Further thoughts on dissent in the US, carrying on from yesterday’s conversation.
One of the main things I’ve have heard from US apologists for their country’s imperialism, is that the US is the home of free speech, dissent and democracy. They claim that this is why so many people try to migrate to the US.
However, while the US does have many dissenters within their country – enough to support the notion that they are a free, open and democratic society – this dissent does nothing to challenge or really unsettle the power of the elites. They have ways of neutralising the dissent:
The American media deploys a deep and varied arsenal of rhetorical devices in order to marginalise opinions, people and organisations as “outside the mainstream” and therefore not worth listening to. For the most part the people and groups being declaimed belong to the political Left. To take one example, the Green Party – well-organised in all 50 states – is never quoted in newspapers or invited to send a representative to television programmes that purport to present “both sides” of a political issue. (In the United States, “both sides” means the back-and-forth between centre-right Democrats and rightist Republicans)
The US government has long used popular culture to spread their propaganda about being a free and open democracy. The US government, in the early-to-mid 20th century used the international circulation of Hollywood movies to precede trade agreements, in order to soften up the population, and encourage their acceptance of US products:
<blockquote.The State Department and the OWI intervened in other overseas markets as well, particularly in neutral Europe and in the Axis nations toward the end of the war. And as the government became more sensitive to America’s image abroad, it became more concerned about Hollywood’s role in projecting that image.
And, of course, with the rise of so-called “neoliberalism” and the Murdochisation of the news media, such strategies have been transported across the western world.
The US government has also used TV and popular music in the Middle East, Iraq etc, to promote it’s culture to the locals – part of their programme of cultural imperialism. And the US government is quite happy at times to highlight dissenting music etc to promote their image of being an open democracy. And dissenting popular culture is also used as a marketing strategy, especially in targeting young people. By getting sucked into the capitalist machinery, they get contained, and a target for underlying US imperialising values.
I DO know many US people who express criticism and dissatisfaction with their country’s lack of social justice, and of it’s imperialistic ways. But they also get very frustrated with the inability to stage effective dissent.
In my opinion, people who want to go to live in the US, do so, not because they see it as a shining beacon of freedom of speech and democracy, but because of the potential to get in on some of the wealth and shiny technological advances.
But a lot of the US’s technological advances are gained through enticing many of the best researchers and product developers from other countries to their unis and corporate R&D departments. Also, while the US talks free-market, it practices protectionism, often in slightly devious ways e.g. the ways it protects the Hollywood movie industry internationally.
And, a lot of these strategies are no longer so confined to the US…. coming soon to a place near you, dressed in local colours.
“The US government has long used popular culture to spread their propaganda about being a free and open democracy.”
Very true…I had just posted this on yesterday’s open mike…
I would add a third thing that maintains US hegemony…and that is culture. Americanisation in the form of consumerism is still sweeping the world and shows no sign of slowing. Its the desire to consume, a belief in liberal capitalism, social liberalism and the notion of ‘freedom’ that draws the world’s money towards the USA. Capitalism put the money into the hands of a few – and since American culture defines our desires, that money moves towards America.
China might be up there in economic terms, but the USA controls the world’s knowledge. USA defines the ‘truth’.
“The US government has also used TV and popular music in the Middle East, Iraq etc, to promote it’s culture to the locals – part of their programme of cultural imperialism.”
They sure do, and they also did it the other way where the East is Othered through Hollywood…as Western culture is idolised, Eastern cultures are subjugated.
Edward Said’s concept of Orientalism examines where USA’s true power is created and maintained. Its all about seduction and cultural hegemony http://vimeo.com/14326780
For once we are pretty much in agreement, fatty. Yes, I read your other piece on it,
As I recall Said, in his book on orientalism, begins his historiography of imperialism well before the rise of US Imperialism. he goes back to the Greeks – indeed, while western culture claims a tradition going back to ancient “Greece”, a lot of the ancient Athenian knowledge was acquired first from Babylon and the Persian Empire.
Said was a lit crit and (perhaps inadvertently) shows the difference between English cultural imperialism the US version (albeit that US culture and imperialism was mapped onto the English/European version in many ways).
The English version was tied to the “civilising mission”, whereby they believed England/Europe was the peak of civilised society. So they promoted a more classical version of “high” culture (Shakespeare etc) to be spread throughout the world – also their ideas about education, science and technology.
As the US form of imperialism is justified by the promotion of themselves as being the home of democracy and individual freedom, they promote it through popular culture (culture of the people). Of course, popular culture in the age of mechanical reproduction, is transmitted via new forms of “state of the art” technologies. It amalgamates the US’s view of itself as the leaders in science and technology – but that is also tied up with their militarism – a technologically-advanced form of military power. And as you say, the popular culture is incorporated within consumerism.
However, they are increasingly getting some competition from non-Western parts of the world in many of these areas…. though not so much with the military
@OneTrack
I did answer the conjecture, but it probably got lost in my incorrect attempt to format the quote above it (Was in a rush before going to work). The quote from the link is:
The State Department and the OWI intervened in other overseas markets as well, particularly in neutral Europe and in the Axis nations toward the end of the war. And as the government became more sensitive to America’s image abroad, it became more concerned about Hollywood’s role in projecting that image.
The rest are my views, including this: In my opinion, people who want to go to live in the US, do so, not because they see it as a shining beacon of freedom of speech and democracy, but because of the potential to get in on some of the wealth and shiny technological advances.
I do not know whether Trevor Mallard and Andrew Little (both of whom I respect) made false statements about Judith Collins. If they were false I do not know whether they were calculated, reckless or just careless. That will be for a court to determine. But I do know they are scoffing at defamation law.
More importantly he looks at free speech versus “casual liars”.
Defamation law is the safeguard against false coin in the competitive marketplace of ideas. A Gresham’s law may apply in public debate, where unpunishable recklessness, and scandalous accusation would crowd out sober truth.
An assumption that usually you can trust what someone is telling you, and particularly your leaders or would-be leaders, is a vital element of social capital. New Zealand is currently a high trust country according the the World Values Survey.
High profile defamation cases remind casual liars they could pay a price help to preserve our trust in the honesty of others until proved otherwise. So proceedings that keep open the threat of a cost for reckless allegations are in the public interest.
There does need to be a way of addressing deliberate and repeat lying for political gain. Defamation law is far from ideal but it’s one of a limited number of options currently available.
More effective would be more public and media insistence on political honesty. And more party and blog insistence on honesty would help too.
consistently assume their opponents really just want to bring down the government by any means
Who “consistently assumes” that?
