Hope in change? Recession welcomed as a harbinger?
Look without reference to reality, kiwis can hope that our gracious new landed gentry are able to stay afloat and invoke the great spectre of limited socialism (only the rich need apply).
We live in a stupid time, when our young males look back to an age of oil in awe, revel in noisy hot rodding hooning.
Truly when has a youth fad ever been so backward looking? The sounds of noisy fluttering cars a sign of a crazy end of cannibalistic capitalism, or the start of something much darker?
I once read somewhere that the noisier the car and the more accessories it had generally pointed to the fact the young man in question was lucking out in the suitor stakes.
Yes luva, I have been wondering about the obsession on this blog at painting the situation downwards rather than positive or neutral comments to help the country out of the recession. On the other hand people here are simply writing to those of like mind rather than having any effect on the majority who are confident of recovery.
Talking confidently without any assessment of reality, in some hope that if we ignore reality it will get better.
Fact is Queensland farming has come to a halt, food prices are rising, that takes money out of indebted homeowners already desperate to save their home from being defaulted on, so where’s the gloom coming from, why would people worry if the world came out of recession and demand of oil sent prices back to $140? Can’t imagine.
Wingnut theme of the day is if anyone says this Government is stuffing things up then they are being “negative” and want to see the country fail.
Lets all hold hands and sing Kumbaya and dance and revell in the magnificence that is the leadership of John Key and just wait for nirvana which is just around the corner, it will be here soon, promise …
Reminds me of the reply I received when I was being proactive in some street appeal – ‘ff God didn’t want this to happen then he would act – so I don’t feel I
should interfere’. So let’s sit back and let’s leave the God-like deities running the government to do their will and impose it on us – Our’s not to reason why, ours but to do or ?
The whole thing is well worth a read, but relevant here is criticism of the new cult of ‘positive psychology’, which has had a powerful influence internationally.
Quote: “Other notable critics include authors Chris Hedges and Barbara Ehrenreich, both of who say the practice has thrived in the corporate world where the refusal to consider negative outcomes resulted in the current economic crisis.
Hedges, author of the book “Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle,” wrote, “positive psychology, which claims to be able to engineer happiness and provides the psychological tools for enforcing corporate conformity, is to the corporate state what eugenics was to the Nazis.”
“Positive psychology is a quack science that throws a smoke screen over corporate domination, abuse and greed,” Hedges said. “Those who fail to exhibit positive attitudes, no matter the external reality, are seen as maladjusted and in need of assistance. Their attitudes need correction.”
“There was no option to avoid the questions, leaving our atheist soldiers to wonder if their beliefs are tolerated in today’s increasingly religious Army,” he said.
Eeeep 🙁
One of the things about The Handmaid’s Tale I found believable was the religious aspect where the US had turned into a theocracy.
Draco, the US has always been a theocracy in one way or another from the time of the Pilgrims and many of the beliefs and norms, like Papal dogma, have calcified the whole society to the point where I think it will take a mighty revolution to change anything.
The Handmaid’s Tale will come to pass in the US or something eerily close to it and any woman who has read it knows how important it is to fight against any assault on women’s rights. Atwood’s ‘Oryx and Crake’ is also very instructive about adhereing to the status quo.
NACT’s happy, clappy optimistic bullshit and insistence that people toe the line or they’re not real NZers needs to be painted for what it is, propaganda.
I feel an overwhelming need to go and get a T shirt saying National = Nihilism because they have shown they are amoral and regard for anyone not in their coterie as expendable.
justsaying – I put the question mark because I wasn’t sure what the outcomes of doing nothing, thinking little, questioning never and positing negative outcomes outlawed, would be. Die was a bit extreme, but one can die from a thousand cuts so it could be a suitable word for the outcome.
just saying – When you say that the selection of words might trigger the anti-spam one it makes me think of talking computers with minds of their own – did you watch Red Dwarf who had Holly and then some bald guy. They reminded us that computers are people too! A flight of fancy, or is it?
I’m afraid I’m the ultimate sceptic on the anti-spam . I reckon the list of words from which the antispam word is generated, is loaded with words like ‘dirty’ or ‘anger’ or ‘likely’ …etc. that could be applicable to the content of a number of different kinds of discussions.
Completely agree that computers are people with minds of their own, though! Have only ever seen bits of red dwarf on the interweb. Wish I’d been able to catch the series.
The anti-spam this time is ‘winter’ and I was just saying to someone “it’s like winter today…”
[lprent: I bet you find significance in chicken entails as well…]
We usually get recoveries but I’m less certain that we will do so to the same degree as ‘usual’ this time globally. Quite simply we’re getting far too close to resource limits worldwide. You can see it happening every from food to fuel to some minerals. The basic world economy is going to have to go through an almighty transition over the next few decades. Those are never particularly easy.
The local issue is to do with this government keeping people out of work or more correctly not moving people into work. If you talk to anyone who had to suffer the same idiotic neglect by National in the 1990’s especially with youth unemployment, you’ll find why this is such an issue. It causes a drag effect on the whole economy because a large group get caught in a subsistence trap without the resources to move or retrain. Similarly they don’t do anything to help with making investment capital available to get new businesses off the ground – again a feature of their 1990’s strategy. Both lead to prolonged recessions.
Of course National is well known for being dumb enough to try any failing strategy more than once. But it is why we’ll find that the recession is likely to drag on for quite some time.
We won’t get a recovery unless we address the serious inequality that presently pervades our society and make plans for the oncoming reduction in oil products availability.
Of course National is well known for being dumb enough to try any failing strategy more than once.
They’re conservatives – they always look to the failures of the past as solutions for the future.
Recovery this time is going to be extremely slow, if at all. IMO not so much that we are running into resource constraints (although that is a factor). The main reason is that this recession is debt based. Even as asset values are wiped out the debt stays owing and does not change.
And all the multiple international bailouts have done is move where the debt problems reside (from private bank debt to public government debt), and made it worse. Because Governments have to honour public debt, whereas private institutions could simply fold and that debt would disappear. (Leaving many wealthy investors worse off of course…can’t have that can we).
As a comparison let me use the stockmarket crash of 1987 and also the tech crash of ~2000. Both were equity fueled crashes not debt fueled crashes. People had their portfolios wiped out sure, but after that point they didn’t have a $500K mortgage to work back up from. (Hmmm apart from the fools who leveraged to get into the market, of which there were a few, and they suffered the most). Within 3-4 years of those crashes things were humming along again quite OK because people were not burdened by huge debts – at those points.
Debt based crashes are insidious. The creditors sit in the background draining the remaining financial life blood out of those whose asset values have already been destroyed.
English and Key are stuffed if they are relying on a bounce back.
Actually, they don’t. Several governments have defaulted before including the US.
Debt based crashes are insidious. The creditors sit in the background draining the remaining financial life blood out of those whose asset values have already been destroyed.
Exactly and the reason why I kept saying that the best thing the governments of the world could do when the economy collapsed yet again from the actions of the psychopathic capitalists was to forgive all debt.
