A “blinding” flash, intense explosion and sonic booms experienced over much of the country last night were probably caused by a John Key’s credibility returning from planet Key to Earth, experts agree.
About 10 pm, the flash, described by many as a burst of blue and white light, was seen from Whangarei to the upper South Island.
Between crunching on toast and the washing machine going off it’s nut on the spin cycle I thought I heard something on RNZ about a meteor tearing through the night skies last night.
But your theory is waaaay better Incognito. lets stick with that.
I think this so-called meteor was a PR trick display organised for the start of the world cricket. We should get kudos from the cricket council who will say Jiminy Cricket those NZs know how to go out and bat for their friends.
We let off fireworks at the drop of a hat. (Look for that video of a fireworks warehouse explosion in, Holland? Spectacular for the people living nearby!) There was supposed to have been a sonic boom about 10 pm. I never heard it. The fireworks that shoot up and then let out a lot of noisy bangs make a bigger impact. Nature can’t compare.
I personally want fireworks banned altogether. No public displays appealing to the child in us all, using up money that can’t be afforded for needed repairs and maintenance to infrastructure. (And fancy casinos where the idle rich can spend their ill-gotten gains going to other idle rich.)
In New York there was a large explosion reported in an old paper. They have pipes that were installed in the 1800s rotting away. needing repair and replacement. That’s what you get when you live in a private enterprise society that goes for the big bang over the well-run provision of needs and services for all its citizens.
Is all irrigation bad??
In what I can only describe as a scripted “interview” on CH 1 this morning ,with the irrigation lady from south Canterbury making a push for talks on how to fund more dams.
I personally am on the fence on this one but think a lot of jobs for kiwis would be made building and maintaining large water storage and reticulation.
Also as a former resident of southern Hawks Bay a nice dam would of been a plus in a area that is devoid of places for a family outing.
“I personally am on the fence on this one but think a lot of jobs for kiwis would be made building and maintaining large water storage and reticulation.”
my waghorn, the line of economic growth is a fallacy because once the community receiving the dam has built it and the land use intensified then the growth due to that stops. Stops. Economic growth reaches a new equilibrium and stops.
Then the cry goes out again for more growth (growth being necessary to pay for the money system that we currently have). So more taking from the environment occurs.
If farmers want growth then getting it by taking from the environment has a finitie ability to provide that – all the while fucking the environment.
Therefore at some point the farmers are going to have to think outside the square for growth as the environment will not be available for that. This means the farmers have two choices right now today;
1. They can think outside the square for growth now and leave the environment alone; or,
2. They can carry on fucking the environment and think outside the square later.
It is bloody simple.
I thought farmers held themselves out as logical and practical and trying to leave the lands in a better state than when they got them.
I agree on the finiteness of the growth mantra, but as the irrigation advocate pointed out this morning due to climate change we can expect more of these big drought ( and it is a drought by nz standards not Oz’s.) We may have to do some of these things to stay in the same spot production wise.
Or we adapt to the change in climate and grow/produce what the new ecosystem can sustain instead of forcing unsustainable agricultural and horticultural practices on an environment that’s saying “no more”…?
I suspect we’ve crossed the Rubicon on climate change, with the damage already done. All we can do now is seek to minimise the impact of it on our society and there’s precious little of that happening at a national level anywhere. Nevermind… nature always bats last and when the time comes we’ll reap whatever we have sown.
To be honest, I would support irrigation schemes if they were publicly owned, and strict rules about their usage to stop us from from doing what happened in Uzbekistan during the 70’s…
I have no real love for the ferrat of the water ways that trout are .
If strict rules around pollution are in place how can it be bad to move water from tekapo to South Canterbury.
And the rules that are in place aren’t always inforced eg irrigation takes not being monitored so farmers can essentially take as much as they want.
Beyond that, it won’t matter what rules are on place, because the rules are for unsustainable practices, not sustinable ones. They mitigate damage, they don’t promote systems that create ecologies instead of destroying them, so there will always be a net loss to the ecosystem over time.
As well as the economic issue (why create temporary jobs when you could create long term ones?), let’s ask where the water for the dams comes from and how it gets there, and what happens to the water once it’s there. Then what land use the irrigation enables. Once you look at all of that, then irrigation becomes inherently problematic, not because it’s always wrong to work with water in the landscape, but because we are using irrigation to strip mine fertility and export it and that will always be ‘bad’ as you put it.
This in no way means we can’t farm and have people make a living from it. That is possible, just not the way we are doing it now.
I think with clever people setting up rules and ways to mitigate the damage it could be a win win ( not likely with this gov but they won’t be here for ever)
A water charge to fund research could be levied on all water use for a start.
What you are suggesting is tinkering around the edges so that farmers can stay involved in industrial (i.e. unsustainable) farming, but it looks a bit better. eg regulate so that all waterways need a riparian strip (and honestly, do you think even that one thing is ever likely to happen in the current environment?). This protects the waterways more, from certain pollutants (nitrate run off, cow shit), and provides wildlife corridors and some erosion protection depending on how it is done, but it doesn’t achieve sustainability. Rivers and creeks exist in the whole valley/watershed, and if you want them to be healthy then the whole watershed needs to be looked at.
You’re still also taking water from other places, spraying it on paddocks, planting monocrop pastures, cutting down trees and scrub, flattening land, spreading artificial fertilisers etc, all of which damage soil, reduce water in the landscape, and result in increased environmental degradation over time.
So then you regulate water take, but there are still all those other issues, and all you’ve done is lessen the water take but it’s still too high, and spraying water on a paddock in a hot norwester in north Canterbury is about the definition of inefficiency and unsustainability.
Oh, and there’s the huge amount of oil and electricity to make all that work, so there’s increasing CC, and increasing need for power network infrastructure, which also increases CC (plus other environmental impacts).
If you want to do sustainable farming, then do it. It’s being done, there are plenty of successful examples here in NZ now. But the whole we can irrigate/farm industrially if we just regulate it properly fails the sustainability criteria in almost every way.
Well the greens need to beat the drum a bit louder because down in farm land there seen as anti farming. This west coast guy might get some traction if he gets the nod .
Have a look at their policies, that will tell you more about what they think about farming than people who have uninformed prejudices against them (farmers will be listening to people with an anti-green agenda). Of course, the GP doesn’t support continuation of farming doing whatever the hell it likes, so when people say the GP are anti-farming what they mean is that the GP want farming to be sustainable. Fortunately, they’ve been developing policies to help farmers do that.
It’s worth going and hearing one of the MPs speak too.
Cheers have had a quick look and have saved link to my home screen for later between that and you’re links on the drought post I’ve got a bit to chew on at work this arvo
What on Earth is the Auckland City Council up to with the Port of Auckland. By secretly pushing through the reclamation of land down at the wharf. With councillor Mike Lee cut out of the vote. What sort of Banana republic is dirty Lenny running in the city of Sky’s.
Sounds like this is just the start of major reclamation out into the harbour. Meanwhile John Key is worried about an eyesore of a cheap convention center on the back streets of the city, and is happy enough for the water front to become a larger eyesore.
Building out into the the beautiful harbour just doesn’t make sense, when you consider the relatively closeness of the deep water port at Marsden Point, which POA 50% own. You would need the rail line North, however its just suffered savage upgrade cuts which if a major slip occured would close the line completely.
Be very interested in what Hooton’s opinion is on the issues I’ve raised.
Dirty Len has indicated he will go another round as Mayor, and I hear Goff is going to throw his towel in the ring. I can see Shearer doing likewise, it will be a vote splitting threesome then, with their ego’s not allowing any of them to stand aside. A poor selection prospect indeed. Bent Banksie, Hide, Brash must all fancy their chances.
If Len wants it another term he will get one. He’s actually quite popular, despite his failings. Goff would only run if Len wasn’t in it and Shearer … well, you’re having a laugh, arentcha?
ps Dirty Len? I smell the stench of the sewer on your moral highground, skinny.
Yes I have long thought Len will get another term if he wants one due to;
• appalling lack of interest and participation from most jaffa-ites in the postal ballot
• he has straddled the left/right divide on council and knows how to work the staff backrooms and systems
• Nat HQ finds him malleable even though they probably would prefer a full on rightie
personally I reckon he is a low type, he could easily have sat on POA and done the honorable thing by the wharfies but it is not in his makeup.
Minto for Mayor campaign had great ideas–slashing over $100 grand salaries, free public transport, living wage city etc. If one left candidate with some brand recognition ran on that sort of platform I might get more interested. But Goff, Brown, Pallino, Banksie doesn’t do it for me and I am into politics!
Shearer can only run if Robertson tells him. He is clueless and shallow and too vain to realise his own limitations.
Labour workers should never ever forgive Robertson for using Shearer in the way he did: nor should they forgive Shearer for allowing himself to be used.
We havelost half a decade of social advancement because of the antics of the Machiavellian and the Dope.
@skinny … agree with all you write, but just to correct a detail please:
What they have ‘pushed through’ is apparently ‘piles only’ and not reclamation from sea-bed, according to the story … that’s how it was done with planners only and avoided whole council. b’stards.
Thanks yes I know, however as you say its the next step that is the real start of building out further into the harbour. This extension is all part and pacel of the reclamation do not be fooled.
phillip .. it is a very crappy sexist comment. why not request mods to remove it ? it seems an unusual brain fart from you this morning. you are usually a delight to enjoy and astute with it.
and bringing in dealey plaza in yr defence ? honestly? best you stop digging the hole right now fwiw !
What a massive over-reaction. The fact is you’ve made a “joke” which (a) depends on tired, sexist “she looks like a man” tropes and (b) exploits the situation of a person undergoing a very public gender transition for cheap laughs.
This is basic sexism – implying women have to look a certain way to count as “real women” – and basic transphobia – implying anyone who doesn’t fit gender stereotypes must be trans, making Bruce Jenner’s gender and appearance into the butt of a joke.
It doesn’t matter who laughs at it or who doesn’t, the joke is gross.
(And you don’t really seem to understand what “homophobia” is, either.)
However its RW isn’t it. A left-wing publication would be much more sympathetic to all the possible butts of someone’s facile, mistaken idea of humour and ridicule.
(What has happened to thefreedictionary.? It used to be excellent, then it changed its format. Now it is only in encyclpaedic format. And the other dictionaries only gave one meaning of the word butt when I looked it up. Except for what I presume is google which gives a box if you put word meaning in together. It drops down to provide huge information, but free dictionary is not there.)
edited
It’s simple enough, vto. Don’t shit on oppressed groups and expect not to have your shittiness pointed out.
I’m dying to hear anyone’s explanation of why “lol I can pretend I think this photo is of Darien Fenton and she looks like a man lol Bruce Jenner in reverse” isn’t a cheap shot about gender stereotypes.
Much of our species humour revolves around making fun of other peoples’ appearances. Like most things in human life, it can go too far, but generally it doesn’t and those among us called “grown ups” manage to deal with it just fine.
“Much of our species humour revolves around making fun of other peoples’ appearances.”
Bullshit. The world moved on from black face and jokes about the mother in law’s arse decades ago. We’re now in a comedic era where we make jokes about people with attitudes like yours instead.
Darien can hardly be compared to a bloke that was the joke to me, we are quite good friends and her great taste in fashion always gets a comment from me. She is doing a fantastic job for the meat workers union which is great.
Seeing as how you didn’t make the joke to Fenton, it’s largely irrelevant whether she was offended or not, and focussing on her offense completely misses Stephanie’s points.
Haven’t spoken or seen herv since before Xmas, not a great way to start new year is it. Philip, geez ya must be smoking cabbage today.
Na mate I don’t for one second believe you have a bad bone in your body. Besides you give me a 1 in 10 laugh, tight I know.
Have you seen Polythene Pam? Next you’ll be banning Abbey Road.
As someone who actually deals with transgender people on a fairly regular basis, most of them aren’t anywhere near as precious as you and other members of the foghorn class.
I post *one sentence* pointing out the issues with phil’s shabby little joke and this gets blown up – by you and others – into a grand feminist conspiracy to destroy all men’s freedom of speech.
But of course it’s feminists who go around looking for things to be oppressed by, right? 🙄
This has nothing to do with the rights of women or men and everything to do with the fact that you didn’t hear the word “no” enough as a child.
You didn’t find Phil’s joke funny. I wasn’t in stitches myself, but I’m not so utterly po-faced and witless as to declare it a crime against humanity.
[Stephanie: You are perilously close to crossing the “personal attack against an author” line here. Do not comment on my childhood, do not make assumptions about my motives.]
So Stephanie is a spoilt brat and her politics are meaningless? All I can see in your comments are hyperbole, position twisting, and ad hominems (plus the bit about knowing what transgender people want). Hardly the politically astute comment of the day.
Oh of course, it’s teh feminazis at work again 😛 Phil, your jokes was nowhere near funny. I’ve heard funnier sentences uttered by Key. Pull ya head in and have another cone buddy
..i wd agree with tom jacksons’ rating of/on the ‘joke’..
“..You didn’t find Phil’s joke funny. I wasn’t in stitches myself, but I’m not so utterly po-faced and witless as to declare it a crime against humanity..”
That’s the second time I’ve been called the “thought police”. Over a single sentence pointing out the shittiness of your stupid joke. I think the “grand feminist conspiracy” characterisation of your reaction is spot-on.
I don’t know, phil, you’re the one who makes jokes about women’s appearances and trans people, can’t stand women paying other men attention, can’t handle women disagreeing with you, and think a woman criticising your terrible joke is “thought police”. You tell me.
Stephanie Rodgers “Don’t shit on oppressed groups ”
But shit on others? Why do you limit shitting so? That is what gets me – if not part of some oppressed group then shit away… splatter those people with crap.
Oppressed people are oppressed. Powerful people are powerful. You harm oppressed people with nasty jokes at their expense more than you can harm powerful people with nasty jokes at their expense. I’m not sure why this is rocket science.
are black people oppressed? Then don’t make jokes about their ethnicity.
Is the president of the US oppressed? Have at it in making president jokes.
Want to make a racist joke about a black US president? Consider how much shit Obama has had thrown at him while he’s been president but because he is black. Consider how many obstacles there are to a person of colour in the US getting to be president. (and thus don’t make jokes).
I also don’t understand why this is difficult to grasp.
It is commonly accepted that Humour traditionally can step a very fine line between between commentary and offense Weka, but if we have a degree of tolerance for the risk involved in flirting with the line, that is where humour can be most valuable?
It allows us to explore territory that might be difficult to do so otherwise.
What I find difficult to understand is that some people might not understand that the line is far from clear, and so a culturally healthy sense of humour can only exist if we have some tolerance for the occasional overstepping of the mark.
