Open Mike 17/11/2018

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, November 17th, 2018 - 83 comments
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83 comments on “Open Mike 17/11/2018”

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  1. Jenny 1
    17 November 2018 at 6:17 am

    Civil society in Ethiopia takes on the local repressive military industrial complex, and beats them.

    Disclaimer; I have no personal experience of Ethiopia, but this seems like a genuine good news story that should hearten the world.

    Ethiopia’s PM Abiy Ahmed takes on the military
    Emmanuel Igunza -BBC Africa, November 15, 2018

    A year ago, many Ethiopians would not have dared to imagine the spectacle they are being treated to right now, as the government intensifies its crackdown on alleged corruption and gross human rights violations within the military and intelligence services.

    The nation has watched in disbelief – and then cheered – as former high-ranking officers have been arrested on live television, handcuffed while surrounded by heavily armed security personnel and bundled into police vehicles. Times have indeed changed.

    This is the biggest crackdown on corruption in Ethiopia’s recent history and it is being spearheaded by the bold and reformist Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who came to power in April……

    …..The prime minister seems to be responding to concerns raised by the public, especially during the last four years when massive anti-government protests broke out in many parts of the country.

    At the heart of the demonstrations were serious concerns about the alleged corruption which touched at the very core of the government and the military.

    Torture and sodomy charges
    The corruption scandals which have hit the military-run conglomerate, Metals and Engineering Company (Metec), have not been a secret in the country – they have long been whispered in homes, pubs and coffee places.

    But no-one, it seemed, had the courage to take the problem head on until Mr Abiy came to office.

    In this fight, the prime minister seems to have huge public support, having won over even some of his doubters who thought he did not have it in him to take on the military elite.

    Other arrested officials have already appeared in court, facing charges that include torture, rape and sodomy.

    Again, this did not come as a surprise to Ethiopians. Thousands of them were arbitrarily arrested over the years, and human rights groups have written numerous reports about the allegations against security officials.

    His critics say he is carrying out a purge of the old guard in the military and intelligence services who for years have been almost untouchable and only answerable to those within their ranks…..

    • Jenny 1.1
      17 November 2018 at 10:32 pm

      This is a remarkable turnaround when most of the world seems to be heading in the other direction.

      When just 70 years after the death of Hitler and Stalin where we seemed to be heading to a world where all the major countries will be ruled by fascists, goons, strongmen and other types of “authoritarians” (Britain and France excepted for the moment).

  2. gsays 2
    17 November 2018 at 7:05 am

    A great example of why the old model is broken, a lack of leadership and a lack of imagination.
    Trucking rubbish 200km from Taranaki to Martin. Three trucks a day.
    And then there is talk of achieving zero waste targets…

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/108649134/deal-will-see-taranaki-waste-trucked-to-marton-landfill-from-mid-2019

    • joe90 2.1
      17 November 2018 at 11:32 am

      Zero waste = dumping your shit in some else’s back yard.

      • greywarshark 2.1.1
        17 November 2018 at 11:35 am

        People might excuse the authorities of not having a lot of drive in dealing with rubbish. Many are so thick that they would reply that was wrong, they drive
        the rubbish away. They would think a riposte like that funny.

      • Draco T Bastard 2.1.2
        17 November 2018 at 2:26 pm

        Well, no. They do seem to be working on the principle of actually reducing their waste. Personally, I don’t see how that can be done at the regional level. It really does need central government bringing in legislation to reduce packaging and banning the spam in our mailboxes.

    • Draco T Bastard 2.2
      17 November 2018 at 2:23 pm

      I’m wondering how it will be able to save ~$1m per year. That doesn’t seem physically possible without either dropping the number of personnel or lowering wages or both.

      And, with it being wholly foreign owned means that any profit is going to be shipped offshore making us poorer.

      I’m also wondering what other hooks have been placed in the agreement because it seems far too good to be true.

  3. Ant 3
    17 November 2018 at 7:53 am

    A Universal Creativity Initiative will flow naturally from UBI.
    We are at our best when putting personal talent to work. It is no coincidence that world-wide rehabilitation programs for offenders and addicts are invariably grounded in creativity, – activities such as cooking, music, art, surfing, and environmental restoration.
    Earning a living for most fails to honour individual creativity. We find ourselves ‘imprisoned’ within profit-based corporations and governmental institutions demanding compliance within narrow bounds. The demise of conventional employment following widespread automation will usher in a universal basic income or similar currency leaving millions free to give expression to what they sense as innovation lying at their deepest core.
    While there are impressive structures created by animals (bird nests, termite colonies, corals, beaver dams) they are purpose-built – never as creative expression. Setting us aside from other life forms our creativity stems from individual temperament and ability. The trait is common to us all whilst its expression in terms of range, diversity and depth is without limit.
    With capitalism comfortably out of the way and UBI in place a universal creativity initiative will eventuate allowing the widest spectrum of human abilities to come to the fore in the rebuild of society and restoration of our stricken planet. The politically inclined to explore new styles of inclusive government; educators to developing fresh methods of nourishing emerging talent; financiers to look into equitable ways applying UBI; artists and musicians to give novel expression to humanity’s changing orientation on earth; scientists to probe decisive methods of restoring the integrity of our ecosystems; medics to develop non-intrusive initiatives of addressing health; idealists to imagining our future course – to name a few.

