Now how would you know that?
My snide remarks to James are simply based on the fact that IMHO his main intention in coming here is to bait and try and show how clever he is – all egotistically driven. Probably not too dissimilar from your own reasons. THey’re certainly not intended to try and engage in debate.
Now, tell me something about this ‘Grinder’ thing. Maaaate! does it do anything for testosterone levels?
As Maria Muldaur once said – it ain’t the meat its the motion. I guess you fail on both counts in her mind.
I tried to reply to @ Nakiman – whoar – you know that man from the Naki.
I couldn’t understand since IMHO your intention in coming to TS is primarily to bait and show how bloody c;lever you think you are – similar reasons to the MAN from the Naki. Sure as shit it isn’t to engage in a debate.
But there ya go.
Chelsea Manning FFS – surely he could have tackled something more relevant if his intentions were genuine – I dunno – maybe the Kim Hill/Annette King interview this morning. Whoar Man!!!! there is grist in there he could have used to show us all how big his penis actually is.
Thank Christ I kept to Highway 4 last nite and evaded your neck of the woods.
Otherwise I could have been classed as a Highway 3 deviate.
But please @ Naki, tell me more about this “Ginder’ thing. Does it resolve the male mid-life crisis symptoms?: Increase the size of your dick or testosterone levels?; Make you a better husband to the woify?; or better still, Does it mean James and yourself become more ‘self-aware’ and all those nancy-boy type of things that might allow yourself to get over yourself?
PLEASE!!!! Tell me about Grinder. Someone just told me it was a dating site for bloody homos and married blokes on the ‘down-low’.
May I say @ solkta how utterly gorgeous I think you are.
It is possible I am a dickhead as well but that’s for me to know and you to ponder
(END OF STORY!!!!! Yea! I win you lose!)
But could you tell me about this ‘Grinder’ thing maybe?
Hi Solkta, None of my business but the “he” I think OnceWasTim was referring to was James, as in, “he” could have chosen a different topic to engage us in and I may be wrong also with the later comment to James but I read it as sarcasm and as a nancy-boy homo myself, I think he was just teasing Naki man and James about Grindr and certainly achieved a pearl clutching from James. If I’m wrong I’ll be the first to line up and give OnceWasTim a good spanking.
It is certainly a terrible piece of england so you might be right. Very strange to be replying to somebody and referring to them as “he” instead of “you”. Even more confusing as he had been speaking of the knackered one.
@RBO. I believe Tim was talking to James about Naki Man who was the HE in question. Therefore acceptable usage both for the political and syntactical police. You are right about Tim baiting James. Anyone who has watched and appreciated his style for a while will realise that he uses his own position on the spectrum (I believe he might have batted for your team on occasion) to take the mick out of himself and his target simultaneously. At times this can be confusing but when it works it does so beautifully.
I see from the paper today that there is a project called Down the Wire to make life better for helicopter pilots. We don;’t want any of them striking wires when they are flying, but particularly now with the prospect of more droughts and fires that need their attendance and skill. It’s hard enough coping with it all without having to cope with electricity lines along their flight lines. So good for getting alternatives going.
And another case of a victim of violent crime having to avoid meeting the perpetrator. He/she might be out of prison but the victim is not free to live and move where she wants. There is a notification system but why should there be the need? Keep violent people away from society. Give them a limited life in okay conditions, and limit their own violence on each other. Why should we all become potential victims. Their rate of recidivism is probably high, even if later in life.
That’s not anger cinny- labour’s ideological CGT was the wish National were waiting for. It’s the single biggest thing that could cost them the election.
He’s very happy that labour are handling this so badly
So while the government who haven’t decided anything yet (but are paying Cullen to sing CGT praises) dither and do nothing – they are losing the debate with the public.
I would never rely on the random conversations I have with people as an indication of what the majority of kiwis think. Would you? Suspect a significant number of people already have an entrenched view,particularly the ones with a vested interest in not having a CGT, eg Amy, Simon, mr poor me I own 80 rentals a la the herald article.
Have there been any polls to show that since the report came out there has been an increase in opposition to the cgt. That would show labour is losing the argument. Otherwise there isn’t any real evidence that labour is losing the argument.
Sounds like Simon was doing a fabulous job on the Nation according to cinny……ha ha ha ha
Simon is giving Labour a great opportunity to listen and understand how best to respond to Simon’s hysterical chicken little prophesising on CGT.
When Labour finally come out with a set of policies on CGT, all of which will address Simon’s hysterical rants, people may very well end up saying “good golly, this isn’t so bad after all”
Simon may very well take the credit in forcing the govt to provide a halfway point, but people don’t listen to him anyway so won’t have much effect for him.
Simons got nothing concrete to criticise. As long as he keeps yammering on about what the dastardly evils of CGT might bring, Labour can continue to artfully respond to such falsities in their eventual policy document.
Simon should shut up and criticise something worth criticising. Like Labours lack of genuine commitment to addressing the cost of living in NZ.
A variety of people is who to talk to about it, not just those in ones social circle, workplace, suburb, income bracket etc etc.
Put in a submission, encourage other people to do so as well, I’m going to.
Tax Working Group welcomes submissions on future of tax
“Submissions open today for those wanting to share their thoughts straight away and on March 14 an updated website will be launched along with a background paper that will provide more assistance. ”
OK James, I had you pegged as someone of intelligence, but you keep denying me that view by your constant undying loyalty and borderline sycophancy in terms of the National Party.
1. The government has done nothing yet but has clearly signalled a time frame in which they will, so your criticism on that front is valueless.
2. Michael Cullen is on a retainer so that he, as the chairman of the task force and therefore intimately knowledgeable about the report, is able to answer queries and provide detail.
3. You intimate that Cullen is there merely to sing praises for the CGT, which is only a small segment of the total report, and is being discussed and largely vilified in a hugely disproportionate way in comparison to other aspects of the report. That is not his job, and that is not what he is doing.
4. You say that the government is losing the debate, which is a hugely subjective statement with no evidence apparent.
The only thing you say here is that Simon is doing his job. He is, but not in the way you think.
“2. Michael Cullen is on a retainer so that he, as the chairman of the task force and therefore intimately knowledgeable about the report, is able to answer queries and provide detail.”
Not a memo – a subjective comment by a journalist on Newshub . . . Newshub FFS. The wonderfully rational and objective employer of Richardson and Garner.
Oh . . . BTW, did you read the link? I read yours.
One of the possible reasons you think soimon’s doing such a great job. Other possible reasons being: avoiding public transport, avoiding cheaper supermarkets, avoiding rougher bars, and avoiding poor people.
Bridges (and you, his unpaid PR flack) wants to misrepresent the commission’s work, hoping to ride into power on a tide of outrage. It’s certainly the only emotion that would move people to vote for him.
But outrage is not appropriate to a a representative and consultative process, the commission invites public input and discussion, which will culminate in legislation in the usual way.
Scaremonger all you want, you only expose your fundamentally undemocratic preferences.
Far-ka-nora!!!
That interview was pure entertainment Cinny. Or it would be if he wasn’t so serious about what he says. And he calls Cullen sly!
I don’t know . . . the worry is about the sheeple who will swallow that as gospel. He may well get enough boss thinkers to carry his party. That’s a scenario I can’t bear thinking about.
