Open mike 10/11/2019

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, November 10th, 2019 - 99 comments
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99 comments on “Open mike 10/11/2019 ”

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  1. joe90 1
    10 November 2019 at 9:24 am

    Class and grace.

    During a rally in Charlotte, N.C., this Friday, 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg drew thunderous applause after shutting down a heckler who interrupted her speech.

    “I think if you want to speak with me personally, maybe you can do it later,” Thunberg said before the crowd broke into cheers and chants of her name.

    The heckler, who can be heard off camera yelling an unintelligible screed, seemed to back off after Thunberg called her out.

    Watch the moment below. The relevant portion begins at about the 4:30 mark of the video:

    https://deadstate.org/greta-thunberg-fires-back-at-heckler-if-you-want-to-speak-to-me-personally-we-can-do-it-later/

    • One Two 1.1
      10 November 2019 at 1:38 pm

      Greta must have had an appendix provided as mandatory part of each stage managed talk she's involved in now.

      how to respond ad hoc off script.

      Greta is being used as a human shield. The adults and corporates behind her are clearly identifiable.

      While you’re providing recs to watch your hero in action. I'm sure you can also locate the vids where she clearly had no script and was unable to mount a coherent response to simple questions.

      Easy to locate Joe. I'm sure you know the vids I'm referring to.

      • Macro 1.1.1
        10 November 2019 at 2:01 pm

        🙄

      • marty mars 1.1.2
        10 November 2019 at 2:03 pm

        rubbish – Greta is a hero and you are just envious. She is very brave to stick to the science when her haters just want to attack her personally – weak little humans her enemies are

      • Andre 1.1.3
        10 November 2019 at 2:07 pm

        Gee One Two, for us readers that aren't following Thunberg as closely as you and you think joe90 are, how about providing actual links instead of vague insinuations?

        • Climaction 1.1.3.1
          10 November 2019 at 5:28 pm

          One two believes Greta thunburg is a personification of why you don’t vaccinate

          • Andre 1.1.3.1.1
            10 November 2019 at 5:57 pm

            That's just barely scratching the surface of one Two's interesting beliefs. Trust me.

            • Climaction 1.1.3.1.1.1
              10 November 2019 at 6:16 pm

              Facebooks most valuable customer 9/10 months this year

              • David Mac …
                10 November 2019 at 6:25 pm

                If you're looking for a weak person, look for someone that is slapping Greta.

                Those that want to strike the messenger have no reply for the message.

                She's a kid saying "Please take a close look at this."

                We should.

                • One Two …
                  10 November 2019 at 7:27 pm

                  More a case of progressive identity crisis IMO, David.

                  For those who are watching on, indeed cheering on while a child is used by adults and is backed by large corporate industry.

                  I would agree that those who aim disapproval at Greta, are pointing in the wrong direction.

                  Listening to an exploited kid on an issue as complex and important as this, witnessing as 'policy' is coerced out by staging of the message, is simply a reflection of how far gone we are.

              • One Two …
                10 November 2019 at 7:35 pm

                You should avoid speculating on what you reckon my beliefs are, Climaction.

                I don’t recognise your handle. Been commenting here long?

                • Climaction …
                  11 November 2019 at 9:08 am

                  Long enough….

                  to know how to use the search function.

                  something you could do with google to provide even a shred of evidence Greta is a lizard person

                  now boyan slant, there is a climate hero

    • Adrian Thornton 1.2
      10 November 2019 at 5:47 pm

      Great conversation had here on the elephant in the room…

      The Center Cannot Hold Off Climate Catastrophe

      https://www.truthdig.com/articles/the-center-cannot-hold-off-climate-catastrophe/

  3. Ad 3
    10 November 2019 at 9:46 am

    In Seattle, the Amazon-backed candidate loses and the socialist wins.

    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/nov/09/seattle-amazon-kshama-sawant-socialist-elections

    Go the underdog.

  4. Incognito 4
    10 November 2019 at 10:45 am

    Racist attitudes 'whitewashed' modern philosophy. What can be done to change it?

