I found his situation really upsetting – a man in poor health goes undiagnosed – and apparently everyone did everything properly. It seems like ticking the boxes to me, it doesn’t reflect well on the spirit of Wellington health services at all.
“…Coroner Ian Smith said he was satisfied the health practitioners involved with Mr Leach met all acceptable standards.
“It is clear, however, that his health had badly deteriorated over the last weeks and that as a resident at the Capital & Coast District Health Board hostel, the issue of his diarrhoea should have highlighted that this man had a medical condition that needed attention.”
He was pleased that since Mr Leach’s death a corroborative inter-agency group had been set up to assist the homeless. …”
Dear oh dear. It is acceptable for health professionals to miss diarrhoea as symptom. I knew our health system was in a decline, but really? Oh well, make a donation to an associated cause and move on.
“…subjective assessment of the patient rather than objective assessment of the symptoms.”
I’m sorry to say that my experience of doctors, so far, supports this idea: skilled people trapped in either a comfortable and delusional world of their own; looking outwards to the patient as a victim they must help because they themselves are better, sometimes achieving good results despite the overuse of subjective measures; or trapped in a personal battle between their disgust of lower class people and their urge to be professional to whoever walks through the door. It is both sweet, amusing and sad to watch and if you are the patient, it is also extremely irritating and costly.
Some of that behaviour is theoretically a basis for an official complaint, but since the same system turns out these people, like the coroner in the above story, I think they would be unable or unwilling to address the issue. It is understandable that doctors in our society must live a life that limits their experience in the art of medicine in order to become technically experienced doctors, but the irreconcilable issues simply raise questions about our society that are too large to fix with a word or pen.
I don’t know whether you are stupid or you just don’t understand English or if you are plain contrary. Probably all of the above, because your comment supports my observations.
Your comment base comment, followed by a diatribe, was –
““…subjective assessment of the patient rather than objective assessment of the symptoms.”
I’m sorry to say that my experience of doctors, so far, supports this idea”
My comment that you must have a limited experience of medical professionals was a rebuttal from my experience of likely dealing with many more medical professionals than yourself.
I’m afraid how my comment supports your views on medical professionals is too obtuse for my poor grasp of english.
Actually, here I agree with HS – and I’m both “allied professional” and feel like a frequent visitor to A&E/wards/GP, as patient (payback for a misspent youth 🙂 ) or support person.
Some doctors or other medical staff are cocks. Some are tired. Some are busy. In these cases, subjective assessment is a risk. But the vast majority of doctors, therapists, nurses, even porters and technicians are damned fine, well trained, and take the time to do a fair assessment, regular monitoring and patient communication. Hell, I can’t stop doctors etc bringing out models of the latest piece of my body to fall apart. Just gimme the pill and tell me if I can drink while taking it!
There is always the human factor in judgement, but I think you’re being very unfair in claiming that negligent and superficial diagnoses are the norm.
Some doctors or other medical staff are cocks. Some are tired. Some are busy. In these cases, subjective assessment is a risk. But the vast majority of doctors, therapists, nurses, even porters and technicians are damned fine, well trained, and take the time to do a fair assessment, regular monitoring and patient communication
That’s true. The careless ones are, thankfully, a minority…
there are many awesome doctors out there, but some are too overworked / cynical / inexperienced / incompetent that their decision-making in complex cases goes out the window and a subjective assessment of patient character or personal situation comes in, sometimes with tragic outcomes. I know good doctors are aware that this happens all too often.
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head there rosy, the patients personal circumstances were diagnosed instead of his physical condition. Although the liberty was probably not available to Mr Leach… the best thing people can do is try a few different doctors to find a good one.
The sad truth of the matter is that John David Leach’s death looks like it was preventable. From his condition being undiagnosed, to being evicted while unwell and then being bailed by the police to homelessness, this is another sign that the system is failing.
The question regarding incompetency within the medical profession is best answered by the amount of treatment injuries that occur. Since 2003, treatment injuries more than quadrupled in New Zealand to approximately 8829 in 2011. With most of these being caused by GP’s, this is a clear indication that the skill level of our doctors is in decline.
If Mr Leach had died from a blood clot in the brain, you could understand why it had gone undiagnosed… but a large brain tumor he likely had for a long time should have been diagnosed and he should not have been evicted with obviously serious health conditions.
As if we needed another clear example of the of how much of the doctrine we have swallowed here in NZ and, how far we have fallen here is “godszone”.
Upetting in an understatement, and I have to highlight the comment below to illustrate the sicknes that is now NZ.
“Coroner Ian Smith said he was satisfied the health practitioners involved with Mr Leach met all acceptable standards.
“It is clear, however, that his health had badly deteriorated over the last weeks and that as a resident at the Capital & Coast District Health Board hostel, the issue of his diarrhoea should have highlighted that this man had a medical condition that needed attention.”
– excuse me coroner, what is it, you are satisfied all acceptable standards were met, or is it that his deterioration should have been highlighted – read picked up by professionals – FAIL
Until these smears are outed for what they are then NOTHING can change,,
What hope really on the tract we are on…people still not prepared to stand up and be counted!
The misdiagnosis was bad but things like that will happen – we’re only human after all.
What’s more concerning was that he was turfed out when he was obviously mentally and physically unwell and getting worse:
The hostel manager said Mr Leach’s tenancy was cancelled because of health and safety concerns for himself and other tenants given his poor physical and mental health.
Yeah, the old ‘abide by house rules, no excuses’ meme. Personal responsibility and all that. The Downtown Community Mission is the only organisation that comes out of this with any respect.
Oh, and the police looked after him for a day, basically because he couldn’t keep his trousers up, does this suggest severe weight loss as well? That highlights another problem that’s been a concern since mental health services have been the responsibility of the community – the number of people with problems who end up in custody for being disruptive rather than criminal. Police aren’t trained for this, nor should they be.
A worker preparing the building for demolition found him in the stairwell – he had been living there for several days before his death.
The coroner’s findings into Mr Leach’s death were released yesterday.
Peter Leach said his brother kept in close contact with his family and had worked in construction for much of his life.
Originally from Greymouth, he moved to Wellington in the 1990s. He had been employed on the new Wellington Hospital construction site but when the project finished he was left jobless.
Once I built a tower, up to the sun, brick, and rivet, and lime;
Once I built a tower, now it’s done. Brother, can you spare me a dime?
Why should the Union have authority over the operations of the companies they should have none .This strike is about the union losing control ,and the poor workers are merely pawns in the game being played by the Union
Affco spokesman Rowan Ogg said a “substantial number” of union members had moved to individual contracts since the lockouts began in February. (this is really interesting doesnt seem to be to much loyalty to the union)
Affco chief executive Hamish Simson said the company had been targeted by the Council of Trade Unions and the meat workers’ union because of dwindling union membership at Affco sites.
“The union has already stated the dispute is not about wages but about the authority the union has over the operations of the company and ability to influence or retain members.”
Ah the talleys troll, affco said, affco said, affco said….not surprising there’s no other side of the dispute and yes James union numbers tend to dwindle with a rabid anti union employer who takes every opportunity to ensure its workers are non union.
Even re-employing workers sacked for good reasons as long as they aren’t in a union so it can continue with dangerous practices and ignore its obligations under several acts.
Your posts are as predictable as they are enlightening as an example of RWNJ CT driven spin.
Unlike you I dont see the labour market of the antebellum southern US states as one that is worth emulating. In fact, I dont see any other nation copying it, apart from maybe China and Vietnam.
Millsy they should have no control over the operations unless they are investing money in the company thats simple. It would appear that the Meat Workers union might have a bit of unallocated cash laying around
The potential of Red Alert keeps getting pushed under by MPs who seem to see it as a personal back pat generator and controlled message machine.
In a trivial post yesterday I’ve been banned for two weeks and threatened with more with an incorrect accusation. Social Media 101 seems to have been missed by some MPs. Mallard’s odd accusation.
Does a a parliamentary recess mean MPs don’t have to do anything about serious stuff?