Simon does not like Michael Cullen, and Cinny I think many people hold a wee warm spot for Cullen because they have watched their Kiwisaver grow.
They know it was the Gnats who cut the starter in half, lowered the savings amount and were “tricky” and without that interference savers would have bigger balances.
Simon ‘no bridges’ has not got much to recommend his word, compared to Michael.
OPINION: Hi, Simon Bridges here. Hitting new taxes for six! I am literally Martin Guptill!
Hey, but I just wanted to talk about those kids who are going to go truant from school next week because they say not enough’s being done about climate change.
That piece was beautifully written. Hehehehee. Cheers for the link.
If simon thinks the kid’s aren’t serious about climate change then he is sorely mistaken.
His attitude and that of his party re the protest is going to fuel even more kids to act and adults to come out in support of those kids.
Most kids and teens know and care more about climate change than any other global or political issue. It’s a constant topic in schools.
And here I was thinking there are teachers in simons family, maybe they haven’t filled him in about the focus schools put on climate change and the awareness created as a result.
Did someone mention “thick”….that old National poodle Audrey over at the mornings fish wrap had this to say:
“It is time for Ardern to look across the aisle for support on pay transparency measures from Paula Bennett, Amy Adams and Judith Collins to work on some more advances in the interests of improving women’s lives…..”
If there were ever three women across the aisle who are more inclined to ruin women’s lives dear old Audrey could not have picked them better.
Kat noticed she said that labour didn’t give national any credit for the Bartlett pay equity bill. My understanding is that National fought it every step of the way and that Audrey knows this
Ankerrawshark you are correct, typically National only went so far with the Pay Equity Bill then inserted a “Paula Bennett pull up the ladder” clause. Audrey doesn’t like mentioning betrayal and National in the same sentence.
“He has lived an otherwise blameless life,” said Judge T. S. Ellis as he sentenced Paul Manafort to just 47 months in prison on Thursday.
In an otherwise blameless life, Paul Manafort lobbied on behalf of the tobacco industry and wangled millions in tax breaks for corporations.
In an otherwise blameless life, he helped Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos bolster his image in Washington after he assassinated his primary political opponent.
[…]
In an otherwise blameless life, he acted with impunity, as if the laws never applied to him. When presented with a chance to show remorse to the court, he couldn’t find that sentiment within his being. And with Ellis’s featherweight punishment, which deviated sharply downward from the sentencing guidelines, Manafort managed to bring his life’s project to a strange completion. He had devoted his career to normalizing corruption in Washington. By the time he was caught, his extraordinary avarice had become so commonplace that not even a federal judge could blame him for it.
In his latest post entitled “Why we need to tax landlords”, idiot-savant attempts to make the case for imposing a capital gains tax on landlords by quoting from a Herald article by Keith Ng. However the original article has some flaws.
Ng points out, probably correctly, that interest of $456,000 has been deducted entirely from the rental income when it probably should be deductible against the capital cost of the property. I have long believed that interest should be either non deductible, which would mean that landlord would be paying a respectable amount of tax on the rental income while having to meet the interest costs from his own pocket, or, alternatively, subject to an interest “claw back” up to the amount of any capital gain when the property is sold.
Also, if neither of those above options seems acceptable, Ng should recognise that tax on the interest is being paid by the bank, so the landlord is in effect paying that tax indirectly in any case, given that he receives no material benefit from interest payments.
They hated it because it gave every decent earning man and women an excellent chance.
If The Trolls demand Simon Bridges attack CGT and Stop the Kiwi saver, National will die a miserable death. The public have seen exactly What Mr Key and Mr English have done to our highly valued Kiwi Saver. All for the Trolls.
The Trolls will be skinned alive. By their own wealthy mongrels.
The Nats couldn’t possibly come up with such ingrained and accepted norms as WFF and Kiwisaver – they are ideologically opposed to policies with social benefit, and you’ve sometimes got to wonder whether they are ideologically opposed to any form of social thinking.
They put up with WFF and Kiwisaver because as you rightly point out they would spend decades out of government were they to abolish them.
They made a good effort to damage Kiwisaver out of spite for people wanting to save. Numbers dropped and people stopped enrolling their kids, but it is so popular that the Nats failed at that too. They can’t even get spite right!
Given your comments about National reducing the benefits of KiwiSaver by reducing the government top up from $1 per $1 invested up to $1,040 per year, down to 50 cents & then taxing the employer contribution, you would then agree that KiwiSaver should be exempt from capital gains tax ? As this too is further damaging KiwiSaver balances ?
Kiwi Saver should be exempt because it is a savings program, not a speculative sale of an asset.
CGT is to be applied to the profit made when selling an asset, Kiwi Saver only makes money because you are saving and your boss is helping you to do so as is the government. You can’t sell the Kiwi saver during its live time, you have to wait till you are 65 until you can access is. or maybe via hardship if you are actively dying, or buying your first house, and even then you are not receiving the full amount.
So essentially two different ways to make money, speculative selling for profit, or putting your pennies in a savings accounts – btw these pennies already got hit with income tax when you made them. And as you stated you already pay income tax on the interest you receive.
I feel I have to repost this because the episode appears to have sneaked under the radar. I had a think about it this morning and Prebble clearly had in mind a separation of the nation in his example. This is called apartheid. Prebble seems to believe that if you take brown people out of the education system then our place in the world will be something to be proud of.
Think that over for a sec…
Appalling comments from Prebble. Quite staggering that this thinking still exists in this country.
Secondary school teacher Melanie Webber, who was at the meeting, said Prebble seemed to infer people “should be more concerned about maintaining the success of the 80 per cent than concerned about the 20 per cent who are failing”.
She said she felt the comments were “racist”.
Webber raised the issue with Prebble at the end of the night and he took “extreme umbrage”, she said.
“He thrust his chest up against mine, started jabbing my face […] just absolutely lost [the] plot.”
She said she was asked to leave by ACT Party leader David Seymour, who organised the event.
Now, I’m constantly told by RWNJs that the left are guilty of wanting to shut down anyone who doesn’t agree with them but it seems they don’t practice what they preach.
Shame on David Seymour for promoting such naked racism. The swift demise of ACT and all its supporters can’t come quick enough.
You don’t think asking for brown students achievements to be excluded is racist?
Just a minute. I imagine you’re taking the Wayne defence, which is to say that the he only meant it figuratively.
South Auckland voters will have heard this loud and clear and if Simon Bridges doesn’t come out and condemn those words, National are in for a real kick in the balls next year.
RP has ‘memberships’ … gained through performing certain actions and tasks…politics such as you refer to…well documented…damaging…long term…
Prebble did not osmosis the ideology…it was a job opportunity… a contract which he accepted…planned turncoat against party and country…
One must harbor certain ‘beliefs’ to be offered the chance to gain ‘membership’…
That he is paraded while having clear mental health issues and in a late stage of life…serves to highlight the sinister nature of the ‘dominant ideology’…he is still under contract…
This is a sign of fightback. We WILL get OUR water back from the exploiters external AND internal.
“A crowd of at least 2000 protesters took to the streets of Christchurch to oppose a water bottling company shipping billions of litres of water overseas.”
I notice that you delight in repeating, ad nauseam , all the words you claim to find offensive, James. You’ve done it so often that I believe you are doing it on purpose in order to offend and that you derive pleasure from your offensive behaviour. I reckon you’re … odd.