I personally think some of you are a little intolerant at times….and a good example of the result would be the conversation you had with that very erudite and thoughtful poster Red Logix a while ago, that was very similar to the one above.
I don’t think RL has been back since then? Can’t re-offend if he is not here i guess.
Yeah my mother taught me stick & stones when I got teased for being skinny at school. I’ve never taken a backwards step since. I know what you mean though.
I went on holiday to Aussie once and vowed to never return after having to suffer very racist and sexist conduct. Actually I gave the offending Aussie males a far bit of stick talking derogatory of females in front of females. They turned on me like a pack of dogs calling me all sorts of names that I won’t repeat.
Kind of hopeful Miss Rodgers umm that you would put a nom in for me to receive the Trish Bartlett gold medallion for taking one for the sisters award.
For me it’s not about offense. It’s about politics and understanding power. I wasn’t offended by what phil said (I thought it was stupid). But I understand what Stephanie is talking about, that ridiculing people who are already hugely undermined because of the class they belong to makes them more vulnerable.
As for Red, yes he has been here since our fight and now he’s not. I don’t know why, but I know it’s not unusual for him to take breaks from ts for periods of time. The fight he and I had was dissimilar to this in that he used a sexist slur to teach me a lesson, intentionally give me a slap down, and IMO it was personal. It wasn’t a joke, it was serious (Red acknowledged this).
Phil made a stupid joke about someone not here, and it wasn’t even really about her, it was just about trying to get a laugh at the expense of women who look like men and transgender people. The two situations aren’t the same in any meaningful way apart from they both involved sexism (and possibly they both involved a ts author with moderating powers, but you’d have to take that up with them not me).
“What I find difficult to understand is that some people might not understand that the line is far from clear, and so a culturally healthy sense of humour can only exist if we have some tolerance for the occasional overstepping of the mark.”
This is a left wing political discussion space. Of course racist, sexist, transphobic etc jokes are going to get called out. Had it happened down the pub, I might have said something, in a lighter way that made the problem with the joke visible but didn’t start a long debate about it. But we’re not down the pub, we’re on ts and this is what we do.
As for the line, if you mean that some people misjudge what is appropriate, then I agree. But look at how many people think that phil got it wrong and look at phil’s response. He thinks he’s on the right side of the line and is defending that position, so what’s wrong with challenging him on that?
A racist joke and The National Party walk into a bar. The barman says “you all look the same to me”.
PS: and what Weka said: I’m constantly goaded by witless male petals: the uber-sensitivity of privilege. Look at the kerfuffle at Stephanie’s remarks: she’s a moderator. You speak to Lprent that way around here? Come and see the privilege inherent in the system.
PS: and here’s another thing, Tom Jackson, you’re always one to talk about how you can know the Right by their accusations. Take a good look in the mirror. No, and I do mean no.
Personally I reckon the best rule is to err well on the side of tolerance. Je suis Charlie and all that.
I squirm enough at the idea of someone (Who?) setting themselves up as the moral arbiter of where the line of offense shall be drawn, but doesn’t it all get so much more fraught when we start splitting hairs on who is fair game for what degree of humorous offense?
So Obama is the most powerful man in the world but he is black. Andrea Merkel is a Woman. Elton John is gay. Brian Tamaki is Maori. Who can we throw shit at without implying offense to someone……if we have our sensitivity turned up high enough?
I know what, lets just have two rules?
It’s a jab you would take at anyone regardless of their situation, or you would not take the jab.
And any jab you were willing to swing, you would be willing to receive?
Stephanie Rodgers: “You harm oppressed people with nasty jokes at their expense more than you can harm powerful people with nasty jokes at their expense. ”
Oh really? I call bullshit on that. Complete bullshit. How often do you see people hurt by jokes at their expense? Why does their identity matter? At a personal level it doesn’t. Not one little bit. In fact not at any level.
But thanks Stephanie, you have confirmed what I have long seen around here. Namely that it is ok to make jokes at the expense of certain types of people but not others.
You shouldn’t make fun of anyone if it is hurtful.
This is basic human manners. Imo you have failed some basic understandings. Poor showing.
Let’s attack the weak, eh. After all, they’re just sitting there. And we’re strong. Let’s make up jokes that celebrate strength, to show how strong we are.
If you read carefully, you would have discerned that I was advocating for not attacking anybody, unless it was on terms you were comfortable to be attacked yourself.
And your use of the abusive and nonsensical term ‘wanker’ as a substitute for what you would like to be taken as an ‘argument’ just makes me laugh.
Oh. I’m being too serious. You were intending to make me laugh!
How often do you see people hurt by jokes at their expense?
Jokes reinforce stereotypes which lead to measurable, concrete harm against people. Rape jokes, for example, make rapists think everyone agrees that their violence is okay.
And jokes about women’s appearance – when women are still systemically discriminated against, often with their appearance used as a weapon against them (she was hot so he couldn’t help attacking her, she didn’t wear enough makeup so I had to fire her) – reinforce sexist attitudes against women. Jokes about trans people’s gender identity reinforces the dehumanizing treatment many trans people face which leads to massively increased rates of murder of trans people, suicide, and self-harm.
So I call “bullshit” on your little temper tantrum, vto.
Well as oab says above in hisher typical white middle class male-hating fashion, you poor precious uber-sensitive petal
You mis-read the line of mine you have quoted. The true meaning being that everyone, no matter their identity, is worthy of the same standards of decency and manners when it comes to humour, whereas you split people out for different treatment depending on their race, gender and the like
here endeth, as the points I made have skimmed over your head unaddressed.
edit: and your “temper tantrum” call is funny given it was your own kneejerks which kicked off this mini-thread.
World War 3 is about to start. Oh sorry almost all of you are having an argument about whether someone should not have made some passing remark about someone’s silhouette that appeared to be someone that a number of people know and who has never dealt with the public before so would be totally devastated to find that someone actually said something that might have been about her. The whole of Open Mike has been dominated by this conflagration. Pointless and unworthy of intelligent adults.
I saw a video of a young man the other day who does need protecting. He is a blind savant who has an extremely advanced sense of tone and can play the piano amazingly, and seems so vulnerable I hope that he can be helped to live his life to the full and yet be watched over and protected at all times. He does need to have wrap-around protection as he goes about his affairs. The rest of us, male or female, are a bit more robust. Can we stop all this female victim stuff. The feminists of the 1970s have already achieved much in treatment of females as equals and the improvement is measurable.
That’s a pretty fucked thing to say. Some people learn from their mistakes. Some are better at digging holes than Gina Reinhardt. We get to choose which we are.
Iraq doesn’t have to go via the UN. However, a UN mandate is seen as a moral authorisation for multi state action. To use another example, in Africa, several countries have got military support from their neigbours when fighting various rebellions without going to the UN.
But we’re not talking about neighbours helping fight a scrub fire are we?
-and I am not meaning to trivialize the very serious nature of the less well known conflicts around the world, but few of those have the potentiality of real global escalation.
” a UN mandate is seen as a moral authorisation for multi state action”
That is how I see it, and not to do so simply raises questions as to why they won’t.
If Iraq needs help from the international community in its fight against ISIS, why has it not made a formal request to the UN for military assistance?
Because it is embarrassed that it can’t handle fewer than 10,000 largely informally trained ISIS fighters by itself, and it would be an admission that the northern areas of Iraq have effectively chosen to succeed from Baghdad.
If the SkyCity convention center goes ahead in effect that is exactly what Auckland will become known as, from a tourists point of view at least.
I see the problem gambling watch dog has issued SkyCity a improvement notice after a undercover sting revealed they failed miserably in helping the plant who was showing classic signs that she had gambling/addiction problem. I hear the assistance provided was leading the hapless punter to an ATM to ensure all accounts were cleaned out.
Seriously conducting a few filmed undercover hatchet jobs on SkyCity is a fantastic idea as part of an overall campaign to close these blood sucking leaches out of New Zealand completly.
I’ve often thought that all these sports teams that have company logos on should be called by the company name, rather than their own. So sports commentary would be like, “AIG have just scored” and so on.
Many times I have thought of writing a short story in which people are watching some sports match on TV in our brave capitalist future and the teams are called by their company names.
And works’ teams were the norm at the start of the professional era in Britain, the most famous of them all being Thames Ironworks FC who went on to win the ’66 World Cup (well, sort of …). C’mon, you Irons!
And society always loses.
The social costs of gambling include:
* crime,
* business and employment costs,
* bankruptcy,
* suicide / illness related to pathological gambling,
* social service costs,
* direct regulatory costs,
* family costs,
* improperly obtained money (not reported as theft).
“Why, then, have we come to imagine that we are living in particularly plural societies, in which our cultural identities are all-important? The answer lies in a complex set of social, political and economic changes over the past half century, changes that include the narrowing of the political sphere, the collapse of the left, the demise of class politics, the erosion of more universalist visions of social change. Many of these changes helped pave the way for multicultural policies. At the same time, the implementation of such policies helped create a more fragmented society. Or, to put it another way, multicultural policies have helped create the very problems they were meant to have resolved. I want to demonstrate this through two examples. The first is a riot in Britain, of which you may not have heard, the second a cartoon crisis in Denmark, about which everyone has heard. . .”
So Obama has now officially requested authorization from Congress for the use of force against ISIS. And the forever war continues.
He’s just playing into the hands of the military industrial complex that Eisenhower warned us of, the same complex that demands constant war to fill it’s coffers and make influential people’s careers.
He’s also playing straight into the hands of ISIS, who’s popularity is starting to flag. Nothing will help ISIS’ s propaganda and recruiting more than a non Muslim army on Muslim soil.
Obama is a complete sellout, and has continued the horrendous foreign policy kicked off by Bush.
True conservatives and liberals alike should agree on this, the Middle East is too fucked up to go about having wars and nation building, you do so and you put everyone’s security at risk in the name of protecting it. No, if you want to destroy ISIS, which the West created by the way via their handling of matters in Iraq, get the Muslim countries to unite against them and fight their own bloody battles.
So a country that most of their drinking water comes from is sue by a gold company for stopping them from mining, and claim future profits as damages. Not consider all the damage from waste pollution and distruption to the dwn river population, safe guards to water the state must install extra.
So i want to know if ngos can use the same trade agreements to sue for their losses when an govt allows an oil company to kill off rivers, hectors dolphins, or whatever, for the future potential profits lost because of the activities allowed.
I want to know why investors cant sue govt for the lost profits from a likely
housing collapse because it has not built enough homes and housing nz homes,
foreign property developers are losing by payig more for housing and will
lose when finally govt bursts the housing market by building them finally,
I think govt sucks, so what anal rententive cheers on the ability to sue govt, well the
act leader, sole mp, leader of none, of course. What person supports a policy of holding govt to account when they dont believe in any govt, and hat govt is crap and liable to payout big when sued.
Here is a good link for getting clever quotes. Keep a copy of this and have it handy when the opinions here appear to be approaching critical mass and you need to think along someone else’s wavelength. http://ejikeinfo.com/2015/02/47-quotes-funny-inspirational-time.html
edited
British Foreign Minister Hammond savages Israeli ‘murder’ of ‘thousands of innocent civilians’
Commenting on Binyamin Netanyahu’s remarks today, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said:
“Netanyahu is deluded or lying when he says his military are not murdering hundreds of innocent civilians with the use of US-UK supplied weaponry. His regime has waged a brutal campaign against the Palestinian people, using crude and indiscriminate weapons and prevented access to life-saving humanitarian assistance. …. Netanyahu’s forces have systematically murdered, tortured, raped and imprisoned Palestinians. There can be no doubt that he is the problem, not part of the solution. The UK’s position has now fundamentally changed, we will have no more political, ideological and economic support and cooperation with Benjamin Netanyahu; there must be a political transition to a future in which State terror and Apartheid has no part.”
From your first link it is clear they are comments about Assad not Netanyahu. The quote has obviously been rewritten for unknown purposes by the people who posted your second link.
If one had to choose which of the two quotes were legitimate, I would go with the quote stating the comments are against Assad seeing as a link supplied in the second link goes back to the first link where the comments clearly state they are about Assad.
“FCO: Foreign Secretary condemns Assad’s comments on barrel bombs and calls for political transition in Syria.
FCO press release
Commenting on Bashar Al Assad’s remarks today, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said:
Assad is deluded or lying when he says his military are not murdering hundreds of innocent civilians with the use of barrel bombs. His regime has waged a brutal campaign against the Syrian people, using crude and indiscriminate weapons and prevented access to life-saving humanitarian assistance.
“Assad’s forces have systematically murdered, tortured, raped and imprisoned Syrians. There can be no doubt that he is the problem, not part of the solution. The UK’s position has not changed, we have no dialogue with Assad; there must be a political transition to a future in which Assad has no part.”
From your first link it is clear they are comments about Assad not Netanyahu.
Well spotted, my friend.
The quote has obviously been rewritten for unknown purposes by the people who posted your second link.
For “unknown purposes”? The purpose of the exercise is perfectly clear: to show what a British minister would say, if he were anything other than a sanctimonious, inconsistent, murderous creep.
Morrisey, are you saying you altered the text and set up the fake second link in order to deceive the readers here, so as to make a point about the sorry state of international politics when addressing the problems of the Middle East?
I simply reprinted something from the excellent Media Lens site.
Unless one were utterly bewildered, one would be aware that neither I nor the poster on Media Lens was trying to deceive anyone; we were simply highlighting the murderous hypocrisy of the British government.
I provided links to the spoof AND the disgusting original. How is that deceptive?
This may not help but what the hell
“deceive” was a tad strong Morrisey. Apologies for that. What would you use in that context?
However, if you were not familiar with Media Lens and read the homepage to familiarize yourself with its nature
Welcome to the Media Lens Message Board. This is an edited forum providing up-to-date information and resources in support of Media Lens Media Alerts and other activism. Our aim is to provide media activists with free and easy access to high quality information, articles, links and other resources.
you might be forgiven for not immediately noticing, or indeed be on the lookout for, satirical content.
If it makes you feel better to think of people as bewildered when they fail to immediately unravel the intention behind a post which presents itself exactly like your more serious posts, then not much I can do about that… but be alert. And as we know the world needs more lerts.
Not sure I would say ianmac is easily fooled though, he obviously took it as a real quote. Or do we assume everyone is communicating in a permanent state of unassigned sarcasm these days and no one makes straightforward comments any more? Although that would be some comfort if true, at least it would help us all understand the actions of governments the world over. 🙂 Peace be with you.