Gosh did the naughty Labourites give you a spanking,diddums, We do tho like the way your knee immediately jerked, perhaps you should give more consideration to your on-going actions instead of harping on about their’s…
Pete, thanks for making your site a bit more readable. Now you have to work on what you’re writing about. You say in your rather long winded whinge fest about being banned from Red Alert:
He’s either confusing me with someone else – who would be being blocked from commenting too simply because Trevor has guessed wrong about their identity – or he’s trying some sort of warning message.
Or he’s trying to establish a pretext to ban me for longer.
You will note that the name used to make the comment that was blocked is Pete George. Somebody else has either used your name, for which you should contact Red Alert directly to get that email permanently banned, or you are lying and did in fact use another email address to try and bypass the two week banning!
Although Mallard can sometimes be a bit overgenerous with his moderation, I think he was perfectly justified in giving you a ban. You rattled on about spades and then called him a liar without any evidence to back up your assertion.
The defamation case is yet to be heard, which will hopefully shed more light on Judith Collins’ involvement in the ACC debacle. Personally I think it’s a bluff and the end result will be her credibility will be in tatters.
Cabinet has decided that the Crown has to retain 51% of the voting shares of the power companies, not 51% of the total shares. So while it can retain control its ownership share could be diluted right down so that its income from dividends could be minute.
Effectively the power companies could be pretty well completely privatised. The directors of the companies would be obliged to make decisions for the benefit of all shareholders, not only those that have voting rights.
Get the feeling we the public of New Zealand have been lied to?
I thought National could not top the bad month they had last month (ACC). Well they have this month with the Paid Parental Leave Bill and now the truth is coming out about dividends re energy asset sales.
Agreed Treetop. But when is it going to start penetrating skulls and being reflected in the polls?
I don’t like his politics, but thank God for Winston back in Parliament keeping things honest. To paraphrase him on the radio this morning about PPL: Such medieval arrogant thinking has no place in a modern democracy!
There is one particular Kiwi who definitely has the skull of a Neanderthal and whose skull is unlikely to be penetrated….and he holds the casting vote in this issue.
Too right, I always suspected the buggers would try and find a way around the 51% ownership issue. Mr Dung, is this the type of “honesty” your moral and upright persona will vote for?
I’m waiting for Pete George to start arguing that, although many people were left with the impression that Dunne was against asset sales, Dunne did actually express support for selling 99% of the ownership of SOEs as long as only 49% of the voting shares were sold.
Conspicuous by his absence. He must have just realised that the Follicle was going to sell NZ down the river, and is now having a good cry, or mental breakdown. So Petey, it’s not Your NZ. It’s Dunnes NZ to steal!! Go on defend this abomination Petey.
The difference between the current Neo-Liberal masters and the Fuedal overlords they replaced is that slaves were generally kept alive at subsistence levels so they could produce the goods that made the ruling class rich.
Our current bunch sees an excess of people as excuse to seek no minimum wage or conditions and actively degrades health and social services so that a labourer cannot even afford to survive to work.
You may have spotted the obvious end to our highly intelligent overlord’s plan. They are banking on people waiting for some time yet.
The difference between the current Neo-Liberal masters and the Fuedal overlords they replaced is that slaves were generally kept alive at subsistence levels so they could produce the goods that made the ruling class rich.
Actually, you’re wrong there. Slaves had to be well kept which why only the rich had them and tended to work them to work in the house. Having slaves was a status symbol. On the other hand, the slaves kept on the other side of the Atlantic were abused, underfed and worked to death under typical free-market dogma.
Feudal lords had clear responsibilities to care for their serfs, including the provision of sufficient land (and time) for a family to live off. Not these days of course.
So we can’t find any extra funding for PPL, but no problem to prop up one of the most elite, expensive schools in the country. I grew up in Whanganui and believe me the kids who went to this school were from born-to-rule Tory families who wanted for nothing, while the rest of us in the city’s public schools were from families on Struggle Street.
The priorities of this Government make me so ANGRY.
And meanwhile, as it was when I was at school, public schools nationwide are being told to tighten their belts, make do with no extra funding etc etc.
I wonder if the extra funding will allow the very small class size to be retained?
And allow other privileges of such a school to be retained?
If the 250 privileged kids were to be integrated into the State schools they would be absorbed as just another kid scattered here and there and very little burden on the State.
But should Whanganui Collegiate close, I bet those elite kids would just transfer to another Private school. Lindisfarne for example.
Grew up there myself, Frida. Used to have a mate at Collegiate who was required to do rifle shooting on a Saturday morning. The sessions were nicknamed ‘pleb practice’. Bloody ringies, eh?
The only reason why parents send their kids to private/Catholic schools is so their precious darlings cant catch poor people germs. They can carry on all they like, but that is the underlying fact.
If I had my way I would close every private, iwi and church run school in this country. This country will never heal its social and racial division unless their children all went to the same schools.
Hot on the heels of speculation of NZ adopting the Aussie dollar as our currency comes this
He said not a lot of people knew that the first Labour Prime Minister of Australia was a bloke called Watson, from Oamaru and the first Labour Prime Minister of New Zealand was an Australian, Michael Joseph Savage.
…It began, when our nations were colonised. We were governed from New South Wales for some time.
While there may similarities between our countries there is not a lot to like about the way the Aussies have treated and continue to treat their indigenous people, and nothing to respect in Australia’s unseemly enthusiasm for the immoral wars of the US or its’ treatment of refugees.
The thing about being ‘good mates’ is that it is supposed to allow you to have a dialogue even when there is disagreement. Well when it counts, and on the issues that are most contentious I don’t see Australia listening to NZ at all. So Mr Moore can joke all he likes about “Australia becoming a state of NZ” – the real joke is believing that there is any respect shared between us beyond the superficial fondness to be found in the comradeliness of bad jokes and copious quantities of beer.
“Welcoming the troops, Australia’s Defence Minister Stephen Smith said the decision to host them was a response to a changing global balance.
“The world needs to essentially come to grips with the rise of China, the rise of India, the move of strategic and political and economic influence to our part of the world,” he said”
– What a total load or garbage!
Yes I expect there to be a more permanent arrangement with NZ sometime, and the platform will either be laid by some “terror event”, or the TPPA enforcement as part of any FTA with the USA!
Groser wants to prioritize our taxes on getting pissed and taking expensive and unnecessary trips to Paris. Only an A hole of the first order would put such priorities above the welfare of our children…
Computer Society chief executive Paul Matthews said he feared the Patents Bill had been put on ice by the Government because concessions might be made to the US on the issue of software patents during trade negotiations over the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
He had ”no solid evidence” that was the case, but there appeared to be no other realistic explanation for the delay, he said.
So, our government prepares a law that bans software patents, it’s set to go through and then the USA gets involved in the TPPA talks and it gets held up…
Yeah, I can’t think of any other reason for the delay either especially when…
”If we had software patents back in the days when computers and technology were emerging, then the whole sector wouldn’t exist. Since the Patents Bill changes were announced we have been approached by a number of overseas technology companies looking to relocate to New Zealand.
…we have businesses that want to locate here if the law goes ahead.
There really wasn’t anywhere else that the detailed private information about Cecil Walker could have come from, and in releasing it, PoAL management have scored a very significant own goal…
Who has defied the international community? Only North Korea?
Radio New Zealand National news, 2:00 p.m., Friday 13 April 2012
Newsreader Chris Whitta gravely intones: “North Korea has defied the international community and launched a rocket…”
While North Korea has certainly done exactly that, it’s surely a matter of profound public interest that when Britain, the United States, Australia and Israel defy the international community, their actions are never described in such plain terms.
I cannot recall a mainstream news organization (such as Radio New Zealand) ever calling the Bush
regime’s flouting of international law as “defiance”. I cannot remember Israel’s scofflaw leaders ever being called “defiant”, even during the brutal 22-day massacre in Gaza in 2008-9 or after the pirate action in which it slaughtered nine peace activists in 2010.
But North Korea launches a rocket, which kills nobody, and the Korean leadership is described as having “defied” the “international community”.
The rocket didn’t even work properly, so what is the big deal? The duplicitous responses to crimes against humanity and gross breaches of law by those who are apparently a part of the international “community” compared to North Korea launching a satellite rocket that didn’t even work properly is blatant hypocrisy!
The United Nations have said a North Korea rocket launch would violate U.N. Security Council resolutions banning the North from developing its nuclear and missile programs. (Reuters)
Strange, I thought it was a rocket to launch a satellite so unless the UN and other states have hard proof that it was a missile test then there’s nothing wrong with the launch.
