealand and Australia. His focus and interest is in analytical frameworks to aid economic forecasting, commentary and incisive research into topical areas of economics.
Incidentally the bio on Wikipedia of the USA William Rosenberg is an indication of how someone with chutzpah could get on there. (Thought – Peter Jackson also has chutzpah. Maybe we should be encouraging chutzpah!)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Rosenberg
He was forced to leave school to help support his family in the Great Depression. At 17 he started selling ice cream and at 21 became the Branch Manager.
He became Union Delegate at Bethlehem Steel Works in World War 2 and eventually Contract Co-Ordinator.
After that he borrowed some money to add to his own and started a business of mobile industrial catering. Soon he had 140 trucks. But he noticed that 40% of turnover came from coffee and doughnuts so he started Dunkin Donuts which he then franchised after opening six shops. There are now five thousand outlets.
In 1960, he founded the International Franchise Association.
We need more William Rosenbergs I think.
Shamubeel Eaqub is what you call a bank economist only puts forward ideas that benefit vested interests!
Any ideas that are outside those vested interests these bank economists become propaganda experts rubbishing those ideas with scare tactics.
Ganesh Nana is an economist not a bank economist he says we are getting screwed over by the devaluing economies!
Prism: some NZIER mouthpiece.
weka: straightface but i suspect once dear Petra realised what was said the smile dropped somewhat.
Hollywood movie director James Cameron on RNZ news yesterday touting for more NZ taxpayer hand-outs for him and his Holywood mates. Instead of enriching the already rich even more and further backing the production of Hollywood crap we should be putting that money into our own movies, our own arts, our hospitals, our railway, our children. James Cameron you should be ashamed of yourself, greedy rich prick.
Agree marsman. An intervention on behalf of yank studio bosses from a usually âhands offâ prime minister.
Sell socially profitable assets built over generationsâfine, send kiwi rail workers down the road and buy dodgy imported rolling stockâfine. Gut the public serviceâfine. âNot ruling it in, or ruling it outâ is ShonKeyâs regular weasel line, he has certainly ruled in more taxpayer assistance for the bloated studios and Lord Jackson.
Driver 8
Cameron is an experienced producer/director and knows how to follow the money trail, you can’t blame him he’s just following johnnylocks’ trail of taxpayer money crumbs.
Beware the diversions kids…..sparkles has come back with his masters script and rehearsed lines to play the red herring while they plunder more assets.
Tiwai and Norske skog should be front and centre, job losses and smashes the wholesale power market.
But what game is Cameron really playing?
I just posted (on Karol’s Hollywood Rules post here) a link to a post by Gordon Campbell on Scoop this morning in which he quotes a Guardian article revealing that Cameron has recently been in China pursuing more US-Chinese co-productions.
http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2012/10/08/gordon-campbell-on-the-chinese-shadow-over-john-keys-trip-to-hollywood/
Campbell’s post is well worth reading as it explores the possible ramifications for the film industry here – and also raises the TPPA question.
No You Are Not Entitled To Your Opinion
Perhaps some of our esteemed MSM political opinionists/apologists should
check this out!
https://theconversation.edu.au/no-youre-not-entitled-to-your-opinion-9978?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+8+October+2012&utm_content=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+8+October+2012+CID_60ffcd79d48271bf59b81d744da589d1&utm_source=campaign_monitor&utm_term=its%20here
Having trouble…no worries….we’ll change the rules.
Education Secretary Ron Tomalis’ change, made without federal approval, might have skewed the results of the 2011-12 PSSA scores to make it appear charter schools were outperforming traditional public schools, according to a Morning Call review of publicly available test score data.
Front page commentary on the US election…run up! Good God is there NOTHING else we can report on? Anything!? Please send us a natural disaster…or let Hekia speak again.
What proportion of New Zealander’s care deeply, if at all, about some aging reptilian overlords fighting a highly manipulative PR war with the blindfolded public over an aging and soon to be ex-superpower? Their nation clearly suffers from a misplaced sense of patriotism….is is absolutely necessary that their pathetic puppet politicians are inflicted upon a NZ public, or is this preparation for who has real influence over us with the signing away of our sovereignty that comes with the TPPA?
