People in dangerous bushfire zones delay taking action until the last minute because they're too optimistic about their own risk, new research has shown.
The highest fire danger warning has been forecast for Sydney, the first time the warning has been issued in Australia’s most populous region since the ‘catastrophic’ category was introduced in 2009.
Yes. But they often live in areas where the fire risk is high every year. I think they also see stories of how the fire will burn some houses but skip others, sometimes because the owners defended the house.
Until recently the advice was to leave early OR stay and defend your house if you made the recommended clearing of material from around the house. The worst decision was to stay and then leave when the fire front could be seen.
The 2009 bushfires in Victoria swept through some small towns where people had taken shelter after leaving their homes. Up up 180 lost there lives.
Victoria is an area Im more familiar with and there is a long history of large loss of life
2009 – 7 February – March “Black Saturday” (173 deaths)
1939 – December – January “Black Friday” (71 deaths)
1926 – 14 February – March “Black Sunday” (60 deaths)
1944 – December – February (51 deaths)
1983 – 16 February “Ash Wednesday” (47 in Victoria)
1962 – 14–16 January (33 deaths)
1969 – 8 January (23 deaths)
1942 – Western Victoria (20 deaths) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bushfires_in_Victoria
Yep, I've seen a few in Sydney. One I saw progressed from the south, then SW, West, NW, then north of Sydney .. almost as if someone was driving around with a box of matches.
NSW police later caught some kids carrying matches according to ABC radio, but I don't know the details.
Not covered much, this side of the globe especially.
His work was described by one journalist as; "gentrified xenophobia", but such a description is questionable, and motive for such comment worthy of further examination.
The issues he puts forward is important even to NZ, more particularly in relation to use of immigration as a "numbers game".
Axiomatic, looking clearly at global migration patterns in the 21st century with a net population growth of around up to quarter of a million people per day, and a commonly overlooked potential for mass movement by "climate/environmental refugees" on top of other migration.
This is before the topic of cultural and religious domination (as opposed to integration) is even seriously considered.
Europe is really in a precarious situation, and is going to have to wake up very soon.
I accept, that many historic European "ills" identity/sub-culture (ref: the empire accusation) needed some fixing, but this blame game wont solve the real problems facing them.
Long-time Repug strategist reckons the way to Dump-a-chump is to make the Senate trial vote a secret ballot. Since that only requires a handful of Republican senators, it might be a lot likelier than most people think.
However, she doesn't mention that the plan requires Mitch McTurtle to sacrifice his Senate seat for the greater benefit to the Republican party. Because he would become the lightning rod for angry Drumpfkins by actually allowing the vote to make it a secret ballot. That might be the biggest obstacle to the whole plan.
No sign of the shield wall cracking yet because any public signs of cracking will bring the immediate wrath of Drumpf.
If cracking starts, I suspect there's a good chance we might not see any public cracks until there's an announcement that the world's most stable genius has won everything and solved all the world's problems and don't blame him when it all turns to shit after he left because it was all perfect when he finished his work.
Then over the next few months the stories of late-night delegations visiting the White House will trickle out …
Yeah, it's a long shot. About the only way I could see it happening is if they become convinced they'll lose the senate majority as well as the presidency with the fake-bronze Brezhnev at the top, but might have a chance of keeping the senate with something like a Pence-Haley ticket.
Depends on how important it is to make it clear that the president is required to act in accordance with the constitution and in the best interests of the country.
So if the idea is to set the norm that the president is elected to be an unacccountable king to do whatever the fuck he wants for four years, then sure, just pretend it's all good to just wait to let the voters sort it out. That seems to be the Repug position.
But if it's still important to hold the principle that the president is still a citizen accountable to the law and constitution, then it seems clear his behaviour has stepped so far over the line that Congress has no choice but to go through the process, even if it may be electorally disadvantageous to individual members. That seems to be the Dem position.
The clearest rehearsal for the Repugs is their performance in the Russian election interference hearings. They made their decision to lock down behind him then.
It's good mental protection to be as pessimistic as possible right now.
Dems having a few issues with their key witness testimonies…
It’s crazy how many press reports are covering Taylor’s testimony as if it’s based on 1st hand info. In some cases, it’s even 3rd or 4th hand. https://t.co/ajKGkDvKV9
That would be Sean Davis, founder of The Federalist website? Another Alex Jones type, minus the performance art? His twitter is certainly … ahem … interesting.
Meanwhile, searching Taylor's transcript for that quote (to find the context) turns up nothing, and searching da webz for that quote only turns up the kookiest of Repug and far-right sites.
You sure you're not just spattering around shit that's just been outright fabricated?
So the context is Zeldin is trying to get Taylor to make some sort of assertion about what Trump's state of mind or motivation was when he tried to extort Ukraine into opening sham investigations into his political opponents.
It's pure diversionary smokescreen.that is immaterial to establishing or refuting the fact that Trump was indeed trying to extort Ukraine by withholding the aid approved by Congress.
BTW maui, do you think it's OK for the president to withhold Congress approved and taxpayer funded aid to try to extort a foreign country into smearing a political opponent of the president?
This is now the fourth time I've asked you this exact question. The first time you evaded, and the next two you ghosted.
I really can't understand why it might be difficult to answer "no, it's not OK". Unless you're anticipating the need to be able to claim "yes, it is ok" when the evidence becomes undeniable to even the most delusional Drumpfkin.
Zeldin’s Twitter rant was a classic racist dog whistle. It was a wink and nod to all his pals who hate seeing a woman of color wearing a hijab in a position of power. But it was written with just the right lack of specificity that he could claim ignorance when confronted with the nasty implications of his message.
[…]
Last month, for example, she recalibrated her defense of a tweet during the 2012 Gaza War, in which she wrote, “Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel.” In response to a New York Times column about her tweet and the history of anti-Semitic portrayals of Jews as deceitful manipulators, she defended her criticism of the Israeli military but said she regretted unintentionally invoking the trope.
Zeldin, however, has shown no such willingness to evolve.
In 2015 he met with the Long Island Oath Keepers, a New York chapter of a far-right anti-government militia movement. He has appeared as a guest on a radio show hosted by Frank Gaffney, an Islamophobic conspiracy theorist who has also had white nationalist Jared Taylor on his show. Gaffney is best known for suggesting that former President Barack Obama is Muslim, accusing opponents of submitting to Sharia and objecting to having Muslim members of Congress serve on the House Intelligence Committee because they might leak information to the Muslim Brotherhood. Last year, Zeldin held a fundraising event with Sebastian Gorka, a former White House adviser who was photographed wearing a medal indicating membership in the Vitezi Rend, a Hungarian group that collaborated with the Nazis in World War II.
If only he hadn't changed the constitution to run for office again, and then stopped the election count for 24 hours, before being declared winner with just enough votes to win outright and avoiding a run off and drawing the attention of the poll observers who warned of serious irregularities.
It always seems sadder when left wing politicians get power crazy and corrupt.
Care to explain the 24 hour "pause" in announcing the results? That doesn't usually go along with free and fair elections. Or are you one of these one eyed type leftists who excuse any abuse of democracy because it is committed by a Socialist and is therefore okay?
Maybe not – Mark Weisbrot seems to think otherwise. We should go with the default assumption based on historical experience – which is a resource-theft coup engineered by the global hegemon.
There was a 24 hour pause because at the centre of virtually all Central and South American elections there is the odour of Dodgy on the air.
When the ticket to a better life revolves around knowing someone with some political pull, we will always get candidates with hidden agendas. Left, Right, doesn't matter.
The OAS recommended a system of vote counting that goes in 2 parts. First a very quick count to get the general gist, and then the slower more careful count
"Kevin Cashman @kevinmcashman – 1:36 UTC · Nov 11, 2019
Eventually, the official count was released: Morales won in the first round 47.08% to 36.51%. If you had been watching the polls before the election, 5 out of 6 of them predicted the same result. Weird to have a fraud that matches up with polls." Poll Tracker: Bolivia's 2019 Presidential Race
Listen to Weisbrot. There are two counts – a quick count and an official count. The quick count has historically been stopped before 100% as it is meant to be indicative only. The official count carries on to 100%. The supposed 'pause' is simply the time interval between the cessation of the quick count and the end of the official count. If Weisbrot is correct, and there is no reason to assume he's not, the accusation is bullshit.
So I'm sticking with my hunch – yet another resource-theft coup orchestrated by the global hegemon and gleefully and violently supported by local elites on the ground who stand to benefit. A Marxist (and I'm not one) would correctly call it "primitive accumulation". The suggestion is that the resource in question is lithum – there's a truckload of money to be made in the near future with batteries I'm picking. BTW – are you actually Juan Guaido with a bit of time on your hands?
A thought experiment and a question. An oak tree was planted somewhere in Auckland in 1840, by a Maori who wants to see how these new fangled trees grew. In 1880, an acorn fell from this tree and grew spontaneously. In 1919 a grieving Pakeha parent took a sapling from this second oak tree and planted it on the slopes of one of Auckland's cones as a quiet memorial to a son lost in the Geat War. Today, this NZ third generation oak is 100 years old and the family of the person who planted it – informally, just amongst themselves – know of it's story and take comfort when they walk or drive past when they see "their" tree.
The question is, is that oak tree now a native, or is it forever an exotic?
Mankind made it happen, planted the seed or it was on the hoof of his horse = exotic tree
….If a South American Macaw flew from Sydney to Devonport and deposited an Australian native plant seed that flourished, is that plant native or exotic?
Correct me if I'm wrong but native is something that can be in other countries but is of the place its found and endemic is native but only found in that place .
So a non endemic native is self introduced through natural methods. As opposed to introduced by other means .
Which kinda means that as humans have always naturally spread across the planet, anyone not forcibly transplanted is native . Especially their offspring.
Good question, can't be answered definitively. I listened to someone describing a native person as one who recognised every bird call in a place, knew its meaning and how that changed according to season and time of day. I think this definition, given our present dire situation, is more useful than circumstantial; first-in-first-served model we have come to accept.
I think that if we used that definition Robert there wouldn't be anyone in the country who could possibly claim the title of being a "native" of New Zealand.
Do you know, for example, what is the call of a sooty shearwater chick when it wants to be fed by its father rather than its mother? Please provide a full, detailed, explanation of the differences between the calls made to each parent.
I wouldn't worry it is just a made up definition. Experts in one type of knowledge were experts for that and not everyone was/is expert in all areas imo
I really wasn't planning to lose any sleep over it Marty. Do I have to put JOKE everywhere?
On the other hand I am desperately interested in the question about the Mutton bird*. I haven't been able to determine the exact sequence of notes in each of the calls I was inquiring about and I thought that Robert was sure to know.
Alwyn; it may surprise you greatly to learn that I spent a season on one of the most far-flung titi islands, Putauhinu, south of Rakiura/Stewart Island and while I can certainly describe a range of calls made by parent and chick titi, having heard them many, many times, I could not differentiate as finely as you have demanded, however, I haven't claimed to be a native of Putauhinu, so don't feel compromised. I imagine, reading your question, that you are very familiar with the range of calls the galah and consider your self a native of Australia?
I am truly impressed Robert. Even in my much younger days I think I would have found spending time on those Southern Islands rather harder than I would have desired. Tramping on Stewart Island itself was quite enough for me.
I wonder if bird calls actually do get as selective as my hypothesis suggests? Surely not.
As far as Australian birds go I found them to be much more spectacular in their colouring than New Zealand ones but I can't think of any where the song was attractive. Just the opposite of most New Zealand species. Still I suppose the Australian birds were quite appropriate for the country. The sounded just as raucous as most of the inhabitants.
It wasn’t my definition, Marty, it was that of a man who teaches "becoming native" and begins by training people to recognise bird calls and their meanings. It's fascinating stuff and his ability to know stuff about his surroundings through the behaviour of birds is phenomenal. He's a tracker also and takes his awareness to incredible levels with his reading of tiny signs in the environment. He runs a podcast course that I highly recommend; with a bit of training, you too could become native
He's American, living in America. His concept is an interesting one though, but one of many views on what "native" might mean. I like to hear various interpretations and recognise that a person can hold more than one view quite comfortably; the trick being not to negate one with another. We were talking today about a woman from Rekohu who "jumped ship" while it was anchored at Rakiura and made her way to Oraka, just down the road from me where she met and married a Maori man, bore children whose children's children are amongst those I taught when I was a teacher a couple of decades ago. Was she native to this role?
I don't really use the term native – a bit too much baggage to me here, let alone from over there. Indigenous, Māori, Ngāi Tahu mean a lot more. Plenty of people without a whakapapa want to be native here – I don't really care tbh.
Have you had a gander at this?
A project dedicated to creating a Ngāi Tahu Atlas of place names and histories
Yeah, that's wonderful, isn't it. I saw it when it was at its early stage, presented to us at the council. You see Hautere off the bottom of the south coast? I went there one day; hitch-hiked on a DoC provided helicopter; marvellous island, wouldn't want to stay there for more than an afternoon though; very, very exposed. Hineahitea and her man paddled from there to the mainland in a coracle made from twisted branches and seal skins, to escape being marooned there for his misdeeds. She was the brains behind the escape, imo
My mate Stewart Bull, speaking in our big yurt, said he thinks tikanga, rather than tikanga Maori, when he's involved in shared kaitiaki projects. He tangata tino pai ia!
I often wonder how the rellies lived on Whenua Hou and carved a life out of there – amazingly resilient and so generous – as many of their descendants are today. Haven't been there – will need to be saving the Kākāpō I spose – but the pouwhenua look great.
Whenua Hou is just across the water from us; te Ara a Kewa. I can see it from the beach. Like you, I've not yet been there, but have friends who have. Kakapo work is hard! Perhaps you know Estelle Leask?
Early visitors from Europe to New Zealand generally referred to the indigenous inhabitants as "New Zealanders" or as "natives".[12] The Māori used the term Māori to describe themselves in a pan-tribal sense.[ii] Māori people often use the term tangata whenua (literally, "people of the land") to identify in a way that expresses their relationship with a particular area of land; a tribe may be the tangata whenua in one area, but not in another.[13] The term can also refer to the Māori people as a whole in relation to New Zealand (Aotearoa) as a whole.
The point of environmentalism. Surely to enhance said biodiversity. That includes introducing new species. We are an introduced species, that has increased diversity of Aotearoa. Western Europeans have done more to maximize the number of species in Nz. The question of protection is one of stopping degradation of previous species, this does not mean Maori since they drive, eat, behave much like pakeha, and are human beings, no human left behind!
if we can introduce a tree that saves the kiwi should we? hell yes.
How about a genetical engineered tree that provides a nest that allows the kiwi the ability to peck a intruding cat, stout in the back of the head. Over time kiwis could become canavories…
oh, on, science, how about WiFi absorbing wall paint that heats your home rather than your brain. 5G will lower my power bill and stop me getting brain cancer, whoopi.
A long time ago a wise old Māori woman told me that where you are born if there is a tree or significant tree species nearby, then that will become your spiritual tree species for life. There was no distinction between native and exotic. That was a mind opener for sure…
The deaths are before the coroner and will be for a very long time. It's not likely to ever be 100% certain the switch was the direct cause but when you understand how all this works there's a strong possibility it's connected. Were this a food product, or a seat belt, or airbag, there would be an immediate recall to err on the side of caution. Do we have to wait till the coroner's make their recommendations before Pharmac cancel this switch??
All of a sudden the Minister of Health is suddenly taken this 'very seriously' and asking a lot of questions. I guess the word "deaths" in the public arena isn't a good look from a PR perspective. And we know how the one thing Ministers HATE is being publicly embarrassed.
David Clark has been bombarded with our concerns about this switch all year, some of us have been attempting to correspond with him since September 2018 when this was first mooted because we knew full well this outcome was likely. 'Attempted' because it's been very difficult to get a response, and the responses we did get are all identical cut and paste jobs. Not even acknowledgments from his office that our correspondence had been received. Welcome to NZ democracy where our elected representatives deliberately ignore or fob off serious situations they don't want to deal with until the shit really hits the fan in the media and they're forced to act all ministerial.
(nb if anyone still wants to try that line that the brands/generics are exactly the same then I'm going to either totally ignore you or give you what for. Probably ignore you because I don't want to get a ban. In real life you'd probably get screamed at. I'm not even trying to be polite and reasonable any more if you're not prepare to listen or do your research and many of my peers in this fight have reached this point as well)
+100000 Kay. Did hear the coverage on RNZ National yesterday and immediately thought of you; and I now see that it has also been widely covered in other media – TVNZ, Herald, The Press, Stuff , Voxy amongst others.
For anyone interested in the other coverage, rather than links to each of these other media, here is a generic Google link with links to these other media articles in the last 24 hours
Anyone regularly here on TS who takes the line that generics are no different from 'branded' versions are being wilfully and woefully ignorant.
Espiner has done well to keep this pot boiling…isn't it interesting how being personally affected by a serious health crisis heightens one's awareness of the significant issues threatening the lives of others?
As a nation we can fix this….so why the hell is it dragging on?
Ha, you are so right re: Generics vs Best in field Brand names.
We all know what you mean. The ingredients lists on the Coke, Watties and Gillette labels are identical to the Pams Products labels. Teenagers the world over are fed up with trying to convince their Mum's that Coca-cola and Fun Cola are exactly the same thing.
I have no experience with prescription drugs but with Colas, sorry Mum, everyone knows they aren't the same thing and yes we can taste it.
On assumed advice from MOH/IMAC and using a combination of standing orders and unapproved indication.
Babies as young as 6mths of age have been and can be injected with MMR vaccine.
Unapproved Indication means the product is not licenced for use in ages 6-11mths age group.
