From the world of science fiction becomes reality, the Israelis have just produced an energy beam weapon that can take down incoming artillery shells and drones at a cost of $3.50 a shot.
I think this sort of technology has the potential to change air and missile attack forever. It might be that aircraft, in the future, need to be clad with really good mirrors.
I doesn't take a stretch to imagine this technology being extended to take down enemy fighters, bombers, and missiles. It probably could also be extended to satellite defense systems.
I imagine it would be possible to have this type of equipment on satellites to take down incoming intercontinental ballistic missiles, or even to deal with enemy threats on the ground from an unseen source in the sky.
The new thing seems to be independent targeting of multiple lasers onto the same spot.
The trouble with lasers, unless you're using frequencies that can also fry electronics, is that they're not a destructive kinetic kill – one focuses the laser on the same spot until the energy absorbed creates a structural weakness or fire. Or, in the case of the warheads, dumps enough energy to inisitate the warhead's own primer or explosive.
Drones hang about for ages, so, sure, laser bait. But the shorter term stuff like rockets and shells? Such tests have been rigged since SDI in the 1980s. Forget mirrors, throw on some ablative shielding that lasts just long enough, and your warhead is practically immune.
So, practical system? Sure, given the importance of drones in recent years. Cheaper than a missile or gatling gun, and no friendly debris to come down somewhere if you miss.
Not sure it's the "global game-changer" or whatever they called it, though.
"Not sure it's the "global game-changer" or whatever they called it, though."
I definitely don't think this specific one is a global game changer. But I think improvements will be made and better models developed. I understand this one requires only 150KW, which in the scheme of things isn't that big. Some large industrial motors would require more power than that.
But imagine if one is made that soaked up 1000KW. That sort of thing could be a lot more challenging for air-craft. Particularly if it can saw off a wing like it did to that drone.
Funnily enough, the main advantage I see in Iron Beam is the networking ability. Having an array of these things thinly distributed basically increases the engagement time while reducing thermal blooming screwing the attentuation. Two or three vehicles can hit the same point at the same time, as an integrated network.
BTW, it didn't look to me like it sawed off the wing. Looks to me like it started a fire that structurally weakened the wing to the point of collapse. So much is down to wing design, fuel payload, even the colour of the target. A different wing structure, maybe the fire would have had less effect. A different colour, maybe the mortar bomb hits the ground before it goes boom. Hell, did they attack it from the time of firing or was it set to land just inside their 7km radius and they had 2sec to make it go boom? Defense industry is so full of shit, lol. Who knows what the kernel of truth might be.
Yeah, I get the bit about the atmosphere reducing the focus of the beam.
That was why I was thinking in terms of satellite type war. Maybe powered by a large solar array. It could be quite effective in taking out intercontinental ballistic missiles as they approach close to outer space where the atmosphere isn’t such a problem.
I realise there are limitations to this sort of thing. But it is quite cool to see something like that even working at all.
Trouble is that the higher you go, the larger the distance you have to project the laser over. In low earth orbit there's still enough air in the thousands of kilometres range ICBM interception requires, and tens of thousands of km for a higher orbit.
Additionally, in order to reduce the number of targets to a plausibly-manageable level all the ICBMs need to be intercepted in their boost phase (going up) before they seperate into individual re-entry vehicles.
But the problem with a nuclear umbrella is that it just encourages further buildup – sooner or later a large enough number of nukes will get through to be a deterrent.
One funny thing about some of the short range laser systems the US has been working with on ships (the navy really likes the idea of getting away from the potential for magazine explosiones, so rail guns and lasers are the go) is that the laser optics need to be outsdtanding, and attenuation works both ways, so the experimental system turned out to be a really useful sensor. Better than a sailor with binoculars.
Republicans have mocked Joe Biden for "shaking hands with thin air' after the US President appeared confused at the end of a speech on supply chains. The 79-year-old had just finished delivering a nearly 40-minute speech in Greensboro, North Carolina, when he turned to his right and stuck out his hand.
Biden then lingered on stage with his back to the audience, turning left before descending to the right.
Well, there were these imaginary supporters who had crowded the stage to congratulate him, I presume. Anyone who can speak for 40 minutes on supply chains to a public audience deserves congratulation. Who cares if they weren't really there?
