I feel a lot more confident regarding our borders and MIQ facilities with Chris Hipkins being the lead. I think he is doing a good job and seems competent when fronting the media. David Clark really was useless in comparison to Hipkins and dropped the ball too often.
Probability would suggest we are almost guaranteed another outbreak, irrespective how many times the media prat on “how lucky are we” chippy Jacinda worship or not Lets hope the health sector is prepared this time
Based on NZ's COVID-19 health outcomes to date, is it really the case that "David Clark really was useless", and that the preparation of our health sector was poor?
Goodness gracious, if that's really is the case, then the UK Secretary of State for Health and Social Care must be considerably worse than useless, and there can be no words to describe the (lack of) preparedness of the UK health sector.
The reality is that the team of nearly five million (with some exceptional leadership and a little bit of luck) did a spectacular job of eliminating COVID-19 (stamp it out), and that MIQ staff have done an amazing job to protect the general population (keep it out) while facilitatating international travel. In the first two weeks of 2021, 5,735 people arrived in NZ, and 6,771 people left.
Life goes on, and it seems there are still some who don't know how lucky we are to live in this country. Yes, I know it’s not all roses, but there’s truly no place I’d rather be at the moment.
And you call that facilitating international air travel?
In the first 2 weeks of 2020 there were about 25,000 people per day going each way by air in and out of New Zealand. Thus we now have roughly 1 person travelling for every 60 we had at the same time last year. Those numbers are taken from the same link that you provided.
Just for comparison I have looked at what the figures would be for each Interislander trip between Wellington and Picton if we reduced the traffic volumes in the same way.
Each ferry would carry 3 passengers. Three quarters of the ferry would carry a car. 1 in five ferries would carry a rail wagon and 1 in every 14 would carry a truck.
Yes, I do call that facilitating the arrival of 5,735 people into NZ in the first two weeks of January 2021 during a steadily worsening global pandemic, including the evolution of more infectious strains.
Alwyn, would you prefer more arrivals (bags not from the US or UK), and if so, where do you suggest we put 'em – all round to yours?
The UK health bloke may be useless, I honestly don't know. But remember we had significant advantages due to our isolation and time on our side to get prepared. Heathrow I believe has around 80 million people go through it a year, that's around 220,000 per day! And don't forget Gatwick (46m) and Manchester (28m) airports. (Auckland airport a mere 20 million per year so only around 1/7th of the quantity). Just imagine the numbers carrying covid in to England in the early days.
I agree I would much rather be in NZ than anywhere else though as we have done a much better job than the UK.
Because it's impossible to reject an international flight plan?
We spent the first six months of the pandemic with people warning us our economy would collapse if we stopped international tourism and had a lockdown.
turns out we just bit the bullet and took the medecine early, and saved ourselves a lot of disease and economic hardship.
Yep in principal on the approach, not so much the spin and politics of it all , the team of 5m thing ( vomit inducing) , canonisation of certain individuals, smugness of nz in contrasting other countries without realising how much advantage we have to most other nations, releasing not so complementary reports on health sector performance very late and after the election, attempts to make this a left and right issue Apart from that on board
Red, what makes you think that there's a (general?) lack of realisation of the advantages (e.g. remote island, delayed risk of exposure, small well-educated population, competent leaders and dedicated public health workers focussed on protecting the health of citizens) that NZ has wrt this global pandemic?
IMHO "the team of 5m thing" that you find so nauseating was a masterstoke, both politically and as a subtle modifier of behaviour.
Like it or not, we're all (right and left) in this together – COVID's quite the leveller
I’m glad to hear that despite your visceral reaction and many reservations, you’re one of us and that’s all that matters in this pandemic; all the other stuff is just a distracting sideshow. This doesn’t mean stop criticising the authorities, including experts, as long as it is done with a positive outcome in mind. Often, we react to a particular message because of the messenger and/or the tone used but then we forget/ignore the message, which is lost in the noise in our brain. When people stop listening and start reacting instead, the connection is lost. Once the connection is gone, the cohesion will weaken, and before we know it, we are (back to being) a bunch of five million individuals mimicking Brownian motion.
"You know, the ‘team of five million’; are you one of us?"
"I’m glad to hear that despite your visceral reaction and many reservations, you’re one of us".
My, my. That sounds dreadfully like the mad orange man talking to the group of Congresswoman who disagreed with him. You remember them I assume?