I don’t see anyone as “opponents”. There are things I disagree with and will speak against, and there are things that I agree with and will speak for. And I’ll work with anyone who I think deserves support.
If children are being schooled to “hate” any politician it reflects very poorly on the teacher or teachers involved. If that’s what’s happened I think it’s disgraceful.
Teachers have admitted organising children on letter writing and emailing campaigns directed at politicians. Duncan Garner said his daughter came home saying “”Well, he’s going to close our cooking and technology classes at our school. So we all hate him”. She that came from school, with a fairly strong presumption that teachers were involved.
If that’s the case (and I say “if” again) I don’t think it’s a good thing for teachers to be getting kids involved in like that.
Don’t you think it would be worse if that’s what they’re doing? Or does that not bother you. I think it is worse if it’s happening. And funnily enough, I haven’t seen anyone deny that it has happened, all they try and do is try and divert with attacks.
Maybe you should have a think about what could be seen as nasty tactics. You’re coming across as a bit hypocritical. Is this targetting an obsession or a mission?
I quoted you making the assertions Pete. You have no basis whatsoever for the assertions. These are intermediate kids, they are quite capable of forming opinions.
It’s a baseless smear, you kmow it, dogs know it, little fishes in the sea know it.
Just because you want to talk about goat fucking, that doesn’t mean that the people you want to talk about with regard to goat fucking are any obligation to deny goat fucking. Even if you’ve seen a grumpy goat. Goats are grumpy critters, and kids form opinions.
You are right, he shouldn’t call the Green’s watermelons as that is incorrect. They are really deep-red, hard-left socialists. Oh, by the way, they talk about the environment occasionally, but borrow, tax and spend comes first, every time.
Fact is onetrack wouldn’t know hard left or deep red if one popped up in his cornflakes and nationalised his nutsack, but at least he’s not a mealy mouthed, butter wouldn’t melt his arse, bell end.
Maybe there’s a meaning of watermelon I don’t know about, but as far as I know it’s a mild label, and more descriptive than many of the names that are thrown around here.
A student from Auckland recently said the fashionable insult there is neoliberal. Thta’s spat around her a bit too, along with many others.
So far here today I’ve been referred to as nasty, rightwinger, idiot, pants on fire, helpless Key apologist, gutless passively aggressive, utterly banal, boring old git, annoying, disingenuous as hell, mealy mouthed, butter wouldn’t melt his arse, bell end. And that’s just on this OM.
And you fake indignation at me using “watermelon” (once some time ago?).
Isn’t that a tad hypocritical considering the insults you dish out?
It’s not hypocritical at all Pete. We’ve had that discussion before.
And yes, you’ve been called lots of things. Usually as the conclusion to an argument. (eg: pete is telling lies, people who tell lies are shitbergs, therefore “Pete is a shitberg”)
If you tell a lie, or smear someone, or blather on like a fool, then pointing that out is just stating what you are doing. If you can dispute it, then that’s all to the good. But usually you can’t.
You claim that ‘watermelon’ is tame. I disagree, I think it is far worse than calling Peter Dunne a syphilitic old cocknozzle for example. But that’s because I have a love for language, and a respect for its power.
I suspect you are the sort of person who would say that somethung is ‘just semantics’, where I think that semantics are very important. It is in the semantics, that precision, and thus truth, resides.
Do you care for truth Pete?
Do you think bloggers and commenters should have a care for truth?
You say you do, at length; and yet, and yet.
“watermelons”
What a nsaty vicious little smear that is. So full of lies, and accusations of lies. So hidden and cowardly too. I’d be ashamed. If I have something to say, I’ll say it, clearly, and if asked I’ll explain myself.
that’s what I consider honesty Pete.
Your version seems to be something more polite, but less, well, shall we say, unvile.
It’s hard to believe that’s a genuine overreaction.
There’s nothing “hidden and cowardly” about it. It’s a fairly commonly used term for green parties, here and overseas (in Australia anyway). It’s been out in the open for years.
A website in New Zealand, The Watermelon, uses the term as a compliment, stating that it is “green on the outside and liberal on the inside”, using the term ‘liberal’ while also citing “socialist political leanings”, reflecting the use of the term ‘liberal’ to describe the left-wing in many English-speaking countries
How vile and nasty are they?
To claim that it’s “So full of lies, and accusations of lies” I assume you are trying to say Green policies and aims are not socialist at all. Is that what you mean?
Greens do have genuine green (environmental) policies – in fact UF have some of the same or similar polices, as do other parties. Even National.
I presume we can agree on the greenness of the Greens.
There you go again Pete, accusing me of being dishonest about this. Why not just ask why I find it offensive and I’ll tell you. And then you won’t have to go trwaling the internet trying to justify why you think it might not be offensive.
Saying they are green on the outside and red in the middle is saying that the Greens ‘greenness’ is a fake, a distraction that’s hiding the true essence of ‘redness’ within. It’s saying they are not really green at all, that they are really red, and lying about it. that the claim of greenness is a trick that you shouldn’t be fooled by.
It’s the same as when people call some Maori “bounty bars” – Brown on the outside but white in the middle. They are saying that the person is not really Maori. That’s not saying there is anything wrong with being white, by the way, but it’s still offensive.
‘Watermelons’ is a line with a long history. The idea is that the greens are a commun1st front, if not outright traitors. You’ve been hanging around at KB long enough that you should know well enough what the word is saying, and what those those say it, mean by it.
If you knew anything at all about green politics you’d know that it is holistic. The economic policies are not seperate from the rest of it. They are there because the economics needs to be cognizant of the environment. That resources need to be shared more equitably, stems from the fact that if they are not, it means more extraction from the environemt. It’s environmentally wastefull to have vast dichotomies of wealth and to ahve people competeing to consume as much as they can, while others barely scrape by.
You might not agree with that, but that’s no excuse to misrepresent it.
I tracked down that quote Pete cited, no surprises why he didn’t link.
It’s from a description of eco-socialism, (ie, people who are not Greens, and arose partiallly in reaction to the Green movement), here’s the text preceding what Pete quoted:
Eco-socialists are critical of many past and existing forms of both Green politics and socialism. They are often described as Red Greens – adherents to Green politics with clear anti-capitalist views, often inspired by Marxism (Red Greens should be contrasted with Blue Greens).
The term Watermelon is commonly applied, often as an insult, to describe professed Greens who seem to put “social justice” goals above ecological ones, implying they are “green on the outside but red on the inside”; the term is usually attributed to either Petr Beckmann or, more frequently, Warren T. Brookes,[2][3][4] both critics of environmentalism, and is apparently common in Australia,[5][6] New Zealand[7] and the United States[8]
So you don’t think teachers should inform students about what the current government is doing? In this case their budget cuts were going to close some cooking and technology classes, which would have a direct impact on young people’s lives.