    Within these broad divisions lie countless sub-opportunities catering for the full spectrum of human talent and ability all the way from abstract visionaries to those with high quality physical dexterity.

    • Incognito 3.1
      18 November 2018 at 11:54 am

      Our creativity is only limited by our imagination and curiosity – unstoppable forces in human evolution. There’s one thing that stops imagination and creativity dead in their tracks: fear.

      Indeed, when the basics are not covered our psychology results in different attitudes and behaviours. The post here on TS on house prices bears testament to that. People bow to economic fundamentals or indicators rather and put their lives on hold (i.e. play it safe).

      We all have so much potential locked away inside but have thrown away the key – we now live in strictly materialistic dimension of our own making. Some praise our secular society and its supposed rationalism and reliance on science and the scientific method. Others compare it with the Matrix: an artificial world in which human evolution is at a standstill and exploited by machines – I think we’re half-way there.

      Will a UBI change our direction? Maybe …

  4. Morrissey 4
    17 November 2018 at 9:36 am

    “I don’t think we can afford to just completely IGNORE this.”
    Two louts and a comedian discuss “China’s aggression” in the South China Sea
    The Panel, RNZ National, Friday 16 November 2018
    Jim Mora, James Nokise, Heather Roy, Caitlin Cherry

    First topic for the once-over-lightly this afternoon was the buttonholing of Jacinda Ardern by Mahathir Mohamad, and his urging her to beware of Chinese influence in the Pacific. Host Jim Mora noted that “the Australians” have spoken out against China’s aggression. Mora made that statement without any discernible irony in his voice.

    Near the end of this risible segment, the one participant with a conscience, comedian James Nokise, says what anyone with an I.Q. above room temperature would have been thinking. He obviously decided to ignore the rules: such plain speaking is utterly verboten on this dog of a program. His radical statement of the truth elicits a ringing silence from Mora, who is happy to laugh at the plight of political dissidents, and Heather Roy, a former ACT member of parliament…..

    JIM MORA: And then there were those, aah, AWKWARD moments at the East Asia Summit in Singapore

    HEATHER ROY: Mmmmmm.

    JIM MORA: —when the Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad began BENDING the ear of our prime minister about Chinese attempts to dominate the South China Sea, and the reporters were ushered out of the roo-hoo-hoo-om! [guffawing, followed by extended intake of breath]… It’s interesting, I mean, if push DOES come to shove in the South China Sea—we’ve asked this before—what sould, what should New Zealand do, because the P.M. says we’re not taking SIDES here?

    HEATHER ROY: [deep sigh to indicate moral seriousness] Hmmmmm.

    JAMES NOKISE: What exactly CAN we do? Probably an uncomfortable question for New Zealanders. I mean are we gonna send our three ships and no planes that we have, to intimidate China?

    MORA: Well, Australia trades a lot with China, and [deep intake of breath] has still told China in fairly plain language that it’s being AGGRESSIVE. I guess you could say Australia is using harder wo-o-o-ords.

    JAMES NOKISE: Well if anyone knows about aggressive use of internment camps it’s probably the Australians, isn’t it.

    …Awkward silence….

    HEATHER ROY: [nervously] Heh, heh.

    MORA: [breathes deeply to indicate annoyance and perplexedness] It’s INTERESTING though—-

    HEATHER ROY: Yeeaahhhh….

    MORA: Sorry, no you were gonna say what?

    HEATHER ROY: It IS very interesting, and New Zealand is heavily dependent on the South China Sea, you know….[…]…. I don’t think we can afford to just completely IGNORE this. Ahhhhhhmmm, tut, if you look at what happens with the MILITARY, ahh, there’s a freedom of navigation operations where the, the basis of that is maintaining your position… [bores on for a seeming eternity, actually another minute]…

    Later in the program, Heather Roy the former ACT M.P. claimed, contra all evidence, that “the Americans treat veterans very well.”

    https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/thepanel/audio/2018671565/taking-sides-over-the-south-china-sea

    • WeTheBleeple 4.1
      17 November 2018 at 9:56 am

      Comedians often bring the unpalatable to the table. It’s their job in a way. Well done James.

    • Dennis Frank 4.2
      17 November 2018 at 11:22 am

      You seem to forget that RNZ has always only catered for mainstreamers. Ardern could probably get her head around it, but she has to play to her crowd, right? When in doubt, be a typical politician & duck the issue.

      If she were a true leader, she’d be fronting on behalf of our foreign policy credentials & independent stance – representing the entire country on the issue, not just Labour deadheads. She could remain cautious in noting that the South China Sea is not in our region, but explain that she understands why Malaysia is trying to share their regional concern with us. She could reasonably mention that other countries in that region share Malaysia’s concern, and cite those such as Japan and the Phillipines that have issued foreign policy statements in recent years expressing their concerns.

      A true leader of Aotearoa would go further. Issuing a declaration of principle is required: China is creating a security threat in that region, perception that it is attempting a strategy of covert imperialism by means of establishing control over sea routes in contravention of international law is valid and we support those countries that are affected and threatened. Not taking sides is wimping out. She is presumably using public service advice as an excuse to do so. Poor leadership is the result.

      • Draco T Bastard 4.2.1
        17 November 2018 at 2:49 pm

        She could remain cautious in noting that the South China Sea is not in our region,

        It’s a global issue and not a regional one. The South China Sea is ~3.5 million square kilometres of international ocean. China’s actions are against all international law as it stands.

