Open mike 14/09/2022

40 comments on “Open mike 14/09/2022 ”

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1. PsyclingLeft.Always 1

   14 September 2022 at 7:20 am

   Despite the negative slant against Jacinda Ardern ( at times on the Standard) she…..

   spending a day with the prime minister is a salient reminder that she by far and away remains the Labour Party’s strongest asset and the best — and the way things are going at the moment possibly the only — hope of it winning next year’s election.

   Ms Ardern had made an announcement about the Apprenticeship Boost programme, and she made a point of singling out apprentices working on the Naylor Love site.

   Given her job you would expect Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to know about many things, but she is still capable of springing a surprise.

   https://www.odt.co.nz/opinion/strengths-show-pm%E2%80%99s-visit-south

   For those Interested..please read the article. You might well agree, that Jacinda Ardern (apart from being generally awesome : ) is by far and away OUR Best chance of keeping the horror of a nact NZ..as a dystopian future… never to happen.
2. Jimmy 2

   14 September 2022 at 8:42 am

   Hope this is not my children's school.

   https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/300687340/auckland-school-hires-rapist-closely-related-to-principal
   • joe90 2.1

     14 September 2022 at 9:06 am

     Has he been convicted?
     • Belladonna 2.1.1

       14 September 2022 at 9:33 am

       It's difficult to say for certain from the article – but I would have thought so.
       Media are usually very careful to say 'accused of' when the case hasn't gone to trial – and the details of the victims have also been suppressed (which is usually the outcome of a court case resulting in conviction, rather than a case yet to be tried).

       In either case – there is no way that I would want someone either convicted or accused of serious sexual assault/rape – in association with my kids at school. There is no way this would happen for a teacher. And it shouldn't happen for a teacher aide either (TAs not infrequently work with small groups or individual children in isolation – to a much greater extent than teachers do – it's a pretty obvious grooming opportunity).

       The blatant nepotism is another factor – a 'close relative' of the principal. How comfortable do you think teachers and parents will be in raising any concerns over his behaviour?

       And, opens up a huge can of worms in the 'police vet' requirement. What happens if the police report lists an area of concern, but the school hires the person anyway? Parents are constantly reassured that police vetting is required in a whole raft of roles in contact with kids (schools, holiday programmes, sports coaches, scouts, etc.) – what's the point if the organization can just hire the dubious individual anyway?

       Schools and other organizations need to put in place a policy that a negative police report, means the person is not hired.

       I do wonder if this is the same individual who has recently been in the papers gaining a conviction of home-detention for his rape convictions of under-age girls. [I don't have any firm evidence for this, but some of the descriptions of the crime/s and the flavour of comments from the victims and their parents seem similar]
       • joe90 2.1.1.1

         14 September 2022 at 9:44 am

         Is a teacher aide position a core worker role?

         https://www.justice.govt.nz/justice-sector-policy/key-initiatives/cross-government/childrens-action-plan/#restrictions
         • Belladonna 2.1.1.1.1

           14 September 2022 at 12:27 pm

           No idea. They are, however, employees. Though not covered in pay or conditions by the same employment framework as teachers.
3. Poission 3

   14 September 2022 at 9:19 am

   US inflation print came in at 8.3% higher then market expectations,who have responded to correct their bad bets with Wall Street going south,interest rates north and US$ appreciating.

   NZ $ is in freefall now losing 2.5% overnight and at .5992.

   https://www.bls.gov/cpi/
   • Nic the NZer 3.1

     14 September 2022 at 12:52 pm

     Fark, if its going to tank our exchange rate so, couldn't we have requested the BLS surpress the figures?
   • Graeme 3.2

     14 September 2022 at 12:53 pm

     Farmers and tourism operators will be starting to smile, especially tourism.

     When the USD rate starts with a 5 the good times roll. We become good value for inbound visitors, especially if they are spending USD, and domestic travellers start finding international travel a bit expensive. So we get a boost from both sides.