A blog site agitator… bottom feeding on negativity…creating negativity…revelling in negativity…
Pretending to care about language used by others…simultaneously taking a pious stance…while lauding his piousness over those who do not share a passion for propagating the words…of bottom feeders…
James. You often claim that by not railing against something, a person is supporting it.
Yesterday, Muttonbird called you out, in regard Michael Jackson;
“By not taking a stand against Michael Jackson, both he and you are enabling child molesters.
Your definition.”
I thought Muttonbird elegantly skewered your silly behaviour, but it seems you missed the moment, so I’ve posted it here for your benefit. I don’t claim you intend to enable child molesters, but you’ve not been thinking very deeply, it’s clear.
Fair question. I pointed out that he has been found not guilty of being a child molester and that calling him such based off a tv show and not a court of law was wrong.
Do you think we should take stands against others who have been found not guilty?
I’d just be more inclined to believe your sincerity if you didn’t also take every opportunity to recycle and remind people of vicious slanders against someone simply because of their relationship with a left wing politician.
Appreciate you agreeing. But you will be hard to find two examples of what you say I do at every opportunity. And the one you can find I was using it as an example of how rumours can be very wrong.
You’re correct, it is not o.k. I’d moderate it, and I probably can, but I’m waiting for feedback from LPrent.
Let me ask you this, James: do you feel that you play any role at all when standards slip here on TS and you happen to be in the thick of it? Or do you see yourself as an innocent bystander who happens to be in the wrong ‘place’ at the wrong time? This is a genuine question.
Pretty easy. In this case it was said by once was Tim in reply to naki man.
While I was in the convo – I was hardly being rude or insulting- it’s there for you to read. I’d say I was targeted as opposed to being in the think of it.
And yes – genuine answer, I think we all have a role to call out obviously homophobic or racist comments.
What amazes me is how people are happy to overlook it if it’s said to someone they don’t like or disagree with.
In short if I used the term “gook or Nancy boy” most commenters would be over me like a rash and shouting from the roof tops. But most (not all) are happy to let it slide if their “mate” says it.
I think prevention is better than cure. In other words, better to try and slow down things before they get out of hand and beyond the point of no return at which you’re usually the first at calling out the act and perpetrator. And I do feel you do it with a certain glee too. Fair?
Can I humbly suggest that people involved in this thread go back and read OWT’s ‘offending’ comment closely and take the time to unpack it. Those who do may also care to read my reply to Red Blooded One a little further down thread from that.
Anyone with moderately good reading comprehension skills will soon get the gist of where OWT was coming from and as usual he got a beautiful bit of pearl clutching from James who’s been turning that into a bit of an art form lately. Very funny really because it’s usually something lefties get accused of.
PS. It should also be noted that Naki Man was the first to go down that path by suggesting that OWT had lost his way and should be on Grindr instead.
There has been no cross pollination between left and right ideas while you’ve been rehearsing emotional and edgy replys but that’s the point isn’t muh ninja.
I can’t work out whether you’re ingenuous or just a tad simple James. Either way you’re really not worth too much of my ever so valuable time. Suffice to say that one man can tell another that he is (or has) a large dick without being in any way homophobic. I offer this information in the spirit of providing a public service announcement. For future reference to help you remember the general principle involved you may care to commit this old saying to memory. “Circumstances alter cases, just as noses alter faces”.
It would be good Grant if your reasoned comment about James was the last one made on this blog to him. He wastes so much time, and makes everyone look fools while he runs rings round the leftie commenters.
Whether he is paid to do this or not, he is an idle talentless person at providing information and reasoned points about how we are going to face climate change now or soon. We haven’t time to waste with him – what is everyone thinking to let him use up our precious time on RW ploys. He is heartless and makes us look hopeless.
I have seen it many times here on TS the patterns that develop over time. People respond in a predictable manner to other commenters rather than to the comments. Hard to break that habit once established and any chance of self-moderation is gone out of the window before dawn break.
One of the patterns is that of the ‘pyromaniac ‘who lights a fire, makes sure it gets enough fuel, and when it has grown into a full blaze that is unstoppable they ring 111 for more action.
(2019 Australian federal election – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Australian_federal_election
The election will be called following the dissolution or expiry of the 45th Parliament as elected at the 2016 double dissolution federal election. The next election must be held by 18 May 2019 for half of the Senate and on or before 2 November 2019 for the House of Representatives and Territory Senators.)
The Trolls are unable to accept the consequences of their statements and actions.
National are looking dreadfully bedraggled. Because the Trolls are accusing everyone – except National Followers – of ” being sick and unhinged.”
I suppose Simon Bridges and David Farrar have advised The Trolls to announce that every Person who is not A National follower is Quote: “Sick and Unhinged”.
Some of James‘ twenty-two comments on today’s OM are very funny, in the same way that the opposition National party’s recent anti-KiwiBuild BBQ ad was very funny.
James, 22 out of 93 comments just isn’t enough – you can do better, and we love the laughs.
This feeble attempt at reverse psychology may backfire, but it’s worth a try – nothing else has worked.
When we find any good practical thing our pollies are doing, even if small, we should remember it and post it here on the blog. Don’t let it escape – trap it, handle the fragile delicate thing, observe it and tell us about it.
Bridges is one wonderful puppet. I went looking for puppet examples – here are some things from Youtube to provide light relief for a moment,
A mix of UK pollies quoting what their daddies were doing in the last war
and they are not putting up with things over there any more!
Quite good to see the different styles and the different parties support
for their speaker/s.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjluqIEmRXc
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TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive:Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloittereport for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’sOliver LewisScoop:Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announcedthe Board of Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Orderimage, ...
Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
Waiting In The Wings:For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSAannounced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
Open access notablesImproving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society:To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
A late change to charter school legislation will cheat educators out of fair pay and negotiating power proving charter schools are just a vehicle to make profit out of our education system. ...
In 2004 te iwi Māori rallied against the Crown’s attempt to confiscate our coastlines and moana with the Foreshore and Seabed Act. This led to the largest hīkoi of a generation and the birth of Te Pāti Māori. 20 years later, history is repeating itself. Today the government has announced ...
It has been five and a half years since the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care was established to investigate the abuse of children, young people, and vulnerable adults within state and faith-based institutions. Yesterday, the final report - Whanaketia through pain and trauma, from darkness to light ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to take action off the back of the International Court of Justice ruling on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. ...
On Friday the International Court of Justice reaffirmed what Palestinian’s have been telling us for decades: that the occupation and colonisation of Palestinian lands by Israel is illegal and must end immediately. They also called for reparations for Palestinian’s who have lived under Israeli occupation since it began in 1967. ...
Labour calls on the Government to act after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian Territories is illegal. ...
The 53.7 percent rise in benefit sanctions over the last year is more proof of this Government’s disdain for our communities most in need of support. ...
Aotearoa could be a country where every child grows up feeling safe, loved and with a sense of belonging in their whānau and community. But for some of our children, this is far from reality. Instead, they are trapped in a maze of intergenerational harm that they can’t escape on ...
Te Pāti Māori are calling for David Seymour to resign as Associate Health Minister in response to his call for Pharmac to ignore the Treaty of Waitangi. “This announcement is just another example of the government’s anti-Tiriti, anti-Māori agenda.” Said Co-leader and spokesperson for health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. “Seymour thinks it ...