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-10/modern-philosophical-canon-has-always-been-pretty-whitewashed/11678314

    Food for thought contemplation.

  5. Sacha 5
    10 November 2019 at 10:46 am

    On Nat candidate Luxon's evangelical church: http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/2019/11/chosen-to-rule-what-sort-of-christian.html

    It is, therefore, disingenuous (to say the least) for Luxon to present his evangelical convictions as having relevance only to himself and the congregation of the Upper Room Church to which he belongs. The very name of his faith community argues against this claim.

    The “Upper Room” mentioned in the gospels is the room to which Jesus and his disciples repaired on the night of his arrest. In biblical tradition, it is the location of Christ’s last supper. The Upper Room thus represents the ignition-point of the chain of events that led to Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. It was Christianity’s first church: Ground Zero, if you like, for Jesus’s universal mission. In the Messiah’s own words:

    Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

    Does that sound like a private matter? Was the Upper Room really nothing more than the venue for a catered meal for Jesus of Nazareth and a few close friends?

    • joe90 6.2
      10 November 2019 at 2:05 pm

      He's tRump sans the racism.

      https://twitter.com/federicca/status/1192593117708509190

      He opposes legalizing marijuana and criminal justice reform; used the "gateway drug" argument.

      He's against investing in tech education in public schools because -get this- "we invest in computers and then they're used for porn and to plagiarize homework" , verbatim.

      I could spend a whole thread just on this but there's more to cover.

      He's against minimum wage and regulation around income and aid for poor Americans who have to hold several jobs just to make ends meet

      Literally said "you can't train people to do tech jobs, they're just not wired that way" when asked about tech education to mitigate job loss because of AI advances

      He ranted for several minutes about younger generations wanting to retire (?) and how that makes things hard on the economy #okboomer

      at some point said "women all of a sudden have opportunities now" so there are 2 bread winners in every family…

      Sorry Mike, ALL OF A SUDDEN?

      And finally, he said "we need to go back to how things were done in Clinton days, when he'd get 3 democrats, 3 Republicans and take them golfing, then go lock themselves in a room, close the door, smoke cigars and make all the decisions" (all men implied)

      In conclusion, pls don't.

      https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1192593117708509190.html

  7. Anne 7
    10 November 2019 at 11:21 am

    I've been as critical of Barry Soper as much as anyone else here in the past, but this time he's right on the money over the Winston Peters over-payment saga:

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12283407

    I refer in particular to this segment:

    But in all of this sorry saga the issue wouldn't have arisen if the public service hadn't alerted the politicians under the no surprises convention.

    How a pension over payment to Winston Peters would have impacted on their portfolios a month out from an election, which is the reason for telling them, is ridiculous.

    Providing salacious information to his political opponents, at the height of the election campaign, was like loading a rifle and handing it to them to fire.

    • lprent 7.1
      10 November 2019 at 11:42 am

      That is my view as well. This was an overtly political act of attempted electoral sabotage. Most likely from within the National party or its staffers. It is unlikely to have been public service staff in MSD etc. They would have known full well that it was a criminal offense for them to expose this information.

      I suspect that it was also politically idiotic. It probably didn’t do much good in diminishing the NZ First vote, and we have seen remarkably similar tactics used before. It was very obvious what was going on.

      If anything, it probably helped the NZ First vote, as the only people who’d have been irate about it were already National voters.

      It made it pretty damn sure that the NZ First politicians had vivid memories of dealing with untrustworthy arseholes in 1998 and 2008 when it came to coalition talks. Even the NZF MPs who’d been leaning towards a National coalition would have been aghast at the level of political cynicism that it displayed. Who’d want to deal with a party with fuckwits like that in it.

    • weka 7.2
      10 November 2019 at 6:39 pm

      What's the point being made there? That the staffers shouldn't have told their CEs?