Personally, I see no problem with any country developing both space capability or the ability to defend itself. This demand that some countries not develop such ability seems to be solely to keep them as dependent countries, ie, to keep the US empire going.
There’s not much difference between a satellite lifter and a ballistic missile – and orbit is just a different type of target coordinate for the guidance system. Actually, ISTR reading that Sputnik was lifted by a converted missile (Ha – I freaking love wikipedia!).
If we were talking about Japan or Indonesia, I’d agree with you (like I’m not too worked up about Iran and it’s nuclear power plants). But North Korea is the geopolitical equivalent of the gun-nut loner in the shack with no electricity down in the bush.
There’s not much difference between a satellite lifter and a ballistic missile…
Well, if we want to get technical – there’s no difference.
Actually, ISTR reading that Sputnik was lifted by a converted missile
That’s really not all that unique. Why design and build a new rocket when you’ve already got a few lying around that could do the job?
But North Korea is the geopolitical equivalent of the gun-nut loner in the shack with no electricity down in the bush.
Well, they may become a little less belligerent with their new leader, too early to tell ATM of course.
The international community really doesn’t have the right to prevent them from developing rocketry. That said, they are alone and if they try to use those weapons aggressively the entire nation will get turned into a radioactive lunar landscape as Afghanistan and Iraq show.
North Korea is the geopolitical equivalent of the gun-nut loner in the shack with no electricity down in the bush.
Oh really?
How many Iraqi and Afghan and Pakistani civilians have been killed by North Korean drone strikes?
How many North Korean soldiers have dragged families out of their houses at night and machine-gunned them to death?
How many North Korean army squadrons compete amongst themselves to cut off and collect the most fingers of civilians they have killed?
How many North Korean secret service operatives have kidnapped civilians from other countries and transported them to secret locations to torture them, often to death?
True. But then US motivations are generally pretty understandable (if not likeable). NK has a history of kidnapping people from their homes in other countries and imprisoning them for years because the dear leader liked their movies.
Try accounting for that sort of thing in geopolitical models.
“Foreign minister Murray McCully says despite the closed off country’s claim the launch is for peaceful purposes, it violates UN Security Council Resolutions, aggravates tensions and undermines attempts to build peace and stability”
Yeah ok, so when NATO bombs some poor country into oblivion for “humanitarian reasons”, when there is only an “internal problem”, which the UN charter does cover, as it only deals with external security threats between nations supposedly, what did NZ say.
Israelis can be angry with Gunter Grass, but they must listen to him
After we denounce the exaggeration, after we shake off the unjustified part of the charge, we must listen to the condemnation of these great people.
by GIDEON LEVY
The harsh, and in some parts infuriating, poem by Gunter Grass of course immediately sparked a wave of vilifications against it and mainly against its author. Grass indeed went a few steps too far (and too mendaciously) – Israel will not destroy the Iranian people – and for that he will be punished, in his own country and in Israel. But in precisely the same way the poem’s nine stanzas lost a sense of proportion in terms of their judgment of Israel, so too the angry responses to it suffer from exaggeration. Tom Segev wrote in Haaretz: “Unless Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad recently confided in him, his opinion is vacuous.” (“More pathetic than anti-Semitic,” April 5 ). Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned Grass’ Nazi past, and Israeli embassies in Germany went so far as to state, ridiculously, that the poem signified “anti-Semitism in the best European tradition of blood libels before Passover.”
It is doubtful that Grass intended his poem to be published on the eve of Passover. It contains no blood libel. In fact, it is the branding of it as anti-Semitic that is a matter of tradition – all criticism of Israel is immediately thus labeled. Grass’ Nazi past, his joining the Waffen SS as a youth, does not warrant shutting him up some 70 years later, and his opinion is far from vacuous. According to Segev, anyone who is not a nuclear scientist, an Israeli prime minister or an Iranian president must keep silent on the stormiest issue in Israel and the world today. That is a flawed approach.
Grass’ “What Must Be Said” does contain things that must be said. It can and should be said that Israel’s policy is endangering world peace. His position against Israeli nuclear power is also legitimate. He can also oppose supplying submarines to Israel without his past immediately being pulled out as a counterclaim. But Grass exaggerated, unnecessarily and in a way that damaged his own position. Perhaps it is his advanced age and his ambition to attract a last round of attention, and perhaps the words came forth all at once like a cascade, after decades during which it was almost impossible to criticize Israel in Germany.
That’s the way it is when all criticism of Israel is considered illegitimate and improper and is stopped up inside for years. In the end it erupts in an extreme form. Grass’ poem was published only a few weeks after another prominent German, the chairman of the Social Democratic Party, Sigmar Gabriel, wrote that there is an apartheid regime in Hebron. He also aroused angry responses. Therefore it is better to listen to the statements and, especially, finally, to lift the prohibition against criticizing Israel in Germany.
Israel has many friends in Germany, more than in most European countries. Some of them support us blindly, some have justified guilt feelings and some are true, critical friends of Israel. There are, of course, anti-Semites in Germany and the demand that Germany never forget is also justified. But a situation in which any German who dares criticize Israel is instantly accused of anti-Semitism is intolerable.
Some years ago, after a critical article of mine was published in the German daily Die Welt, one of its editors told me: “No journalist of ours could write an article like that.” I was never again invited to write for that paper. For years, any journalist who joined the huge German media outlet Axel Springer had to sign a pledge never to write anything that casts aspersions on Israel’s right to exist. That is an unhealthy situation that ended with an eruption of exaggerated criticism like Grass’.
Grass is not alone. No less of a major figure, the great author Jose de Sousa Saramago opened the floodgates in his later years when, after a visit to the occupied territories, he compared what was going on there to Auschwitz. Like Grass, Saramago went too far, but his remarks about the Israelis should have been heeded: “Living under the shadow of the Holocaust and expecting forgiveness for everything they will do in the name of their suffering seems coarse. They have learned nothing from the suffering of their parents and their grandparents.”
After we denounce the exaggeration, after we shake off the unjustified part of the charge, we must listen to these great people. They are not anti-Semites, they are expressing the opinion of many people. Instead of accusing them we should consider what we did that led them to express it..
Yeah, Norman Finkelstein has some interesting things to say about the Germans’ Philo-Semitism/ultra-Political Correctness on Israel. Astonishing how so many around the world take precisely the wrong (particularist rather than universalist) message from the nazi holocaust. Let’s all make up for the 6 million dead 70 years ago by cheerfully standing by and watching the slow torture and destruction of the Palestinian people now.
Do you ever think we’ll see even five seconds of Finkelstein speaking on television in New Zealand? I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve seen people like that loathsome reptile Mark Regev telling lies, and never once having them contested by the head-nodders back in the studio.
As for them going to someone who actually knows what he is talking about, and is scrupulously honest and even-handed, like Finkelstein? Forget it.
“Mental skills” coach Gilbert Enoka disappointing on radio this morning
National Radio, Friday 13 April 2012
Nine To Noon with Kathryn Ryan
Interview with the All Blacks’ “mental skills coach” GILBERT ENOKA
It wasn’t all bad. As you would expect, Gilbert Enoka does have a few interesting things to say about his twelve years with the All Blacks. After the 2007 quarter-final loss in Cardiff, Enoka spent most of his time in the changing room “trying to contain the distress” of the players. Important work, no doubt, although he obviously failed to contain the distress of one DOUG HOWLETT, who went on a drunken one-man car-bonnet-stomping rampage in the small hours of the morning after.
He had a couple of good one-liners, including this one: “Just because it’s common sense doesn’t mean it’s common practice.”
He also had some interesting things to say about the All Blacks’ change of attitude toward the RWC; in 2007 they had insisted that World Cup games were just like any other games, but in 2011 the focus changed: the World Cup became the focus of the entire year. The team decided to acknowledge that the RWC was a knock-out tournament, and teams could perform “heroically”, like Tonga did against France. The All Blacks acknowledged that they too had to perform at the Cup, and that if they did not, they would “choke”.
Here Kathryn Ryan decided to interject with an especially inane comment: “The All Blacks choked in the final and still won!” she blurted cheerily.
