Morning all. Not usually up this early, so might as well do a shout out to Otago Museum lol
Te Papa seems to have let it slide (I’m sure it has nothing to do with reports over the last year about how resident museum experts of international standing were restructured out of a job).
DoC didn’t do anything because it wasn’t sure the footprints were of DoC land.
Otago Museum snaffled the Moa footprints 🙂
'On July 30, 2003, a team of Spanish and French scientists reversed time. They brought an animal back from extinction, if only to watch it become extinct again. The animal they revived was a kind of wild goat known as a bucardo,or Pyrenean ibex. '
Doubt it, tui cultural memory doesn't seem that long. It only took a couple of years for the local tuis to lose the default Nokia text alert and replace it with the Samsung.
Perhaps the thousands of years tui and Moa spent in each others company created a deeper grove in the tui's memory than the blip of time the Nokia was around?
Perhaps, just as we have made great leaps in our computational abilities through computer technology, the birds too, are adopting the new languages and modes of thought through interfacing with some of that technology.
"Our's have recently learnt a to do delightful rendition of an F&P washing machine start up."
Quite believe that Joe This is a short clip of the Lyrebird. It not only mimics other birds but also things like camera shutter releases and car alarms.
Na it would have been simple arrogance . How could a mere tractor driver know what hes on about . Every time ive dealt with doc thats the attitude ive meet.
you must admit simple tractor drivers have contributed to the loss of much and every farmer has their collection of historical taonga sitting in the cabinet along with the ivory carvings from Asia, or hidden in a box because they are scared. How many sites have been just pretended not seen and bulldozed over. You know this is true.
YOU are generalising about DOC you thick wanker – don't have a go at me for learning ya. And you know farmers have dug up all sorts of shit and not handed it in. But keep your cheap bigoted bullshit shots coming daggy and we'll sort that too eh cos YOU are the ONLY one bringing Māori into it.
They come in two types . Solid people with an understanding of how the world works and jumped up prats who wouls curl up and cry if their gps broke down in the bush . I know which one you are.
As for digging stuff up . Never have dont know any one who has but keep making up fantasies about m if it gets you hot .
Don't think he signed his query "tractor driver" when he sent it to the general DOC site. There is likely to be a lag especially these days when dealing using a general public channel with any organisation, especially any under-resourced government organisation. Best to have a direct line to a real person in my experience.
You're welcome, Francesca. The follow up, if you were interested enough, would be to search out information on morphic resonance. It's pretty astounding stuff, in my opinion. Some molecular biologists share similar views on that topic, with some highly respected theologians.
Follow the hippies! Yes, there is the resurgence you describe, across the board, young and old and it's not surprising, given the co-creative ideas that are at the source of the things Sheldrake et al said. A rapidly approaching, plain as the nose on your face crisis is helping to sharpen everyone's focus. Despite the distractions, many people are looking now, in a more useful direction. There's a lot of talk about the heart 🙂
"I've noticed a real resurgence of these ideas among the young, in line with living a more simple honest life."
Your not alone. And let's just hope as they grow older, they can do it a little more gracefully. Even despite mid-life crises, let's hope it's not a case Harley Davidson's, neo-liberal ideology and children as possessions and as extensions their ego. Although I think we could probably accommodate a pony tail or two – it may be all John Key has to satisfy himself in his dotage.
Currently I'm surrounded by students that have just graduated from Vic Uni – quite smart cookies (arts students as it happens), having survived 3 or 4 years of slum-landlord living, and all too aware of what they're faced with, and what it is they going to have to deal with.
They might not be able to replace a fuse (they're RCD devices these days anyway), but they can sure as hell tell bullshit when they see it no matter how hard the political elite and its administrative wing try to spin it.
They know all too well what they're faced with. AND they're working out ways to deal with it
Indeed. Inside of a chrysalis the old caterpillar literally dissolves; all trace of it's old structure literally vanishes into a undifferentiated gloop. The metaphor with our human polity has been drawn by many.
The human race is passing through an equally dramatic transition and the eventual outcome will be a "new race of men". The good news is that I sense we are already well into the process, at least 150 years or more of unprecedented, accelerating change places us very close to the crux, the point of maximal disintegration just prior to the new becoming visible.
But the disintegration of the old world order is noisy and dangerous; like the collapse of the WTC towers it captures the attention and mesmerises; yet at the same time there is this organic 'imaginal' process underway, gathering the components needed for the new. This is where our energies need to be.
The parallel with how we might solve a 9 billion piece jigsaw puzzle lacking the finished image comes to mind; we sift almost at random, finding small clumps that fit together building on each of them slowly, even when the connection between all the various incomplete clumps is unclear or contradictory even.
The parallel with how we might solve a 9 billion piece jigsaw puzzle lacking the finished image comes to mind; we sift almost at random, finding small clumps that fit together building on each of them slowly, even when the connection between all the various incomplete clumps is unclear or contradictory even.
The transformation of our general attitude towards people of Muslim origin since the ChCh massacre [in NZ and Australia in particular] is indicative of the process you have described.
Cripes RL. There aren't that many types of men – a change will be back to one of the older types, but with such obeisance to the acceptance of new machinery and technology and precision and efficiency, that anything natural and human will result in dissatisfaction and be described as historic, old system, last century and other epithets.
This is not my imagination; it can be seen now. People wearing grey and black, buildings and houses painted brown, beige and charcoal; the colours of the interiors of film sets about space travel. The withdrawal of persons as staff making decisions affecting people's lives as in ACC.
Imaginative, feeling people with kindly impulses. Not to be trusted to keep to the rules. That is more likely to form the basis of the new race of men; just like any authoritarian regime with bigger tech devices and bugger the peeps.
Yes, "People wearing grey and black, buildings and houses painted brown, beige and charcoal; "
Thats been bothering me for some while. To get grey all the colours are mixed together. Lost colour, lost diversity and difference, lost imagination, lost independence, lost freedoms, lost soul…
RedLogix – I don't think we are "sifting at random" nor do I think we are alone in our efforts. There are other living beings with an interest in our succeeding in putting together the puzzle and some of them are pretty smart! If, for example, trees could convey a message to us, through the fruits we eat, the wood we work with, the sound they make in the wind, the patterns they throw onto the macadam, they'd doubtless be nudging us toward a state of realisation that would result in a new, tree-friendly behaviour. Exploring that idea and extensions of it is, I reckon, worthwhile,
The making of the representative for planet 8 is likely to involve some loss of life. And the problem then becomes, how to remain enlightened while Malthusian processes are winnowing the population – there's no easy answer to that one.
"how to remain enlightened while Malthusian processes are winnowing the population" – that's what so many can't cope with.
We could move on to practical and moral ways but there is a kink in the pipeline; the main mind pipe is corroded and old, irrelevant matter swirls, catches, and builds into a mass until few new ideas can pass. Like a fatberg.*
We have to help those ideas get out and get discussed. Not every one is a goer. And some that are good can turn out badly if not properly implemented with a watcher to ensure that problems are dealt with fairly and quickly.
In my admittedly limited experience, these implementations work in phases. Now we are in the realm of no action, and a proliferation of innovations is highly desirable.
Once innovation is the norm, some culling for efficacy and sustainability is called for.
Then we reach the production plateau, in which bang for buck tends to predominate, in time, the best being the enemy of the good, the bulk focused methods must give way to long term enlightened best interest adaptations.
Finally 'the importance of dental health is filtering through to the Government' that dental care is actually part of our health treatments.
My Dentist warned me that teeth absess and gum diseases will poison my blood and give me multiple loss of mobility..
So Government needs to know that if dental repairs are not carried out the gum decay will cause toxic blood poisoning.
David Clark needs to make dental repair affordable again so the weak, old and all those suffering now are able to have dental repair made available to all.
Teeth and gum health is more important to our ealth than many seem to think.
My Dentist is one of NZ's main "holiistic" dentist in the country.
He tresatrs alll the body systems together so I am bloody fortunate to get him though I have to travel 300kms to get to him he is so worth it.
After my boating accident I damaged 7 of my teeth when the boat overturned and my face was hit by the side of the boat.
He treated my health carefully as I have a damaged immune system so he used materials that would not place more stress on mmy immune system.
The time from the accident to getting to a dentist was tricky as it happend over xmas and the ACC was very slow it establishing the case file so my gums were infected by then so he used his skill to lower the infections and save the teeth.
It was a learning curve for me as an older 74 yr old.
One Two yes Holistic Dentistry is the new model I am so happy to see come our way now as the treatment from my Dentist is so very good compared to the older system of 'drill and fill' that we grew up with.
My Holistic dentist cares about the patient in a special way that I had never experienced before as he takes interest in the whole health of the patient, that other dentists did not show before.
He often showed me in photos how my gum infections were leaving and tooth roots were becoming more healthy again.
Very comforting to know those things to know when you are on the right path again.
Hope to see more of this care for patient outcome.
Dentists have advised me to see the dental hygienist and I thought that it was a bit expensive and for the fussy. They have not given the information that you repeat in your comment Cleangreen. If the reasons and practical advantages are explained it becomes obvious that it is wise to include such visits on the 'maintenance' schedule. I have this problem now and just as a start am going to take small Vit C daily and eat more greens and spend some money on this important procedure.
Dental orthodoxy is limiting and in many ways has become a failure with new roles such as hygenists are spurious in my opinion…
In recent times updated knowledge and techniques are coming through…
Human tooth enamel is made up of compounds for which we can modify or introduce food stuffs specifically to support and maintain, while lowering injestion of those foods and fluids which actively damage tooth enamel..
Of course there are other impacts on teeth such as clenching and grinding which negatively impact teeth and influence oral health…extractions orthodontics can also negatively impact oral health…
Brushing techniques, products used to clean can also have adverse effects…
Warm water with a pinch of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda rinsed with warm water is beneficial for oral health and is non abrasive on teeth and gums…
Have a look into eating for teeth and oral health, gw…if you're so inclined…
My infections were so advanced by the time my newly found 'holistic' dentist began work.