What would you suggest, just closing the classes and not telling the students why they had been closed? Perhaps you don’t think young people have a right to know about politics at all. Typical rightwinger… trying to manipulate information to keep people in the dark.
“We don’t want people to make informed decisions,” is such a defunct and weak pedestal.
You’re making false assumptions/accusations again.
I think kids should learn about current issues and politics at school. But they should be helped to consider all sides of arguments and balance the pros and cons, and not be used to promote a teacher’s opinion or position on an issue.
And they should be taught that it’s ok to disagree, it’s normal to have different opinions, but that it’s not ok to hate people they simply disagree with.
Would you be happy for teachers to school kids on promoting neoliberalism?
On what basis do you assume the teachers didn’t explain the policy?
And what was the policy anyway?
Even farrar says that the trade off side (the increased techer quality side) was completely undeveloped. And furtheer to that, how is it that in cancelling a trade off we are left with a budget hole. It’s clear as ady that the trade off was spin. A myth. Snake oil.
So what exactly were the teachers supposed to do? Make it up? Present obvious government spin? Or talk about the actually stated policy, the one that damn near everyone formed the same opinion on.
You’ve implied that they’re “casual liars,” and have now resorted to outright trolling. Looks like you’re doing a pretty good job of defaming yourself there PG.
You quoted Franks talking about Mallard and Little and apparently agree with the comment about them “scoffing at defamation law”. You then mention “casual liars”. You then make the quote “There does need to be a way of addressing deliberate and repeat lying for political gain.”
So you do everything but call them liars.
And then in that annoying way of yours you then twist and turn and say “no I didn’t, I was only posing an issue” or “I was only asking a question”.
And there is this whole theme to your comment about remedies against dishonest politicians and you mention it in relation to the Collins case.
You are so transparent Petey you should think about getting some curtains.
You left out the last bit of Franks’ comment, “[b]ut I do know they are scoffing at defamation law.”
So you did not want to draw any link whatsoever from mentioning Mallard and Little, and talking about “casual liars” and saying there is a problem about political defamation that has to be dealt with.
It’s a bit hypocrititical to (falsely) accuse me of calling Mallard and Little liars and say accusations of that sort are “dangerous”, and then imply that I’m a liar. Doncha think?
Micky, don’t be an idiot. I haven’t called them liars.
You have been inferring, implying, suggesting for weeks now that Mallard and Little are lying.
Both of them originally commented independently of one another, and had no idea what the other was saying. Both of them had come to the same conclusion because it was the correct conclusion. Many thousands of ‘intelligent’ people came to the same conclusion too.
You are the idiot who is out of step with reality. Go back to Kiwiblog where fairy tales are still common fare.
So I’ve finally had a chance to watch the backbenchers show that caused Bomber to allegedly “dream in colour” again.. Yes, Shearer is fantastic – forget media training, just give him a couple of pints before speaking – witty, confident, but warm and approachable. Impressive! If anything, it’s worth watching Nikki Kaye getting walloped (by both the panel and the crowd) and the consolidation of the left block in a stunning united front..
Insufficient substance? I thought Shearer spoke well and his historical knowledge of a tram system in Australia was exceptional. If that’s not substance, I don’t know what is.
By overbearing you mean when he rebuffed some disinformation about what political party could take credit for infrastructure developments?
Clearly Nikki Kaye was completely unable to promote National’s propaganda in a proper debate setting. She claimed to catch the bus more than any other debater, but didn’t know how much it costs and Russel Norman catches the bus nearly every day. Kaye was an utter failure!
You’re comment is based in politicking instead of reality Pete George… But what else is new?
It is hardly evidence of substance to know about the history of the Melbourne trams, it is the kind of thing you are proud of knowing on a quiz night. I did think Shearer came across well, but I will not be convinced by him unless or until I see some unambiguous centre-left positioning. He did not get me dreaming in colour. He was on pretty safe ground at Backbenchers, with a supportive crowd and non-controversial, widely popular claims to defend. I thought Winston was the star of the show – he knows the city and he knows where he stands. And that Norman was the one who had done his homework. That man must hardly sleep these days; he is always armed with evidence of having done his homework.
Yes, she remained standing. And Peters continued to breathe.
Since you’re all about the substance, you should try watching again with the sound on. When Darling Nikki talks, make a note of the substance of what she says.
She was at her most amusing when she copied the Key line in the Ch.Ch. Press campaign debate. She turned to Shearer and in a shrill voice repeatedly demanded “where’s the money?” . The problem was, she hadn’t listened to what Shearer had just been talking about which was… where the money was coming from.
Yay! And finally someone did not let Kaye get away with saying, yet again, that Labour had done nothing for Auckland transport, while National had done far more.
She’s been saying that on Bomber’s shows and getting away with it. Shearer put her in her place saying that the double tracking of the western line etc was begun under Labour’s watch. And Kaye had the gall to say that was not true!
Fortunately Penny Hulse, ex-deputy mayor of Waitakere City also was there, and commented about history being re-written. I witnessed with my own eyes all the development of the New Lynn rail trench, the double tracking etc, done under Labour, supported strongly by David Cunliffe and Waitakere City.
And when Kaye is losing she starts trying her simpering little girl flirty kind of behaviour…. geez, woman….. you’re an MP!
There you go again Pete George……….disingenuous as hell – “And Shearer disappointed me……..”.
Bullshit – you found negatives and you’e delighted to tell us about it. Disappointment nothing.
Who do you think you are anyway ? As a helpless Key apologist with notions of impeccability, perpetually delivered in your gutless passively aggressive way, you need not talk down at others about their conduct.
I’ve shown more support for Shearer than most on this blog (a lot more than certain Labour party officials). That’s why I was disappointed with how he performed on Back Benches, I hope for better of him. But don’t let facts get in the way of your making up bull.
I’m actively involved in two campaigns against Key policy positions, and am openly supporting Labour’s (and in one case specifically Shearer’s) positions on them.