Interesting – when was the last time the US defaulted on a debt or treasury repayment. I’m thinking that it must have been pre-Civil War, and to the European bankers.
Big creditor nations like China, Japan, Germany, the petrostates, would never allow debt moratoria like you are talking about.
According to my Econ History class (can’t remember the book) it was in the Great Depression and, yes, it was to the Europeans. Wasn’t a major default, just a couple of end of year payments that couldn’t be met due to the collapse of the markets.
The point that everyone believes that countries cannot default is actually a major reason why I say that countries should never borrow at interest. If there’s no risk for the lender then interest should not be paid.
This is more like the long depression of the late 19th century.
The great depression was a social mismatch of having huge energy surpluses and dependable ongoing supply.
Now we have a problem of shrinking energy surpluses, and switch to higher priced energy.
I suppose much like the Long depression when populations grew from health advances (sewage systems) yet the society energy increases weren’t keeping up.
This time its more like the market will slowly kick out the higher energy practices that harm individuals and the economy. So individuals will cut back car use, switch to public transport, car sharing, car pooling. Similar business that use a lot of energy and produce product the market does not want to pay the premium for.
We’ve been hit by a wave of speculation that ran up financial asset values off unrealized potential profits, and now the real assets are the gold standard, owning a home, having tradable skills, etc.
Garden-fan Maggie obviously has to go for Botany – perhaps she couldn’t get a Labour nomination and had to settle for Nats. A mistake Maggie we thought your fine intellect would keep you away from these 19th century plunderers.
Anyone who listened to M.Barrie on the Naional Programme a way back would know that MB was a Tory through and through . She often gave a boost to the Nats and their friends. Unfortunatly its often later that one realises that once again the public radio/TV is full of Nats.
Spotted Baggy Mary (as she was known in our household in her RNZ days) on the cover of the xmas issue of the Womens Weekly when I was queueing in the supermarket last night. The strapline?
New Love for Maggie Barry at 50!
Surprisingly, it turns out it’s not Smile and Wave, but some lawyer.
Yep. The inevitable cost of writing posts about international affairs in a site that is getting increasing traffic. Same happened on my Marianne Ny post (from Europe) and on the posts that we do on international topics like climate change.
I don’t really care provided people don’t violate the policies and I have to expend effort in moderating. It just provides some cross-cultural discussion… 😈
Those who try to connect Sarah Palin and other political figures with whom they disagree to the shootings in Arizona use attacks on “rhetoric” and a “climate of hate” to obscure their own dishonesty in trying to imply responsibility where none exists. But the dishonesty remains.
To be clear, if you’re using this event to criticize the “rhetoric” of Mrs. Palin or others with whom you disagree, then you’re either: (a) asserting a connection between the “rhetoric” and the shooting, which based on evidence to date would be what we call a vicious lie; or (b) you’re not, in which case you’re just seizing on a tragedy to try to score unrelated political points, which is contemptible. Which is it?
No balance there Tiggs. Exactly the same argument can be levelled at Obama for his hate-speeches.
His turnout pitch to the Latinos was inflamatory and aggressive:
‘Get out there and “punish our enemies”’
Another pearl of wisdom from Obama:
“If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun.”
another:
“I don’t want to quell anger. I think people are right to be angry! I’m angry!”
and another:
“Punch back twice as hard.”
and another:
I want to know “whose ass to kick”
and:
“…I’m itching for a fight.”
Same deal – if Obama were a Muslim and said or done what he has then he would be in Guantanamo Bay by now… and he had the hypocricy to label Bush as a Cowboy!
“We know the manifestation of mental illness is affected by cultural factors,” Dr. Swartz said. “One’s cultural context does effect people’s thinking and particularly their delusions. It gives some content and shape to their delusions. While we don know whether there was a specific relationship between the political climate that he was exposed to and his thinking, it’s a reasonable line of inquiry to explore.”
Asked whether Loughner’s mental illness invalidated questions as to whether his behavior might have been partly caused by the political climate or by violent rhetoric and imagery, Dr. Swartz said it shouldn’t.
“Studying the cultural influences on people’s delusions or persecutory thinking, and looking at different aspects of culture and how they effect people’s behavior, is a legitmate area of inquiry,” Dr. Swartz said.
In other words, even if the shooter is a complete nut, we should be asking whether the tone of our political discourse might also have played a role in triggering the shooting — and if so, whether such a thing could happen again.
“vicious lie’. This is a further example of the ‘shouting, over-hyped’ rhetoric being discussed and dismissed as irrelevant to the shooting. Just saying lie, or better fabrication would have been sufficient to adequately express the thought, but no it has to be a white-hot comment ‘vicious lie’ said by the sort of people who call those with differing views ‘fucking morons’. Which happens on this blog from time to time. Cool it and think. Deep breaths and count to ten!
Or, here’s a totally radical concept, using explicit violent language in political “discourse” could just always be fucking offensive. Especially under present circumstances. Especially when the employers of said language themselves identified it as problematic by trying to scrub all trace of it from the internet once someone actually got shot.
It was interesting to read the RWNJ’s yesterday on “The widening Gap”, defending the wealthy. Of course the wealthy don’t spend their time on blogs – it’s the cloth caps that do their bidding for them.
So who were the heroes in the devastation that beset Canterbury last year?
Politically Key and Parker were the winners. But the heroes were the ones who had to be called upon to repair the basics and not the least of whom were the sewer workers. And I bet they are not in the $70,000 plus bracket. They know their station in life.
I see our Prime Minister has offered to send a team of firemen and others to assist in Queensland. Quite right too – we should be in there boots and all.
How many of the Business Round Table will be going? – nah they haven’t got the skills.
But when all the assistance is finished and life has returned to some normality the firemen will eventually go cap in hand to their masters for a cost of living payrise. And John Key will tell them through his ministers, that there ain’t no money. Strange thing that. One of life’s mysteries.
Science’s only defence; the only thing which gives it any importance or makes it any use at all, is that it works. When properly applied, it predicts actual events. The Queensland floods, as well as other such events, are happening as predicted, and anyone who tells you otherwise is either ignorant, or having you on, or both.
As the climate changes so the weather changes. Individual events aren’t being predicted but the overall changes are and those changes are happening.
We are going to be inudated with this coming Royal,Wedding/ .Already ,according o the Herald the Key Government is uncertain what wedding present we (sic) should send this priviledged couple.
Hell bell’s ! they have everything how about sending some help to places like Hiati . If the Royalist Key is keen on sending presents he should consider sending a donkey (no pun intended) through the Corso fund.
I cannot understand the hero worship of this priviledged rich couple ,what is it with these Royal worshipers.It’s even worse in the UK .This extravaganza is going to cost millions of pounds ,at a time when the UK is suffering a depression , millions out of work and benifits cut yet these same people will stand for hours to “glimse the happy couple.
Any one able to explain it?
Hero worship is, from what I can make out, totally irrational – especially when the people being worshipped aren’t actually heroes or anything spectacular. Probably why you see so much of it from the RWNJs.
As for a suitable gift from NZ: I think a plain note telling them that we’ve dropped the monarchy and become a republic would probably thrill them to bits.