Trump of course, completely ignoring the fact that most of them had been born in the USA, ranted that
"So interesting to see 'Progressive' Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments … … … … now loudly and viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run."
and "Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came"..
Are you going to tell people who think, and god forbid say, that the Government really hasn't done very well at all should leave the country? It does sound a bit like that you know when you start sorting the population into "them" and "us".
The number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 infections has just topped the 2,000,000 mark.
Wouldn't dream of saying "people who think, and god forbid say, that the Government really hasn't done very well at allshould leave the country" – how bizarre.
As to whether or not the NZ Government has done a good, bad or indifferent job of handling the COVID-19 pandemic so far, well we're all 'entitled' to our opinions.
The question is, can you be a team player while holding our Government to account? That's behaviour I could admire.
The comment that you actually replied to provides the context. Despite that, you seem to jump to all sorts of weird and wonderful fiction. You really do crack me up, at times 😀
I take it from your bizarre rant, which is over-saturated with false equivalences AKA strawmen and pig-fucker statements, that you don’t see yourself as an integral part of NZ society AKA ‘the team of five million’. That’s ok with me, as long as you don’t create an unsafe situation for us New Zealanders who wish to do their bit ensuring that we’re all staying safe and well.
—from HECTOR STOOP in Beirut, for Daisycutter Sports, Jan. 15, 2021
Syria to send military and financial support to America's 'moderate rebels', to help them fight for democracy in their country. Afghanistan and Iraq to assist by flying in peacekeeping forces which will set up long-term bases in key American flashpoints.
I have twice tried to reply with something funny, something along the lines of asking whether they had set up a Give-a-little page.
Fear of upsetting those that see US democracy as paramount or at least more important than Venezuela,Vietnam, Honduras etc or being quickly labelled a white supremacist apologist has put me off.
Red, the health sector is overdue for some recognition and appreciation of the mammoth organisational task they have undertaken in the last 10-11 months. It's been learning as they go in so many ways, with the last pandemic 100 years ago, before mass travel worldwide was ever thought of or undertaken. Mistakes made, but quickly rectified. Staff being redeployed to new roles, endless behind the scenes issues to deal with. Mind boggling. And Dr Bloomfield's role has been appreciated widely.
A relative has a friend returned to NZ after many years in the US (and we all know the chaos there). He went to the Cinderella pantomime in Wellington recently. Fun references were made throughout about Dr Bloomfield. At the same performance Dr Bloomfield was in the audience and this friend said he wanted to go up and hug Dr Bloomfield. Heartwarming anecdote.
Everyone wants to hug Bloomfield. He has done an amazing job under extreme pressure. Hopefully he has a lot more support now with Hipkins than he did when Clark was minister of health. As per my above comment at 1.0, Hipkins is doing a good job too, but Ashley will be the crowd favourite.
I don’t want to hug Dr Bloomfield, I prefer social distancing. He’s a good leader of a good team and fortunately his political bosses have let him get on with his job without getting in the way and interfering.
If only I knew what you’re rambling on about, I could try parse your comment. As it is, it reads like something you hear at 1 am in the pub from somebody who’s had a few too many. Maybe best to call it a night, eh?
Your friend is obviously a sensitive soul, good on her but at the end of the day just an emotional response, has no real relevance to facts If Dr Bloomfield was not so geeky nerdish loveable type but an alpha and get out of my way male, get the job done, bugger if people like me or not etc would her response have been the same even if this person had done a better job, ie no second lock down etc
The Alpha Male is, evidently, a myth – which being so, that divisive stereotype need no longer be paraded as a model of leadership, but assessed on its merits, if any. In situations demanding conflict it may suffice, but for generating compliance there are better approaches.
I see OZ MP Dr Fiona martin weighing into her colleagues (George Christensen & Craig Kelly) over "…a duty to our nation to follow the evidence and facts."
Nada from scotty in marketing or any of his murdoch backed party to pull them into line….no surprises there.
I'm sure the DHB criteria for low cost contraception started out well intended. Now it's come down to this.
Surely other ethnic backgrounds have a need for low cost contraception too. The easy way around this is to make sure you tick Maori/Polynesian on any healthcare form.
In news surprising to nobody with pattern-recognition skills equal or better than a housefly, Don of the Deadbrains is stiffing Oozi Ghouliani. Yep, not paying fees.
But Oozi is still trying hard. In an explanation right up there with 'just tucking his shirt in', he sez he wasn't inciting violence with his "trial by combat" remarks. No sirree, that was just an innocent Game of Thrones reference.