At one point, Biden claimed to have served as a "full professor" at the University of Pennsylvania, despite never teaching a class there.
Just normal identity politics. Reality doesn't matter according to the doctrine of postmodernism. You compete via narratives.
Biden's gaffes have become more frequent in recent months. Earlier this month, he said First Lady Jill Biden had served as Barack Obama's vice president, a job he had held himself for eight years.
It worked for Reagan & GWB. He's just demonstrating bipartisanship. It's a leadership style that has become traditional in US politics.
This week, Biden was mocked on a Saudi-Arabian sketch show, in which the President was portrayed as doddering and forgetful, in footage that has gone viral.
Saudis have a sense of humour?? Who knew?
The White House was also forced to correct an error by Biden after he said Americans who use renewable energy to power their homes could save "about $500 a month on average".
Hours after the speech, the White House sent out a transcript of the president's remarks with the word "month" crossed out and the word "year" added in brackets.
Bomber fulminates against "…the craven China worship by quisling website Socialist Equality Group decry any criticism of the largest human rights abusing regime on the face of the Planet", thereby becoming the first person in the history of the universe to give planet a capital P.
The SIS should openly investigate Socialist Equality Group as Chinese enablers and for possible treason.
Last months Vanity Fair expose on the machinations of China, the Wuhan Lab, Fauci and the insanely incompetent EcoHealth Alliance forces all rational minds to re-examine the Wuhan Lab Leak theory…
When one encounters two origin myths of the pandemic, and one is rational, one ought to note that proof is lacking for either, and therefore it is rational to point out that the competing narratives saga has no winner. Schrodinger's cat scenario.
Peter Daszak transformed the environmental nonprofit EcoHealth Alliance into a government-funded sponsor of risky, cutting-edge virus research in both the U.S. and Wuhan, China. Drawing on more than 100,000 leaked documents, a V.F. investigation shows how an organization dedicated to preventing the next pandemic found itself suspected of helping start one.
He sent "the draft of an unpublished scientific paper he’d written to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the chief medical adviser to the president of the United States."
Bloom’s paper was the product of detective work he’d undertaken after noticing that a number of early SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequences mentioned in a published paper from China had somehow vanished without a trace. The sequences, which map the nucleotides that give a virus its unique genetic identity, are key to tracking when the virus emerged and how it might have evolved.
In Bloom’s view, their disappearance raised the possibility that the Chinese government might be trying to hide evidence about the pandemic’s early spread. Piecing together clues, Bloom established that the NIH itself had deleted the sequences from its own archive at the request of researchers in Wuhan.
Why? The officials in charge are refusing to say. Cue conspiracy theorists. Apologists for traditional left/right governance will say look, we never tell the public anything important. Don't ask.
The dispute over COVID-19’s origins has become increasingly acrimonious, with warring camps of scientists trading personal insults on Twitter feeds. Natural-origin proponents argue that the virus, like so many before it, emerged from the well-known phenomenon of natural spillover, jumping from a bat host to an intermediate species before going on to infect humans. Those suspecting a lab-related incident point to an array of possible scenarios, from inadvertent exposure of a scientist during field research to the accidental release of a natural or manipulated strain during laboratory work. The lack of concrete evidence supporting either theory has only increased the rancor. “Everyone is looking for a smoking gun that would render any reasonable doubt impossible,” says Amir Attaran, a biologist and lawyer at the University of Ottawa.
I think everyone privately knows how the virus originated, but it is not allowed to become public knowledge because that would point the finger directly at St Fauci.
Hence the need to keep this 'it isn't certain' theatre going for a few more acts.
Dennis, some are so invested in the SARS-CoV-2 lab origin hypothesis that there's no talking with them. Those with more open minds are continuing the research, and will no doubt be the target of much opprobrium for their efforts.
It’s intriguing that the more closed-minded among us believe some gene sequences of the original SARS-CoV-2 samples are ‘unlikely’ to have arisen naturally, when the initial Omicron variant sported the "craziest", "most mutated" genome – lab origin, anyone?
Where did Omicron come from? Three key theories [28 Jan. 2022]
The highly transmissible variant emerged with a host of unusual mutations. Now scientists are trying to work out how it evolved.