Thoughts with the Queenslanders hopefully there’s no more loss of life – I thought NZ had a hard time of it last year but to have disastrous floods like this to start the year really is terrible.
To the Minister for Climate Change Denial.
Question: What does the minister attribute the Queensland floods to?
Minister for CCD: Blah, blah, blah, mumble, mumble, mumble.
Question: Will he acknowledge that the frequency of these extreme weather events are increasing globally?
Minister for CCD : Blah, blah, blah, mumble, mumble, mumble.
Question: If not, why not?
Minister for CCD: blah, blah…..
So ‘hs’ doesn’t care about the inevitable increase in deaths worldwide caused by Climate Change, and the lack of a global effort to radically reduce our Greenhouse gas (CO2) emissions?
A situation which to a large extent has been caused by people like John Boscawen.
The likely increase in deaths is something we’ll need to get used to, HS, because this sort of thing is going to be the norm from here on in. It really made me laugh a couple of weeks ago to hear the British Government threatening to fine airports who can’t keep runways ice free in the future. No thought to why it’s happening, just a knee jerk reaction to the temporary inconvenience caused to the passengers.
The Queensland floods, the drowning of New Orleans, the death of glaciers, the weird fluctuations in temperatures worldwide. All connected and I’ll be buggered if I’m going to trivialise the deaths in Toowoomba, Ipswich and Brisbane by not talking about why they died.
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Good morning all you lovely people. 🙂I woke up this morning, and it felt a bit like the last day of school. You might recall from earlier in the week that I’m heading home to Rotorua to see an old friend who doesn’t have much time. A sad journey, but ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on anything you may have missed. Street architecture adjustment, KolkataShare Read more ...
Despite fears that Trump presidency would be disastrous for progress on climate change, the topic barely rated a mention in the Presidential debate. Photo: Getty ImagesLong stories short, here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey ...
The abrupt cancellations and suspensions of Government spending also caused private sector hiring, spending, and investment to freeze up for the first six months of the year. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāThis week we learned:The new National/ACT/NZ First Coalition Government ignored advice from Treasury that it didn’t have to ...
Another week of The Rings of Power, season two, and another confirmation that things are definitely coming together for the show. The fifth Episode of season one represented the nadir of the series. Now? Amid the firmer footing of 2024, Episode Five represents further a further step towards excellent Tolkien ...
The background to In Open Seas: How the New Zealand Labour Government Went Wrong:2017-2023Not in Narrow Seas: The Economic History of Aotearoa New Zealand, published in 2020, proved more successful than either I or the publisher (VUP, now Te Herenga Waka University Press) expected. I had expected that it would ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts and talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest climate science on rising temperatures and the climate implications of the US Presidential elections; and special guests Janet ...
1. Upon receiving evidence that school lunches were doing a marvellous job of improving outcomes for students, David Seymour did what?a. Declared we need much more of this sort of good news and poured extra resources and funding into them b. Emailed Atlas network to ask what to do next c. Cut ...
The Waitangi Tribunal has reported back on National's proposed changes to gut the Marine and Coastal Area Act and steal the foreshore and seabed for its greedy fishing-industry donors, and declared it to be another huge violation of ti Tiriti: The Waitangi Tribunal has found government changes to the ...
In 2016, the then-National government signed the Paris Agreement, committing Aotearoa to a 30 (later 50) percent reduction in emissions by 2030. When questioned about how they intended to meet that target with their complete absence of effective climate policy, they made a lot of noise about how it was ...
Treasury’s advice to Cabinet was that the new Government could actually prudently carry net core Crown debt of up to 50% of GDP. ButLuxon and Willis instead chose to portray the Government’s finances as in such a mess they had no choice but to carve 6.5% to 7.5% off ...
This is a long read. Open to all.SYNOPSIS: Traditional media is at a cross roads. There is a need for those in the media landscape, as it stands, to earn enough to stay afloat, but also come across as balanced and neutral to keep its audiences.In America, NYT’s liberal leaning ...
It's Black Friday, the end of the weekYou take my hand and hold it gently up against your cheekIt's all in my head, it's all in my mindI see the darkness where you see the lightSong by Tom OdellFriday the 13th, don’t be afraid.No, really, don’t. Everything has felt a ...
Ooh, Friday the thirteenth. Spooky! Is that why certain zombie ideas have been stalking the landscape this week, like the Mayor’s brainwave for a motorway bridge from Kauri Point to Point Chev? Read on and find out. This roundup, like all our coverage, is brought to you by the Greater ...
National continues to dismantle environmental protections in the interests of rushing through unsustainable development that will ultimately cost communities. ...
The economy has stagnated and the National Government is having to face the consequences of its atrocious lawmaking, as beneficiary numbers skyrocket past even Treasury’s predictions. ...
Today’s GDP figures combined with the injustice of our tax system will mean more pain for our lowest-income households while those at the top remain relatively unscathed. ...
Te Pāti Māori Member of Parliament for Tāmaki Makaurau is urging a full wraparound of services to intervene quickly with families affected by today's announced closure of the Penrose Mill. Seventy-five people are set to lose their jobs right on the eve of Christmas. "I want to extend my thoughts ...
Sentencing policy announced by Minister Paul Goldsmith today is anything but new, merely window dressing to make up for backwards violent crime statistics under the National Government. ...
Labour Leader Chris Hipkins will travel to the United Kingdom this week to attend the annual UK Labour Party conference in Liverpool and meet with members of the new Labour Government. ...
An imminent decision to increase the total allowable commercial catch (TACC) for snapper would be a direct violation of the first-ever Treaty Settlement and inevitably breach Te Tiriti o Waitangi, says Te Pāti Māori. Te Ohu Kaimoana has sought a High Court declaration to prevent the Minister of Oceans and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has cut grants helping overseas family of victims to attend the next phase of the Coronial Inquiry into the 15 March 2019 Christchurch Masjidain Attack. ...
The Waitangi Tribunal has released an Urgent Report on the Government’s proposed amendments to the Takutai Moana Act 2011. The report calls out Paul Goldsmith’s proposal for what it is: a “gross breach of the Treaty” and an “illegitimate exercise of kāwanatanga”. The Tribunal is recommending the Crown step down ...
The Government must abandon its Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act interventions after the Waitangi Tribunal found it was committing gross breaches of the Treaty. ...
The Government’s directive to the public service to ignore race is nothing more than a dog whistle and distraction from the structural racism we need to address. ...
Concerns have been raised that our spy arrangements may mean that intelligence is being shared between Aotearoa and Israel. An urgent inquiry must be launched in response to this. ...
Aotearoa’s Youngest Member of Parliament, and Te Pāti Māori MP, Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, will travel to Montreal to accept the One Young World Politician of the Year Award next week. The One Young World Politician of the Year Award was created in 2018 to recognise the most promising young politicians between ...
The Greens welcome today’s long-coming announcement by Pharmac of consultation to remove the special authority renewal criteria for methylphenidate, dexamfetamine and modafinil and to fund lisdexamfetamine. ...