The only info I have is the transcription in the tweet, so no way of knowing. However, when he said "trial by combat", his hands were below the lectern so it's entirely possible he was tucking his shirt in at that moment.
This struck me as a peculiar sentence for the offence described. Surely there should be assault charges for presenting a weapon during an argument, not simple possession? And yes, the socks had pool balls in them, but their possession seems insignificant beside the sawnoff pistol. Especially since they apperently stayed in the car while the gun was actually pointed at people.
…19 months’ jail for possessing the firearms, 12 months for possession of an offensive weapon (socks), and three months for possession of cannabis. All terms were concurrent.
I was thinking that it was in place of possession of an unbrandished kitchen knife. Certainly closer to my idea of a functional weapon. Also why wasn't the white powder residue analysed?
But I guess that the assault conviction would look bad at the pending domestic violence case. Impressive work from whomever the lawyer was!
Why it is good to get information straight from experts.
But first I wish to issue an expletive about this journalism (First in Australia and then in NZ). It exhibits utter failure to actually truly consult the experts, other than a passing token quote. I call false journalistic balance.
How good is the AstraZeneca vaccine looking? Look at the data, not news headlines
Tesla is an oddity in the business landscape. The company’s stock is so stratospheric that Elon Musk has surpassed Jeff Bezos as the world’s richest person. Now, we have another mind-blowing metric. At Tesla’s current price-to-earnings ratio, it would take the company almost 1,600 years to make what the stock market says it’s worth.
The New Statesman put up a startling comparison. In 2020, Tesla delivered 499,550 vehicles. Yet, its market capitalization shot up to $750 billion dollars. Comparatively, General Motors delivered 2.5 million vehicles in the same year, yet its market value is only $62 billion. Tesla’s price-to-earnings ratio — a comparison of current share price to earnings per share — is roughly 128X (the industry average is 15X), according to Zacks Investment Research. Based on that ratio, it would take Tesla 1,600 years to make the kind of money the stock market says it’s worth.
[…]
Musk’s tweets can also result in big changes in Tesla’s stock price. In a single tweet he erased $14 billion dollars in Tesla’s market value.
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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. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
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 ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor in Honiara Solomon Islands’ incumbent prime minister Manasseh Sogavare has been re-elected in the East Choiseul constituency. It is the opening move in the political chess match to form the country’s next government. Returning officer Christopher Makoni made the declaration late last night after ...
Headline: The moment of friction. – 36th Parallel Assessments In strategic studies “friction” is a term that it is used to describe the moment when military action encounters adversary resistance. “Friction” is one of four (along with an unofficial fifth) “F’s” in military strategy, which includes force (kinetic mass), ...
The Fast-track Bill, if passed, would allow three Ministers, unchallenged and unchecked, to approve the immediate extraction and exhaustion of one-off resources. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne iamharin/Shutterstock For many people, the term “bulk billed” refers to a GP visit they don’t have to pay ...
Emmas Hislop, Sidnam and Wehipeihana discuss what’s in a name. Emma Sidnam: Hello Emmas! Thank you so much for agreeing to do this with me. My first question for you is related to what’s been on my mind for a while. It’s very important. You see we’ve recently had some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Sievers, Research Fellow, Global Wetlands Project, Australia Rivers Institute, Griffith University Chris Brown Humans love the coast. But we love it to death, so much so we’ve destroyed valuable coastal habitat – in the case of some types of habitat, ...
Josh Thomson on the 80s milk ad jingle he can’t stop singing, the beauty of The Simpsons, why Jersey Shore is as good as Shakespeare and more. For someone who spends a lot of time on our screens, popping up in everything from 7 Days to Taskmaster, Educators to Good ...
In apparent defiance of the Biden administration, the Netanyahu government has now initiated missile strikes against Iran. Last Saturday night (Sunday morning in New Zealand) Iran launched more than 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles against Israeli military targets. With the assistance of US, UK and possibly French forces, ...
Māori representation brings a perspective that encompasses not only the interests of Māori communities but also a broader, holistic approach to environmental stewardship and community well-being, principles deeply embedded in Te Ao Māori (the Māori ...
This week in Auckland, a group of young people took over the microphone at a ministerial press conference, to explain why they oppose the Fast-Track Approvals Bill. One young woman said, ‘We’re here because we love Aotearoa New Zealand. We want to raise our children in an environment that’s thriving, ...