Enoka’s a nice guy, but he wasn’t going to dignify such an idiotic outburst by affirming it. Instead, he riffed on the theme of tension and pressure….
ENOKA: We acknowledged that there would be moments of great tension and pressure. Some people just can’t execute.
RYAN: And then there is the high-performing team that loses its bottle at the critical moment.
ENOKA: Yeah…
[And so on, and so forth…]
You would have been gravely disappointed if you’d expected to hear something interesting or revelatory or—God forbid—HONEST from Gilbert Enoka about the big question from last year, viz., Why did the referee in the final fail so gruesomely to do his job? But Enoka is a key member of the All Black camp, so the iron-clad code of silence applies to him as much as it does to Graham Henry or any of the players.
But without any doubt Enoka would have been highly alert to the irony (intended or not) in Ryan’s comment about a team “losing its bottle at the critical moment” and failing to perform. Enoka, the expert in human motivation and performance management, knows that if ever there was an example of losing one’s bottle and grievously failing to perform, it was not either of the teams in the final. It was, of course, the referee (or as he is called in France, the non-referee) Craig Joubert.
Conclusion: It’s just too much to expect Gilbert Enoka, or anyone in the All Blacks’ camp, to break ranks and admit to the presence of that hideous South African elephant in the room.
Bloody hell Morrissey, we disagreed yesterday, now today. I have watched it 10 times, and the ref got it right. It is very dark at the bottom of those rucks and mauls, trust me I have spent a lot of time there. And the ref can only be on one side of them at a time. You would have needed two refs with night vision goggles to get a mere smidgen of what both sides were doing. (OK if I was honest I have spotted about 5 “penalty” offenses both ways..neither side benefited).
I will contend with all confidence that if need be that Beaver would have dropped a goal, honest. Actually, the winning of the game which Enoka and Henry never mention was the direction of the replacement halfback (Ellis) who refused to kick long despite being told to in the last 4 minutes. He insisted the forwards take it up, hold onto it. A hard head when others looked decidedly panicked (especially Henry).
I will lay on the floor in front of the TV and ask all parties (cat, dog, any local humans) to jump on top of me, don the night vision goggles and re appraise in slow motion. I promise not to earn the French a penalty by being on the wrong side of the carpet or by refusing to roll away, and I will definitley not hang on to the dog. We will still win. Promise.
Well that is a couple of very partisan gents would you not say? And they definitely dont appear to like the ABs do they? And yes, the clips showed some seriously bad reffing…indeed.
Some of us watched the whole game and saw all sorts of things that the ref missed like eye gouging players who should not have remained on the pitch. We saw Piri miss 4 penalties (another stupidly bad Henry move to pick a goal kicker with a stuffed ankle), we saw the ABs bomb a couple of tries.
Its all too late to complain, bit like the Suzie incident. Yes the ABs were lucky, but the ref ultimately, like in the quarter in Cardiff did not dictate the result. All up a very average French team played well above themselves and still managed to lose to a very beatable NZ team. Self inflicted wounds perhaps. I wont impugn Joubert or Barnes, their optometrists may bear some responsibility however.
I am curious Morrissey, did you want the ABs to lose?
Well that is a couple of very partisan gents would you not say?
Actually, it’s a couple of neutral commentators. They were, like anyone who watched the game in a fair-minded way, appalled by the referee’s refusal to do his job.
And they definitely dont appear to like the ABs do they?
Not true. They were critical of the referee’s failure to do his job. They acknowledged that the All Blacks cheated blatantly throughout the second half, but they did not blame them; they blamed the man who let them cheat.
All up a very average French team played well above themselves
Do you actually know anything about French rugby? The fact is that the Tricolors had not only played well BELOW their true ability, but in their first round games against NZ and Tonga, they didn’t even try to play. What you’ve written makes no sense—unless you’re trying to be condescending toward a team which has more talent to draw on than any other team in the world.
I wont impugn Joubert
Well, that’s a pity. I’m sure you actually have more integrity than that. If you continue to indulge Joubert’s outrageous non-performance, then you’re choosing to turn a blind eye to it.
or Barnes
And nor should you. There is no comparison between Barnes’ honest mistakes in 2007, and Joubert’s determined refusal to do his job in 2011.
I am curious Morrissey, did you want the ABs to lose?
No, of course not. I wanted to see a good game of football. Unfortunately, the referee (or more accurately, the non-referee) was determined to allow one team to kill the ball illegally and persistently.
Bloody hell Morrissey you are a belligerent bugger. Never ever wrong, can only see it your way. No one else could possibly be right or have their own opinion.
For that you get to play in my front row, your job is to question and badger the ref to death. My job as an aged flanker is to get away with whatever I can.
“Belligerent?” Oh hell, I’ll accept that. But go easy on the “bugger” allegation, please.
Never ever wrong, can only see it your way.
Not so. I’m often wrong, and I am prepared to reconsider my opinions.
No one else could possibly be right or have their own opinion.
Not true. I accept people will disagree over many things. But facts are not like opinions. The fact is: Craig Joubert failed to do his job in the RWC final. There are many opinions about why he failed to do his job, and I am prepared to be convinced that it was due to a failure of nerve, and not due to corruption on his part.
But that will require some skilled advocacy. I’m sure you’re up to the job, though, my friend.
If they selected their best and played to their ability, ref or no ref we would have been dog tucker.
Well, possibly. But quite possibly we (New Zealand) would still have won. I am just disappointed that we never got the chance to really find out.
I bid you good night, Bored. You have worked hard today, and done exceedingly well.
Guys, I hope I am not being rude in saying this, but could you please not talk about rugby so much here? I think it’s going to be interesting, so i start to read, but … no… it’s just sport!
Akismet is having some (presumed black friday) problems today. There have been some quite extensive timeouts on checking comments. But I think it may have been some network outages on the local networks around the NZ1 server for the last 30-40 minutes.
The universe of the Web-based marketplace allows you to sell just about anything online today—so why not your labor? The “help wanted” page has now upgraded itself for an Information Age economic crisis, with a new crop of services that link odd jobs to people looking to make a buck.
People bidding for casual work over the internet trademe/e-bay style but instead of the bids going up they go down. As the article points out, there are some downsides:-
There are crazier ways to earn a living, but that hungry pack of task gophers seems to be forming a physically and conceptually atomized workforce of people who, in some cases, could be less able to gauge the fair value of their labor, or to discern whether they’re being indirectly cheated or discriminated against.
When the race to fill an advertised job opening involves frantically underbidding the competition, eBay style, are there safeguards to ensure that standards don’t fall to exploitative depths? Is it easier to hire underage workers, arbitrarily withhold wages, or pressure people to take on extra hours or tasks they never bargained for at the outset?
Something that the government and other political parties need to think about and regulate. If it’s not regulated then we will see people being badly exploited and an explosion of poverty that makes the increase in poverty since neo-liberalism began seem small and insignificant with an accompanying increase of wealth by the few.
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. ...
Chris Trotter writes – MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. The data is from February this ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications:Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
Chris Trotter writes – The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three. ...
Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blogIn 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
Citizen Science writes – Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
Karl du Fresne writes – There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
David Farrar writes – The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time.A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
The Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
Changes to minimum wage and benefit indexation means many New Zealanders will get less this year, as the Government gives a big tax break to landlords instead. ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
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The new New Zealand, where a human being, an ill construction worker, dies like an abandoned cat under a hedge.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/6734401/Brain-tumour-victim-dies-after-being-evicted
I found his situation really upsetting – a man in poor health goes undiagnosed – and apparently everyone did everything properly. It seems like ticking the boxes to me, it doesn’t reflect well on the spirit of Wellington health services at all.
Rosy I agree its a sad day when all humanity has been lost
Rosy to say that the situation as described is a disgrace and has the appearance of a cover up of gross negligence would be an understatement.
“…Coroner Ian Smith said he was satisfied the health practitioners involved with Mr Leach met all acceptable standards.
“It is clear, however, that his health had badly deteriorated over the last weeks and that as a resident at the Capital & Coast District Health Board hostel, the issue of his diarrhoea should have highlighted that this man had a medical condition that needed attention.”