At the risk of sounding like an outrageous smart-arse (but then again, what’s new ?), I’d have to say that the chances of any British Foreign Secretary taking that sort of honest and moral stand – and, in the process, implicitly rebuking the US administration – are somewhere close to well below zero.
I thought it was pretty obvious right from the start that Morrissey was posting a satire/spoof with a clear moral message.
@ swordfish
I read the statement that Morrissey reproduced and thought OMG something has happened to turn the Brits around. For a moment I had hope. I unfortunately am not tolerant of BS that is possible to misunderstand. I want to be able to be naive and trusting like a child occasionally, and spoofs should be labelled clearly at the bottom.
I suppose it is impossible for clever smart-arses to comprehend what I am talking about. Everyone must be all-knowing and cynical and see through everything as a con. The sort of people who would do this would tell three-year olds that there is no Father Christmas, it is all done by a hospitality agency who buy the presents also.
Trust is the glue that holds us together, and it must be preserved by people who we believe to be on our side, or else they fall into that unpleasant group of spies like the French Intelligence on Rainbow Warrior duty. UOr undercover spies which are, hopefully rare. I already hardly believe anybody at face value these days. So be careful what you do that will pervert and dilute so-called facts or we may decide to rely on nobody and believe nothing.
Ah! I see what you did there… thought it was too good to be true: a western politician finally denouncing Israel’s genocidal campaign against the Palestinians.
questiontime looks like it will be a snooze-fest..
..wall to wall patsy-questions..
..this one being the only one of much/any interest..
“..Hon DAVID PARKER to the Minister of Police: On how many occasions, if any, has he alerted the Prime Minister or his Office to a matter of significant public interest which he has been briefed on by his officials since his appointment?..”
Labour and the Greens each have question on the SkyCity Convention Centre debacle and Denise Roche’s is directed to Stephen Joyce. Any time he has to stand up and try and explain away his total incompetence in negotiating the deal has got to be a good thing right?
Don’t be too hard on Percy Parker, we all have a bad day don’t we Phil lol. I like Parker he has good intentions knowing our future young will be lumbered with Nationals incurred debt. At least he was open to my idea of primary election contests amongst the opposition party’s, actually going further and mooting they get a relatively unopposed run at some electorate seats.
I like that earlier on pre politics he successfully ran an indi movie theatre down south.
I know him well enough to have a beer and chat together and he does call me and answer my texts, which is more than I can say for many other labour MP’s.
Would you like a glaring example of the manipulation of information taking place in the world today. No matter who you believe, no matter what you think you know, this is an indisputable WTF moment.
Q: How can a child reported to have been killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012, be killed in Pakistan in December 2014?
Photo manipulation of a still image is one thing and and fakery is often used in those instances, as is alteration of text, as I highlighted on Morrisey’s post above, but the video segments in the following two links are where the question of what is and is not real, gets very interesting indeed.
Photo manipulation of a still image is one thing and and fakery is often used in those instances, as is alteration of text, as I highlighted on Morrisey’s post above…
The example I posted is obviously to highlight the calumny of a particularly loathsome hypocrite; it was not “fakery” in the way you seem to mean.
“as is alteration of text” was in reference to your post Morrisey. Perhaps i should have bracketed the reference to your post to ensure clarity. The fakery comment was [clearly] regarding the aforementioned photographic manipulation.
The Shame of US Journalism is the Destruction of Iraq, Not Fake Helicopter Stories
by CHRISTIAN CHRISTENSEN, Common Dreams, 5 February 2015
The news that NBC’s Brian Williams was not, in fact, on a helicopter in 2003 that came under fire from an Iraqi Rocket-Propelled Grenade (RPG) should come as a surprise to noone. Williams had repeated the lie on several occasions over the course of a decade until a veteran, who was on the actual helicopter that was attacked, had enough of Williams’ war porn and called the TV host out on Facebook. In a quite pathetic effort to cover his tracks, the anchor—who makes in excess of $10 million per year— claimed that his fairy tale was, in fact, “a bungled attempt by me to thank one special veteran and by extension our brave military men and women” who had served in Iraq. Twelve years, it seems, is enough time for Williams to confuse being on a helicopter that came under fire from an RPG with being on a helicopter that did not.
Given that Williams works for NBC, his participation in the construction of a piece of fiction during the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq is apt. US network news, together with outlets such as CNN, aggressively cheer-led an invasion predicated on a massive falsehood: the Iraqi possession of WMD. What is jarring, however, is the fact that Williams’ sad attempt to inject himself into the fabric of the violence is getting more ink and airplay than the non-existence of WMD did back in the early-to-mid 2000s: a lie that provided the justification for a military action that has taken the lives of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians.
From embedded journalists to ultra-militaristic news logos and music, U.S. television news media were more than willing to throw gas on the invasion fire. “Experts” in the studio were invariably ex-generals looking to pad their pensions, while anti-war activists (who spoke for sizable portions of the US and UK populations back in 2003) were avoided like the plague. …..
Hopefully – this (and other significant developments upon which I shall report shortly), will help to STOP the proposed Wellington ‘Supercity’ (for the 1%).
After ‘cold-calling’ the Local Government Commission yesterday (I’m currently in Wellington), to find out what had happened to my ‘Open Letter’ / OIA request to the Local Government Commissioners, today I received this formal acknowledgment and update from Donald Riezboz, now ‘Principal Advisor’ to the Local Government Commission:
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Dear Penny Bright
This is to acknowledge your e-mail below requesting information from the Local Government Commission.
The Commission is not subject to the Official Information Act. It does, however, endeavour to provide information in the spirit of the OIA. We will provide a substantive reply in due course.
Regards
Donald Riezebos | Principal Advisor
Local Government Commission Mana Kawanatanga a Rohe
Level 10, 46 Waring Taylor Street | PO Box 5362, Wellington 6145 | http://www.lgc.govt.nz
____________________________________________________________________________________________
You can read a copy of the my above-mentioned ‘Open Letter’ / OIA request here:
Noise. Since its the obligation of local noise officers to investogate the source of noise, and the fact that microphones, amps, speakers can be brought and left on, ready for noise offenders to start up, so pick up, amp, and then direct noise back to offenders.causing noise to be well over the allowed limit, and noise officers cannot remove equipment that is not the source, and i have every right to have feedback on bird and other natural noise that wil not get amplified to excesive limits.
So why cant the newly founded anti social noise charity, than lends out nature amplify equipment to select homes nearby noise polluters send me the equpiment damnit.
Payday Loans are a scourge of the poor.
It is a very profitable business: even more profitable than those Shop at Home operators in trucks who “sell” cheap stuf on rip-off credit. Shame that Labour never addressed this when in power.
Auckland Council in court over rates stoush
ROB STOCK
Last updated 16:16 11/02/2015
Auckland Council has asked the Auckland District Court to “strike out” evidence alleging past rates invoices did not comply with the law.
The application has is part of the legal jousting in the fight by Auckland Council to get transparency activist Penny Bright to pay over $30,000 in unpaid rates and rates penalties.
Bright refuses to pay, and is arguing the council’s rates invoices did not comply with the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002, and are therefore unenforceable.
In October last year Bright’s case was adjourned to allow her to prepare a file of evidence so the court could consider those allegations.
Bright handed that to the court in late December, and the council has now filed its response, and instead of seeking to rebuff Bright’s allegations, it has asked the court to strike the evidence out.
The council told the court in its application: “The newly raised matters relate to the validity of the rates the Auckland Council said she (Bright) owed, based on alleged errors in Council resolutions and statutorily required documents referred to in the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002…”
But, it said, that evidence should not be heard as part of Bright’s case.
It said Section 60 of the Local Government (Rating) Act says a person can’t refuse to pay their rates on the ground that they are invalid.
Section 60 does give people the right to go to the High Court to challenge the validity of the rates, but it said: “For the purposes of this submission, the key point is that arguments as to that invalidity of any rate could not prevent recovery, but such arguments could be raised in a separate action…”
It quoted the 1881 case of Hendrey v Hutt County Council in support of its case.
If rates were invalid, there were mechanisms available to councils to set rates again, and provide for the replacement of invalid rates, the council said in its submission to the court.
Bright said Auckland Council had not answered her evidence that the council’s rates were invalidly set, which she had been asked by the court to provide, and all of Auckland should “raise a howl of protest”.
Bright noted that the council had been late in its submission, and she had agreed to give it a five-day extension of the deadline for getting its submission in.
The council had told the court that had run behind schedule as its lawyers were too busy working on the defamation case Bright is taking against council chief executive Stephen Town.
Bright said that making defamatory comments about her was not part of Town’s duties as chief executive, and that he should pay the costs and any award out of his own money.
The council would make no comment on either case.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
In RNZ news today
“Four years after a petition was tabled in Parliament calling for more transparency around the negotiation of the Trans-Pacific Trade Agreement the Council of Trade Unions has appeared before a parliamentary select committee to discuss it.
But delegates were told by the Foreign Affairs and Trade select committee chair Mark Mitchell there had been plenty of public consultation about the trade negotiation.” http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/265946/ctu-appears-on-tppa
Have I been asleep for the last 4 years? I can’t recall all this public consultation!
“European Ombudsman launches public consultation in relation to the transparency of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations. (TTIP is a parallel to the TPPA but with the EU.)
“On 29 July 2014, the European Ombudsman opened an own-initiative inquiry towards the European Commission concerning transparency and public participation in relation to the TTIP negotiations (OI/10/2014/RA). The present public consultation concerns that inquiry[1].
The outcome of the TTIP negotiations could have a significant impact on the lives of citizens. The aim of the Ombudsman’s inquiry is to help ensure that the public can follow the progress of these talks and contribute to shaping their outcome.”
Is this a sudden ruse on the part of the Govt to give the appearance of having consulted after the EU Ombudsman took action?
To be truly consulted as a public, we need to see the text BEFORE it is signed so that we can “follow the progress of these talks and contribute to shaping their outcome.”
Nothing to hide, nothing to fear?
More TPPA news from today.
Today (12 Feb) Parliament’s committee that deals with treaties like the TPPA (Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee) has heard a submission from 16 groups that was presented in ………….2011!
It has been postponed ……….. three times before!
Speakers from NZCTU, Public Health Association, and Oxfam called for release of all documents, including draft text.
PLEASE LISTEN – Prof Emitrus of Russian History, New York University Stephen F Cohen talks about Obama’s recent provocation of Putin that is likely to lead to outright war.
congratulations marty mars –
here’s a little ditty i adapted just yesterday for someone
who recently started on the same big adventure
(put Fresh Prince of Bel Air in the earworm slot)
Now, this is the story all about how
Your life got flipped-flopped upside down
And I’d like to take a minute, just sit right there
I’ll share a little ditty about the joy and the fear
In each little step that the little ‘un takes
It’s heart in the mouth hoping he’s got brakes
On the playground is where you mainly feel the craze
Spinning things swinging ringing try to look cool
checking every second if he plays in the pool
When a couple of times the balance seemed no good
You wanna rush right over then you doubt you should
He has to find his own way as he stumbles along
But know that when he needs it that your arms will be strong
You sing a little ditty if the mood is glum
Soon enough he’s sleeping long before you’re done
You still sit watching for another hour
Even though you’re never left alone in the shower
Pulling up the covers at the end of the day
Adventures and disasters and the things they say
You look across the duvet at your smiling friend
Knowing that the wonder of it all never ends
Congrats Marty 🙂 my advice is read your sons Chinese star sign with an open mind. Be at peace with the universe says me a wood dragon born in the hour of the tiger.
Thanks Skinny – I’m an aries tiger married to a leo dragon – yes there be fire 🙂 My other son is a libra pig and our new boy is (I believe) an aquarian horse – I have a few friends of that disposition – although they do tend to be fire-horses!!!
This is an account from a Canadian scientist and teacher Andrew Robinson about the low value Ontario state puts on its educators and researchers. The system is screwed in the same way that ours will be. The link is to one of the various posts he has made on the continuing story of trying to get a fair deal for himself at the university, bearing in mind that others are in the same position. https://medium.com/@AndrewR_Physics/accountability-in-the-ontario-ivory-towers-5a879e26f850
He says: If the province forced them to pay contract teaching staff an equitable wage, they would have to adjust their current financial models, but it would not be the apocalyptic, “sky falling on our head” situation which is always invoked.
The universities are actually addicted to cheap contract instruction. They can’t get enough of it, and crave more. And of course, like most addicts, they are in denial that there is a problem. The sensible thing would be rehabilitation. This will almost certainly require an outside intervention.
A junior professor doing a set amount of work – would cost the University $32,000.
If the University pays a contract instructor like me to teach them, then it costs them only $20,100. You can see why they just love contract instructors, so cheap, so easy to get rid of, no permanent commitment required from them.
This is where getting the much vaunted higher education gets you when neo libs get claws into your country.
Here is the future: nobody gets any job security. Nobody gets a fair wage while they have a job. Nobody gets a retirement fund or even any guarantee they’ll be able to eat tomorrow. And almost everyone is doing everything they can just to get by—and paying some substantial portion of their earnings to a pimp or “platform” which controls the business they are in. And ain’t life a grand adventure? Isn’t it all so fun?
Welcome to the Sharing Economy.
This is the model of the new economy, where anyone with a car ought to be a Lyft contractor (your fare pays what he or she thinks is right but the company is tweeting out “we’ve slashed prices 20 percent”) and anyone with a house or apartment is renting it out on Air BnB and crashing at their boyfriend’s parents’ place.
How would you like to live in an economy where robots do everything that can be predictably programmed in advance, and almost all profits go to the robots’ owners?
Meanwhile, human beings do the work that’s unpredictable — odd jobs, on-call projects, fetching and fixing, driving and delivering, tiny tasks needed at any and all hours — and patch together barely enough to live on.
Brace yourself. This is the economy we’re now barreling toward.
They’re Uber drivers, Instacart shoppers and Airbnb hosts. They include TaskRabbit jobbers, UpCounsel’s on-demand attorneys and HealthTap’s online doctors. And they’re Mechanical Turks.
Thanks so much joe 90 for giving that bloody awful information. I just need a strong dose of bitter medicine. You have to suffer before you can get better they say.
This is the stuff we need to know, and I don’t want to know, and don’t want to know that most people don’t even know the information is there and they need to know.
I’m beginning to think that Donald Rumsfeld was the seer of our century! “Reports that say that something hasn’t happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know.
We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns — the ones we don’t know we don’t know.”
Also some completely gratuitous trivia (as is all of this but hey enjoy anyway):
“Death has a tendency to encourage a depressing view of war.”