        If China manages to annex it or even just a large portion of it then other nations will be doing the same and the law will be one which cannot be enforced. China seems to be doing it because they don’t think that the international community will do anything about it. Unfortunately, history proves them right. After all, the international community has never held the US to account for it’s crimes against international law.

        This is a wealth grab and it’s actually grabbing potential wealth from the other nations surrounding The South China Sea.

      • Morrissey 4.2.2
        17 November 2018 at 3:09 pm

        You seem to forget that RNZ has always only catered for mainstreamers.

        I’m well aware of that, Dennis. Occasionally there is real, outstanding, and courageous journalism on RNZ National, and even on the usually dreadful Panel hour: Eva Radich discomfiting Tony Blair by insisting he respond to her point that the attack on Iraq was illegal, Kim Hill driving the neocon William Shawcross into a fit of volcanic anger [1], Gordon Campbell challenging the glib and uninformed Richard Griffin over his prejudiced and thoughtless comments about Hugo Chavez and eliciting a groveling backdown and on-air retraction, and (more recently) Paula Penfold calling out the head of the New Zealand Defence Forces as a “coward”. [2]

        All too often, however, as you rightly point out, RNZ National is anything but a forum of debate, affording an uncontested space for some of the ugliest and cleverest ideologues on the planet. [3]

        [1] https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/william-shawcross-explodes-in-rage-at.html

        [2] https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-disturbing-story-behind-willie.html

        [3] https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-01082011/#comment-358776

        • Dennis Frank 4.2.2.1
          17 November 2018 at 4:07 pm

          Your point is well-made. I was just having a bitch at them. Having lived in alternative Aotearoa most of my life I resent their systemic discrimination against non-mainstreamers. They’ve learnt how to include other minorities in their coverage, they just can’t seem to apply the general principle!

    • Exkiwiforces 4.3
      17 November 2018 at 11:51 pm

      When I’m back in town, I’ll post the Maritime Trade numbers that transit the SCS and greater Pacific Region and the possible effects it would have on the NZ economy. Any NZ exports for the SEA region goes through the Singapore hub, the same is for some our MER exports/imports have to go through the Singapore hub. If China does manage close access to SCS or degrade access to the SCS then the economies of Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and some degree the Canada and the US will be effected. In turn this will effect our traditional trading/ allies and including Australia, so what happens in the SCS is our concern as it would effectively stuff up the NZ economy especially what the Neo Lib/ Con economic theory has done to NZ over the last 30 odd years.

      Unless we start to diverse our economy like our Kirk, Rowling, old Piggy and some degree Lamb burger Moore said in the 70’ and early/ mid 80’s, then we are fucked as we have ran down all aspects of the economy and the NZDF. Our Sea Lanes Of Communications (SLOC’s) are our life blood and heart and soul of the greater NZ economy.

  6. marty mars 6
    17 November 2018 at 9:58 am

    Scum. It is just about 2019. No excuses for the racist, disgusting scum who are members of Hawera Mt View Lions Club.

    There is outrage at the decision by the Hawera Mt View Lions Club to wear blackface at the Taranaki town’s Christmas Parade on Friday.

    https://i.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/108671695/outrage-at-lions-club-decision-to-wear-blackface-at-hawera-community-parade

    I wish you lot didn’t live in our country.

  7. Incognito 7
    17 November 2018 at 10:00 am

    A tricky exam question for National MPs, particularly their (current) Leader and Deputy-Leader:

    A famous Italian politician once said: “In politics, events of importance are the result of trivial causes”. Discuss.

  8. Morrissey 8
    17 November 2018 at 10:25 am

    “Is it acceptable for a reporter to go on and on because he hasn’t got an answer out of the President?” Obviously Jim Mora thinks it’s NOT acceptable.
    The Panel, RNZ National, Thursday 8 November 2018
    Jim Mora, Penny Ashton, Bernard Hickey, Caitlin Cherry

    Penny Ashton gets very heated as she criticizes Donald Trump, in the face of Mora’s infuriatingly complacent, barely disguised support for the Groper in Chief. Mora’s disdainful and patrician attitude, and his infuriatingly complacent observations seem designed to goad, taunt, and vex her.

    BERNARD HICKEY: Last time we had unemployment this low, mortgage rates were eleven per cent.

    MORA: ELEVEN per cent?!?!?

    PENNY ASHTON: And I heard that they were like NINETEEN or TWENTY per cent in the eighties a lot of the time.

    ……

    MORA: Minor news, um, from the, um, MID-TERMS in the United States, before we get to the big issues. Fox News, under a headline “Democrat Agenda” featured Lenin with a red flag and a hammer and sickle—

    PENNY ASHTON: Oh, good LO-O-O-ORD.

    MORA: Unless that is FAKE news, but it seemed to be genuine. The celebrity endorsements by the way—I don’t know why I mention, perhaps it’s because you’re here—

    PENNY ASHTON: [sarcastic snicker] Yeah! That’s right.

    MORA: —FLOPPED. Um, from Taylor Swift and Beyoncé in Tenness—, Tennessee and Texas.

    PENNY ASHTON: But DID they flop? I wouldn’t think you would say that Beto would—is that how you say his name?—Beeto, Beto?