I had seen my Treating MD firstly and was undergiong Vitamin C IV's as my blood test showed that my markers of CRP "C reactive protien" https://www.healthline.com/health/c-reactive-protein – was climbing high showing severe infections were causing "inflamation" from the gum infections, and the Vitamin C IV's were slowing down the infections and joint pains.
Is simon ok? First he complains about the cost of fee's free tertiary ed.
Nek minute, he complains that not enough people have taken it up so the money budgeted for it will be redistributed. This is not a bad thing silly simon, people are still getting fee's free tertiary, and there's also money left over, that's a good thing.
And now, it appears national are going to come up with their own fee's free tertiary.
Does he know where he stands on fee's free tertiary?
Ahhhhh now I get it paula bennet appears to be their spokesperson on said subject, no bloody wonder. Care for an interview/debate on the subject paula? Didn't think so lololzz
Nek minute, he complains that not enough people have taken it up so the money budgeted for it will be redistributed. This is not a bad thing silly simon, people are still getting fee's free tertiary, and there's also money left over, that's a good thing.
the fact that there is money left over is that it did not deliver it’s desired effect.
Numbers are down – it’s just a failed policy.
How is is that a good thing – if it was actually setting out to solve a problem and not just a bite bribe?
the fact that there is money left over is that it did not deliver it’s desired effect.
Well, it might show that, I guess. Or it might show that the government budgeted for contingencies, eg the possibility that National's scare-mongering about the policy encouraging hordes of middle-class thickos to descend on the universities turned out to be correct, which it didn't.
Numbers are down – it’s just a failed policy.
Please show your working for this answer. The policy was to make it easier for people to attend University, particularly working-class and lumpenproletariat kids for whom fees were a major obstacle. Has it failed in that objective? We don't know from your answer. If overall student numbers are down, where has the fall occurred? For example, if the fall is in full-fee international student enrolments, that's bad news for universities but no reflection on the fees-free policy.
This is not a bad thing silly simon, people are still getting fee's free tertiary, and there's also money left over, that's a good thing…
the point of fees free was to increase enrolments and encourage more enrolments from students from lower socioeconomic households.
It was a failed policy.
The main beneficiaries are students who were going to study anyway.
Most of whom are young people with well resourced families who can afford to study with or without worrying about debt.
Which just goes to highlight how detached our politicians are from the struggling masses. Young people these days are used to debt, they seem resigned to the concept, the real problem is they simply can not afford to be not working.
That being said..education should be free. But while we are irrationaly burdened with austerity budgets..maybe that money would be better directed at policies that help strugglers take up training…housing subsidies, free transport etc.
Its like Kiwibuild..a policy that the strugglers probably thought was going to improve their lot..only to find out it was targeted, by design and or lack of thought, at the happy middle class voter, who was going to vote Labour anyway.
I'm one of that 20%. My scepticism re the prevalent ideology is due to never seeing evidence presented in the media to justify it, plus media reports that kauri die-back is occurring in trees distant from walking tracks.
When I lived up there I often walked the Waitakere tracks. Where are the cause & effect linkages explained by microbiologists?? I decided their absence was due to them being non-existent. I could be wrong, of course, but I prefer evidence-based public policy.
The confirmed dieback is concentrated around walking tracks. Yes, there are a few cases away from walking tracks. The organism is in the soil, and can be spread by vectors other than casual walkers, such as pigs and pig hunters.
Makes sense. Would be interesting to know the ecosystemic relations of the organism. Foreign invader? Native, but habitat & reproduction enhanced by climate change? I'm keen to have the microbiologists on the case enter the public arena. I know bipartisan govt policy is to muzzle scientists as much as possible, but I believe the public has a right to know. Also, public compliance is more likely if the govt stops treating the public with contempt.
Ten years ago when I first started learning about the phytophthora organism causing the kauri dieback, the strong consensus was that it was a very recent introduction. Based mostly on the very narrow genetic profile of all the samples gathered from the widespread locations where it had been found. And that lab testing indicated it actually was much more virulent in significantly warmer environments than where it was actually found in NZ.
Since then I'm aware of some work suggesting a wider genetic profile and that it has therefore been in NZ longer than originally thought. But the last time I talked to the boffins involved, they were still of the view that the overall evidence still pointed to it being a recent introduction.
There is a team of boffins that are actively working with property owners that have kauri dieback on their property, as well as working with the various government bodies. I've had a lot to do with them, and always found them very open, helpful and respectful. The biggest issue I've seen is simply under-resourcing, not any kind of info suppression or contempt towards the public.
Thanks for that informed appraisal, Andre. Good to know they have made partial progress in understanding the situation. If it gets more virulent in warm conditions, as the lab tests suggest, then global warming makes the spread inevitable and current public policy is futile. No mention of where the organism flourishes overseas?
Last I heard, no they hadn't identified anywhere overseas hosting the exact same organism. IIRC Queensland kauri host a similar phytophthora, but different enough to be excluded as the source, just like NZ kauri have long been known to host phytophthora cinnamomi (and early reports of kauri dieback were dismissed as being just cinnamomi).
I wouldn't describe current policy as futile. There is a treatment that helps the trees hold their own. I've treated all mine (48 of them). Prior to treatment, 2 or 3 would die every year on my place, and another 2 or 3 on the adjacent council reserve. In the 2 years since treating mine, none have died, but the 2 to 3 per year death rate on the adjacent reserve has continued.
It's not a cure, that'll probably have to wait a few decades until we understand stuff like phage treatments well enough to be able to engineer a biological counter-attack on the specific phytophthora causing the dieback.
I'm impressed! Is the treatment similar to vaccination – applied to tree rather than surrounding soil, and are councils and DoC using it also? I haven't noticed media reports on this good news. How does it work?
No, not really like vaccination. The active ingredient is phosphite or phosphorous acid. That's much too simple a molecule to provoke an antibody type response. However, it does seem to reinforce the usual tree response to insult of trying to wall off and self-amputate the part of the tree where the invader is gaining entry. One of the symptoms of die-back is gum bleeds erupting and travelling up and around the tree: on my trees with this, the bleeding and extending up and around the tree has stopped, and there's a lot of fresh bark growth around the bleeds.
It's applied by drilling a number of holes around the base of the tree, then screwing pre-loaded spring-activated syringes into the holes. It takes up to 20 minutes for the injection to complete (if it's taking longer, the tree's internal sap pressure is too high and it's going to backflow into the syringe and gunk it up).
The avocado industry do this to their trees every year, but it's still being determined how frequently it should be re-applied to kauri.
Yes. councils are doing it on their trees and I've heard mention of iwi doing it too. Haven't specifically heard of DOC doing it also, but I'd be surprised if they weren't by now.
I suspect there's some reluctance to try trumpeting it. When people hear about it, a common reaction is 'great, problem sorted, we don't need to worry about it anymore'. Which definitely is not the case, the treatment is definitely not a cure. At best it's a limited holding measure that hopefully helps keep the tree alive until an actual cure gets developed.
Cool, great to get that full explanation published, thanks. Yeah I take the point re public notification & complacency. Kind of ambulance at the bottom of the cliff parallel – best to maximise prevention.
There's a remedy available: deploy tree-huggers en masse to express their feelings to the tall old ones in the usual touchie-feelie way, but more organised. School outings for that purpose would help. The power of positive thinking ought never to be underestimated…
Their personal feelings. Gaian resilience is too sophisticated a notion for most folks. The organism killing them is as much a part of Gaia as the trees. Biochemical imbalance in an ecosystem is so subtle that only subtle countering influences are likely to succeed. At Findhorn, communicating with the devas worked wonders. I've never heard of similar workings in Aotearoa…
Oh fuck no. Given the way the organism is clearly spread by humans inadvertently carrying it, the last thing the kauri need is a whole lot more people travelling from tree to tree hugging them.
True. I was being flippant (mostly). However twenty years of science and preventation seem to have made not one iota of difference to the spread, eh? Which suggests soil biochemistry is driving it more than people.
There would be no need for people to gather under the trees; they could work from home. Those influences Dennis mentions are effective across time and space, according to the practitioners and the theory.
I've read about that sort of thing in the past. Derives from traditional shamanism, eh? No general rule applies, however, and effectiveness seems to vary according to expertise of practioners, and context…
Derives from pre-historical human behaviour and knowledge. It's our true relationship with non-human beings, of which trees and soil organisms are part. Shamans do many things; reminding the rest of their group of those relationships is one of their responsibilities.
There hasn't been twenty years of science and prevention, it was only about ten years ago that it was definitively concluded that kauri dieback was indeed a new problem.
It's only been in the last couple of years that the first immediately obvious step has actually been taken: stop people walking into infected areas and thereby inadvertently picking up the phytophthora organism and later spreading it elsewhere. And just look at the pushback that simple obvious step has received.
Up until the closures, the only measures had been pathetic: provision of brushes and spray bottles for people to make token attempts to clean their footwear. Which were mostly ignored.
Humans are the primary vector, and human behaviour likely to spread the disease didn't get changed, and the disease continued to spread. How does that suggest soil biochemistry is driving it more than people?
This from Radionz this morning on recent argy bargy about why, how, whether the figures are correct, whether it is indeed worse than before or better, what to do? This sort of thing is great fodder for the objector, the independent thinker, the anti-authoritarian, the intelligent arguer who can find fissures in a program and argue about them with authorities.