He was pleased that since Mr Leach’s death a corroborative inter-agency group had been set up to assist the homeless. …”
Dear oh dear. It is acceptable for health professionals to miss diarrhoea as symptom. I knew our health system was in a decline, but really? Oh well, make a donation to an associated cause and move on.
No, it’s not acceptable. It suggests a subjective assessment of the patient rather than objective assessment of the symptoms.
“…subjective assessment of the patient rather than objective assessment of the symptoms.”
I’m sorry to say that my experience of doctors, so far, supports this idea: skilled people trapped in either a comfortable and delusional world of their own; looking outwards to the patient as a victim they must help because they themselves are better, sometimes achieving good results despite the overuse of subjective measures; or trapped in a personal battle between their disgust of lower class people and their urge to be professional to whoever walks through the door. It is both sweet, amusing and sad to watch and if you are the patient, it is also extremely irritating and costly.
Some of that behaviour is theoretically a basis for an official complaint, but since the same system turns out these people, like the coroner in the above story, I think they would be unable or unwilling to address the issue. It is understandable that doctors in our society must live a life that limits their experience in the art of medicine in order to become technically experienced doctors, but the irreconcilable issues simply raise questions about our society that are too large to fix with a word or pen.
You must have a very limited experience of the medical profession as this certainly not reflective of the vast majority people I work with.
And your interaction with them was as a patient?
I don’t know whether you are stupid or you just don’t understand English or if you are plain contrary. Probably all of the above, because your comment supports my observations.
Your comment base comment, followed by a diatribe, was –
““…subjective assessment of the patient rather than objective assessment of the symptoms.”
I’m sorry to say that my experience of doctors, so far, supports this idea”
My comment that you must have a limited experience of medical professionals was a rebuttal from my experience of likely dealing with many more medical professionals than yourself.
I’m afraid how my comment supports your views on medical professionals is too obtuse for my poor grasp of english.
Well said Higher Standard. Uturn needs to do just that and get off his head
Actually, here I agree with HS – and I’m both “allied professional” and feel like a frequent visitor to A&E/wards/GP, as patient (payback for a misspent youth 🙂 ) or support person.
Some doctors or other medical staff are cocks. Some are tired. Some are busy. In these cases, subjective assessment is a risk. But the vast majority of doctors, therapists, nurses, even porters and technicians are damned fine, well trained, and take the time to do a fair assessment, regular monitoring and patient communication. Hell, I can’t stop doctors etc bringing out models of the latest piece of my body to fall apart. Just gimme the pill and tell me if I can drink while taking it!
There is always the human factor in judgement, but I think you’re being very unfair in claiming that negligent and superficial diagnoses are the norm.
+1. I’ve been blown away by the dedication of just about everyone I’ve ever encountered in the medical profession at every station.
That’s true. The careless ones are, thankfully, a minority…
there are many awesome doctors out there, but some are too overworked / cynical / inexperienced / incompetent that their decision-making in complex cases goes out the window and a subjective assessment of patient character or personal situation comes in, sometimes with tragic outcomes. I know good doctors are aware that this happens all too often.
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head there rosy, the patients personal circumstances were diagnosed instead of his physical condition. Although the liberty was probably not available to Mr Leach… the best thing people can do is try a few different doctors to find a good one.
The sad truth of the matter is that John David Leach’s death looks like it was preventable. From his condition being undiagnosed, to being evicted while unwell and then being bailed by the police to homelessness, this is another sign that the system is failing.
The question regarding incompetency within the medical profession is best answered by the amount of treatment injuries that occur. Since 2003, treatment injuries more than quadrupled in New Zealand to approximately 8829 in 2011. With most of these being caused by GP’s, this is a clear indication that the skill level of our doctors is in decline.
If Mr Leach had died from a blood clot in the brain, you could understand why it had gone undiagnosed… but a large brain tumor he likely had for a long time should have been diagnosed and he should not have been evicted with obviously serious health conditions.
There should have been social/health services available as a backstop.
But most are gone and under-resourced now. The outfit which pushed him out to the street when he clearly had nowhere to go is also culpable.
But Frontline Staff have been left intact and even been Improved. Minister Riled said so.
As if we needed another clear example of the of how much of the doctrine we have swallowed here in NZ and, how far we have fallen here is “godszone”.
Upetting in an understatement, and I have to highlight the comment below to illustrate the sicknes that is now NZ.
“Coroner Ian Smith said he was satisfied the health practitioners involved with Mr Leach met all acceptable standards.
“It is clear, however, that his health had badly deteriorated over the last weeks and that as a resident at the Capital & Coast District Health Board hostel, the issue of his diarrhoea should have highlighted that this man had a medical condition that needed attention.”
– excuse me coroner, what is it, you are satisfied all acceptable standards were met, or is it that his deterioration should have been highlighted – read picked up by professionals – FAIL
Until these smears are outed for what they are then NOTHING can change,,
What hope really on the tract we are on…people still not prepared to stand up and be counted!
The misdiagnosis was bad but things like that will happen – we’re only human after all.
What’s more concerning was that he was turfed out when he was obviously mentally and physically unwell and getting worse:
and thus left to die alone.
Nothing was done adequately in this case.
Yeah – it does seem to be remarkably selfish to offload the problem even though the man is in obvious decline.
Yeah, the old ‘abide by house rules, no excuses’ meme. Personal responsibility and all that. The Downtown Community Mission is the only organisation that comes out of this with any respect.
Oh, and the police looked after him for a day, basically because he couldn’t keep his trousers up, does this suggest severe weight loss as well? That highlights another problem that’s been a concern since mental health services have been the responsibility of the community – the number of people with problems who end up in custody for being disruptive rather than criminal. Police aren’t trained for this, nor should they be.
Once I built a tower, up to the sun, brick, and rivet, and lime;
Once I built a tower, now it’s done. Brother, can you spare me a dime?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eih67rlGNhU
That’s both horrific and deeply sad..
+1 🙁
Very interesting from the Herald today
Why should the Union have authority over the operations of the companies they should have none .This strike is about the union losing control ,and the poor workers are merely pawns in the game being played by the Union
Affco spokesman Rowan Ogg said a “substantial number” of union members had moved to individual contracts since the lockouts began in February. (this is really interesting doesnt seem to be to much loyalty to the union)
Affco chief executive Hamish Simson said the company had been targeted by the Council of Trade Unions and the meat workers’ union because of dwindling union membership at Affco sites.
“The union has already stated the dispute is not about wages but about the authority the union has over the operations of the company and ability to influence or retain members.”
Ah the talleys troll, affco said, affco said, affco said….not surprising there’s no other side of the dispute and yes James union numbers tend to dwindle with a rabid anti union employer who takes every opportunity to ensure its workers are non union.
Even re-employing workers sacked for good reasons as long as they aren’t in a union so it can continue with dangerous practices and ignore its obligations under several acts.
Your posts are as predictable as they are enlightening as an example of RWNJ CT driven spin.
Do you want to ban unions and bring back slavery?
Unlike you I dont see the labour market of the antebellum southern US states as one that is worth emulating. In fact, I dont see any other nation copying it, apart from maybe China and Vietnam.
Millsy they should have no control over the operations unless they are investing money in the company thats simple. It would appear that the Meat Workers union might have a bit of unallocated cash laying around
And what if the company wants to make all their workers expendable by having them just queue outside the gate everyday with no guarantee of work?
going by that logic then surely the owners should have no control over the workers unless they themselves are doing the work? surely?
do you see how stupid such arguments get?
“It would appear that the Meat Workers union might have a bit of unallocated cash laying around”
well the SFO doesnt agree with you on that one
oh god – the one dimensional stupidity – it burns!
The unions should have full control, there should be no owners.
fify
What about the investment of opportunity cost that workers make to spend 15 or 20 years with a company? Counts for nothing in RWNJ world, obviously.
I reckon wee Jimmy wants to return to the good old days.
Lying, thieving, dishonourable treacherous scumbags.
Are there no depths to which they will not sink?
I admire your restraint KTH! Appalling indeed!
Why hasn’t the Security Intelligence Service prevented these agents of foreign corporations from betraying New Zealand?
You ssometimes have to just admire the utter disrespect/distain they have for people.
How will the NACT fans spin this…
Backlash anytime soon?
No, there isn’t. What we’re seeing is what happens when psychopaths are elected to parliament.