    MORA: Beto.

    PENNY ASHTON: Beto—was a FLOP. Like he got SO CLOSE in a theoretically very red state. He also, it feels like he was starting his run for President, is what a lot of people are saying. I mean, and I just sort of think, that yes, okay they didn’t win, but it was close, and they rattled the cage, and I think that that’s SOMETHING.

    MORA: It’s puzzling..[baffled sigh]… how come Beyoncé didn’t, uh, tell her millions of followers to vote for Beto until about four o’clock in the afterNOON?

    PENNY ASHTON: I know, but also it’s so puzzling isn’t it, that that would be what it would take to GET you to do that, is something, but you know, there’s no point lamenting that sort of shenanigans, IS there?

    MORA: And in a SIGN of the digital times, South Carolina’s state newspaper the Post had to go to press before the final result, and it announced: “Katie Arrington is going to Washington”. The first woman in Congress for twenty-five years in South Carolina, but in fact her lead was pulled ba-a-a-ack, and she ISN’T going to Washington. And, Bernard, you can imagine the agony of the subs as they tried to make that decision! [laughing]

    BERNARD HICKEY: “Who-o-o-o-oops!”

    MORA: Hur, hur!

    BERNARD HICKEY: “Hold the presses!”

    MORA: I know, they couldn’t hold them any longer!

    BERNARD HICKEY: It’s like that famous headline, was it “Dewey Wins”? um, from nineteen—

    MORA: Oh yeah.

    PENNY ASHTON: And they QUOTED that I think.

    BERNARD HICKEY: Yeah, yeah…

    PENNY ASHTON: Yea-aah.

    ….Pause…..

    MORA: Jeff Sessions has been sacked by Donald Trump, we’ll talk about that. And Donald Trump got REALLY upset with a persistent CNN reporter Jeff Acosta.

    Jim Acosta: Mister President—
    Donald Trump: That’s ENOUGH.
    Jim Acosta: Mister President, I, one of the questions, if I may ask, on the Russian investigation, are you concerned that, that you may have—
    Donald Trump: I’m not concerned about anything—
    Jim Acosta: —where you may have indictments—
    Donald Trump: —with this investigation because it’s a HOAX! That’s enough. Put down the mike!
    Jim Acosta: Mister President, are you worried about INDICTMENTS coming down in this invest—
    ….Several seconds of hubbub as Trump’s aides attempt to grab microphone. Someone yells “Take his mike!”…
    Jim Acosta: Mister President—
    Donald Trump:     [croaking in anger] I tell ya what: CNN should be ASHAMED of itself, having YOU working’ for them. You are a RUDE, TERRIBLE PERSON. You shouldn’t be working’ for CNN. Go ahead. ….[more hubbub]….

    MORA: So Mister Acosta’s press credentials, ahhhh, have now been revoked by the White House, it’s claimed he placed his HANDS on the intern in the video from which this audio’s takennnn….

    PENNY ASHTON: I watched it, she GRABBED the microphone out of his hand quite VIOLENTLY, and he put his hand out while she did that. And then people are saying online that it was ASSAULT. I mean, it’s, it’s like, oh honestly, it’s bad behavior all ROUND, it feels like to me.

    BERNARD HICKEY: Yeaaahh, the, the, the photographs, I’ve seen the Reuters photographs of the incident, make it clear that he was simply trying to hold on to the mike.

    PENNY ASHTON: Yeah. Yeah. And then she was being very rou—, you know,

    BERNARD HICKEY: Mmmm.

    PENNY ASHTON: Oh hey, he just, he’s just sort of such a repellent, I know that you’ve had, you’ve had listeners writing in, saying that your Panelists are so biased against Trump—

    MORA: Yes, I’ll GET to that.

    PENNY ASHTON: This is the man that said that, um, you know, he was gonna try and soften his rhetoric. And that’s what he comes out with, because he can’t help himself. And to me, it’s just, he keeps going on about CNN’s ratings dropping, but they’re NOT, so, you know, fake news, fake news.

    MORA: Ha ha ha ha. Ha!

    PENNY ASHTON: You are the fake news, sir, and this is what happens.

    MORA: In—

    PENNY ASHTON: How does it work? How do they dismiss people? Like, you know, I don’t know how it works in New Zealand. You’re in the press; if, if, if, you know, Jacinda goes, “Enough from you now”—

    MORA: Yes I wanna ASK you that—

    PENNY ASHTON: —are you supposed to STOP?

    MORA: I wanna ask you that, because, in Trump’s, errr, errr, Trump’s CREDIT, he takes questions, lots more questions than Barack Obama or George Bush used to DO.

    PENNY ASHTON: [skeptically] Well that’s interesti-i-ing.

    MORA: Is it acceptable for a reporter to go on and on because he hasn’t got an answer out of the President? What do you think?

    BERNARD HICKEY: Uh, I, I think it i-i-i-is, and it’s the job of the, um, responder to answer the question.

    PENNY ASHTON: Mmm.

    BERNARD HICKEY: Or at least make clear that they’re not going to answer the question because they don’t want to.

    PENNY ASHTON: And not to descend into insults. Obviously.