The soaring price of renting is driving the rise of inflation in this country - with latest figures from Stats NZ showing rents are up 4.8 per cent on average while annual inflation is at 3.3 per cent. ...
National’s Emissions Reduction Plan will take New Zealand further from the economy we need to ensure the next generation has a stable climate and secure livelihoods. ...
Following consultation with named parties and thorough consideration of privacy interests, the Green Party is in a position to release the Executive Summary of the final report from the independent investigation into Darleen Tana. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon should be asking serious questions of his Minister for Resources Shane Jones now it’s been revealed he misled the public about a dinner with mining companies that he didn’t declare and said wasn’t pre-arranged. ...
Te Pāti Māori have submitted to the Justice Select Committee against the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill. The bill will further entrench racism in our justice system and fails to focus on rehabilitation. “Reinstating Three Strikes will empower a systematically racist system and exacerbate the overrepresentation of Māori in ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee is set to make a determination on the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill in the coming weeks. “This legislation will give landlords the power to kick our whānau out onto the street for no reason” said Housing spokesperson, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “Their solution to the housing ...
“National’s campaign was about tackling crime and the best they can do is a two-year long Ministerial Advisory Group,” Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
“There are more examples of charter schools failing their students than there are success stories. The coalition Government is driving to dismantle our public school system and instead promote a privatised, competitive structure that puts profits before kids,” Jan Tinetti said. ...
“This government is choosing to deliberately mislead and withhold information, keeping our people in the dark about this government’s agenda and the future of our mokopuna,” said co-leader and spokesperson for Health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. The call comes after the demand from the Chief Ombudsman that Associate Minister of Health, Casey ...
“Today’s climate announcement by Simon Watts makes clear the National Government is simply paying lip service to meeting its climate change targets,” Megan Woods said. ...
National is choosing to make life harder for workers by taking away the rights our communities have fought hard for. Here's how they’re taking workers backwards. ...
Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue. We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views. “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
Tēnā tātou katoa, Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts. “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet. “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks. “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. At the heart of this report are the ...
For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024. “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane. “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says. “This will be our third visit to ...
Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today. “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum. While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation. “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan. “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests. Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone. Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
Last summer when Matairangi burned, Ginny and Tom stood at the window of their lounge, watching kākā shoot skyward from the burning trees. From the distance, they looked to Ginny like pages torn from books and thrown into a bonfire. It was Tom, voice tight, who told her it was ...
Opinion: The Canadian short story writer Alice Munro – winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013 – died in May at the age of 92. Her work was about “the damage people inflict on one another in the name of love”, Deborah Treisman wrote in the New Yorker. ...
This month marks two years since the most powerful telescope ever built sent its first pictures back to earth. From its lofty vantage point, beyond the moon in orbit around the sun, the James Webb Space Telescope was tuned to observe the first stars and galaxies being born soon after ...
Comment: After Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ preview several weeks ago, I had some optimism about the Government’s emissions reduction plan. Now I’ve read the discussion document, that hope has been dashed. How can the Government propose a plan that wants to take New Zealand taxpayers’ hard-earned money, and spend ...
Christopher Luxon: hurdles The little man from National jumps hurdles in his sleep. He’s quite good at it in his dreams and even though the reality doesn’t quite match up you have to give him credit for getting up every morning and crashing into the very first hurdle of the ...
Comment: It was a good two hours into the conversation when Tyrone Marks raised the most basic of questions when I first spoke to him in 2017. “They didn’t explain the things they did to me. They never told me why. And they still haven’t. There’s no explanation for it. ...
Madeleine Chapman rounds out Death Week on The Spinoff with a final recommendation. You can read all of our Death Week coverage here. Nothing forces you to reflect on your life and relationships quite like proximity to death. For those whose nearest and dearest have died, there are reasonably obvious ...
Whitney Greene takes us through her life in television, including the TV character she’d like to plan a funeral for and her cow lung catastrophe on The Traitors NZ. “If the phone rings, I have to answer it,” Whitney Greene from The Traitors NZ warns as we begin our My ...
Maddie Ballard reviews the debut essay collection of Pōneke writer Flora Feltham.In ‘The Raw Material’, the longest essay in Flora Feltham’s dazzling debut collection, the author heads out for a run after hours of weaving and sees the world turn to textile. “Pounding along the Parade, I saw the ...
Andy Christiansen, one half of the experimental rock-pop duo TRiPS, shares the tunes inspiring the band’s perfect weekend and new release. “Good speakers, good food, good music, no distractions”: that’s all you need to enjoy the psychedelic stylings of TRiPS, a new band formed by Fly My Pretties’ Barnaby Weir ...
Celebrating our quadrennial opportunity to become experts in a bunch of sports we never normally watch.The games of the XXXIII Olympiad are upon us. Paris will host this year’s showcase of sporting and athletic prowess, which means some late-night and early-morning viewing for us in Aotearoa.But what sports ...
The photograph is striking and beautiful, but also disturbing – a reminder that my love for John was often entangled in shame.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.In the spring of 1980, in Dunedin, shortly before his death, someone took a photograph ...
Get to know Babushka, our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Babu’s humans, Jo and Isabel, for their support. Dog name: Babushka (Babu for short) Age: 2Breed: Border Collie X poodleIf rescued, ...
Pacific Media Watch A Lebanese photojournalist who was severely wounded during an Israeli air strike in south Lebanon carried the Olympic torch in Paris this week in honour of her peers who have been wounded and killed in the field — especially in Gaza and Lebanon. Christina Assi of Agence ...
The first report in a five-part web series focused on the 15th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women taking place in the Marshall Islands this week.SPECIAL REPORT:By Netani Rika in Majuro Women continue to fight for justice 70 years after the first nuclear tests by the United States caused ...
Christopher Luxon has joined with Australia and Canada's leaders in voicing support for US President Joe Biden's ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The 2022 election brought the “teal wave” into parliament. The next election will test whether teals, who occupy what were Liberal seats, and other independents can maintain their momentum. Joining us on the Podcast ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Musgrave, Senior lecturer in Pharmacology, University of Adelaide Pixavri/Shutterstock A major Federal Court class action has been dismissed this week after Justice Michael Lee ruled there was not enough evidence to prove the weedkiller Roundup causes cancer. Plaintiff Kelvin ...
In The Week in Politics: politicians have to decide what to do about child abuse, Health NZ is booked in for major surgery and Darleen Tana returns. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Corbould, Associate Professor, Contemporary Histories Research Group, Deakin University Mainstream media are surprisingly muted at the prospect of the world’s most powerful nation being led for the first time by a woman – specifically a woman of colour, Vice President Kamala ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Bennett, PhD Student, Associate Research Fellow, Deakin University Last week, a drone delivery company called Wing (owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet) started operating in Melbourne. Some 250,000 residents in parts of the city’s eastern suburbs can now order food from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Foo, Lecturer, Physiotherapy, Monash University pikselstock/Shutterstock In the next 40 years in Australia, it’s predicted the number of Australians aged 65 and over will more than double, while the number of people aged 85 and over will more than triple. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katrina Grant, Research Associate, Power Institute for Arts and Visual Culture, University of Sydney Jonas Åkerström’s 1790 work, Session of the Accademia dell’Arcadia on August 17 1788.Nationalmuseum/Cecilia Heisser Ever wondered whether you’d have a better chance at winning an Olympic gold ...