Fancy that, Labour leader David Shearer disappointing the likes of you, that from my point of view would tend to suggest that He is doing stuff which is likely to impress both the Labour faithful and those who have departed the Labour fold,
The look Shearer gave National’s Nikki Kaye throughout this weeks BackBenchers was brilliant, to me a look that said to Kaye that She was nothing but mere amoeba, some form of primitive bottom feeding low life more in tune with feeding from a septic pond of sludge than the real world occupied by the human race,
Kaye felt every bit of such a withering display from Shearer and if anyone cares to re-view the BackBenchers episode you can see it in the body language of Kaye as she leans on Winston Peters in an effort to get as far away from the Leader of the Opposition as possible,
Having not really been a Shearer fan I would say that IF He continues in the vein He showed on that Backbenchers this week any television debate with the Leader of National in the future will likely have the end result of showing Slippery up as the empty suitcase of intellect that He actually is,
Its a pity that through either disdain at entering the ‘real’ day to day nations political discourse, or fear, National chose not to have someone from higher up the Government food chain enter that particular BackBenchers debate,
The hope here is that if the demise of TV7 is to occur then television NZ make room for BackBenchers in a prime spot on TV1 during a weekday night instead of consigning it to the dustbin or some sunday morning spot so as to further the attempt to disengage as much of the mass of the population from the political process as possible…
And Shearer was very skillful in not letting Kaye get away with the standard Nat MP strategy of stating their spin loudly and talking over anyone who tries to rebut it. Shearer smoothly and calmly talked back over her and silenced her, showing her spin for what it was.
I’ve seen Kaye use that bullying tactic too often on Bomber’s shows. It was really satisfying to see her finally put in her place.
Norman and Peters did their bits too. Norman did it without talking over Kaye, but, when he got a moment he calmly rebutted her shonkey arguments and non-existing supporting evidence.
I will pay $$$ to someone who designs a Pete George blocking programme like the one Firefox has for advertisements so I don’t have to scroll past his utterly banal wafflings every time I visit this site. It’s alright to ban someone for being a boring old git, you know, Dim Post guy did it 🙂
Maybe Pete George should be restricted to comment in proportion to his parties current support… which is 0.60% in the general election. That would equate to PG being allowed to comment once in every 169 comments. Yippee!
Please, please, please!!! I worry that as I scroll by PG’s comments of banality that I may miss something really important.
It was a pleasure to read the Standard when he was banned, but at the back of my mind I kept thinking – when will he return? Like a reoccurring scratch…hoping like hell it won’t come back. And then one day it/he did…and I’m back itching to scream.
I’ll add a me too. I have no interest in reading any of his threads or posts, they’re too Pavlov & his dogs for me. It would be great if we could collapse threads we want to skip, I’m a reader more than a writer and I just find the guy spoiling much of the (potential) enjoyment of this site.
[lprent: it is on the list of work to do already. Hard bit is hooking up something to a cookie to remember what is collapsed for each user. ]
We all know that poverty and especially childhood poverty is a terrible thing. Nobody can really argue with the moral case for reducing poverty, but there’s also a good economical argument for reducing childhood poverty as well…
watermelons” What a nsaty vicious little smear that is.
No, it’s not – for goodness sake, it’s inaccurate, but nasty and vicious? Greens get over yourselves!
I wouldn’t mind if they were watermelons, but they’re much worse. GReen on the outside, pretending to a slight shade of pink under the rind, hiding the deep blue and the ACT yellow that’s really just below the surface…
Like the Environment Group at Auckland Uni in the 80s – comprising 100% middle and upper class kiddies, with the born to rule mentality that goes with it, and the disdain for the lower classes – unless those lower people are a nice shade of brown, in which case, patronise away!
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Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. ...
Chris Trotter writes – MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. The data is from February this ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications:Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
Chris Trotter writes – The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three. ...
Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blogIn 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
Citizen Science writes – Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
Karl du Fresne writes – There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
The Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
The Fast-track Bill, if passed, would allow three Ministers, unchallenged and unchecked, to approve the immediate extraction and exhaustion of one-off resources. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne iamharin/Shutterstock For many people, the term “bulk billed” refers to a GP visit they don’t have to pay ...
Emmas Hislop, Sidnam and Wehipeihana discuss what’s in a name. Emma Sidnam: Hello Emmas! Thank you so much for agreeing to do this with me. My first question for you is related to what’s been on my mind for a while. It’s very important. You see we’ve recently had some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Sievers, Research Fellow, Global Wetlands Project, Australia Rivers Institute, Griffith University Chris Brown Humans love the coast. But we love it to death, so much so we’ve destroyed valuable coastal habitat – in the case of some types of habitat, ...
Josh Thomson on the 80s milk ad jingle he can’t stop singing, the beauty of The Simpsons, why Jersey Shore is as good as Shakespeare and more. For someone who spends a lot of time on our screens, popping up in everything from 7 Days to Taskmaster, Educators to Good ...
In apparent defiance of the Biden administration, the Netanyahu government has now initiated missile strikes against Iran. Last Saturday night (Sunday morning in New Zealand) Iran launched more than 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles against Israeli military targets. With the assistance of US, UK and possibly French forces, ...
Māori representation brings a perspective that encompasses not only the interests of Māori communities but also a broader, holistic approach to environmental stewardship and community well-being, principles deeply embedded in Te Ao Māori (the Māori ...
This week in Auckland, a group of young people took over the microphone at a ministerial press conference, to explain why they oppose the Fast-Track Approvals Bill. One young woman said, ‘We’re here because we love Aotearoa New Zealand. We want to raise our children in an environment that’s thriving, ...
The summer was wonderful. Evie was wonderful, too; finally a teenager, finally worthy of long, hot days. She shaved her legs for the first time and bought cut-off shorts from the op-shop that made them look long. She got a Warehouse singlet so tight on her new shape that her ...
When Thomas James was on his solo camp as part of Outward Bound, the keen outdoorsman didn’t find it too challenging, as others often do. In what might just be the perfect illustration of his character, he saw it as a great opportunity to solve a few problems. “I thought, ...
From the unstable and drippy to the hi-tech and pretty, here’s our ranking of all the tunnels you can drive through in this country. The first tunnel seems to have been built in 2200BC in Babylonia, kicking off a global phenomenon for digging holes in order to get places more ...
Lucinda Bennett on the art of being greedy but resourceful. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. When I picture the market, it is always this time of year. Crisp air, dripping nose, counting coins with cold fingers. Sunlight pale, filtered through specks of dew still ...
Zoë Colling’s favourite piece in the ‘That’s So Last Century’ collection is a lubrication chart for a sewing machine from the ’60s. It’s about the size of a postcard, and carefully maintained. “I like it that this piece of ephemera highlights that manual and technical side of the skill involved ...
Kia Ora Gaza A passionate haka reverberated through Auckland International Airport as a medical team of three New Zealand doctors received an emotional farewell from a big crowd of supporters before flying to Turkey to join the international Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The doctors, who left Auckland yesterday, hope to ...
With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...
Our response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...
The new ‘Fast-track Approvals Bill’ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...