    BERNARD HICKEY: Yeah. And I must say, I’ve been in the press gallery now for six years, and have, you know, interviewed CEOs and Ministers for TWENTY years. I very rarely see a situation where someone walks out of an interview or refuses to answer a question. And John Key in particular, but also, um, Bill English, AND Jacinda Ardern all pride themselves on basically exhausting questions, i.e. stand there until the questions stop, and then leaving.

    PENNY ASHTON: Right, okay. That’s certainly not his—

    BERNARD HICKEY: And when they cut them off it’s actually really rare and noteworthy.

    MORA: [audible intake of breath to indicate displeasure]

    PENNY ASHTON: I mean, especially because people are ATTACKING journalists and things like this, you know, there’s actually been physical violence, and things, and he is INCITING this, and I just find it, I mean it’s what he DOES, isn’t it.

    BERNARD HICKEY: It’s the next level, um, awfulness, and it’s really dangerous, actually.

    PENNY ASHTON: Yeah, totally.

    BERNARD HICKEY: I mean, there’s been bombs sent to CNN—

    PENNY ASHTON: Yep.

    BERNARD HICKEY: Ah, um, journalists have been harassed, and he’s created this environment where Saudi Arabia thought it was okay to, to kill and dismember a journalist who walked into their—-

    MORA: Hang on! Are you trying to say that Saudi Arabia did that, ahhh, to Mister Khashoggi because of what Mis—

    BERNARD HICKEY: Not beCAUSE of Trump, but they felt enabled to do it because of what Trump had said.

    MORA: Okay, –t’s an interesting claim.

    PENNY ASHTON: I liked the guy from—

    BERNARD HICKEY: And they haven’t been punished by the way.

    PENNY ASHTON: No.

    BERNARD HICKEY: A major ally of America.

    PENNY ASHTON: I liked the guy from NBC who immediately stood up for, um, so what’s that guy’s name again?

    BERNARD HICKEY: Jim Acosta.

    PENNY ASHTON: That, thank you. Acosta. That’s an interesting one for that situation isn’t it! Ah, anyway, he stood up for him and said he’s nothing but professional and a good guy, which I thought was great, immediately after that.

    MORA: Here’s a little bit more audio of, uh, likely House Leader and leading Democrat Nancy Pelosi.

    [cheering]… Nancy Pelosi: In stark contrast to the G.O.P. Congress the Democratic Congress will be led with transparency and openness. …[cheering]…

    MORA: Is that the great FIB of politics? Along with the vow to be bipartisan and to end division?

    PENNY ASHTON:

    BERNARD HICKEY: Yes, yes. Like the current government’s um, pledge to, um, “reform the Official Information Act to make it much more transparent.” Nothing has happened. ….

    MORA:

    PENNY ASHTON: I think the way that they operate, as a nation, for their political system is crazy.It’s something like Democrats got seven per cent more of the popular vote in this election, you know, and then that doesn’t translate, does it, because of the way that their system is. It’s just—-

    MORA: But it doesn’t translate in other countries, sometimes either.

    PENNY ASHTON: Oh absolutely, I mean, sometimes, WELL! I mean, some, I feel like this one is one of the more, well, I suppose it’s the one that gets the most publicity. But the extremity to which people can be stymied. Like Barack, well everyone, you had somebody writing and saying “Oh what did OBAMA do?” He couldn’t do anything EITHER, because of the same system blocking things, being able to, you know,…[continues defending the indefensible for extended time]…

    https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/thepanel/20181108

    • mac1 8.1
      17 November 2018 at 2:32 pm

      Is it acceptable to publish 1676 words in an article which took nearly six screens to scroll past?

      • Ed 8.1.1
        17 November 2018 at 2:59 pm

        I always enjoy Morrissey’s perceptive, clever and witty transcripts.

        • mac1 8.1.1.1
          17 November 2018 at 3:14 pm

          Good, but is there another way to access this information? Can it be linked to, can it be edited, can it be left as a link to a radio site with succinct commentary from the poster as to its content?

          It is, after all, a transcript of other peoples’ argument that if written as an argument would be well reduced by the editor’s pen.

          Next, we’ll be having transcripts of an MP’s Hansard on the Standard, the full ten minutes, with interjections, Speaker’s interventions and personal asides.

          If more feel like you, Ed, then I’ll just continue to scroll past. Part of that problem for me is that continuity of the flow of responses is broken by having to scroll so far, and the logical thread is interrupted.

          120 words, btw.

        • Morrissey 8.1.1.2
          17 November 2018 at 3:14 pm

          Thanks Ed. Love you too.

      • Morrissey 8.1.2
        17 November 2018 at 3:13 pm

        Thanks for counting, mac!

        Love you.

        • mac1 8.1.2.1
          17 November 2018 at 3:18 pm

          Paste to a word processor and let the machine do the counting…………

          I write a regular 300 word article for a newsletter. I know that it is read, and therefore worthwhile for me to produce.

          The word counter limits me in being more succinct than is my first draft over-written and wordy as it is, and is a valuable editing tool.

    • patricia bremner 8.2
      17 November 2018 at 9:22 pm

      This rubbish why oh why ???????

  9. joe90 9
    17 November 2018 at 12:14 pm

    Could they move on to Kissinger, please?

    PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — The last surviving leaders of the communist Khmer Rouge regime that brutally ruled Cambodia in the 1970s were convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes Friday by an international tribunal.

    Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan were sentenced to life in prison, the same punishment they are already serving after earlier convictions at a previous trial for crimes against humanity connected with forced transfers and mass disappearances. Cambodia has no death penalty.