Asleepwhilewalking 6
+1
This American Life on Quantitive Easing: Weekend at Bernanke’s
Though the name of the Federal Reserve includes the word “federal,” it’s not actually part of the government. It’s an independent institution tasked with something very simple, but very huge: Creating money out of thin air. And during this last financial crisis, the leaders of the Fed did things that they would never have considered doing in the past. Alex Blumberg and David Kestenbaum report on what the Fed usually does, and how, since 2008, it’s taken a trip to what amounts to Fed Crazytown. (26 minutes)
Gisborne people are fighting to keep their rail access. They make good points. Kiwirail is too scared to persevere with this practical infrastructure that is needed by this region isolated from the main transport lines.
The government should be putting funds into infrastructure like this as well as improving the roads. But they are a comedy team, with the boss for entertainment jobs like a theatrical agent, and any effort to look seriously at our economy and unglamorous and permanent jobs in the rural fastness of the country is called ‘voodoo economics’.
By the way Steven Joyce says he knows all about the exchange rate and exporting as he has been an exporter. Does anyone know in what? He has been in tourism, but that’s all I could see that could qualify from his bio. By the way he lives in Albany so that new northern motorway will be a boon for him while getting to the airport. Or does he have his own jet, yet?
Our experts.
John Key is apparently becoming a clinical psychologist as every solution suggested is termed “Loony” or “Wacky”. (Acshly, to his credit, more than single syllable words.)
And then there is Tina there-is-no-alternative Joyce.
Here’s one for both of them. Reinstate the tax levels to the 2008 state and also tax the multinationals before they ship their monies offshore.
Here’s another “Loony” one for starters. Given that the evil of fast-food hamburgers is with us for some time, why not have a government funded and run chain of hamburger joints modelled on McDonalds. Ultimately have PPP franchises to New Zealanders. That way, all the profit remains in New Zealand.
Government burgers? No thank you. Im not that left wing. Believer in the common ownership of production distrubution and exchange as I may be, I am no more keen on government run takeaway shops as someome like Farrar is.
Though, a co-operative farmer and grower owned fast food chain (perhaps collectively owned by Fonterra, Silver Fern Farms, Inghams and the like), , or even a Maori owned hangi takeaway chain, sounds like a good idea.
So how did this heading for RW Aotearoa page get featured in the Comments listings after
Colonial Viper on Govt defends tax haven?
Russell Norman Channels His Inner Mugabe, The Left Wing Bloggosphere Goes Agog and Reason Leaves the Building. So what is QE and Why Is It Destroying The Global Economy? ÂŤ Aotearoa: A Wider Perspective on Greens call for new tools, QE to save jobs
prism, as far as I can see it’s a link from that site, listed at the bottom of the Green QE post.
karol
Thanks – weird to see though interesting seeing the firepower on Aotearoa being manned to shoot down any new economic forays. Can’t disturb the present system that suits so many suits so can’t tear through the Ideological Curtain (like the Iron Curtain but with a Right Wing design this time).
Food in Schools
So KidsCan are pleased that the government has seen that there is an alternative. (Wonder how Tina Joyce feels about that.)
However, a close look at just what the well-meaning Kids-Can actually provides for schools should be made before the government climbs on board. From what we saw on Campbell Live, it is snack food and lunch-box fillers – not wholesome food.
Suspend the Middle Classes (they are in detention anyway) that they might share their play-lunch
money.
(i have said it before, that Canterbury V.C is an unhelpful man; cross me)
I dont know why the prospect of food in schools make people cringe? I see it as an extension to other popular social programs in our education system: the school dental service, eye and hearing tests, MMR vaccinations (remember lining up and getting them back in ’92), school nurses and the now defunct milk in schools program (though those who benefited from all tend to bitch and moan about how sour the milk was, or how the milk monitors were little Hitlers).
Though I would keep KidsCan out of it, better to have the schools do it themselves.
JT essentially confirmed he is running for 2014.
Will he get Waitakare?
I think its unlikely. Carmel Sepuloni is hugely popular out West.
Tamihere’s claim on Q&A that Waitakere is a safe Labour seat and Labour should have won it just isn’t true any more. The demographics of the electorate have altered since the last boundary changes. Carmel did extremely well to come within 9 votes of winning the seat. Indeed if Labour wasn’t so cash-strapped and had been able to afford a judicial recount, then I’m picking she would have won the seat.
I heard that a number of Polynesian votes were not counted on the grounds they were incorrectly cast or their intention was (supposedly) unclear. From past experiences, there was a strong chance many of them would have been accepted at a recount.