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https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2019/03/chelsea-manning-jailed-again-due-to-contempt-of-court.html
Chelsea Manning back in jail. It will be good when her Wikileaks friend joins her.
My what a big penis you have @James
I think you are on the wrong site Tim, this isn’t grinder.
Now how would you know that?
My snide remarks to James are simply based on the fact that IMHO his main intention in coming here is to bait and try and show how clever he is – all egotistically driven. Probably not too dissimilar from your own reasons. THey’re certainly not intended to try and engage in debate.
Now, tell me something about this ‘Grinder’ thing. Maaaate! does it do anything for testosterone levels?
Not really, but I guess its all comparitive.
As Maria Muldaur once said – it ain’t the meat its the motion. I guess you fail on both counts in her mind.
I tried to reply to @ Nakiman – whoar – you know that man from the Naki.
I couldn’t understand since IMHO your intention in coming to TS is primarily to bait and show how bloody c;lever you think you are – similar reasons to the MAN from the Naki. Sure as shit it isn’t to engage in a debate.
But there ya go.
Chelsea Manning FFS – surely he could have tackled something more relevant if his intentions were genuine – I dunno – maybe the Kim Hill/Annette King interview this morning. Whoar Man!!!! there is grist in there he could have used to show us all how big his penis actually is.
Thank Christ I kept to Highway 4 last nite and evaded your neck of the woods.
Otherwise I could have been classed as a Highway 3 deviate.
But please @ Naki, tell me more about this “Ginder’ thing. Does it resolve the male mid-life crisis symptoms?: Increase the size of your dick or testosterone levels?; Make you a better husband to the woify?; or better still, Does it mean James and yourself become more ‘self-aware’ and all those nancy-boy type of things that might allow yourself to get over yourself?
PLEASE!!!! Tell me about Grinder. Someone just told me it was a dating site for bloody homos and married blokes on the ‘down-low’.
Chelsea Manning FFS – surely he
That comment puts you well and truly in the dickhead column yourself.
May I say @ solkta how utterly gorgeous I think you are.
It is possible I am a dickhead as well but that’s for me to know and you to ponder
(END OF STORY!!!!! Yea! I win you lose!)
But could you tell me about this ‘Grinder’ thing maybe?
Hi Solkta, None of my business but the “he” I think OnceWasTim was referring to was James, as in, “he” could have chosen a different topic to engage us in and I may be wrong also with the later comment to James but I read it as sarcasm and as a nancy-boy homo myself, I think he was just teasing Naki man and James about Grindr and certainly achieved a pearl clutching from James. If I’m wrong I’ll be the first to line up and give OnceWasTim a good spanking.
It is certainly a terrible piece of england so you might be right. Very strange to be replying to somebody and referring to them as “he” instead of “you”. Even more confusing as he had been speaking of the knackered one.
@RBO. I believe Tim was talking to James about Naki Man who was the HE in question. Therefore acceptable usage both for the political and syntactical police. You are right about Tim baiting James. Anyone who has watched and appreciated his style for a while will realise that he uses his own position on the spectrum (I believe he might have batted for your team on occasion) to take the mick out of himself and his target simultaneously. At times this can be confusing but when it works it does so beautifully.
“and all those nancy-boy type of things”
Your hateful homophobic comments are disgusting.
What is happening with the standard that this kind of thing is seen as acceptable to some.
+1 James, totally agree.
Still no sign of Sir Ray Avery’s lifesaving pods to save a million babies.
Some people have donated thousands.
Last year he said the deadline was February,just gone.
The factory in Chennai India was supposed to be all go.
What sort of ‘dark Knight’ do we have here?
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/sir-ray-avery-asking-publics-forgiveness-promises-lifepod-incubators-their-way?variant=tb_v_1
I see from the paper today that there is a project called Down the Wire to make life better for helicopter pilots. We don;’t want any of them striking wires when they are flying, but particularly now with the prospect of more droughts and fires that need their attendance and skill. It’s hard enough coping with it all without having to cope with electricity lines along their flight lines. So good for getting alternatives going.
Un-notified unrecorded electric fence feeds are the problem.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/97469147/chopper-pilot-died-because-unused-wires-were-not-removed–coroner
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/78523638/fatal-whanganui-helicopter-crash-charges-withdrawn
And another case of a victim of violent crime having to avoid meeting the perpetrator. He/she might be out of prison but the victim is not free to live and move where she wants. There is a notification system but why should there be the need? Keep violent people away from society. Give them a limited life in okay conditions, and limit their own violence on each other. Why should we all become potential victims. Their rate of recidivism is probably high, even if later in life.
simons on ‘The Nation’, trying to preach fear re the CGT. He’s an angry little man.
https://www.threenow.co.nz/live-tv-guide/three
That’s not anger cinny- labour’s ideological CGT was the wish National were waiting for. It’s the single biggest thing that could cost them the election.
He’s very happy that labour are handling this so badly
Yeah he’s real happy lol – you are the goofiest gnat cheerleaderless yet – keep up the good work.
Hiya James, simons done a wonderful job of making me giggle this morning.
Describing the CGT as hairy chested. Closed fist near on banging on the table. Blaming journalists for his failing ratings.
Crack up 🙂
Meanwhile, it’s a report of a working group, nothing has been proposed by the govt.
So while the government who haven’t decided anything yet (but are paying Cullen to sing CGT praises) dither and do nothing – they are losing the debate with the public.
Simon is exactly doing his job.
Not sure there is any evidence labour are losing the cgt debate James
Are you quoting Hoskins again hahahaha what a fool
You you can’t see where I’m getting that from – best you get outside and talk to people.
James where are you getting that from?
I would never rely on the random conversations I have with people as an indication of what the majority of kiwis think. Would you? Suspect a significant number of people already have an entrenched view,particularly the ones with a vested interest in not having a CGT, eg Amy, Simon, mr poor me I own 80 rentals a la the herald article.
Have there been any polls to show that since the report came out there has been an increase in opposition to the cgt. That would show labour is losing the argument. Otherwise there isn’t any real evidence that labour is losing the argument.
Sounds like Simon was doing a fabulous job on the Nation according to cinny……ha ha ha ha
Simon is giving Labour a great opportunity to listen and understand how best to respond to Simon’s hysterical chicken little prophesising on CGT.
When Labour finally come out with a set of policies on CGT, all of which will address Simon’s hysterical rants, people may very well end up saying “good golly, this isn’t so bad after all”
Simon may very well take the credit in forcing the govt to provide a halfway point, but people don’t listen to him anyway so won’t have much effect for him.
Simons got nothing concrete to criticise. As long as he keeps yammering on about what the dastardly evils of CGT might bring, Labour can continue to artfully respond to such falsities in their eventual policy document.
Simon should shut up and criticise something worth criticising. Like Labours lack of genuine commitment to addressing the cost of living in NZ.
A variety of people is who to talk to about it, not just those in ones social circle, workplace, suburb, income bracket etc etc.
Put in a submission, encourage other people to do so as well, I’m going to.