Mema Paremata for Te Tai Tokerau, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, has reflected on the decisions made by the councils of the North amidst the government’s push to remove Māori Wards and weaken mana whenua representation. “Actions taken by the Kaipara District Council to remove Māori Wards are the embodiment of the eradication ...
On one hand, the Prime Minister has assured Aotearoa that his party will not support the Treaty Principles Bill beyond first reading, but on the other, his Government has already sought advice on holding a referendum on our founding document. ...
New Zealanders needing aged care support and the people who care for them will be worse off if the Government pushes through a flawed and rushed redesign of dementia and aged care. ...
Hundreds of jobs lost as a result of pulp mill closures in the Ruapehu District are a consequence of government inaction in addressing the shortfalls of our electricity network. ...
Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader and MP for Te Tai Hauāuru is devastated for the Ruapehu community following today’s decision to close two Winstone Pulp mills. “My heart goes out to all the workers, their whānau, and the wider Ruapehu community affected by the closure of Winstone Pulp International,” said Ngarewa-Packer. ...
National Party Ministers have a majority in Cabinet and can stop David Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill, which even the Prime Minister has described as “divisive and unhelpful.” ...
The National Government is so determined to hide the list of potential projects that will avoid environmental scrutiny it has gagged Ministry for the Environment staff from talking about it. ...
Labour has complained to the Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission about the high number of non-disclosure agreements that have effectively gagged staff at Te Whatu Ora Health NZ from talking about anything relating to their work. ...
The Green Party is once again urging the Prime Minister to abandon the Treaty Principles Bill as a letter from more than 400 Christian leaders calls for the proposed legislation to be dropped. ...
Councils across the country have now decided where they stand regarding Māori wards, with a resounding majority in favour of keeping them in what is a significant setback for the Government. ...
The National-led government has been given a clear message from the local government sector, as almost all councils reject the Government’s bid to treat Māori wards different to other wards. ...
Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey will meet with Trade and Tourism Minister of Australia Don Farrell and Fiji Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica in Rotorua this weekend for a trilateral tourism discussion. “Like in New Zealand, tourism plays a significant role in Australia and Fiji’s economy, contributing massively to ...
The Te Puna Aonui Expert Advisory Group for Children and Young People has presented its report today on improving family and sexual violence outcomes for young people, to the Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, Karen Chhour. The presentation at the Auckland event was an opportunity for ...
The Government is putting more than $18 million towards improving the experience of the criminal justice system for victims, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Minister for Children Karen Chhour say. “No one should experience crime, but for those who through no fault of their own become victims, they need to ...
For the first time, schools can use a purpose-built tool to check how a child is progressing in reading through te reo Māori. “Around 45 schools are trialling a New Zealand first te reo Māori phonics check, known as Hihira Weteoro. It will help kaiako (teachers) focus on what ākonga ...
Two new breakwater walls at Pākihikura (Ōpōtiki) Harbour will provide boats with safe harbour access to support the continued growth of aquaculture in Bay of Plenty, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones say. The Ministers and leaders from Tē Tāwharau o Te Whakatōhea and other ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today announced an online platform to optimise the use of New Zealand’s science and technology research infrastructure and to link the public and private sector. “This country is home to world-class science, technology, and engineering expertise. Kitmap is set to empower Kiwi innovators, ...
The Government has launched the Low Emissions Heavy Vehicle Fund (LEHVF) to promote innovation and offset the cost of hundreds of heavy vehicles powered by clean technologies, Energy Minister Simeon Brown and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts say. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan ...
Replacing the RMA Hon Chris Bishop: Good morning, it is great to be with you. Can I first acknowledge the Resource Management Law Association for hosting us here today. Can I also acknowledge my Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Simon Court, who is on stage with me. He has assisted me in establishing the ...
Two new laws will be developed to replace the Resource Management Act (RMA), with the enjoyment of property rights as their guiding principle, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Parliamentary Under-Secretary Simon Court say. “The RMA was passed with good intentions in 1991 but has proved a failure in practice. ...
Legislation passed through Parliament today will provide police and the courts with additional tools to crack down on gangs that peddle misery and intimidation throughout New Zealand, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “From November 21, gang insignia will be banned in all public places, courts will be able to issue non-consorting orders, and ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government has agreed to the rates for the redesigned levy that will fund Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) from July 2026. “Earlier this year FENZ consulted publicly on a 5.2 percent increase to the levy. I was not convinced that ...
The Coalition Government welcomes Police’s announcement today to deploy more police on the beat and staff to Gang Disruption Units. An additional 70 officers will be allocated to Community Beat Teams across towns and regional centres. This builds on the deployment of beat officers in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch CBDs ...
Proposals to strengthen the country’s vital biosecurity system, including higher fines for passengers bringing in undeclared high-risk goods, greater flexibility around importing requirements, and fairer cost sharing for biosecurity responses have been released today for public consultation. Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says “The future is about resilience and the 30-year-old ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says an Overnight Acute Care Service opening in October will provide people in Wānaka and the surrounding area with the assurance of quality overnight care closer to home. “When I was in Wānaka earlier this year, I announced funding for an overnight health service – ...
The Government is rolling out data collection vans across the country to better understand the condition of our road network to prevent potholes from forming in the first place, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is a key priority for the Government and increasing ...
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data for the quarter to June 2024 reinforces how an extended period of high interest rates has meant tough times for families, businesses, and communities, but recent indications show the economy is starting to bounce back, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ data released today ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay will host Fijian Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica and Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell for trilateral trade talks in Rotorua this weekend. “Fiji is one of the largest economies in the Pacific and is a respected partner for Australia and New Zealand,” Mr McClay says. Australia and New Zealand ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay will meet with Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell for the annual Closer Economic Relations (CER) Trade Ministers’ meeting in Rotorua this weekend. “CER is our most comprehensive agreement covering trade, labour mobility, harmonisation of standards and political cooperation. It underpins an important trading relationship worth $32 ...
The Government is seeking the public’s feedback on two major changes to jury trials in order to improve court timeliness, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “The first proposal would increase the offence threshold at which a defendant can decide to have their case heard by a jury. “The second is ...
Local businesses and industries need to be front and centre in conversations about how regions plan to grow their economies, Regional Development Shane Jones says. The nationwide series of summits aims to facilitate conversations about regional economic growth and opportunities to drive productivity, prosperity and resilience through the Coalition Government’s Regional ...
The Government is investing $16.8 million over the next four years to extend the Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) Longitudinal Study. GUiNZ is New Zealand’s largest longitudinal study of child health and wellbeing and has followed the lives of more than 6000 children born in 2009 and 2010, and ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says that Charter Schools will face a combination of minimum performance thresholds and stretch targets for achievement, attendance and financial sustainability. “Charter schools will be given greater freedom to respond to diverse student needs in innovative ways, but they will be held to a much ...
New Zealand has voted for a United Nations resolution on Israel’s presence in occupied Palestinian Territory with some caveats, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand’s yes vote is fundamentally a signal of our strong support for international law and the need for a two-state solution,” Mr Peters says. “The Israel-Palestine ...