“There is a Trans-Pacific Partnership, so-called, a huge commercial treaty, designed to incorporate the Asian countries, not China, but the other Asian countries, crucially not China,”
“There is a Trans-Pacific Partnership, so-called, a huge commercial treaty, designed to incorporate the Asian countries, not China, but the other Asian countries, crucially not China,”
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
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Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Comment: Almost half the world is voting in national elections this year and artificial intelligence is the elephant in the room. There are genuine fears AI-generated or AI-edited deepfakes will potentially manipulate election outcomes not just in the US and UK, but critically in countries such as India. For that ...
Ahead of the reality franchise’s return to New Zealand, allow us to introduce the eight brides and grooms. Chuck on a veil and tie back your man bun, because it’s time to say “I do” to a new season of Married at First Sight NZ. The reality TV “social experiment” ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Norton, Professor in the Practice of Higher Education Policy, Australian National University Every year on June 1, student debt in Australia is indexed to inflation. In 2023, high inflation pushed the indexation rate to 7.1%, the highest since 1990. This ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Changes in the May 14 budget will cut the student debt of more than three million people, wiping more than $3 billion from what people owe. The government will cap the HELP indexation rate ...
Asia Pacific Report The prosecutor’s office at the International Criminal Court (ICC) has appealed for an end to what it calls intimidation of its staff, saying such threats could constitute an offence against the “administration of justice” by the world’s permanent war crimes court. The Hague-based office of ICC Prosecutor ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk A women’s union in New Caledonia has staged a sit-in protest this week to support senior Kanak indigenous journalist Thérèse Waia, who works for public broadcaster Nouvelle-Calédonie la Première, after a smear attack by critics. The peaceful demonstration was held on ...
New Zealand Food Safety is monitoring overseas recalls of Indian packaged spice products manufactured by MDH and Everest due to concerns over a cancer-causing pesticide. ...
By Stephen Wright and Stefan Armbruster of BenarNews Fiji’s ranking in a global press freedom index has jumped into the top tier of countries with free or mostly free media after its government last year repealed a draconian law that threatened journalists with prison for doing their jobs. Fiji’s improvement ...
We might be in Invercargill but all anyone can talk about is Gore. Specifically, Salford Street. That’s where three-year-old Lachlan Jones lived, south of the centre of town, between the A&P Showgrounds and the Mataura River. Roughly 1.2 km away from the single level home he lived in with his ...
MONDAY I lined up the latest round of civil servants from city hall against the wall, and signalled for the firing squad to drop their rifles. I stepped up onto a wooden crate to look at the office workers in the eye. But that didn’t feel right, so I found ...
Keen hiker and second-year MSc student Liam Hewson wears two hats when he’s in the great outdoors. “The scientist in me appreciates nature and goes, ‘Oh, there’s that thing and there’s another thing,’ but then the tramper and the outdoorsy person in me thinks, ‘Cool bush.’” Born and bred in ...
After a long and illustrious career as a goal kicker, Dan Carter’s favourite way to unwind is… kicking goals. Why can’t he get enough of it? And what it’s like to watch him do it for an hour straight? A semicircle of people wielding cameras and phones has formed in ...
Dame Susan Devoy takes us through her life in television, including late night ER debriefs, her proudest CTI moment and the show she watches in secret. Quite aside from her four world champion squash titles, Dame Susan Devoy will likely go down in history as one of the best Celebrity ...
Hera Lindsay Bird reveals the best places in Ōtepoti to score more for your apocalypse-prep book hoard.Sometimes I get the feeling I’ve been killed in a car crash, and this second half of my life is just the brain unspooling itself, like one of those episodes of a hospital ...
ThreeNow’s new murder mystery series takes us on a dark, damp journey into the Australian wilderness.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. High Country is ThreeNow’s new Australian eight-part crime drama, set in a remote part of the Victorian highlands. It tells ...
Introducing a new way to read The Spinoff every weekend. After nearly 10 years of being an online magazine, we’re finally embracing the weekend liftout. Despite our best efforts to convince you otherwise, writers and editors at The Spinoff don’t work weekend. It is through the sheer power of technology ...
Tip one: let yourself be nurtured by this big old man. Tip two: don’t ask him to adopt you. So, you’ve arrived at your first session with a new therapist. He tells you to make yourself comfortable and you opt for the tweed armchair, hoping it makes you look like ...
I didn’t know books could open you back up; that there were books that stayed with you, where reading was like a chemical event. I knew nothing.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.Not too long ago, I was listening to the American ...
Everyone thinks he’s dead. Every day they expect his body to be washed up along the coast. Most likely up Karitane way, the way the tide’s running. But nobody’ll be too surprised if his body’s never found. Even in death he wouldn’t have wished for such attention. He would have ...
Former Olympic swimmer James Magnussen has already started training for the Enhanced games, though says he won’t start taking performance enhancing substances until about nine months out from the competition. The Australian world champion was the first athlete to be announced by Enhanced, but he says the organisation has had ...
Council members voted 21 to 4 in favour of Ahluwalia returning to the Laucala campus following a much-awaited meeting in Vanuatu this week. It comes as USP and its two unions — the Association of the University of the South Pacific Staff (AUSPS) and the Administration and Support Staff Union ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicola Henry, Professor & Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Social and Global Studies Centre, RMIT University Shutterstock Following an emergency meeting of the National Cabinet this week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a raft of measures to tackle the problem ...
Analysis - A poll showing the opposition is more popular than the government raises questions, politicians go through their 'trial by pay rise' and a Green MP loses her cool in the debating chamber. ...
The entire stretch of Tokomaru Bay on the East Coast will be subject to a joint customary marine title for two hapū, and extending up to four miles out to sea. A High Court judge has found the two groups, who during the case settled a dispute over boundaries for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Hall, Lecturer, Media & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University A longstanding feud between TikTok and Universal Music Group seems to have finally reached an end, with both parties signing a deal that will see Universal-backed music returned to the social media ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Siobhan O’Dean, Postdoctoral Research Associate, The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney After several highly publicised alleged murders of women in Australia, the Albanese government this week pledged more than A$925 million over five years ...
Political parties have now fully disclosed the donations they received last year - with National getting more than double the cash of any other party. ...
A Pacific regionalism expert has called out New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters for withholding information from the public on AUKUS military pact. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard de Grijs, Professor of Astrophysics, Macquarie University Bruno Scramgnon/Pexels All systems are “go” for tonight’s launch of China’s next step in a carefully planned lunar exploration program. Placed on top of a powerful Long March 5 rocket, the Chang’e 6 ...
National returned a massive donation the day after a Newsroom story linked the donors to a property being investigated for operating unlawfully as a migrant workers’ hostel. The party’s 2023 donation filings, released on Friday, show it returned a $200,000 donation from Buen Holdings on August 23. That was the ...
Pacific Media Watch New Zealand has slumped to an unprecedented 19th place in the annual Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index survey released today on World Press Freedom Day — May 3. This was a drop of six places from 13th last year when it slipped out of its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joshua Black, Political Historian and Administrator Officer, Australian Historical Association, Australian National University Australia has had its fair share of public record-keeping controversies in recent years. Some have been mere farce, as in the case of two formerly government-owned filing cabinets (containing ...
Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), a United Nations-affiliated organization dedicated to fostering peace through civilian-led initiatives, has issued a statement in response to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. ...
A poem by Tessa Keenan, from AUP New Poets 10. Mātou These days we are a photograph; one of a farm strewn with cows that used to be bright harakeke or swamp. The kids point at it and say the sun sits behind a smudge (left by someone at Christmas); ...
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 Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (Faber & Faber, $25)The masterful Irish writer ...
Marriage and civil union statistics record the number of marriages and civil unions registered in New Zealand each year, and divorce statistics record the number of divorces granted in New Zealand each year. Key facts Marriages and civil unions In ...
Marriage and civil union statistics record the number of marriages and civil unions registered in New Zealand each year, and divorce statistics record the number of divorces granted in New Zealand each year. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lennon Y.C. Chang, Associate Professor of Cyber Risk and Policy, Deakin University Taiwan stands out as a beacon of democracy, innovation and resilience in an increasingly autocratic region. But this is under growing threat. In recent years, China has used a variety ...
In this excerpt from her new memoir, Dame Susan Devoy remembers her turn as star contestant on the 2022 season of Celebrity Treasure Island. The most anxious time of every day was pre-elimination, when you knew this could be your final day on the show. I felt such contradictory emotions, ...
A week that began in triumph ended in an all-too-familiar disaster for the Green Party. Duncan Greive asks if there’s something in the mission that breaks its best and brightest. A long, strange week for the Green party began with a fantastic poll result. On one level this is hardly ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Vanuatu’s former prime minister and opposition MP Ishmael Kalsakau has stepped down — just two days after he confirmed he was the rightful opposition leader. Kalsakau, MP for Port Vila, confirmed to ABC’s Pacific Beat, and the Vanuatu Daily Post on Thursday that he ...
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Any polls coming out any time soon??
dunno..but i understand colmar-brunton have been seen in gay-clubs/saunas…
What the hell is that supposed to mean?
r u serious..?
..file it under lame-joke..(sorry..!..disabled-joke..)
Yes, I’m serious.
My opinion of you has just gotten lower.
meh..!..
..think of me tossing and turning..
..unable to sleep tonite..
I don’t want to think of you tossing phillip.
heh..!..
..best not to…
+1
??
Another Roy Morgan poll may not be far away. Their first of the year was released on January 23. Last year they went straight to fortnightly polls.
A “blinding” flash, intense explosion and sonic booms experienced over much of the country last night were probably caused by a John Key’s credibility returning from planet Key to Earth, experts agree.
About 10 pm, the flash, described by many as a burst of blue and white light, was seen from Whangarei to the upper South Island.
What else could it have been?
Discuss.
gerry brownlee farting..?
..i’ve been told that’s been known to light up the wellington sky..
..maybe he used a lighter at the crucial/wrong-moment..?
Beans for lunch would do it.
Lolz 😀
Between crunching on toast and the washing machine going off it’s nut on the spin cycle I thought I heard something on RNZ about a meteor tearing through the night skies last night.
But your theory is waaaay better Incognito. lets stick with that.
I think this so-called meteor was a PR trick display organised for the start of the world cricket. We should get kudos from the cricket council who will say Jiminy Cricket those NZs know how to go out and bat for their friends.
We let off fireworks at the drop of a hat. (Look for that video of a fireworks warehouse explosion in, Holland? Spectacular for the people living nearby!) There was supposed to have been a sonic boom about 10 pm. I never heard it. The fireworks that shoot up and then let out a lot of noisy bangs make a bigger impact. Nature can’t compare.
I personally want fireworks banned altogether. No public displays appealing to the child in us all, using up money that can’t be afforded for needed repairs and maintenance to infrastructure. (And fancy casinos where the idle rich can spend their ill-gotten gains going to other idle rich.)
In New York there was a large explosion reported in an old paper. They have pipes that were installed in the 1800s rotting away. needing repair and replacement. That’s what you get when you live in a private enterprise society that goes for the big bang over the well-run provision of needs and services for all its citizens.
Just part of the ‘rock star’ economy.
All flash and boom, and untraceable debris.
Is all irrigation bad??
In what I can only describe as a scripted “interview” on CH 1 this morning ,with the irrigation lady from south Canterbury making a push for talks on how to fund more dams.
I personally am on the fence on this one but think a lot of jobs for kiwis would be made building and maintaining large water storage and reticulation.
Also as a former resident of southern Hawks Bay a nice dam would of been a plus in a area that is devoid of places for a family outing.
Of the many dams already constructed.
Which one do you currently use for your ‘ family outings’ ?
Get to whakamaru on occasion but as taupos closer to me now I go there.
“I personally am on the fence on this one but think a lot of jobs for kiwis would be made building and maintaining large water storage and reticulation.”
my waghorn, the line of economic growth is a fallacy because once the community receiving the dam has built it and the land use intensified then the growth due to that stops. Stops. Economic growth reaches a new equilibrium and stops.
Then the cry goes out again for more growth (growth being necessary to pay for the money system that we currently have). So more taking from the environment occurs.
If farmers want growth then getting it by taking from the environment has a finitie ability to provide that – all the while fucking the environment.
Therefore at some point the farmers are going to have to think outside the square for growth as the environment will not be available for that. This means the farmers have two choices right now today;
1. They can think outside the square for growth now and leave the environment alone; or,
2. They can carry on fucking the environment and think outside the square later.
It is bloody simple.
I thought farmers held themselves out as logical and practical and trying to leave the lands in a better state than when they got them.
I agree on the finiteness of the growth mantra, but as the irrigation advocate pointed out this morning due to climate change we can expect more of these big drought ( and it is a drought by nz standards not Oz’s.) We may have to do some of these things to stay in the same spot production wise.
Or we adapt to the change in climate and grow/produce what the new ecosystem can sustain instead of forcing unsustainable agricultural and horticultural practices on an environment that’s saying “no more”…?
I suspect we’ve crossed the Rubicon on climate change, with the damage already done. All we can do now is seek to minimise the impact of it on our society and there’s precious little of that happening at a national level anywhere. Nevermind… nature always bats last and when the time comes we’ll reap whatever we have sown.
To be honest, I would support irrigation schemes if they were publicly owned, and strict rules about their usage to stop us from from doing what happened in Uzbekistan during the 70’s…
Yes the wiki page on it is interesting. If we were to do a big one down south I hope we wait till inept key is gone
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aral_Sea
hi b waghorn,
‘Is all irrigation bad??’
i suppose it depends from which point of view the question is being asked.
from the point of view of one who wants to more intensively utilize the land to increase their profit, irrigation and dams are a no brainer.
to a fish that can no longer return to its spawning grounds, because of the dam,equally another no brainer.
to the local companies that get business from the install of irrigation, good.
to the creek,stream, river from which the water is taken i would suggest not good.
to give some other context i have recently read derrick jensens endgame.
I have no real love for the ferrat of the water ways that trout are .
If strict rules around pollution are in place how can it be bad to move water from tekapo to South Canterbury.
fair enough the trout coz you dont like them,
koura, eels?
what i am getting at is a more universal view, not a singular or solely business angle.
Get rid of trout and koura would flourish and I believe byways can be installed for eels and the like.
‘If strict rules around pollution are in place how can it be bad to move water from tekapo to South Canterbury’
But strict rules are not in place – and never will be – if the farming bloc (enabled by the National party) have any thing to do with it.
And the rules that are in place aren’t always inforced eg irrigation takes not being monitored so farmers can essentially take as much as they want.
Beyond that, it won’t matter what rules are on place, because the rules are for unsustainable practices, not sustinable ones. They mitigate damage, they don’t promote systems that create ecologies instead of destroying them, so there will always be a net loss to the ecosystem over time.