Hey middle nz. Ever get the feeling you’ve been had?
The potential of Red Alert keeps getting pushed under by MPs who seem to see it as a personal back pat generator and controlled message machine.
In a trivial post yesterday I’ve been banned for two weeks and threatened with more with an incorrect accusation. Social Media 101 seems to have been missed by some MPs. Mallard’s odd accusation.
Does a a parliamentary recess mean MPs don’t have to do anything about serious stuff?
Gosh did the naughty Labourites give you a spanking,diddums, We do tho like the way your knee immediately jerked, perhaps you should give more consideration to your on-going actions instead of harping on about their’s…
Pete, thanks for making your site a bit more readable. Now you have to work on what you’re writing about. You say in your rather long winded whinge fest about being banned from Red Alert:
You will note that the name used to make the comment that was blocked is Pete George. Somebody else has either used your name, for which you should contact Red Alert directly to get that email permanently banned, or you are lying and did in fact use another email address to try and bypass the two week banning!
Although Mallard can sometimes be a bit overgenerous with his moderation, I think he was perfectly justified in giving you a ban. You rattled on about spades and then called him a liar without any evidence to back up your assertion.
The defamation case is yet to be heard, which will hopefully shed more light on Judith Collins’ involvement in the ACC debacle. Personally I think it’s a bluff and the end result will be her credibility will be in tatters.
And the chiseling begins.
Cabinet has decided that the Crown has to retain 51% of the voting shares of the power companies, not 51% of the total shares. So while it can retain control its ownership share could be diluted right down so that its income from dividends could be minute.
Effectively the power companies could be pretty well completely privatised. The directors of the companies would be obliged to make decisions for the benefit of all shareholders, not only those that have voting rights.
Get the feeling we the public of New Zealand have been lied to?
I thought National could not top the bad month they had last month (ACC). Well they have this month with the Paid Parental Leave Bill and now the truth is coming out about dividends re energy asset sales.
Agreed Treetop. But when is it going to start penetrating skulls and being reflected in the polls?
I don’t like his politics, but thank God for Winston back in Parliament keeping things honest. To paraphrase him on the radio this morning about PPL: Such medieval arrogant thinking has no place in a modern democracy!
Hear hear.
when is it going to start penetrating skulls and being reflected in the polls?
Your average Kiwi has a skull as thick as a Neanderthal and a brain to match.
There is one particular Kiwi who definitely has the skull of a Neanderthal and whose skull is unlikely to be penetrated….and he holds the casting vote in this issue.
It’s NACT, I just assume that they’re lying and then I can be pleasantly surprised when I find out that they told a truth…
I haven’t been pleasantly surprised yet.
Too right, I always suspected the buggers would try and find a way around the 51% ownership issue. Mr Dung, is this the type of “honesty” your moral and upright persona will vote for?
I’m waiting for Pete George to start arguing that, although many people were left with the impression that Dunne was against asset sales, Dunne did actually express support for selling 99% of the ownership of SOEs as long as only 49% of the voting shares were sold.
Conspicuous by his absence. He must have just realised that the Follicle was going to sell NZ down the river, and is now having a good cry, or mental breakdown. So Petey, it’s not Your NZ. It’s Dunnes NZ to steal!! Go on defend this abomination Petey.
The difference between the current Neo-Liberal masters and the Fuedal overlords they replaced is that slaves were generally kept alive at subsistence levels so they could produce the goods that made the ruling class rich.
Our current bunch sees an excess of people as excuse to seek no minimum wage or conditions and actively degrades health and social services so that a labourer cannot even afford to survive to work.
You may have spotted the obvious end to our highly intelligent overlord’s plan. They are banking on people waiting for some time yet.
Actually, you’re wrong there. Slaves had to be well kept which why only the rich had them and tended to work them to work in the house. Having slaves was a status symbol. On the other hand, the slaves kept on the other side of the Atlantic were abused, underfed and worked to death under typical free-market dogma.
Feudal lords had clear responsibilities to care for their serfs, including the provision of sufficient land (and time) for a family to live off. Not these days of course.
Nice to have?
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/103225/unions-against-extra-funding-for-school
So we can’t find any extra funding for PPL, but no problem to prop up one of the most elite, expensive schools in the country. I grew up in Whanganui and believe me the kids who went to this school were from born-to-rule Tory families who wanted for nothing, while the rest of us in the city’s public schools were from families on Struggle Street.
The priorities of this Government make me so ANGRY.
And meanwhile, as it was when I was at school, public schools nationwide are being told to tighten their belts, make do with no extra funding etc etc.
I wonder if the extra funding will allow the very small class size to be retained?
And allow other privileges of such a school to be retained?
If the 250 privileged kids were to be integrated into the State schools they would be absorbed as just another kid scattered here and there and very little burden on the State.
But should Whanganui Collegiate close, I bet those elite kids would just transfer to another Private school. Lindisfarne for example.
ianmac – I believe Lindisfarne is already integrated.
Grew up there myself, Frida. Used to have a mate at Collegiate who was required to do rifle shooting on a Saturday morning. The sessions were nicknamed ‘pleb practice’. Bloody ringies, eh?
Te Reo – as a WHS girl, I wasn’t good enough to be spoken to by a Ringie 🙂
Took great pleasure in smashing them all in Debating Finals and Scholarship Results though!
The only reason why parents send their kids to private/Catholic schools is so their precious darlings cant catch poor people germs. They can carry on all they like, but that is the underlying fact.
If I had my way I would close every private, iwi and church run school in this country. This country will never heal its social and racial division unless their children all went to the same schools.
Hot on the heels of speculation of NZ adopting the Aussie dollar as our currency comes this
While there may similarities between our countries there is not a lot to like about the way the Aussies have treated and continue to treat their indigenous people, and nothing to respect in Australia’s unseemly enthusiasm for the immoral wars of the US or its’ treatment of refugees.
The thing about being ‘good mates’ is that it is supposed to allow you to have a dialogue even when there is disagreement. Well when it counts, and on the issues that are most contentious I don’t see Australia listening to NZ at all. So Mr Moore can joke all he likes about “Australia becoming a state of NZ” – the real joke is believing that there is any respect shared between us beyond the superficial fondness to be found in the comradeliness of bad jokes and copious quantities of beer.
Police pursuits
Police are adrenaline junkies who love the thrill of the chase.
If only Blair, Bush and Cheney could be rendered to The Hague.
Special report: Rendition ordeal that raises new questions about secret trials.
Joe, have a read of the last two paragraphs on this weeks http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.co.nz/ sums up Britains “acquiescence” to the US very well.
The whole article is a great read Bored that’s left me wondering whether the contingent of US marines arriving here next week is the lead up to a continued presence.
“Welcoming the troops, Australia’s Defence Minister Stephen Smith said the decision to host them was a response to a changing global balance.
“The world needs to essentially come to grips with the rise of China, the rise of India, the move of strategic and political and economic influence to our part of the world,” he said”
– What a total load or garbage!
Yes I expect there to be a more permanent arrangement with NZ sometime, and the platform will either be laid by some “terror event”, or the TPPA enforcement as part of any FTA with the USA!
I rather desperately hope not!
Abdel Hakim Belhaj – There is some background reading for someone to do!
Christchurch City Council has declared the city a fracking-free zone, as concerns over the practice mount.
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/christchurch-declared-fracking-free-zone-4831402
Tim Groser – Asshole of the Week
Groser wants to prioritize our taxes on getting pissed and taking expensive and unnecessary trips to Paris. Only an A hole of the first order would put such priorities above the welfare of our children…
US attacks computer patents
So, our government prepares a law that bans software patents, it’s set to go through and then the USA gets involved in the TPPA talks and it gets held up…
Yeah, I can’t think of any other reason for the delay either especially when…
…we have businesses that want to locate here if the law goes ahead.
Slaters leaking backfires
There really wasn’t anywhere else that the detailed private information about Cecil Walker could have come from, and in releasing it, PoAL management have scored a very significant own goal…
Who has defied the international community? Only North Korea?
Radio New Zealand National news, 2:00 p.m., Friday 13 April 2012
Newsreader Chris Whitta gravely intones: “North Korea has defied the international community and launched a rocket…”
While North Korea has certainly done exactly that, it’s surely a matter of profound public interest that when Britain, the United States, Australia and Israel defy the international community, their actions are never described in such plain terms.