COMMENTARY:By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister — the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory — gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Before climate change really got going, eastern Australia’s flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But that’s changing. Now ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum “re-imagined” itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, School of Allied Heath, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, La Trobe University This week, Collingwood AFL player Nathan Murphy announced his retirement, brought on by his concussion history and ongoing issues. The 24-year-old’s seemingly sudden retirement, ...
The Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so it’s wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Daniel Boud/Sydney Theatre Company Decay, terror, revulsion. These are three of the central themes of Thomas Bernhard’s rarely performed play The President. The Austrian is one of the greatest ...
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Further thoughts on dissent in the US, carrying on from yesterday’s conversation.
One of the main things I’ve have heard from US apologists for their country’s imperialism, is that the US is the home of free speech, dissent and democracy. They claim that this is why so many people try to migrate to the US.
However, while the US does have many dissenters within their country – enough to support the notion that they are a free, open and democratic society – this dissent does nothing to challenge or really unsettle the power of the elites. They have ways of neutralising the dissent:
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2011/08/20118164314283633.html
The US government has long used popular culture to spread their propaganda about being a free and open democracy. The US government, in the early-to-mid 20th century used the international circulation of Hollywood movies to precede trade agreements, in order to soften up the population, and encourage their acceptance of US products:
http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/articl
<blockquote.The State Department and the OWI intervened in other overseas markets as well, particularly in neutral Europe and in the Axis nations toward the end of the war. And as the government became more sensitive to America’s image abroad, it became more concerned about Hollywood’s role in projecting that image.
And, of course, with the rise of so-called “neoliberalism” and the Murdochisation of the news media, such strategies have been transported across the western world.
The US government has also used TV and popular music in the Middle East, Iraq etc, to promote it’s culture to the locals – part of their programme of cultural imperialism. And the US government is quite happy at times to highlight dissenting music etc to promote their image of being an open democracy. And dissenting popular culture is also used as a marketing strategy, especially in targeting young people. By getting sucked into the capitalist machinery, they get contained, and a target for underlying US imperialising values.
I DO know many US people who express criticism and dissatisfaction with their country’s lack of social justice, and of it’s imperialistic ways. But they also get very frustrated with the inability to stage effective dissent.
In my opinion, people who want to go to live in the US, do so, not because they see it as a shining beacon of freedom of speech and democracy, but because of the potential to get in on some of the wealth and shiny technological advances.
But a lot of the US’s technological advances are gained through enticing many of the best researchers and product developers from other countries to their unis and corporate R&D departments. Also, while the US talks free-market, it practices protectionism, often in slightly devious ways e.g. the ways it protects the Hollywood movie industry internationally.
And, a lot of these strategies are no longer so confined to the US…. coming soon to a place near you, dressed in local colours.
“The US government has long used popular culture to spread their propaganda about being a free and open democracy.”
Very true…I had just posted this on yesterday’s open mike…
I would add a third thing that maintains US hegemony…and that is culture. Americanisation in the form of consumerism is still sweeping the world and shows no sign of slowing. Its the desire to consume, a belief in liberal capitalism, social liberalism and the notion of ‘freedom’ that draws the world’s money towards the USA. Capitalism put the money into the hands of a few – and since American culture defines our desires, that money moves towards America.
China might be up there in economic terms, but the USA controls the world’s knowledge. USA defines the ‘truth’.
“The US government has also used TV and popular music in the Middle East, Iraq etc, to promote it’s culture to the locals – part of their programme of cultural imperialism.”
They sure do, and they also did it the other way where the East is Othered through Hollywood…as Western culture is idolised, Eastern cultures are subjugated.
Edward Said’s concept of Orientalism examines where USA’s true power is created and maintained. Its all about seduction and cultural hegemony
http://vimeo.com/14326780
For once we are pretty much in agreement, fatty. Yes, I read your other piece on it,
As I recall Said, in his book on orientalism, begins his historiography of imperialism well before the rise of US Imperialism. he goes back to the Greeks – indeed, while western culture claims a tradition going back to ancient “Greece”, a lot of the ancient Athenian knowledge was acquired first from Babylon and the Persian Empire.
Said was a lit crit and (perhaps inadvertently) shows the difference between English cultural imperialism the US version (albeit that US culture and imperialism was mapped onto the English/European version in many ways).
The English version was tied to the “civilising mission”, whereby they believed England/Europe was the peak of civilised society. So they promoted a more classical version of “high” culture (Shakespeare etc) to be spread throughout the world – also their ideas about education, science and technology.
As the US form of imperialism is justified by the promotion of themselves as being the home of democracy and individual freedom, they promote it through popular culture (culture of the people). Of course, popular culture in the age of mechanical reproduction, is transmitted via new forms of “state of the art” technologies. It amalgamates the US’s view of itself as the leaders in science and technology – but that is also tied up with their militarism – a technologically-advanced form of military power. And as you say, the popular culture is incorporated within consumerism.
However, they are increasingly getting some competition from non-Western parts of the world in many of these areas…. though not so much with the military
“For once we are pretty much in agreement, fatty.”
I think we agree on almost everything Carol…just different perspectives on identity politics and generational issues
You didn’t answer the original conjecture – why do so many want to emigrate to the US?
@OneTrack
I did answer the conjecture, but it probably got lost in my incorrect attempt to format the quote above it (Was in a rush before going to work). The quote from the link is:
The rest are my views, including this:
In my opinion, people who want to go to live in the US, do so, not because they see it as a shining beacon of freedom of speech and democracy, but because of the potential to get in on some of the wealth and shiny technological advances.
Stephen Franks comments on a defamation case:
More importantly he looks at free speech versus “casual liars”.
There does need to be a way of addressing deliberate and repeat lying for political gain. Defamation law is far from ideal but it’s one of a limited number of options currently available.
More effective would be more public and media insistence on political honesty. And more party and blog insistence on honesty would help too.
Like when bloggers accuse teachers of teaching kids to hate the PM. that sort of thing?
Or when they call the Greens watermelons?
Or accuse others of acting from base motives and consistently assume their opponents really just want to bring down the government by any means?
Shocking behaviour, and tiresome, I agree.
consistently assume their opponents really just want to bring down the government by any means
Who “consistently assumes” that?
I don’t see anyone as “opponents”. There are things I disagree with and will speak against, and there are things that I agree with and will speak for. And I’ll work with anyone who I think deserves support.
And you’re quite free with the smears too Pete. Calling the greens watermelons. That’s pretty nasty. You do know what it means right?
And saying that teachers are teaching children to hate the PM. Nasty mate. Nasty.