There’s no transparent path of transmission linking Omicron to its predecessors. Instead, the variant has an unusual array of mutations, which it evolved entirely outside the view of researchers. Omicron is so different from earlier variants, such as Alpha and Delta, that evolutionary virologists estimate its closest-known genetic ancestor probably dates back to more than a year ago, some time after mid-2020. “It just came out of nowhere,” says Darren Martin, a computational biologist at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.
The variant has more than 50 mutations when compared with the original SARS-CoV-2 virus isolated in Wuhan, China (see go.nature.com/32utxva). Some 30 of these contribute to changes in amino acids in the spike protein1, which the coronavirus uses to attach to and fuse with cells. Previous variants of concern have had no more than ten such spike mutations.
Could we call it hyperdarwinism? I take your point re lab origin via assisted mutation which could be a basis for conspiracists to do their thing. I'm mostly agnostic – but the way the US kept their Wuhan lab involvement out of the media for so long two years ago made me suspicious.
However it makes sense that natural evolution at hyperspeed is likely too – if it's true that it happens faster the deeper you dive into small worlds…
Given that Omicron has turned out to be the most effective vaccine of all – you might want to say thank you.
Ah yes, the fantastic 'Omicron vaccine' – if you believe that, then I've some ivermectin to sell you, assuming that your previous stock is now exhausted.
Omicron Death Rate Higher Than During Delta Surge [9 Feb.]
With the Omicron variant now accounting for almost 100% of COVID-19 cases in the United States, the seven-day average of daily COVID-related deaths hit 2,600 recently, the highest rate in about a year, The Washington Post reported.
With ‘vaccines’ like that, who needs viruses. And, after reading the article linked to @3.2.2, I'm none the wiser as to who I should be thanking – do you have any clue?
That quote is a furphy – it quotes a daily death rate not a death rate per case. Everyone understands that because Omicron will infect a lot more people very quickly that even with a much lower morbidity there will be a spike in the daily rates for a period. As back in Feb. Now it is much lower.
Secondly my OWiD link above demonstrates the headline in that article is another mistake. The Delta daily peak was around 3,200, while Omicron was about 2,600.
But this is all a diversion – the evidence that COVID has strong links to GoF research is every bit as reasonable as the emerged from nature hypothesis.
That quote is a furphy – it quotes a daily death rate not a death rate per case.
My point (“With ‘vaccines’ like that, who needs viruses.“), in case it wasn’t clear, is that the ‘Omicron vaccine’ is (way) more dangerous than the Pfizer vaccine, and the latter seems reasonably effective at keeping people above ground during an Omicron wave, provided they possess sufficient common sense to get boosted beforehand
But this is all a diversion – the evidence that COVID has strong links to GoF research is every bit as reasonable as the emerged from nature hypothesis.
I can just about stretch to "every bit as reasonable" if you can – how about it?
I think everyone privately knows how the virus originated, but it is not allowed to become public knowledge because that would point the finger directly at St Fauci.
Hence the need to keep this 'it isn't certain' theatre going for a few more acts. – Redlogix @3.1
Let's just say that having read both Sharri Markson's What Really Happened in Wuhan and Alina Chan and Matt Ridley's Viral – I may well be a bit biased. Both books contain a lot of interesting material – and while it would be impossible for any authors to be absolutely definitive when dealing with such an opaque matter – the preponderance of evidence in my view still points to a lab origin.
But let me put it this way. If the natural origin hypothesis is eventually demonstrated to be true, what we will also know for certain is that after 15 years of intensive coronavirus hunting and testing by the Wuhan Institute of Virology, it turned out they were helpless to prevent an epidemic of the same in their own backyard. That would have to be a very great irony indeed.
But let me put it this way. Despite tremendous and on-going advances in the sciences, technology, medicine, engineering, et al., this iteration of civilisation is essentially helpless to prevent or correct a myriad of human behaviour-based catastrophes, ranging from the personal to the global. Still, some good souls will keep trying, and I wish them luck.
A selection from my gender critical twitter this morning, for those that might still be wondering why women don't want males in female only spaces. This isn't about trans women, it's about gender identity ideologues (of whateever GI) who insist that TW are literally women and who won't address the massive misogyny in their movement as MRAs and predatory males take advantage of the doors being opened.