The same applies to pregnant women with DTaP/Flu. Unlicensed use.
Unapproved Indications have no established safety profile which has basis in recent science, and has IMAC Says "No Efficacy Answer"(no protective benefit profile) at all. Zero.
As per publicly available IMAC/MOH documents. Linked.
[It didn’t take you long after your 3-month ban to jump on one of your hobby horses and ride roughshod over a thread that is about generic vs. brand drugs and whether a switch of prescribing an epilepsy drug may have contributed to the deaths of three patients. In addition, your selective quoting belies an inquisitive mind in search of accuracy and the truth. I have no patience for you hijacking threads so let this be your only warning – Incognito]
The full quote from the link, which One Two has cherry-picked to create a deceptive impression, is:
How well does MMR0 protect infants aged 6–11 months from measles?There is no efficacy answer. Any immunity from MMR administered when they are under 12 months old is determined by the presence of maternal measles antibody. If there is enough maternal antibody to inactivate the vaccine the infant will not develop any immunity. If there is no maternal antibody then they probably will develop immunity. We cannot determine the likelihood of maternal measles antibody in individual babies.
Two of the babies given MMR vazcines at well under twelve months of age are my grandniece and grandnephew. Because their mother is a doctor helping deal with a measles outbreak where the majority of those with measles are idiot anti-vaxxers.
If any readers are considering whether an infant under twelve months should get vaccinated, the reason for the "over twelve months" recommendation is that it's less effective for younger infants, due to the possible residual presence of maternal antibodies. So the recommendation for infants that received their first dose before twelve months is that they get a further 2 doses (3 total) to ensure best protection.
Oddly enough, one big factor that might "create expanded cohorts of susceptibles in all age groups" is actually getting measles.
It seems that one of the long-term effects of measles in some people is that it reduces or destroys the immunity they had developed towards other diseases – it seems measles causes immune system amnesia. Yet one more reason to ensure your measles vaccination has been done.
To be honest, I really don't like. I'm only moved to have a say when I see misinformation that might cause actual harm.
So I'm happy to drop out when the misinformation moves on to someone just re-asserting something previously shown to be a taken-out-of-context cherry pick, or delving into the minutiae at the fringes of a topic that really don't affect the core issue.
In the spirit of continuing honesty, I'm surprised at the continued tolerance here of harmful anti-vax misinformation. Particularly since we're dealing with an outbreak that's harming thousands that's at least partly due to anti-vax misinformation getting spread into vulnerable communities. But hey, this site is not my playground, those that put the work into making the playground available and keep it running get to set the rules.
Hi Andre, I have left a long moderation note for One Two at 6:44 PM.
I wish to respond to your comments about tolerance and the apparent lack of ‘policing’ on this site.
With an online forum such as this site, there are two aspects to consider: content and process-flow.
Content is determined by Authors who write Posts but also by the commenters. The site does not dictate nor restrict content and shouldn’t IMO.
Moderators keep their distance and only jump in when the boundaries are crossed or rules violated as set out in the site’s Policy. The idea is that commenters self-moderate and nobody excludes others, for example.
As with the content, the process-flow is largely determined by the online ‘commentariat’, the online community. It is up to all of you/us to deal with stuff in a positive constructive way that allows for dissenting views, disagreements, differences of opinions, criticism, and even personal dislikes or rather dislike of content and/or style of comment, given that we don’t know each other from a bar of soap on this site. What is not tolerated is personal insults, for example.
The rules-boundaries are lenient to encourage free and frank debate on a wide range of topics. As with all free speech, this can create tension, especially when the boundaries get ‘tested’.
I hope this clarifies how I view things here, as commenter and as moderator.
Thanks for all that, particularly since I'm pretty sure your actual expertise about the workings of the immune system far exceeds mine. And apologies for my contributions to a situation that took up so much of your time.
Where I'm coming from on this topic is I see anti-vax speech as something that can plausibly lead to direct specific harm to identifiable vulnerable persons.
To me, that puts it on a moral plane pretty darn close to that occupied by hate speech. Were I to put the effort in and get invited to join the team helping keep the site running, I'd certainly want to treat it as such, which is probably a pretty good indication I shouldn't ever be granted that authority.
"Welcome to NZ democracy where our elected representatives deliberately ignore or fob off serious situations they don't want to deal with until the shit really hits the fan in the media and they're forced to act all ministerial."
From memory, this was the interview where the Minister said something like how important is was to maintain the independence of Pharmac. (even if it's killing people apparently)
Some of elected reps really are masochists at times, and don't seem to have adequate bullshit detectors fitted
More coverage likely on Checkpoint and One news this evening according to my close source. I'd love to see David facing the cameras telling us he's ordered Pharmac to stop the switch immediately (flying pigs….)
Pharmac will fight this to the death for the simple reason this is their business model, and conceding now will mean they can no longer pull this stunt with certain classes of drugs. People's lives have never come into their decisions, only money.
"People's lives have never come into their [Pharmac's] decisions, only money." As a Pharmac beneficiary, that doesn't strike me as a fair opinion.
IMHO, it would be more reasonable to state that 'Pharmac's decisions are based on people's health outcomes and maximising value for money on a limited budget."
Given PHARMAC’s mandate, generics will always play a major part in the decision-making. In the US, the vast majority of prescribed drugs are generics and cost up to 85% less than the corresponding brand drugs.
For information, links to a couple of relevant papers (the first from your link.)
“Generic lamotrigine versus brand-name Lamictal bioequivalence in patients with epilepsy: A field test of the FDA bioequivalence standard.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26201987
In that relatively small study, 40% of epilepsy patients were categorised as generic brittle.
I think that epilepsy and the ‘NZ experience’ with the drug switch are not typical and should not be used to jump to conclusions and make sweeping statements about generics vs. brand drugs.
Interesting again, thinking about possible crossover between genetic-brittle and generic-brittle, and making the most of the hand you’re dealt.
Like your last para – agreed, and shouldn't be used as yet another stick with which to beat Pharmac, when we are collectively so much better off than previous generations. Is this as good as it gets, and if it is, would that be so terrible?
Being the beneficiary of various generics @Incognito, I agree. However in this case I don't really see that as the issue here. More to do with the way the Minister and Pharmac have responded when concerns have been raised.
There are multiple issues at play. It started off with one aspect @ 7 but then the money aspect got dragged into it @ 7.3.1 and in an unfair, uninformed and prejudiced way, IMO.
Mayor Andy Foster invites the wrath of the Taxpayers Union. They'll be into him boots and all – won't they?
He's reintroducing catered lunches which he led moves to get rid of some years back.
"People felt when you didn't have lunches provided on days when you were working through [into the afternoon], councillors tended to disappear all over the place to get lunch. It reduced team bonding."
I know in the scheme of things it's small change. I understand the sense of everyone eating together and the context of their meeting days. And I reckon if it'd been a Labour mayor introducing it the loonies would be going loopy about 'sense of entitlement, troughing lefties' and the usual.
I don't know why, just like anyone going to work, the councillors can't take lunch with them and sit and eat together and do the 'team bonding.' Can't team bonding happen unless it's a free lunch? Or can't highly motivated, organised people, with the serious responsibility of an important job, actually organise and their own lunch a couple of days a week so as to enable the critical team building?
You watch, Jordan Williams and David Farrar will be spewing!
A big assumption there as to what type of lunch would be provided, Duke. As a Wellingtonian, I can assure you that we have an abundance (even overabundance) of caterers providing very healthy lighter style lunches with lots of fresh produce and options (vegetarian.vegan. gluten free, dairy free etc. LOL.
Multiple Options like that cost a lot more to provide, you seem to be in the industry and would be hoping its a 'smorgasbord' of vegan this and gluten free that
I understand why you might be a bit sensitive to other people's comments at present and I want you to know that I am disgusted by the ongoing personal attacks you continue to be subjected to by Greywarshark.
Its a case of "Pot/Kettle" and Grey needs to look in a mirror.
Much for all her/his/its " lets be positive, kind" etc sanctimonious sermons, Grey has been posting snide put downs of other commenters who Grey thinks should not comment on TS regularly since she/he/it first started commenting here as Prism on 28 October 2009 – and through her/his/its transition through "Rose-Tinted" and "greywarbler" to "Greywarshark".
And not just on TS but also on TDB (and then wonders why her/his/its comments as "greywarbler" disappear), and on Bowalley Road. Just two days ago this appeared on Bowalley Road.
greywarbler said…
Odysseus your comment reminds me of the words odious. Please try not to bring Islam into the conversation at the slightest chance. You don't seem to have anything worthwhile to say, so don't just post a sneer and stick a put-down onto it like a post-it. I see about Odysseus, he was 'Famed for his courage, intelligence, and leadership', so try to live up to your name.
So please don’t think others here support Grey’s put downs of you . Many otheres have been in your position in the past.
In terms of the TS Policy, I would have thought that the following provision of TS Policy was relevant but it is not my right to suggest moderation be exercised –
"What we’re not prepared to accept are pointless personal attacks, or tone or language that has the effect of excluding others. "
And just wanted to mention that I am a female in a similar age range/same decade to Grey albeit a few years younger so my comments are not a "OK Boomer" situation.
Re people, I agree 'it' is not appropriate – was thinking of birds and fish.
Putting both handles (Grey and Duke's full handles) into Search comes up with almost two pages of interactions going back to 2015, of which quite a few have little "bites/nibbles" and more. But not sure this search has picked up all the recent ones, but will leave it there. But Duke is just one person who has had this treatment.
Had a closer look at the list that popped out of that search and it is missing a lot over the last month or so as have done a more detailed check going back from today to Sept. If I get time, I will drop an email to you at the back end in the next day or so.
Perhaps Foster is trying to find work for his predecessor Justin?
He owned, or at least part owned, a salad bar business if my memory serves me right. Perhaps the Council will give him the contract if he goes back to it?
Gee I manage every day to get up and make my lunch and be out the door by 7 . Like a huge amount of workers in this country. This is why we grow to despise the people up the food chain .
Yes I have read it weka. And don't understand why you do not discourage such pointless negativity in these negative times. A place for prople to cojme and do the new thing of talking and thinking of politics is so important these days. Why do you not encourage a greater number instead of allowing a smug, sneering type like this troll?
That comment I asked you to read *is my discouraging pointless negativity. Yours.
Beyond that, it's a balancing act. The ethos of TS is robust debate. There are limits on that, hence the language and tone part of the Policy.
Duke isn't (usually) a troll. He's annoying at times but that's not unusual here, and he brings useful perspectives to the site. Gosman is our resident (RW) troll if you want a standard to go by. Puckish Rogue at times too, but he gets away with it more because he is also often funny.
Other than that, any of the regulars can get into trouble if they start doing comments that are abusive with no politics. Mostly a reminder to not do that will suffice, but sometimes people get a short ban (or long one if they give the moderator shit).
I'll say again, that ime the best way to change the culture of the place is to encourage and do the kinds of comments that you want to see here. Giving people shit for giving people shit will almost always result in more shit. Moderation will limit the shit posting, trolling and flames, but it won't create good interactions or better comments, it just creates the space for them. Improving the commentary requires creative acts.
Those that desire to dine on butterfly wings in a white whine sauce can and the bill will still be cheaper than caterers. Caterers are so Elizabethan (II). Attach an extensive Uber Eats menu to the 'We're workin' late you bastards' memo.
Un-bloody-believable: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/117378375/epas-inappropriate-reaction-to-students-speech. From the start, the Environmental Protection Agency has consistently demonstrated that its role is the opposite of its title. The fact that a young woman who spoke in support of environmental protection was subjected to a 'shout over' then accused of being bad mannered is bizarre. The farcical EPA should be disposed of. At the very least, Allan Freeth should be sent down the road – the fish is obviously still rotting from the head.
Yes aom. Freeth represents those old men with old minds and contempt for new ideas especially if they come from youth. The National Party is littered with such people.
Forest & Bird has called the EPA's reaction to a speech a student gave during a stakeholder meeting – which included sending an apology letter to attendees – "totally inappropriate".
…Forest & Bird's Lower North Island regional manager Karen Evans was at the event and said she was taken aback by the response to the speech.
"Allan Freeth publicly chastised her [the student] for lack of 'politeness' and the inappropriateness of the speech – seemingly more concerned about the offence caused to other 'invited guests'. From what I witnessed, I believe he was particularly acknowledging a rep from the oil and gas industry, who not only shouted at Sorcha during and after her speech, but immediately stormed out and accosted senior EPA staff to express his outrage at the 'ridiculousness', inappropriateness and 'bad taste' of her speech."
Apart from the 'inversion' by Freeth over what was unacceptable. Shines a light on 'private meetings' EPA runs where it only wants to listen to one side.
Looking at the management team seems to be far too many 'acting' in their job title, maybe one or 2. Theres is 6.
Rick Gates direct is over. Brief but hardly lacking in substance, including government getting on record that Donald Trump himself talked about upcoming WikiLeaks disclosures based on conversation with Roger Stone
“I do not recall discussing WikiLeaks with [Stone], nor do I recall being aware of Mr. Stone having discussed WikiLeaks with individuals associated with my campaign."
Socialists and Unidas Podemos have made a preliminary deal to form a coalition government.
Caretaker Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the leader of left-wing Unidas Podemos, Pablo Iglesias, have signed a preliminary agreement to form a coalition government after Sunday’s inconclusive repeat general election in Spain. Despite months of negotiations between the parties to strike a governing deal following the April poll, the two leaders have done this deal less than 48 hours after Sunday’s vote
ILG just on the radio regarding Immigration – Labour in the 2017 election had no targets
So that we have only a minimal reduction – we now have a need for many thousands of additional houses and large increase in cars on the road – No wonder we haveSTILL major issues that remain from the change of government – Time to deliver because the consequences of this NON DELIVERY is crushing the country.
"In total, these changes are estimated to reduce net migration by 20,000-30,000. Without these changes there would be up to 10,000 more houses needed and up to 20,000 more vehicles on our roads annually. Our immigration system will be regularly reviewed to ensure it is functioning well."
I've been listening to Michelle Boag on RNZ. She hates the notions of common good and communities working together in education and schools, she wants dog-eat-dog competitive ways of operating. No surprise.
I suppose in a world of free speech, getting a female dog on to spout narrow-minded, self serving rabidity probably helps cover the angles. Mind you she did say, "I know some principals." I'd bet they haven't got empires to protect too. Not.
I didn't hear it Peter but she'll be coming at it from the angle of "personal responsibility" and everyone having the "freedom to choose" etc. etc. In other words as you say… dog eat dog competition in all things.
The thought of "common good" and "communities working together" would conjure up the dreaded word "socialism" in the books of the neo-liberal apostles, or even worse "communism".
Bridges also said that in his shambolic interview this morning. He said he wants the competitive model to continue and spoke against the cooperative model. Idiot!
As you've backed away from no efficacy answer as well as completely ignored the unapproved indication.
– No vaccine efficacy profile exists
– No licenced safety profile exists
If you require further explanation of the above and why maternal antibodies are only relevant in vaccine context to illustrate how vaccines have created inferior maternal antibodies. We can have that conversation.
To address the immune amnesia hypothesis, which is not new.
First of all vaccine antibody theory needs to be examined. And for that the link below
Rolf Martin Zinkernagel AC, FAA is Professor of Experimental Immunology at the University of Zurich.
He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1996 for the discovery of how the immune syatem recognises virus infected cells.
Abstract
'So-called 'immunological memory' is, in my view, a typical example where a field of enquiry, i.e. to understand long-term protection to survive reexposure to infection, has been overtaken by 'l'art pour l'art' of 'basic immunology'
The remainder of the abstract is in the link provided.
It's saying that immune memory is not necessary for protective immunity.
If correct, then immune amnesia isn’t relevant except to expose the desperation of the vaccine industry.
Mina 2019is flawed for many primary reasons. None more so than as linked to above.
[You may have some good points to make but most of your comments create a foggy web of cherry-picked facts, links to humongous hard-to-read documents by (overseas) regulatory agencies, and science sophistry. The outcome is that you confuse people into thinking that vaccination is ineffective and dangerous and that governments, including NZ’s, and the pharma-industrial complex, cover this up.
With a complex topic such as the immune system and the subject of vaccination, we need clarity and not somebody with an agenda and poor communication skills clouding people’s minds.
For example, you quote Rolf Zinkernagel, Professor of Experimental Immunology at the University of Zurich and Nobel Laureate “for their discoveries concerning the specificity of the cell mediated immune defence”, to support your questionable opinions in a misleading appeal to authority. Zinkernagel questions how the idea of “immunological memory” explains the improved resistance against disease caused by a second infection with the same agent through vaccination and he rejects this concept. However, he does not reject the effectivity of vaccines and vaccination. In fact, it is quite the opposite.
Here’s the full abstract of another more recent review by Zinkernagel in the high-impact journal IMMUNOLOGICAL REVIEWS:
What if protective immunity is antigen-driven and not due to so-called “memory” B and T cells?
Zinkernagel RM.
Abstract
Vaccines or early childhood exposure to infection mediate immunity, that is, improved resistance against disease and death caused by a second infection with the same agent. This has been explained by and equaled to immunological memory, that is, an “altered immune system behavior” that is maintained in a presumably antigen-independent fashion. This review summarizes epidemiological and experimental data, that largely falsify this idea and that show that periodic re-exposure to antigen either, artificially as vaccines or naturally as low-level persisting antigens or infections, or immune complexes on follicular dendritic cells or endemic re-exposure is necessary for protection. Both, the huge success of vaccines in controlling childhood infections, the reduction in clinical disease and the chance of endemically re-exposure, have gradually reduced periodical re-exposure to infections and thereby endangered protective herd immunity. In parallel, vaccine deniers have created susceptibility islands even in an otherwise well vaccinated population, thereby creating a very new situation when compared to the later parts of the 20th century. If protective Immunity is-as emphasized here-antigen driven, then increasingly frequent revaccinations will be necessary (even more so with too much attenuated vaccines) to maintain both herd immunity and individual resistance to acute infections. Of course, this rule also applies to tumor vaccines. [my emphasis]
The reason I quote the full abstract is that other people can read and come to their own conclusions rather than be guided by your nebulous comments and ‘statements of fact’.