     Should help our rather sad trade balance a tad
     • Poission 3.2.1

       14 September 2022 at 1:20 pm

       Not so fast,Tech and Finance are moving to reduce headcounts in their Autumn cull,and peoples 401k reduce on market loss.
4. Belladonna 4

   14 September 2022 at 9:43 am

   Have just had to go out and do a small amount of shopping – supermarket and 3 other shops. Now, bearing in mind, that this is before 9am – so pretty early in the day with customers thin on the ground, perhaps a different snapshot from the busy middle-of-the-day crowd – but I was the only customer wearing a mask at any of them (I'm getting over the last remnants of a cold – so doing the socially responsible thing, and minimizing any spread of viruses). Some staff were – but the majority weren't.

   This is in suburban Auckland.

   A big change from last week – where, at least at the supermarket, there was about 90% mask-wearing.
   • mauī 4.1

     15 September 2022 at 9:06 pm

     First thing I thought of upon seeing bare faces indoors again – oh that's right, this is what it means to be human.
     • Belladonna 4.1.1

       15 September 2022 at 9:21 pm

       Big weekly supermarket shop today – around 6pm – so fairly busy with all of the rest of the shop-on-the-way-home-from-work-crowd. Virtually no customers in masks (rough estimate 5%). A few staff wearing them (maybe 20%)

       Enormous cultural shift from pre-mandate removal.
5. logie97 5

   14 September 2022 at 10:47 am

   Dairy owners and cigarette sales.

   I have some sympathy for these small owner-operators who will apparently lose out in the event of sales of cigarettes falling/being prohibited. It is reality however.

   There are countless industries where large numbers of dedicated staff have been made redundant because their skills have been simply no longer required – coal miners/typists/banking and other jobs lost to the advances in technology or industries shut down.

   And look what happens to the high streets when the big warehouses and builders merchants move in. It's progress…
6. PsyclingLeft.Always 6

   14 September 2022 at 10:50 am

   Cyclist critical after alleged hit-and-run in Christchurch

   https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/cyclist-critical-after-alleged-hit-and-run-christchurch

   Fuck ! Yet another Cyclist very badly hurt (critical : ( , in ChCh. As in Dunedin… and many other Cities and Towns throughout NZ by vehicles.

   Way past time that NZ became like the enlightened Cycle Friendly countries of our Planet. Cycles are going to become very much MORE a means of transport in our future NZ

   I truly hope the Cyclist will be OK ….
7. observer 7

   14 September 2022 at 10:59 am

   New Zealand's Head of State had a problem with a leaky pen. Stuff have reported it, and opened up the story for comments. People are discussing it. There are opinions on both sides.

   This link is not to The Onion or The Civilian. It's the news.

   https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/royals/300687613/cant-bear-this-thing-king-charles-loses-cool-over-leaky-pen
   • roy cartland 7.1

     14 September 2022 at 11:17 am

     I saw that on The Independent. I was struck by how a leaky pen can be the worst thing in the world for some. Oh to have that privilege.
   • Anne 7.2

     14 September 2022 at 8:21 pm

     He has inherited his father's famous impatience. He's normal. He is under a lot of pressure at the moment and is grieving. Not to mention exhausted as well. Whatever one may feel about the monarchy we should give the man a break.
8. Poission 8

   14 September 2022 at 11:05 am

   NZ current account deficit narrowed slightly in the June 1/4,the Annual rate increased to 7.7 % of GDP,an increase of 16 billion in the last year.

   The annual current account deficit continued to widen. In the year ended 30 June 2022, the annual current account deficit was $27.8 billion (7.7 percent of gross domestic product (GDP)), $16.3 billion wider than in the year ended 30 June 2021 (3.4 percent of GDP).