    Both men have suggested they were targets of political persecution. Nuon Chea was considered the main ideologist of the Khmer Rouge and the right-hand man of the group’s late leader, Pol Pot, while Khieu Samphan served as the head of state, presenting a moderate veneer as the public face for the highly secretive group.

    https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/last-khmer-rouge-leaders-found-guilty-genocide-get-life-terms-n937071?

    • OnceWasTim 9.1
      17 November 2018 at 12:58 pm

      Console yourself @ Joe90. While there are a good number influenced by his ideology, there’ll be an even greater number lining up to piss on his grave.

      (Energy – including the emotional – is a finite resource as things stand – use it wisely)

  10. OnceWasTim 10
    17 November 2018 at 12:47 pm

    And in breaking, snapping sensational news, the CIA has concluded the Saudi Crown Prince ORDERED the death.
    Is anyone surprised?

    • joe90 10.1
      17 November 2018 at 12:54 pm

      Now, don’t forget your bone saw.

      • OnceWasTim 10.1.1
        17 November 2018 at 1:09 pm

        I won’t – I have an ex-wife who once had to attend a few gruesome post-mortems, then come home and pretend normal humanity and dump her load. Not surprising some things don’t last.
        But you know …… yea/nah

        Shit! I almost forgot the > preface and the OWT.

  11. JC 11
    17 November 2018 at 12:54 pm

    China boots invited media from Pacific Island leaders meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping … Chinese State Broardcaster CCTV only media allowed to record.

    “To be told that we’re not allowed is undermining our press freedom, we have press freedom in this country.”

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-16/media-kicked-out-of-xi-jinping-pacific-leaders-meeting/10506666

  12. greywarshark 12
    17 November 2018 at 1:03 pm

    [Mike] Joy is the editor of a new book, From Mountains to Sea: Solving New Zealand’s Freshwater Crisis looking at the problem of freshwater, which he says is grave.

    “The freshwater crisis is our industrialisation of the landscape and it’s ended up with these two worlds,” he says.
    “We have this amazing conservation estate with the most beautiful pristine rivers and lakes in the world and a lowlands where we have some of the most degraded and polluted lakes and rivers in the world.”

    He says this tendency to “silo” means we lose track of the bigger picture.

    “We’ve got real lack of leadership. I find we could reduce the number of cows we have in the country – say, a 20 percent reduction – and we would get in most places a 40 percent reduction in the amount of nitrate pollution that comes from that.
    https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/2018670839/mike-joy-solving-nz-s-freshwater-crisis

    • JC 12.1
      17 November 2018 at 1:31 pm

      “It strikes me with great clarity that if you look at the problems in isolation they each seem intractable; but when you grasp that there could be one single solution, then suddenly there is a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel.”

      – Mike Joy.

      You can purchase a copy here; (Only $16).

      https://www.bwb.co.nz/books/mountains-sea

  13. JC 13
    17 November 2018 at 1:13 pm

    As Ed seems MIA today… a cheerful Weekend read FYA!…

    “With wildfires, heat waves, and rising sea levels, large tracts of the earth are at risk of becoming uninhabitable. But the fossil-fuel industry continues its assault on the facts.”

    – Bill McKibben

    https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/11/26/how-extreme-weather-is-shrinking-the-planet

  14. joe90 14
    17 November 2018 at 1:15 pm

    Puritarian’s aren’t happy.

    Our next Speaker needs to be strong, smart, and strategic. The best person for the job is @NancyPelosi. I look forward to working with her in the next Congress to advance our commitment to progressive policies that fueled our historic victories. https://t.co/ETWMKzhFAK— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) November 16, 2018

    It wasn’t a coincidence that moments after Nancy Pelosi promised progressive House leaders more power in the next Congress, a host of liberal groups announced they were supporting her for speaker.

    Rep. Pramila Jayapal, who is expected to co-chair the House Progressive Caucus next year, left a Thursday night meeting with Pelosi in the Capitol and proclaimed that her members would have more seats on powerful committees and more influence over legislation.

    https://www.politico.com/story/2018/11/16/pelosi-speaker-progressives-congress-998595

  15. greywarshark 15
    17 November 2018 at 1:16 pm

    I think this is a cheap shot on my part but I liked this juxtaposition of news headings at RNZ.

    Mainfreight’s overall profit up 22 percent
    New Zealanders losing millions to scammers, new data shows

    Freight Transport & Logistics | Mainfreight NZ
    https://www.mainfreight.com/nz/en/nz-home.aspx
    Around town, or around the world, with over 250 branches and an extensive global agent network Mainfreight delivers wherever your product needs to go.

    Views from Mainfreight chief:
    https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/mainfreights-plested-gives-recipe-nz-including-capital-gains-tax-performance-pay-teachers-b

    (Not to be confused with Mainzeal, which has the Fairy Shipley National touch.)
    Mainzeal failed while parent made billions – Newsroom
    Oct 24, 2018 – Richina, the Chinese parent company of failed NZ construction company Mainzeal, owns assets potentially worth billions of dollars, according …
    https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/10/23/288481/mainzeal-failed-while-parent-made-billions

  16. joe90 16
    17 November 2018 at 1:24 pm

    Need more rakes…

    Trump blames forest poor management on the California fires, says if forest areas had been raked out, "you wouldn't have the fires." (via Fox) pic.twitter.com/cbdfiRlbJ7— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) November 16, 2018

  17. Ed 17
    17 November 2018 at 1:44 pm

    Some of the best political analysis you can hear.