      • Anne 7.2.1
        10 November 2019 at 7:31 pm

        No. That the MSD and SSC chiefs should not have told the two ministers. The pension over-payment to Winston Peters had no impact on their portfolio responsibilities so there was no requirement to tell them.

        The leak came from National within 24 hrs of Jacinda Ardern becoming the leader of the Labour Party. That was no coincidence.

        • weka 7.2.1.1
          10 November 2019 at 8:33 pm

          the timing aside, I can't tell what is reasonable re CEs telling the Ministers because I don't know how this compares to other situations.

          • Anne 7.2.1.1.1
            10 November 2019 at 9:21 pm

            Since there was no necessity for the CEOs to advise their ministers of an operational matter such as an over-payment to another parliamentarian then why did they tell the ministers? Doing it only a few weeks before a general election makes it worse.

            If on the other hand they had information which would impact on the ability of the ministers to carry out their portfolio responsibilities then it is incumbent on them to tell the ministers. The over-payment was not one of them.

            No matter how they dress it up, it had to be a politically motivated action on the part of the CEOs concerned.

            • Sacha 7.2.1.1.1.1
              10 November 2019 at 9:28 pm

              Or they did not trust their own agency's staff to avoid blabbing to the media, and their Minister to be blindsided by that. The subsequent inquiry showed that would not have been not a valid belief.

              Oh and I’d welcome the ‘no surprises’ policy being consigned to the rubbish bin of history. Toxic.

              • Anne …
                10 November 2019 at 10:16 pm

                So, they preferred someone from National leaking it rather than a public servant. Yes, it's possible.

                Oh what a tangled web…………………..

  8. A 8
    10 November 2019 at 12:36 pm

    How the heck am I still alive? Just luck I guess, and the fact the 2011 earthquake hit Christchurch instead of Wellington. I was in an office in the Terrace at the time.

    I wonder if that BNZ/State building (Aon) is affected…always had a dodgy feel going down there.

    • Molly 8.1
      10 November 2019 at 5:57 pm

      There was an anecdote from Tim Shadbolt many years ago, when he was talking about working on building sites in Auckland. IIRC, it went along the lines of:

      … when pouring the structural concrete into the forms around the rebar, sometimes it would take so long to get the mixed concrete to the upper floors it had started setting. Because they didn't use vibrating wands back then, it was only when they removed the forms that they realised that there were big voids in the pour. So, they packed the voids and plastered them over.

      From my recollection, he said that many multi-towered builds in Auckland at that time had problems with the concrete structure.

      This is from so long ago, I can't remember if I read it, but I have a feeling it was a radio interview.

  9. marty mars 9
    10 November 2019 at 12:54 pm

    Something very strange about this story – certainly got the anti 1080's energised – post after post after link on facecloth.

    Dog owners are being warned to keep their pets off Westport beaches after hundreds of rats washed up there yesterday.

    The Department of Conservation said they may be victims of a recent 1080 drop 140km away in the Lewis Pass National Reserve.

    …Doc Western South Island operations director Mark Davies said while it was possible the rats could have come from a recent 1080 drop, reports of dead fish and birds, along with the rats, were not consistent with the way 1080 was understood to work.

    https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/west-coast/warning-after-rats-wash-westport-beaches

    • Matiri 9.1
      10 November 2019 at 1:28 pm

      Very strange indeed as some of the rat carcasses look like pet rats rather than bush rats.

      • Graeme 9.1.1
        10 November 2019 at 1:36 pm

        Council poison operation at the dump? Escapee pet rat went out with the rubbish and set up and interbred with the locals….

        • weka 9.1.1.1
          10 November 2019 at 5:29 pm

          Don't think the offspring would stay white over generations though. I wondered if they'd lost their hair in the river.

          • joe90 9.1.1.1.1
            10 November 2019 at 5:39 pm

            Pretty much everything washes up bald if they've been in the tide long enough.