In summary, nobody is served by your comments here about vaccination. In fact, it confuses (‘drowns’) and misleads with potentially dire consequences. If you want to make a point about vaccination, keep it simple with clear arguments with integrity and in an honest manner. Banned for another two weeks and bans will escalate from hereon – Incognito]
That's an interesting April 2012 review by Zinkernagel. Here's a more recent link regarding "Immunological memory: What’s in a name?"
"Altogether, we agree with the conclusion proposed in the introductory review [ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29664563 ]; that immunologic memory is best conceived of as a multi-dimensional concept with physical correlates in far more components of the adaptive and innate immune system than previously appreciated."
It may be that our incomplete understanding of the 'arms race' between the human immune system and pathogens, coupled with evolving vaccination programmes, is incubating a crisis similar to the rise of multidrug-resistant pathogens fueled by the indiscriminate use of antibiotics.
Nevertheless, remember this hopeful quote by Prof. Christine Stabell Benn in her January 2019 TEDx talk How vaccines train the immune system in ways no one expected:
"And this makes vaccines the largest untapped resource for improving health globally." [ @13:30 minutes ]
Targetted scientific research may yet enable clinicians to realise that vision.
That's an interesting April 2012 review by Zinkernagel.
If you have taken a look into RZ's background then you understand the credibility his assessments have regarding vaccination theory .
The goalposts were shifted from the position I had aligned with the generic drug changes ,and the consequences coming to light of the dangers of the changes.
The position was that of using unlicensed vaccines (Unapproved Indication) which lack not only an adequately proven P3 safety profile, but also are confirmed to have zero efficacy vaccine profile.
Not Safe
Not effective
That leaves only a risk profile.
The current government have deemed (on assumed advise of MOH/IMAC which those agencies in turn have been provided with from offshore) that it is appropriately safe and effective to inject 6-11mth babies with MMR vaccine.
It is scientifically and medically the complete opposite. But this is where NZ finds itself as a result of 30 years of expanding government vaccine programs.
Andre responded avoiding the discussion about unapproved indication and no efficacy answer, so it is not apparent if he believes it acceptable or not to used unlicensed vaccines on some of the most vulnerable age groups in NZ.
Given that his direct relatives under 12mths were injected with MMR, it could be deduced he does agree in using unlicensed, useless and dangerous vaccines on 6-11mth babies.
If you would like to discuss the how this has come to be NZ's public health decision, and the consequences of the entry and exit of such decision points, I would be more than happy to have that conversation with you initially.
If not then the below may/may not be of interest.
The Finland study is cited in NZ Immunisation Handbook 2017 as the safety study for the unapproved indication, and indeed is the only study cited/referenced in NZ's official MMR documents available to the public regarding MMR vaccine safety. The study is from 1986. Ref 24
It was a vaccinated vs vaccinated study. Which can't provide any sane definition of a safety profile because the participants were already vaccinated, and were then vaccinated with MMR2 v non inert placebo vaccine.
That is not real science, which is precisely why the charade is currently falling apart around the world including NZ.
Merck sponsored this study (MMR2) and >90% of study participants had been previously vaccinated per Finnish national schedule prior to commencement of the study
Study states that lack of boosting by wild virus increases rate of vaccine failure and creates expanding cohorts of susceptibles in all age groups
Given how long ago you were bloating around shouting how you were going to vaccinate your kids anyway, and then got repeatedly emotional and abusive when I asked you to post the evidence. Perhaps you've forgotten?
I don't care what you do marty, it's none of my business. But you had some inner sense of [whatever it was] which compelled you to bring that up yet again as if I believe anything you write.
12-18 months or so, after you first said you were going to take action.
So as you don't get the message mixed up again…
I do not care what decisions you make about vaccinating your kids.
you kept going on about it so I wanted to tie it off
Your memory isn't very good Marty. I can re-post the conversations if you like?
All done now
Not comprehending well at all, are you. In the previous message twice I stated that I do not care.
Thanks.
That is twice you have thanked me, and if you can muster up the brain cells to recall the original conversation where I advised you not to take any decision outside of your own head in my direction.
In thanking me, it feels like you are seeking to outsource your parental decision making [whatever form that comes] in my direction, yet again.
I didn't ask to know your family business, marty. But I understand your head set from the years we have swapped messages here, that you felt like a big man putting it onto me, eh.
The comment you responded to must have triggered the shit out of you. Yeah you were triggered, I can tell from the words you used. Again, don’t put your fear onto me.
Just keep it to yourself, and perhaps continue to avoid reading the links and comments I post. The science contained isn't aligned with your alleged choices, it doesn’t support your alleged choices. Not at all, and the surface has not even been scratched.
Do you have any thoughts or comments about NZ government and health agencies using an unlicensed vaccine which has no efficacy answer and no adequate safety profile?
Used on 6-11mths old babies outside the license issued by the FDA to the vaccine manufacturers ?
Do you understand the reasons of why this is happening ?
Edit: McFlock. Perhaps you might like to have a try?
Andre stil hasn’t a clue. What about the rest of you skeptics .
tbh I don't really think you're an authority on much and certainly not this subject – but you know that already. So just move on please. As I said – I just wanted to put your question to bed, which I have now done. Thanks.
Marty, your memory isn't good at all. It is distinctly like you’re trying to prove something to yourself.
It was never my question to enquire if you vaccinated your kids or not.
You stated a long time ago that you were going to. You shouted it numerous times because you couldn’t handle the contents of my comments.
All this time later and you still can’t handle it, but must show otherwise. Amazing.
I didn't ask you initially. Thats all your own wasted brain cells.
My comment and follow ups to you were for you to post the evidence of your actions, such was your bluster over an extended time. I asked you to post the evidence when you put yourself in my face, which you repeatedly did.
What does matter is that you have now selfishly wanted to close off what you started.
Hardly the actions of a reflective individual. More of a narcissistic tendency IMO.
Oh, and anyone can be an authority on this or any subject, marty.
All it takes is the ability to read and a network of people in various places doing lotsa science and legal stuff.
Any broader contribution from me for this thread would only be to reiterate the fact that you're still plugging this scaremongering bullshit even after literally hundreds of people have been hospitalised.
And then my arse would cop a ban because I have no polite words with which to describe my opinion of you.
plugging this scaremongering bullshit after literally hundreds of people have been hospitalised.
I'm currently using the governments official public immunisation documents and referenced research citations , which illustrate the reasons for the issues faced.
That being caused by government vaccine programs. The primary study from 1986 says that vqccines failure will continue to become more of a problem
How is using govt documents and referenced scaremingering?
Read the Finland 1986 study I linked to. It’sall in there. Farcical.
Hospitalizations are a meaningless metric. Surely you understand why?
yup. You will cherry-pick from govt documents and peer-reviewed articles, but you don't trust the data upon which many of those documents and articles are based.
Linking to Andres comment further exposes his level of misunderstanding of simple concepts like cherry picking consists of, and highlights his lack of basic comprehension.
It also signals there must be some other factors why the two of you denialists won't or can't accept the govts own documents which tell you the studies they cite as evidence of safety with the vaccine program.
The study (singular) relied on as primary evidence of MMR vaccine safety is from 1986 and is an insult to science, medicine and the public health.
That singular study is currently being used by NZ agencies as evidence that it is safe to inject 6-11m babies with an unlicensed product with no efficacy profile and inadequate safety profile
The manufacturers approval licence was not issued for 6-11m babies.
Because the P3 testing was not completed in that age group which is why the national schedule is and will remain starting at 12/15mths for MMR1.
Unsafe – No adequate safety profile. Off licence use.
No benefit – There is no efficacy answer.
The Immunisation Handbook and IMAC quick sheets cite the same singular study as evidence of MMR vaccine safety from 1986.
Ka pai to this new invention. You see if we invest in smart solutions to the challenges of becoming a carbon neutral society we will find them.
A bioplastic made of organic fish waste that would otherwise end up in landfill – with the potential to replace plastic in food and drink packaging – has landed its UK designer a prestigious international award and £30,000 prize.
Lucy Hughes, 24, a graduate in product design from the University of Sussex, scooped the James Dyson award for her biodegradable and compostable material known as MarinaTex.
Hughes sought to tackle the problems of environmentally harmful single-use plastics and inefficient waste streams by harnessing fish offcuts to create an eco-friendly plastic alternative. Global figures estimate that 40% of plastic produced for packaging is used once and discarded.
Ka pai to the Palau government for making laws to protect their reef fish.
The Palau government says its new National Marine Sanctuary Act enables islanders and tourists to eat pelagic fish while reducing demand for coral reef fish
The minister for natural resources, environment and tourism, Fleming Sengebau, made the comment while attending the Pacific Ocean Finance Conference in Fiji this week
Someone needs to be held accountable for the Shambles that health services is in up North.
Congratulations to all the Tangata who got tohu at the Waiata awards.
Maraki is a great company that shows that Tangata Whenua O Aotearoa have the skills of our Tipuna.
Ka pai for Te Kura for teaching the correct history. We have to teach all of our tamariki our true history so they can understand why Maori are we're we are at the minute.
Here is one of my favourite subjects mitigate climate change to protect all our Mokopuna future.
The IEA expects the growth of renewables to accelerate over the coming decades, but warned it would not be enough to put a ceiling on the energy sector’s emissions before 2040.
Dr Fatih Birol, the IEA’s executive director, said there was a “deep disparity” between the aim to tackle the climate crisis by curbing carbon emissions and the existing policies which had allowed a “relentless upward march” for emissions.
The IEA’s latest figures estimate that carbon emissions are on track to keep rising by 100m tonnes a year for at least another 20 years under existing policy plans.
This rate would be two-thirds slower than the emissions hikes recorded in previous decades, but would fall very far short of what is needed to achieve the goals of the Paris agreement.
“We will need to see great political will around the world,” Birol said. “This is why I believe that the world needs to build a grand coalition encompassing governments, investors, companies and everyone else who is genuinely committed to tackling climate change.”
The IEA said it presented the modelling based on stated policies to “hold up a mirror” to global governments to show the consequences of their policies.
Venice council flooded moments after rejecting climate crisis plan
Rightwing parties reject proposals as lagoon city faces worst flooding in 53 years
Veneto’s regional council rejected a plan to combat climate change minutes before its offices on the Grand Canal, in Venice, were flooded, it has emerged as the city continues to battle high water levels.
Venice has been hit by recurrent flooding since Tuesday, with 70% of the lagoon city engulfed on Friday morning as the acqua alta, or high water, level reached 1.54 metres amid heavy downpours. Tuesday night, as Veneto councillors were debating the climate emergency in Ferro Fini Palace, Venice experienced its worst flooding since 1966.
Politicians from the regional council’s majority rightwing parties: the League, Brothers of Italy and Forza Italia, rejected amendments to fight the climate crisis in the 2020 budget that were proposed by the centre-left Democratic party.
Sharing pictures of the room as water entered, Andrea Zanoni, the Democratic party’s deputy chairman of the council’s environment committee, wrote on Facebook: “Ironically, the chamber was flooded two minutes after the majority parties rejected our proposals to tackle climate change
That's awesome that our biggest food company's are lowering the sugar and salt in our food. Whanau I dropped coffee and tea out of my diet to just Wai well 99. Of the time for the first time my blood pressure has reduced.
Prefabricated whare is the way of the future just like Tiny Whare the beauty about Tiny Whare is the bank won't own your hip pocket for life.
I think Hawaii needs renewable energy from my research most of Hawaii power comes from diesel generators may be a bit of talking to make it work we have to grab new technologies and make it work for Pacific tangata.
Dr Henare Williams book Kaumatua is a book I would like to read.
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Pure Fear: Worse than Heroin, this drug’s addictive power was terrifying. People under its influence didn’t drift off to Elysium. Nor did it persuade inadequate individuals that they could conquer the world. No, this drug – pure crystal methamphetamine, “P” for short – unlocked the gates of Hell itself. It ...
As the rate of measles infection, and of deaths, continues to climb in Samoa, antivaccination activists infectious disease proponents seem intent on doubling down on their claims about vaccination. (Check pretty much any news-media FB post about measles & you’ll see exactly what I mean.) Unfortunately, some of them have ...
Samoa are experiencing a devastating measles epidemic. It is possible that 2-3% of the population will ultimately be infected by the time it is over. Hopefully the mass immunisation campaign currently under way can mitigate some of this, for many it is too late. The first question many people ask ...
Meghan Murphy is a Canadian writer and journalist She runs the Feminist Current website which she founded in 2012. She was a keynote speaker for the Feminism2020 conference in Wellington this month. When Massey University cancelled the original venue booking Feminism2020 was hosted in Parliament by MP David Seymour. Meghan ...
Text and photos by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh Colombia has lived through one week of protests against the economic measures taken by president Duque. What looked like a protest that would fizzle out after its first day on November 21st is still going strong. Part of the reason for the continuance ...
Around a million billion pass through you each second, almost all originating from our sun, but few of them are likely to interact with you enroute. I was reading in a physics magazine earlier in the week about the nature of neutrinos. These are extremely numerous elementary particles, but only ...
By Pallab GhoshThere’s value in covering new research advances, even when the underlying science is unsettled. But there are also risks.The recent announcement that scientists discovered water on the planet K2-18b, 110 light years away, prompted a media swoon. News stories, including a piece written by me, billed ...
I wrote this review a couple of years ago when I was still in the process of getting my head around the politics of transgenderism, and specifically the claim that intersex conditions lend support to the notion that sex is ‘socially constructed’. Since writing this review I have come across ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzHow much does our use of air travel contribute to the ...
Minor planet/asteroid (2309) Mr. Spock is named not for the character in Star Trek, but for a cat that was itself imperturbable, logical, intelligent and had pointed ears. In a preceding blog post I introduced one of my favourite asteroids, (2472) Bradman, and also mentioned (6581) Sobers amongst a few ...
Today the death toll from measles in Samoa rose to 32. All but four of the dead were less than 5 years old. Absolutely terrible, heartbreaking, news. That statistic alone should be enough to give the lie to the common claim by antivaccination activists plague enthusiasts that “measles is a ...
by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh It is late here in Bogotá, almost 11.30pm on Monday the 25th of November as I write this. The day began full of hope with yet more massive marches throughout the country, a mix of the International Day of Non-Violence Against Women and the National Strike. ...
Anti-fluoride activists are rubbing their hands in glee over what they claim is “yet another study” showing fluoride harms the brains of children. But their promotion relies on IQ relationships which the paper’s authors acknowledge disappearing when outliers or other factors are considered. And they completely ignore other relationships ...
The feature below is the conclusion of A History of Economic Thought, whose author was a leading Marxist economist in Russia in the early 20th century, Isaac Ilyich Rubin. The book arose from a course he ran at Moscow University following the Russian Revolution. First published in Russian in 1929, ...
There are many thousands of asteroids with formal names, some humdrum but other more noteworthy (depending on your predilections). One of my favourites, the name of which I was involved in suggesting, is (2472) Bradman, named for the Australian cricketing great. As a minor planet (synonym: asteroid) spotter, I have ...
Tory manifesto: big on austerity, low on promise, non-existent on delivery. The Tories: the party so big on ambition they couldn't be arsed writing a manifesto. MLK: "I have a dream!"BJ: "I'll just have a nap." Labour: Broadband!Tories: Narrow minds! Labour have hope, dreams and ambition. The Tories will save ...
The Ministry of Health has announced that “people under the age of 50 travelling from New Zealand to Samoa, Tonga, Philippines and Fiji” are now on the list of national priorities for MMR vaccination. Given the outbreaks of measles in Samoa, Tonga, Philippines and Fiji, the Ministry of Health is ...
Hong Kong has been protesting for six months for, demanding democracy, human rights, and an end to police violence. Today, they went to the polls in district council elections - a low-level of government with virtually no power, similar to community boards in New Zealand. But while the positions themselves ...
Text and photos by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh On Friday 22nd of November a curfew came into effect and troops were deployed on the streets, here in Bogota. It was the first time since September 1977 that a curfew had been imposed on the city. The decision was a cynical pre-planned ...
Meanwhile, while the government is planning to restore voting rights to prisoners, National is promising to turn our prisons into US-style slave-labour camps:The Opposition is proposing compulsory education, training or employment for prisoners who are serving sentences of two years or more. [...] On Sunday, National Party Leader Simon Bridges ...
Excerpts from Being and Being Bought, by Kajsa Ekis Ekman Spinifex Press, 2013. Ekman, a Swedish journalist and critic, brings together a Marxist and feminist analysis of prostitution and surrogacy in this groundbreaking book. This is the second part of a synopsis and brief commentary of the book by Daphna ...
Dalmeet Singh ChawlaIn 2008, psychologists proposed that when humans are shown an unfamiliar face, they judge it on two main dimensions: trustworthiness and physical strength. These form the basis of first impressions, which may help people make important social decisions, from who to vote for to how long a ...
Claas Kirchhelle, University of Oxford; Adam Roberts, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, and Andrew Singer, Centre for Ecology & HydrologyAntibiotics are among the most important medicines known to humankind, but we are running out of this crucial resource. Decisive action is needed if we are to retain access to ...