    • joe90 17.1
      17 November 2018 at 1:56 pm

      ..the…death…of…the…kilo… yup, fucking riveting…

      /

      • Ed 17.1.1
        17 November 2018 at 2:56 pm

        I found the whole show fascinating.
        George’s views on Brexit and poverty in the UK were enlightening.

        Roger Highfield, a director from the Science Museum, spike in the subject of the kilo.He was was fascinating and informative. I learnt a lot.

        Yet, I doubt you listened as you prejudged the whole thing.
        For a 28 year old, you come over as very closed minded.

        [Enough of the ageism Ed. And I’ll while I’m here, can you please give a brief intro to videos? eg ‘George Galloway discusses Brexit, the Tory meltdown, and the need for a snap election on his UK radio show’. Gives the reader some relevant context, which is good manners in my book. Cheers, TRP.]

    • mauī 17.2
      17 November 2018 at 2:25 pm

      Thank you Ed.

    • Ed 17.3
      17 November 2018 at 3:23 pm

      Looks like the British are finding out that Europe is like Hotel California.

      “You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave.”

  19. SaveNZ 19
    17 November 2018 at 4:23 pm

    Last year, Niue caught the attention of the world by announcing its intention to protect 40 per cent of this blue estate from fishing and other activities that might compromise it.
    In this, Niue leads the world. The United Nations Development Programme is promoting 10 per cent marine protection by 2020. The United Kingdom is more ambitious, advocating 30 per cent by 2030. New Zealand, by contrast, currently protects less than one per cent of its exclusive economic zone.

    https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/from-taro-to-tourism/?t=_8f1367a7fb80fcefbdd4ab19634c48c6&campaign_id=

    • Gabby 19.1
      17 November 2018 at 7:44 pm

      How’s Niue going to do that?

      • Exkiwiforces 19.1.1
        17 November 2018 at 11:56 pm

        Very good question Gabby, they probably would call on the AusG and NZG to help out. The RNZN have too few hulls and the RNZAF airframes atm to do its current mandated task, let alone short notice taskings.

  20. Bruce 20
    17 November 2018 at 6:13 pm

    From the Washington Post via The Herald,
    Mohammed’s private condemnation of the slain journalist stood in contracts to his government’s public comments, which mourned Khashoggi’s killing as a “terrible mistake” and a “tragedy.”
    Am I being trivial.

  21. Pat 21
    17 November 2018 at 8:41 pm

    “The positive outcome of this study is that we have a metric to assess the ratcheting up of ambition. Civil society, experts and decision-makers can use this to hold their governments accountable, and possibly undertake climate litigation cases as happened recently in the Netherlands,” he said. “This metric translates the lack of ambition on a global scale to a national scale. If we look at the goal of trying to avoid damage to the Earth, then I am pessimistic as this is already happening. But this should be a motivation to ratchet up ambition and avoid global warming as much and as rapidly as possible. Every fraction of a degree will have a big impact.”

    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/nov/16/climate-change-champions-still-pursuing-devastating-policies-new-study-reveals

    on target…not

  22. patricia bremner 22
    17 November 2018 at 9:26 pm

    California, you are next to Mexicans in Trump’s eyes!!!!

  23. greywarshark 23
    17 November 2018 at 10:32 pm

    New action and encouragement for Taranaki region and a number of other moves shown on the link.

    15 November 2018
    PGF to support commercialisation at Taranaki sawmill

    The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) will provide a loan of up to $1.8 million to TaranakiPine to allow the company to diversify and create new jobs, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today.
     https://www.beehive.govt.nz/minister/hon-shane-jones

  24. eco maori 24
    18 November 2018 at 9:01 am

    Kia kaha to all the people who are letting the world’s governments know we have to take human caused climate change very seriously and act now to prevent a catastrophic disaster on a PLANET scale that is preventable with a bit of cooperation on a Planet SCALE.
    How I decide if a story is fact or fiction is I look for the motive everyone has a motive for there actions. Then I look to see if the writer or the person being written about has a conflict of interest. “The Humane Caused Climate Change Debate “.
    The %99 of OUR Worlds Scientist what is there motive for there point of view about Climate change most of these people are 50 years old + they have been reporting about the bad effects of climate change for 30 years + . What’s in it for them the TRUTH is what’s Scientist look for that is a Scientist motive for there words on Climate change.
    You see the Truth is the core role of a Scientist they are asked or ask them selves Qustion’s about OUR World and then they set out to find the FACT about that question and publish the Truth and then the rest of the scientific community around the world scrutinize there answers to the question hence it is proven to be the truth or not. You see the scientist know what is going on in our world they are the people who care about our future they are instinctively the truth tellers of the world whom have been kept inside a square box by the greedy power hungry neo liberal capitalist of the world who only goal is more power or to do anything anything to keep that power weather billion’s of human lives are put at extreme risk or not .
    Now lets look at The neo climate change deniers what’s there motive greed money power control we see billions of dollars of oil barons money pour into the climate change deniers hip pocket this money reaches to the far ends of the Earth putting everyone whos views are not the same as there’s into a BOX of deceit and lies .
    Who cares if they are making billions of people’s lives a misery with there deceit.
    There are heaps of story’s of the bad side effects of carbon on the peoples health and Papatunuku Mother Earth and her Beautiful health and all our future and still these IDIOTS peddle there LIES Hence ECO MAORI is making a stand for all our future as I CAN SEE THE BIG PICTURE. P.S the % 001 of climate change deniers motive is money.
    Seventy people have been arrested as thousands of demonstrators occupied five bridges in central London to voice their concern over the looming climate crisis.