Suffrage Day is an opportunity to reaffirm New Zealand’s commitment to ensuring we continue to be a world leader in gender equality, Minister for Women Nicola Grigg says. “On 19 September, 131 years ago, New Zealand became the first nation in the world where women gained the right to vote. ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is travelling to New York next week to attend the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, followed by a visit to French Polynesia. “In the context of the myriad regional and global crises, our engagements in New York will demonstrate New Zealand’s strong support for ...
“Today, on Aotearoa New Zealand Social Workers’ Day, I would like to recognise the tremendous effort social workers make not just today, but every day,” Children’s Minister and Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence Karen Chhour says. “I thank all those working on the front line for ...
Minister of State for Trade Nicola Grigg will travel to Laos this week to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economic Ministers’ Meetings in Vientiane. “The Government is committed to strengthening our relationship with ASEAN,” Ms Grigg says. “With next year marking 50 years since New Zealand became ...
The Government has appointed four members to the Ministerial Advisory Group for victims of retail crime, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee say. “I am delighted to appoint Michael Hill’s national retail manager Michael Bell to the group, as well as Waikato community advocate and business ...
It’s my pleasure to be here to join the opening of the NZNO AGM and Conference for 2024. First, I’d like to thank NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku, NZNO President, Anne Daniels, and Chief Execuitve Paul Gaulter for inviting me to speak today. Thank you also to all the NZNO members ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says changes to the Public Lending Right [PLR] scheme will help benefit both the National Library and authors who have books available in New Zealand libraries. “I am amending the regulations so that eligible authors will no longer have to reapply every year ...
Police Minister Mark Mitchell congratulates Police for the outstanding result of their most recent operation, targeting the Comancheros. “That Police have been able to round up the majority of the Comancheros leadership, and many of their patched members and prospects, shows not only the capability of Police, but also shows ...
Environment Minister Penny Simmonds has announced a major refresh of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) board with four new appointments and one reappointment. The new board members are Barry O’Neil, Jennifer Scoular, Alison Stewart and Nancy Tuaine, who have been appointed for a three-year term ending in August 2027. “I would ...
Cabinet has approved an Order in Council to enable severe weather recovery works to continue in the Hawke’s Bay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery Mark Mitchell say. “Cyclone Gabrielle and the other severe weather events in early 2023 caused significant loss and damage to ...
From today, low-to-middle-income families with young children can register for the new FamilyBoost payment, to help them meet early childhood education (ECE) costs. The scheme was introduced as part of the Government’s tax relief plan to help Kiwis who are doing it tough. “FamilyBoost is one of the ways we ...
The Government has today agreed to introduce sentencing reforms to Parliament this week that will ensure criminals face real consequences for crime and victims are prioritised, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. "In recent years, there has been a concerning trend where the courts have imposed fewer and shorter prison sentences ...
The first quarterly report on progress against the nine public service targets show promising results in some areas and the scale of the challenge in others, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “Our Government reinstated targets to focus our public sector on driving better results for New Zealanders in health, education, ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced the appointments of Hone McGregor, Professor David Capie, and John Boswell to the Board of the Asia New Zealand Foundation. Bede Corry, Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade, has also been appointed as an ex-officio member. The new trustees join Dame Fran Wilde (Chair), ...
New Zealand’s largest contestable science fund is investing in 72 new projects to address challenges, develop new technology and support communities, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins says. “This Endeavour Fund round being funded is focused on economic growth and commercial outputs,” Ms Collins says. “It involves funding of more ...
Thank you for the introduction and the invitation to speak to you here today. I am honoured to be here in my capacity as Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, and Minister for Children. Thank you for creating a space where we can all listen and learn, ...
The Government will provide a $5.8 million grant to improve water infrastructure at Parihaka in Taranaki, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka say. “This grant from the Regional Infrastructure Fund will have a multitude of benefits for this hugely significant cultural site, including keeping local ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wenting He, PhD candidate of International Relations, Australian National University The skyline in Shenzhen, the city that is home to many of China’s largest tech companies.asharkyu/Shutterstock According to the latest Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Pony Ma, co-founder of Tencent Holdings, is once ...
RNZ Pacific The man behind the 2000 coup in Fiji, George Speight, and the head of the mutineers, former soldier Shane Stevens, have been granted presidential pardons. In a statement yesterday, the Fiji Correction Service said the pair were among seven prisoners who has been granted pardons by the President, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Wilson, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney JFontan/Shutterstock With the Paris Olympics and Paralympics wrapped up, and leading Australian sports codes coming to an end of their 2024 ...
The Courts have ruled the Crown must cover the costs of customary marine title claims, but where will the money come from? A landmark Supreme Court ruling could once again ensure Māori have adequate resourcing to pursue customary marine title claims, despite the government’s recent drastic raising of the threshold ...
Public broadcaster RNZ might be struggling to stem its falls in radio listenership, but the audience for its website rnz.co.nz is soaring.In the latest Nielsen online audience figures for August, RNZ hit 1.56 million unique readers for the month, up from under a million a year ago and less than ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Hutchinson, PhD Candidate, International Relations, Australian National University Last month, the Taliban passed a new “vice and virtue” law, making it illegal for women to speak in public. Under the law, women can also be punished if they are heard singing ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Green, Research Fellow, Centre for Social and Cultural Research, Griffith University When tickets for Green Day’s 2025 Australian tour went on sale, fans joined a queue – a ritual that has been practised for decades on footpaths, on phones, and now ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David T. Hill, Emeritus Professor of Southeast Asian Studies, Indo-Pacific Research Centre, Murdoch University David T. Hill You don’t have to be in India long to appreciate just how dramatic its electric vehicle revolution is. Whether it’s electric two-wheelers or trucks, ...
In a rare decision, heavy with judicial and political implications, the country’s top court has told the Crown it must give advance financial support to a group of hapū challenging it over the Marine and Coastal Areas Act.The Supreme Court’s intervention, ahead of seven appeals scheduled before it in November ...
A new poem by Freya Daly Sadgrove. ???where you wake is black and very far back behind your eyesback past your whipping branches and backerfar backer than bone and blood ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Greene Lyon by Alan Goodwin (Quentin Wilson Publishing, $38) An intriguing new local release. Here’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Henry, Physiotherapist and PhD candidate, Body in Mind Research Group, University of South Australia simona pilolla 2/Shutterstock One of the most common feelings associated with persisting pain is fatigue and this fatigue can become overwhelming. People with chronic pain can ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Uri Gal, Professor in Business Information Systems, University of Sydney Last month, OpenAI came out against a yet-to-be enacted Californian law that aims to set basic safety standards for developers of large artificial intelligence (AI) models. This was a change of posture ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Fastnedge, Lecturer in Advertising and Brand Creativity, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Controversial advertising holds a mirror up to society. It can unite us in laughter or outrage, spark debates that shape our beliefs – and sometimes expose our ...
There are more Marks than women leading NZX companies, RNZ reported this morning. The Spinoff can now reveal that there are way more Marks than bogans. It’s not exactly breaking news that women are underrepresented in business leadership, but RNZ found a funny and inventive way of demonstrating that this ...