Indeed. Leaving the Grandmother trees in situ is becoming de rigueur for forestry companies. They've learned, some of them at least, about the role of the Old trees in supporting vulnerable members of their kind, even keeping cut stumps alive for decades, conveying substances to seedlings to support their establishment and growth and so on. The fungi play a part also, but the inter-tree connections, root-to-root, is also essential and fascinating. The web beneath the surface of the soil is a far more marvellous thing than we have been thinking it to be. Some very old cultures haven't lost their understanding of these things, it's mostly our "historical/civilized" culture that has gone stupid on it.
The two instances I've come across have been of the view that "it might be 1080, it might be glyphosate, it might be airplane emissions, it might be … ".
The two instances I've come across have been of the view that "it might be 1080, it might be glyphosate, it might be airplane emissions, it might be … ".
Originally put the comment in as a reply to the wrong person, then the formatting went bad when I moved it and didn't check it before moving on to another topic.
This a.m. at 10.05 a review of book on Benjamin N. Radionz. Sure to be interesting about this everlasting flower.
10:05 Being Bibi: The turbulent life of Israel's leader
Israel's leader Benjamin Netanyahu into his fifth term as Prime Minister – but with the threat of indictments hanging over him. What price might his coalition partners extract for their support? And what might it mean for Palestinians living in the West Bank?
Kathryn speaks with Anshel Pfeffer, a journalist for Haaretz and author of the book 'Bibi: The Turbulent Life and Times of Benjamin Netanyahu' who is in town for this week's Auckland Writers Festival.
How can the Supreme Court make a legal decision in 1973 and then 40+ years later have that ruling re-litigated and overturned because the make-up of the SC has changed?
I bet you were equally upset back in 1954 when the Court ruled that segregated schools were unconstitutional because they breached the 14th Amendment. That was the Brown vs Board of Education case.
That decision overturned the 1896 decision in Plessey vs Ferguson which held that segregation was OK because the schools were substantially equal.
A lot of Southern politicians were just like you. They didn't want the old decision overturned. So welcome back to the fold Governor Faubus. I imagine you have Governor Wallace with you..
Its not comparable cases . The obscure current one mentioned has no new evidence to support a change of precedent. The Constitution doesnt mention the 'states immunity' , nor has the legal background changed.
No clause in the constitution mentions ststes immunity so the conservatives had to invent legal rasoning such as ' at the time of the writing of the constitution it was on their mind' or similar
What was different for separate but equal doctrine ( it also covered other state services like buses etc) was overwelhming evidence they werent equal and a specific clause of the constitution required 'equal protection'
Kevin's entire argument, as expressed, is "How can the Supreme Court make a legal decision in 1973 and then 40+ years later have that ruling re-litigated and overturned because the make-up of the SC has changed?" You can't plead that anything else is involved since he didn't plead any other reason to be concerned. I understand he is now to late to bring up any new arguments. Is that correct on what can be argued in an appeal case?
You regard them as different because you approve of one and disapprove of the other. The thing they do have in common is that the composition of the Supreme Court has changed.
You also consider that the current Alabama case is an obscure one. Like hell it is to the women of that benighted State. We can only hope that the Supreme Court don't back them.
The really odd thing about the 1896 case is the native states of the Judges who decided it. It was a 7-1 decision and the only 7 who said it was not in breach of the 14th amendment came from states that had been on the Union side. The one who said it was in breach was a former slave-holder from Kentucky.
By the way “Separate but Equal” was never mentioned in the 1896 decision.
Dont know where you got Alabama from, confused maybe
Yes Plessey didnt mention the name of the doctrine 'separate but equal' That was used used in Brown.
However they did rule for separate facilities. It wasnt schooling but a state law in Loiusiana requring separate railroad cars for blacks.
In 1890, the state of Louisiana passed the Separate Car Act, which required separate accommodations for blacks and whites on railroads, including separate railway cars.
The ed result was that states were free to legalise segregation. The state law used the phase "equal but separate" which has come down through the years but reversed.
In case you didn't notice the comment of mine that you were replying to was itself a reply to Kevin. His was at 8 above and mine is at 8.1. Did you see the link that he posted, and did you even look at it? It was Kevin who introduced the subject of the Alabama law. Why are you mentioning, for the first time here, an obscure case in California? I don't know, in the string of comments you are replying to where you got California from. I guess you are simply confused. Here is his link again. It is obviously about an Alabama law, isn't it?
Now if you still want to take part in this debate can you please stick to the subject which was the possibility of a Supreme Court reversing a decision by a previous incarnation and reversing of Roe vs Wade.
That of course simply becomes one about whether the SC should ever reverse a decision. Now if you want to discuss the subject you are welcome but if you are going to bring up other cases where a reversal is possible at least tell us what they are the first time you speak. Just as Kevin did with his case that might reverse Roe vs Wade and as I did where they reversed a case when they ruled on Brown vs Board of Education.
Yes the experience of rolling back the carpet we all could tread on to now excluding it from many who have to walk barefoot across stony ground is under way. Controls on mercenary behaviour fought for at great sacrifice is being lightly thrown away by the callous and self-interested. 'The mighty tree grows for a thousand years, and is felled in a day.' We will never be able to recover humane measures once they are wiped.
There has been a gradual loss of integrity and human values and respect that has altered society and washed away the ideas of enlightenment, just leaving the examples of its effect strewn on the beach at high water mark.
" Maduro's approval ratings hover at around 20%." [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-47441642] So why are the 80% who disapprove so reluctant to join anti-govt protests? The explanation lies in the regime's use of controlled violence, via deployment of militia groups (rather than troops or police) to lend the regime a veneer of plausible deniability.
"When tear gas and rubber bullets did not seem to deter a group of some 600 government opponents on the Venezuela side of the border in San Antonio, National Guardsmen withdrew and cleared the way for the masked men on motorcycles. Immediately, people began running, terrified."
"The men fired at the crowd and at the adjacent buildings for at least two hours until the main street leading up to the Simon Bolivar Bridge looked like an abandoned war zone. It's unclear how many people were injured. I saw at least two people being dragged away, one with a gunshot wound to the head, while the masked men refused to let ambulances through."
"Venezuelan Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez claimed the armed civilians were "Colombian paramilitaries" – an argument that many on the border didn't buy."
The regime's chief propagandist pretending the masked motorized shooters were a Colombian invasion force is entertaining, and bound to bring smiles to the faces of Venezuelans everywhere.
"The opposition-controlled National Assembly has designated these civilian bands as "terrorist groups" that carry out "violent paramilitary actions, intimidation, murder and other crimes" described as "acts of state terrorism". But, despite an international outcry against the use of these groups in recent weeks, Maduro has come out firmly in their defence. And amid the continued attempts by his opponents to force him from office, he has called on the colectivos – without distinction – to take to the streets "to every corner to defend the Revolution"."
It's a sophisticated mix of control tactics by Maduro. His political support continues to ebb, however. When "a paramilitary group fired live rounds at demonstrators from a government building in the opposition stronghold of Altamira. State police unsuccessfully attempted to confront the "delinquents". The following day, the police director of operations who had commanded the operative was summarily dismissed for interfering with the gunmen." When the state starts eliminating its own enforcers, the end of that state seems inevitable.
So Maduro's tactics being effective is insufficient. His strategy is too inadequate to succeed in the long term. Partisan thinking isn't in the public interest, and he must rise above those ideological blinkers to win back support in the 80% disaffected majority.
From the guy who supports the last coup attempt. And actively supports the violent overthrow of a democratically elected government.
You might want to look to see what the opposition support is buddy, then you might just realise it is a crap situation, made worse by war mongers and imperialist thugs like yourself.
"Asked by CNN's Christiane Amanpour about mass shootings in the United States and whether other countries could learn from the actions of New Zealand and Australia, Ms Ardern said it was possible to "draw a line" and ban access to military style semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles. "Australia experienced a massacre and changed their laws, New Zealand had its experience and changed its laws. To be honest with you I do not understand the United States."" https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/389215/jacinda-ardern-on-gun-law-changes-i-do-not-understand-the-us
Lack of similarity between Australasia & USA derives from an historical factor more influential in mass psychology than the cause & effect relation between massacres and military style semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles. It is the Constitution. It defines US political culture and mass identity.
For Americans, the right to wear weapons shapes their self-image from childhood. Locked into that 18th-century mindset by the Constitution, they cannot progress. It creates a binding belief-system, and acts as a mental prison. In their primitive form of civilisation, violence is institutionalised by design.
And deeper than the Constitution, we tend to forget that America as a nation has it's founding origin in a citizen armed revolt against British colonialism.
You should also note that the people who revolted were the colonists.
It wasn't a revolt by the American Indians was it? It was by wealthy colonists like Washington, Jefferson, Adams and other gentleman of British descent.
The solution is to dry the marc to 25% of its original weight. The products are steam and a sultana smelling powder which could be a stock feed supplement, a soil conditioner or made into pellets which can then be a fuel.
The drying process thereby becomes a self-fuelling process. Presumably the process could take place at the place of crushing, obviating a lot of transport needs.
In March, another solution was publicised here. More traditional thinking but obviously viable.
bwaghorn The colonials made such a big deal out of huia feathers that they monetised it to extinction; the big bird nob having a breeding pair that were to be released in an island off shore, when the PM who was overseeing the transfer and release died, abandoned that. He took them home to his rich patron and greased up to him, by having the last of an extinct bird.
Lots of this sort of stuff and mm gets to be an angry little (or big or fat) man. It is the emotion that gets us off our backsides and doing something to improve, and makes us all a bit touchy. You are taking steps too – so we all get touchy with each other at times.
While I was googling on moa gastroliths earlier I found this article and the interesting idea that Maori hunting may not have been the primary reason for their extinction:
Maori have wrongly been accused of wiping out the moa, says Mr Platt.
Once kiore – Pacific rats – arrived moa were on the back foot because their food source of weta and lizards reduced, he says. "Hunting finished them off".
