Open mike 08/10/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, October 8th, 2012 - 85 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner).

Step right up to the mike…

85 comments on “Open mike 08/10/2012 ”

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  1. Te Reo Putake 1
    8 October 2012 at 7:23 am

    The Guardian has a story and link to the big US election debate. No, not Obama/Mittens, Bill O’Reilly vs Jon Stewart.

    • ianmac 1.1
      8 October 2012 at 10:55 am

      Crikey Te Reo Putake. You caused me to spend 1:33hrs watching a fascinating encounter. Couldn’t stop watching. Thanks – I think?

      • Anne 1.1.1
        8 October 2012 at 11:21 am

        Ditto: Just wasted a whole morning but every moment worth it. Oh for a Jon Stewart in NZ!

        • tc 1.1.1.1
          8 October 2012 at 12:31 pm

          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

        • David H 1.1.1.2
          8 October 2012 at 3:40 pm

          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..

      • Rodel 1.1.2
        8 October 2012 at 10:01 pm

        Love Jon Stewart’s ..”They can’t privatize the profits but socialize the losses..”
        Many thanks for that link.

        • Rodel 1.1.2.1
          8 October 2012 at 10:05 pm

          I think NZ has the same quality of idiots as in USA politics but not the quantity to make a full length daily programme.

    • Te Reo Putake 1.2
      8 October 2012 at 11:27 am

      Cheers, guys, I knew you’d like it, though I figured only CV would have time to watch it during the day 😉

    • Rosie 1.3
      8 October 2012 at 11:58 am

      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.

      • karol 1.3.1
        8 October 2012 at 12:03 pm

        Rosie: Agree with Anne that we need a Jon Stewart in NZ. Or any political satire in fact.
         
        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.

         
         

        • Rosie 1.3.1.1
          8 October 2012 at 1:11 pm

          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.

          • karol 1.3.1.1.1
            8 October 2012 at 3:16 pm

            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?

            • Rosie 1.3.1.1.1.1
              8 October 2012 at 4:32 pm

              “…………….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.

  2. freedom 2
    8 October 2012 at 8:13 am

    Petra rules !!!!
    signing off the PM slot today: ” Thank you Prime Minister. Next we speak with a serious Economist”

    • weka 2.1
      8 October 2012 at 11:55 am

      Lol. Did she say that with a straight face?

    • prism 2.2
      8 October 2012 at 11:59 am

      freedom 2
      Don’t leave us in suspense. Who was the Serious Economist?

      • joe90 2.2.1
        8 October 2012 at 12:06 pm

        Who was the Serious Economist?

        This bloke.

        http://nzier.org.nz/user/shamubeeleaqub

        • prism 2.2.1.1
          8 October 2012 at 3:52 pm

          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.

          • mike e 2.2.1.1.1
            8 October 2012 at 10:41 pm

            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!

      • freedom 2.2.2
        8 October 2012 at 12:11 pm

        Prism: some NZIER mouthpiece.
        weka: straightface but i suspect once dear Petra realised what was said the smile dropped somewhat.

  3. marsman 3
    8 October 2012 at 8:18 am

    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.

    • Tiger Mountain 3.1
      8 October 2012 at 8:36 am

      Agree marsman. An intervention on behalf of yank studio bosses from a usually “hands off” prime minister.

      Sell socially profitable assets built over generations–fine, send kiwi rail workers down the road and buy dodgy imported rolling stock–fine. Gut the public service–fine. “Not ruling it in, or ruling it out” is ShonKey’s regular weasel line, he has certainly ruled in more taxpayer assistance for the bloated studios and Lord Jackson.

    • tc 3.2
      8 October 2012 at 8:38 am

      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.

    • deuto 3.3
      8 October 2012 at 12:23 pm

      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.

  5. joe90 5
    8 October 2012 at 10:04 am

    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.

  6. AsleepWhileWalking 6
    8 October 2012 at 10:26 am

    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?

  7. Pete 7
    8 October 2012 at 10:43 am

    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)

  8. prism 8
    8 October 2012 at 11:14 am

    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?

  9. Logie97 9
    8 October 2012 at 11:22 am

    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.

    • millsy 9.1
      8 October 2012 at 8:07 pm

      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.

  10. prism 10
    8 October 2012 at 11:41 am

    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? « Aotearoa: A Wider Perspective on Greens call for new tools, QE to save jobs

    • karol 10.1
      8 October 2012 at 11:48 am

      prism, as far as I can see it’s a link from that site, listed at the bottom of the Green QE post.

      • prism 10.1.1
        8 October 2012 at 12:06 pm

        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).

  11. Logie97 11
    8 October 2012 at 11:47 am

    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.

    • Jokerman 11.1
      8 October 2012 at 6:50 pm

      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)

    • millsy 11.2
      8 October 2012 at 8:15 pm

      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.