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The capital’s best chefs and restaurateurs share their favourite local eateries and hidden gems. I have always been fascinated by chefs and restaurateurs. Perhaps it is because of how altruistic they are, existing in a space that seeks to provide pleasure to others regardless of how it impacts on their ...
ANALYSIS: By Matthew Ricketson, Deakin University and Andrew Dodd, The University of Melbourne Until recently, Elon Musk was just a wildly successful electric car tycoon and space pioneer. Sure, he was erratic and outspoken, but his global influence was contained and seemingly under control. But add the ownership of just ...
Ruby Solly on reading Keri Hulme’s Booker Prize-winning novel The Bone People for the audiobook, released this week.Initially, there is only one way to describe this work; an honour and a privilege. I say this every time I get to spend time with the words of our kaumātua, but ...
The Pacific profiles series shines a light on Pacific people in Aotearoa doing interesting and important work in their communities, as nominated by members of the public. Today, Tiria Tiria.All photos by Geoffery Matautia.On a Saturday afternoon at Lower Hutt’s Naenae College, I sat with Mr Tiria as ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Sutherland, Research Fellow, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney Alex Green/Pexels Each year, the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at UNSW Sydney surveys hundreds of people who regularly use drugs in Australia to understand trends in substance ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amanda Tattersall, Associate Professor in Urban Geography and Host of ChangeMakers Podcast, University of Sydney mantisdesign/Shutterstock Over the last decade, several groups in Australia have successfully mobilised against fossil fuel interests. But which ones have gone the distance? The urgent ...
The Treaty Principles Bill is unproductive for New Zealand, says Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Kaiwhakahaere Justin Tipa. “David Seymour and ACT are misconstruing history. You can’t have a reasonable debate with a person or party who distorts the truth,” ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sally Patfield, Lecturer, Teachers and Teaching Research Centre, School of Education, University of Newcastle Matej Kastelic/Shutterstock During September, many Australian universities start making early offers to Year 12 students for a place next year. This is ahead of the main rounds ...
You don’t have to live a haunting life of unparalleled grief and sorrow to be a great children’s author, but it helps. Content warning: This article mentions suicide and abuse. It’s always been a cliche of children’s literature, that many of the greatest writers for children dislike children. Even those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nick Bisley, Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences and Professor of International Relations at La Trobe University., La Trobe University This weekend, the four leaders of the Quad will once again convene, this time in US President Joe Biden’s hometown of Wilmington, ...
The government caps a crime-focussed week, but a coalition tussle could be about to surface, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in your inbox every weekday morning, sign up here. ...
The government is causing more harm with its plan to limit the number of people who can attend the national apology for abuse in state care, survivors say. ...
There seems to be an unhealthy amount of hope in some quarters that the country is in recession.
I am sure that this survey will dampen those hopes but please the majority of Kiwis.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/market-data/4530996/Growing-optimism-reflected-in-survey
Hope in change? Recession welcomed as a harbinger?
Look without reference to reality, kiwis can hope that our gracious new landed gentry are able to stay afloat and invoke the great spectre of limited socialism (only the rich need apply).
We live in a stupid time, when our young males look back to an age of oil in awe, revel in noisy hot rodding hooning.
Truly when has a youth fad ever been so backward looking? The sounds of noisy fluttering cars a sign of a crazy end of cannibalistic capitalism, or the start of something much darker?
Sounds all Lord of the Flies ZeeBop.
Hot rods – young men’s Viagra?
I once read somewhere that the noisier the car and the more accessories it had generally pointed to the fact the young man in question was lucking out in the suitor stakes.
Yes luva, I have been wondering about the obsession on this blog at painting the situation downwards rather than positive or neutral comments to help the country out of the recession. On the other hand people here are simply writing to those of like mind rather than having any effect on the majority who are confident of recovery.
Talking confidently without any assessment of reality, in some hope that if we ignore reality it will get better.
Fact is Queensland farming has come to a halt, food prices are rising, that takes money out of indebted homeowners already desperate to save their home from being defaulted on, so where’s the gloom coming from, why would people worry if the world came out of recession and demand of oil sent prices back to $140? Can’t imagine.
Wingnut theme of the day is if anyone says this Government is stuffing things up then they are being “negative” and want to see the country fail.
Lets all hold hands and sing Kumbaya and dance and revell in the magnificence that is the leadership of John Key and just wait for nirvana which is just around the corner, it will be here soon, promise …
Reminds me of the reply I received when I was being proactive in some street appeal – ‘ff God didn’t want this to happen then he would act – so I don’t feel I
should interfere’. So let’s sit back and let’s leave the God-like deities running the government to do their will and impose it on us – Our’s not to reason why, ours but to do or ?
I think that’s do and die, Prism.
But yes let’s be positive.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1101/S00019/armys-spiritual-fitness-test-comes-under-fire.htm
The whole thing is well worth a read, but relevant here is criticism of the new cult of ‘positive psychology’, which has had a powerful influence internationally.
Quote:
“Other notable critics include authors Chris Hedges and Barbara Ehrenreich, both of who say the practice has thrived in the corporate world where the refusal to consider negative outcomes resulted in the current economic crisis.
Hedges, author of the book “Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle,” wrote, “positive psychology, which claims to be able to engineer happiness and provides the psychological tools for enforcing corporate conformity, is to the corporate state what eugenics was to the Nazis.”
“Positive psychology is a quack science that throws a smoke screen over corporate domination, abuse and greed,” Hedges said. “Those who fail to exhibit positive attitudes, no matter the external reality, are seen as maladjusted and in need of assistance. Their attitudes need correction.”
Eeeep 🙁
One of the things about The Handmaid’s Tale I found believable was the religious aspect where the US had turned into a theocracy.
Draco, the US has always been a theocracy in one way or another from the time of the Pilgrims and many of the beliefs and norms, like Papal dogma, have calcified the whole society to the point where I think it will take a mighty revolution to change anything.
The Handmaid’s Tale will come to pass in the US or something eerily close to it and any woman who has read it knows how important it is to fight against any assault on women’s rights. Atwood’s ‘Oryx and Crake’ is also very instructive about adhereing to the status quo.
NACT’s happy, clappy optimistic bullshit and insistence that people toe the line or they’re not real NZers needs to be painted for what it is, propaganda.
I feel an overwhelming need to go and get a T shirt saying National = Nihilism because they have shown they are amoral and regard for anyone not in their coterie as expendable.
justsaying – I put the question mark because I wasn’t sure what the outcomes of doing nothing, thinking little, questioning never and positing negative outcomes outlawed, would be. Die was a bit extreme, but one can die from a thousand cuts so it could be a suitable word for the outcome.
When John Key smiles and waves, today I will regard it as a warm summer breeze in a bright day. With a hint of lavender.
No negative nelly, I! 🙂
But possibly someone has been slopping lavender disinfectant on him. It’s useful for controlling pathogenic organisms and masking bad odours.