It's possibly the other way around, the sandfly is there to protect these places from hordes of people. Although over time I got quite used to them and they stop bothering you much.
What are a total pest are the 'no-seeum' sandflies that are common around water in Queensland. You can barely see them, you don't feel their bite, but reaction can last days and is intensely itchy. One night we got hammered by them and had to make a fast trip to the nearest chemist about 2 hrs drive away for some anti-histamine. The lass behind the counter could scarcely contain her smirk as we entered the shop …
Yes and no. It's also thought that many of our juvenile tree forms and shrub species, the hebe's especially, evolved their divaricating habit (tightly interwoven branches) as a defense against moa browsing that might tear plants with a more normal structure to shreds.
Right at the bottom that old drunkard Bill Ralston says,
To grow your audience in news, you have to break stories.
Of course what he meant in these modern times is, "To grow your audience in news, you have to manufacture outrage"
I’ve always been confused by the contrast between the AM show with its shameless right wing tabloidism, and New Shub 6pm news with the most boring man in presenting, straight-laced Mike McRoberts.
Get a load of this article, and the spin for E pollute. I would like to see the long term tend as this is going to get interesting. I never heard of such high pollution levels in Canterbury plains wells before I left CHCH in 1998 and even during my time in the farm/ horticulture Cadetship scheme before the “No Mates Party” stuffed that up along with apprenticeships in the early to mid 90’s.
Quote in Robert Goddard's book Sea Change 2000. Good read.
It has been judiciously observed that a commercial country has more to dread from the golden baits of avarice, the airy hopes of projectors and the wild enthusiastic dreams of speculators than from any external dangers.
John Miller, An Authentic Account of the South Sea Scheme (1845)
A "malicious and nasty" blogger, who was convicted of criminal harassment and breaching court orders, has now accused a former parliamentarian of perjury.
Dermot Gregory Nottingham was found guilty of five criminal harassment charges and two breaches of court suppression orders following a lengthy trial, in which he represented himself, during April and May last year.
…
Now, however, Nottingham wants the cellphone records, emails and medical notes of three of his victims. He claims they are guilty of perjury, having testified at his trial.
Court said no. However ..
The Solicitor-General has filed an appeal of Nottingham's sentence, arguing it was manifestly inadequate.
Nottingham, meanwhile, also appealed both his convictions and his sentence.
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 ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Tuesday, March 19:Kāinga Ora’s dry rot The Spinoff DailyBill McKibben on ‘Climate Superfunds’ making Big Oil pay for climate damage The Crucial YearsPreston Mui on returning to 1980s-style productivity growth NoahpinionAndy Boenau on NIMBYs needing unusual bedfellows Urbanism SpeakeasyNed Resnikoff's case ...
Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
Bryce Edwards writes – It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played.“Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I- Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka KotahiThe fact that a ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st CenturyThe SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims StuffSteve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
David Farrar writes – We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how labour went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promiseThe result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
“I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
"The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
Pacific Media Watch Earthwise hosts Lois and Martin Griffiths. Earthwise presenters Lois and Martin Griffiths on Plains FM 96.9 community radio talk to Dr David Robie, a New Zealand author, independent journalist and media educator with a passion for the Asia-Pacific region. David talks about the struggle to raise awareness ...
Pacific Media Watch Ismail al-Ghoul, an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent who was held for 12 hours at Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital, says Israeli forces rounded up Palestinian journalists at the facility and made them kneel on the ground for hours, while naked and blindfolded. “The occupation forces handcuffed and blindfolded us ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Wood, Program Director, Energy, Grattan Institute chinasong, Shutterstock Electricity customers in four Australian states can breathe a sigh of relief. After two years in a row of 20% price increases, power prices have finally stabilised. In many places they’re ...
Chumbawamba have reportedly issued the deputy PM a cease-and-desist notice after he used their song 'Tubthumping' before his state of the nation speech. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Lupton, SHARP Professor, Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney kitzcorner/Shutterstock The assertion from Queensland’s chief health officer John Gerrard that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Why are musicians so keen to get played on the radio? It can’t be because of the money. In Australia they are paid at rates so low they ...
"Farmers make a point not to tell our urban cousins how to live, yet Chlöe from central Auckland is hell-bent on having her say about farmers," says ACT Rural Communities spokesman Mark Cameron. “On her first day in the House as Green ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Curran, Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images/Gerald Corsi In the latest move to reform environmental laws in New Zealand, the coalition government has introduced a bill to fast-track consenting processes for projects deemed to ...
Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to ...
What can and can’t be purchased by disabled people or their carers has been slashed in an effort by the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha to save money. The purchasing guidelines, a set of rules that sets out what can be purchased using the various streams of Government disability funding, ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Tod Wright and Hien Nguyen, Fiscal incidence in New Zealand: The effects of taxes and benefits on household incomes in tax year 2018/19 . Analyses of the distributional impact of taxation and government ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Cory Davis, Boston Hart and Benjamin Stubbing, Household cost-of-living impacts from the Emissions Trading Scheme and using transfers to mitigate regressive outcomes . This Analytical Note ...
A coalition of public transport and climate organisations, united as ‘Transport for All’, is actively opposing the government’s transport proposals. The draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) includes plans for higher fares for public transport, ...
Greater Wellington is inviting feedback on proposed changes to its Revenue and Financing Policy. The Revenue and Financing Policy covers the Council’s various sources of funding, and how the cost of services is shared across the region. This includes ...
Labour has conceded it could have done more to deal with disruptive state housing tenants while in government but says the current coalition is going too far. ...
The band has asked their record label to issue a cease and desist to stop the NZ First leader using their 1997 hit to support his ‘misguided political views’. “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” blared through the speakers on Sunday as Winston Peters took the stage ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
Opinion: In a move that has shocked road safety advocates across the country, the new Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, is poised to abandon the previous government’s speed limit reduction policy, particularly around schools. Even more alarmingly, he wants school speed limits to be variable rather than full-time, arguing ...
Auckland Council is opposing a fast-track development backed by Sir John Kirwan and Spark NZ, because it doesn’t meet stringent new climate adaptation requirements The post Surf-data centre faces new 3.8C climate warming rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
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Bob’s relationship with certain members of Lincoln’s academic staff continued to deteriorate in the 1990s. Others supported him publicly, though articles such as Roland Clark’s 1993 piece in Growing Today cannot have pleased the university management. Clark wrote that Bob was selling onions from the Biological Husbandry Unit to a ...
SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days. However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates. A year ...
Opinion: We are fast approaching a fundamental change in prisons. As the number of people on custodial remand looks set to overtake the number of sentenced prisoners, the main function of prisons in New Zealand may become incarcerating un-sentenced people who may not be guilty of offending. We have already ...
A huge seven months lies in store for the White Ferns, beginning this week with the visit of England and culminating with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October. Starting on Tuesday in Dunedin, the world ranked No. 2 visitors will play five T20s and three ODIs, ...
The letters, which were published last week, were addressed to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri, National Democrat Party (NasDem) Chairperson Surya Paloh, National Awakening Party (PKB) Chairperson Muhaimin Iskandar, Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) President Ahmad Syaikhu and United Development Party (PPP) Chairperson Muhammad Mardiono. In ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
The government says it still intends to deliver tax cuts by July, but will not lock them in until they have got them past their coalition partners. ...
Morning all. Not usually up this early, so might as well do a shout out to Otago Museum lol
Te Papa seems to have let it slide (I’m sure it has nothing to do with reports over the last year about how resident museum experts of international standing were restructured out of a job).
DoC didn’t do anything because it wasn’t sure the footprints were of DoC land.
Otago Museum snaffled the Moa footprints 🙂
Moa had it sussed… leaving only footprints…
What we can learn from the birds and the beasts
Footprints and gastroliths
And DNA… Moa has to be top of list for bringing back from extinction – wish someone would hurry up and do it…
… likely has already been done, or at least attempted for some species, and we are just not aware
When they say they have DNA , it means small 'pieces' and even those are degraded. Thats why it 'hasnt been done'
This has been done , but used eggs of the 'last known' alive animal
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2013/04/species-revival-bringing-back-extinct-animals/
'On July 30, 2003, a team of Spanish and French scientists reversed time. They brought an animal back from extinction, if only to watch it become extinct again. The animal they revived was a kind of wild goat known as a bucardo,or Pyrenean ibex. '
Can't wait for a drumstick
The dawn chorus is when birds are advising us humans how to resolve the crisis we have created.
How did the Moa know not to walk on DoC land?
Why did the Moa cross the road?
Why did the Moa cross the road?
To wait for the humans to join it
Is it possible that the Moa vocals; grunts, flutings, whistles, whatever, are preserved in the song of the tui and bellbird?
Moa left their bones behind as well, and fragments of egg shell; skin too, feathers intact, in the Canterbury caves.
Doubt it, tui cultural memory doesn't seem that long. It only took a couple of years for the local tuis to lose the default Nokia text alert and replace it with the Samsung.
Perhaps the thousands of years tui and Moa spent in each others company created a deeper grove in the tui's memory than the blip of time the Nokia was around?
Our's have recently learnt a to do delightful rendition of an F&P washing machine start up.
Perhaps, just as we have made great leaps in our computational abilities through computer technology, the birds too, are adopting the new languages and modes of thought through interfacing with some of that technology.
"Our's have recently learnt a to do delightful rendition of an F&P washing machine start up."
Quite believe that Joe This is a short clip of the Lyrebird. It not only mimics other birds but also things like camera shutter releases and car alarms.
https://petapixel.com/2011/03/01/australian-lyrebird-mimics-the-sounds-of-camera-shutters/
"Our's have recently learnt a to do delightful rendition of an F&P washing machine start up."
Quite believe that Joe Here's a small clip of the Lyrebird mimicking not only other birds but also camera shutters and car alarms
alarms.https://petapixel.com/2011/03/01/australian-lyrebird-mimics-the-sounds-of-camera-shutters/
“How did the Moa know not to walk on DoC land?”