As well as the economic issue (why create temporary jobs when you could create long term ones?), let’s ask where the water for the dams comes from and how it gets there, and what happens to the water once it’s there. Then what land use the irrigation enables. Once you look at all of that, then irrigation becomes inherently problematic, not because it’s always wrong to work with water in the landscape, but because we are using irrigation to strip mine fertility and export it and that will always be ‘bad’ as you put it.
This in no way means we can’t farm and have people make a living from it. That is possible, just not the way we are doing it now.
I think with clever people setting up rules and ways to mitigate the damage it could be a win win ( not likely with this gov but they won’t be here for ever)
A water charge to fund research could be levied on all water use for a start.
What you are suggesting is tinkering around the edges so that farmers can stay involved in industrial (i.e. unsustainable) farming, but it looks a bit better. eg regulate so that all waterways need a riparian strip (and honestly, do you think even that one thing is ever likely to happen in the current environment?). This protects the waterways more, from certain pollutants (nitrate run off, cow shit), and provides wildlife corridors and some erosion protection depending on how it is done, but it doesn’t achieve sustainability. Rivers and creeks exist in the whole valley/watershed, and if you want them to be healthy then the whole watershed needs to be looked at.
You’re still also taking water from other places, spraying it on paddocks, planting monocrop pastures, cutting down trees and scrub, flattening land, spreading artificial fertilisers etc, all of which damage soil, reduce water in the landscape, and result in increased environmental degradation over time.
So then you regulate water take, but there are still all those other issues, and all you’ve done is lessen the water take but it’s still too high, and spraying water on a paddock in a hot norwester in north Canterbury is about the definition of inefficiency and unsustainability.
Oh, and there’s the huge amount of oil and electricity to make all that work, so there’s increasing CC, and increasing need for power network infrastructure, which also increases CC (plus other environmental impacts).
If you want to do sustainable farming, then do it. It’s being done, there are plenty of successful examples here in NZ now. But the whole we can irrigate/farm industrially if we just regulate it properly fails the sustainability criteria in almost every way.
btw, the GP promotes policy that would support existing farmers to transition to sustainable practice. No other party is offering that.
Well the greens need to beat the drum a bit louder because down in farm land there seen as anti farming. This west coast guy might get some traction if he gets the nod .
Have a look at their policies, that will tell you more about what they think about farming than people who have uninformed prejudices against them (farmers will be listening to people with an anti-green agenda). Of course, the GP doesn’t support continuation of farming doing whatever the hell it likes, so when people say the GP are anti-farming what they mean is that the GP want farming to be sustainable. Fortunately, they’ve been developing policies to help farmers do that.
It’s worth going and hearing one of the MPs speak too.
https://home.greens.org.nz/policy/agriculture-and-rural-affairs-policy-towards-sustainability
Cheers have had a quick look and have saved link to my home screen for later between that and you’re links on the drought post I’ve got a bit to chew on at work this arvo
The nats won’t last for ever I hope.
What on Earth is the Auckland City Council up to with the Port of Auckland. By secretly pushing through the reclamation of land down at the wharf. With councillor Mike Lee cut out of the vote. What sort of Banana republic is dirty Lenny running in the city of Sky’s.
Sounds like this is just the start of major reclamation out into the harbour. Meanwhile John Key is worried about an eyesore of a cheap convention center on the back streets of the city, and is happy enough for the water front to become a larger eyesore.
Building out into the the beautiful harbour just doesn’t make sense, when you consider the relatively closeness of the deep water port at Marsden Point, which POA 50% own. You would need the rail line North, however its just suffered savage upgrade cuts which if a major slip occured would close the line completely.
Be very interested in what Hooton’s opinion is on the issues I’ve raised.
i am astonished at the apparant lack of outrage/media-silence at this..
..and yeah..
..fuck len brown..!
..don’t stand again..len..
..you will be humiliated..
..and will hand the city to the right..
..but really…could they be worse than you..?
..you have underwhelmed/under-performed/under-delivered..
..and shepherded thru rorts like this..
..some fucken heritage..eh..?
..at least banks has the dog-parks..
..you..?..w.t.f. have you got to show..?
..apart from this latest obscenity..?
..should we call it lens’ wharf..?
what else is there..?..len..?
..(apart from those stains in that room in the town hall..?..eh..?..)
Check yourself. What’s going on for you today?
Dirty Len has indicated he will go another round as Mayor, and I hear Goff is going to throw his towel in the ring. I can see Shearer doing likewise, it will be a vote splitting threesome then, with their ego’s not allowing any of them to stand aside. A poor selection prospect indeed. Bent Banksie, Hide, Brash must all fancy their chances.
If Len wants it another term he will get one. He’s actually quite popular, despite his failings. Goff would only run if Len wasn’t in it and Shearer … well, you’re having a laugh, arentcha?
ps Dirty Len? I smell the stench of the sewer on your moral highground, skinny.
Yes I have long thought Len will get another term if he wants one due to;
• appalling lack of interest and participation from most jaffa-ites in the postal ballot
• he has straddled the left/right divide on council and knows how to work the staff backrooms and systems
• Nat HQ finds him malleable even though they probably would prefer a full on rightie
personally I reckon he is a low type, he could easily have sat on POA and done the honorable thing by the wharfies but it is not in his makeup.
Minto for Mayor campaign had great ideas–slashing over $100 grand salaries, free public transport, living wage city etc. If one left candidate with some brand recognition ran on that sort of platform I might get more interested. But Goff, Brown, Pallino, Banksie doesn’t do it for me and I am into politics!
Just for you TRP will can add Pita Sharples the former sellout Maori_Tory party leader. Making it a complete choice of sewer rats.
My morals have been far worst then Lens there are a few ladies that can testify to that. Happy with just the one partner these days 🙂
Shearer can only run if Robertson tells him. He is clueless and shallow and too vain to realise his own limitations.
Labour workers should never ever forgive Robertson for using Shearer in the way he did: nor should they forgive Shearer for allowing himself to be used.
We havelost half a decade of social advancement because of the antics of the Machiavellian and the Dope.
“..We havelost half a decade of social advancement because of the antics of the Machiavellian and the Dope..”
+ 1..
Exactly why the mayoralty should be decided by preferential voting.
Joel Cayford’s blog is a worthwhile read on Auckland planning decisions, and background.
His last post is on the different approaches of Auckland and Wellington council,
Narcissism builds narcicity that grows.
He attends a lot of the smaller (and often important) meetings, and has the historical knowledge to critique them well.
@skinny … agree with all you write, but just to correct a detail please:
What they have ‘pushed through’ is apparently ‘piles only’ and not reclamation from sea-bed, according to the story … that’s how it was done with planners only and avoided whole council. b’stards.
the issue of new land reclamation comes next …
Thanks yes I know, however as you say its the next step that is the real start of building out further into the harbour. This extension is all part and pacel of the reclamation do not be fooled.
indeed … thx.
Mike Lee stated during the POA dispute that the agenda to reclaim land was already in play
The key players names will come as no surprise
this ^^^^^
Look away, Young Nats, look away!
https://twitter.com/DarienFenton/status/565407778333011968/photo/1
going on that picture of fenton..
..is she doing a bruce jenner in reverse..?
That’s a completely unnecessary, sexist, transphobic “joke”, phil. Gross.
why/how is it ‘gross’..?
..where is the slur..?
..(i’m pretty sure fenton wd laugh at it..wouldn’t take offence..
.from what i’ve noticed..she seems to have a sense of humour..)
..are you now accusing me of being homophobic..?
..aren’t you taking thought-police to new extremes..?
..if you are offended by that..
..there must be a hell of a lot that offends you..
..and no..it’s not my best work..
..but there is certainly none of the intent you imply..
..(in the past you have accused me of being a woman-hater/anti-feminist..
..and now homo/transphobic…eh..?
..bloody hell..!
..and just to head you off at the pass..i was nowhere near dealy plaza on that fateful day..)
the only (to my mind..) no-go area i go near is overweight-politicians..
..so the fat gerry brownlee farting-joke passes muster ok..?
..i mean..did you even click on the link..?
..the photo isn’t actually even of fenton..
..did you know that..?
..and when i hear a joke is ‘unnecessary’…
..my blood runs cold..
You really are not alright today. Get help.
phillip .. it is a very crappy sexist comment. why not request mods to remove it ? it seems an unusual brain fart from you this morning. you are usually a delight to enjoy and astute with it.
and bringing in dealey plaza in yr defence ? honestly? best you stop digging the hole right now fwiw !
‘dealey-plaza’..?
..too soon..?
..when does that joke-embargo end..?
What a massive over-reaction. The fact is you’ve made a “joke” which (a) depends on tired, sexist “she looks like a man” tropes and (b) exploits the situation of a person undergoing a very public gender transition for cheap laughs.
This is basic sexism – implying women have to look a certain way to count as “real women” – and basic transphobia – implying anyone who doesn’t fit gender stereotypes must be trans, making Bruce Jenner’s gender and appearance into the butt of a joke.
It doesn’t matter who laughs at it or who doesn’t, the joke is gross.
(And you don’t really seem to understand what “homophobia” is, either.)
seriously..!
..you could enter the olympics representing nz in jumping-to-conclusions..
..and i can’t be bothered unpacking that one..
..and i must have missed the apology after you accused me of being a woman-hater-anti-feminist..
..and i pointed out i had raised my daughter as a sole-parent (opining that fathering a daughter must make any man with a brain a feminist..)
..and that whoar wd be the most complete compendium/cache of international feminist-writing/articles..
..from the last ten yrs..that u wd find here in nz..
cd u link me to that apology/mea culpa plse..
You’re seriously going to demand apologies after making the most obvious, shitty-gender-stereotype joke imaginable about a woman looking like a man?
You boggle the mind, phil, you really do.
the photo is not of fenton..
..i repeat…the photo is not of fenton…
..therefor..the joke is not about fenton..
..so how can it be..what u claim it is..?
..and no..i am asking for a link to yr apology for calling me a woman-hating/anti-feminist…
..this one i just view as a thought-police spike in activity..
..no apology needed/expected..
“the photo is not of fenton..
..i repeat…the photo is not of fenton…
..therefor..the joke is not about fenton..”
what then did you mean when YOU said
“going on that picture of fenton..” ? ? ?
but it wasn’t of fenton..was it..?
..it cd have been said to have been of anyone of the female gender…
..but the photo was not of them..
..was it..?
that makes absolutely no sense phillip
either the joke is about fenton in which case all the above criticisms stand
or the joke is not about fenton which brings as back to what did you then mean by mentioning fenton?
goodbye phillip
No-one is thinking you thought the photo was of Fenton.
whoosh..!
you made the hurtful unfunny remark and Stephanie is correct in her analysis – own it and sort your shit out
This is a nice blog phillip u. We watch our language, aim for a high standard in our speech and behave properly at all times.
The Spectator brought its mind to the problem of improper language.
http://www.spectator.co.uk/features/9432672/an-a-to-z-of-the-new-pc/
However its RW isn’t it. A left-wing publication would be much more sympathetic to all the possible butts of someone’s facile, mistaken idea of humour and ridicule.
(What has happened to thefreedictionary.? It used to be excellent, then it changed its format. Now it is only in encyclpaedic format. And the other dictionaries only gave one meaning of the word butt when I looked it up. Except for what I presume is google which gives a box if you put word meaning in together. It drops down to provide huge information, but free dictionary is not there.)
edited
Phil I’m looking for the sheep of the day award so will follow the flock and admonish you also. Your a naughty boy and should know better.
Yes Phil is naughty and should know which parts of humanity can and cannot be laughed at around here…
🙄
It’s simple enough, vto. Don’t shit on oppressed groups and expect not to have your shittiness pointed out.
I’m dying to hear anyone’s explanation of why “lol I can pretend I think this photo is of Darien Fenton and she looks like a man lol Bruce Jenner in reverse” isn’t a cheap shot about gender stereotypes.
do you want to post a list/guide..?
..of subjects/topics that cannot be mined for any (accidental or otherwise) humour that might be present..
..i’m picking it wd be a pretty long list..
..but we’ve already established that fat-tory-politician-farting- jokes don’t offend you..eh..?
..so i can keep on doing them/the brownlees..?
..but funny story..!
..i wd shie away from from powerless-fat-people jokes..
..and i am irish/scots/welsh…
..so we’ll have to excise all those comedy-genres..eh..?
..given they are all/have been ‘oppressed-groups’..eh..?
..so best not ‘shit’ on them..eh..?
..i mean..are you listening to yrslf..?
You could always, you know, try for a sense of humour that doesn’t involve insulting the appearance of women.
A radical notion, DoublePlusGood. But it reminded me of the final lines of Gosford Park:
Wiseman: You Brits have no sense of humour.
Elsie: We do when something’s funny, sir.
You appear to be an extraterrestrial interloper.
Much of our species humour revolves around making fun of other peoples’ appearances. Like most things in human life, it can go too far, but generally it doesn’t and those among us called “grown ups” manage to deal with it just fine.
@ double-plus good..
you will no doubt be shocked at my piss-take on parker..today/in q-time commentary..
..it involved/revolved around purely his ‘appearance’
“Much of our species humour revolves around making fun of other peoples’ appearances.”
Bullshit. The world moved on from black face and jokes about the mother in law’s arse decades ago. We’re now in a comedic era where we make jokes about people with attitudes like yours instead.
Darien can hardly be compared to a bloke that was the joke to me, we are quite good friends and her great taste in fashion always gets a comment from me. She is doing a fantastic job for the meat workers union which is great.
missing-the-point award for you..
..if you know fenton..
..cd u plse ask her if she is ‘offended’…
Seeing as how you didn’t make the joke to Fenton, it’s largely irrelevant whether she was offended or not, and focussing on her offense completely misses Stephanie’s points.
and if accusing me of being anti-fenton..as well..
..i wd note i have sympathy for fenton for having been a labour mp..
..and also for the shared experiences of her also being an ex-junkie..
..so..y’know..!
.stick it in yr pipe..!..skinny..
“..“lol I can pretend I think this photo is of Darien Fenton and she looks like a man..’
and a special twisting my words award there..
..the ‘joke’..as it is..is of confusing-expectations..
..it’s as simple/basic as that..
..none of what you extrapolate it out to be..
..and..um..!..can we do ‘gender-sterotyping’ jokes about heterosexual-males..?
..or wd they be on the list too..?
..it might be easier/quicker to make the list of what is allowed to be joked about..
..eh..?
..and f.w.i.w..
..in my early junkie days in auckland..
..i wd have counted ‘sally’ and ’tilly’ as friends..