How nasty is it to misrepresent what someone said?
Quoting myself:
Teachers have admitted organising children on letter writing and emailing campaigns directed at politicians. Duncan Garner said his daughter came home saying “”Well, he’s going to close our cooking and technology classes at our school. So we all hate him”. She that came from school, with a fairly strong presumption that teachers were involved.
If that’s the case (and I say “if” again) I don’t think it’s a good thing for teachers to be getting kids involved in like that.
Stop lying Pete.
It’s not just Parata that’s coming out of this looking bad (and she looks bad).
Children have been used as pawns by teachers in their politicking, that’s unprofessional – but schooling kids to hate the Prime Minister is worse.
http://thestandard.org.nz/coward/comment-page-1/#comment-479655
And stop misrepresenting.
Don’t you think it would be worse if that’s what they’re doing? Or does that not bother you. I think it is worse if it’s happening. And funnily enough, I haven’t seen anyone deny that it has happened, all they try and do is try and divert with attacks.
Maybe you should have a think about what could be seen as nasty tactics. You’re coming across as a bit hypocritical. Is this targetting an obsession or a mission?
And stop misrepresenting.
I quoted you making the assertions Pete. You have no basis whatsoever for the assertions. These are intermediate kids, they are quite capable of forming opinions.
It’s a baseless smear, you kmow it, dogs know it, little fishes in the sea know it.
Just because you want to talk about goat fucking, that doesn’t mean that the people you want to talk about with regard to goat fucking are any obligation to deny goat fucking. Even if you’ve seen a grumpy goat. Goats are grumpy critters, and kids form opinions.
You are right, he shouldn’t call the Green’s watermelons as that is incorrect. They are really deep-red, hard-left socialists. Oh, by the way, they talk about the environment occasionally, but borrow, tax and spend comes first, every time.
See Pete?
OneTrack laid it out.
Fact is onetrack wouldn’t know hard left or deep red if one popped up in his cornflakes and nationalised his nutsack, but at least he’s not a mealy mouthed, butter wouldn’t melt his arse, bell end.
Maybe there’s a meaning of watermelon I don’t know about, but as far as I know it’s a mild label, and more descriptive than many of the names that are thrown around here.
A student from Auckland recently said the fashionable insult there is neoliberal. Thta’s spat around her a bit too, along with many others.
So far here today I’ve been referred to as nasty, rightwinger, idiot, pants on fire, helpless Key apologist, gutless passively aggressive, utterly banal, boring old git, annoying, disingenuous as hell, mealy mouthed, butter wouldn’t melt his arse, bell end. And that’s just on this OM.
And you fake indignation at me using “watermelon” (once some time ago?).
Isn’t that a tad hypocritical considering the insults you dish out?
It’s not hypocritical at all Pete. We’ve had that discussion before.
And yes, you’ve been called lots of things. Usually as the conclusion to an argument. (eg: pete is telling lies, people who tell lies are shitbergs, therefore “Pete is a shitberg”)
If you tell a lie, or smear someone, or blather on like a fool, then pointing that out is just stating what you are doing. If you can dispute it, then that’s all to the good. But usually you can’t.
You claim that ‘watermelon’ is tame. I disagree, I think it is far worse than calling Peter Dunne a syphilitic old cocknozzle for example. But that’s because I have a love for language, and a respect for its power.
I suspect you are the sort of person who would say that somethung is ‘just semantics’, where I think that semantics are very important. It is in the semantics, that precision, and thus truth, resides.
Do you care for truth Pete?
Do you think bloggers and commenters should have a care for truth?
You say you do, at length; and yet, and yet.
“watermelons”
What a nsaty vicious little smear that is. So full of lies, and accusations of lies. So hidden and cowardly too. I’d be ashamed. If I have something to say, I’ll say it, clearly, and if asked I’ll explain myself.
that’s what I consider honesty Pete.
Your version seems to be something more polite, but less, well, shall we say, unvile.
It’s hard to believe that’s a genuine overreaction.
There’s nothing “hidden and cowardly” about it. It’s a fairly commonly used term for green parties, here and overseas (in Australia anyway). It’s been out in the open for years.
How vile and nasty are they?
To claim that it’s “So full of lies, and accusations of lies” I assume you are trying to say Green policies and aims are not socialist at all. Is that what you mean?
Greens do have genuine green (environmental) policies – in fact UF have some of the same or similar polices, as do other parties. Even National.
I presume we can agree on the greenness of the Greens.
So are you disgreeing totally with the pinkness?
Do you think Labour red is vile and nasty?
There you go again Pete, accusing me of being dishonest about this. Why not just ask why I find it offensive and I’ll tell you. And then you won’t have to go trwaling the internet trying to justify why you think it might not be offensive.
Saying they are green on the outside and red in the middle is saying that the Greens ‘greenness’ is a fake, a distraction that’s hiding the true essence of ‘redness’ within. It’s saying they are not really green at all, that they are really red, and lying about it. that the claim of greenness is a trick that you shouldn’t be fooled by.
It’s the same as when people call some Maori “bounty bars” – Brown on the outside but white in the middle. They are saying that the person is not really Maori. That’s not saying there is anything wrong with being white, by the way, but it’s still offensive.
‘Watermelons’ is a line with a long history. The idea is that the greens are a commun1st front, if not outright traitors. You’ve been hanging around at KB long enough that you should know well enough what the word is saying, and what those those say it, mean by it.
If you knew anything at all about green politics you’d know that it is holistic. The economic policies are not seperate from the rest of it. They are there because the economics needs to be cognizant of the environment. That resources need to be shared more equitably, stems from the fact that if they are not, it means more extraction from the environemt. It’s environmentally wastefull to have vast dichotomies of wealth and to ahve people competeing to consume as much as they can, while others barely scrape by.
You might not agree with that, but that’s no excuse to misrepresent it.
I tracked down that quote Pete cited, no surprises why he didn’t link.
It’s from a description of eco-socialism, (ie, people who are not Greens, and arose partiallly in reaction to the Green movement), here’s the text preceding what Pete quoted:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eco-socialism
So you don’t think teachers should inform students about what the current government is doing? In this case their budget cuts were going to close some cooking and technology classes, which would have a direct impact on young people’s lives.
What would you suggest, just closing the classes and not telling the students why they had been closed? Perhaps you don’t think young people have a right to know about politics at all. Typical rightwinger… trying to manipulate information to keep people in the dark.
“We don’t want people to make informed decisions,” is such a defunct and weak pedestal.
You’re making false assumptions/accusations again.
I think kids should learn about current issues and politics at school. But they should be helped to consider all sides of arguments and balance the pros and cons, and not be used to promote a teacher’s opinion or position on an issue.