Being a ratite and knowing DoC's view on rats…
Na it would have been simple arrogance . How could a mere tractor driver know what hes on about . Every time ive dealt with doc thats the attitude ive meet.
you must admit simple tractor drivers have contributed to the loss of much and every farmer has their collection of historical taonga sitting in the cabinet along with the ivory carvings from Asia, or hidden in a box because they are scared. How many sites have been just pretended not seen and bulldozed over. You know this is true.
You are an idiot . Are all maori child beaters ?? Of course they aren't. But if i used you moronic thinking methods i would claim that .
YOU are generalising about DOC you thick wanker – don't have a go at me for learning ya. And you know farmers have dug up all sorts of shit and not handed it in. But keep your cheap bigoted bullshit shots coming daggy and we'll sort that too eh cos YOU are the ONLY one bringing Māori into it.
Ah now i see . You a doc worket are you ?
They come in two types . Solid people with an understanding of how the world works and jumped up prats who wouls curl up and cry if their gps broke down in the bush . I know which one you are.
As for digging stuff up . Never have dont know any one who has but keep making up fantasies about m if it gets you hot .
wtf?
I'm not nor ever have been a DOC worker.
If you haven't got artifacts you're a liar but you know – so fucken what – do I really care? nah.
I think you are doing your bit out there.
As for your original comment – well your self esteem is your business and I'll butt out. I wish I'd never bothered commented to ya.
How much loot have you ‘found’ from the land daggy waggy?
Don't think he signed his query "tractor driver" when he sent it to the general DOC site. There is likely to be a lag especially these days when dealing using a general public channel with any organisation, especially any under-resourced government organisation. Best to have a direct line to a real person in my experience.
what is it with te papa and hoarding treasures and refuting the validity of those it doesn’t own?
Is the Otago museum the one with the amazing butterfly biome?
Tuppence – I wonder if you've read of imaginal or liminal cells in relation to butterflies?
http://www.butterflymysteries.com/imaginal-cells.html
Well,I read it Robert
Beautiful!
thanks so much for that
You're welcome, Francesca. The follow up, if you were interested enough, would be to search out information on morphic resonance. It's pretty astounding stuff, in my opinion. Some molecular biologists share similar views on that topic, with some highly respected theologians.
I seem to remember Rupert Sheldrake being required reading for us hippies back in the 80's
Rupert Sheldrake is/was fascinating. You might like to try Terrence McKenna, francesca:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8y-khMKIbU
Make yourself a big pot of tea and settle back into your chair for a wonderful watch 🙂
Thanks Robert
Very much my cup of tea these days!
I've noticed a real resurgence of these ideas among the young, in line with living a more simple honest life.There's a yearning to reconnect.
Uplifting and exciting!
Follow the hippies! Yes, there is the resurgence you describe, across the board, young and old and it's not surprising, given the co-creative ideas that are at the source of the things Sheldrake et al said. A rapidly approaching, plain as the nose on your face crisis is helping to sharpen everyone's focus. Despite the distractions, many people are looking now, in a more useful direction. There's a lot of talk about the heart 🙂
"I've noticed a real resurgence of these ideas among the young, in line with living a more simple honest life."
Your not alone. And let's just hope as they grow older, they can do it a little more gracefully. Even despite mid-life crises, let's hope it's not a case Harley Davidson's, neo-liberal ideology and children as possessions and as extensions their ego. Although I think we could probably accommodate a pony tail or two – it may be all John Key has to satisfy himself in his dotage.
I don't believe it is, OnceWasTim; I reckon it's game-on.
So do I @ Robert as it happens.
Currently I'm surrounded by students that have just graduated from Vic Uni – quite smart cookies (arts students as it happens), having survived 3 or 4 years of slum-landlord living, and all too aware of what they're faced with, and what it is they going to have to deal with.
They might not be able to replace a fuse (they're RCD devices these days anyway), but they can sure as hell tell bullshit when they see it no matter how hard the political elite and its administrative wing try to spin it.
They know all too well what they're faced with. AND they're working out ways to deal with it
McKenna is intriguing listening, for sure.
Both Terence and Dennis are.
Thanks for the link.
Indeed. Inside of a chrysalis the old caterpillar literally dissolves; all trace of it's old structure literally vanishes into a undifferentiated gloop. The metaphor with our human polity has been drawn by many.
The human race is passing through an equally dramatic transition and the eventual outcome will be a "new race of men". The good news is that I sense we are already well into the process, at least 150 years or more of unprecedented, accelerating change places us very close to the crux, the point of maximal disintegration just prior to the new becoming visible.
But the disintegration of the old world order is noisy and dangerous; like the collapse of the WTC towers it captures the attention and mesmerises; yet at the same time there is this organic 'imaginal' process underway, gathering the components needed for the new. This is where our energies need to be.
The parallel with how we might solve a 9 billion piece jigsaw puzzle lacking the finished image comes to mind; we sift almost at random, finding small clumps that fit together building on each of them slowly, even when the connection between all the various incomplete clumps is unclear or contradictory even.
The transformation of our general attitude towards people of Muslim origin since the ChCh massacre [in NZ and Australia in particular] is indicative of the process you have described.
Cripes RL. There aren't that many types of men – a change will be back to one of the older types, but with such obeisance to the acceptance of new machinery and technology and precision and efficiency, that anything natural and human will result in dissatisfaction and be described as historic, old system, last century and other epithets.
This is not my imagination; it can be seen now. People wearing grey and black, buildings and houses painted brown, beige and charcoal; the colours of the interiors of film sets about space travel. The withdrawal of persons as staff making decisions affecting people's lives as in ACC.
Imaginative, feeling people with kindly impulses. Not to be trusted to keep to the rules. That is more likely to form the basis of the new race of men; just like any authoritarian regime with bigger tech devices and bugger the peeps.
Yes, "People wearing grey and black, buildings and houses painted brown, beige and charcoal; "
Thats been bothering me for some while. To get grey all the colours are mixed together. Lost colour, lost diversity and difference, lost imagination, lost independence, lost freedoms, lost soul…
Janet I feel as you say…
Yes janet 100%
RedLogix – I don't think we are "sifting at random" nor do I think we are alone in our efforts. There are other living beings with an interest in our succeeding in putting together the puzzle and some of them are pretty smart! If, for example, trees could convey a message to us, through the fruits we eat, the wood we work with, the sound they make in the wind, the patterns they throw onto the macadam, they'd doubtless be nudging us toward a state of realisation that would result in a new, tree-friendly behaviour. Exploring that idea and extensions of it is, I reckon, worthwhile,
The making of the representative for planet 8 is likely to involve some loss of life. And the problem then becomes, how to remain enlightened while Malthusian processes are winnowing the population – there's no easy answer to that one.
Stuart M
"how to remain enlightened while Malthusian processes are winnowing the population" – that's what so many can't cope with.
We could move on to practical and moral ways but there is a kink in the pipeline; the main mind pipe is corroded and old, irrelevant matter swirls, catches, and builds into a mass until few new ideas can pass. Like a fatberg.*
We have to help those ideas get out and get discussed. Not every one is a goer. And some that are good can turn out badly if not properly implemented with a watcher to ensure that problems are dealt with fairly and quickly.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatberg
In my admittedly limited experience, these implementations work in phases. Now we are in the realm of no action, and a proliferation of innovations is highly desirable.
Once innovation is the norm, some culling for efficacy and sustainability is called for.
Then we reach the production plateau, in which bang for buck tends to predominate, in time, the best being the enemy of the good, the bulk focused methods must give way to long term enlightened best interest adaptations.
But for now, we hope to proliferate innovations.
I hadn't. I must admit I'd always wondered about that process though. thanks
Thank you Robert. Lovely.
Joe Rogan with Tulsi Gabbard. Joe has this magical art of drawing people out; it gets more engaging as it goes on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR8UcnwLH24
Finally 'the importance of dental health is filtering through to the Government' that dental care is actually part of our health treatments.
My Dentist warned me that teeth absess and gum diseases will poison my blood and give me multiple loss of mobility..
So Government needs to know that if dental repairs are not carried out the gum decay will cause toxic blood poisoning.
David Clark needs to make dental repair affordable again so the weak, old and all those suffering now are able to have dental repair made available to all.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12229595
NEW ZEALAND Health Minister David Clark considering dental care report as calls for free treatment grow
15 May, 2019 5:00am
The mouth is the primary point of love and nutrition at the first moments from birth.
Health and well being begins with what goes into our bodies through the mouth and what goes on inside our mouths
And what comes out of mouth via the brain.
Health begins and can be improved or diminished with nutritionally beneficial or detrimental injestion of foods and liquids.
That is how human beings complex system have evolved.
That is why good oral care is also important.
Yes One Two,
Teeth and gum health is more important to our ealth than many seem to think.
My Dentist is one of NZ's main "holiistic" dentist in the country.
He tresatrs alll the body systems together so I am bloody fortunate to get him though I have to travel 300kms to get to him he is so worth it.
After my boating accident I damaged 7 of my teeth when the boat overturned and my face was hit by the side of the boat.
He treated my health carefully as I have a damaged immune system so he used materials that would not place more stress on mmy immune system.
The time from the accident to getting to a dentist was tricky as it happend over xmas and the ACC was very slow it establishing the case file so my gums were infected by then so he used his skill to lower the infections and save the teeth.
It was a learning curve for me as an older 74 yr old.
Good news you were able to locate a holistic dentist who was able to provide necessary care for your circumstances…
Holistic dentistry is relatively recent and will continue to become standard as newer generations of dental professionals enter the field.
…And improved knowledge around ingerated (holistic health) squeezes out dental orthodoxy.