Things That Make You Go - Hmmmm: “All right. Let me come at this another way. I’m guessing that what you’ve got in that box contains names, dates, bank account numbers – all the details you need to put Winston Peters and Jacinda Ardern squarely in the cross-hairs. So, the first ...
Coasters Turn Out In Droves: It’s precisely the widening gulf between those with actual experience of things like guns, chainsaws and drilling machines, and those who regulate their use, that accounts for the angry crowd at Greymouth’s Messenger Park on Sunday, 17 November 2019. In the rarefied atmosphere where decisions ...
There are perennial arguments about the circumstances of the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963, and in particular whether more than one shooter is required by the evidence (such as the Zapruder film). Those who know little about physics frequently claim that the sharp backwards motion of JFK’s head as ...
Apparently, some people enjoy washing their cars. Each to his or her own, I suppose. I mean, some people like duck shooting, some people follow Coronation Street, and some people’s idea of a good day out is to sit on a grass bank at Seddon Park and watch cricket all ...
Last week we learned that New Zealand First had apparently tried to enrich itself from public office, with a dodgy forestry company linked to a number of NZ First figures sticking its hand out repeatedly for government money. Today in Question Time Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones had his ...
Finally, governments seem slowly to be beginning to act on climate change. But its not enough. While they're publicly signing up to targets, they're planning to destroy the world by continuing fossil fuel extraction:The world’s nations are on track to produce more than twice as much coal, oil and gas ...
Stuff has begun interviewing NZ First's secret donors, and it turns out that its as bad as we expected. They start with racing industry figure Garry Chittick, who is predictably grumpy about NZ First's coalition choices. Meanwhile, I'm looking at the list of pork NZ First has effectively given its ...
Mark Patterson, Spokesperson for Primary Industries New Zealand First spokesperson for Primary Industries, Mark Patterson, has called for awareness to be raised and more stringent biosecurity checks to be put in place for African Swine Fever (ASF), a widespread virus that is uncontrolled in most of Asia and a serious ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Human Rights A critical step has been taken to end gender based violence against women and girls in Parliament this evening. New Zealand First Spokesperson for Human Rights Jenny Marcroft MP has welcomed the passing of the first reading of the Crimes (Definition of Female ...
New Zealand First MP Shane Jones says it's time to recognise market forces haven't led to the expected reduction in Māori smoking rates and try a new approach. The Party had recently invoked the agree to disagree clause in their Coalition Agreement with the Labour Party, and will not support ...
Live from the Whanganui Opera House, on the final day of the 2019 Labour Party Conference, Jacinda Ardern announced the largest investment in school property in 25 years. ...
The Coalition Government will be banning foreign donations to political parties and candidates, ahead of next year’s general elections. Legislation will be introduced to Parliament and passed under urgency – emphasising the need for such restrictions to safeguard our democracy. The bill introduces a new requirement that party secretaries and ...
Associate Transport Minister Shane Jones opened Taipā's $19 million bridge recently, improving transport infrastructure in the Northland region. The two-lane bridge is 107m long with a 2.5m-wide shared walking and cycling path, and will reduce the congestion that the old one-lane bridge was notorious for. The project had also included ...
The Overseas Investment Office have rejected the application of Mercury Agriculture LP, which is 92 per cent controlled by Canadian interests, to purchase more than 2000 hectares of South Canterbury and Otago land. Mercury wanted to buy 2000ha at Rangitata, 1494ha near Ashburton, 816ha near Cromwell and 212ha near Temuka. ...
This weekend was Labour's 103rd Party Conference! We welcomed over 500 of our Labour whānau in red to Whanganui, where we reflected on the last two years in Government, and looked ahead to 2020 and beyond. We know the long-term challenges facing New Zealand won't be tackled overnight, but we're making ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced that the Provincial Growth Fund will invest $9.6 million to seal the final unsealed section of State Highway 43 from Stratford to Taumarunui. The Minister said sealing the 12-kilometre gravel section of the highway – also called the “Forgotten World Highway” - through ...
Former Finance Minister and former chair of the Tax Working Group, Sir Michael Cullen, has voiced his support for New Zealand First’s decision to oppose the planned increase in tobacco excise tax. In an interview with The Weekend Collective, he said that increasing the price was no longer effective in ...
Māori are natural storytellers. On the marae we use stories to tell our history, to teach the next generation life lessons and to let people know, in our most creative of ways, who we are and where we have come from. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader New Zealand First has invoked the ‘Agree to Disagree’ provisions of the Coalition Agreement because it cannot support the announced 11.46 percent increase in the tobacco excise from 1 January 2020. “Studies show that the automatic tobacco excise increases are having less effect ...
Taupō-based company Geo40 has made a breakthrough in extracting near battery-grade lithium from geothermal fluid which its says could be a gamechanger. Its chief executive John Worth said the earth mineral was highly prized, with battery-grade lithium selling for US$10,000 (NZ$15,600) a tonne. Geo40 was founded in 2010 to find ...
Crown research institute AgResearch Ltd, as part of its Future Footprint plan, had intended to relocate top scientists and support staff — particularly those focused on sheep genetics and genomics — from Invermay to Lincoln. However, those plans seem to have been shelved at the request of the Coalition Government. ...
Ten engineering firms in Southland are receiving a total of $2.13 million in Provincial Growth Fund funding to lift productivity and create new jobs. Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced in Invercargill that the 10 engineering and manufacturing firms would receive funding to assist them with buying equipment that ...
The number of new residents to New Zealand is the lowest it has been in nearly two decades and it has earned the ire of the immigration industry. The industry alleges that 'Trump-style extreme vetting' is being put in place aimed at keeping a lid on immigration numbers. June Ranson, ...
The Royal New Zealand Air Force is one step closer to modernising its fleet after the United States State Department recently approved the sale of five new C-130J Hercules aircraft to New Zealand. Arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin, in Fort Worth, Texas, will provide the aircraft, but as a "foreign military ...
Forestry Minister Shane Jones wants to create a log barging facility at Hicks Bay and turn the area into a Special Economic Zone. The move would be part of protecting New Zealand's forests from being depleted by India and China, he said. It follows his announcement last week to strengthen ...
New Zealand First supports the changes recommended by the Winter Grazing Taskforce to improve animal welfare outcomes through the winter months, and the establishment of a pan-sector action group to implement them. New Zealand First Primary Industries Spokesperson Mark Patterson says the report highlights areas of concern about the animal ...
Former prime ministers Helen Clark and Sir John Key, formerly from the Labour and National parties respectively, have joined forces in support of New Zealand First’s plan to relocate Auckland's port to Whangārei. While Ms Clark and Sir John spent their political careers on opposite sides of the political divide, ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is in Japan for the Foreign Ministers' meeting of the G20 grouping of countries as one of nine "invited" countries. He has used the opportunity to cast a spotlight on the plight of Pacific countries, calling out countries which still offered subsidies or Government assistance to ...
It's been a great week of progress: we've celebrated Children's Day, we've made communities safer with 1800 new police, and we've seen almost 90% of eligible schools take up Government funding to scrap school donations - taking pressure off the families of more than 416,000 students. ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister of Forestry The Government will further strengthen New Zealand’s wood processing sector as part of our focus on ‘value over volume’ in our forestry industry, Forestry Minister Shane Jones says. Minister Jones will today meet with forestry representatives in Northland to signal new measures to help the ...
New Zealand First are celebrating the announcement of an investment of $3.5 million into five new trapping devices. These are a range of bait and trap devices, all designed to be left unattended for long periods of time. NZ First conservation spokesperson Jenny Marcroft says that this latest development will ...
Darroch Ball, Spokesperson for Police New Zealand First is proud to have delivered on a key Coalition Agreement commitment to adding 1800 new frontline police, with the graduation of Recruit Wing 332 in Porirua today. Law and Order Spokesperson Darroch Ball says increasing police numbers and boosting their resources was one ...
Jenny Marcroft, Spokesperson for Conservation New Zealand First is proud to announce the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) has allocated $3.5 million to develop innovative predator control approaches which will reduce the need for repeated 1080 use. $19.5 million of PGF funding was announced for Predator Free 2050 Limited in February ...
Clayton Mitchell, Spokesperson for Consumer Affairs The ‘wheel clamping’ Bill that will cap clamper fees to $100 passed its third readinginParliament today. New Zealand First welcomes The Land Transport (Wheel Clamping) Amendment Bill to combat predatory wheel clamping behaviour in what is currently a largely unregulated business. Cowboy clampers are: gouging ...
Jenny Marcroft, Spokesperson for Health New Zealand First welcomes the passage of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission Bill through its first reading in Parliament. “Today’s progress takes serious action on the mental health and addiction crisis the country is facing,” says New Zealand First Health Spokesperson Jenny Marcroft. “The re-establishment ...
Mark Patterson, Spokesperson for Primary Industries Today the Government announced the delivery of the promise to protect New Zealand interests by applying a new National Interest Test to the sales of our most sensitive and high risk assets to overseas buyers. This further strengthening of the Overseas Investment Act will ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced further support as the Government of Samoa responds to a serious measles outbreak. “New Zealand will deploy a further 18 vaccination nurses, bringing the total to 30 working in Samoa over the next ...
The Coalition Government is delivering on its promise to protect New Zealanders’ interests by applying a new national interest test to the sales of our most sensitive and high-risk assets to overseas buyers. Under current Overseas Investment Act (OIA) rules, assets such as ports and airports, telecommunications infrastructure, electricity and ...
Rt Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First Allegations raised this morning by Stuff Limited / Fairfax concern a party matter but I am confident that New Zealand First has operated within electoral laws, now and for the last 27 years. Declarable donations were declared to the Electoral Commission. Our ...
A medium-scale adverse event has been declared for the South Canterbury district, which will see up to $50,000 in funding made available to support farming communities which have been significantly affected by recent heavy rain and flooding in the area, says Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. “Two weeks of solid rain ...
The Government will phase out more single-use plastics following the success of its single-use plastic bag ban earlier this year and the release today of a pivotal report for dealing with waste. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has welcomed the Rethinking Plastics in Aotearoa New Zealandreport, released by her Chief Science Advisor ...
International education continues to thrive as the Government focuses on quality over quantity, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said. The tuition revenue from international education increased to $1.16 billion last year with the average tuition fee per student increasing by $960. The total number of international students enrolled in New Zealand ...
Health Minister Dr David Clark says new appointments to DHBs represent a significant changing of the guard, with 13 new chairs including four Māori chairs. Today 76 appointments have been announced to complement elected board members, as well as eight elected members appointed as either chair or deputy chair. Four ...
Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Fletcher Tabuteau, is travelling to Germany, Poland, Austria, and Spain next week to bolster New Zealand’s political and trade relationships in Europe. While in Spain, Mr Tabuteau will represent New Zealand at the 14th Asia-Europe (ASEM) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Madrid. “New Zealand strongly supports ...
“I’ve spoken to Minister Faafoi, who has apologised for his poor handling of this issue,” Jacinda Ardern said. “I have confidence in Kris as a hardworking and effective Minister, but this should have been dealt with in a much clearer manner, and I’ve made my views on that very clear ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters met with Tongan Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa in Wellington today. The pair signed a Statement of Partnership setting out joint priorities for cooperation out to 2023. “We welcomed Prime Minister Tu'i'onetoa on his first visit to New Zealand as Prime Minister. Tonga ...
The Minister of Police Stuart Nash says his sympathies are with the family of a man who died after being shot by Police in Kurow. “Initial reports are that Police were called by a family member to help the man who was threatening to harm himself,” Mr Nash says. “However ...
Healthier waterways, better productivity and farmer wellbeing are front and centre in a new project involving more than 1000 Southland farmers and growers. Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor today announced that the Thriving Southland Change and Innovation Project is the first region-wide extension programme supported by the $229 million Sustainable ...
Work to look after nature and restore freshwater quality in Te Hoiere/Pelorus River catchment is getting a significant boost, thanks to new Government funding support Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage announced in Canvastown today. “Every New Zealander should be able to swim in their local river without getting sick, and ...
Eight Queen’s Counsel have been appointed under a process that includes the new criterion of a commitment to improving access to justice, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. “The new criterion was included this year. It emphasises that excellence and leadership in the profession can be seen through a wider, community ...
Onslow College in Wellington will get 20 new classrooms for more than 400 students, Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. The much-needed investment will relieve growth pressure the school has been experiencing for some time. Seven existing classrooms which have deteriorated over time will also be replaced, bringing the total ...
More than 250 young New Zealanders will add international experience to their education, thanks to the latest Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia (PMSA) and Latin America (PMSLA), Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. This round of scholarships supports 252 recent graduates or current students to undertake study, research or internships ...
Consumers will benefit from a more competitive, transparent retail fuel market as a result of changes the Government will be making in response to the findings of the Commerce Commission’s study of the fuel sector. “We accept the Commission’s findings and, as the Prime Minister has said, we’re ready to ...
Five new cancer medicines have now been funded this year, meaning thousands of people have more treatment options PHARMAC has today announced that it has approved two new medicines for funding – fulvestrant for breast cancer and olaparib for ovarian cancer. This follows earlier decisions on advanced lung cancer treatment alectinib, ...
The Minister of Local Government, Hon Nanaia Mahuta says the Government will consider making changes to local electoral legislation before the 2022 elections to fix the problems that have arisen where elections are settled by a coin toss. The Minister says the recount process in the Murupara- Galatea ward at ...
New Zealand will sign up to new international maritime regulations to reduce ship emissions and lift air quality around ports and harbours, Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter announced today. Subject to completion of the Parliamentary treaty examination process, New Zealand will sign up to Annex VI of MARPOL, an ...
New legislation to transform our urban areas and create sustainable, inclusive and thriving communities will tomorrow be introduced to Parliament, Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford said. “The Urban Development Bill gives Kāinga Ora-Homes and Communities the tools it needs to partner with councils, communities, mana whenua and private developers to ...
Today’s launch of He taonga te Tamaiti: Every child a taonga: The Early Learning Action Plan 2019-2029 provides the foundation for long-lasting changes to early learning, Education Minister Chris Hipkins says. “Early learning will be one of the Government’s top education priorities going into 2020,” Chris Hipkins said. ...
Major decisions made by the Government will now be considered under a climate change lens, Minister for Climate Change James Shaw announced today. “Cabinet routinely considers the effects of its decisions on human rights, the Treaty of Waitangi, rural communities, the disability community, and gender – now climate change will ...
Education Minister Chris Hipkins today announced the appointment of Māori education specialist Dr Wayne Ngata and Business NZ head Kirk Hope to the Board of the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC). Dr Alastair MacCormick has been reappointed for another term. “Wayne Ngata, Kirk Hope and Alastair MacCormick bring a great deal ...
The next phase of the Pike River Re-entry project is underway, Minister Responsible for Pike River Re-entry Andrew Little says. “Fresh air will be pumped into the Pike River Mine drift this week, following acceptance of the plan for re-entry beyond the 170m barrier by New Zealand’s independent health and ...
New Zealand consumers will have greater certainty about their insurance cover when they need to make claims as a result of proposed government changes. “Insurance is vitally important in supporting consumers and businesses to be financially resilient when unexpected events happen,” Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Kris Faafoi said. ...
The Crown is providing an opportunity for the hapu of Ngāpuhi to rebuild its framework from the ground up for collective negotiations to deal with its historical Treaty claims, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little and Minister for Māori Development Nanaia Mahuta announced today. The Crown is also ...
A Bill enabling referendums to be held with the 2020 General Election has passed its third reading. Justice Minister Andrew Little says the Act is important for upholding the integrity of New Zealand’s electoral process. “The Government has committed to holding a referendum on legalising recreational cannabis at the next ...
The first release of public information on the two referendums to be held at next year’s General Election was made today with an informative new Government website going live. Additionally, the draft Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill has been released, showing the strict controls on cannabis that will apply if ...
The Government is taking action to protect New Zealand from foreign interference in our elections by banning foreign donations to political parties and candidates, Justice Minister Andrew Little announced today. Legislation will be introduced to Parliament this afternoon and passed under urgency. “There’s no need for anyone other than New ...
Governments and tech companies are holding a two-day workshop, hosted by YouTube/Google in Wellington, to test the Christchurch Call Shared Crisis Response Protocol. The workshop aims to refine and strengthen the response in the event of a terrorist attack with online implications. Companies, governments, civil society experts and NGOs will ...
The new independent Cancer Control Agency has formally opened today, delivering on the Government’s plan to improve cancer care in New Zealand. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister of Health David Clark marked the occasion by announcing the membership of the Advisory Council that will be supporting ...
Small businesses who deal with government departments are set to be paid faster and have improved cash flow as a result, under a new strategy released today. The Government is backing recommendations from the Small Business Council (SBC) and has agreed to implement three initiatives immediately to support business and ...
The Education and Training Bill 2019, introduced in Parliament today, proposes the biggest education changes in decades and is an important step towards improving success for all our learners, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said. “The Bill’s rewrite of education legislation is long overdue. Indeed one Education Act, parts of which ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio will travel to Bali to represent New Zealand at the 12th Bali Democracy Forum that will be held on the 5-6 December. “The Forum is a valuable opportunity for Asia-Pacific countries to share experiences and best practice in building home-grown democracy and fostering ...
A package of new and expanded technology and other tools will encourage responsible camping and help communities and local councils better manage freedom camping this summer, Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis announced today. “Our Government has been investing to improve the freedom camping experience for everyone because we want to support ...
The government is laying the groundwork to understanding our genes – work that can help us tackle some of our biggest health challenges, like heart disease and diabetes, says Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods. $4.7 million has been invested in the Genomics Aotearoa Rakeiora programme. The programme will ...