And they should be taught that it’s ok to disagree, it’s normal to have different opinions, but that it’s not ok to hate people they simply disagree with.
Would you be happy for teachers to school kids on promoting neoliberalism?
On what basis do you assume the teachers didn’t explain the policy?
And what was the policy anyway?
Even farrar says that the trade off side (the increased techer quality side) was completely undeveloped. And furtheer to that, how is it that in cancelling a trade off we are left with a budget hole. It’s clear as ady that the trade off was spin. A myth. Snake oil.
So what exactly were the teachers supposed to do? Make it up? Present obvious government spin? Or talk about the actually stated policy, the one that damn near everyone formed the same opinion on.
The sooner children learn that politicians are beneath contempt and totally untrustworthy, the better.
Pete don’t be an idiot. You do not know what the truth is yet you call Mallard and Little liars. Rather dangerous Doncha think?
Micky, don’t be an idiot. I haven’t called them liars.
Do you think they would take your advice and try defamation on me? You should learn some law.
You’ve implied that they’re “casual liars,” and have now resorted to outright trolling. Looks like you’re doing a pretty good job of defaming yourself there PG.
Pete you did everything but.
You quoted Franks talking about Mallard and Little and apparently agree with the comment about them “scoffing at defamation law”. You then mention “casual liars”. You then make the quote “There does need to be a way of addressing deliberate and repeat lying for political gain.”
So you do everything but call them liars.
And then in that annoying way of yours you then twist and turn and say “no I didn’t, I was only posing an issue” or “I was only asking a question”.
And there is this whole theme to your comment about remedies against dishonest politicians and you mention it in relation to the Collins case.
You are so transparent Petey you should think about getting some curtains.
And you are so bad at comprehending. Franks said:
That’s quite clearly non judgemental on the case.
He then separately talked in general about the principles of defamation and casual lying.
If that’s not clear enough I suggest you read Franks’ full post. He’s a lawyer so he should have a good understanding of things like that.
You left out the last bit of Franks’ comment, “[b]ut I do know they are scoffing at defamation law.”
So you did not want to draw any link whatsoever from mentioning Mallard and Little, and talking about “casual liars” and saying there is a problem about political defamation that has to be dealt with.
Your pants are on fire Petey.
Read Frank’s whole post and try to comprehend it.
It’s a bit hypocrititical to (falsely) accuse me of calling Mallard and Little liars and say accusations of that sort are “dangerous”, and then imply that I’m a liar. Doncha think?
Read it and comprehended it.
You are doing your usual blow really hard on the dog whistle and then say innocently “what me” trick? You are so predictable Petey.
Micky, don’t be an idiot. I haven’t called them liars.
You have been inferring, implying, suggesting for weeks now that Mallard and Little are lying.
Both of them originally commented independently of one another, and had no idea what the other was saying. Both of them had come to the same conclusion because it was the correct conclusion. Many thousands of ‘intelligent’ people came to the same conclusion too.
You are the idiot who is out of step with reality. Go back to Kiwiblog where fairy tales are still common fare.
and had no idea what the other was saying.
How do you know that?
Both of them had come to the same conclusion because it was the correct conclusion.
That is yet to be determined, one way or the other.
You have been inferring, implying, suggesting for weeks now that Mallard and Little are lying.
No, I have been inferring, implying, suggesting that they should substantiate their claims, which they have not done yet as far as I’m aware.
Many thousands of ‘intelligent’ people came to the same conclusion too.
Based on what evidence?
So I’ve finally had a chance to watch the backbenchers show that caused Bomber to allegedly “dream in colour” again.. Yes, Shearer is fantastic – forget media training, just give him a couple of pints before speaking – witty, confident, but warm and approachable. Impressive! If anything, it’s worth watching Nikki Kaye getting walloped (by both the panel and the crowd) and the consolidation of the left block in a stunning united front..
http://tvnz.co.nz/back-benches/s8-ep17-video-4915547
Funny seeing different opinions on the same thing.
While she struggled a bit I thought Nikki Kaye stood up well amongst a stack of opposition.
And Shearer disappointed me, he came across as impolite and overbearing, too full of himself with insufficient substance.
PG – the standard bearer for judging polly character off the small screen.
I mean. Peter Dunne right. There’s a humble man of substance.
Yesterday, Peter Dunne claimed that the two weeks it took Hekia Parata to change her mind re teacher student ratios was “quick.” WTF!
But Pete you think the coiffured one is principled and competent …
Insufficient substance? I thought Shearer spoke well and his historical knowledge of a tram system in Australia was exceptional. If that’s not substance, I don’t know what is.
By overbearing you mean when he rebuffed some disinformation about what political party could take credit for infrastructure developments?
Clearly Nikki Kaye was completely unable to promote National’s propaganda in a proper debate setting. She claimed to catch the bus more than any other debater, but didn’t know how much it costs and Russel Norman catches the bus nearly every day. Kaye was an utter failure!
You’re comment is based in politicking instead of reality Pete George… But what else is new?
It is hardly evidence of substance to know about the history of the Melbourne trams, it is the kind of thing you are proud of knowing on a quiz night. I did think Shearer came across well, but I will not be convinced by him unless or until I see some unambiguous centre-left positioning. He did not get me dreaming in colour. He was on pretty safe ground at Backbenchers, with a supportive crowd and non-controversial, widely popular claims to defend. I thought Winston was the star of the show – he knows the city and he knows where he stands. And that Norman was the one who had done his homework. That man must hardly sleep these days; he is always armed with evidence of having done his homework.
Yes, she remained standing. And Peters continued to breathe.
Since you’re all about the substance, you should try watching again with the sound on. When Darling Nikki talks, make a note of the substance of what she says.
Report back if you find anything at all.
Clearly Nikki Kaye is being coached, she says NOTHING at all when she answers, its just party lines, pre reheared and spewed back out as needed…
Have a look at her eyes, they seem dead, just like the party leaders, and others who have been through the rinse!
She was at her most amusing when she copied the Key line in the Ch.Ch. Press campaign debate. She turned to Shearer and in a shrill voice repeatedly demanded “where’s the money?” . The problem was, she hadn’t listened to what Shearer had just been talking about which was… where the money was coming from.
Yay! And finally someone did not let Kaye get away with saying, yet again, that Labour had done nothing for Auckland transport, while National had done far more.
She’s been saying that on Bomber’s shows and getting away with it. Shearer put her in her place saying that the double tracking of the western line etc was begun under Labour’s watch. And Kaye had the gall to say that was not true!