I cannot recall a mainstream news organization (such as Radio New Zealand) ever calling the Bush
regime’s flouting of international law as “defiance”. I cannot remember Israel’s scofflaw leaders ever being called “defiant”, even during the brutal 22-day massacre in Gaza in 2008-9 or after the pirate action in which it slaughtered nine peace activists in 2010.
But North Korea launches a rocket, which kills nobody, and the Korean leadership is described as having “defied” the “international community”.
The rocket didn’t even work properly, so what is the big deal? The duplicitous responses to crimes against humanity and gross breaches of law by those who are apparently a part of the international “community” compared to North Korea launching a satellite rocket that didn’t even work properly is blatant hypocrisy!
http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/04/12/207313.html
Strange, I thought it was a rocket to launch a satellite so unless the UN and other states have hard proof that it was a missile test then there’s nothing wrong with the launch.
Personally, I see no problem with any country developing both space capability or the ability to defend itself. This demand that some countries not develop such ability seems to be solely to keep them as dependent countries, ie, to keep the US empire going.
There’s not much difference between a satellite lifter and a ballistic missile – and orbit is just a different type of target coordinate for the guidance system. Actually, ISTR reading that Sputnik was lifted by a converted missile (Ha – I freaking love wikipedia!).
If we were talking about Japan or Indonesia, I’d agree with you (like I’m not too worked up about Iran and it’s nuclear power plants). But North Korea is the geopolitical equivalent of the gun-nut loner in the shack with no electricity down in the bush.
Lots more.
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Main_Page
http://www.wikipaintings.org/
http://www.wikia.com/Wikia
http://keywiki.org/index.php/Main_Page
http://tfrwiki.midworld.co.uk/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
http://www.iep.utm.edu/
http://www.ancientweb.org/
http://eol.org/
.http://www.pantheon.org/
http://www.wolframalpha.com/
http://www.opensecrets.org/index.php
http://www.infoplease.com/
Well, if we want to get technical – there’s no difference.
That’s really not all that unique. Why design and build a new rocket when you’ve already got a few lying around that could do the job?
Well, they may become a little less belligerent with their new leader, too early to tell ATM of course.
The international community really doesn’t have the right to prevent them from developing rocketry. That said, they are alone and if they try to use those weapons aggressively the entire nation will get turned into a radioactive lunar landscape as Afghanistan and Iraq show.
North Korea is the geopolitical equivalent of the gun-nut loner in the shack with no electricity down in the bush.
Oh really?
How many Iraqi and Afghan and Pakistani civilians have been killed by North Korean drone strikes?
How many North Korean soldiers have dragged families out of their houses at night and machine-gunned them to death?
How many North Korean army squadrons compete amongst themselves to cut off and collect the most fingers of civilians they have killed?
How many North Korean secret service operatives have kidnapped civilians from other countries and transported them to secret locations to torture them, often to death?
True. But then US motivations are generally pretty understandable (if not likeable). NK has a history of kidnapping people from their homes in other countries and imprisoning them for years because the dear leader liked their movies.
Try accounting for that sort of thing in geopolitical models.
I wonder how many citizens were shot for laughing at the failure, no doubt they were required to openly grieve for their loss.
Exactly Morrissey!
“Foreign minister Murray McCully says despite the closed off country’s claim the launch is for peaceful purposes, it violates UN Security Council Resolutions, aggravates tensions and undermines attempts to build peace and stability”
Yeah ok, so when NATO bombs some poor country into oblivion for “humanitarian reasons”, when there is only an “internal problem”, which the UN charter does cover, as it only deals with external security threats between nations supposedly, what did NZ say.
Puppets and grandstanders!
The hypocrisy of the Viktor Bout case pisses me off too.
The “International community” of course meaning…..the United States.
Israelis can be angry with Gunter Grass, but they must listen to him
After we denounce the exaggeration, after we shake off the unjustified part of the charge, we must listen to the condemnation of these great people.
by GIDEON LEVY
The harsh, and in some parts infuriating, poem by Gunter Grass of course immediately sparked a wave of vilifications against it and mainly against its author. Grass indeed went a few steps too far (and too mendaciously) – Israel will not destroy the Iranian people – and for that he will be punished, in his own country and in Israel. But in precisely the same way the poem’s nine stanzas lost a sense of proportion in terms of their judgment of Israel, so too the angry responses to it suffer from exaggeration. Tom Segev wrote in Haaretz: “Unless Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad recently confided in him, his opinion is vacuous.” (“More pathetic than anti-Semitic,” April 5 ). Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned Grass’ Nazi past, and Israeli embassies in Germany went so far as to state, ridiculously, that the poem signified “anti-Semitism in the best European tradition of blood libels before Passover.”
It is doubtful that Grass intended his poem to be published on the eve of Passover. It contains no blood libel. In fact, it is the branding of it as anti-Semitic that is a matter of tradition – all criticism of Israel is immediately thus labeled. Grass’ Nazi past, his joining the Waffen SS as a youth, does not warrant shutting him up some 70 years later, and his opinion is far from vacuous. According to Segev, anyone who is not a nuclear scientist, an Israeli prime minister or an Iranian president must keep silent on the stormiest issue in Israel and the world today. That is a flawed approach.
Grass’ “What Must Be Said” does contain things that must be said. It can and should be said that Israel’s policy is endangering world peace. His position against Israeli nuclear power is also legitimate. He can also oppose supplying submarines to Israel without his past immediately being pulled out as a counterclaim. But Grass exaggerated, unnecessarily and in a way that damaged his own position. Perhaps it is his advanced age and his ambition to attract a last round of attention, and perhaps the words came forth all at once like a cascade, after decades during which it was almost impossible to criticize Israel in Germany.
That’s the way it is when all criticism of Israel is considered illegitimate and improper and is stopped up inside for years. In the end it erupts in an extreme form. Grass’ poem was published only a few weeks after another prominent German, the chairman of the Social Democratic Party, Sigmar Gabriel, wrote that there is an apartheid regime in Hebron. He also aroused angry responses. Therefore it is better to listen to the statements and, especially, finally, to lift the prohibition against criticizing Israel in Germany.
Israel has many friends in Germany, more than in most European countries. Some of them support us blindly, some have justified guilt feelings and some are true, critical friends of Israel. There are, of course, anti-Semites in Germany and the demand that Germany never forget is also justified. But a situation in which any German who dares criticize Israel is instantly accused of anti-Semitism is intolerable.
Some years ago, after a critical article of mine was published in the German daily Die Welt, one of its editors told me: “No journalist of ours could write an article like that.” I was never again invited to write for that paper. For years, any journalist who joined the huge German media outlet Axel Springer had to sign a pledge never to write anything that casts aspersions on Israel’s right to exist. That is an unhealthy situation that ended with an eruption of exaggerated criticism like Grass’.
Grass is not alone. No less of a major figure, the great author Jose de Sousa Saramago opened the floodgates in his later years when, after a visit to the occupied territories, he compared what was going on there to Auschwitz. Like Grass, Saramago went too far, but his remarks about the Israelis should have been heeded: “Living under the shadow of the Holocaust and expecting forgiveness for everything they will do in the name of their suffering seems coarse. They have learned nothing from the suffering of their parents and their grandparents.”
After we denounce the exaggeration, after we shake off the unjustified part of the charge, we must listen to these great people. They are not anti-Semites, they are expressing the opinion of many people. Instead of accusing them we should consider what we did that led them to express it..
http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/israelis-can-be-angry-with-gunter-grass-but-they-must-listen-to-him-1.423194
Yeah, Norman Finkelstein has some interesting things to say about the Germans’ Philo-Semitism/ultra-Political Correctness on Israel. Astonishing how so many around the world take precisely the wrong (particularist rather than universalist) message from the nazi holocaust. Let’s all make up for the 6 million dead 70 years ago by cheerfully standing by and watching the slow torture and destruction of the Palestinian people now.
Do you ever think we’ll see even five seconds of Finkelstein speaking on television in New Zealand? I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve seen people like that loathsome reptile Mark Regev telling lies, and never once having them contested by the head-nodders back in the studio.