Nearly every state schools will receive a capital injection next year valued at $693 per student to bring forward urgent school property improvements, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. The one-off cash injection is the first project to be announced from the Government’s infrastructure package ...
The Government has decided to bring forward major investments in New Zealand’s infrastructure to future proof the economy. “Cabinet has agreed to a significant boost to infrastructure investment. I have directed the Treasury to help bring together a package of projects that can be brought into the Government’s short and ...
It is a great pleasure to be with you today in Whanganui. Like the Prime Minister I grew up with the TV clip of Selwyn Toogood booming “What do you say Whanganui, the money or the bag?” to an unsuspecting ‘It’s in the Bag’ audience. For those under the age ...
New Zealand’s newest Great Walk, the Paparoa Track, was officially opened in Blackball today by the Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage alongside the family members of the Pike 29 and Ngāti Waewae. Local mayors and MP for the West Coast Hon Damien O’Connor were also in attendance. “Paparoa National Park ...
Minister of Defence Ron Mark turned the first sod of earth on the infrastructure works for the new P-8A Poseidon fleet at RNZAF Base Ohakea today. “The Coalition Government’s investment in Ohakea will ensure the Royal New Zealand Air Force can manage, maintain and task the new fleet efficiently ahead ...
Civil Defence Minister Hon Peeni Henare today announced the establishment of the new National Emergency Management Agency from 1 December 2019. The National Emergency Management Agency will replace the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management. It will be an autonomous departmental agency, hosted by the Department of the Prime ...
Sustainable New Zealand Welcomes the Government’s Announcement on Phasing Out Waste But Wants to See More Action on Building and Construction Waste ...
Our Seas Our Future welcomes Prime Minister Jacinda Arden’s announcement that the Government is aiming to phase out another round of single-use hard plastics, made of PVC and Polystyrene. ...
The Fraudster exposes the life and crimes of a million dollar conwoman Award-winning investigative team Stuff Circuit’s latest documentary exposes the cautionary tale of a woman who ripped off New Zealand businesses and government agencies, and a justice ...
Press Release 8 December 2019 Auckland, 8 December 2019 : The Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, Professor Juliet Gerrard, presented the 262-page report on ‘Rethinking Plastics in Aotearoa New Zealand’ to the Prime Minister on Sunday ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her Cabinet should make a policy decision tomorrow that Auckland’s car and container port must close by 31 December 2029, Waterfront 2029 Spokesperson Michael Goldwater said today. ...
In light of increasing public concern over the harmful effects of plastic pollution, the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, Professor Juliet Gerrard, is presenting the Rethinking Plastics in Aotearoa New Zealand report to the Prime Minister on Sunday ...
The government will start phasing out polystyrene packaging and beverage containers in response to a major new report calling for a nationwide rethink on plastics in New Zealand, PM Jacinda Ardern announced today. Here’s what you need to know about the announcement, and the Rethinking Plastics in Aotearoa report.For much ...
The Absolute Book is one of our picks of the year and you should buy it for someone you love for Christmas. A story that sticks like a biddi-bid, Elizabeth Knox said on Twitter the other day. Here, she writes about the books that stuck in her own psyche – ...
The government would argue it’s on track to reduce child poverty significantly by the next reporting round, and culture change is well underway at Work and Income. But change at WINZ is a slow-moving process. Pip Colgan is an advocate at Auckland Action Against Poverty (AAAP), which means she spends a ...
Frozen 2 is out, but more importantly the soundtrack is available for your kids to play on repeat. Sam Brooks ranks the songs by how likely it is that they’ll sing them into your face for the foreseeable future.Parents and caregivers, get your loins girded because Frozen 2 is here. The film ...
Five New Zealanders from across culturalspaces explain what it is they love about basketball.Historically, basketball has always held a relatively small but special in Aotearoa’s sporting landscape. The NBL was established in 1981, giving provinces the chance to duke it out for national supremacy. In 2002 the Tall Blacks ...
After 40 years at the frontline, the University of Otago's Professor Marie Crowe discusses her research on treatments beyond medicine to alleviate symptoms of mood disorders like bipolar and depression. ...
Everything you need to know about the suspension of buses in Auckland and the industrial action standoff that it springs from.What’s going on?Yesterday saw the cancellation of thousands of bus trips and a lot of people standing around at Auckland bus stops looking puzzled after services operated by NZ Bus ...
ASMS message to DHB Chairs and appointees The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) welcomes the District Health Board Chairs and board appointees announced by Health Minister David Clark. ...
Eight Queen’s Counsel have been appointed under a process that includes the new criterion of a commitment to improving access to justice, Attorney-General David Parker announced this week. The new criterion, he explained, ” … emphasises that excellence and leadership in the profession can be seen through a wider, community ...
“CEAC – University of Auckland asks ‘Can democracy survive’? Subject; Can democracy survive? https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2019/12/03/can-democracy-survive-.html Citizens Environmental Advocacy Centre Incorporated (CEAC) Press release 8th December ...
The Minister of Health’s announcement to appoint a new chair to the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board has come as a surprise and with some disappointment, especially given he had personally asked me to stand again with his confidence to continue in ...
Hell’s bells it’s Gone By Lunchtime, with Annabelle Lee, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire shooting the breeze on Kris Faafoi, Jason Kerrison, Winston Peters, NZ First donations, a cannabis referendum, and the year to come.Just when you thought politics was tucking under the duvet for Christmas, along comes the guy ...
Tis the season for hangovers, so we convinced some of New Zealand’s most experienced consumers of food and/or drink (OK, Spinoff staff and a bunch of chefs/hospo people) to share their tried-and-true culinary remedies.A hangover is a very individual thing. For some, it manifests as a splitting headache and extreme ...
Before Britain’s Got Talent: Champions hits our screens tonight, let’s take a fond look back at some of the show’s weirdest and most wonderful acts.Place your hands on your Golden Buzzer, because Britain’s Got Talent: The Champions kicks off this weekend. Champions is BGT bigger and better than it’s been before, ...
Following the raging success of the 2018 non-goat ethical Christmas gift guide, here for you today – responsibly wrapped in reusable gift wrap – is the 2019 list of ethical, sustainable, socially conscious, or charitable gift ideas to satisfy all kinds of family members and budgets.Budget Category: ‘Can we pay ...
Lime brought e-scooters to Auckland and changed the way we travel in less than a year. Now, the council is replacing it and Wave with three new contenders. Josie Adams goes to the Lime warehouse to say goodbye to the original scooters.In a warehouse in Eden Terrace, almost a thousand ...
Analysis - The government's first crack at cannabis legislation runs into trouble, a foreign donations bill is rammed through Parliament and a select committee refuses to listen to former NZ First officeholders. ...
Dr Ben Jansen is Oceania's leading prescriber of cannabis medicines, and a co-founder of the Hemp Foundation.org.nz “I’d like to thank the Labour Party and Chris Woodney. Thanks to his policy remit at Labours national conference, and Labours full support, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hannah Soong, Senior Lecturer in Teacher Education Practice, School of Education, University of South Australia Australian 15 year olds were around three and a half years behind their counterparts in China in maths, according to the OECD’s latest results for education systems ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dimitri Perrin, Senior Lecturer, Queensland University of Technology More than a year ago, the world was shocked by Chinese biophysicist He Jiankui’s attempt to use CRISPR technology to modify human embryos and make them resistant to HIV, which led to the birth ...
Cabinet minister Kris Faafoi has apologised to the Prime Minister for his messages to Jason Kerrison regarding an immigration case, but will not lose his job. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julian Meyrick, Professor of Creative Arts, Flinders University The decision to merge the Department of Communications and the Arts with Transport, Infrastructure and Regional development (dropping the “Arts” entirely) ends a year in which Australian politics has been deeply confused over its ...
A historic referendum on independence has been completed in Bougainville. Johnny Blades of RNZ was there. People in the autonomous Papua New Guinea region of Bougainville have voted in an historic independence referendum. The long-anticipated referendum is the ultimate provision of 2001’s Bougainville Peace Agreement, which followed a brutal, protracted ...
Dairy farmers had some Xmas cheer this week, as dairy giant Fonterra told them the forecast payout would be the fourth-highest-ever, at the mid-point of its farmgate milk price range. The $7.30kg/ms means the cash payout for the season will reach $11.2bn, a rise of about $400m from the earlier forecast. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Caitlin Syme, PhD in Vertebrate Palaeontology, The University of Queensland When you find dinosaur skeletons, how can you tell how old the dinosaur was? Like, if the skeleton is from a child dinosaur or an adult dinosaur? – Henry, aged 8. ...
The Council of Licenced Firearms Owners (COLFO) has had to clarify the law with Police and receive their reassurance that while the amnesty for ammunition was not extended to 20 December, Police will act as if it has been. ...
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 We Are Here: An Atlas of Aotearoa by Chris McDowall & Tim Denee (Massey University Press, $70)Superlative ...
This week a petition with more than 15,000 signatures was presented at parliament to Nicola Willis, MP and opposition spokesperson for Early Childhood Education. Also attending were Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick and Hon Nikki Kaye. ...
It’s that time of year again when, for the third year running, a new A Christmas Prince movie is released. Sam Brooks was in front of a TV screen for the latest instalment’s debut on Netflix last night, and here catalogues the many stupid, wild, and wildly stupid things he ...
One of the most highly rated members of Jacinda Ardern’s Cabinet is under pressure over assurances given in relation to an immigration case. How bad could it get, asks Toby Manhire.There has never been a New Zealand prime minister more engaged with contemporary homegrown music than Jacinda Ardern. She’s forever ...
Kris Faafoi, Minister of Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media; Minister ofCommerce and Consumer Affairs;Minister of Government Digital Services; Associate Minister forHousing; MP for Mana.The latest allegations of a corruption scandal involving a Cabinet minister suggests this government is far too loose when it comes to providing access to power ...
The National Party cannot credibly critique the Government’s hikes to fuel tax while it refuses to commit to reversing these hikes, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union. Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “Simon Bridges has lambasted ...
Newspaper staff were among those to express dismay and fury during the frenzy of denunciations that followed publication of an ill-considered cartoon about Samoa and the measles epidemic. The Spinoffrecorded their reactions under the heading ODT cartoonist infuriates his colleagues with Sāmoa measles epidemic ‘joke’. It also reproduced the ...
New Zealand Police Association condemns comments made by People Against Prisons Aotearoa following the fatal police shooting of an armed man who had made threats of suicide. ...
A new poem by Harry Ricketts. The Writing Life You want to write.You want to be published.You want to be read. You want to be a cult figure.You want to be reviewed.You want to write. You want to win prizes.You want to be anthologised.You want to be read. You want to be taught in schools ...
As Christmas is near, it’s time to set the record straight on some of the most commonly misunderstood aspects of employment law that apply to the festive season. ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Kris Faafoi immigration case Fiona Connor and Tova O’Brien (Newshub): ‘I’m on it bro’: Messages show Kris Faafoi offering help to ...
The Minister of Local Government Nanaia Mahuta has announced changes to prevent Māori wards being voted down by referendums are off the table, saying she believes such a change is not possible within the coalition. ...
It’s officially the festive season, and what does that mean? An office Secret Santa with a budget of $20 and you’ve picked your boss. Instead of settling for a bottle of average wine and a ribbon, follow our essential guide on what to get those unique workmates.At last year’s Secret ...
The shooting of a suicidal man in Southland shows that police armament is dangerous, says criminal justice group People Against Prisons Aotearoa. The shooting comes just over a month into the controversial trial of heavily armed police teams in 3 regions ...
The Prime Minister should deal urgently with reports Cabinet Minister Kris Faafoi offered to help a friend over an immigration case, National Party leader Simon Bridges says. ...
The families of top former All Blacks are likely to donate their loved ones’ brains to research so the effect of head impacts in sport can be studied. ...
A woman who went on a Tinder date with the man who murdered Grace Millane tells her story, and issues a warning to other women to trust their instincts when something doesn’t feel right.First published on Newshub.co.nzI went on a date with Grace Millane’s killer while her body lay in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gottfried Lechner, Associate Professor and Director of the Institute for Telecommunications Research, University of South Australia, University of South Australia Satellites are becoming increasingly important in our lives, as they help us meet a demand for more data, exchanged at higher speeds. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Terry Goldsworthy, Associate Professor in Criminology, Bond University According to the latest figures, homicides in Australia are at historic lows and compare well against international trends. So what do the trends tell us and why is the homicide rate in Australia declining? ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy O’Rourke, Senior Lecturer, School of Architecture, The University of Queensland Welcome to the next article in our Designing Hospitals series, where we explore how architecture and design shape our hospitals and medical centres. Today, we look at what Indigenous people tell ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW The latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results are bad news for Australian students, parents, employers and policymakers. Pretty much everyone. Australian 15-year-olds are now below the OECD average in mathematics, and our results in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danielle Clode, Senior Research Fellow in Creative Writing, Flinders University It is only mid-November but we have to walk early to avoid the heat. A northerly wind picks up clouds of dust and pollen, sending dirty billows across the paddocks. The long ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Changes coming to fuel market, anti-vaxxer arrested in Samoa, and banks told to hold more capital.New recommendations to increase competition in the fuel market have been made by the Commerce Commission, reports the NZ Herald. Their conclusion is that it isn’t competitive ...
This week's biggest-selling New Zealand books, as recorded by the Nielsen BookScan New Zealand bestseller list and described by ReadingRoom literary editor Steve Braunias. ...
An alliance of top researchers is trying to keep New Zealand ahead of complex health challenges from overuse of antibiotics, threats to freshwater quality and emerging infectious diseases. ...
The birthplace of the Labour Party is once again at the forefront of a new movement, this time harnessing the power of the collective to step away from coal towards a low carbon future.Blackball is a small place with a huge history. This week the town, 29 kilometres from Greymouth, ...
Open mike 13/11/2019 
The state of the United Kingdom is fractured, torn up, shredded. The Empire is gone, it died a long time ago. And yet, the country is still tracking with a lead in favour of the ones who play to the ingrained, class-bound division for political gain. It is a disgrace ...1 day ago
It should be obvious by now but let’s be clear: The same folk who regularly traffic in disinformation, misinformation and “fake news” are also those who most strongly claim that their freedom of expression rights are being violated when moves are made to curb hate speech (as opposed to protected ...1 day ago
Michael Schulson When Shane Burcaw flies on an airplane, he brings along a customized gel cushion, a car seat, and about 10 pieces of memory foam. The whole arsenal costs around $1,000, but for Burcaw it’s a necessity. The 27-year-old author and speaker — who, alongside his fiancée, Hannah ...2 days ago
We are very pleased to publish this submission is from Lucinda Stoan. She is a social justice activist, mother, and educator, based in Washington State in the US. This detailed and comprehensive source-linked overview of trans issues and what is at stake will be useful for many people, especially in ...2 days ago
Newshub last night reported that Broadcasting Minister Kris Faafoi had apparently promised to help out a mate with an immigration issue. While its normal for people to approach MPs for assistance in this area, when you're a Minister, the rules are different: as the Cabinet Manual says, Ministers must "at ...2 days ago
New Zealand's Underarm Banker: It bears recalling that the “independence” of the Reserve Bank Governor was for decades held up by neoliberal capitalists as the most compelling justification for passing the Reserve Bank Act. Interesting, is it not, how the ruling class’s support for the Bank’s independence lasted no longer than ...3 days ago
“Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last.” ― Martin Luther King Jr. A long and bitter court feud between former Conservative Party leader Colin Craig and Jordan Williams has been settled, with an apology and compensation from Williams. On Tuesday, Craig sent out ...3 days ago
Some people seem to want to close down any critical discussion of the current research into the relationship between water fluoride and child IQ. They appear to argue that claims made by researchers should not be open to critical review and that the claims be accepted without proper consideration ...3 days ago
In an unreliable, strange and confusing world, Public Address is proud to present a measure of comfort and stability by annually asking everyone what words or phrases sum up the year that's been – and then giving some of them consumer goods as prizes for being clever or simply lucky.Well, ...4 days ago
While much of the NZ left has transitioned to postmodern and identity politics in relation to transgender ideology, there are some very good articles about that deploy Marxist methodology in relation to this subject. The one below is from the British marxist group Counterfire and appeared on their site here ...6 days ago
“America the Beautiful!”, staunch defender of democracy, freedom and… a whole lot of despotic tyrants that play nice with what is called “the Washington Consensus.” America is indeed capable of immense good, but like any Nation, and most assuredly any aspirant to the mantle of Empire, great, immense evil. All ...1 week ago
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It hasn't been a good week for the Conservatives, pollwise. All major recent polls are showing their lead shrinking.Comparing each pollster's current (between 29/11 and 22/11) and previous most recent poll.Com Res - Conservative lead down 3 points.You Gov - Conservative lead down 1 point.Kantar - Conservative lead down 4 ...1 week ago
Mark Patterson, Spokesperson for Primary Industries New Zealand First spokesperson for Primary Industries, Mark Patterson, has called for awareness to be raised and more stringent biosecurity checks to be put in place for African Swine Fever (ASF), a widespread virus that is uncontrolled in most of Asia and a serious ...4 days ago
Live from the Whanganui Opera House, on the final day of the 2019 Labour Party Conference, Jacinda Ardern announced the largest investment in school property in 25 years. ...5 days ago
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The House: Every other Wednesday at Parliament is a Members' Day and the legislation debated is proposed by MPs not in government. ...2 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hannah Soong, Senior Lecturer in Teacher Education Practice, School of Education, University of South Australia Australian 15 year olds were around three and a half years behind their counterparts in China in maths, according to the OECD’s latest results for education systems ...2 days ago
Dairy farmers had some Xmas cheer this week, as dairy giant Fonterra told them the forecast payout would be the fourth-highest-ever, at the mid-point of its farmgate milk price range. The $7.30kg/ms means the cash payout for the season will reach $11.2bn, a rise of about $400m from the earlier forecast. ...2 days ago
The Government is investing up to $9 million in a project that it says will help Southland farmers use their land more sustainably. ...2 days ago
Donation legislation, the infinite monkey theory and the angriest man in NZ politics. Not to mention Paula Bennett's black-market oregano. ...2 days ago
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Winston Peters says the NZ First foundation is similar to the National Party’s foundation. Here’s how it isn’t. ...3 days ago
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The Finance Minister Grant Robertson won’t be drawn on how much new capital requirements for banks will hit consumers. ...3 days ago
Yet again, NZ schools have received a 'fail' when it comes to bullying but there could be an evidence-based solution. ...3 days ago
This week's biggest-selling New Zealand books, as recorded by the Nielsen BookScan New Zealand bestseller list and described by ReadingRoom literary editor Steve Braunias. ...3 days ago
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A handy guide to all you need to know about impeachment. ...3 days ago
People in dangerous bushfire zones delay taking action until the last minute because they're too optimistic about their own risk, new research has shown.