The summer was wonderful. Evie was wonderful, too; finally a teenager, finally worthy of long, hot days. She shaved her legs for the first time and bought cut-off shorts from the op-shop that made them look long. She got a Warehouse singlet so tight on her new shape that her ...
When Thomas James was on his solo camp as part of Outward Bound, the keen outdoorsman didn’t find it too challenging, as others often do. In what might just be the perfect illustration of his character, he saw it as a great opportunity to solve a few problems. “I thought, ...
From the unstable and drippy to the hi-tech and pretty, here’s our ranking of all the tunnels you can drive through in this country. The first tunnel seems to have been built in 2200BC in Babylonia, kicking off a global phenomenon for digging holes in order to get places more ...
Lucinda Bennett on the art of being greedy but resourceful. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. When I picture the market, it is always this time of year. Crisp air, dripping nose, counting coins with cold fingers. Sunlight pale, filtered through specks of dew still ...
Zoë Colling’s favourite piece in the ‘That’s So Last Century’ collection is a lubrication chart for a sewing machine from the ’60s. It’s about the size of a postcard, and carefully maintained. “I like it that this piece of ephemera highlights that manual and technical side of the skill involved ...
Kia Ora Gaza A passionate haka reverberated through Auckland International Airport as a medical team of three New Zealand doctors received an emotional farewell from a big crowd of supporters before flying to Turkey to join the international Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The doctors, who left Auckland yesterday, hope to ...
With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...
Our response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...
The new ‘Fast-track Approvals Bill’ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...
COMMENTARY:By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister — the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory — gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Before climate change really got going, eastern Australia’s flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But that’s changing. Now ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum “re-imagined” itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, School of Allied Heath, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, La Trobe University This week, Collingwood AFL player Nathan Murphy announced his retirement, brought on by his concussion history and ongoing issues. The 24-year-old’s seemingly sudden retirement, ...
The Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so it’s wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Daniel Boud/Sydney Theatre Company Decay, terror, revulsion. These are three of the central themes of Thomas Bernhard’s rarely performed play The President. The Austrian is one of the greatest ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ye In (Jane) Hwang, Postdoctoral Research Associate at School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock You’d be hard pressed to find any aspect of daily life that doesn’t require some form of digital literacy. We need only to look back ten ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Edith Cowan University Pexels/RDNE stock project You’re not in your 20s or 30s anymore and you know regular health checks are important. So you go to your GP. During the appointment they measure your waist. ...
A new poem by Evangeline Riddiford Graham. Mitochondrial Problem I. It was long drive to Kansas for the man and his dog but you have to understand he said She doesn’t fly. Which calls to mind not carsick shitting barking or whining but a dog who chooses not to as ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)Hot off the press, this debut ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...
Chief executive Shaun Robinson said it has not had any government funding cut, but government-funded contracts have not kept pace with rising costs. ...
The Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans people’s self-determination and agency. The ...
Barcelona’s city streets have gone from traffic-clogged to pedestrian-friendly. How? Superblocks. Ellen Rykers explains. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week I read a great interview with renowned urbanist Janette Sadik-Khan by The Spinoff’s Wellington editor Joel MacManus: “You can reimagine streets, ...
Student groups ‘Climate Action VUW’, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Government’s ‘War on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, Research Fellow, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity has grown exponentially – and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendon Hyndman, Associate Professor of Education (Adjunct) & Senior Manager (BCE), Charles Sturt University During COVID almost all Australian students and their families experienced online learning. But while schools have long since gone back to in-person teaching, online learning has not gone ...
Yes, they’re better for the environment. No, that’s not a good enough reason for me to use them. Once every 26 days or so, my period arrives, and if struck by an act of God, I am caught red-crotched without products. How, after 17 years of this, do I still ...
“It will cause significant harm to our environment and communities. It is completely at odds with New Zealanders’ relationship with nature and our need for a low-carbon, sustainable economic future." ...
The Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has warned a Parliamentary Select Committee that fast-tracking legislation is a perilous practice that undermines the core tenets of democracy, transparency, and accountability. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Tenbensel, Associate Professor, Health Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Since coming into power, the coalition government has adopted a simple but shrewd see-how-fast-we-can-move political strategy. However, in the health sector this need for speed entails ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Hronis, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney Darya Sannikova/Pexels Whether you’re watching TV, attending a footy game, or eating a meal at your local pub, gambling is hard to escape. Although the rise of gambling is not unique to Australia, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Wong, Forrest Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia Have you ever wondered if there are more insects out at night than during the day? We set out to answer this question by combing through the scientific ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carol T Kulik, Research Professor, University of South Australia IR Stone/Shutterstock In Australia, it’s not the done thing to know – let alone ask – what our colleagues are paid. Yet, it’s easy to see how pay transparency can make pay ...