..’sally’ and ’tilly’ were two famous ‘outrageous’ transexual junkies of the time..
..i loathe racism/sexism/all of those ‘isms’..
..as you were proven wrong with yr woman-hating/anti-feminism accusations..
..here also you are barking up the wrong tree..
anyone got any good junkie-jokes..?
Haven’t spoken or seen herv since before Xmas, not a great way to start new year is it. Philip, geez ya must be smoking cabbage today.
Na mate I don’t for one second believe you have a bad bone in your body. Besides you give me a 1 in 10 laugh, tight I know.
Have you seen Polythene Pam? Next you’ll be banning Abbey Road.
As someone who actually deals with transgender people on a fairly regular basis, most of them aren’t anywhere near as precious as you and other members of the foghorn class.
“..the foghorn class..”
heh..!
..but are they an oppressed-minority..?
..or an oppressor-minority..?
..that ‘foghorn-class’..
I post *one sentence* pointing out the issues with phil’s shabby little joke and this gets blown up – by you and others – into a grand feminist conspiracy to destroy all men’s freedom of speech.
But of course it’s feminists who go around looking for things to be oppressed by, right? 🙄
This has nothing to do with the rights of women or men and everything to do with the fact that you didn’t hear the word “no” enough as a child.
You didn’t find Phil’s joke funny. I wasn’t in stitches myself, but I’m not so utterly po-faced and witless as to declare it a crime against humanity.
[Stephanie: You are perilously close to crossing the “personal attack against an author” line here. Do not comment on my childhood, do not make assumptions about my motives.]
So Stephanie is a spoilt brat and her politics are meaningless? All I can see in your comments are hyperbole, position twisting, and ad hominems (plus the bit about knowing what transgender people want). Hardly the politically astute comment of the day.
Oh of course, it’s teh feminazis at work again 😛 Phil, your jokes was nowhere near funny. I’ve heard funnier sentences uttered by Key. Pull ya head in and have another cone buddy
@ david..
..i wd agree with tom jacksons’ rating of/on the ‘joke’..
“..You didn’t find Phil’s joke funny. I wasn’t in stitches myself, but I’m not so utterly po-faced and witless as to declare it a crime against humanity..”
@ s.r..
“..by you and others – into a grand feminist conspiracy to destroy all men’s freedom of speech…”
in this case..that you are a female..has absolutely nothing to do with it…
..it is more a gender-neutral thought-police matter..
🙄
That’s the second time I’ve been called the “thought police”. Over a single sentence pointing out the shittiness of your stupid joke. I think the “grand feminist conspiracy” characterisation of your reaction is spot-on.
so..yr again accusing me of being anti-feminist..?..
..really..?
http://whoar.co.nz/?s=feminist
I don’t know, phil, you’re the one who makes jokes about women’s appearances and trans people, can’t stand women paying other men attention, can’t handle women disagreeing with you, and think a woman criticising your terrible joke is “thought police”. You tell me.
throws hands in air..
..walks away..
(from my feminist-cache..)
http://whoar.co.nz/2010/the-sexual-politics-of-meat-how-sexism-and-animal-cruelty-coexist/
“…Carol Adams’s The Sexual Politics of Meat: A Feminist-Vegetarian Critical Theory is a pivotal feminist text-
– in which Adams calls upon her readers to see the exploitation of women – and the exploitation of animals – as part of the same system of oppression.
This is an analysis that is still as crucial today as it was two decades ago – when the book was originally published..”
..speaking of ‘oppressed-minorities’…
..and their ‘oppressers’..eh..?
in this case words are not the cruelest-cut…
..are they..?
..the ‘cruelist-cuts’ are the animals you get someone else to torture/kill for you..
..just so you can (unthinkingly) eat them..
..are you blind to the ‘oppression’ inherent there/in those actions..?
..are you unable to hear the cries of the animals above the sound of ‘the foghorn’..?
..you preach to me about ‘oppression’..?
..when you do that each/every day..
(now i’m getting pissed-off..so..given the power-imbalance..
..i cannot still my tongue any more..
..so must withdraw..)
opolice fail a woman who told them she had been sexually assaulted and by whom…
just like they lied and failed in roastbuster case
we keep being told the police have learnt…
and yet…
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11400782
I am sure this has nothing to do with the turn this thread took. 😉
‘I am sure this has nothing to do with the turn this thread took’
how exactly..?
..what dots are you attempting to join there..?
..’cos i looked…and i couldn’t see any relevant dots..
(warning:..your answer will determine whether or not you make the shortlist for todays’ groin-stretch-award..
..as it looks so far – at the very least you are up for an opportunism-certificate..)
Stephanie Rodgers “Don’t shit on oppressed groups ”
But shit on others? Why do you limit shitting so? That is what gets me – if not part of some oppressed group then shit away… splatter those people with crap.
explain yourself
Oppressed people are oppressed. Powerful people are powerful. You harm oppressed people with nasty jokes at their expense more than you can harm powerful people with nasty jokes at their expense. I’m not sure why this is rocket science.
By that logic it would be o.k. to make a racist joke about President Obama?
are black people oppressed? Then don’t make jokes about their ethnicity.
Is the president of the US oppressed? Have at it in making president jokes.
Want to make a racist joke about a black US president? Consider how much shit Obama has had thrown at him while he’s been president but because he is black. Consider how many obstacles there are to a person of colour in the US getting to be president. (and thus don’t make jokes).
I also don’t understand why this is difficult to grasp.
It is commonly accepted that Humour traditionally can step a very fine line between between commentary and offense Weka, but if we have a degree of tolerance for the risk involved in flirting with the line, that is where humour can be most valuable?
It allows us to explore territory that might be difficult to do so otherwise.
What I find difficult to understand is that some people might not understand that the line is far from clear, and so a culturally healthy sense of humour can only exist if we have some tolerance for the occasional overstepping of the mark.
I personally think some of you are a little intolerant at times….and a good example of the result would be the conversation you had with that very erudite and thoughtful poster Red Logix a while ago, that was very similar to the one above.
I don’t think RL has been back since then? Can’t re-offend if he is not here i guess.
Yeah my mother taught me stick & stones when I got teased for being skinny at school. I’ve never taken a backwards step since. I know what you mean though.
I went on holiday to Aussie once and vowed to never return after having to suffer very racist and sexist conduct. Actually I gave the offending Aussie males a far bit of stick talking derogatory of females in front of females. They turned on me like a pack of dogs calling me all sorts of names that I won’t repeat.
Kind of hopeful Miss Rodgers umm that you would put a nom in for me to receive the Trish Bartlett gold medallion for taking one for the sisters award.
It isn’t rocket science.
All jokes are nasty to someone in some way. That doesn’t mean it’s cool to join in: pick your targets. The Right certainly will.
@ the lost sheep,
For me it’s not about offense. It’s about politics and understanding power. I wasn’t offended by what phil said (I thought it was stupid). But I understand what Stephanie is talking about, that ridiculing people who are already hugely undermined because of the class they belong to makes them more vulnerable.
As for Red, yes he has been here since our fight and now he’s not. I don’t know why, but I know it’s not unusual for him to take breaks from ts for periods of time. The fight he and I had was dissimilar to this in that he used a sexist slur to teach me a lesson, intentionally give me a slap down, and IMO it was personal. It wasn’t a joke, it was serious (Red acknowledged this).
Phil made a stupid joke about someone not here, and it wasn’t even really about her, it was just about trying to get a laugh at the expense of women who look like men and transgender people. The two situations aren’t the same in any meaningful way apart from they both involved sexism (and possibly they both involved a ts author with moderating powers, but you’d have to take that up with them not me).
“What I find difficult to understand is that some people might not understand that the line is far from clear, and so a culturally healthy sense of humour can only exist if we have some tolerance for the occasional overstepping of the mark.”
This is a left wing political discussion space. Of course racist, sexist, transphobic etc jokes are going to get called out. Had it happened down the pub, I might have said something, in a lighter way that made the problem with the joke visible but didn’t start a long debate about it. But we’re not down the pub, we’re on ts and this is what we do.
As for the line, if you mean that some people misjudge what is appropriate, then I agree. But look at how many people think that phil got it wrong and look at phil’s response. He thinks he’s on the right side of the line and is defending that position, so what’s wrong with challenging him on that?
A racist joke and The National Party walk into a bar. The barman says “you all look the same to me”.
PS: and what Weka said: I’m constantly goaded by witless male petals: the uber-sensitivity of privilege. Look at the kerfuffle at Stephanie’s remarks: she’s a moderator. You speak to Lprent that way around here? Come and see the privilege inherent in the system.
@ weka..
“..it was just about trying to get a laugh at the expense of women who look like men and transgender people..”
that is an outright-lie..
..the photo-claim cd have been made of anyone..
..and the (albeit weak) joke wd still stand..
..it is the gender-surprise..not the physical-appearance of fenton or anyone..
..it is the expectation of one thing..and then something different being there…
..that was the ‘joke’..
..it was not a manifestation of my trans-phobia…
..the only people i don’t like..am ‘phobic’ about..
..are fucken idiots..
..does the cap fit..?
PS: and here’s another thing, Tom Jackson, you’re always one to talk about how you can know the Right by their accusations. Take a good look in the mirror. No, and I do mean no.
Personally I reckon the best rule is to err well on the side of tolerance. Je suis Charlie and all that.
I squirm enough at the idea of someone (Who?) setting themselves up as the moral arbiter of where the line of offense shall be drawn, but doesn’t it all get so much more fraught when we start splitting hairs on who is fair game for what degree of humorous offense?
So Obama is the most powerful man in the world but he is black. Andrea Merkel is a Woman. Elton John is gay. Brian Tamaki is Maori. Who can we throw shit at without implying offense to someone……if we have our sensitivity turned up high enough?
I know what, lets just have two rules?
It’s a jab you would take at anyone regardless of their situation, or you would not take the jab.
And any jab you were willing to swing, you would be willing to receive?
Stephanie Rodgers: “You harm oppressed people with nasty jokes at their expense more than you can harm powerful people with nasty jokes at their expense. ”
Oh really? I call bullshit on that. Complete bullshit. How often do you see people hurt by jokes at their expense? Why does their identity matter? At a personal level it doesn’t. Not one little bit. In fact not at any level.
But thanks Stephanie, you have confirmed what I have long seen around here. Namely that it is ok to make jokes at the expense of certain types of people but not others.
You shouldn’t make fun of anyone if it is hurtful.
This is basic human manners. Imo you have failed some basic understandings. Poor showing.
Yes, Sheep, it’s a jab. An attack.
Let’s attack the weak, eh. After all, they’re just sitting there. And we’re strong. Let’s make up jokes that celebrate strength, to show how strong we are.
Wanker.
No OAB.
If you read carefully, you would have discerned that I was advocating for not attacking anybody, unless it was on terms you were comfortable to be attacked yourself.
And your use of the abusive and nonsensical term ‘wanker’ as a substitute for what you would like to be taken as an ‘argument’ just makes me laugh.
Oh. I’m being too serious. You were intending to make me laugh!
I was advocating for not attacking anybody, unless it was on terms you were comfortable to be attacked yourself.
Yeah, that’s why I called attention to your masturbation: it’s all about you.
How often do you see people hurt by jokes at their expense?
Jokes reinforce stereotypes which lead to measurable, concrete harm against people. Rape jokes, for example, make rapists think everyone agrees that their violence is okay.
And jokes about women’s appearance – when women are still systemically discriminated against, often with their appearance used as a weapon against them (she was hot so he couldn’t help attacking her, she didn’t wear enough makeup so I had to fire her) – reinforce sexist attitudes against women. Jokes about trans people’s gender identity reinforces the dehumanizing treatment many trans people face which leads to massively increased rates of murder of trans people, suicide, and self-harm.
So I call “bullshit” on your little temper tantrum, vto.
Well as oab says above in hisher typical white middle class male-hating fashion, you poor precious uber-sensitive petal
You mis-read the line of mine you have quoted. The true meaning being that everyone, no matter their identity, is worthy of the same standards of decency and manners when it comes to humour, whereas you split people out for different treatment depending on their race, gender and the like
here endeth, as the points I made have skimmed over your head unaddressed.
edit: and your “temper tantrum” call is funny given it was your own kneejerks which kicked off this mini-thread.
World War 3 is about to start. Oh sorry almost all of you are having an argument about whether someone should not have made some passing remark about someone’s silhouette that appeared to be someone that a number of people know and who has never dealt with the public before so would be totally devastated to find that someone actually said something that might have been about her. The whole of Open Mike has been dominated by this conflagration. Pointless and unworthy of intelligent adults.
I saw a video of a young man the other day who does need protecting. He is a blind savant who has an extremely advanced sense of tone and can play the piano amazingly, and seems so vulnerable I hope that he can be helped to live his life to the full and yet be watched over and protected at all times. He does need to have wrap-around protection as he goes about his affairs. The rest of us, male or female, are a bit more robust. Can we stop all this female victim stuff. The feminists of the 1970s have already achieved much in treatment of females as equals and the improvement is measurable.
That’s a pretty fucked thing to say. Some people learn from their mistakes. Some are better at digging holes than Gina Reinhardt. We get to choose which we are.
If it bends, it’s funny …. if it breaks, it’s not funny …
whoever that is they look quite sexy…in a countryish sort of way….i can imagine them chasing cows
Like most of us, I am not an expert in international law so can anyone answer this question.
If Iraq needs help from the international community in its fight against ISIS, why has it not made a formal request to the UN for military assistance?
Iraq doesn’t have to go via the UN. However, a UN mandate is seen as a moral authorisation for multi state action. To use another example, in Africa, several countries have got military support from their neigbours when fighting various rebellions without going to the UN.
But we’re not talking about neighbours helping fight a scrub fire are we?
-and I am not meaning to trivialize the very serious nature of the less well known conflicts around the world, but few of those have the potentiality of real global escalation.
” a UN mandate is seen as a moral authorisation for multi state action”
That is how I see it, and not to do so simply raises questions as to why they won’t.
When your coalition reads as a UN list anyway not having put a request to the UN just exasperates the suspicions of duplicity surrounding the actual reasons for escalation of the war.
http://foreignpolicy.com/2014/11/12/who-has-contributed-what-in-the-coalition-against-the-islamic-state/ ( hyperlink get breaking 🙁 )
Because it is embarrassed that it can’t handle fewer than 10,000 largely informally trained ISIS fighters by itself, and it would be an admission that the northern areas of Iraq have effectively chosen to succeed from Baghdad.