Tax Working Group welcomes submissions on future of tax
“Submissions open today for those wanting to share their thoughts straight away and on March 14 an updated website will be launched along with a background paper that will provide more assistance. ”
https://taxworkinggroup.govt.nz/resources/tax-working-group-welcomes-submissions-future-tax
Edit.. Am back to working fulltime and with no kids this weekend, it’s power tool time, doing some renovations 🙂 Enjoy your day out there everyone.
OK James, I had you pegged as someone of intelligence, but you keep denying me that view by your constant undying loyalty and borderline sycophancy in terms of the National Party.
1. The government has done nothing yet but has clearly signalled a time frame in which they will, so your criticism on that front is valueless.
2. Michael Cullen is on a retainer so that he, as the chairman of the task force and therefore intimately knowledgeable about the report, is able to answer queries and provide detail.
3. You intimate that Cullen is there merely to sing praises for the CGT, which is only a small segment of the total report, and is being discussed and largely vilified in a hugely disproportionate way in comparison to other aspects of the report. That is not his job, and that is not what he is doing.
4. You say that the government is losing the debate, which is a hugely subjective statement with no evidence apparent.
The only thing you say here is that Simon is doing his job. He is, but not in the way you think.
BTW check out this link –
https://socialistaotearoa.org.nz/taxing-the-richardson-not-enough/
“2. Michael Cullen is on a retainer so that he, as the chairman of the task force and therefore intimately knowledgeable about the report, is able to answer queries and provide detail.”
Cullen is a political appointment
You may missed the memo.
https://www.google.co.nz/amp/s/www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/03/sir-michael-cullen-s-job-to-correct-simon-bridges-inaccurate-hypotheticals-kris-faafoi.amp.html
Not a memo – a subjective comment by a journalist on Newshub . . . Newshub FFS. The wonderfully rational and objective employer of Richardson and Garner.
Oh . . . BTW, did you read the link? I read yours.
I choose never to read a link that starts with socialistanything
One of the possible reasons you think soimon’s doing such a great job. Other possible reasons being: avoiding public transport, avoiding cheaper supermarkets, avoiding rougher bars, and avoiding poor people.
Ok. I will admit I avoid public transport completely.
As for avoiding rougher bars – only an idiot would seek them out.
the beer’s cheap.
Some of them do an ok meal, too. You’d be surprised.
simons daily rate is more than Cullens, and Cullen only charges for a few days a month, where as for simon it’s every single day.
In which case, one begins to wonder just why Cullen has come up with so many many more ideas than simon.
Actually, what are simons ideas and plans re tax? Probably the same old narrative key used to spin.
Nothing new, yet simon get’s paid more than Cullen, how does that work?
I think you are getting confused.
The ideas are not his – the are the committees. And a lot (as a %age) of the committee disagree with them.
Also the committee has done its job – this is now a political appointment.
By no means – it’s public education.
Bridges (and you, his unpaid PR flack) wants to misrepresent the commission’s work, hoping to ride into power on a tide of outrage. It’s certainly the only emotion that would move people to vote for him.
But outrage is not appropriate to a a representative and consultative process, the commission invites public input and discussion, which will culminate in legislation in the usual way.
Scaremonger all you want, you only expose your fundamentally undemocratic preferences.
If it’s public education why won’t they hire the committee member who disagreed so both arguments can be made for balanced education?
Why don’t we get them all back then? 😆
That would cost a lot.
He’s jolly funny to watch. Very energetic. A bit like a Thunderbirds puppet operated by someone with Parkinson’s.
IKR 🙂 He’s very animated with both his words and actions. Super funny
The link is up now for the full interview
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/shows/2019/03/sir-michael-cullen-caught-out-simon-bridges-claims.html
Thanks for the link Cinny
Ha ha ha ha ha #lets keep Simon
He almost said a new word ‘biodesertification’. Truly a genius among hobbits.
The interviewer had a tell when she was trying to conceal a mental eye roll, she breathed in sharply.
Far-ka-nora!!!
That interview was pure entertainment Cinny. Or it would be if he wasn’t so serious about what he says. And he calls Cullen sly!
I don’t know . . . the worry is about the sheeple who will swallow that as gospel. He may well get enough boss thinkers to carry his party. That’s a scenario I can’t bear thinking about.
Yeah. Simon proposing a CGT, on the family home. Otherwise it is “unfair to farmers”. LOL. “The gift that keeps on giving”.
Simon does not like Michael Cullen, and Cinny I think many people hold a wee warm spot for Cullen because they have watched their Kiwisaver grow.
They know it was the Gnats who cut the starter in half, lowered the savings amount and were “tricky” and without that interference savers would have bigger balances.
Simon ‘no bridges’ has not got much to recommend his word, compared to Michael.
And yet several of the working group agree with Simon (and the tax experts at that).
Funny old world huh.
I am glad you are enjoying the fruits of capitalism Patricia with your kiwisaver growing
Oh god Cinny….I just watched that! Ewwwww….(I knew there was a good reason I don’t watch telly anymore)
Echoes of….
ROFL !!!!!!!!!
Stuff nails it.
OPINION: Hi, Simon Bridges here. Hitting new taxes for six! I am literally Martin Guptill!
Hey, but I just wanted to talk about those kids who are going to go truant from school next week because they say not enough’s being done about climate change.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/111135142/stay-at-school-kids-weve-got-it-covered
That piece was beautifully written. Hehehehee. Cheers for the link.
If simon thinks the kid’s aren’t serious about climate change then he is sorely mistaken.
His attitude and that of his party re the protest is going to fuel even more kids to act and adults to come out in support of those kids.
Most kids and teens know and care more about climate change than any other global or political issue. It’s a constant topic in schools.
And here I was thinking there are teachers in simons family, maybe they haven’t filled him in about the focus schools put on climate change and the awareness created as a result.
Pilot scheme for hearing rape cases in NZ. I think this sounds a promising path to better law here.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1903/S00043/gordon-campbell-on-the-handling-of-sexual-assault-complaints.htm
We knew Simon was a bit thick but boy what a crack up.
It sure was Patricia, watched it again on the plus one, lmao 🙂
Emma Jolliff was trying really hard not to laugh at Simon during the interview.
Did someone mention “thick”….that old National poodle Audrey over at the mornings fish wrap had this to say:
“It is time for Ardern to look across the aisle for support on pay transparency measures from Paula Bennett, Amy Adams and Judith Collins to work on some more advances in the interests of improving women’s lives…..”
If there were ever three women across the aisle who are more inclined to ruin women’s lives dear old Audrey could not have picked them better.
Kat noticed she said that labour didn’t give national any credit for the Bartlett pay equity bill. My understanding is that National fought it every step of the way and that Audrey knows this
Ankerrawshark you are correct, typically National only went so far with the Pay Equity Bill then inserted a “Paula Bennett pull up the ladder” clause. Audrey doesn’t like mentioning betrayal and National in the same sentence.
Look what happened last time a woman from a rural Canterbury farming background who had the Selywn electorate held the Finance role.
Manafort’s otherwise blameless life.
“He has lived an otherwise blameless life,” said Judge T. S. Ellis as he sentenced Paul Manafort to just 47 months in prison on Thursday.
In an otherwise blameless life, Paul Manafort lobbied on behalf of the tobacco industry and wangled millions in tax breaks for corporations.