Anne
I can imagine that some people keen to cast their vote might put a line or a cross over whom they didn’t want, to make it clear that the one they ticked got in.
And of course that is not following the instructions. Possibly some people can’t read too well and though there’s an example shown with the tick only, the importance of that may not have registered.
Yes prism that is the sort of thing that goes on – especially amongst our immigrant population.
I heard about a large Polynesian family in the Waitakere electorate who were so keen to vote for Carmel they went and voted as soon as the polling booths opened. Later that day they went to another polling booth and voted again because they thought they had done it wrong the first time and their votes wouldn’t be counted. They ended up having none of their votes counted of course. I understand their first votes would have been counted, so if they hadn’t voted again Carmel would probably be the MP for Waitakere.
Anne
What a pity. I would have thought that one of their votes would have been accepted. It isn’t a case that it can be assumed that illegality is intended.
Well I guess the view was… the law is the law. No matter the law is an ass sometimes, if you vote twice you’re gone – end of story. That’s the sort of thing a judicial recount can – and often does – overturn. But its something that can never be guaranteed so I understand why Labour (and Carmel) felt they couldn’t take the risk.
In my view it’s wrong that some political parties and their candidates can’t get electoral justice because they lack the money, while others (namely the Nats) can do so whenever they choose. Hardly a level playing field.
Will he get….? For John Tamihere to get anything from Labour would be clear signal to voters that Labour don’t want to govern.
There would be a rebellion out west if head office went for Tamihere. Â The locals support Carmel and do not like Tamihere. Â With one interview he managed to write off the support of women and gays. Â God knows hoe much damage he could cause if he really tried.
Yesterday or Friday? on Radionz there was a discussion on the Novopay new electronic program that is paying teachers salaries. So many stuff ups. One teacher had to hang on for two hours to reach someone at a call desk, the accent was hard to understand, when it was understood the desk person didn’t know what they were talking about. Double fudge.
Incidentally the word is that Novopay hadn’t fixed all the bugs, knew it wasn’t ready to fly, but the MOE (Ministry of Exclamation, Expiration, Expiation, Excitation, Education, Effectuation, Elimination, Vexation – dunno, one of those) insisted on it being released – perhaps they thought they would use it as a beta model.
Not so good when you’ve got accounts to pay and food to buy and transport or car registration or children’s needs or the electricity. Perhaps people like leading Light in the MOE getting over $500,000 p.a. (not over her lifetime) don’t worry about these. Just set up a direct debit and suck it out you tradespeople. No worries.
Missed out Ministry of Evacuation – that’s meaningful in a number of ways after the Christchurch
announcements about possible closures – Ministry of Expose, Exposure. They feel out in the cold down there.
MOE should take payroll in-house. It is the obession with outsourcing that leads to things like this.
Nick Smith out of the dog box?
Let’s be perfectly clear, Smith resigned to avoid an investigation into the extent of his corruption. Without an investigation, Smith can never be exonerated, which should mean he never again returns to a position within cabinet…
Ol’Lizard eyes is on the way back scum will always float to the top!
Slithering his way back into the snake pit Nationals caucus!
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/c19.0.403.403/p403x403/399631_484015698298548_2046534845_n.jpg
Feed Your Head
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HmJQyS8QVw
Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. To the Romans 14:22
-the Cheshire Cat đ
()
As it is now clear the LA dinner was not a quiet social event with a few studio heads perhaps Peter Jackson would like to share the full message that was shown to all and sundry?
Kind of happy about this http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/08/hugo-chavez-wins-venezuelan-election
Yeah, saw that on WSJ which is pretty much just rant on just how evil Chavez is.
Amen (guess the CIA do not have the pull in S.A they tugged before)
They obviously gave him a cure rabble type of Cancer.
Yep anyone who pisses of Wall Street, the right wing MSM and the oil industry at the same time while feeding the poor is doing alright …
Yeah, didnt think Chavez would make it across the line this time, but he did. The Bolivarian Revolution is safe — for now. Though the guy needs to start realising that he is not immortal and needs to start planning for the future, ie sorting out a successor.
Not a successor but more democracy and he seems to be doing that. From the WSJ link:
The rich are getting pissed off that their system of dictatorship is being undermined.
The poor wee things # Capriles aren’t happy.
Melissa Rock ⥠â@MeowwItsMelissa
I’m starting to believe there’s no morals in this world at all. How can Chavez win when it’s evident 99.9% of the country voted Capriles?!