Fortunately Penny Hulse, ex-deputy mayor of Waitakere City also was there, and commented about history being re-written. I witnessed with my own eyes all the development of the New Lynn rail trench, the double tracking etc, done under Labour, supported strongly by David Cunliffe and Waitakere City.
And when Kaye is losing she starts trying her simpering little girl flirty kind of behaviour…. geez, woman….. you’re an MP!
Felix the only substance you’ll find is saliva
Pete you do realise that Nikki Kaye is simply the next generation of National female stooge, punchbag eh?
NK is also recently back from a recent brainwashing “scholarship” to the USA – I posted links on it a few weeks back.
A question to her would be, and I have asked it but as yet no response, ” Are you a member of Parliamtarians for Global Order?”
I also asked Jacinda A, and no response as yet…
Darien Fenton confirmed she is, Shearer unclear, Cunliffe is a member, and the list goes on!
PG – Do you know if Dunne is a member?
Order? Action?
I don’t know what he’s a member of apart from UF and parliament.
It used to be order Pete, but they changed it to action..
Maybe find out if he is then if you can….should be easy enough for you!
I’ll ask.
Dunne said “No, I’m not”.
“I don’t know what he’s a member of apart from UF and parliament.”
He’s also a member of the Cabinet, i.e. The Government.
Christ on a bike Pete, it’s hard to believe you ran for parliament. Sometimes I really doubt your commitment to Sparkle Motion.
He’s a minister outside Cabinet, as are all the support party ministers, and some National ministers.
http://www.national.org.nz/PDF_Government/Ministerial_List_12_December-2011.pdf
Then I withdraw and apologise unreservedly.
There you go again Pete George……….disingenuous as hell – “And Shearer disappointed me……..”.
Bullshit – you found negatives and you’e delighted to tell us about it. Disappointment nothing.
Who do you think you are anyway ? As a helpless Key apologist with notions of impeccability, perpetually delivered in your gutless passively aggressive way, you need not talk down at others about their conduct.
I’ve shown more support for Shearer than most on this blog (a lot more than certain Labour party officials). That’s why I was disappointed with how he performed on Back Benches, I hope for better of him. But don’t let facts get in the way of your making up bull.
I’m actively involved in two campaigns against Key policy positions, and am openly supporting Labour’s (and in one case specifically Shearer’s) positions on them.
lolololololololol
Fancy that, Labour leader David Shearer disappointing the likes of you, that from my point of view would tend to suggest that He is doing stuff which is likely to impress both the Labour faithful and those who have departed the Labour fold,
The look Shearer gave National’s Nikki Kaye throughout this weeks BackBenchers was brilliant, to me a look that said to Kaye that She was nothing but mere amoeba, some form of primitive bottom feeding low life more in tune with feeding from a septic pond of sludge than the real world occupied by the human race,
Kaye felt every bit of such a withering display from Shearer and if anyone cares to re-view the BackBenchers episode you can see it in the body language of Kaye as she leans on Winston Peters in an effort to get as far away from the Leader of the Opposition as possible,
Having not really been a Shearer fan I would say that IF He continues in the vein He showed on that Backbenchers this week any television debate with the Leader of National in the future will likely have the end result of showing Slippery up as the empty suitcase of intellect that He actually is,
Its a pity that through either disdain at entering the ‘real’ day to day nations political discourse, or fear, National chose not to have someone from higher up the Government food chain enter that particular BackBenchers debate,
The hope here is that if the demise of TV7 is to occur then television NZ make room for BackBenchers in a prime spot on TV1 during a weekday night instead of consigning it to the dustbin or some sunday morning spot so as to further the attempt to disengage as much of the mass of the population from the political process as possible…
+1
And Shearer was very skillful in not letting Kaye get away with the standard Nat MP strategy of stating their spin loudly and talking over anyone who tries to rebut it. Shearer smoothly and calmly talked back over her and silenced her, showing her spin for what it was.
I’ve seen Kaye use that bullying tactic too often on Bomber’s shows. It was really satisfying to see her finally put in her place.
Norman and Peters did their bits too. Norman did it without talking over Kaye, but, when he got a moment he calmly rebutted her shonkey arguments and non-existing supporting evidence.
PIPI – Politicians Introducing Policy Inimical to NZ No.1
9/6/2012
Phil Heatley
Mining exploration licences that demand deep sea drilling
I will pay $$$ to someone who designs a Pete George blocking programme like the one Firefox has for advertisements so I don’t have to scroll past his utterly banal wafflings every time I visit this site. It’s alright to ban someone for being a boring old git, you know, Dim Post guy did it 🙂
Will you pay me $$$ if I tell you how you can do it? It’s already available.
Maybe Pete George should be restricted to comment in proportion to his parties current support… which is 0.60% in the general election. That would equate to PG being allowed to comment once in every 169 comments. Yippee!
Pete George finally admits that he will stay silent on his political views if someone pays him enough money to do so.
Please, please, please!!! I worry that as I scroll by PG’s comments of banality that I may miss something really important.
It was a pleasure to read the Standard when he was banned, but at the back of my mind I kept thinking – when will he return? Like a reoccurring scratch…hoping like hell it won’t come back. And then one day it/he did…and I’m back itching to scream.
I’ll add a me too. I have no interest in reading any of his threads or posts, they’re too Pavlov & his dogs for me. It would be great if we could collapse threads we want to skip, I’m a reader more than a writer and I just find the guy spoiling much of the (potential) enjoyment of this site.
[lprent: it is on the list of work to do already. Hard bit is hooking up something to a cookie to remember what is collapsed for each user. ]
Global Government formed on “environmental crises”, and financial instability, Rockefeller style…
Serco incompetence should put a halt to Wiri
By: James Henderson – Date published: 9:00 am, June 7th, 2012
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/7057853/Two-prisoners-escape-jail
Does Serco run Waikeria Prison?
~snort~.
Government doesn’t care about child poverty
We all know that poverty and especially childhood poverty is a terrible thing. Nobody can really argue with the moral case for reducing poverty, but there’s also a good economical argument for reducing childhood poverty as well…
No, it’s not – for goodness sake, it’s inaccurate, but nasty and vicious? Greens get over yourselves!
I wouldn’t mind if they were watermelons, but they’re much worse. GReen on the outside, pretending to a slight shade of pink under the rind, hiding the deep blue and the ACT yellow that’s really just below the surface…
Like the Environment Group at Auckland Uni in the 80s – comprising 100% middle and upper class kiddies, with the born to rule mentality that goes with it, and the disdain for the lower classes – unless those lower people are a nice shade of brown, in which case, patronise away!