The highest fire danger warning has been forecast for Sydney, the first time the warning has been issued in Australia’s most populous region since the ‘catastrophic’ category was introduced in 2009.
https://lighthouse.mq.edu.au/article/november-2019/get-out-now-why-sydneys-first-catastrophic-fire-warning-will-save-lives
Yes. But they often live in areas where the fire risk is high every year. I think they also see stories of how the fire will burn some houses but skip others, sometimes because the owners defended the house.
Until recently the advice was to leave early OR stay and defend your house if you made the recommended clearing of material from around the house. The worst decision was to stay and then leave when the fire front could be seen.
The 2009 bushfires in Victoria swept through some small towns where people had taken shelter after leaving their homes. Up up 180 lost there lives.
Victoria is an area Im more familiar with and there is a long history of large loss of life
2009 – 7 February – March “Black Saturday” (173 deaths)
1939 – December – January “Black Friday” (71 deaths)
1926 – 14 February – March “Black Sunday” (60 deaths)
1944 – December – February (51 deaths)
1983 – 16 February “Ash Wednesday” (47 in Victoria)
1962 – 14–16 January (33 deaths)
1969 – 8 January (23 deaths)
1942 – Western Victoria (20 deaths)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bushfires_in_Victoria
Yep, I've seen a few in Sydney. One I saw progressed from the south, then SW, West, NW, then north of Sydney .. almost as if someone was driving around with a box of matches.
NSW police later caught some kids carrying matches according to ABC radio, but I don't know the details.
Morning!
Check out the stats 11-12 mins in. Interesting changes.
Hoover Inst – The Strange Death of Europe
Posting because its not a perspective covered much.
Agreed A.
Not covered much, this side of the globe especially.
His work was described by one journalist as; "gentrified xenophobia", but such a description is questionable, and motive for such comment worthy of further examination.
The issues he puts forward is important even to NZ, more particularly in relation to use of immigration as a "numbers game".
Axiomatic, looking clearly at global migration patterns in the 21st century with a net population growth of around up to quarter of a million people per day, and a commonly overlooked potential for mass movement by "climate/environmental refugees" on top of other migration.
This is before the topic of cultural and religious domination (as opposed to integration) is even seriously considered.
Europe is really in a precarious situation, and is going to have to wake up very soon.
I accept, that many historic European "ills" identity/sub-culture (ref: the empire accusation) needed some fixing, but this blame game wont solve the real problems facing them.
I enjoyed his perspective.
I'm only just checking replies to my post because I was afraid of backlash!! Happy there is none of that so I can go to sleep without any upset.
Long-time Repug strategist reckons the way to Dump-a-chump is to make the Senate trial vote a secret ballot. Since that only requires a handful of Republican senators, it might be a lot likelier than most people think.
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/11/12/path-to-removing-donald-trump-from-office-229911
However, she doesn't mention that the plan requires Mitch McTurtle to sacrifice his Senate seat for the greater benefit to the Republican party. Because he would become the lightning rod for angry Drumpfkins by actually allowing the vote to make it a secret ballot. That might be the biggest obstacle to the whole plan.
It is in the Repugs interest to have such vote anonymity electorally. But can't see it helping the Dems.
No sign of the Senate majority shield wall cracking yet.
No sign of the shield wall cracking yet because any public signs of cracking will bring the immediate wrath of Drumpf.
If cracking starts, I suspect there's a good chance we might not see any public cracks until there's an announcement that the world's most stable genius has won everything and solved all the world's problems and don't blame him when it all turns to shit after he left because it was all perfect when he finished his work.
Then over the next few months the stories of late-night delegations visiting the White House will trickle out …
I cannot see the collective Repug leadership entertaining an alternative future this close to the election.
They are locked.
Yep, impeachment is a god send to Trump, go and look and his donation numbers since this all started..soaring
'If you think of the Internet as an ATM machine, impeachment is the PIN code'
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/trump-donations-impeachment-inquiry-public-hearings-1.5354954
The Dems fail again at understanding how to do politics, no surprises there.
Yeah, it's a long shot. About the only way I could see it happening is if they become convinced they'll lose the senate majority as well as the presidency with the fake-bronze Brezhnev at the top, but might have a chance of keeping the senate with something like a Pence-Haley ticket.
alternatively…there is an election…next year!
Depends on how important it is to make it clear that the president is required to act in accordance with the constitution and in the best interests of the country.
So if the idea is to set the norm that the president is elected to be an unacccountable king to do whatever the fuck he wants for four years, then sure, just pretend it's all good to just wait to let the voters sort it out. That seems to be the Repug position.
But if it's still important to hold the principle that the president is still a citizen accountable to the law and constitution, then it seems clear his behaviour has stepped so far over the line that Congress has no choice but to go through the process, even if it may be electorally disadvantageous to individual members. That seems to be the Dem position.
The clearest rehearsal for the Repugs is their performance in the Russian election interference hearings. They made their decision to lock down behind him then.
It's good mental protection to be as pessimistic as possible right now.
Dems having a few issues with their key witness testimonies…
That would be Sean Davis, founder of The Federalist website? Another Alex Jones type, minus the performance art? His twitter is certainly … ahem … interesting.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Federalist_(website)
Meanwhile, searching Taylor's transcript for that quote (to find the context) turns up nothing, and searching da webz for that quote only turns up the kookiest of Repug and far-right sites.
You sure you're not just spattering around shit that's just been outright fabricated?
p. 299 of the Taylor deposition.
So the context is Zeldin is trying to get Taylor to make some sort of assertion about what Trump's state of mind or motivation was when he tried to extort Ukraine into opening sham investigations into his political opponents.
It's pure diversionary smokescreen.that is immaterial to establishing or refuting the fact that Trump was indeed trying to extort Ukraine by withholding the aid approved by Congress.
BTW maui, do you think it's OK for the president to withhold Congress approved and taxpayer funded aid to try to extort a foreign country into smearing a political opponent of the president?
This is now the fourth time I've asked you this exact question. The first time you evaded, and the next two you ghosted.
I really can't understand why it might be difficult to answer "no, it's not OK". Unless you're anticipating the need to be able to claim "yes, it is ok" when the evidence becomes undeniable to even the most delusional Drumpfkin.
You dohave a thing for vile RWNJs.
Zeldin’s Twitter rant was a classic racist dog whistle. It was a wink and nod to all his pals who hate seeing a woman of color wearing a hijab in a position of power. But it was written with just the right lack of specificity that he could claim ignorance when confronted with the nasty implications of his message.
[…]
Last month, for example, she recalibrated her defense of a tweet during the 2012 Gaza War, in which she wrote, “Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel.” In response to a New York Times column about her tweet and the history of anti-Semitic portrayals of Jews as deceitful manipulators, she defended her criticism of the Israeli military but said she regretted unintentionally invoking the trope.
Zeldin, however, has shown no such willingness to evolve.
In 2015 he met with the Long Island Oath Keepers, a New York chapter of a far-right anti-government militia movement. He has appeared as a guest on a radio show hosted by Frank Gaffney, an Islamophobic conspiracy theorist who has also had white nationalist Jared Taylor on his show. Gaffney is best known for suggesting that former President Barack Obama is Muslim, accusing opponents of submitting to Sharia and objecting to having Muslim members of Congress serve on the House Intelligence Committee because they might leak information to the Muslim Brotherhood. Last year, Zeldin held a fundraising event with Sebastian Gorka, a former White House adviser who was photographed wearing a medal indicating membership in the Vitezi Rend, a Hungarian group that collaborated with the Nazis in World War II.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/lee-zeldin-ilhan-omar-racist-dog-whistle_n_5c54d2b5e4b0871047537f47
Nice deflection Joe…
Always a pleasure to note how you the opinions, half-truths and outright lies of bigots like Zeldin appeal to you, sport.
and 21 NZ firefighters are in OZ to help.
more usa fuckery in the world, in their fight against socialism … " Bolivian President Evo Morales Forced Out In Coup "
and a bright note over their previous support of fascisim .
" Brazil's Ex-President Lula Freed, Promises to Continue Fight for Justice "
If only he hadn't changed the constitution to run for office again, and then stopped the election count for 24 hours, before being declared winner with just enough votes to win outright and avoiding a run off and drawing the attention of the poll observers who warned of serious irregularities.
It always seems sadder when left wing politicians get power crazy and corrupt.
Listening uncritically to the OAC on left-wing latin american governments is a mistake.
They have a long history of fomenting regime change in central and south america.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_involvement_in_regime_change_in_Latin_America
Morales still is the elected president (from his previous term) until December so this cannot be anything but a coup.
It's always sad to see left-wingers repeat the accusations of Trump and Rubio.
Care to explain the 24 hour "pause" in announcing the results? That doesn't usually go along with free and fair elections. Or are you one of these one eyed type leftists who excuse any abuse of democracy because it is committed by a Socialist and is therefore okay?
If anyone is one-eyed Gosman, it is you, and we are all painfully aware of it.
An abuse of democracy is to force a democratically elected official to resign before his previous term is even finished. Care to explain that one?
Maybe not – Mark Weisbrot seems to think otherwise. We should go with the default assumption based on historical experience – which is a resource-theft coup engineered by the global hegemon.
Why do YOU think there was a sudden 24 hour pause in counting the results of the election?
There was a 24 hour pause because at the centre of virtually all Central and South American elections there is the odour of Dodgy on the air.
When the ticket to a better life revolves around knowing someone with some political pull, we will always get candidates with hidden agendas. Left, Right, doesn't matter.
The OAS recommended a system of vote counting that goes in 2 parts. First a very quick count to get the general gist, and then the slower more careful count
http://cepr.net/images/stories/reports/bolivia-elections-2019-11.pdf?v=2
"Kevin Cashman @kevinmcashman – 1:36 UTC · Nov 11, 2019
Eventually, the official count was released: Morales won in the first round 47.08% to 36.51%. If you had been watching the polls before the election, 5 out of 6 of them predicted the same result. Weird to have a fraud that matches up with polls."
Poll Tracker: Bolivia's 2019 Presidential Race
Listen to Weisbrot. There are two counts – a quick count and an official count. The quick count has historically been stopped before 100% as it is meant to be indicative only. The official count carries on to 100%. The supposed 'pause' is simply the time interval between the cessation of the quick count and the end of the official count. If Weisbrot is correct, and there is no reason to assume he's not, the accusation is bullshit.
So I'm sticking with my hunch – yet another resource-theft coup orchestrated by the global hegemon and gleefully and violently supported by local elites on the ground who stand to benefit. A Marxist (and I'm not one) would correctly call it "primitive accumulation". The suggestion is that the resource in question is lithum – there's a truckload of money to be made in the near future with batteries I'm picking. BTW – are you actually Juan Guaido with a bit of time on your hands?
si
A thought experiment and a question. An oak tree was planted somewhere in Auckland in 1840, by a Maori who wants to see how these new fangled trees grew. In 1880, an acorn fell from this tree and grew spontaneously. In 1919 a grieving Pakeha parent took a sapling from this second oak tree and planted it on the slopes of one of Auckland's cones as a quiet memorial to a son lost in the Geat War. Today, this NZ third generation oak is 100 years old and the family of the person who planted it – informally, just amongst themselves – know of it's story and take comfort when they walk or drive past when they see "their" tree.
The question is, is that oak tree now a native, or is it forever an exotic?
Mother Earth made the arrangements = native tree
Mankind made it happen, planted the seed or it was on the hoof of his horse = exotic tree
….If a South American Macaw flew from Sydney to Devonport and deposited an Australian native plant seed that flourished, is that plant native or exotic?
That macaw story is a good one .
Correct me if I'm wrong but native is something that can be in other countries but is of the place its found and endemic is native but only found in that place .
So a non endemic native is self introduced through natural methods. As opposed to introduced by other means .
Which kinda means that as humans have always naturally spread across the planet, anyone not forcibly transplanted is native . Especially their offspring.
If we agree that central Africa is the cradle of mankind…the only endemic people are those there. The rest of us, migrating exotics.
Good question, can't be answered definitively. I listened to someone describing a native person as one who recognised every bird call in a place, knew its meaning and how that changed according to season and time of day. I think this definition, given our present dire situation, is more useful than circumstantial; first-in-first-served model we have come to accept.
Good answer! 🙂
I think that if we used that definition Robert there wouldn't be anyone in the country who could possibly claim the title of being a "native" of New Zealand.
Do you know, for example, what is the call of a sooty shearwater chick when it wants to be fed by its father rather than its mother? Please provide a full, detailed, explanation of the differences between the calls made to each parent.
I wouldn't worry it is just a made up definition. Experts in one type of knowledge were experts for that and not everyone was/is expert in all areas imo
I really wasn't planning to lose any sleep over it Marty. Do I have to put JOKE everywhere?
On the other hand I am desperately interested in the question about the Mutton bird*. I haven't been able to determine the exact sequence of notes in each of the calls I was inquiring about and I thought that Robert was sure to know.
* (titi if you prefer).
alywn, just in case you are not aware of it, the website NZ Birds online, may have the answer to any questions about our birds.
(Including many recordings of different calls for any species.)
Alwyn; it may surprise you greatly to learn that I spent a season on one of the most far-flung titi islands, Putauhinu, south of Rakiura/Stewart Island and while I can certainly describe a range of calls made by parent and chick titi, having heard them many, many times, I could not differentiate as finely as you have demanded, however, I haven't claimed to be a native of Putauhinu, so don't feel compromised. I imagine, reading your question, that you are very familiar with the range of calls the galah and consider your self a native of Australia?
I am truly impressed Robert. Even in my much younger days I think I would have found spending time on those Southern Islands rather harder than I would have desired. Tramping on Stewart Island itself was quite enough for me.
I wonder if bird calls actually do get as selective as my hypothesis suggests? Surely not.
As far as Australian birds go I found them to be much more spectacular in their colouring than New Zealand ones but I can't think of any where the song was attractive. Just the opposite of most New Zealand species. Still I suppose the Australian birds were quite appropriate for the country. The sounded just as raucous as most of the inhabitants.
I prefer titi
Marty – all definitions are made up.
lol your one was that is for sure Robert
It wasn’t my definition, Marty, it was that of a man who teaches "becoming native" and begins by training people to recognise bird calls and their meanings. It's fascinating stuff and his ability to know stuff about his surroundings through the behaviour of birds is phenomenal. He's a tracker also and takes his awareness to incredible levels with his reading of tiny signs in the environment. He runs a podcast course that I highly recommend; with a bit of training, you too could become native
awesome – he sounds like a real tohuka – does he whakapapa to the deep south?
He's American, living in America. His concept is an interesting one though, but one of many views on what "native" might mean. I like to hear various interpretations and recognise that a person can hold more than one view quite comfortably; the trick being not to negate one with another. We were talking today about a woman from Rekohu who "jumped ship" while it was anchored at Rakiura and made her way to Oraka, just down the road from me where she met and married a Maori man, bore children whose children's children are amongst those I taught when I was a teacher a couple of decades ago. Was she native to this role?
I don't really use the term native – a bit too much baggage to me here, let alone from over there. Indigenous, Māori, Ngāi Tahu mean a lot more. Plenty of people without a whakapapa want to be native here – I don't really care tbh.
Have you had a gander at this?
Yeah, that's wonderful, isn't it. I saw it when it was at its early stage, presented to us at the council. You see Hautere off the bottom of the south coast? I went there one day; hitch-hiked on a DoC provided helicopter; marvellous island, wouldn't want to stay there for more than an afternoon though; very, very exposed. Hineahitea and her man paddled from there to the mainland in a coracle made from twisted branches and seal skins, to escape being marooned there for his misdeeds. She was the brains behind the escape, imo
My mate Stewart Bull, speaking in our big yurt, said he thinks tikanga, rather than tikanga Maori, when he's involved in shared kaitiaki projects. He tangata tino pai ia!
Yeah Stewart is a nice guy.
I often wonder how the rellies lived on Whenua Hou and carved a life out of there – amazingly resilient and so generous – as many of their descendants are today. Haven't been there – will need to be saving the Kākāpō I spose – but the pouwhenua look great.
https://ngaitahu.iwi.nz/our_stories/connecting-people-place-and-time-tk76/
Whenua Hou is just across the water from us; te Ara a Kewa. I can see it from the beach. Like you, I've not yet been there, but have friends who have. Kakapo work is hard! Perhaps you know Estelle Leask?
Sounds weird to me.