Really big lol – made my day 🙂
😀
I’ve got a bottle of lavendar disinfectant somewhere, like you say, excellent for masking bad odours – toilets, drains, rubbish bins…
And the antispam word is ‘dirty’. But I reckon it’s the particular selection of words that makes coincidences like this more likely.
just saying – When you say that the selection of words might trigger the anti-spam one it makes me think of talking computers with minds of their own – did you watch Red Dwarf who had Holly and then some bald guy. They reminded us that computers are people too! A flight of fancy, or is it?
I’m afraid I’m the ultimate sceptic on the anti-spam . I reckon the list of words from which the antispam word is generated, is loaded with words like ‘dirty’ or ‘anger’ or ‘likely’ …etc. that could be applicable to the content of a number of different kinds of discussions.
Completely agree that computers are people with minds of their own, though! Have only ever seen bits of red dwarf on the interweb. Wish I’d been able to catch the series.
The anti-spam this time is ‘winter’ and I was just saying to someone “it’s like winter today…”
[lprent: I bet you find significance in chicken entails as well…]
We usually get recoveries but I’m less certain that we will do so to the same degree as ‘usual’ this time globally. Quite simply we’re getting far too close to resource limits worldwide. You can see it happening every from food to fuel to some minerals. The basic world economy is going to have to go through an almighty transition over the next few decades. Those are never particularly easy.
The local issue is to do with this government keeping people out of work or more correctly not moving people into work. If you talk to anyone who had to suffer the same idiotic neglect by National in the 1990’s especially with youth unemployment, you’ll find why this is such an issue. It causes a drag effect on the whole economy because a large group get caught in a subsistence trap without the resources to move or retrain. Similarly they don’t do anything to help with making investment capital available to get new businesses off the ground – again a feature of their 1990’s strategy. Both lead to prolonged recessions.
Of course National is well known for being dumb enough to try any failing strategy more than once. But it is why we’ll find that the recession is likely to drag on for quite some time.
We won’t get a recovery unless we address the serious inequality that presently pervades our society and make plans for the oncoming reduction in oil products availability.
They’re conservatives – they always look to the failures of the past as solutions for the future.
Draco TB – That’s an A aphorism. Is it yours, or was it said by some past scholar? 😀
They’re conservatives – they always look to the failures of the past as solutions for the future.
Pretty sure it’s mine. Can’t think of anyone else who’s described conservatives that way.
then you’ve been taking your brainy-snappy pills. Goff should hire you 🙂
Recovery this time is going to be extremely slow, if at all. IMO not so much that we are running into resource constraints (although that is a factor). The main reason is that this recession is debt based. Even as asset values are wiped out the debt stays owing and does not change.
And all the multiple international bailouts have done is move where the debt problems reside (from private bank debt to public government debt), and made it worse. Because Governments have to honour public debt, whereas private institutions could simply fold and that debt would disappear. (Leaving many wealthy investors worse off of course…can’t have that can we).
As a comparison let me use the stockmarket crash of 1987 and also the tech crash of ~2000. Both were equity fueled crashes not debt fueled crashes. People had their portfolios wiped out sure, but after that point they didn’t have a $500K mortgage to work back up from. (Hmmm apart from the fools who leveraged to get into the market, of which there were a few, and they suffered the most). Within 3-4 years of those crashes things were humming along again quite OK because people were not burdened by huge debts – at those points.
Debt based crashes are insidious. The creditors sit in the background draining the remaining financial life blood out of those whose asset values have already been destroyed.
English and Key are stuffed if they are relying on a bounce back.
Actually, they don’t. Several governments have defaulted before including the US.
Exactly and the reason why I kept saying that the best thing the governments of the world could do when the economy collapsed yet again from the actions of the psychopathic capitalists was to forgive all debt.
Interesting – when was the last time the US defaulted on a debt or treasury repayment. I’m thinking that it must have been pre-Civil War, and to the European bankers.
Big creditor nations like China, Japan, Germany, the petrostates, would never allow debt moratoria like you are talking about.
According to my Econ History class (can’t remember the book) it was in the Great Depression and, yes, it was to the Europeans. Wasn’t a major default, just a couple of end of year payments that couldn’t be met due to the collapse of the markets.
The point that everyone believes that countries cannot default is actually a major reason why I say that countries should never borrow at interest. If there’s no risk for the lender then interest should not be paid.
This is more like the long depression of the late 19th century.
The great depression was a social mismatch of having huge energy surpluses and dependable ongoing supply.
Now we have a problem of shrinking energy surpluses, and switch to higher priced energy.
I suppose much like the Long depression when populations grew from health advances (sewage systems) yet the society energy increases weren’t keeping up.
This time its more like the market will slowly kick out the higher energy practices that harm individuals and the economy. So individuals will cut back car use, switch to public transport, car sharing, car pooling. Similar business that use a lot of energy and produce product the market does not want to pay the premium for.
We’ve been hit by a wave of speculation that ran up financial asset values off unrealized potential profits, and now the real assets are the gold standard, owning a home, having tradable skills, etc.
Maggie, Maggie….Maggie. I always thought you were a bit jolly hockey sticks but you’d think after all the research and interviews, you’d have a few clues. Apparently not.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/4529708/Maggie-Barry-to-seek-National-Botany-nomination
Garden-fan Maggie obviously has to go for Botany – perhaps she couldn’t get a Labour nomination and had to settle for Nats. A mistake Maggie we thought your fine intellect would keep you away from these 19th century plunderers.
I saw her on the news last night saying she thought after so long in the media she thought it was time to give something back to the community.
Obviously she doesn’t really feel that way, or she wouldn’t have joined National!
Mixed-up Maggie! She hasn’t hit on the truth that it’s the opposite – the community gives back to the NACT politicians and their friends.
Anyone who listened to M.Barrie on the Naional Programme a way back would know that MB was a Tory through and through . She often gave a boost to the Nats and their friends. Unfortunatly its often later that one realises that once again the public radio/TV is full of Nats.
Spotted Baggy Mary (as she was known in our household in her RNZ days) on the cover of the xmas issue of the Womens Weekly when I was queueing in the supermarket last night. The strapline?
New Love for Maggie Barry at 50!
Surprisingly, it turns out it’s not Smile and Wave, but some lawyer.
http://www.nzwomansweekly.co.nz/celebrities/celeb-stories/maggie-barrys-birthday-lets-party/story/4101019/
Is it just me or has the standard recently been targeted by a new kind of U.S. propaganda?
(Look what the Nat dragged in)
Yep. The inevitable cost of writing posts about international affairs in a site that is getting increasing traffic. Same happened on my Marianne Ny post (from Europe) and on the posts that we do on international topics like climate change.
I don’t really care provided people don’t violate the policies and I have to expend effort in moderating. It just provides some cross-cultural discussion… 😈
speaking of propaganda…
after the bile spouted by Eddie – http://thestandard.org.nz/tea-party-turns-violent/ – this comment from Glenn Reynolds in the Wall Street Journal provides a little timely balance:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703667904576071913818696964.html?mod=rss_opinion_main
Take note of these comments:
Those who try to connect Sarah Palin and other political figures with whom they disagree to the shootings in Arizona use attacks on “rhetoric” and a “climate of hate” to obscure their own dishonesty in trying to imply responsibility where none exists. But the dishonesty remains.