  12. Enough is Enough 12
    8 October 2012 at 12:18 pm

    JT essentially confirmed he is running for 2014.

    Will he get Waitakare?

    • Anne 12.1
      8 October 2012 at 12:55 pm

      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.

      • prism 12.1.1
        8 October 2012 at 1:07 pm

        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.

        • Anne 12.1.1.1
          8 October 2012 at 3:12 pm

          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.

          • prism 12.1.1.1.1
            8 October 2012 at 3:20 pm

            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.

            • Anne 12.1.1.1.1.1
              8 October 2012 at 5:26 pm

              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.

    • Jenny 12.2
      8 October 2012 at 7:59 pm

      Will he get….? For John Tamihere to get anything from Labour would be clear signal to voters that Labour don’t want to govern.

      • mickysavage 12.2.1
        8 October 2012 at 8:29 pm

        There would be a rebellion out west if head office went for Tamihere.  The locals support Carmel and do not like Tamihere.  With one interview he managed to write off the support of women and gays.  God knows hoe much damage he could cause if he really tried.

  13. prism 13
    8 October 2012 at 12:26 pm

    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.

    • prism 13.1
      8 October 2012 at 12:58 pm

      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.

    • millsy 13.2
      8 October 2012 at 8:27 pm

      MOE should take payroll in-house. It is the obession with outsourcing that leads to things like this.

  14. Jackal 14
    8 October 2012 at 12:40 pm

    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…

    • mike e 14.1
      8 October 2012 at 10:25 pm

      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!

  16. Jokerman 16
    8 October 2012 at 2:09 pm

    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 🙂
    ()

  17. freedom 17
    8 October 2012 at 2:09 pm

    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?

    • Draco T Bastard 18.1
      8 October 2012 at 5:19 pm

      Yeah, saw that on WSJ which is pretty much just rant on just how evil Chavez is.

    • mickysavage 18.2
      8 October 2012 at 8:33 pm

      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 …

    • millsy 18.3
      8 October 2012 at 8:33 pm

      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.

      • Draco T Bastard 18.3.1
        8 October 2012 at 11:38 pm

        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.

    • joe90 18.4
      9 October 2012 at 1:40 am

      The poor wee things # Capriles aren’t happy.

      Melissa Rock ♡ ‏@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?!

      • Draco T Bastard 18.4.1
        9 October 2012 at 2:19 am

        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.

  19. Jokerman 19
    8 October 2012 at 7:07 pm

    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”

    🙂

    (Bolt that Gatorade down: NOT)

  20. joe90 20
    8 October 2012 at 7:36 pm

    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/

  21. ianmac 21
    8 October 2012 at 8:42 pm

    At this moment 8:40 John Ansell is getting a hearing on Native Affairs Maori TV

  22. captain hook 22
    8 October 2012 at 9:00 pm

    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..

  23. Beryl_Streep 23
    8 October 2012 at 9:35 pm

    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

    • mike e 23.1
      8 October 2012 at 10:20 pm

      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!

      • Draco T Bastard 23.1.1
        8 October 2012 at 11:41 pm

        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.

      • lprent 23.1.2
        9 October 2012 at 8:34 am

        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.

    • lprent 23.2
      9 October 2012 at 8:19 am

      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.

  24. captain hook 24
    8 October 2012 at 11:43 pm

    I have chrome and its never given me any problems here at all.

  26. Draco T Bastard 26
    9 October 2012 at 12:01 am

    “Spin me a brain exchange”, said Dear Leader!

    I offer this salient piece of advice to Dear Leader and the National Party; if we expect commitment from New Zealanders – 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 – 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.

    • Colonial Viper 26.1
      9 October 2012 at 12:34 am

      Damn good stuff. I can see Shearer pushing these exact lines later this week.

    • ianmac 26.2
      9 October 2012 at 10:45 am

      A simple philosophy but extremely valid for us all. If David Shearer could get passionate about this and spark a following then….

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    Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 hours ago

  • Peters’ real foreign policy threat is Helen Clark
    Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 hours ago

  • NZ’s trans lobby is fighting a rearguard action
    Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    12 hours ago

  • Your mandate is imaginary
    This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    17 hours ago

  • 14,000 unemployed under National
    The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    20 hours ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Discontent and gloom dominate NZ’s political mood
    Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    20 hours ago

  • Taking Tea with 42 & 38.
    National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
    Nick’s KƍreroBy Nick Rockel
    21 hours ago

  • Beware political propaganda: statistics are pointing to Grant Robertson never protecting “Lives an...
    Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”. As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    21 hours ago

  • Winding back the hands of history’s clock
    Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    21 hours ago

  • Paula Bennett’s political appointment will challenge public confidence
     Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    22 hours ago

  • Business confidence sliding into winter of discontent
    TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    23 hours ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the coalition’s awful, not good, very bad poll results
    Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    1 day ago