That's a UK Labour councillor in response to a feminist group askig for stories from the local body election campaigning. Feminists are running a grass roots campaign #respectmysex, which is asking candidates to answer the question "what is a woman?" Apparently people are starting to ask the question of party door knockers (there's now decent MSM coverage of the issues and there's been a shift away from No Debate, to an acknowledgement by media of the conflict of rights).
The councillor above just said that any male can now identify as a woman and be considered a woman. Why is it not obvious to left wing men how hugely problematic this is? I hope people are paying attention for the NZ 2023 election.
The author identifies three key factors… the very obviousness of its focus emerges as one of the key strengths of Identity, Ignorance, Innovation. This is because of d’Ancona’s range. The author neatly synthesizes material from across the political spectrum, drawing on a range of references, and powerfully backs up his arguments with evidence.
Relevance comes from the interface between the first two factors. Ignorance is produced by ignoring stuff. For instance, males who ignore the motivational basis of trans identification are unlikely to realise they are supporting public policies of discrimination. Leftist males who support trans ideology can easily fall into a credibility trap. They think they are being politically correct. If women point out that they are exhibiting bigotry as a result they will be likely to take refuge in denial.
Leftists traditionally pose as do-gooders. Those who aren't hypocrites may even do good to validate their self-belief. Identity translating into behaviour appropriately. Triggering perception that they are doing bad while believing they are doing good therefore requires applied psychology way up there at the level of sophistication!
Dunno about relevance to the next election, but progress will probably hinge on group consciousness-raising around incidents that cause harm and produce victims. The latter are often too traumatised to be suitably advocates for change so victim support groups will need to do the advocacy.
I share your concern about potential harm but suspect publicity of actual harm done will be the only way that the sham of males pretending to be females can be exposed.
We don't have a grass roots gender critical feminist movement here like the UK. But there is potential for that. Or a group of left wing women asking the question next year and being willing to take the hits.
Re publicity of harm, I could write a post a week about this, but not without putting myself at risk. Left wing men probably don't realise just how long it's going to take to get past the fact that they have tried to silence women.
There's one thing we need to allow and one thing we need to prevent:
Allow people who genuinely and in good faith feel they are the wrong gender and will be happy only when they transition, to do so. We need to care for them, and protect them from the charlatans and profit-takers who potentially want to make the phenomenon more common than it might naturally be, because it is a revenue stream for them.
Prevent misogynists from exploiting this pathway we have just opened up as a route to finding new and very dangerous ways to express and action their hatred of women.
I am all ears for a way to do both these things. How do we do the second without also killing off the first? How do we do the first without also permitting the second?
Far out weka ! sounds like a ' too toxic 'environment for my liking ! changing the topic slightly why were you seemingly so anti musks takeova moves ?in a nutshell ?
Too much ego. Plus, his ideas on climate responses are problematic in that he seems to have no sense of nature and thinks we can put animals on the Mars zoo as a way to save their species. His space stuff is basically let's not bother about saving earth. He's a fully paid up member of the death cult as far as I can see, only he likes to think of himself as somehow green.
Zuckerberg, Dorsey, Gates, et al, they're all men with way too much power and at a time when society lets them do what they want. We could be using all that resource for stopping climate change, regenerating nature, and making sure people don't starve or get sold into the sex trade, but no, they want to accumulate wealth instead. Musk shouldn't be rewarded for that.
It’s the wrong question. Those power lingering dudes think it’s about tgat but it’s really about social and emotional intelligence and well-being. They have neither the skills nor the consciousness nor the ethics to run social media in ways that net benefit society. If we had any sense we’d take their toys away from them.
And this is how gender non confirming kids are being lied to and irreversibly harmed by gender ideology. This is the result of No Debate (which prevented the safeguarding conversations that should have happened in the past decade), and of the affirmation only approach by medical people and therapists (kids aren’t getting the suppprt they need to sort out their shit before they are put on this life long path).
Expect lawsuits in the US. UK already had its own legal actions happening.
I use an infrared rather than a gas heater outdoors but I'm not too sure how my drinking companions would react should I declare bromeopathy, and then irradiate my goolies.
Of course. It's expected that progressives would support trans rights.