In an otherwise blameless life, he helped Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos bolster his image in Washington after he assassinated his primary political opponent.
[…]
In an otherwise blameless life, he acted with impunity, as if the laws never applied to him. When presented with a chance to show remorse to the court, he couldn’t find that sentiment within his being. And with Ellis’s featherweight punishment, which deviated sharply downward from the sentencing guidelines, Manafort managed to bring his life’s project to a strange completion. He had devoted his career to normalizing corruption in Washington. By the time he was caught, his extraordinary avarice had become so commonplace that not even a federal judge could blame him for it.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/03/paul-manaforts-otherwise-blamess-life-crime/584419/
In his latest post entitled “Why we need to tax landlords”, idiot-savant attempts to make the case for imposing a capital gains tax on landlords by quoting from a Herald article by Keith Ng. However the original article has some flaws.
Ng points out, probably correctly, that interest of $456,000 has been deducted entirely from the rental income when it probably should be deductible against the capital cost of the property. I have long believed that interest should be either non deductible, which would mean that landlord would be paying a respectable amount of tax on the rental income while having to meet the interest costs from his own pocket, or, alternatively, subject to an interest “claw back” up to the amount of any capital gain when the property is sold.
Also, if neither of those above options seems acceptable, Ng should recognise that tax on the interest is being paid by the bank, so the landlord is in effect paying that tax indirectly in any case, given that he receives no material benefit from interest payments.
The Trolls wanted the Kiwi Saver stopped.
They hated it because it gave every decent earning man and women an excellent chance.
If The Trolls demand Simon Bridges attack CGT and Stop the Kiwi saver, National will die a miserable death. The public have seen exactly What Mr Key and Mr English have done to our highly valued Kiwi Saver. All for the Trolls.
The Trolls will be skinned alive. By their own wealthy mongrels.
“The Trolls will be skinned alive. By their own wealthy mongrels.”
you are sounding more and more unhinged. Seek help.
The Nats couldn’t possibly come up with such ingrained and accepted norms as WFF and Kiwisaver – they are ideologically opposed to policies with social benefit, and you’ve sometimes got to wonder whether they are ideologically opposed to any form of social thinking.
They put up with WFF and Kiwisaver because as you rightly point out they would spend decades out of government were they to abolish them.
They made a good effort to damage Kiwisaver out of spite for people wanting to save. Numbers dropped and people stopped enrolling their kids, but it is so popular that the Nats failed at that too. They can’t even get spite right!
Muttonbird
Given your comments about National reducing the benefits of KiwiSaver by reducing the government top up from $1 per $1 invested up to $1,040 per year, down to 50 cents & then taxing the employer contribution, you would then agree that KiwiSaver should be exempt from capital gains tax ? As this too is further damaging KiwiSaver balances ?
Kiwi Saver should be exempt because it is a savings program, not a speculative sale of an asset.
CGT is to be applied to the profit made when selling an asset, Kiwi Saver only makes money because you are saving and your boss is helping you to do so as is the government. You can’t sell the Kiwi saver during its live time, you have to wait till you are 65 until you can access is. or maybe via hardship if you are actively dying, or buying your first house, and even then you are not receiving the full amount.
So essentially two different ways to make money, speculative selling for profit, or putting your pennies in a savings accounts – btw these pennies already got hit with income tax when you made them. And as you stated you already pay income tax on the interest you receive.
You know your KiwiSaver fund invest in assets specifically to sell them at a higher price later right ?
I feel I have to repost this because the episode appears to have sneaked under the radar. I had a think about it this morning and Prebble clearly had in mind a separation of the nation in his example. This is called apartheid. Prebble seems to believe that if you take brown people out of the education system then our place in the world will be something to be proud of.
Think that over for a sec…
– Muttonbird
Great to have these debates in public.
From reading the full piece neither Prebble nor Seymour were promoting or saying anything racist.
You don’t think asking for brown students achievements to be excluded is racist?
Just a minute. I imagine you’re taking the Wayne defence, which is to say that the he only meant it figuratively.
South Auckland voters will have heard this loud and clear and if Simon Bridges doesn’t come out and condemn those words, National are in for a real kick in the balls next year.
Great to have these debates in public.
From reading the full piece neither Prebble nor Seymour were promoting or saying anything racist.
Fair enough. This is why National is tanking.
Given you being happy to overlook the racist comments the other day because it suited you – I can only assume you are an expert on the matter.
Undoubtedly, the comment has racist overtones…but Prebbles comment is more sinister in nature…IMO…
‘Human junk’…to be discarded…left behind…undereducated…disabled…poor…untermensch…
Pebbles comment delves far beneath the level of pure racism…my interpretation…
Agree One Two. There is a baseline of blind prejudice there. I don’t think he was born with it. It is learned through his politics.
Agree, MB..
RP has ‘memberships’ … gained through performing certain actions and tasks…politics such as you refer to…well documented…damaging…long term…
Prebble did not osmosis the ideology…it was a job opportunity… a contract which he accepted…planned turncoat against party and country…
One must harbor certain ‘beliefs’ to be offered the chance to gain ‘membership’…
That he is paraded while having clear mental health issues and in a late stage of life…serves to highlight the sinister nature of the ‘dominant ideology’…he is still under contract…
His words, are sinister
Yes!!!
This is a sign of fightback. We WILL get OUR water back from the exploiters external AND internal.
“A crowd of at least 2000 protesters took to the streets of Christchurch to oppose a water bottling company shipping billions of litres of water overseas.”
https://i.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/111156847/water-protest-in-chch-attracts-thousands
I notice a lot more disgusting terminology coming into the standard of late.
From the gooks and faggot comments the other day (which resulted in a ban) to the “Nancy boy” comments by Once was Tim in this thread.
Whilst this is a place for robust debate – there is no need for this kind of hate speech.
Lets wind this back at?
I notice that you delight in repeating, ad nauseam , all the words you claim to find offensive, James. You’ve done it so often that I believe you are doing it on purpose in order to offend and that you derive pleasure from your offensive behaviour. I reckon you’re … odd.
And I reckon you seem fine with others using that kind of language. I don’t see you calling others out on it – ever.
A blog site agitator… bottom feeding on negativity…creating negativity…revelling in negativity…
Pretending to care about language used by others…simultaneously taking a pious stance…while lauding his piousness over those who do not share a passion for propagating the words…of bottom feeders…
Oh look – my favourite stalker is back.
So you ok with people being called “Nancy boys”?
Come on – it’s an easy yes/no question.
James. You often claim that by not railing against something, a person is supporting it.
Yesterday, Muttonbird called you out, in regard Michael Jackson;
“By not taking a stand against Michael Jackson, both he and you are enabling child molesters.
Your definition.”
I thought Muttonbird elegantly skewered your silly behaviour, but it seems you missed the moment, so I’ve posted it here for your benefit. I don’t claim you intend to enable child molesters, but you’ve not been thinking very deeply, it’s clear.
Fair question. I pointed out that he has been found not guilty of being a child molester and that calling him such based off a tv show and not a court of law was wrong.
Do you think we should take stands against others who have been found not guilty?
You’re not being a virtue signalling white knight snofwake again are you jimby?
Coincidentally, you’re always in the thick of it …
Once was Tim needs to own his homophobic comments. Just because they were pointing at “righties” doesn’t make it ok?