  • New HOP readers for future payment options
    Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    1 day ago

  • 2024 Reading Summary: April (+ Writing Update)
    Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    2 days ago

  • At a glance – Clearing up misconceptions regarding 'hide the decline'
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Road photos
    Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Paula Bennett’s political appointment will challenge public confidence
    The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    2 days ago

  • NZDF is still hostile to oversight
    Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • Winding Back The Hands Of History’s Clock.
    Holding On To The Present: The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

  • Sweet Moderation? What Christopher Luxon Could Learn From The Germans.
    Stuck In The Middle With You: As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

  • A clear warning
    The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • Poll results and Waitangi Tribunal report go unmentioned on the Beehive website – where racing tru...
    Buzz  from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example.  This shows National down ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Listening To The Traffic.
    It Takes A Train To Cry: Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

  • Comity Be Damned! The State’s Legislative Arm Is Flexing Its Constitutional Muscles.
    Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

  • Ending The Quest.
    Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

  • Will political polarisation intensify to the point where ‘normal’ government becomes impossible,...
    Chris Trotter writes –  New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Tuesday, April 30
    TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:30am on Tuesday, May 30:Scoop: NZ 'close to the tipping point' of measles epidemic, health experts warn NZ Herald Benjamin PlummerHealth: 'Absurd and totally unacceptable': Man has to wait a year for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Why Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating in the country
    Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Worst poll result for a new Government in MMP history
    Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Pinning down climate change's role in extreme weather
    This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Serving at Seymour's pleasure.
    Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
    Nick’s KƍreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • Webworm LA Pop-Up
    Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • “Feel good” school is out
    Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • 6 Months in, surely our Report Card is “Ignored all warnings: recommend dismissal ASAP”?
    Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy. Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    3 days ago

  • Bread, and how it gets buttered
    Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Why Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating in the country
    Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Justice for Gaza?
    The New York Times reports that the International Criminal Court is about to issue arrest warrants for Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over their genocide in Gaza: Israeli officials increasingly believe that the International Criminal Court is preparing to issue arrest warrants for senior government officials on ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • If there has been any fiddling with Pharmac’s funding, we can count on Paula to figure out the fis...
    Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • FastTrackWatch – The case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill
    Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Monday, April 29
    TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on Iran killing its rappers, and searching for the invisible Dr. Reti
    span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    3 days ago

  • Auckland Rail Electrification 10 years old
    Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Coalition's dirge of austerity and uncertainty is driving the economy into a deeper recession
    Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Disability Funding or Tax Cuts.
    You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
    Nick’s KƍreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Of the Goodness of Tolkien’s Eru
    April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    3 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #17
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Pastor Who Abused People, Blames People
    Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago

  • Vic Uni shows how under threat free speech is
    The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Winston remembers Gettysburg.
    Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
    Nick’s KƍreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • 25
    She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8.  The universe was ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Is Antarctica gaining land ice?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Policing protests.
    Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    5 days ago

  • Open letter to Hon Paul Goldsmith
    Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: FastTrackWatch – The Case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill
    Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago

  • Luxon gets out his butcher’s knife – briefly
    Peter Dunne writes –  The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • More tax for less
    Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Real News vs Fake News.
    We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
    Nick’s KƍreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Another way to roll
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Share ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Simon Clark: The climate lies you'll hear this year
    This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Cutting the Public Service
    It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    6 days ago

  • Luxon’s demoted ministers might take comfort from the British politician who bounced back after th...
    Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious:  we live in a troubled ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • This is how I roll over
    1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • The Waitangi Tribunal is not “a roving Commission”

    …it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisition   NOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes –  The High Court ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Is Oranga Tamariki guilty of neglect?
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same? Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Three Strikes saw lower reoffending
    David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Luxon’s ruthless show of strength is perfect for our angry era
    Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • 'Lacks attention to detail and is creating double-standards.'
    TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • One Night Only!
    Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago

  • What did Melissa Lee do?
    It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #17 2024
    Open access notables Ice acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment: In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
    Skeptical Science
    7 days ago

  • Maori Party (with “disgust”) draws attention to Chhour’s race after the High Court rules on Wa...
    Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago

  • Who’s Going Up The Media Mountain?
    Mr Bombastic: Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
    Bowalley Road
    7 days ago

  • “That's how I roll”
    It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
    Nick’s KƍreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • “Comity” versus the rule of law
    In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • Streamlining Building Consent Changes
    The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says.      “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago

  • Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)
    New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago

  • Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...
    Good evening –   Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago

  • Accelerating airport security lines
    From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Community hui to talk about kina barrens
    People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago

  • Kiwi exporters win as NZ-EU FTA enters into force
    Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago

  • Mining resurgence a welcome sign
    There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • ƌ-Rākau Remembrance Bill passes first reading
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