The point of environmentalism. Surely to enhance said biodiversity. That includes introducing new species. We are an introduced species, that has increased diversity of Aotearoa. Western Europeans have done more to maximize the number of species in Nz. The question of protection is one of stopping degradation of previous species, this does not mean Maori since they drive, eat, behave much like pakeha, and are human beings, no human left behind!
if we can introduce a tree that saves the kiwi should we? hell yes.
Cat and stoat eating trees?
How about a genetical engineered tree that provides a nest that allows the kiwi the ability to peck a intruding cat, stout in the back of the head. Over time kiwis could become canavories…
oh, on, science, how about WiFi absorbing wall paint that heats your home rather than your brain. 5G will lower my power bill and stop me getting brain cancer, whoopi.
Tokoekas don't struggle with cats now – no GE required.
A long time ago a wise old Māori woman told me that where you are born if there is a tree or significant tree species nearby, then that will become your spiritual tree species for life. There was no distinction between native and exotic. That was a mind opener for sure…
Nice, mauī
For anyone who didn't catch this breaking on Checkpoint last night:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018721883/three-deaths-reported-after-epilepsy-drug-switch
or the written version
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/403116/three-deaths-following-epilepsy-drug-brand-switch
The deaths are before the coroner and will be for a very long time. It's not likely to ever be 100% certain the switch was the direct cause but when you understand how all this works there's a strong possibility it's connected. Were this a food product, or a seat belt, or airbag, there would be an immediate recall to err on the side of caution. Do we have to wait till the coroner's make their recommendations before Pharmac cancel this switch??
All of a sudden the Minister of Health is suddenly taken this 'very seriously' and asking a lot of questions. I guess the word "deaths" in the public arena isn't a good look from a PR perspective. And we know how the one thing Ministers HATE is being publicly embarrassed.
David Clark has been bombarded with our concerns about this switch all year, some of us have been attempting to correspond with him since September 2018 when this was first mooted because we knew full well this outcome was likely. 'Attempted' because it's been very difficult to get a response, and the responses we did get are all identical cut and paste jobs. Not even acknowledgments from his office that our correspondence had been received. Welcome to NZ democracy where our elected representatives deliberately ignore or fob off serious situations they don't want to deal with until the shit really hits the fan in the media and they're forced to act all ministerial.
(nb if anyone still wants to try that line that the brands/generics are exactly the same then I'm going to either totally ignore you or give you what for. Probably ignore you because I don't want to get a ban. In real life you'd probably get screamed at. I'm not even trying to be polite and reasonable any more if you're not prepare to listen or do your research and many of my peers in this fight have reached this point as well)
+100000 Kay. Did hear the coverage on RNZ National yesterday and immediately thought of you; and I now see that it has also been widely covered in other media – TVNZ, Herald, The Press, Stuff , Voxy amongst others.
For anyone interested in the other coverage, rather than links to each of these other media, here is a generic Google link with links to these other media articles in the last 24 hours
https://www.google.com/search?q=epilepsy+new+zealand&rlz=1C1LDJZ_enNZ499&sxsrf=ACYBGNRhAj8SNpQ0rUY7ufWHZ8KSLsZcOQ:1573594520439&source=lnt&tbs=qdr:d&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwii4KSz0OXlAhUWA3IKHSReBbYQpwUIKQ&biw=1024&bih=724&dpr=1.25
"….thought about you. ( vw
)
Anyone regularly here on TS who takes the line that generics are no different from 'branded' versions are being wilfully and woefully ignorant.
Espiner has done well to keep this pot boiling…isn't it interesting how being personally affected by a serious health crisis heightens one's awareness of the significant issues threatening the lives of others?
As a nation we can fix this….so why the hell is it dragging on?
Thanks Kay for posting.
Ha, you are so right re: Generics vs Best in field Brand names.
We all know what you mean. The ingredients lists on the Coke, Watties and Gillette labels are identical to the Pams Products labels. Teenagers the world over are fed up with trying to convince their Mum's that Coca-cola and Fun Cola are exactly the same thing.
I have no experience with prescription drugs but with Colas, sorry Mum, everyone knows they aren't the same thing and yes we can taste it.
Medication changes and/or medical experiments?
Also as below.
On assumed advice from MOH/IMAC and using a combination of standing orders and unapproved indication.
Babies as young as 6mths of age have been and can be injected with MMR vaccine.
Unapproved Indication means the product is not licenced for use in ages 6-11mths age group.
The same applies to pregnant women with DTaP/Flu. Unlicensed use.
Unapproved Indications have no established safety profile which has basis in recent science, and has IMAC Says "No Efficacy Answer"(no protective benefit profile) at all. Zero.
As per publicly available IMAC/MOH documents. Linked.
[It didn’t take you long after your 3-month ban to jump on one of your hobby horses and ride roughshod over a thread that is about generic vs. brand drugs and whether a switch of prescribing an epilepsy drug may have contributed to the deaths of three patients. In addition, your selective quoting belies an inquisitive mind in search of accuracy and the truth. I have no patience for you hijacking threads so let this be your only warning – Incognito]
The full quote from the link, which One Two has cherry-picked to create a deceptive impression, is:
Two of the babies given MMR vazcines at well under twelve months of age are my grandniece and grandnephew. Because their mother is a doctor helping deal with a measles outbreak where the majority of those with measles are idiot anti-vaxxers.
If any readers are considering whether an infant under twelve months should get vaccinated, the reason for the "over twelve months" recommendation is that it's less effective for younger infants, due to the possible residual presence of maternal antibodies. So the recommendation for infants that received their first dose before twelve months is that they get a further 2 doses (3 total) to ensure best protection.
IMAC says there is no science which they can use as evidence of efficacy.
Efficacy profile from vaccine = zero.
Your comment served only to endorse and confirm what IMAC say in their own document.
Which part of no efficacy answer did you not understand?
While you're searching for info here is an explanation of what is happening and why.
And the cycle of vaccine failure through waning inferior anti bodies continues to create expanded cohorts of susceptibles in all age groups.
References available on request. You can share the CDC/Mayo Clinic research with your relative the doctor.
Oddly enough, one big factor that might "create expanded cohorts of susceptibles in all age groups" is actually getting measles.
It seems that one of the long-term effects of measles in some people is that it reduces or destroys the immunity they had developed towards other diseases – it seems measles causes immune system amnesia. Yet one more reason to ensure your measles vaccination has been done.
https://www.livescience.com/measles-wipes-immune-memory.html
See my Moderation note @ 3:49 PM.
Incognito I have read the note. Cheers.
If I continue the convo with Andre, seeing as he has again responded.
Is a fresh comment in OM , away from the drug swap thread going to be ok?
Thanks and if you and Andre like to continue your exchange on OM, you can do so.
Thanks for the confirmation.
Why do you hate people protecting their children from easily communicable diseases?
To be honest, I really don't like. I'm only moved to have a say when I see misinformation that might cause actual harm.
So I'm happy to drop out when the misinformation moves on to someone just re-asserting something previously shown to be a taken-out-of-context cherry pick, or delving into the minutiae at the fringes of a topic that really don't affect the core issue.
In the spirit of continuing honesty, I'm surprised at the continued tolerance here of harmful anti-vax misinformation. Particularly since we're dealing with an outbreak that's harming thousands that's at least partly due to anti-vax misinformation getting spread into vulnerable communities. But hey, this site is not my playground, those that put the work into making the playground available and keep it running get to set the rules.
Hi Andre, I have left a long moderation note for One Two at 6:44 PM.
I wish to respond to your comments about tolerance and the apparent lack of ‘policing’ on this site.
With an online forum such as this site, there are two aspects to consider: content and process-flow.
Content is determined by Authors who write Posts but also by the commenters. The site does not dictate nor restrict content and shouldn’t IMO.
Moderators keep their distance and only jump in when the boundaries are crossed or rules violated as set out in the site’s Policy. The idea is that commenters self-moderate and nobody excludes others, for example.
As with the content, the process-flow is largely determined by the online ‘commentariat’, the online community. It is up to all of you/us to deal with stuff in a positive constructive way that allows for dissenting views, disagreements, differences of opinions, criticism, and even personal dislikes or rather dislike of content and/or style of comment, given that we don’t know each other from a bar of soap on this site. What is not tolerated is personal insults, for example.
The rules-boundaries are lenient to encourage free and frank debate on a wide range of topics. As with all free speech, this can create tension, especially when the boundaries get ‘tested’.
I hope this clarifies how I view things here, as commenter and as moderator.
Cheers,
Incognito
Thanks for all that, particularly since I'm pretty sure your actual expertise about the workings of the immune system far exceeds mine. And apologies for my contributions to a situation that took up so much of your time.
Where I'm coming from on this topic is I see anti-vax speech as something that can plausibly lead to direct specific harm to identifiable vulnerable persons.
To me, that puts it on a moral plane pretty darn close to that occupied by hate speech. Were I to put the effort in and get invited to join the team helping keep the site running, I'd certainly want to treat it as such, which is probably a pretty good indication I shouldn't ever be granted that authority.
"Welcome to NZ democracy where our elected representatives deliberately ignore or fob off serious situations they don't want to deal with until the shit really hits the fan in the media and they're forced to act all ministerial."
From memory, this was the interview where the Minister said something like how important is was to maintain the independence of Pharmac. (even if it's killing people apparently)
Some of elected reps really are masochists at times, and don't seem to have adequate bullshit detectors fitted
More coverage likely on Checkpoint and One news this evening according to my close source. I'd love to see David facing the cameras telling us he's ordered Pharmac to stop the switch immediately (flying pigs….)
Pharmac will fight this to the death for the simple reason this is their business model, and conceding now will mean they can no longer pull this stunt with certain classes of drugs. People's lives have never come into their decisions, only money.
Maybe, or maybe not tonight Josephine.
They might be too busy waiting for NZQA’s ‘Comms People” to get back to them
"People's lives have never come into their [Pharmac's] decisions, only money." As a Pharmac beneficiary, that doesn't strike me as a fair opinion.
IMHO, it would be more reasonable to state that 'Pharmac's decisions are based on people's health outcomes and maximising value for money on a limited budget."
Given PHARMAC’s mandate, generics will always play a major part in the decision-making. In the US, the vast majority of prescribed drugs are generics and cost up to 85% less than the corresponding brand drugs.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31626574
Interesting thanks Incognito, especially re "Narrow Therapeutic Index (NTI) drugs".
There seems to have been some uncertainty about whether the anti-epilepsy drug lamotrigene and its generics should be categorised as NTI drugs.
For information, links to a couple of relevant papers (the first from your link.)
It is pretty complex. Did you see the term “generic-brittle”?
Here’s another recent abstract from the same authors: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30579779
In that relatively small study, 40% of epilepsy patients were categorised as generic brittle.
I think that epilepsy and the ‘NZ experience’ with the drug switch are not typical and should not be used to jump to conclusions and make sweeping statements about generics vs. brand drugs.
Interesting again, thinking about possible crossover between genetic-brittle and generic-brittle, and making the most of the hand you’re dealt.
Like your last para – agreed, and shouldn't be used as yet another stick with which to beat Pharmac, when we are collectively so much better off than previous generations. Is this as good as it gets, and if it is, would that be so terrible?
Being the beneficiary of various generics @Incognito, I agree. However in this case I don't really see that as the issue here. More to do with the way the Minister and Pharmac have responded when concerns have been raised.
There are multiple issues at play. It started off with one aspect @ 7 but then the money aspect got dragged into it @ 7.3.1 and in an unfair, uninformed and prejudiced way, IMO.
11000 brand switches (about half switched so far according to RNZ).
Each year, SUDEP affects about 1 in 1,000 adults with epilepsy and 1 in 4,500 children with epilepsy.
Three almost seems lower than expected.
Mayor Andy Foster invites the wrath of the Taxpayers Union. They'll be into him boots and all – won't they?
He's reintroducing catered lunches which he led moves to get rid of some years back.
"People felt when you didn't have lunches provided on days when you were working through [into the afternoon], councillors tended to disappear all over the place to get lunch. It reduced team bonding."
I know in the scheme of things it's small change. I understand the sense of everyone eating together and the context of their meeting days. And I reckon if it'd been a Labour mayor introducing it the loonies would be going loopy about 'sense of entitlement, troughing lefties' and the usual.
I don't know why, just like anyone going to work, the councillors can't take lunch with them and sit and eat together and do the 'team bonding.' Can't team bonding happen unless it's a free lunch? Or can't highly motivated, organised people, with the serious responsibility of an important job, actually organise and their own lunch a couple of days a week so as to enable the critical team building?
You watch, Jordan Williams and David Farrar will be spewing!
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/117357944/wellington-mayor-andy-foster-brings-back-catered-councillor-lunches
"Or can't highly motivated, organised people, with the serious responsibility of an important job,"
A catered lunch probably means they all fall asleep by 3PM meals like that have that effect.
Now free drinks at 4Pm thats real team bonding.
A big assumption there as to what type of lunch would be provided, Duke. As a Wellingtonian, I can assure you that we have an abundance (even overabundance) of caterers providing very healthy lighter style lunches with lots of fresh produce and options (vegetarian.vegan. gluten free, dairy free etc. LOL.
Multiple Options like that cost a lot more to provide, you seem to be in the industry and would be hoping its a 'smorgasbord' of vegan this and gluten free that
It was being light hearted.
"It was being light hearted."
So was mine – hence the LOL in my comment.
I understand why you might be a bit sensitive to other people's comments at present and I want you to know that I am disgusted by the ongoing personal attacks you continue to be subjected to by Greywarshark.
Its a case of "Pot/Kettle" and Grey needs to look in a mirror.
Much for all her/his/its " lets be positive, kind" etc sanctimonious sermons, Grey has been posting snide put downs of other commenters who Grey thinks should not comment on TS regularly since she/he/it first started commenting here as Prism on 28 October 2009 – and through her/his/its transition through "Rose-Tinted" and "greywarbler" to "Greywarshark".
And not just on TS but also on TDB (and then wonders why her/his/its comments as "greywarbler" disappear), and on Bowalley Road. Just two days ago this appeared on Bowalley Road.
So please don’t think others here support Grey’s put downs of you . Many otheres have been in your position in the past.
In terms of the TS Policy, I would have thought that the following provision of TS Policy was relevant but it is not my right to suggest moderation be exercised –
"What we’re not prepared to accept are pointless personal attacks, or tone or language that has the effect of excluding others. "
I just don't bother commenting much here any more
And just wanted to mention that I am a female in a similar age range/same decade to Grey albeit a few years younger so my comments are not a "OK Boomer" situation.
It's not gone unnoticed, although I will keep a closer eye on if Duke is being targeted specifically.
(best not refer to people as 'it', thanks).
Re people, I agree 'it' is not appropriate – was thinking of birds and fish.
Putting both handles (Grey and Duke's full handles) into Search comes up with almost two pages of interactions going back to 2015, of which quite a few have little "bites/nibbles" and more. But not sure this search has picked up all the recent ones, but will leave it there. But Duke is just one person who has had this treatment.
/search/greywarshark+Dukeofurl/?search_comments=true&search_posts=true&search_sortby=date
Yes but if you look at that list it's mostly comments within the bounds of TS until the last few months, which is when I noticed a change as well.
Had a closer look at the list that popped out of that search and it is missing a lot over the last month or so as have done a more detailed check going back from today to Sept. If I get time, I will drop an email to you at the back end in the next day or so.
this is why I rarely use the TS search 😉
I'm ok with what you've told me so far, and will keep an eye on it, cheers.
Perhaps Foster is trying to find work for his predecessor Justin?
He owned, or at least part owned, a salad bar business if my memory serves me right. Perhaps the Council will give him the contract if he goes back to it?
Gee I manage every day to get up and make my lunch and be out the door by 7 . Like a huge amount of workers in this country. This is why we grow to despise the people up the food chain .
Put downs, negative again Duke of Url?
[give it a rest please. Please also let me know when you have read this, thanks /open-mike-07-11-2019/#comment-1665176 – weka]
Oh thats that Jane Austen Character again , Mr Greywarshark
mod note for you above.
Yes I have read it weka. And don't understand why you do not discourage such pointless negativity in these negative times. A place for prople to cojme and do the new thing of talking and thinking of politics is so important these days. Why do you not encourage a greater number instead of allowing a smug, sneering type like this troll?
That comment I asked you to read *is my discouraging pointless negativity. Yours.
Beyond that, it's a balancing act. The ethos of TS is robust debate. There are limits on that, hence the language and tone part of the Policy.
Duke isn't (usually) a troll. He's annoying at times but that's not unusual here, and he brings useful perspectives to the site. Gosman is our resident (RW) troll if you want a standard to go by. Puckish Rogue at times too, but he gets away with it more because he is also often funny.
Other than that, any of the regulars can get into trouble if they start doing comments that are abusive with no politics. Mostly a reminder to not do that will suffice, but sometimes people get a short ban (or long one if they give the moderator shit).
I'll say again, that ime the best way to change the culture of the place is to encourage and do the kinds of comments that you want to see here. Giving people shit for giving people shit will almost always result in more shit. Moderation will limit the shit posting, trolling and flames, but it won't create good interactions or better comments, it just creates the space for them. Improving the commentary requires creative acts.
Uber Eats.
Those that desire to dine on butterfly wings in a white whine sauce can and the bill will still be cheaper than caterers. Caterers are so Elizabethan (II). Attach an extensive Uber Eats menu to the 'We're workin' late you bastards' memo.
(I work alone and drive myself hard.)
Un-bloody-believable: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/117378375/epas-inappropriate-reaction-to-students-speech. From the start, the Environmental Protection Agency has consistently demonstrated that its role is the opposite of its title. The fact that a young woman who spoke in support of environmental protection was subjected to a 'shout over' then accused of being bad mannered is bizarre. The farcical EPA should be disposed of. At the very least, Allan Freeth should be sent down the road – the fish is obviously still rotting from the head.