Sorry to be the grammar police CV but *secede 🙂
lolz I knew I had gone wrong with that but couldn’t figure out how exactly. Thanks!~
Great idea Skinny. Change the National flag and rename Auckland to SKY City! Brilliant. 😉
If the SkyCity convention center goes ahead in effect that is exactly what Auckland will become known as, from a tourists point of view at least.
I see the problem gambling watch dog has issued SkyCity a improvement notice after a undercover sting revealed they failed miserably in helping the plant who was showing classic signs that she had gambling/addiction problem. I hear the assistance provided was leading the hapless punter to an ATM to ensure all accounts were cleaned out.
Seriously conducting a few filmed undercover hatchet jobs on SkyCity is a fantastic idea as part of an overall campaign to close these blood sucking leaches out of New Zealand completly.
I see casinos as legalised theft. I like a game of poker, but hate the industry.
nationalise them..
..nationalise all the sin-industries..
+1 Murray
Corporate theft at that, the worst kind.
I’ve often thought that all these sports teams that have company logos on should be called by the company name, rather than their own. So sports commentary would be like, “AIG have just scored” and so on.
It would be honest and transparent.
Phil
indeed.
it would be AIG Adidas with support from Ford and Steinlager has just score
easier in cricket… ANZ has just bowled a maiden over d
Many times I have thought of writing a short story in which people are watching some sports match on TV in our brave capitalist future and the teams are called by their company names.
Phil
Here ya go Phil: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FC_Red_Bull_Salzburg
Until twenty years ago, a fair few Japanese football clubs were named after the owners’ businesses: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Soccer_League
And works’ teams were the norm at the start of the professional era in Britain, the most famous of them all being Thames Ironworks FC who went on to win the ’66 World Cup (well, sort of …). C’mon, you Irons!
The house always wins
And society always loses.
The social costs of gambling include:
* crime,
* business and employment costs,
* bankruptcy,
* suicide / illness related to pathological gambling,
* social service costs,
* direct regulatory costs,
* family costs,
* improperly obtained money (not reported as theft).
“Why, then, have we come to imagine that we are living in particularly plural societies, in which our cultural identities are all-important? The answer lies in a complex set of social, political and economic changes over the past half century, changes that include the narrowing of the political sphere, the collapse of the left, the demise of class politics, the erosion of more universalist visions of social change. Many of these changes helped pave the way for multicultural policies. At the same time, the implementation of such policies helped create a more fragmented society. Or, to put it another way, multicultural policies have helped create the very problems they were meant to have resolved. I want to demonstrate this through two examples. The first is a riot in Britain, of which you may not have heard, the second a cartoon crisis in Denmark, about which everyone has heard. . .”
From Kenan Malik presentation,
full at: https://rdln.wordpress.com/2013/10/15/whats-wrong-with-multi-culturalism/
^^ That is a must read.
So Obama has now officially requested authorization from Congress for the use of force against ISIS. And the forever war continues.
He’s just playing into the hands of the military industrial complex that Eisenhower warned us of, the same complex that demands constant war to fill it’s coffers and make influential people’s careers.
He’s also playing straight into the hands of ISIS, who’s popularity is starting to flag. Nothing will help ISIS’ s propaganda and recruiting more than a non Muslim army on Muslim soil.
Obama is a complete sellout, and has continued the horrendous foreign policy kicked off by Bush.
True conservatives and liberals alike should agree on this, the Middle East is too fucked up to go about having wars and nation building, you do so and you put everyone’s security at risk in the name of protecting it. No, if you want to destroy ISIS, which the West created by the way via their handling of matters in Iraq, get the Muslim countries to unite against them and fight their own bloody battles.
And in Eisenhower’s original speech he had wanted to say military-industrial-congressional complex.
Today it is the military-industrial-intelligence-congressional complex.
It’s big $$$.
“..Four of the Major Fear Campaigns That Helped Create America’s Insane War on Drugs..
..The techniques of fear and manipulation are nothing new.
Here’s how they’ve been applied with great success in crafting our harsh drug policies..”
(cont..)
http://www.alternet.org/drugs/four-moral-panics-drug-policy
“..Major New Study: Consuming Alcohol Poses a Much Larger Risk for Driving Accidents Than Cannabis..
..Drivers who test positive for the presence of THC in blood –
– are no more likely to be involved in motor vehicle crashes –
– than are drug-free drivers..”
(cont..)
http://www.alternet.org/drugs/major-new-study-consuming-alcohol-poses-much-larger-risk-driving-accidents-cannabis
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/05/opinion/05herbert.html?_r=0
Q. Who believes there are ‘big’ industry’s that don’t lobby overtly or covertly ?
Q. Which industry do you believe to be ‘clean’ ?
Q. Why ?
So a country that most of their drinking water comes from is sue by a gold company for stopping them from mining, and claim future profits as damages. Not consider all the damage from waste pollution and distruption to the dwn river population, safe guards to water the state must install extra.
So i want to know if ngos can use the same trade agreements to sue for their losses when an govt allows an oil company to kill off rivers, hectors dolphins, or whatever, for the future potential profits lost because of the activities allowed.
I want to know why investors cant sue govt for the lost profits from a likely
housing collapse because it has not built enough homes and housing nz homes,
foreign property developers are losing by payig more for housing and will
lose when finally govt bursts the housing market by building them finally,
I think govt sucks, so what anal rententive cheers on the ability to sue govt, well the
act leader, sole mp, leader of none, of course. What person supports a policy of holding govt to account when they dont believe in any govt, and hat govt is crap and liable to payout big when sued.
Here is a good link for getting clever quotes. Keep a copy of this and have it handy when the opinions here appear to be approaching critical mass and you need to think along someone else’s wavelength.
http://ejikeinfo.com/2015/02/47-quotes-funny-inspirational-time.html
edited
British Foreign Minister Hammond savages Israeli ‘murder’ of ‘thousands of innocent civilians’
Commenting on Binyamin Netanyahu’s remarks today, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said:
“Netanyahu is deluded or lying when he says his military are not murdering hundreds of innocent civilians with the use of US-UK supplied weaponry. His regime has waged a brutal campaign against the Palestinian people, using crude and indiscriminate weapons and prevented access to life-saving humanitarian assistance. …. Netanyahu’s forces have systematically murdered, tortured, raped and imprisoned Palestinians. There can be no doubt that he is the problem, not part of the solution. The UK’s position has now fundamentally changed, we will have no more political, ideological and economic support and cooperation with Benjamin Netanyahu; there must be a political transition to a future in which State terror and Apartheid has no part.”
https://www.politicshome.com/document/press-release/fco-foreign-secretary-condemns-assad%E2%80%99s-comments-barrel-bombs-and-calls
http://members5.boardhost.com/medialens/msg/1423656233.html
Crikey Morrissey! Seems so unlike a politician to let strip like that. Good man then?
As anyone who observed Phillip Hammond during his recent visit to this country, he is the very antithesis of a good man.
i thought a major step forward had been taken… am sorry it was not.
From your first link it is clear they are comments about Assad not Netanyahu. The quote has obviously been rewritten for unknown purposes by the people who posted your second link.
If one had to choose which of the two quotes were legitimate, I would go with the quote stating the comments are against Assad seeing as a link supplied in the second link goes back to the first link where the comments clearly state they are about Assad.
P.S. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-secretary-condemns-deluded-assad
From your first link it is clear they are comments about Assad not Netanyahu.
Well spotted, my friend.
The quote has obviously been rewritten for unknown purposes by the people who posted your second link.
For “unknown purposes”? The purpose of the exercise is perfectly clear: to show what a British minister would say, if he were anything other than a sanctimonious, inconsistent, murderous creep.
Morrisey, are you saying you altered the text and set up the fake second link in order to deceive the readers here, so as to make a point about the sorry state of international politics when addressing the problems of the Middle East?
I simply reprinted something from the excellent Media Lens site.
Unless one were utterly bewildered, one would be aware that neither I nor the poster on Media Lens was trying to deceive anyone; we were simply highlighting the murderous hypocrisy of the British government.
I provided links to the spoof AND the disgusting original. How is that deceptive?
This may not help but what the hell
“deceive” was a tad strong Morrisey. Apologies for that. What would you use in that context?
However, if you were not familiar with Media Lens and read the homepage to familiarize yourself with its nature
you might be forgiven for not immediately noticing, or indeed be on the lookout for, satirical content.
If it makes you feel better to think of people as bewildered when they fail to immediately unravel the intention behind a post which presents itself exactly like your more serious posts, then not much I can do about that… but be alert. And as we know the world needs more lerts.
Not sure I would say ianmac is easily fooled though, he obviously took it as a real quote. Or do we assume everyone is communicating in a permanent state of unassigned sarcasm these days and no one makes straightforward comments any more? Although that would be some comfort if true, at least it would help us all understand the actions of governments the world over. 🙂 Peace be with you.
At the risk of sounding like an outrageous smart-arse (but then again, what’s new ?), I’d have to say that the chances of any British Foreign Secretary taking that sort of honest and moral stand – and, in the process, implicitly rebuking the US administration – are somewhere close to well below zero.
I thought it was pretty obvious right from the start that Morrissey was posting a satire/spoof with a clear moral message.
It was reasonably clear to me as well. My arse is fattish, but hardly smart.
The double standards are obvious when put this way.
@ swordfish
I read the statement that Morrissey reproduced and thought OMG something has happened to turn the Brits around. For a moment I had hope. I unfortunately am not tolerant of BS that is possible to misunderstand. I want to be able to be naive and trusting like a child occasionally, and spoofs should be labelled clearly at the bottom.
I suppose it is impossible for clever smart-arses to comprehend what I am talking about. Everyone must be all-knowing and cynical and see through everything as a con. The sort of people who would do this would tell three-year olds that there is no Father Christmas, it is all done by a hospitality agency who buy the presents also.
Trust is the glue that holds us together, and it must be preserved by people who we believe to be on our side, or else they fall into that unpleasant group of spies like the French Intelligence on Rainbow Warrior duty. UOr undercover spies which are, hopefully rare. I already hardly believe anybody at face value these days. So be careful what you do that will pervert and dilute so-called facts or we may decide to rely on nobody and believe nothing.
I seem to have misplaced my sense of humour today 🙂
will go on a snark hunt and see if it can be located – sorry Morrisey
I seem to have misplaced my sense of humour today
will go on a snark hunt and see if it can be located – sorry Morrisey
Not at all, my good man. If it’s any consolation, I myself was bewildered for a few seconds when I saw that headline on the Media Lens site.
And then reality intervened.
Ah! I see what you did there… thought it was too good to be true: a western politician finally denouncing Israel’s genocidal campaign against the Palestinians.
Many Western politicians have indeed denounced Israel’s crimes. Here are half a dozen of the outstanding ones….
Tony Benn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E21MdXe3BOQ
Gerald Kaufman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMGuYjt6CP8
George Galloway
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-WzO5TaZ9w
Sir Alan Duncan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYmptosR2KU
Clare Daly
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOKvaKOvGvg
Dov Khenin
questiontime looks like it will be a snooze-fest..
..wall to wall patsy-questions..
..this one being the only one of much/any interest..
“..Hon DAVID PARKER to the Minister of Police: On how many occasions, if any, has he alerted the Prime Minister or his Office to a matter of significant public interest which he has been briefed on by his officials since his appointment?..”
Labour and the Greens each have question on the SkyCity Convention Centre debacle and Denise Roche’s is directed to Stephen Joyce. Any time he has to stand up and try and explain away his total incompetence in negotiating the deal has got to be a good thing right?
as it turns out..not really…
http://whoar.co.nz/2015/new-zealand-parliament-list-of-questions-for-oral-answer-thursday-12-february-2015/
(excerpt:..)
‘….(parker is having a bad-hair day..his comb-over has lost all/any coherence…)..’
Don’t be too hard on Percy Parker, we all have a bad day don’t we Phil lol. I like Parker he has good intentions knowing our future young will be lumbered with Nationals incurred debt. At least he was open to my idea of primary election contests amongst the opposition party’s, actually going further and mooting they get a relatively unopposed run at some electorate seats.
I like that earlier on pre politics he successfully ran an indi movie theatre down south.
I know him well enough to have a beer and chat together and he does call me and answer my texts, which is more than I can say for many other labour MP’s.
he was also the most insistant that labour ’14 offered nothing to the poorest…
..that..with his previous neo-liberal record/history..
..give me a more jaundiced view of the man..
..tho’ he can be quite effective in questiontime..
..sometimes..
Would you like a glaring example of the manipulation of information taking place in the world today. No matter who you believe, no matter what you think you know, this is an indisputable WTF moment.
Q: How can a child reported to have been killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012, be killed in Pakistan in December 2014?
Photo manipulation of a still image is one thing and and fakery is often used in those instances, as is alteration of text, as I highlighted on Morrisey’s post above, but the video segments in the following two links are where the question of what is and is not real, gets very interesting indeed.
http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/2015/01/02/sandy-hook-child-victim-noah-pozner-was-killed-twice-also-a-victim-in-pakistan-taliban-shooting/
http://memoryholeblog.com/2015/01/02/sandy-hooks-noah-pozner-dead-in-december-16-taliban-attack/
Here is Noah’s facebook tribute if you still doubt they are the same child.
https://www.facebook.com/RememberingNoahSamualPozner
I know officer, move along, move along, nothing to see here 😉
Photo manipulation of a still image is one thing and and fakery is often used in those instances, as is alteration of text, as I highlighted on Morrisey’s post above…
The example I posted is obviously to highlight the calumny of a particularly loathsome hypocrite; it was not “fakery” in the way you seem to mean.
“as is alteration of text” was in reference to your post Morrisey. Perhaps i should have bracketed the reference to your post to ensure clarity. The fakery comment was [clearly] regarding the aforementioned photographic manipulation.
The Shame of US Journalism is the Destruction of Iraq, Not Fake Helicopter Stories
by CHRISTIAN CHRISTENSEN, Common Dreams, 5 February 2015
The news that NBC’s Brian Williams was not, in fact, on a helicopter in 2003 that came under fire from an Iraqi Rocket-Propelled Grenade (RPG) should come as a surprise to noone. Williams had repeated the lie on several occasions over the course of a decade until a veteran, who was on the actual helicopter that was attacked, had enough of Williams’ war porn and called the TV host out on Facebook. In a quite pathetic effort to cover his tracks, the anchor—who makes in excess of $10 million per year— claimed that his fairy tale was, in fact, “a bungled attempt by me to thank one special veteran and by extension our brave military men and women” who had served in Iraq. Twelve years, it seems, is enough time for Williams to confuse being on a helicopter that came under fire from an RPG with being on a helicopter that did not.