          • Andre 9.1.1.1.2
            10 November 2019 at 5:40 pm

            Yep, corpses in rivers often lose patches of hair. If those rat corpses truly come from over 100km up the Buller river, I'd be a little surprised there aren't reports of rat corpses lining the riverbanks all the way down. Corpses of other animals are a fairly common sight on riverbanks after floods.

          • Graeme 9.1.1.1.3
            10 November 2019 at 7:22 pm

            Modern landfill and waste management practices mean that most people don't get to observe the rats, cats and other wildlife at the dump any more. You get some interesting hybrid rats, occurrence sort of in line with popularity of pet rats at the time, and some pretty flash cats. They stow away in a rubbish bag or wheelie bin and away they go. The surviving cats usually make their way home but the rats become part of the local population. We're near a bridge between our dump and town and have a cat a month pass through.

            • weka 9.1.1.1.3.1
              10 November 2019 at 8:37 pm

              I see lots of dumped cats in odd places too (unbelievably people take cats out to the bush to dump them).

              Totally believe there are hybrid rats out there, but I think interbreeding won't yield pure white offspring.

              I saw a pure black rabbit in the wild the other day, which was pretty cool.

              • Graeme …
                10 November 2019 at 9:54 pm

                Hmmm, just learnt something. Pet, or fancy rats are usually Rattus norvegicus, which can be locally rare in NZ, generally Rattus Rattus is dominant, although there could be a population at the Westport dump. So, if a population became established, say at Westport dump after they stowed away in a household's rubbish, they would become self sustaining, rather than interbreed with the locals. Also from that link, "Rats are pets that are allowed in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Harry Potter series." Which would have given a recent surge in popularity. R. Rattus can be domesticated too but doesn't have white forms.

                Black rabbits are cool, there's a population near us that does the odd black one, and they don't seem to move far from their home.

    • Graeme 9.2
      10 November 2019 at 1:30 pm

      Sounds more like Brodifacoum than 1080 to have birds and fish associated. But wave action will sort flotsam by density, whether that's rocks, gold or dead things, so quite natural for all the dead things that got washed down the river in a fresh to get washed up on the same bit of beach.

      Probably went something like a rat poisoning operation up a nearby river, animals would seek water when they are dying and die within flood zone, a good rain after a good dry period, dead things get washed down river and up onto beach.

      BTW, brodifacoum is probably nastier than 1080 as it hangs around for a very long time, 3 year exclusion for game animal recovery .

      • marty mars 9.2.1
        10 November 2019 at 1:39 pm

        Surprised no one has owned up yet because it looks like a bit of a win against the rats – I suppose the tests will show which poison got them – your scenario makes sense to me.

        • Stuart Munro. 9.2.1.1
          10 November 2019 at 2:17 pm

          There's a line in the story that reeks of spin:

          reports of dead fish and birds, along with the rats, were not consistent with the way 1080 is understood to work

          They assume the rats are 1080 kills, but have to pretend it is not responsible for contemporaneous bird kills.

          • marty mars 9.2.1.1.1
            10 November 2019 at 2:23 pm

            I though the fish and birds fed on the rats and that killed them – toxicology tests will hopefully help clarify in this regard

            • Stuart Munro. 9.2.1.1.1.1
              10 November 2019 at 2:26 pm

              They may have, 1080 is quite broad spectrum – originally an insecticide after all.

          • Andre 9.2.1.1.2
            10 November 2019 at 2:31 pm

            Hmmm, they were found on North Beach, the Westport rubbish dump is right next to the lagoon that meets the sea at one end of North Beach, brodifacoum makes its victims very thirsty, 1080 doesn't. Brodifacoum is also very toxic to birds and fish, 1080 is less toxic to birds and fish than to mammals. I reckon Graeme's probably onto it with his comments above.

            • Stuart Munro. 9.2.1.1.2.1
              10 November 2019 at 2:43 pm

              Could well be true – but it's more a matter of what's in use nearby than relative toxicity. The pellets used to kill a possum of up to 4kg will always suffice to kill a kea of up to 1kg. Stuff provisionally attributes the kill to 1080, though carcasses are being collected for testing – we shall find out eventually.