As for them going to someone who actually knows what he is talking about, and is scrupulously honest and even-handed, like Finkelstein? Forget it.
“Mental skills” coach Gilbert Enoka disappointing on radio this morning
National Radio, Friday 13 April 2012
Nine To Noon with Kathryn Ryan
Interview with the All Blacks’ “mental skills coach” GILBERT ENOKA
It wasn’t all bad. As you would expect, Gilbert Enoka does have a few interesting things to say about his twelve years with the All Blacks. After the 2007 quarter-final loss in Cardiff, Enoka spent most of his time in the changing room “trying to contain the distress” of the players. Important work, no doubt, although he obviously failed to contain the distress of one DOUG HOWLETT, who went on a drunken one-man car-bonnet-stomping rampage in the small hours of the morning after.
He had a couple of good one-liners, including this one: “Just because it’s common sense doesn’t mean it’s common practice.”
He also had some interesting things to say about the All Blacks’ change of attitude toward the RWC; in 2007 they had insisted that World Cup games were just like any other games, but in 2011 the focus changed: the World Cup became the focus of the entire year. The team decided to acknowledge that the RWC was a knock-out tournament, and teams could perform “heroically”, like Tonga did against France. The All Blacks acknowledged that they too had to perform at the Cup, and that if they did not, they would “choke”.
Here Kathryn Ryan decided to interject with an especially inane comment: “The All Blacks choked in the final and still won!” she blurted cheerily.
Enoka’s a nice guy, but he wasn’t going to dignify such an idiotic outburst by affirming it. Instead, he riffed on the theme of tension and pressure….
ENOKA: We acknowledged that there would be moments of great tension and pressure. Some people just can’t execute.
RYAN: And then there is the high-performing team that loses its bottle at the critical moment.
ENOKA: Yeah…
[And so on, and so forth…]
You would have been gravely disappointed if you’d expected to hear something interesting or revelatory or—God forbid—HONEST from Gilbert Enoka about the big question from last year, viz., Why did the referee in the final fail so gruesomely to do his job? But Enoka is a key member of the All Black camp, so the iron-clad code of silence applies to him as much as it does to Graham Henry or any of the players.
But without any doubt Enoka would have been highly alert to the irony (intended or not) in Ryan’s comment about a team “losing its bottle at the critical moment” and failing to perform. Enoka, the expert in human motivation and performance management, knows that if ever there was an example of losing one’s bottle and grievously failing to perform, it was not either of the teams in the final. It was, of course, the referee (or as he is called in France, the non-referee) Craig Joubert.
Conclusion: It’s just too much to expect Gilbert Enoka, or anyone in the All Blacks’ camp, to break ranks and admit to the presence of that hideous South African elephant in the room.
Bloody hell Morrissey, we disagreed yesterday, now today. I have watched it 10 times, and the ref got it right. It is very dark at the bottom of those rucks and mauls, trust me I have spent a lot of time there. And the ref can only be on one side of them at a time. You would have needed two refs with night vision goggles to get a mere smidgen of what both sides were doing. (OK if I was honest I have spotted about 5 “penalty” offenses both ways..neither side benefited).
I will contend with all confidence that if need be that Beaver would have dropped a goal, honest. Actually, the winning of the game which Enoka and Henry never mention was the direction of the replacement halfback (Ellis) who refused to kick long despite being told to in the last 4 minutes. He insisted the forwards take it up, hold onto it. A hard head when others looked decidedly panicked (especially Henry).
I have watched it 10 times
Watch it an eleventh time, but this time make sure you’re sober.
I will lay on the floor in front of the TV and ask all parties (cat, dog, any local humans) to jump on top of me, don the night vision goggles and re appraise in slow motion. I promise not to earn the French a penalty by being on the wrong side of the carpet or by refusing to roll away, and I will definitley not hang on to the dog. We will still win. Promise.
I suggest you watch this for a start….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=1XBqetaCfgo
Well that is a couple of very partisan gents would you not say? And they definitely dont appear to like the ABs do they? And yes, the clips showed some seriously bad reffing…indeed.
Some of us watched the whole game and saw all sorts of things that the ref missed like eye gouging players who should not have remained on the pitch. We saw Piri miss 4 penalties (another stupidly bad Henry move to pick a goal kicker with a stuffed ankle), we saw the ABs bomb a couple of tries.
Its all too late to complain, bit like the Suzie incident. Yes the ABs were lucky, but the ref ultimately, like in the quarter in Cardiff did not dictate the result. All up a very average French team played well above themselves and still managed to lose to a very beatable NZ team. Self inflicted wounds perhaps. I wont impugn Joubert or Barnes, their optometrists may bear some responsibility however.
I am curious Morrissey, did you want the ABs to lose?
Would’ve lost Key the elections.
Well that is a couple of very partisan gents would you not say?
Actually, it’s a couple of neutral commentators. They were, like anyone who watched the game in a fair-minded way, appalled by the referee’s refusal to do his job.
And they definitely dont appear to like the ABs do they?
Not true. They were critical of the referee’s failure to do his job. They acknowledged that the All Blacks cheated blatantly throughout the second half, but they did not blame them; they blamed the man who let them cheat.
All up a very average French team played well above themselves
Do you actually know anything about French rugby? The fact is that the Tricolors had not only played well BELOW their true ability, but in their first round games against NZ and Tonga, they didn’t even try to play. What you’ve written makes no sense—unless you’re trying to be condescending toward a team which has more talent to draw on than any other team in the world.
I wont impugn Joubert
Well, that’s a pity. I’m sure you actually have more integrity than that. If you continue to indulge Joubert’s outrageous non-performance, then you’re choosing to turn a blind eye to it.
or Barnes
And nor should you. There is no comparison between Barnes’ honest mistakes in 2007, and Joubert’s determined refusal to do his job in 2011.
I am curious Morrissey, did you want the ABs to lose?
No, of course not. I wanted to see a good game of football. Unfortunately, the referee (or more accurately, the non-referee) was determined to allow one team to kill the ball illegally and persistently.
Bloody hell Morrissey you are a belligerent bugger. Never ever wrong, can only see it your way. No one else could possibly be right or have their own opinion.
For that you get to play in my front row, your job is to question and badger the ref to death. My job as an aged flanker is to get away with whatever I can.
…you are a belligerent bugger.
“Belligerent?” Oh hell, I’ll accept that. But go easy on the “bugger” allegation, please.
Never ever wrong, can only see it your way.
Not so. I’m often wrong, and I am prepared to reconsider my opinions.
No one else could possibly be right or have their own opinion.
Not true. I accept people will disagree over many things. But facts are not like opinions. The fact is: Craig Joubert failed to do his job in the RWC final. There are many opinions about why he failed to do his job, and I am prepared to be convinced that it was due to a failure of nerve, and not due to corruption on his part.
But that will require some skilled advocacy. I’m sure you’re up to the job, though, my friend.
Goodo. We probably agree on the French. If they selected their best and played to their ability, ref or no ref we would have been dog tucker.
If they selected their best and played to their ability, ref or no ref we would have been dog tucker.
Well, possibly. But quite possibly we (New Zealand) would still have won. I am just disappointed that we never got the chance to really find out.
I bid you good night, Bored. You have worked hard today, and done exceedingly well.
Guys, I hope I am not being rude in saying this, but could you please not talk about rugby so much here? I think it’s going to be interesting, so i start to read, but … no… it’s just sport!
Sorry, Vicky…
Akismet is having some (presumed black friday) problems today. There have been some quite extensive timeouts on checking comments. But I think it may have been some network outages on the local networks around the NZ1 server for the last 30-40 minutes.
Just looking around it seems ok right now…
Hoping for a trifecta
So that’s a couple of the most lunatic rightwing bloggers out of the picture… who will be the third?
This is something we need to be aware is coming.
People bidding for casual work over the internet trademe/e-bay style but instead of the bids going up they go down. As the article points out, there are some downsides:-
Something that the government and other political parties need to think about and regulate. If it’s not regulated then we will see people being badly exploited and an explosion of poverty that makes the increase in poverty since neo-liberalism began seem small and insignificant with an accompanying increase of wealth by the few.
I can’t reply directly Morrissey, so I’ll say here “S’okay!” 😀