    Protesters, including families and pensioners, began massing on five of London’s main bridges from 10am on Saturday. An hour later, all the crossings had been blocked in one of the biggest acts of peaceful civil disobedience in the UK in decades. Some people locked themselves together, while others linked arms and sang songs.

    By 2pm the blockade of Southwark Bridge had been abandoned and protesters moved from there to Blackfriars Bridge, where organisers said they were soon to move west towards Westminster Bridge.
    Climate protesters glue hands to UK government building
    Read more

    Demonstrators occupied Southwark, Blackfriars, Waterloo, Westminster and Lambeth bridges.

    The Metropolitan police said all the bridges had since reopened.

    A spokesman said: “There have been over 70 arrests for obstruction of the Highway Act and Bail Act offences.”

    Demonstrators have now gathered in Parliament Square to hear speeches. Roger Hallam, one of the strategists behind the actions, told the Guardian he felt the protest had been fantastic. Ka kite ano link below

    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/nov/17/thousands-gather-to-block-london-bridges-in-climate-rebellion

  25. eco maori 25
    18 November 2018 at 9:20 am

    Kia ora R&R that was a good view on tangata whenua O Aotearoa whakapapa Patara
    I see that the person who was shouting free speech while some on was talking and mentioned the rugby player was a paid neo troll Guy.
    People coming here and preaching race hate speech and being stopped by our action’s in there tracks is not anti free speech its protecting the people from there hate full word’s that can influence some to behave badly Golirz
    Its good that maori culture and other cultures are being finally respected by most people but I still get heads turning when I use maori in a shop not all heads turn but still one or two Ka kite ano P.S my megaphone is quite loud I just have to be carefull what I use it for

  26. eco maori 26
    18 November 2018 at 10:23 am

    Kia ora Marae Yes Maori TV need’s to keep up to the future I say we need to find maori stars and promote them music stars what ever Shane.
    My views are we need to draw in the viewers and use the internet and Maori TV together to get more people learning our cultures maybe team up with our Pacific cousins to get this one should be researching around Papatunuku to see what work’s in other country’s and duplicate it .
    I say a Screen TV and multimedia is a easy to to learn te reo or anything from may be team up with the education sector to come up with tools that help teach te reo .
    Kevin I want to see positive story’s on maori about on our TV Screen’s hence the Maori Star’s need to be created Kevin I know some have been deliberately suppressing our rising maori stars . Ka kite ano P.S Tini I have discovered NZONSCREEN its a good site to find old maori movies but there are some Ngati Porou story’s that I can not access

  27. eco maori 27
    18 November 2018 at 12:32 pm

    Some Eco Maori music for the minute .

  28. eco maori 28
    18 November 2018 at 5:13 pm

    Here you go the carbon men trying to cheat us once again by they to get laws made so they can hide there emissions data typical neo liberal capitalist so much for transparency they will let us burn in there carbon emissions .
    The Australian oil and gas lobby is pushing to limit public information about greenhouse gas emissions from liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants, a move that contradicts the global industry’s pledge to increase transparency about their impact on the climate.

    The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (Appea) has called for LNG plants to be able to apply for emissions data to be withheld from the public on the grounds that releasing it could help its competitors overseas. It has been backed by Chevron, which operates the Gorgon and Wheatstone LNG developments in Western Australia.

    The push follows the federal government reporting that the booming LNG sector is the main driver of Australia’s growing emissions. Ka kite ano link below

    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/nov/16/nothing-to-hide-oil-and-gas-lobby-pushes-to-limit-data-on-its-emissions

    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/nov/13/problem-in-waiting-why-natural-gas-will-wipe-out-australias-emissions-gains

  29. eco maori 29
    18 November 2018 at 6:43 pm

    Kia ora Newshub looks like only one black team won this weekend well losing is part of sports Rugby is a fast growing Sport’s.
    That is correct we don’t need to chose sides we want to see World harmony the Yin Yang a nice balanced happy healthy world.
    That’s working outside the square box the Whangara homeless helping to building there own homeless shelter ka pai Carol Peter’s .
    I bet fuel prices are higher here in Aotearoa than they are in France.
    Its really good that the World is drinking less wine and Alcohol its a substance that when consumed need to be respected we seen what Alcohol does to the unborn child.
    The Bosnian refugee crises is a crying shame all the refugee crises around Papatunuku should not be happening in 2018.
    The Peter Blake trust is doing a great job showing our beautiful creatures of Tangaroa using new tec virtual reality ka pai .
    Tawhirimate is showing its awesome power with that tornado in Aotearoa today .
    Thanks to Fiao o Fa amausili and Linda for there long career’s playing for the Black Ferns Kia ka Ladies
    Good wins to Ireland and France plenty of happy fans ka pai.
    Ka kite ano

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