          • McFlock 9.2.1.1.3
            10 November 2019 at 5:22 pm

            They assumed nothing. "may have".

            Basically, they go "there are all these dead rats. Poison would be likely, as predators eat the rats. We did a poison drop a hundred miles away, it might be that, but other factors which I have not seen directly are inconsistent with our poison drop."

  10. marty mars 10
    10 November 2019 at 1:01 pm

    This is so stupid imo – keeping good relations? wtf?

    Miro had decided not to release incriminating footage of the cat in the interest of keeping good relations with its owners.

    ok what has this cat done

    The lone tabby has been caught on camera by volunteers of the Mainland Island Restoration Organisation (Miro) raiding banded dotterel nests for the second consecutive breeding season at an Eastbourne colony – the species' only breeding site inside Wellington Harbour.

    The cat has decimated seven nests so far this season by eating eggs and killing chicks.

    It is the same cat that last year destroyed all the Eastbourne colony's nests, said Miro committee member Parker Jones.

    …Banded dotterels carry the same nationally vulnerable conservation status as the great spotted kiwi and whio, or blue duck, but miss out when it comes to conservation funding, Jones said.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/117263362/lone-tabby-on-its-way-to-wiping-out-second-generation-of-dotterels

    • McFlock 10.1
      10 November 2019 at 5:27 pm

      Between hedgehogs and cats, sounds like the dotteral area needs a guard with a BB gun.

      Who has authority to do pest control on that area?

      • weka 10.1.1
        10 November 2019 at 5:32 pm

        Pretty sure it's against the law to shoot domestic cats.

          • arkie 10.1.1.1.1
            10 November 2019 at 5:40 pm

            Also a cat isn't counted as property in the same way a dog is, largely because you don't have to register them.

            • joe90 10.1.1.1.1.1
              10 November 2019 at 5:45 pm

              A neighbouring bird fancier killed damned nearly every cat in the street. And as they were on his property he did so legally, too.

              • arkie …
                10 November 2019 at 5:57 pm

                I remember an old fella in CHCH that would kill any cat seen in his tiny veggie garden, and he wasn't shy about announcing it.

            • weka 10.1.1.1.1.2
              10 November 2019 at 7:02 pm

              This suggests there are still legal issues with killing someone else's cat,

              That said, a person who harms another’s companion animal could still face both criminal and civil liability.
              Oddly, knowingly threatening to kill or injure an animal carries a maximum penalty of 3 years’ imprisonment under s307 of the Crimes Act 1961 whereas actually killing an animal carries a maximum penalty of 3 months’ imprisonment or a fine not exceeding $2000 under s11 of the Summary Offences Act 1981 (under which the animal would likely be considered ‘property’). However, in any event, harming another person’s animal may attract criminal liability under s269(2)(b) of the Crimes Act 1961, which prohibits “intentionally or recklessly and without claim of right destroying or damaging any property with intent to […] cause loss to any other person.” This section carries a maximum penalty of 7 years’ imprisonment.

              http://nzala.org/when-your-animal-is-harmed/

          • weka 10.1.1.1.2
            10 November 2019 at 6:56 pm

            That doesn't say it's legal to kill someone else's cat.

        • McFlock 10.1.1.2
          10 November 2019 at 5:50 pm

          I know dogs are specifically alowed to be shot under the dog control act. At the very least, there would be a defense of property excuse for cats.

          Or announce a poison drop in the nesting area – even if there's no poison, that'll make the owners control their moggy.

          Normally I'm not too worried about cats, but this is an endangered species.

          • weka 10.1.1.2.1
            10 November 2019 at 6:54 pm

            There was another case reported recently with endangered sea birds (not sure if same species). The kills were mainly from feral cats in an area where there were also house cats. The story was that they were having trouble killing the feral cats because of the house cats. This is not a hugely difficult problem to solve (eg have shooting nights twice a month that the community knows in advance is happening). So before we get to the locking cats up thing, maybe we should look at the range of solutions available and what is appropriate to each situation.