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is sounding a warning to migrants, that running foul of the law may see them leaving the country prematurely. ...
The government’s plan to get 50,000 people off jobseeker support by 2030 has had a rocky start, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Beneficiary numbers are up – and so are ...
Raglan Roast is a staple of Wellington coffee culture. But with five branches across the capital, which one is the best? I am a die-hard Raglan Roast fan. It’s consistently the most affordable cafe in Wellington, and one of the only places you can get a coffee after 3pm. So, ...
Residents of University of Auckland halls are being urged to withhold their accommodation fees from May 1, in a bid to force the university to take student concerns over rent hikes seriously.The University of Auckland is facing a strike from students over the cost of on-campus accommodation. The Students ...
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Opinion: With maths understanding at 42 percent for Year 8 students, there’s no doubt something has to be done. But how? The post Financial literacy should be on all of us appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Hineaupounamu ‘Missy’ Nuku has been scaling mountains in Canada for her college basketball team, the Lakeland Rustlers. Alberta is currently home for the 20-year-old point guard, who is in her first year of a scholarship at Lakeland College, where she is studying for a business degree. She has certainly made ...
I feel a lot more confident regarding our borders and MIQ facilities with Chris Hipkins being the lead. I think he is doing a good job and seems competent when fronting the media. David Clark really was useless in comparison to Hipkins and dropped the ball too often.
Yeah, Chippy is brilliant in Level 4 lockdown, isn’t he? Clark never handled the Ministerial Portfolio of Covid-19 Response well, did he?
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/portfolio/labour-2020-2023/covid-19-response
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/why-the-covid-19-response-minister-matters
Probability would suggest we are almost guaranteed another outbreak, irrespective how many times the media prat on “how lucky are we” chippy Jacinda worship or not Lets hope the health sector is prepared this time
Based on NZ's COVID-19 health outcomes to date, is it really the case that "David Clark really was useless", and that the preparation of our health sector was poor?
Goodness gracious, if that's really is the case, then the UK Secretary of State for Health and Social Care must be considerably worse than useless, and there can be no words to describe the (lack of) preparedness of the UK health sector.
The reality is that the team of nearly five million (with some exceptional leadership and a little bit of luck) did a spectacular job of eliminating COVID-19 (stamp it out), and that MIQ staff have done an amazing job to protect the general population (keep it out) while facilitatating international travel. In the first two weeks of 2021, 5,735 people arrived in NZ, and 6,771 people left.
Life goes on, and it seems there are still some who don't know how lucky we are to live in this country. Yes, I know it’s not all roses, but there’s truly no place I’d rather be at the moment.
It's certainly good advice to be prepared for the next incursion of COVID into the general population. Visit https://covid19.govt.nz/health-and-wellbeing/
Protect yourself and others from COVID-19
" In the first two weeks of 2021, 5,735 people arrived in NZ, and 6,771 people left.".
And you call that facilitating international air travel?
In the first 2 weeks of 2020 there were about 25,000 people per day going each way by air in and out of New Zealand. Thus we now have roughly 1 person travelling for every 60 we had at the same time last year. Those numbers are taken from the same link that you provided.
Just for comparison I have looked at what the figures would be for each Interislander trip between Wellington and Picton if we reduced the traffic volumes in the same way.
Each ferry would carry 3 passengers. Three quarters of the ferry would carry a car. 1 in five ferries would carry a rail wagon and 1 in every 14 would carry a truck.
https://www.greatjourneysofnz.co.nz/blog/history-of-the-nz-interislander-nz-ferry/#:~:text=Fun%20facts%20about%20the%20Interislander%20Ferry&text=Between%20our%20three%20ferries%2C%20we,21%2C000%20trucks%20and%20210%2C000%20cars.
I would call that isolated. I certainly wouldn't say that travel had been facilitated.
Yes, I do call that facilitating the arrival of 5,735 people into NZ in the first two weeks of January 2021 during a steadily worsening global pandemic, including the evolution of more infectious strains.
Alwyn, would you prefer more arrivals (bags not from the US or UK), and if so, where do you suggest we put 'em – all round to yours?