   The largest annual current account deficit prior to the COVID pandemic was $14.7 billion in the December 2008 year during the global financial crisis (7.8 percent of GDP).

   https://www.stats.govt.nz/news/current-account-deficit-narrows-to-7-1-billion/

   In the next quarter it will rise significantly due to recent poor trade figures,higher interest rates will be sustained,time to reign in expenditure on debt drivers.
   • Sacha 8.1

     14 September 2022 at 1:58 pm

     Debt drivers like houses.
9. Sacha 9

   14 September 2022 at 11:46 am

   Workers win

   https://twitter.com/nealejones/status/1569820593859756033
   • Nic the NZer 9.1

     14 September 2022 at 12:49 pm

     Bomber penning his latest post as we speak, explaining Neale Jones only cares about Woke virtue signals and never working class issues like inflation adjusted pay rises.
     • Sacha 9.1.1

       14 September 2022 at 1:34 pm

       Colonel Trotter can add some classics references to the diatribe.
   • PsyclingLeft.Always 9.2

     14 September 2022 at 1:34 pm

     "It was very unfortunate that we had to fight so hard to get what was a fair and reasonable deal."

     https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/474734/kawerau-paper-mill-union-members-accept-pay-offer-ending-lockout

     "fair and reasonable deal"

     As ever….the Workers up against it. Fkn bad faith employers ! And…we know what it would be like if nact were ever near power again. The roll back would be of tsunami proportion.
10. Ad 10

    14 September 2022 at 1:24 pm

    Rest In Peace Ken Douglas.

    True warrior.
    • Sacha 10.1

      14 September 2022 at 1:56 pm

      https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/129879530/well-known-union-movement-giant-ken-douglas-dies

      Though it does not mention his role in NZ's unions rolling over for the neolibs in the 80s..
      • joe90 10.1.1

        14 September 2022 at 2:16 pm

        The 90's fiasco at around 50 minutes.

        https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/ken-douglas-traitor-or-visionary-2006
      • Stuart Munro 10.1.2

        14 September 2022 at 3:30 pm

        Now, is he the same guy that, asked for support by Polish unionists under Lec Wałęsa, declared support for the soviet-backed official union instead?
        • swordfish 10.1.2.1

          14 September 2022 at 4:09 pm

          .
          Some really mean-spirited replies here … the man's just died, his family is grieving … have some respect.

          Ken spent a great deal of his life fighting for the interests of working people in New Zealand, he was a leading figure in New Zealand industrial politics of the 70s & 80s … at the local level, he lived his politics by playing a central role in building the Titahi Bay community in which I grew up … in particular, a key figure in local rugby, golf, surf-lifesaving & rowing … and, of course, a local city councillor in later life.

          Can he be criticized for pro-Soviet sympathies in the 70s & a loss of nerve during the Douglas & (esp) Richardson years … of course … but now is not the time.

          He deserves to be honoured.

          But this, of course, is what happens when a sanctimonious, narcissistic middle-class slowly but surely captures the main organs of the Left … no real decency or genuine values, no gravitas. The usual petty, spiteful, holier-than-thou moral posturing. Pampered, affluent, sneering teenagers in adult bodies.
          • Sacha 10.1.2.1.1

            14 September 2022 at 5:28 pm

            That Queenie was such a nice lady.
            • Sacha 10.1.2.1.1.1

              14 September 2022 at 5:32 pm

              Also

              https://twitter.com/openculture/status/1569919633989435394
          • Stuart Munro 10.1.2.1.2

            14 September 2022 at 7:48 pm

            Respect must be earned – and the 70s was before my time.

            So what I know about Ken is old red misbehaviour – the Fed had voted to express support of Walesa.