            Locking cats up is pretty difficult for many people. I couldn't do it with mine. Think the number of people that have kids and an indoor/outdoor life where doors and windows are left open routinely. Not only is it cruel to lock up cats that are used to being outside, it's a really big ask to expect people to change their lives that much.

            It seems reasonable to establish cat free areas over time, using natural attrition to achieve that, where there is a high need. But that one cat isn't responsible for that species being endangered and there's a fair amount of hypocrisy in NZ over this issue, where cats are seen as an easy target but we still want to keep on with our habitat destroying ways and not put money into predator fencing or paying people to do ground control.

            • McFlock 10.1.1.2.1.1
              10 November 2019 at 7:45 pm

              So we let it wipe out the colony because muffy is an outdoor cat?

              • weka …
                10 November 2019 at 8:28 pm

                no, get better strategies than reactionary 'lock up your cats'.

                • weka …
                  10 November 2019 at 8:30 pm

                  or actually more like, get better strategies rather than hand wringing about cats. The other case is a clear example of the problem being humans. Probably this one too. Generic locking up the cats is the lazy arse approach.

                  • McFlock …
                    11 November 2019 at 12:06 pm

                    Except in this case a particular cat is the main threat. So what are the "better strategies" in this specific case?

                    • weka …
                      11 November 2019 at 12:23 pm

                      Strategy would depend on that particular situation and none of us here know what that is. eg what is the owner like? What's the relationship between the owner and the conservationists?

                      What's the distance between the house and the nesting site? Is the nesting site amenable to a predator fence?

                      Lots of things to take into account.

                      The better strategies comment was to point to the problem of knee-jerk 'lock the cats up'. If that one cat gets locked up and nothing else changes what happens to the birds when a feral cat or other wild predator turns up?

                    • McFlock …
                      11 November 2019 at 1:43 pm

                      well, the feral ones can be shot.

                    • weka []
                      11 November 2019 at 1:50 pm

                      is that happening? As I said elsewhere in the thread, in the other recent situation about beach nesting birds, they weren’t controlling the feral cats because of the house cats. That’s not a hard situation to fix, so why aren’t we? I think the whole anti-cat thing is a problem and we should instead be looking at how cat owners and conservationists can work together in the context of better planning. Also mentioned was the hypocrisy. NZ loves to love its birds, but we are still actually quite bad at land management for that.

                    • McFlock …
                      11 November 2019 at 3:13 pm

                      Given that they're filming the nest, another option would be to watch the cat kill a chick and charge the owners with killing a protected species because of their negligence. That'll filter out the domestic cats really quickly.

                    • weka []
                      11 November 2019 at 5:44 pm

                      I’m sensing a fair degree of cat antipathy (or apathy) rather than a strong commitment to good conservation design. One problem with this approach is that it will lessen support for conservation among cat owners (who are legion and passionate) and we already have too much vegan, anti-predator control culture on the rise as it is.

                    • McFlock …
                      11 November 2019 at 6:48 pm

                      I'm a fan of systemic, nuanced approaches at a broad level.

                      But this is a specific colony that might not exist in a couple of years due in no small part to specific, identified, individual animals with known owners.

                      To me, this discussion is like a kid in ED with a grossly infected cut. Sure, we can and should look at preventing injuries and providing equitable access to primary healthcare. That might be very useful and could help many children in the future. But right now this kid needs debriding, cleaning and antibiotics as soon as possible (barring any contraindications).

          • greywarshark 10.1.1.2.2
            10 November 2019 at 7:41 pm

            Cats used to be classed as wild animals, unable to be trained. Whereas dogs are trainable and there is onus then on the owner to train and control them, apart from being able to be shot if found on anyone's farm.

            • McFlock 10.1.1.2.2.1
              10 November 2019 at 7:49 pm

              interesting

            • Sacha 10.1.1.2.2.2
              10 November 2019 at 9:14 pm

              It takes a while for cats to train their humans.