Kinda sad looking at all the Caprilles supporters crying fraud. From what I’ve read most of the polls leading up to the election had Chavez winning and only one with Caprilles. There’s fraud alright but it isn’t from the Chavez camp.
Dunne-“legitimate to avoid taxes” Done!
Slippery-” well from my university days” ($180 annual tuition fees that Mum saved)”there is tax evasion and then there is tax avoidance” ????
He Wept. (NAct supporters caudally lured by hemipenes)
Little Conversations
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNC5H-3gCUs&noredirect=1
“Shekinah”
đ
(Bolt that Gatorade down: NOT)
Will we really have to endure a full blown depression and a major conflict?.
http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2012/oct/02/our-crisis-bad-jobs/
When global debt levels are this high, widespread armed conflict is the rule, not the exception.
approaching Thanksgiving and Turkey’s on the table.
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTx6TPQxdR5AZnoJ-AMMIIHN_LQlaLTuiqSQ9kSIulljdHofKeq
(out in the “book” of life now; thesis signature)
Dreadful parallels with another time.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/next-economy/essay-the-growing-income-gap-in-the-u-s-harms-the-economy-20120927
Which is exactly what’s been happening in NZ since the advent of neo-liberalism under the 4th Labour Government. The reduction in manufacturing and R&D has seen to that.
Yes, bascially we need to be making things that people want to buy, not paying each other to do each other’s laundry.
That’s a model which will inevitably lead to consumerism. Make people want more in order to sell them more, so that we can make more things for more money using more of the world’s constrained resources.
Sound familiar?
At this moment 8:40 John Ansell is getting a hearing on Native Affairs Maori TV
the only people making anything in NZ are the National Party gang making a killing out of their share parcels when they sell the states assets that they thieved from the legitimate owners..
Lprent, are you looking into the issue of the “too many redirects” issue that your Chrome readers are experiencing? There are plenty of examples scattered around the threads and comments. I like reading your site but I’m getting a bit tired of having to launch IE just to read it.
This is the error that a lot of Chrome users are experiencing when accessing your site. Please have a go at sorting it out as Chrome is one of the most widely used browsers and you’re losing out on viewer stats by having this happen…
http://i.imgur.com/xd9me.png
Sheryl bleep you are not the only one that’s having problems I use fire fox and msn its the standards server its always having teething problems.
You just have to be patient it takes lots of money and or time to keep a sever functioning optimally!
I use Firefox and have very few issues with this site.
@ Beryl
The general advice that I’ve been able to determine so far is to reinstall Chrome as it seems to be Chrome that’s having the problem.
That is likely to be the posting problem. New or edited posts cause a hell of a load on the primary server because it informs damn near everyone that a post has been posted or live edited. It meant that there was a flood of requests at the primary server for everything from search engines to RSS feeds. Shows up as a server unavailable error to readers and as a major spike in queries and CPU.
I moved the SEO system from event driven to periodic last week and that seems to have helped by time offsetting of the server.
This week or next, I am going to move the RSS to feedburner and remove direct RSS feeds from the main server. It will redirect automatically once I have it running. And before anyone asks, I know about the feedburner API change and that isn’t really an issue. We currently don’t count RSS in page stats. And I haven’t seen any other RSS sevice that is comparable. It also means that we can start looking at RSS more closely on analytics.
I wasn’t aware that it was still an issue.
Clear the cookies for the site on your Chrome. I had it show on one machine once (I use Chrome as my default browser across 4 systems). When I was tracking it, it would disappear as soon as some or all of the cookies for the site were cleared. You can either ean all of your cookies, just the ones for the site, or down to individual ones. I will link to pages for the latter when I get off the pad if I aren’t beaten to it.
After repeated restores and testing last week, it appears to have been one of a group of cookies set by chrome for the site caching by google on chrome rather than anything put out by the site – which explains why it only showed on chrome. It also expired during testing, so I presumed it had a finite lifetime and would eventually clean itself up.
BTW: I ran comparisions of weekly code snapshots backups. There were no changes in any cookie management for the last month in the sites code. I love diffzilla on slickedit.
I have chrome and its never given me any problems here at all.
Republican Lullaby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnepPZChA5U
night.
âSpin me a brain exchangeâ, said Dear Leader!
Damn good stuff. I can see Shearer pushing these exact lines later this week.
A simple philosophy but extremely valid for us all. If David Shearer could get passionate about this and spark a following then….