Yes aom. Freeth represents those old men with old minds and contempt for new ideas especially if they come from youth. The National Party is littered with such people.
Freeth's all about Freeth. When at telstra clear he pretty much demanded to be in any ads being shot for his own self promotion.
They lost good senior telco operators who grew sick of his ways and broken promises.
he’s clearly a club member swanning about in troughsville now.
Snap! Sorry for double posting below.
when the elephant in the room shits on you
Apart from the 'inversion' by Freeth over what was unacceptable. Shines a light on 'private meetings' EPA runs where it only wants to listen to one side.
Looking at the management team seems to be far too many 'acting' in their job title, maybe one or 2. Theres is 6.
https://www.epa.govt.nz/about-us/our-people/management-team/
Lots to unpack out of that one? Inviting Greenpeace is a "gesture " but others (oil companies?) are stakeholders? Who decides the category – the EPA?
Would this have happened if the speaker had not been a young person (woman) but an older white male?
Lookd at the CEO expenses. Nothing much to the enviromental stakeholders, mostly CEO type meetings. Couldn't see when the board terms expired.
Roger Stone’s trial continues.
https://www.politico.com/news/2019/11/12/roger-stone-trial-donald-trump-wikileaks-070368
Socialists and Unidas Podemos have made a preliminary deal to form a coalition government.
Caretaker Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the leader of left-wing Unidas Podemos, Pablo Iglesias, have signed a preliminary agreement to form a coalition government after Sunday’s inconclusive repeat general election in Spain. Despite months of negotiations between the parties to strike a governing deal following the April poll, the two leaders have done this deal less than 48 hours after Sunday’s vote
https://elpais.com/elpais/2019/11/12/inenglish/1573562718_041862.html?
ILG just on the radio regarding Immigration – Labour in the 2017 election had no targets
So that we have only a minimal reduction – we now have a need for many thousands of additional houses and large increase in cars on the road – No wonder we haveSTILL major issues that remain from the change of government – Time to deliver because the consequences of this NON DELIVERY is crushing the country.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/opinion-analysis/117318375/the-dirty-little-secret-in-new-zealands-migration-debate
"In total, these changes are estimated to reduce net migration by 20,000-30,000. Without these changes there would be up to 10,000 more houses needed and up to 20,000 more vehicles on our roads annually. Our immigration system will be regularly reviewed to ensure it is functioning well."
https://www.labour.org.nz/immigration
I've been listening to Michelle Boag on RNZ. She hates the notions of common good and communities working together in education and schools, she wants dog-eat-dog competitive ways of operating. No surprise.
I suppose in a world of free speech, getting a female dog on to spout narrow-minded, self serving rabidity probably helps cover the angles. Mind you she did say, "I know some principals." I'd bet they haven't got empires to protect too. Not.
I didn't hear it Peter but she'll be coming at it from the angle of "personal responsibility" and everyone having the "freedom to choose" etc. etc. In other words as you say… dog eat dog competition in all things.
The thought of "common good" and "communities working together" would conjure up the dreaded word "socialism" in the books of the neo-liberal apostles, or even worse "communism".
Bridges also said that in his shambolic interview this morning. He said he wants the competitive model to continue and spoke against the cooperative model. Idiot!
Andre. 7.2.2.1.1.1
As you've backed away from no efficacy answer as well as completely ignored the unapproved indication.
– No vaccine efficacy profile exists
– No licenced safety profile exists
If you require further explanation of the above and why maternal antibodies are only relevant in vaccine context to illustrate how vaccines have created inferior maternal antibodies. We can have that conversation.
To address the immune amnesia hypothesis, which is not new.
First of all vaccine antibody theory needs to be examined. And for that the link below
Immunological memory ≠ protective immunity
Abstract
The remainder of the abstract is in the link provided.
It's saying that immune memory is not necessary for protective immunity.
If correct, then immune amnesia isn’t relevant except to expose the desperation of the vaccine industry.
Mina 2019 is flawed for many primary reasons. None more so than as linked to above.
[You may have some good points to make but most of your comments create a foggy web of cherry-picked facts, links to humongous hard-to-read documents by (overseas) regulatory agencies, and science sophistry. The outcome is that you confuse people into thinking that vaccination is ineffective and dangerous and that governments, including NZ’s, and the pharma-industrial complex, cover this up.
With a complex topic such as the immune system and the subject of vaccination, we need clarity and not somebody with an agenda and poor communication skills clouding people’s minds.
For example, you quote Rolf Zinkernagel, Professor of Experimental Immunology at the University of Zurich and Nobel Laureate “for their discoveries concerning the specificity of the cell mediated immune defence”, to support your questionable opinions in a misleading appeal to authority. Zinkernagel questions how the idea of “immunological memory” explains the improved resistance against disease caused by a second infection with the same agent through vaccination and he rejects this concept. However, he does not reject the effectivity of vaccines and vaccination. In fact, it is quite the opposite.
Here’s the full abstract of another more recent review by Zinkernagel in the high-impact journal IMMUNOLOGICAL REVIEWS:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29664570
The reason I quote the full abstract is that other people can read and come to their own conclusions rather than be guided by your nebulous comments and ‘statements of fact’.
In summary, nobody is served by your comments here about vaccination. In fact, it confuses (‘drowns’) and misleads with potentially dire consequences. If you want to make a point about vaccination, keep it simple with clear arguments with integrity and in an honest manner. Banned for another two weeks and bans will escalate from hereon – Incognito]
That's an interesting April 2012 review by Zinkernagel. Here's a more recent link regarding "Immunological memory: What’s in a name?"
It may be that our incomplete understanding of the 'arms race' between the human immune system and pathogens, coupled with evolving vaccination programmes, is incubating a crisis similar to the rise of multidrug-resistant pathogens fueled by the indiscriminate use of antibiotics.
Nevertheless, remember this hopeful quote by Prof. Christine Stabell Benn in her January 2019 TEDx talk How vaccines train the immune system in ways no one expected:
Hi Drowsy, good shout thanks for the link.
If you have taken a look into RZ's background then you understand the credibility his assessments have regarding vaccination theory .
The goalposts were shifted from the position I had aligned with the generic drug changes ,and the consequences coming to light of the dangers of the changes.
The position was that of using unlicensed vaccines (Unapproved Indication) which lack not only an adequately proven P3 safety profile, but also are confirmed to have zero efficacy vaccine profile.
Not Safe
Not effective
That leaves only a risk profile.
The current government have deemed (on assumed advise of MOH/IMAC which those agencies in turn have been provided with from offshore) that it is appropriately safe and effective to inject 6-11mth babies with MMR vaccine.
It is scientifically and medically the complete opposite. But this is where NZ finds itself as a result of 30 years of expanding government vaccine programs.
Andre responded avoiding the discussion about unapproved indication and no efficacy answer, so it is not apparent if he believes it acceptable or not to used unlicensed vaccines on some of the most vulnerable age groups in NZ.
Given that his direct relatives under 12mths were injected with MMR, it could be deduced he does agree in using unlicensed, useless and dangerous vaccines on 6-11mth babies.
If you would like to discuss the how this has come to be NZ's public health decision, and the consequences of the entry and exit of such decision points, I would be more than happy to have that conversation with you initially.
If not then the below may/may not be of interest.
The Finland study is cited in NZ Immunisation Handbook 2017 as the safety study for the unapproved indication, and indeed is the only study cited/referenced in NZ's official MMR documents available to the public regarding MMR vaccine safety. The study is from 1986. Ref 24
It was a vaccinated vs vaccinated study. Which can't provide any sane definition of a safety profile because the participants were already vaccinated, and were then vaccinated with MMR2 v non inert placebo vaccine.
That is not real science, which is precisely why the charade is currently falling apart around the world including NZ.
hey mate – got the kids vaccinated now. Thanks.
Why do you reckon that is of any interest to me?
Given how long ago you were bloating around shouting how you were going to vaccinate your kids anyway, and then got repeatedly emotional and abusive when I asked you to post the evidence. Perhaps you've forgotten?
I don't care what you do marty, it's none of my business. But you had some inner sense of [whatever it was] which compelled you to bring that up yet again as if I believe anything you write.
12-18 months or so, after you first said you were going to take action.
So as you don't get the message mixed up again…
I do not care what decisions you make about vaccinating your kids.
Cool – you kept going on about it so I wanted to tie it off – took a while to get it sorted. All done now. Thanks.
Your memory isn't very good Marty. I can re-post the conversations if you like?
Not comprehending well at all, are you. In the previous message twice I stated that I do not care.
That is twice you have thanked me, and if you can muster up the brain cells to recall the original conversation where I advised you not to take any decision outside of your own head in my direction.
In thanking me, it feels like you are seeking to outsource your parental decision making [whatever form that comes] in my direction, yet again.
I didn't ask to know your family business, marty. But I understand your head set from the years we have swapped messages here, that you felt like a big man putting it onto me, eh.
The comment you responded to must have triggered the shit out of you. Yeah you were triggered, I can tell from the words you used. Again, don’t put your fear onto me.
Just keep it to yourself, and perhaps continue to avoid reading the links and comments I post. The science contained isn't aligned with your alleged choices, it doesn’t support your alleged choices. Not at all, and the surface has not even been scratched.
Kia Kaha
you sound a bit worked up buddy – chillax, you don't care remember
chuckles
Do you have any thoughts or comments about NZ government and health agencies using an unlicensed vaccine which has no efficacy answer and no adequate safety profile?
Used on 6-11mths old babies outside the license issued by the FDA to the vaccine manufacturers ?
Do you understand the reasons of why this is happening ?
Edit: McFlock. Perhaps you might like to have a try?
Andre stil hasn’t a clue. What about the rest of you skeptics .
tbh I don't really think you're an authority on much and certainly not this subject – but you know that already. So just move on please. As I said – I just wanted to put your question to bed, which I have now done. Thanks.
Marty, your memory isn't good at all. It is distinctly like you’re trying to prove something to yourself.
It was never my question to enquire if you vaccinated your kids or not.
You stated a long time ago that you were going to. You shouted it numerous times because you couldn’t handle the contents of my comments.
All this time later and you still can’t handle it, but must show otherwise. Amazing.
I didn't ask you initially. Thats all your own wasted brain cells.
My comment and follow ups to you were for you to post the evidence of your actions, such was your bluster over an extended time. I asked you to post the evidence when you put yourself in my face, which you repeatedly did.
What does matter is that you have now selfishly wanted to close off what you started.
Hardly the actions of a reflective individual. More of a narcissistic tendency IMO.
Oh, and anyone can be an authority on this or any subject, marty.
All it takes is the ability to read and a network of people in various places doing lotsa science and legal stuff.
And the time invested to navigate through it.
Lol whatever one two.
What network? The only network that pumps out anti-vaxx information is Facebook. Well known as a Russian misinformation platform.
one of Putin’s useful idiots are you?
Any broader contribution from me for this thread would only be to reiterate the fact that you're still plugging this scaremongering bullshit even after literally hundreds of people have been hospitalised.
And then my arse would cop a ban because I have no polite words with which to describe my opinion of you.
I'm currently using the governments official public immunisation documents and referenced research citations , which illustrate the reasons for the issues faced.
That being caused by government vaccine programs. The primary study from 1986 says that vqccines failure will continue to become more of a problem
How is using govt documents and referenced scaremingering?
Read the Finland 1986 study I linked to. It’sall in there. Farcical.
Hospitalizations are a meaningless metric. Surely you understand why?
yup. You will cherry-pick from govt documents and peer-reviewed articles, but you don't trust the data upon which many of those documents and articles are based.
Dunning-Kruger, come pick up your stupid kid.
Linking to Andres comment further exposes his level of misunderstanding of simple concepts like cherry picking consists of, and highlights his lack of basic comprehension.
It also signals there must be some other factors why the two of you denialists won't or can't accept the govts own documents which tell you the studies they cite as evidence of safety with the vaccine program.
The study (singular) relied on as primary evidence of MMR vaccine safety is from 1986 and is an insult to science, medicine and the public health.
That singular study is currently being used by NZ agencies as evidence that it is safe to inject 6-11m babies with an unlicensed product with no efficacy profile and inadequate safety profile
The manufacturers approval licence was not issued for 6-11m babies.
Because the P3 testing was not completed in that age group which is why the national schedule is and will remain starting at 12/15mths for MMR1.
Unsafe – No adequate safety profile. Off licence use.
No benefit – There is no efficacy answer.
The Immunisation Handbook and IMAC quick sheets cite the same singular study as evidence of MMR vaccine safety from 1986.
The data is garbage.
Meanwhile, hundreds of real people have been in hospital from a real disease.
See my Moderation note @ 6:44 PM.
Kia Ora 1 News.
I'm trying to teach my lot to be minimalist Ma Te Wa.
One of My Tipuna philosophys was to grab new technologies vaxcernation are great to protect our tamariki.
I don't stress at Christmas time now my Tamariki are grown.
Free I have a different reality it's like Ed TV
Ka kite Ano
Ka pai to this new invention. You see if we invest in smart solutions to the challenges of becoming a carbon neutral society we will find them.
A bioplastic made of organic fish waste that would otherwise end up in landfill – with the potential to replace plastic in food and drink packaging – has landed its UK designer a prestigious international award and £30,000 prize.
Lucy Hughes, 24, a graduate in product design from the University of Sussex, scooped the James Dyson award for her biodegradable and compostable material known as MarinaTex.
Hughes sought to tackle the problems of environmentally harmful single-use plastics and inefficient waste streams by harnessing fish offcuts to create an eco-friendly plastic alternative. Global figures estimate that 40% of plastic produced for packaging is used once and discarded.
Ka kite Ano link below.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/14/plastic-substitute-made-of-fish-waste-hauls-in-uk-designer-dyson-award
Ka pai to the Palau government for making laws to protect their reef fish.
The Palau government says its new National Marine Sanctuary Act enables islanders and tourists to eat pelagic fish while reducing demand for coral reef fish
The minister for natural resources, environment and tourism, Fleming Sengebau, made the comment while attending the Pacific Ocean Finance Conference in Fiji this week
Ka kite Ano link below.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/403323/palau-s-choose-pelagic-programme-protecting-reef-fish
Some Eco Maori Music For The Minute.
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
Condolences to the Samoan people who losted their tamariki.
America needs tougher gun laws.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
Someone needs to be held accountable for the Shambles that health services is in up North.
Congratulations to all the Tangata who got tohu at the Waiata awards.
Maraki is a great company that shows that Tangata Whenua O Aotearoa have the skills of our Tipuna.
Ka pai for Te Kura for teaching the correct history. We have to teach all of our tamariki our true history so they can understand why Maori are we're we are at the minute.
Ka kite Ano
Here is one of my favourite subjects mitigate climate change to protect all our Mokopuna future.
The IEA expects the growth of renewables to accelerate over the coming decades, but warned it would not be enough to put a ceiling on the energy sector’s emissions before 2040.
Dr Fatih Birol, the IEA’s executive director, said there was a “deep disparity” between the aim to tackle the climate crisis by curbing carbon emissions and the existing policies which had allowed a “relentless upward march” for emissions.
The IEA’s latest figures estimate that carbon emissions are on track to keep rising by 100m tonnes a year for at least another 20 years under existing policy plans.
This rate would be two-thirds slower than the emissions hikes recorded in previous decades, but would fall very far short of what is needed to achieve the goals of the Paris agreement.
“We will need to see great political will around the world,” Birol said. “This is why I believe that the world needs to build a grand coalition encompassing governments, investors, companies and everyone else who is genuinely committed to tackling climate change.”
The IEA said it presented the modelling based on stated policies to “hold up a mirror” to global governments to show the consequences of their policies.
Ka kite Ano link below.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/13/climate-change-do-more-now-or-risk-catastrophe-warns-energy-agency
Here is a interesting Phenomenon.
Venice council flooded moments after rejecting climate crisis plan
Rightwing parties reject proposals as lagoon city faces worst flooding in 53 years
Veneto’s regional council rejected a plan to combat climate change minutes before its offices on the Grand Canal, in Venice, were flooded, it has emerged as the city continues to battle high water levels.
Venice has been hit by recurrent flooding since Tuesday, with 70% of the lagoon city engulfed on Friday morning as the acqua alta, or high water, level reached 1.54 metres amid heavy downpours. Tuesday night, as Veneto councillors were debating the climate emergency in Ferro Fini Palace, Venice experienced its worst flooding since 1966.
Politicians from the regional council’s majority rightwing parties: the League, Brothers of Italy and Forza Italia, rejected amendments to fight the climate crisis in the 2020 budget that were proposed by the centre-left Democratic party.
Sharing pictures of the room as water entered, Andrea Zanoni, the Democratic party’s deputy chairman of the council’s environment committee, wrote on Facebook: “Ironically, the chamber was flooded two minutes after the majority parties rejected our proposals to tackle climate change
Ka kite Ano link below.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/15/venice-council-flooded-moments-after-rejecting-climate-crisis-plan
Kia Ora 1 News.
That's awesome that our biggest food company's are lowering the sugar and salt in our food. Whanau I dropped coffee and tea out of my diet to just Wai well 99. Of the time for the first time my blood pressure has reduced.
Prefabricated whare is the way of the future just like Tiny Whare the beauty about Tiny Whare is the bank won't own your hip pocket for life.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
I think Hawaii needs renewable energy from my research most of Hawaii power comes from diesel generators may be a bit of talking to make it work we have to grab new technologies and make it work for Pacific tangata.
Dr Henare Williams book Kaumatua is a book I would like to read.
Ka kite Ano