              • McFlock …
                11 November 2019 at 12:09 pm

                lolna. Had to feed a friend's cat last weekend. There was some food outside for it on the washing machine, but it was looking like it couldn't get up that high so I found a low table and shifted his food and water to that.

                Apparently he was just being lazy and I fell for it hook, line, and sinker. I was vary quick to be trained 🙂

  11. Andre 11
    10 November 2019 at 1:53 pm

    More things to make you go hmmmm. Bannon, Stone, Wikileaks and probably Trump lies under oath to Mueller …

    https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/11/steve-bannon-says-trump-team-saw-roger-stone-as-access-point-to-assange/

  12. joe90 12
    10 November 2019 at 1:53 pm

    Home?

    These things will find their way to the KSA.

    U.S.-Turkish relations have plunged to a new nadir. In the past month, a senior Republican senator has suggested suspending Turkey’s membership in the NATO alliance, while the secretary of state implied a readiness to use military force against America’s wayward ally. In these circumstances, U.S. nuclear weapons have no business in Turkey. It is time to bring them home.

    https://nationalinterest.org/blog/middle-east-watch/its-time-get-us-nukes-out-turkey-92081

  13. joe90 13
    10 November 2019 at 3:25 pm

    Nope, not a cutesy video of a beluga playing fetch.

    It's probably former captive Hvaldimir, who's thought to have escaped a Russian military program.

    Hvaldimir is alone, malnourished, injured, and roams the seas looking for food and attention from people.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hvaldimir

    • marty mars 13.1
      10 November 2019 at 3:41 pm

      sums it up –

      whale playing fetch = fake news

      whale escaped from military facility = true news

      dirty humans

  14. marty mars 14
    10 November 2019 at 5:02 pm

    shit's getting real

    A towering Baby Trump protest balloon was knifed and deflated by someone unhappy with its appearance during Donald Trump’s Saturday trip to Alabama, organisers said.

    …The orange, diaper-clad, cellphone-clutching caricature of the president is often taken to Trump appearances as a way to protest against him.

    …Robert Kennedy, a volunteer “baby sitter” who brought the balloon to Tuscaloosa, said the balloon immediately began to sag after it was cut.

    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/nov/10/baby-trump-balloon-stabbed-and-deflated-at-alabama-protest

  15. xanthe 15
    10 November 2019 at 6:37 pm

    https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/8/28/17789510/bike-cycling-netherlands-dutch-infrastructure

    This is a really good read about how they make cycling work in the netherlands (and they don't wear helmets !)

  16. Eco maori 16
    12 November 2019 at 8:25 am

    Kia Ora 1 News.

    We need all the money we can spear to mitigate Global Warming. Wasting money on moving the Port of Auckland up North is dumb. They should go with the most economic choices move more fright to Tauranga and more up North and keep the Auckland port going I think is the best model

    '' I "" if you don't Wai Te tipu tipu they won't grow up to their best potential.

    Our honest Scientists have been predicting that Reality for the last 20 years it good that the Australian authorities are planning ahead and evacuating Te tangata

    Yes Te Mama great contributions to our society need to be recognised and honoured.

    The toxic people are the ones harassing Eco Maori.

    Ka kite Ano

  17. Eco maori 17
    12 November 2019 at 1:42 pm

    We have to change the way we behave and minimise our carbon usage immediately the sooner we start the less disruptive it will be to the way we live. The longer we take to act the more drastic targets we will have to set in reducing our carbon footprint.

    Cutting the speed of ships has huge benefits for humans, nature and the climate, according to a new report.

    A 20% reduction would cut greenhouse gases but also curb pollutants that damage human health such as black carbon and nitrogen oxides.

    This speed limit would cut underwater noise by 66% and reduce the chances of whale collisions by 78%.

    UN negotiators will meet in London this week to consider proposals to curb maritime speeds.

    Ships, of all sorts and sizes, transport around 80% of the world's goods by volume. However they are also responsible for a significant portion of global greenhouse emissions thanks to the burning of fuel.