One Two yes Holistic Dentistry is the new model I am so happy to see come our way now as the treatment from my Dentist is so very good compared to the older system of 'drill and fill' that we grew up with.
My Holistic dentist cares about the patient in a special way that I had never experienced before as he takes interest in the whole health of the patient, that other dentists did not show before.
He often showed me in photos how my gum infections were leaving and tooth roots were becoming more healthy again.
Very comforting to know those things to know when you are on the right path again.
Hope to see more of this care for patient outcome.
That is great to hear and will have benefits also resulting from your sense of well being as a result..
Holistic Health.
As you say…drill fill and the extraction of perfectly healthy teeth is , the past…still practiced…but will regress into obscurity over coming years…
What does holistic dentistry involve? How is it different?
John See above.
That doesn't answer anything. What is the process? What tools are used? What medications? How does it differ from regular dentistry?
You've given broad descriptions but I am curious about what the specific differences are
Possibly like classical dentistry. Drill a hole in your tooth, fill it, make a hole in your wallet, rinse, repeat.
Dentists have advised me to see the dental hygienist and I thought that it was a bit expensive and for the fussy. They have not given the information that you repeat in your comment Cleangreen. If the reasons and practical advantages are explained it becomes obvious that it is wise to include such visits on the 'maintenance' schedule. I have this problem now and just as a start am going to take small Vit C daily and eat more greens and spend some money on this important procedure.
oral health care can take various forms..
Dental orthodoxy is limiting and in many ways has become a failure with new roles such as hygenists are spurious in my opinion…
In recent times updated knowledge and techniques are coming through…
Human tooth enamel is made up of compounds for which we can modify or introduce food stuffs specifically to support and maintain, while lowering injestion of those foods and fluids which actively damage tooth enamel..
Of course there are other impacts on teeth such as clenching and grinding which negatively impact teeth and influence oral health…extractions orthodontics can also negatively impact oral health…
Brushing techniques, products used to clean can also have adverse effects…
Warm water with a pinch of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda rinsed with warm water is beneficial for oral health and is non abrasive on teeth and gums…
Have a look into eating for teeth and oral health, gw…if you're so inclined…
Greywarshark;
My infections were so advanced by the time my newly found 'holistic' dentist began work.
I had seen my Treating MD firstly and was undergiong Vitamin C IV's as my blood test showed that my markers of CRP "C reactive protien" https://www.healthline.com/health/c-reactive-protein – was climbing high showing severe infections were causing "inflamation" from the gum infections, and the Vitamin C IV's were slowing down the infections and joint pains.
Yes you are so very correct there.
Was it you had some chemical 'interaction' some while ago? I know someone commenting here did. If so that would be having an affect.
Interesting comment 50 sec's in " It has made me realise that struggling is the norm" . For me this one line summarises daily living 🙁
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/good-sorts-tammy-schurmann-pays-forward-after-selfless-act?auto=6035618083001
Is simon ok? First he complains about the cost of fee's free tertiary ed.
Nek minute, he complains that not enough people have taken it up so the money budgeted for it will be redistributed. This is not a bad thing silly simon, people are still getting fee's free tertiary, and there's also money left over, that's a good thing.
And now, it appears national are going to come up with their own fee's free tertiary.
Does he know where he stands on fee's free tertiary?
Ahhhhh now I get it paula bennet appears to be their spokesperson on said subject, no bloody wonder. Care for an interview/debate on the subject paula? Didn't think so lololzz
Nek minute, he complains that not enough people have taken it up so the money budgeted for it will be redistributed. This is not a bad thing silly simon, people are still getting fee's free tertiary, and there's also money left over, that's a good thing.
the fact that there is money left over is that it did not deliver it’s desired effect.
Numbers are down – it’s just a failed policy.
How is is that a good thing – if it was actually setting out to solve a problem and not just a bite bribe?
quote marks are a good thing
Plus, money doesn't desire, at least I hope not.
"…it’s just a failed policy."
Yep, and the list is growing. But not to worry, Jacinda's engaged!
"the fact that there is money left over is that it did not deliver it’s desired effect."
Spot the flawed logic.
the fact that there is money left over is that it did not deliver it’s desired effect.
Well, it might show that, I guess. Or it might show that the government budgeted for contingencies, eg the possibility that National's scare-mongering about the policy encouraging hordes of middle-class thickos to descend on the universities turned out to be correct, which it didn't.
Numbers are down – it’s just a failed policy.
Please show your working for this answer. The policy was to make it easier for people to attend University, particularly working-class and lumpenproletariat kids for whom fees were a major obstacle. Has it failed in that objective? We don't know from your answer. If overall student numbers are down, where has the fall occurred? For example, if the fall is in full-fee international student enrolments, that's bad news for universities but no reflection on the fees-free policy.
it appears national are going to come up with their own fee’s free tertiary
Do you have a link Cinny?
I heard something on the wireless yesterday or the day before, will do my best to try and find a link
the point of fees free was to increase enrolments and encourage more enrolments from students from lower socioeconomic households.
It was a failed policy.
The main beneficiaries are students who were going to study anyway.
Most of whom are young people with well resourced families who can afford to study with or without worrying about debt.
Which just goes to highlight how detached our politicians are from the struggling masses. Young people these days are used to debt, they seem resigned to the concept, the real problem is they simply can not afford to be not working.
That being said..education should be free. But while we are irrationaly burdened with austerity budgets..maybe that money would be better directed at policies that help strugglers take up training…housing subsidies, free transport etc.
Its like Kiwibuild..a policy that the strugglers probably thought was going to improve their lot..only to find out it was targeted, by design and or lack of thought, at the happy middle class voter, who was going to vote Labour anyway.
I wonder if enrolments have dropped due to foreign student scam awareness?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/112711657/waitkere-ranges-reopening-plan-shows-conflict-between-recreation-and-kauri-protection
I wonder how those 20% view Climate Change.
They would probably have to check with Donald Trump before answering that
A simple 3:00 AM Tweet would do. After all, that’s when the mind is at its sharpest.
I'm one of that 20%. My scepticism re the prevalent ideology is due to never seeing evidence presented in the media to justify it, plus media reports that kauri die-back is occurring in trees distant from walking tracks.
When I lived up there I often walked the Waitakere tracks. Where are the cause & effect linkages explained by microbiologists?? I decided their absence was due to them being non-existent. I could be wrong, of course, but I prefer evidence-based public policy.
Here's a survey you may want to take a look at:
https://www.kauridieback.co.nz/media/1387/aerial-surveillance-jamieson-et-al-2014.pdf
The confirmed dieback is concentrated around walking tracks. Yes, there are a few cases away from walking tracks. The organism is in the soil, and can be spread by vectors other than casual walkers, such as pigs and pig hunters.
Makes sense. Would be interesting to know the ecosystemic relations of the organism. Foreign invader? Native, but habitat & reproduction enhanced by climate change? I'm keen to have the microbiologists on the case enter the public arena. I know bipartisan govt policy is to muzzle scientists as much as possible, but I believe the public has a right to know. Also, public compliance is more likely if the govt stops treating the public with contempt.
Ten years ago when I first started learning about the phytophthora organism causing the kauri dieback, the strong consensus was that it was a very recent introduction. Based mostly on the very narrow genetic profile of all the samples gathered from the widespread locations where it had been found. And that lab testing indicated it actually was much more virulent in significantly warmer environments than where it was actually found in NZ.
Since then I'm aware of some work suggesting a wider genetic profile and that it has therefore been in NZ longer than originally thought. But the last time I talked to the boffins involved, they were still of the view that the overall evidence still pointed to it being a recent introduction.
There is a team of boffins that are actively working with property owners that have kauri dieback on their property, as well as working with the various government bodies. I've had a lot to do with them, and always found them very open, helpful and respectful. The biggest issue I've seen is simply under-resourcing, not any kind of info suppression or contempt towards the public.
Thanks for that informed appraisal, Andre. Good to know they have made partial progress in understanding the situation. If it gets more virulent in warm conditions, as the lab tests suggest, then global warming makes the spread inevitable and current public policy is futile. No mention of where the organism flourishes overseas?
Last I heard, no they hadn't identified anywhere overseas hosting the exact same organism. IIRC Queensland kauri host a similar phytophthora, but different enough to be excluded as the source, just like NZ kauri have long been known to host phytophthora cinnamomi (and early reports of kauri dieback were dismissed as being just cinnamomi).
I wouldn't describe current policy as futile. There is a treatment that helps the trees hold their own. I've treated all mine (48 of them). Prior to treatment, 2 or 3 would die every year on my place, and another 2 or 3 on the adjacent council reserve. In the 2 years since treating mine, none have died, but the 2 to 3 per year death rate on the adjacent reserve has continued.
It's not a cure, that'll probably have to wait a few decades until we understand stuff like phage treatments well enough to be able to engineer a biological counter-attack on the specific phytophthora causing the dieback.
I'm impressed! Is the treatment similar to vaccination – applied to tree rather than surrounding soil, and are councils and DoC using it also? I haven't noticed media reports on this good news. How does it work?
No, not really like vaccination. The active ingredient is phosphite or phosphorous acid. That's much too simple a molecule to provoke an antibody type response. However, it does seem to reinforce the usual tree response to insult of trying to wall off and self-amputate the part of the tree where the invader is gaining entry. One of the symptoms of die-back is gum bleeds erupting and travelling up and around the tree: on my trees with this, the bleeding and extending up and around the tree has stopped, and there's a lot of fresh bark growth around the bleeds.
It's applied by drilling a number of holes around the base of the tree, then screwing pre-loaded spring-activated syringes into the holes. It takes up to 20 minutes for the injection to complete (if it's taking longer, the tree's internal sap pressure is too high and it's going to backflow into the syringe and gunk it up).
The avocado industry do this to their trees every year, but it's still being determined how frequently it should be re-applied to kauri.