Our international arrivals are twice that of Australia.
https://www.tourism.australia.com/en/markets-and-stats/tourism-statistics/international-market-performance.html
The UK health bloke may be useless, I honestly don't know. But remember we had significant advantages due to our isolation and time on our side to get prepared. Heathrow I believe has around 80 million people go through it a year, that's around 220,000 per day! And don't forget Gatwick (46m) and Manchester (28m) airports. (Auckland airport a mere 20 million per year so only around 1/7th of the quantity). Just imagine the numbers carrying covid in to England in the early days.
I agree I would much rather be in NZ than anywhere else though as we have done a much better job than the UK.
Because it's impossible to reject an international flight plan?
We spent the first six months of the pandemic with people warning us our economy would collapse if we stopped international tourism and had a lockdown.
turns out we just bit the bullet and took the medecine early, and saved ourselves a lot of disease and economic hardship.
Let’s hope the NZ population is prepared this time. You know, the ‘team of five million’; are you one of us?
Yep in principal on the approach, not so much the spin and politics of it all , the team of 5m thing ( vomit inducing) , canonisation of certain individuals, smugness of nz in contrasting other countries without realising how much advantage we have to most other nations, releasing not so complementary reports on health sector performance very late and after the election, attempts to make this a left and right issue Apart from that on board
Red, what makes you think that there's a (general?) lack of realisation of the advantages (e.g. remote island, delayed risk of exposure, small well-educated population, competent leaders and dedicated public health workers focussed on protecting the health of citizens) that NZ has wrt this global pandemic?
IMHO "the team of 5m thing" that you find so nauseating was a masterstoke, both politically and as a subtle modifier of behaviour.
Like it or not, we're all (right and left) in this together – COVID's quite the leveller
I’m glad to hear that despite your visceral reaction and many reservations, you’re one of us and that’s all that matters in this pandemic; all the other stuff is just a distracting sideshow. This doesn’t mean stop criticising the authorities, including experts, as long as it is done with a positive outcome in mind. Often, we react to a particular message because of the messenger and/or the tone used but then we forget/ignore the message, which is lost in the noise in our brain. When people stop listening and start reacting instead, the connection is lost. Once the connection is gone, the cohesion will weaken, and before we know it, we are (back to being) a bunch of five million individuals mimicking Brownian motion.
"You know, the ‘team of five million’; are you one of us?"
"I’m glad to hear that despite your visceral reaction and many reservations, you’re one of us".
My, my. That sounds dreadfully like the mad orange man talking to the group of Congresswoman who disagreed with him. You remember them I assume?
Trump of course, completely ignoring the fact that most of them had been born in the USA, ranted that
"So interesting to see 'Progressive' Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments … … … … now loudly and viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run."
and "Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came"..
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/07/14/trump-tells-congresswomen-go-back-counties-they-came/1728253001/
Are you going to tell people who think, and god forbid say, that the Government really hasn't done very well at all should leave the country? It does sound a bit like that you know when you start sorting the population into "them" and "us".
The number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 infections has just topped the 2,000,000 mark.
Wouldn't dream of saying "people who think, and god forbid say, that the Government really hasn't done very well at all should leave the country" – how bizarre.
As to whether or not the NZ Government has done a good, bad or indifferent job of handling the COVID-19 pandemic so far, well we're all 'entitled' to our opinions.
The question is, can you be a team player while holding our Government to account? That's behaviour I could admire.
The comment that you actually replied to provides the context. Despite that, you seem to jump to all sorts of weird and wonderful fiction. You really do crack me up, at times 😀
I take it from your bizarre rant, which is over-saturated with false equivalences AKA strawmen and pig-fucker statements, that you don’t see yourself as an integral part of NZ society AKA ‘the team of five million’. That’s ok with me, as long as you don’t create an unsafe situation for us New Zealanders who wish to do their bit ensuring that we’re all staying safe and well.
Breaking News
—from HECTOR STOOP in Beirut, for Daisycutter Sports, Jan. 15, 2021
Syria to send military and financial support to America's 'moderate rebels', to help them fight for democracy in their country. Afghanistan and Iraq to assist by flying in peacekeeping forces which will set up long-term bases in key American flashpoints.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ErqqLP8WMAItCze?format=jpg&name=small
I have twice tried to reply with something funny, something along the lines of asking whether they had set up a Give-a-little page.
Fear of upsetting those that see US democracy as paramount or at least more important than Venezuela,Vietnam, Honduras etc or being quickly labelled a white supremacist apologist has put me off.