    Shipping generates roughly 3% of the global total of warming gases – that's roughly the same quantity as emitted by Germany.

    While shipping wasn't covered by the Paris climate agreement, last year the industry agreed to cut emissions by 50% by 2050 compared to 2008 levels

    Ka kite Ano link below.

    https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/science-environment-50348321

  18. Eco maori 18
    12 November 2019 at 3:41 pm

    While I was farming I noticed to that in summer the grass growth was fast in the shade. I posted a story thee other day that makes a good case to have solar panels mounted 7 foot high on wooden poles and wooden frames it great logic

    Renewable Energy Gives Farmers Another Reason To Love It

    As if the case for renewable energy needs any more making, along comes a new study showing that wind and solar power are good for the water table and they could help farmers survive periods of drought, too. That’s especially big news for California. The state has suffered through a series of droughts, leading to unsustainable use of its underground water resources by farmers and other users. But wait, there’s a weird hydropower angle in there, too Ka kite Ano link below.

    https://cleantechnica.com/2019/11/11/renewable-energy-gives-farmers-another-reason-to-love-it/amp/

  19. Eco maori 19
    12 November 2019 at 6:29 pm

    Kia Ora 1 News.

    Hopefully the School reform will improve the education for all tamariki but especially the lower classes.

    All the big construction projects should that are planned should help businesses confidence in Aotearoa.

    Ka kite Ano

  20. Eco maori 20
    12 November 2019 at 6:51 pm

    Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News

    The Whakatane Council is just flickering the buck they are the ones who made a mess of the election process.

    I agree with Te Wahine Maori Mana is being down trodden and that has a negative effect on people I see it everywhere in Aotearoa times are changing for the better Ma Te Wa.

    Its great to see people getting confidence to help other people less fortunate than them.

    I think that the chances to our schools will help lift all tangata whenua tamariki and Pacific tamariki climb higher up their ladders of life.

    Good call my Tamariki used to paddle in Horouta waka aka club I think that they deserve some recognition they have been cleaning up for years now.

    Ka kite Ano

  21. Eco maori 21
    12 November 2019 at 6:58 pm

    I say our native bat's needs to be saved we have to save there habitants and invest in their protection in Waikato they are our Taonga build those whare for them to.

    Ka kite Ano

  22. Eco maori 22
    13 November 2019 at 8:35 am

    Kia Ora Breakfast.

    The Kiwi hatching are cute Aotearoa was the whenua of the Titi.

    All the new infrastructure spends needs to have goals of lowering our carbon footprint.

    The new laws of the miscarriage of justices being sent back to the courts by a commission is great it will save innocent tangata being locked up.

    All our tamariki need to feel and be safe at school.

    Insurances are sold to Te tangata with the myths that the many paying premium spreads the risk for the cost of a desaster on the shoulder of the many but reality is they cheery pick the risk. They put profits before Te tangata wellbeing.

    Ka kite Ano

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  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

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  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
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  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
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  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

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  • Tobacco First

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  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
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  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
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  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
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  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
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    1 day ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
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    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
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    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
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  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
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  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
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  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
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  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
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    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
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    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
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    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
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    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
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  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
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    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
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    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
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    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

    The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
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    4 days ago
  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

    Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.    “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024.  “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane.    “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says.   “This will be our third visit to ...
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    4 days ago
  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

    Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

    New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
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    4 days ago
  • Students’ needs at centre of new charter school adjustments

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Commissioner replaces Health NZ Board

    In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.  “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
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    5 days ago
  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

    Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum.  While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation.  “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan.  “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
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    5 days ago
  • Oceans and Fisheries Minister to Solomons

    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government launches Military Style Academy Pilot

    The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Nine priority bridge replacements to get underway

    The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Update on global IT outage

    Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New Zealand, Japan renew Pacific partnership

    New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.    “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New infrastructure energises BOP forestry towns

    New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • 'Pacific Futures'

    President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests.    Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone.    Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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