To be clear, if you’re using this event to criticize the “rhetoric” of Mrs. Palin or others with whom you disagree, then you’re either: (a) asserting a connection between the “rhetoric” and the shooting, which based on evidence to date would be what we call a vicious lie; or (b) you’re not, in which case you’re just seizing on a tragedy to try to score unrelated political points, which is contemptible. Which is it?
No balance there – just denial which is what we can expect from RWNJs.
The best balance for me are the articles noting that if Palin had been a Muslim and said/done what she has then she would be in prison by now…
No balance there Tiggs. Exactly the same argument can be levelled at Obama for his hate-speeches.
His turnout pitch to the Latinos was inflamatory and aggressive:
‘Get out there and “punish our enemies”’
Another pearl of wisdom from Obama:
“If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun.”
another:
“I don’t want to quell anger. I think people are right to be angry! I’m angry!”
and another:
“Punch back twice as hard.”
and another:
I want to know “whose ass to kick”
and:
“…I’m itching for a fight.”
Same deal – if Obama were a Muslim and said or done what he has then he would be in Guantanamo Bay by now… and he had the hypocricy to label Bush as a Cowboy!
You want to take your blinkers off now?
No, none of those comments targeted a specific person who has been shot…unlike Palin.
1) That’s the same list of Obama quotes some American idiot posted here earlier. Where’d you find it?
2) None of them are calls to arm yourself and overthrow the govt in a bloody revolution as far as I can see.
3) What do you mean “IF” Obama were a Muslim?
Instapundit is generally disappointing, and he hasn’t failed to be consistent here.
a) asserting a connection between the “rhetoric” and the shooting, which based on evidence to date would be what we call a vicious lie
Shall we see what the experts have to say?
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2011/01/mental_illness_expert_we_shoul.html
“vicious lie’. This is a further example of the ‘shouting, over-hyped’ rhetoric being discussed and dismissed as irrelevant to the shooting. Just saying lie, or better fabrication would have been sufficient to adequately express the thought, but no it has to be a white-hot comment ‘vicious lie’ said by the sort of people who call those with differing views ‘fucking morons’. Which happens on this blog from time to time. Cool it and think. Deep breaths and count to ten!
captcha – saying (not shouting)
Or, here’s a totally radical concept, using explicit violent language in political “discourse” could just always be fucking offensive. Especially under present circumstances. Especially when the employers of said language themselves identified it as problematic by trying to scrub all trace of it from the internet once someone actually got shot.
It was interesting to read the RWNJ’s yesterday on “The widening Gap”, defending the wealthy. Of course the wealthy don’t spend their time on blogs – it’s the cloth caps that do their bidding for them.
So who were the heroes in the devastation that beset Canterbury last year?
Politically Key and Parker were the winners. But the heroes were the ones who had to be called upon to repair the basics and not the least of whom were the sewer workers. And I bet they are not in the $70,000 plus bracket. They know their station in life.
Hey burt / higherstandard / joebloggs et al
I see our Prime Minister has offered to send a team of firemen and others to assist in Queensland. Quite right too – we should be in there boots and all.
How many of the Business Round Table will be going? – nah they haven’t got the skills.
But when all the assistance is finished and life has returned to some normality the firemen will eventually go cap in hand to their masters for a cost of living payrise. And John Key will tell them through his ministers, that there ain’t no money. Strange thing that. One of life’s mysteries.
The Big Wet
As the climate changes so the weather changes. Individual events aren’t being predicted but the overall changes are and those changes are happening.
We are going to be inudated with this coming Royal,Wedding/ .Already ,according o the Herald the Key Government is uncertain what wedding present we (sic) should send this priviledged couple.
Hell bell’s ! they have everything how about sending some help to places like Hiati . If the Royalist Key is keen on sending presents he should consider sending a donkey (no pun intended) through the Corso fund.
I cannot understand the hero worship of this priviledged rich couple ,what is it with these Royal worshipers.It’s even worse in the UK .This extravaganza is going to cost millions of pounds ,at a time when the UK is suffering a depression , millions out of work and benifits cut yet these same people will stand for hours to “glimse the happy couple.
Any one able to explain it?
this is suitably awful, and suitably cheap:
http://www.silverfernz.com/2091-blue-glass-kiwi-bird.htm
…and it’s blue, just like a real one.
Hero worship is, from what I can make out, totally irrational – especially when the people being worshipped aren’t actually heroes or anything spectacular. Probably why you see so much of it from the RWNJs.
As for a suitable gift from NZ: I think a plain note telling them that we’ve dropped the monarchy and become a republic would probably thrill them to bits.
Thoughts with the Queenslanders hopefully there’s no more loss of life – I thought NZ had a hard time of it last year but to have disastrous floods like this to start the year really is terrible.
Me too, HS. I’m particularly hoping no Aussie climate change deniers are swept away, if only to avoid ‘drowning in irony’ jokes.
Parliamentary question for John Boscawen.
To the Minister for Climate Change Denial.
Question: What does the minister attribute the Queensland floods to?
Minister for CCD: Blah, blah, blah, mumble, mumble, mumble.
Question: Will he acknowledge that the frequency of these extreme weather events are increasing globally?
Minister for CCD : Blah, blah, blah, mumble, mumble, mumble.
Question: If not, why not?
Minister for CCD: blah, blah…..
I thought with the likely increase in deaths, people could refrain from politicking for a few days.
So ‘hs’ doesn’t care about the inevitable increase in deaths worldwide caused by Climate Change, and the lack of a global effort to radically reduce our Greenhouse gas (CO2) emissions?
A situation which to a large extent has been caused by people like John Boscawen.
The likely increase in deaths is something we’ll need to get used to, HS, because this sort of thing is going to be the norm from here on in. It really made me laugh a couple of weeks ago to hear the British Government threatening to fine airports who can’t keep runways ice free in the future. No thought to why it’s happening, just a knee jerk reaction to the temporary inconvenience caused to the passengers.
The Queensland floods, the drowning of New Orleans, the death of glaciers, the weird fluctuations in temperatures worldwide. All connected and I’ll be buggered if I’m going to trivialise the deaths in Toowoomba, Ipswich and Brisbane by not talking about why they died.
Not if we start working on building societal infrastructure which is robust, and communities with strong interconnected roots.
Instead of fragile cheap as possible infrastructure, and communities full of self serving individuals.
Mankind cannot control the course of extreme natural events, but we can build a society and systems with maximum resilience against them.
I’ve always said the only geographical fault with Australia is that its above sea level.
Nah. Not really. I’ve got some whanau over there but, all safe, thank goodness. All the best to the Ockers – Oi Oi Oi.
Busting the Myths of CGT
Good piece in the NZ Herald. LAB are you paying attention?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10699125
CV, Muzza 123’s comment re lack of CGT was briliant:
‘If it was in a developing country, it would be called a form of corruption. It should be called the same here.’
I’m laughing now coz otherwise I would have to cry.