A good nights sleep has emboldened me.
Red, the health sector is overdue for some recognition and appreciation of the mammoth organisational task they have undertaken in the last 10-11 months. It's been learning as they go in so many ways, with the last pandemic 100 years ago, before mass travel worldwide was ever thought of or undertaken. Mistakes made, but quickly rectified. Staff being redeployed to new roles, endless behind the scenes issues to deal with. Mind boggling. And Dr Bloomfield's role has been appreciated widely.
A relative has a friend returned to NZ after many years in the US (and we all know the chaos there). He went to the Cinderella pantomime in Wellington recently. Fun references were made throughout about Dr Bloomfield. At the same performance Dr Bloomfield was in the audience and this friend said he wanted to go up and hug Dr Bloomfield. Heartwarming anecdote.
Everyone wants to hug Bloomfield. He has done an amazing job under extreme pressure. Hopefully he has a lot more support now with Hipkins than he did when Clark was minister of health. As per my above comment at 1.0, Hipkins is doing a good job too, but Ashley will be the crowd favourite.
I don’t want to hug Dr Bloomfield, I prefer social distancing. He’s a good leader of a good team and fortunately his political bosses have let him get on with his job without getting in the way and interfering.
one could assume Bloomfield read that report…when it was first presented..
how can he not deny accusations he took part in covering up that report..?
so about the most charitable view of that..
is that he was at the behest of his political masters..
'cos if he were independent..there for the people..he would have demanded action/disclosure..way back then..
but he didn't..did he…?
so no…I don’t wanna hug him..
I want him to tell us why..?
If only I knew what you’re rambling on about, I could try parse your comment. As it is, it reads like something you hear at 1 am in the pub from somebody who’s had a few too many. Maybe best to call it a night, eh?
what don't you understand about that Bloomfield query…?
he knew…he covered up…
(hardly a quantum mechanics equation .is it..?..
quite simple really..)
What did Bloomfield "cover up"?
the report showing the failures @ the border…
that was presented to the govt in September..
that the govt sat on untill post-election/the last possible day to release..
all the while campaigning on their brilliance @ doing..what the report showed they weren't doing that well..
but nothing to see there…eh..?
and if national did that…you would be aok with that..?
I don't think so. .somehow..
Links are wonderful things, dude.
Please provide evidence to back up your assertion that AB covered up "the report showing the failures @ the border…"
Evidence needs to be a link along with a brief cut and paste of the pertinent point, and a brief explanation if needed.
Count this as a moderator request.
link not needed..it is common sense..
the report was about what he was running…
so of course he saw it..
and he said nothing…
and no..there is no link to Bloomfield saying 'i covered it up'..
that is the conclusion I have come to..
this is my opinion..perhaps one not yet voiced by anyone else
and the direct link to my brain is still a work in progress.
I'll let you know when it is up and running…
The Uncertainty Principle most definitely applies to your comment, which states that the more often one reads your comment, the less sense it makes.
Thanks for that Incognito – I was starting to think that Phillip has been indulging in one two many orifice plucks
Your friend is obviously a sensitive soul, good on her but at the end of the day just an emotional response, has no real relevance to facts If Dr Bloomfield was not so geeky nerdish loveable type but an alpha and get out of my way male, get the job done, bugger if people like me or not etc would her response have been the same even if this person had done a better job, ie no second lock down etc
Subconscious sexism 😉
Won't someone please think of the 'alphas'
they could all go and cluster around that billy te kaha..(another alpha male..)
The Alpha Male is, evidently, a myth – which being so, that divisive stereotype need no longer be paraded as a model of leadership, but assessed on its merits, if any. In situations demanding conflict it may suffice, but for generating compliance there are better approaches.
The research is here.
I see OZ MP Dr Fiona martin weighing into her colleagues (George Christensen & Craig Kelly) over "…a duty to our nation to follow the evidence and facts."
Nada from scotty in marketing or any of his murdoch backed party to pull them into line….no surprises there.
Link?
I'm sure the DHB criteria for low cost contraception started out well intended. Now it's come down to this.
Surely other ethnic backgrounds have a need for low cost contraception too. The easy way around this is to make sure you tick Maori/Polynesian on any healthcare form.
In news surprising to nobody with pattern-recognition skills equal or better than a housefly, Don of the Deadbrains is stiffing Oozi Ghouliani. Yep, not paying fees.