I agree.
I’d just be more inclined to believe your sincerity if you didn’t also take every opportunity to recycle and remind people of vicious slanders against someone simply because of their relationship with a left wing politician.
Appreciate you agreeing. But you will be hard to find two examples of what you say I do at every opportunity. And the one you can find I was using it as an example of how rumours can be very wrong.
I have just read once were Tim’s comments at the top of this thread and I agree with James, they are homophobic. Not ok. Please stop
You’re correct, it is not o.k. I’d moderate it, and I probably can, but I’m waiting for feedback from LPrent.
Let me ask you this, James: do you feel that you play any role at all when standards slip here on TS and you happen to be in the thick of it? Or do you see yourself as an innocent bystander who happens to be in the wrong ‘place’ at the wrong time? This is a genuine question.
Fair question.
Pretty easy. In this case it was said by once was Tim in reply to naki man.
While I was in the convo – I was hardly being rude or insulting- it’s there for you to read. I’d say I was targeted as opposed to being in the think of it.
And yes – genuine answer, I think we all have a role to call out obviously homophobic or racist comments.
What amazes me is how people are happy to overlook it if it’s said to someone they don’t like or disagree with.
In short if I used the term “gook or Nancy boy” most commenters would be over me like a rash and shouting from the roof tops. But most (not all) are happy to let it slide if their “mate” says it.
I think prevention is better than cure. In other words, better to try and slow down things before they get out of hand and beyond the point of no return at which you’re usually the first at calling out the act and perpetrator. And I do feel you do it with a certain glee too. Fair?
“If I use the term…”
You just did. You regularly do. You remain impervious to recognising the behaviour. Odd.
Can I humbly suggest that people involved in this thread go back and read OWT’s ‘offending’ comment closely and take the time to unpack it. Those who do may also care to read my reply to Red Blooded One a little further down thread from that.
Anyone with moderately good reading comprehension skills will soon get the gist of where OWT was coming from and as usual he got a beautiful bit of pearl clutching from James who’s been turning that into a bit of an art form lately. Very funny really because it’s usually something lefties get accused of.
PS. It should also be noted that Naki Man was the first to go down that path by suggesting that OWT had lost his way and should be on Grindr instead.
Ok. Shall we start with the opening statement?
“My what a big penis you have @James”
Perhaps this is the root of the homophobic comments ?
If he didn’t start with personal abuse like this – the discussion would have been a lot better.
There has been no cross pollination between left and right ideas while you’ve been rehearsing emotional and edgy replys but that’s the point isn’t muh ninja.
I can’t work out whether you’re ingenuous or just a tad simple James. Either way you’re really not worth too much of my ever so valuable time. Suffice to say that one man can tell another that he is (or has) a large dick without being in any way homophobic. I offer this information in the spirit of providing a public service announcement. For future reference to help you remember the general principle involved you may care to commit this old saying to memory. “Circumstances alter cases, just as noses alter faces”.
It would be good Grant if your reasoned comment about James was the last one made on this blog to him. He wastes so much time, and makes everyone look fools while he runs rings round the leftie commenters.
Whether he is paid to do this or not, he is an idle talentless person at providing information and reasoned points about how we are going to face climate change now or soon. We haven’t time to waste with him – what is everyone thinking to let him use up our precious time on RW ploys. He is heartless and makes us look hopeless.
I have seen it many times here on TS the patterns that develop over time. People respond in a predictable manner to other commenters rather than to the comments. Hard to break that habit once established and any chance of self-moderation is gone out of the window before dawn break.
One of the patterns is that of the ‘pyromaniac ‘who lights a fire, makes sure it gets enough fuel, and when it has grown into a full blaze that is unstoppable they ring 111 for more action.
French Government Data Indicates Cell Phones Expose Consumers To Radiation Levels Higher Than Manufacturers Claim
Volkswagon also lied about pollution of their vehicles…
SAR regulatory ‘limits’ are completely inadequate, and I’ll address that separately…
Unlikely to have been covered in NZ media…
I dislike the way that Radionz has set the Prime Minister’s face beside the jihad twerp as if they were partners. It is not appropriate and if Peter Wilson chose to set it up like that I think it shows a lack of taste and respect for our PM.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/384282/week-in-politics-cold-shoulder-for-the-kiwi-jihadi
Do you always display such respect for the pms office irrespective of person who holds that office or simply for PMs you approve of
Dame Annette King High Commissioner to Australia. A job which will get her a lot of thanks from NZs if she continues to push our barrow with those people in government and perhaps she will achieve what others have not.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/384333/progress-on-pathway-to-citizenship-for-nzers-in-aus-stalled-dame-annette
(2019 Australian federal election – Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Australian_federal_election
The election will be called following the dissolution or expiry of the 45th Parliament as elected at the 2016 double dissolution federal election. The next election must be held by 18 May 2019 for half of the Senate and on or before 2 November 2019 for the House of Representatives and Territory Senators.)
I think she will be very good at the job. If anyone can make it happen – it’s her.
“The Trolls are finding it hard”
The Trolls are unable to accept the consequences of their statements and actions.
National are looking dreadfully bedraggled. Because the Trolls are accusing everyone – except National Followers – of ” being sick and unhinged.”
I suppose Simon Bridges and David Farrar have advised The Trolls to announce that every Person who is not A National follower is Quote: “Sick and Unhinged”.
Not a good look really.
I don’t think anyone is accusing “everyone except national followers” as sick and unhinged.
Although some observers are making comments that make them specifically seem as such.
Interesting if this is accurate
https://mobile.twitter.com/jameslast831/status/1103828256686452736
UMR has national ahead of labour.
Since umr do polling for labour – I’m sure this will make them wind back even more on their cgt nonsense.
Winning the internet for all time.
https://twitter.com/WAForeskins/status/1103511805597491200
Some of James‘ twenty-two comments on today’s OM are very funny, in the same way that the opposition National party’s recent anti-KiwiBuild BBQ ad was very funny.
James, 22 out of 93 comments just isn’t enough – you can do better, and we love the laughs.
This feeble attempt at reverse psychology may backfire, but it’s worth a try – nothing else has worked.
It’s call engaging in debate.
But – hey – good job on the counting.
“good job on the counting” – James, you are easily impressed!
James, your “engaging in debate” claim is a bold one.
In the spirit of genuine debate, can you explain how your ‘engaging in debate’ justification is consistent with:
“I choose never to read a link that starts with socialistanything” – James @1.51 pm
To be honest, your ‘engagement’ seems highly selective (prejudged, even), and your justification consequently weak.
Spot on DMK
When we find any good practical thing our pollies are doing, even if small, we should remember it and post it here on the blog. Don’t let it escape – trap it, handle the fragile delicate thing, observe it and tell us about it.
Bridges is one wonderful puppet. I went looking for puppet examples – here are some things from Youtube to provide light relief for a moment,
Example from recent past on the Brexit controversy
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKxsJDIm2Dk
John Cleese leaving Britain for a break from it all (puppet-free)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bteXcJAEKgY
A mix of UK pollies quoting what their daddies were doing in the last war
and they are not putting up with things over there any more!
Quite good to see the different styles and the different parties support
for their speaker/s.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjluqIEmRXc
Spitting Images – old but interesting
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErLcr1AkFfU