            I preferred Skinner.
          • Anne 10.1.2.1.3

            14 September 2022 at 8:11 pm

            Agree with yours sentiments re – Ken Douglas swordfish @ 10.1.2.1.
            A no nonsense, genuine man who worked his guts out for working people. So what about his politics. A lot of good people were attracted to communist ideology in the 50s, 60s and 70s. They weren't evil subversives as claimed by the Yanks establishment propagandists… just a little misguided imo.
      • gsays 10.1.3

        14 September 2022 at 6:05 pm

        Any comment on those pollies in power that continue their 'efficient' neo liberal ways?
        • Sacha 10.1.3.1

          14 September 2022 at 6:15 pm

          Have made plenty
    • Visubversa 10.2

      14 September 2022 at 3:28 pm

      I was involved with APRO-ICFTU at the same time as Ken and can testify to the considerable regard in which he was held by the international Trade Union movement.
11. joe90 11

    14 September 2022 at 2:06 pm

    Why is everything as slippery AF in RU?

    Floors, windowsills in hospitals, and now, luxury vessels in Vladivostok.

    (CNN)Russian businessman Ivan Pechorin, the top manager for the Corporation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic, has been found dead in Vladivostok, the latest in a string of mysterious deaths among Russian executives.

    […]

    Pechorin is at least the ninth prominent Russian businessmen to have reportedly died by suicide or in unexplained accidents since late January, with six of them associated with Russia's two largest energy companies.

    Four of those six were linked to the Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom or one of its subsidiaries, while the other two were associated with Lukoil, Russia's largest privately owned oil and gas company.

    Earlier this year, the company took the unusual public stance of speaking out against Russia's war in Ukraine, calling for sympathy for the victims, and for the end of the conflict.

    https://edition.cnn.com/2022/09/13/business/ivan-pechorin-death-russia-intl/index.html
12. swordfish 12

    14 September 2022 at 3:10 pm

    RIP Ken Douglas.
13. Drowsy M. Kram 13

    14 September 2022 at 4:50 pm

    Recent (and not so recent) reports on the climate change front – just for interest.

    'Clairvoyant' 2012 climate report warned of extreme weather [13 Sept 2022]
    “The report was clairvoyant,” said report co-author Michael Oppenheimer, a Princeton University climate scientist. “The report was exactly what a climate report should do: Warn us about the future in time for us to adapt before the worst stuff happens. And the world proceeded to do what it usually does. Some people and governments listened, others didn’t. I think the sad lesson is the damage has to occur very close to home or else nobody pays attention now.”

    Labor overhauls Climate Change Authority to counter concerns of excessive business influence [13 Sept 2022]
    Albanese government appoints three women with environmental backgrounds to board
    The chair is Grant King, a former head of Origin Energy and president of the Business Council of Australia. The former Greens leader Christine Milne has called for King to be replaced by a climate scientist.

    World heading into ‘uncharted territory of destruction’, says climate report [13 Sept 2022]
    Governments and businesses failing to change fast enough, says United in Science report, as weather gets increasingly extreme
    Despite intensifying warnings in recent years, governments and businesses have not been changing fast enough, according to the United in Science report published on Tuesday. The consequences are already being seen in increasingly extreme weather around the world, and we are in danger of provoking “tipping points” in the climate system that will mean more rapid and in some cases irreversible shifts.
    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-crisis

    Inside the mind of a sceptic: the ‘mental gymnastics’ of climate change denial [13 Sept 2022]
    Our latest study of Australian sceptics focused on potentially more malleable factors – including the thought processes of people who reject climate science messaging. Our findings suggest some people reject consensus science and generate other explanations due to mistrust in climate science and uncritical faith in “alternative science”.

    Climate Change Is Making People Angrier Online [13 Sept 2022]
    Hate speech increases on social media when temperatures rise above 30°C (86F), new research says.
    Climate change is making us angrier online. A lot angrier.
    • PsyclingLeft.Always 13.1

      15 September 2022 at 8:06 am

      Hi DMK, as you..I..and nearly everyone who sees the clear and present danger of continuing our current downhill race towards the cliff edge, It feels, like you have variously linked, in your comment.

      WHY aren't "they" getting the urgency ? What will it take for "them" to?

      Anyway..in case you dont see it, I commented in Open Mike with some Links.

      And…….. …..

      https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-15-09-2022/#comment-1910602

      I felt my second link re NZ particularly vital.

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