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/14/politics/donald-trump-rudy-giuliani-impeachment/index.html
But Oozi is still trying hard. In an explanation right up there with 'just tucking his shirt in', he sez he wasn't inciting violence with his "trial by combat" remarks. No sirree, that was just an innocent Game of Thrones reference.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/rudy-giuliani-trial-by-combat-game-of-thrones_n_600076b2c5b6ffcab9627499
Did he have hair dye running down his face when he said that about GoT?
The only info I have is the transcription in the tweet, so no way of knowing. However, when he said "trial by combat", his hands were below the lectern so it's entirely possible he was tucking his shirt in at that moment.
This struck me as a peculiar sentence for the offence described. Surely there should be assault charges for presenting a weapon during an argument, not simple possession? And yes, the socks had pool balls in them, but their possession seems insignificant beside the sawnoff pistol. Especially since they apperently stayed in the car while the gun was actually pointed at people.
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/crime/road-rage-gun-pointed-father-and-child-nazi-salute-shouted
maybe pled it out on the lesser charges rather than a defended hearing for assault?
I was thinking that it was in place of possession of an unbrandished kitchen knife. Certainly closer to my idea of a functional weapon. Also why wasn't the white powder residue analysed?
But I guess that the assault conviction would look bad at the pending domestic violence case. Impressive work from whomever the lawyer was!
ya hafta give a nod to that 'matinee idle' show on rnz..
it is really good fucken radio..
a shame it ends today ..
programming-idea:
rnz could open one of those unused frequencies they have..
and as part of their programming.. give these guys a drive show..
it would be a ratings winner..
and would also be really good bloody radio..
and the perfect salve for the end of the working day..for many..
o bugga. I forgot again.
Damn. It is the only thing I listen to (when I remember) ont Natrad these days. Plus Kim of course.
On the beer belly putsch.
https://twitter.com/RadioFreeTom/status/1349868097914740737
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1349868097914740737.html
wow. That might be one of the best things I have read on that whole sorry mess.
Dude's a life long repug, too.
https://twitter.com/RadioFreeTom/status/1349547655937064961
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1349547655937064961.html
Why it is good to get information straight from experts.
How good is the AstraZeneca vaccine looking? Look at the data, not news headlines
https://sciblogs.co.nz/diplomaticimmunity/2021/01/15/how-good-is-the-astrazeneca-vaccine-looking-look-at-the-data-not-news-headlines/
A thought-provoking article from Jess Berentson-Shaw who left Twitter last year.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/434117/we-need-social-media-systems-built-to-enhance-our-shared-humanity
Disclaimer: I am not on Twitter and never have been.
that was a good read too. It's where my thinking is at. Where are new models for internet engagement? Does it *have to be left to commerce?
The person who co-founded WhatsApp has created another messaging app, Signal, which relies on donations rather than advertisers for money.
I don’t know if this is viable long-term but Wikipedia is still around.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/300204609/why-whatsapps-new-privacy-rules-are-sparking-alarm
Signal in the news today
Signal messaging platform stops working as downloads surge
Endorsement influencer.
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1347165127036977153
https://twitter.com/afshineemrani/status/1350143189378744320
Collateral damage.
https://www.news.com.au/finance/markets/world-markets/elon-musk-tweet-sparks-investment-frenzy-in-wrong-company-called-signal/news-story/c2e798e5011353e5527638c4aa5ba49c
Or con.
Tesla is an oddity in the business landscape. The company’s stock is so stratospheric that Elon Musk has surpassed Jeff Bezos as the world’s richest person. Now, we have another mind-blowing metric. At Tesla’s current price-to-earnings ratio, it would take the company almost 1,600 years to make what the stock market says it’s worth.
The New Statesman put up a startling comparison. In 2020, Tesla delivered 499,550 vehicles. Yet, its market capitalization shot up to $750 billion dollars. Comparatively, General Motors delivered 2.5 million vehicles in the same year, yet its market value is only $62 billion. Tesla’s price-to-earnings ratio — a comparison of current share price to earnings per share — is roughly 128X (the industry average is 15X), according to Zacks Investment Research. Based on that ratio, it would take Tesla 1,600 years to make the kind of money the stock market says it’s worth.
[…]
Musk’s tweets can also result in big changes in Tesla’s stock price. In a single tweet he erased $14 billion dollars in Tesla’s market value.
https://jalopnik.com/tesla-would-take-nearly-1-600-years-to-make-the-amount-1846044574