Yes. councils are doing it on their trees and I've heard mention of iwi doing it too. Haven't specifically heard of DOC doing it also, but I'd be surprised if they weren't by now.
I suspect there's some reluctance to try trumpeting it. When people hear about it, a common reaction is 'great, problem sorted, we don't need to worry about it anymore'. Which definitely is not the case, the treatment is definitely not a cure. At best it's a limited holding measure that hopefully helps keep the tree alive until an actual cure gets developed.
Oh fuck – not fucking vaccines again!
Cool, great to get that full explanation published, thanks. Yeah I take the point re public notification & complacency. Kind of ambulance at the bottom of the cliff parallel – best to maximise prevention.
@JohnSelway – sorrrreeeee! Hope it hasn't lit the fuse.
Hopefully we can move on to something easier now like the moon landing or The Illuminati!!!!!1111!!!11!!!! OH NOES
It is a pity that traveleve succumbed to her illness. We could have restarted the great twin tower collapse debates again…
<duck when="now" />
I see a potential fluoride dust up developing…..
" the great twin tower collapse debates again… "
Oh god lord no
Oh feck. I thought we'd at least get a break until September, but that comment might raise
PaulEdJinxTammyMilly up out of the crypt.…..or whether Bashar Assad is a gentle eye doctor.
It might be that the mauri of kauri is so traumatised by human behaviour that they've succumbed.
There's a remedy available: deploy tree-huggers en masse to express their feelings to the tall old ones in the usual touchie-feelie way, but more organised. School outings for that purpose would help. The power of positive thinking ought never to be underestimated…
How many treehuggers do you think there are, Dennis? I'm one.
edit: and what would you have them express?
Their personal feelings. Gaian resilience is too sophisticated a notion for most folks. The organism killing them is as much a part of Gaia as the trees. Biochemical imbalance in an ecosystem is so subtle that only subtle countering influences are likely to succeed. At Findhorn, communicating with the devas worked wonders. I've never heard of similar workings in Aotearoa…
Oh fuck no. Given the way the organism is clearly spread by humans inadvertently carrying it, the last thing the kauri need is a whole lot more people travelling from tree to tree hugging them.
True. I was being flippant (mostly). However twenty years of science and preventation seem to have made not one iota of difference to the spread, eh? Which suggests soil biochemistry is driving it more than people.
There would be no need for people to gather under the trees; they could work from home. Those influences Dennis mentions are effective across time and space, according to the practitioners and the theory.
I've read about that sort of thing in the past. Derives from traditional shamanism, eh? No general rule applies, however, and effectiveness seems to vary according to expertise of practioners, and context…
Derives from pre-historical human behaviour and knowledge. It's our true relationship with non-human beings, of which trees and soil organisms are part. Shamans do many things; reminding the rest of their group of those relationships is one of their responsibilities.
There hasn't been twenty years of science and prevention, it was only about ten years ago that it was definitively concluded that kauri dieback was indeed a new problem.
It's only been in the last couple of years that the first immediately obvious step has actually been taken: stop people walking into infected areas and thereby inadvertently picking up the phytophthora organism and later spreading it elsewhere. And just look at the pushback that simple obvious step has received.
Up until the closures, the only measures had been pathetic: provision of brushes and spray bottles for people to make token attempts to clean their footwear. Which were mostly ignored.
Humans are the primary vector, and human behaviour likely to spread the disease didn't get changed, and the disease continued to spread. How does that suggest soil biochemistry is driving it more than people?
Soil biochemistry and humans are intimately linked.
This from Radionz this morning on recent argy bargy about why, how, whether the figures are correct, whether it is indeed worse than before or better, what to do? This sort of thing is great fodder for the objector, the independent thinker, the anti-authoritarian, the intelligent arguer who can find fissures in a program and argue about them with authorities.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018695115/waitakere-woes-re-open-plan-fails-to-impress-public
Robert up there above
Ive read that sort of thing too
We have a concept of insular individualism , when in fact trees are an integrated community
Clear felling in the past has destroyed the integrity of the underground support systems of Kauri.
That weakened community is now succumbing
Back to the old mycelial magic?
Indeed. Leaving the Grandmother trees in situ is becoming de rigueur for forestry companies. They've learned, some of them at least, about the role of the Old trees in supporting vulnerable members of their kind, even keeping cut stumps alive for decades, conveying substances to seedlings to support their establishment and growth and so on. The fungi play a part also, but the inter-tree connections, root-to-root, is also essential and fascinating. The web beneath the surface of the soil is a far more marvellous thing than we have been thinking it to be. Some very old cultures haven't lost their understanding of these things, it's mostly our "historical/civilized" culture that has gone stupid on it.
The two instances I've come across have been of the view that "it might be 1080, it might be glyphosate, it might be airplane emissions, it might be … ".
Comment cleaned up:
The two instances I've come across have been of the view that "it might be 1080, it might be glyphosate, it might be airplane emissions, it might be … ".
Originally put the comment in as a reply to the wrong person, then the formatting went bad when I moved it and didn't check it before moving on to another topic.
Hackers now inside "whats App"
https://www.computerworld.com/article/3394582/the-iphone-users-guide-to-the-whatsapp-hack-attack.html The iPhone user's guide to the WhatsApp hack attack Update your app and iPhone immediately
Israel = rogue state
This a.m. at 10.05 a review of book on Benjamin N. Radionz. Sure to be interesting about this everlasting flower.
10:05 Being Bibi: The turbulent life of Israel's leader
Israel's leader Benjamin Netanyahu into his fifth term as Prime Minister – but with the threat of indictments hanging over him. What price might his coalition partners extract for their support? And what might it mean for Palestinians living in the West Bank?
Kathryn speaks with Anshel Pfeffer, a journalist for Haaretz and author of the book 'Bibi: The Turbulent Life and Times of Benjamin Netanyahu' who is in town for this week's Auckland Writers Festival.
A piece from The Daily Blog with comment about a very warm declaration by a National MP as a Zionist believer.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2019/05/04/can-god-be-racist/
To me it indicates the resurgence of religion pushing into our supposed secular and even-handed approach as a nation. That is concerning.
The USA is one seriously sick country.
How can the Supreme Court make a legal decision in 1973 and then 40+ years later have that ruling re-litigated and overturned because the make-up of the SC has changed?
The process has started…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/14/it-goes-after-roe-directly-alabamas-abortion-bill-set-to-go-before-state-senate
I bet you were equally upset back in 1954 when the Court ruled that segregated schools were unconstitutional because they breached the 14th Amendment. That was the Brown vs Board of Education case.
That decision overturned the 1896 decision in Plessey vs Ferguson which held that segregation was OK because the schools were substantially equal.
A lot of Southern politicians were just like you. They didn't want the old decision overturned. So welcome back to the fold Governor Faubus. I imagine you have Governor Wallace with you..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_v._Board_of_Education
Its not comparable cases . The obscure current one mentioned has no new evidence to support a change of precedent. The Constitution doesnt mention the 'states immunity' , nor has the legal background changed.
No clause in the constitution mentions ststes immunity so the conservatives had to invent legal rasoning such as ' at the time of the writing of the constitution it was on their mind' or similar
What was different for separate but equal doctrine ( it also covered other state services like buses etc) was overwelhming evidence they werent equal and a specific clause of the constitution required 'equal protection'
Of course they are comparable.
Kevin's entire argument, as expressed, is "How can the Supreme Court make a legal decision in 1973 and then 40+ years later have that ruling re-litigated and overturned because the make-up of the SC has changed?" You can't plead that anything else is involved since he didn't plead any other reason to be concerned. I understand he is now to late to bring up any new arguments. Is that correct on what can be argued in an appeal case?
You regard them as different because you approve of one and disapprove of the other. The thing they do have in common is that the composition of the Supreme Court has changed.
You also consider that the current Alabama case is an obscure one. Like hell it is to the women of that benighted State. We can only hope that the Supreme Court don't back them.
The really odd thing about the 1896 case is the native states of the Judges who decided it. It was a 7-1 decision and the only 7 who said it was not in breach of the 14th amendment came from states that had been on the Union side. The one who said it was in breach was a former slave-holder from Kentucky.
By the way “Separate but Equal” was never mentioned in the 1896 decision.
The current case where precedent was reversed was A litigant suing a Minor California government entity in Nevada court
'Franchise Tax Board of California v. Hyatt'
Dont know where you got Alabama from, confused maybe
Yes Plessey didnt mention the name of the doctrine 'separate but equal' That was used used in Brown.
However they did rule for separate facilities. It wasnt schooling but a state law in Loiusiana requring separate railroad cars for blacks.
In 1890, the state of Louisiana passed the Separate Car Act, which required separate accommodations for blacks and whites on railroads, including separate railway cars.
The ed result was that states were free to legalise segregation. The state law used the phase "equal but separate" which has come down through the years but reversed.
In case you didn't notice the comment of mine that you were replying to was itself a reply to Kevin. His was at 8 above and mine is at 8.1. Did you see the link that he posted, and did you even look at it? It was Kevin who introduced the subject of the Alabama law. Why are you mentioning, for the first time here, an obscure case in California? I don't know, in the string of comments you are replying to where you got California from. I guess you are simply confused. Here is his link again. It is obviously about an Alabama law, isn't it?
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/14/it-goes-after-roe-directly-alabamas-abortion-bill-set-to-go-before-state-senate
Now if you still want to take part in this debate can you please stick to the subject which was the possibility of a Supreme Court reversing a decision by a previous incarnation and reversing of Roe vs Wade.
That of course simply becomes one about whether the SC should ever reverse a decision. Now if you want to discuss the subject you are welcome but if you are going to bring up other cases where a reversal is possible at least tell us what they are the first time you speak. Just as Kevin did with his case that might reverse Roe vs Wade and as I did where they reversed a case when they ruled on Brown vs Board of Education.