Given that Williams works for NBC, his participation in the construction of a piece of fiction during the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq is apt. US network news, together with outlets such as CNN, aggressively cheer-led an invasion predicated on a massive falsehood: the Iraqi possession of WMD. What is jarring, however, is the fact that Williams’ sad attempt to inject himself into the fabric of the violence is getting more ink and airplay than the non-existence of WMD did back in the early-to-mid 2000s: a lie that provided the justification for a military action that has taken the lives of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians.
From embedded journalists to ultra-militaristic news logos and music, U.S. television news media were more than willing to throw gas on the invasion fire. “Experts” in the studio were invariably ex-generals looking to pad their pensions, while anti-war activists (who spoke for sizable portions of the US and UK populations back in 2003) were avoided like the plague. …..
Read more….
http://commondreams.org/views/2015/02/05/shame-us-journalism-destruction-iraq-not-fake-helicopter-stories
especially heavy-duty monarch-butterfly action today..
..they are swarming outside my window..
..must be something to do with the swan-plant trees..
Hopefully – this (and other significant developments upon which I shall report shortly), will help to STOP the proposed Wellington ‘Supercity’ (for the 1%).
After ‘cold-calling’ the Local Government Commission yesterday (I’m currently in Wellington), to find out what had happened to my ‘Open Letter’ / OIA request to the Local Government Commissioners, today I received this formal acknowledgment and update from Donald Riezboz, now ‘Principal Advisor’ to the Local Government Commission:
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Dear Penny Bright
This is to acknowledge your e-mail below requesting information from the Local Government Commission.
The Commission is not subject to the Official Information Act. It does, however, endeavour to provide information in the spirit of the OIA. We will provide a substantive reply in due course.
Regards
Donald Riezebos | Principal Advisor
Local Government Commission Mana Kawanatanga a Rohe
Level 10, 46 Waring Taylor Street | PO Box 5362, Wellington 6145 | http://www.lgc.govt.nz
____________________________________________________________________________________________
You can read a copy of the my above-mentioned ‘Open Letter’ / OIA request here:
http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz/open-letteroia-to-local-government-commissioners-stop-the-wellington-supercity/
Kind regards
Penny Bright
Thank you for using a link.
Noise. Since its the obligation of local noise officers to investogate the source of noise, and the fact that microphones, amps, speakers can be brought and left on, ready for noise offenders to start up, so pick up, amp, and then direct noise back to offenders.causing noise to be well over the allowed limit, and noise officers cannot remove equipment that is not the source, and i have every right to have feedback on bird and other natural noise that wil not get amplified to excesive limits.
So why cant the newly founded anti social noise charity, than lends out nature amplify equipment to select homes nearby noise polluters send me the equpiment damnit.
Payday Loans are a scourge of the poor.
It is a very profitable business: even more profitable than those Shop at Home operators in trucks who “sell” cheap stuf on rip-off credit. Shame that Labour never addressed this when in power.
A number of churches have come together with community organisations and credit unions to take on the rip-off merchants in England and Scotland..
http://www.cas.org.uk/news/cas-welcomes-churches-move-help-tackle-debt-crisis
An idea well worth considering here.
In case you missed this yesterday folks – FYI
http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/66055779/Auckland-Council-in-court-over-rates-stoush
Auckland Council in court over rates stoush
ROB STOCK
Last updated 16:16 11/02/2015
Auckland Council has asked the Auckland District Court to “strike out” evidence alleging past rates invoices did not comply with the law.
The application has is part of the legal jousting in the fight by Auckland Council to get transparency activist Penny Bright to pay over $30,000 in unpaid rates and rates penalties.
Bright refuses to pay, and is arguing the council’s rates invoices did not comply with the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002, and are therefore unenforceable.
In October last year Bright’s case was adjourned to allow her to prepare a file of evidence so the court could consider those allegations.
Bright handed that to the court in late December, and the council has now filed its response, and instead of seeking to rebuff Bright’s allegations, it has asked the court to strike the evidence out.
The council told the court in its application: “The newly raised matters relate to the validity of the rates the Auckland Council said she (Bright) owed, based on alleged errors in Council resolutions and statutorily required documents referred to in the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002…”
But, it said, that evidence should not be heard as part of Bright’s case.
It said Section 60 of the Local Government (Rating) Act says a person can’t refuse to pay their rates on the ground that they are invalid.
Section 60 does give people the right to go to the High Court to challenge the validity of the rates, but it said: “For the purposes of this submission, the key point is that arguments as to that invalidity of any rate could not prevent recovery, but such arguments could be raised in a separate action…”
It quoted the 1881 case of Hendrey v Hutt County Council in support of its case.
If rates were invalid, there were mechanisms available to councils to set rates again, and provide for the replacement of invalid rates, the council said in its submission to the court.
Bright said Auckland Council had not answered her evidence that the council’s rates were invalidly set, which she had been asked by the court to provide, and all of Auckland should “raise a howl of protest”.
Bright noted that the council had been late in its submission, and she had agreed to give it a five-day extension of the deadline for getting its submission in.
The council had told the court that had run behind schedule as its lawyers were too busy working on the defamation case Bright is taking against council chief executive Stephen Town.
Bright said that making defamatory comments about her was not part of Town’s duties as chief executive, and that he should pay the costs and any award out of his own money.
The council would make no comment on either case.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Kind regards
Penny Bright
http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz
Not thank you for not using link and brief summary of it.
Moderators, if you are using ‘copy exists’ as a test, surely pasting an entire article (and also therefore violating copyright law) counts?
+100 Go Penny!
In RNZ news today
“Four years after a petition was tabled in Parliament calling for more transparency around the negotiation of the Trans-Pacific Trade Agreement the Council of Trade Unions has appeared before a parliamentary select committee to discuss it.
But delegates were told by the Foreign Affairs and Trade select committee chair Mark Mitchell there had been plenty of public consultation about the trade negotiation.”
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/265946/ctu-appears-on-tppa
Have I been asleep for the last 4 years? I can’t recall all this public consultation!
“European Ombudsman launches public consultation in relation to the transparency of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations. (TTIP is a parallel to the TPPA but with the EU.)
“On 29 July 2014, the European Ombudsman opened an own-initiative inquiry towards the European Commission concerning transparency and public participation in relation to the TTIP negotiations (OI/10/2014/RA). The present public consultation concerns that inquiry[1].
The outcome of the TTIP negotiations could have a significant impact on the lives of citizens. The aim of the Ombudsman’s inquiry is to help ensure that the public can follow the progress of these talks and contribute to shaping their outcome.”
Is this a sudden ruse on the part of the Govt to give the appearance of having consulted after the EU Ombudsman took action?
To be truly consulted as a public, we need to see the text BEFORE it is signed so that we can “follow the progress of these talks and contribute to shaping their outcome.”
Nothing to hide, nothing to fear?
More TPPA news from today.
Today (12 Feb) Parliament’s committee that deals with treaties like the TPPA (Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee) has heard a submission from 16 groups that was presented in ………….2011!
It has been postponed ……….. three times before!
Speakers from NZCTU, Public Health Association, and Oxfam called for release of all documents, including draft text.
Press releases
Professor Jane Kelsey,
http://www.itsourfuture.org.nz/groser-needs-to-explain-why-nz-must-keep-tppa-secret-while-eu-releases-ttip-documents/
the Council of Trade Unions, http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1502/S00151/four-year-delay-for-committee-to-hear-tppa-concerns.htm
the Public Health Association, NZ First,
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1502/S00154/tppa-a-threat-to-one-of-the-best-health-systems-in-the-world.htm
TPPA problems will make Sky City blowout insignificant. Wake up, Kiwis!
PLEASE LISTEN – Prof Emitrus of Russian History, New York University Stephen F Cohen talks about Obama’s recent provocation of Putin that is likely to lead to outright war.
http://www.tfmetalsreport.com/podcast/6609/please-listen
for those who may be interested
Baby boy born wed morning, vbac, no drugs, all well – I’m a happy daddy and so amazed by the birthing process and the power of women.
congratulations marty mars and new mum mars and welcome healthy baby mars !
Kia ora yeshe – manymars indeed – I suspect our new son will work well with his brother and save the world!!!
Congratulations!.
(news about the arrival of a brand new person always makes me happy)
Thanks e hoa – me too 🙂
congratulations marty mars –
here’s a little ditty i adapted just yesterday for someone
who recently started on the same big adventure
(put Fresh Prince of Bel Air in the earworm slot)
Now, this is the story all about how
Your life got flipped-flopped upside down
And I’d like to take a minute, just sit right there
I’ll share a little ditty about the joy and the fear
In each little step that the little ‘un takes
It’s heart in the mouth hoping he’s got brakes
On the playground is where you mainly feel the craze
Spinning things swinging ringing try to look cool
checking every second if he plays in the pool
When a couple of times the balance seemed no good
You wanna rush right over then you doubt you should
He has to find his own way as he stumbles along
But know that when he needs it that your arms will be strong
You sing a little ditty if the mood is glum
Soon enough he’s sleeping long before you’re done
You still sit watching for another hour
Even though you’re never left alone in the shower
Pulling up the covers at the end of the day
Adventures and disasters and the things they say
You look across the duvet at your smiling friend
Knowing that the wonder of it all never ends
you always surprise and make me smile freedom
Congratulations. Baby Mars has a father who will be a good role model for him/her.
kia ora TMM – lovely thing to say – much appreciated
my ‘baby boy’ is now 20..
..and raising him was one of the best things i have done in this worthless-life..
..make the most of it…it goes real fast..
..all the best to all of you..
thanks phil – don’t use that ‘worthless life’ line again mate – I admire what you’ve done and everyone can have a bad day – kia kaha!
Good for you and your whanau mm. Don’t you already have some children I seem to recall??
The planet certainly moves on its axis when these events occur and I’m sure on Mars too.
yes 1 boy aged 7.5 – puts a lot into perspective – life, love and all that 🙂
Congrats Marty 🙂 my advice is read your sons Chinese star sign with an open mind. Be at peace with the universe says me a wood dragon born in the hour of the tiger.
Thanks Skinny – I’m an aries tiger married to a leo dragon – yes there be fire 🙂 My other son is a libra pig and our new boy is (I believe) an aquarian horse – I have a few friends of that disposition – although they do tend to be fire-horses!!!
peace
Oh we know each other well as I’m a Dragon Leo as well. Little wonder the competitiveness which your partner would know only too well 🙂
i am a sagittarian tiger…
..the three of us together cd take over the world..
indeed – i just had to put my ego away as much as i could anyway
Fire horse? Like a meteor? Congrats, marty, and all the best to mum.
thanks mate
aries? that will be why we clash from time to time – two aries
we’ve put that behind us – now we are just two rams on the same mountain 🙂
Congratulations marty, well done and best wishes to all 🙂
Thanks weka
media heads-up..
..there is a cool doco on muhammad ali on maori tv @ 8.30..
This is an account from a Canadian scientist and teacher Andrew Robinson about the low value Ontario state puts on its educators and researchers. The system is screwed in the same way that ours will be. The link is to one of the various posts he has made on the continuing story of trying to get a fair deal for himself at the university, bearing in mind that others are in the same position.
https://medium.com/@AndrewR_Physics/accountability-in-the-ontario-ivory-towers-5a879e26f850
He says:
If the province forced them to pay contract teaching staff an equitable wage, they would have to adjust their current financial models, but it would not be the apocalyptic, “sky falling on our head” situation which is always invoked.
The universities are actually addicted to cheap contract instruction. They can’t get enough of it, and crave more. And of course, like most addicts, they are in denial that there is a problem. The sensible thing would be rehabilitation. This will almost certainly require an outside intervention.
A junior professor doing a set amount of work – would cost the University $32,000.
If the University pays a contract instructor like me to teach them, then it costs them only $20,100. You can see why they just love contract instructors, so cheap, so easy to get rid of, no permanent commitment required from them.
This is where getting the much vaunted higher education gets you when neo libs get claws into your country.
The sharing economy.
Here is the future: nobody gets any job security. Nobody gets a fair wage while they have a job. Nobody gets a retirement fund or even any guarantee they’ll be able to eat tomorrow. And almost everyone is doing everything they can just to get by—and paying some substantial portion of their earnings to a pimp or “platform” which controls the business they are in. And ain’t life a grand adventure? Isn’t it all so fun?
Welcome to the Sharing Economy.
This is the model of the new economy, where anyone with a car ought to be a Lyft contractor (your fare pays what he or she thinks is right but the company is tweeting out “we’ve slashed prices 20 percent”) and anyone with a house or apartment is renting it out on Air BnB and crashing at their boyfriend’s parents’ place.
http://www.citypaper.com/bcp-blog-21338-20140423,0,4333914.story
How would you like to live in an economy where robots do everything that can be predictably programmed in advance, and almost all profits go to the robots’ owners?
Meanwhile, human beings do the work that’s unpredictable — odd jobs, on-call projects, fetching and fixing, driving and delivering, tiny tasks needed at any and all hours — and patch together barely enough to live on.
Brace yourself. This is the economy we’re now barreling toward.
They’re Uber drivers, Instacart shoppers and Airbnb hosts. They include TaskRabbit jobbers, UpCounsel’s on-demand attorneys and HealthTap’s online doctors. And they’re Mechanical Turks.
http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/reich/article/In-sharing-economy-workers-get-stuck-with-the-6063555.php
Thanks so much joe 90 for giving that bloody awful information. I just need a strong dose of bitter medicine. You have to suffer before you can get better they say.
This is the stuff we need to know, and I don’t want to know, and don’t want to know that most people don’t even know the information is there and they need to know.
I’m beginning to think that Donald Rumsfeld was the seer of our century!
“Reports that say that something hasn’t happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know.
We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns — the ones we don’t know we don’t know.”
Also some completely gratuitous trivia (as is all of this but hey enjoy anyway):
“Death has a tendency to encourage a depressing view of war.”
“I believe what I said yesterday. I don’t know what I said, but I know what I think, and, well, I assume it’s what I said.”
http://politicalhumor.about.com/cs/quotethis/a/rumsfeldquotes.htm
TPPA -Chomsky quote from
“There is a Trans-Pacific Partnership, so-called, a huge commercial treaty, designed to incorporate the Asian countries, not China, but the other Asian countries, crucially not China,”
Sorry meant to say – about the TTPA- Chomsky quote from …Chooky’s link :
http://rt.com/news/203055-us-russia-war-chomsky/ – a wide ranging interview covering ISIS to Ukraine.
“There is a Trans-Pacific Partnership, so-called, a huge commercial treaty, designed to incorporate the Asian countries, not China, but the other Asian countries, crucially not China,”