Yes the experience of rolling back the carpet we all could tread on to now excluding it from many who have to walk barefoot across stony ground is under way. Controls on mercenary behaviour fought for at great sacrifice is being lightly thrown away by the callous and self-interested. 'The mighty tree grows for a thousand years, and is felled in a day.' We will never be able to recover humane measures once they are wiped.
There has been a gradual loss of integrity and human values and respect that has altered society and washed away the ideas of enlightenment, just leaving the examples of its effect strewn on the beach at high water mark.
Best statement of the day Greywarshark;
This deserves three smillies.
" Maduro's approval ratings hover at around 20%." [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-47441642] So why are the 80% who disapprove so reluctant to join anti-govt protests? The explanation lies in the regime's use of controlled violence, via deployment of militia groups (rather than troops or police) to lend the regime a veneer of plausible deniability.
These groups have deep historical roots, detailed in this report from Al Jazeera: https://www.aljazeera.com/blogs/americas/2019/05/venezuela-colectivos-190506163125345.html Here's a report of how they operate:
"When tear gas and rubber bullets did not seem to deter a group of some 600 government opponents on the Venezuela side of the border in San Antonio, National Guardsmen withdrew and cleared the way for the masked men on motorcycles. Immediately, people began running, terrified."
"The men fired at the crowd and at the adjacent buildings for at least two hours until the main street leading up to the Simon Bolivar Bridge looked like an abandoned war zone. It's unclear how many people were injured. I saw at least two people being dragged away, one with a gunshot wound to the head, while the masked men refused to let ambulances through."
"Venezuelan Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez claimed the armed civilians were "Colombian paramilitaries" – an argument that many on the border didn't buy."
The regime's chief propagandist pretending the masked motorized shooters were a Colombian invasion force is entertaining, and bound to bring smiles to the faces of Venezuelans everywhere.
"The opposition-controlled National Assembly has designated these civilian bands as "terrorist groups" that carry out "violent paramilitary actions, intimidation, murder and other crimes" described as "acts of state terrorism". But, despite an international outcry against the use of these groups in recent weeks, Maduro has come out firmly in their defence. And amid the continued attempts by his opponents to force him from office, he has called on the colectivos – without distinction – to take to the streets "to every corner to defend the Revolution"."
It's a sophisticated mix of control tactics by Maduro. His political support continues to ebb, however. When "a paramilitary group fired live rounds at demonstrators from a government building in the opposition stronghold of Altamira. State police unsuccessfully attempted to confront the "delinquents". The following day, the police director of operations who had commanded the operative was summarily dismissed for interfering with the gunmen." When the state starts eliminating its own enforcers, the end of that state seems inevitable.
So Maduro's tactics being effective is insufficient. His strategy is too inadequate to succeed in the long term. Partisan thinking isn't in the public interest, and he must rise above those ideological blinkers to win back support in the 80% disaffected majority.
From the guy who supports the last coup attempt. And actively supports the violent overthrow of a democratically elected government.
You might want to look to see what the opposition support is buddy, then you might just realise it is a crap situation, made worse by war mongers and imperialist thugs like yourself.
Hey dickhead, since I haven't supported any military coup anywhere in my entire life, you know you're full of shit. 🙄
"Asked by CNN's Christiane Amanpour about mass shootings in the United States and whether other countries could learn from the actions of New Zealand and Australia, Ms Ardern said it was possible to "draw a line" and ban access to military style semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles. "Australia experienced a massacre and changed their laws, New Zealand had its experience and changed its laws. To be honest with you I do not understand the United States."" https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/389215/jacinda-ardern-on-gun-law-changes-i-do-not-understand-the-us
Lack of similarity between Australasia & USA derives from an historical factor more influential in mass psychology than the cause & effect relation between massacres and military style semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles. It is the Constitution. It defines US political culture and mass identity.
For Americans, the right to wear weapons shapes their self-image from childhood. Locked into that 18th-century mindset by the Constitution, they cannot progress. It creates a binding belief-system, and acts as a mental prison. In their primitive form of civilisation, violence is institutionalised by design.
And deeper than the Constitution, we tend to forget that America as a nation has it's founding origin in a citizen armed revolt against British colonialism.
Good point. Although I'd prefer the arch-conservatives to be a little more authentically 18th-century and wear swords as well. Wigs too.
You should also note that the people who revolted were the colonists.
It wasn't a revolt by the American Indians was it? It was by wealthy colonists like Washington, Jefferson, Adams and other gentleman of British descent.
Clever science and thinking. 46,000 tonnes of grape marc have caused problems in Marlborough.Today this appeared in the media.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/112579373/pacrimenviro-trials-potential-solution-for-marlboroughs-grape-marc-problems
The solution is to dry the marc to 25% of its original weight. The products are steam and a sultana smelling powder which could be a stock feed supplement, a soil conditioner or made into pellets which can then be a fuel.
The drying process thereby becomes a self-fuelling process. Presumably the process could take place at the place of crushing, obviating a lot of transport needs.
In March, another solution was publicised here. More traditional thinking but obviously viable.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/111527346/the-beast-waging-war-and-laying-waste-to-marlboroughs-grape-marc-problem
@mm .
Reply functions on the fritz again .
Considering your kin wiped the moa out you might wont to get off your high horse you angry little man.
Did mm's kin even have horses?
the great mental prowess of the farm jerker exhibit a – a daggy waggy – so cute but keep fingers away cos they bite when ruffled
bwaghorn The colonials made such a big deal out of huia feathers that they monetised it to extinction; the big bird nob having a breeding pair that were to be released in an island off shore, when the PM who was overseeing the transfer and release died, abandoned that. He took them home to his rich patron and greased up to him, by having the last of an extinct bird.
Lots of this sort of stuff and mm gets to be an angry little (or big or fat) man. It is the emotion that gets us off our backsides and doing something to improve, and makes us all a bit touchy. You are taking steps too – so we all get touchy with each other at times.
This music gets me going Carl Orff – O Fortuna
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXFSK0ogeg4
The above is I believe, pretty factual. But anyone who knows the more correct factual version is welcome to update mine.
While I was googling on moa gastroliths earlier I found this article and the interesting idea that Maori hunting may not have been the primary reason for their extinction:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/north-shore-times/660809/Stones-of-the-moa
Although as a keen tramper in my earlier years I often thought that it wasn't such a bad thing that moa were extinct.
You're missing the main moa predator there – sandflies. Trampers need to know why the little buggers are so hungry.
It's possibly the other way around, the sandfly is there to protect these places from hordes of people. Although over time I got quite used to them and they stop bothering you much.
What are a total pest are the 'no-seeum' sandflies that are common around water in Queensland. You can barely see them, you don't feel their bite, but reaction can last days and is intensely itchy. One night we got hammered by them and had to make a fast trip to the nearest chemist about 2 hrs drive away for some anti-histamine. The lass behind the counter could scarcely contain her smirk as we entered the shop …
Moa would have, I think, made tramping easier, through their browsing habits, clipping and pruning the shrubby layers like a parkland. Perhaps. Maybe.
Yes and no. It's also thought that many of our juvenile tree forms and shrub species, the hebe's especially, evolved their divaricating habit (tightly interwoven branches) as a defense against moa browsing that might tear plants with a more normal structure to shreds.
Cost-cutting to improve quality is the order of day at New Shub. Sounds a bit like the John Key government, doesn't it?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12231068
(note this article is not behind the paywall 😆)
Right at the bottom that old drunkard Bill Ralston says,
Of course what he meant in these modern times is, "To grow your audience in news, you have to manufacture outrage"
I’ve always been confused by the contrast between the AM show with its shameless right wing tabloidism, and New Shub 6pm news with the most boring man in presenting, straight-laced Mike McRoberts.
"you have to threaten to break lefties" – I think that's what he really means.
I think we have a new role model!
https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/well-good/112731813/vegan-no-more-is-the-fashion-for-plantbased-diets-beginning-to-wilt
I fear that all the goodness of that item has been used up in the headline.
The 2020 US election could indeed actually be stolen. Here's how Repugs could actually deliver Needy Amin a second term:
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/05/13/2020-election-contested-donald-trump-226869
The Republicans stole the 2016 election. The Democrats' "leadership" has spent two years pushing the fantasy that the RUSSIANS did it.
No one with a brain believes them.
Five and a half more years of Trump coming up.
True that is.
Hillary used corporate money to set up the "Russia Russia Russia hoax" and it all has now blown up in her wicked face.
Get a load of this article, and the spin for E pollute. I would like to see the long term tend as this is going to get interesting. I never heard of such high pollution levels in Canterbury plains wells before I left CHCH in 1998 and even during my time in the farm/ horticulture Cadetship scheme before the “No Mates Party” stuffed that up along with apprenticeships in the early to mid 90’s.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/112695269/environmentalists-alarmed-but-environment-canterbury-says-water-survey-results-expected
Could be about USA.
Quote in Robert Goddard's book Sea Change 2000. Good read.
It has been judiciously observed that a commercial country has more to dread from the golden baits of avarice, the airy hopes of projectors and the wild enthusiastic dreams of speculators than from any external dangers.
John Miller, An Authentic Account of the South Sea Scheme (1845)
Court refuses serial scumbag's latest attempt to try it on:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12231170
Court said no. However ..
@lprent may have thoughts to add, or not.
Yes. I'm looking forward to lprent's take on the story. 🙂
Literal or figurative, who can tell anymore?
Figurative meat. It’s a thing: Real meat, masquerading as cultured meat, pretending to be real meat.
Amaze your vegetarian friends. “I can’t believe it’s not meat. I mean literally.”
(meaning figuratively)
Just don't tell them. Yes it is.
Now we really know that the sheep and beef people are in trouble
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u468xY1T8fw