Now look at what happens to women's position when the question is about trans women who have had no surgery being allowed to use women's changing rooms (in your link).
What do you think is going to happen when women generally find out that a) most trans women are pre-op, b) self ID means that any man can say at any time they are a woman and there is an expectation they will be accepted as such, and c) there is a class of men who cross dress as a sexual kink (are aroused by this and the thought of themselves as woman) who now claim to be trans women (thanks Stonewall).
Then, when they find out that young girls who are really lesbian have gone down a medical and surgical transition route (mastectomies and sometimes hysterectomy) because of affirmation only policies, and later regret it (and it doesn't resolve their dysphoria) so they detransition but are left with lifelong damage to their bodies.
If you want to ask progressive women what they think, then tell them the truth about the situation first. My guess is that they will support general rights for trans people along with everyone else, and will put in place boundaries around protecting women and children from the ideology that is causing problems. Both/and.
Then, when they find out that young girls who are really lesbian have gone down a medical and surgical transition route (mastectomies and sometimes hysterectomy) because of affirmation only policies, and later regret it (and it doesn't resolve their dysphoria) so they detransition but are left with lifelong damage to their bodies.
And males who transition because they were attracted to other males in the AIDS era.
The sacrifices I made seemed irrelevant to the teenager I was: someone with gender dysphoria, yes, but also anxiety and depression. I chose an irreversible change before I’d even begun to understand my sexuality.
The personal account covers all the issues you raise and relates it to the situation today.
Inflation in Japan is expected to reach a 30yr high (excluding sales tax yrs) of 1.8%.A country that is a significant commodity importer and high quality goods exporter.
The low level of inflation is due to stable housing,transportation and health care costs due to population demographics.
The recent inflation is due to immigration into urban centres to meet labour shortages,and the prices of apartments increases are now what they were in 1992.
High court judge quashed the sentence down to 23 months in February, making him eligible for home detention – which self-evidently failed to keep either him or the community safe.
Price's long history of offending was detailed during a successful High Court appeal of his sentence in November last year of two years, six months in prison on charges including burglary, police chases, failing to stop, escaping custody and theft.
Justice Christine Grice found Price's sentence was "manifestly excessive" and should have included a discount for his youth.
His final sentence was 23 months in prison, making him eligible for home detention.
Judge Grice quoted his chaotic family life as a significant factor – however, didn't seem to consider that this made him less suitable for home detention….
“In Mr Price’s case, this is particularly exacerbated by the lack of support and his transient and chaotic family life,” Justice Christine Grice said in her decision from the High Court in Wellington.
Price could ask for the sentence to be substituted for home detention if he could find somewhere suitable to live, the judge said.
Thanks for that. IMO Justice Christine Grice should be held partly accountable. In fact if it was up to me, she would no longer be able to be a judge for say 5 years.
The worms will live in every hostIt's hard to pick which one they eat the mostThe horrible people, the horrible peopleIt's as anatomic as the size of your steepleCapitalism has made it this wayOld-fashioned fascism will take it awaySongwriter: Twiggy Ramirez Read more ...
Hi,It’s almost Christmas Day which means it is almost my birthday, where you will find me whimpering in the corner clutching a warm bottle of Baileys.If you’re out of ideas for presents (and truly desperate) then it is possible to gift a full Webworm subscription to a friend (or enemy) ...
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Well, I've been there, sitting in that same chairWhispering that same prayer half a million timesIt's a lie, though buried in disciplesOne page of the Bible isn't worth a lifeThere's nothing wrong with youIt's true, it's trueThere's something wrong with the villageWith the villageSomething wrong with the villageSongwriters: Andrew Jackson ...
ACT would like to dictate what universities can and can’t say. We knew it was coming. It was outlined in the coalition agreement and has become part of Seymour’s strategy of “emphasising public funding” to prevent people from opposing him and his views—something he also uses to try and de-platform ...
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The Natural Choice: As a starter for ten percent of the Party Vote, “saving the planet” is a very respectable objective. Young voters, in particular, raised on the dire (if unheeded) warnings of climate scientists, and the irrefutable evidence of devastating weather events linked to global warming, vote Green. After ...
The Government cancelled 60% of Kāinga Ora’s new builds next year, even though the land for them was already bought, the consents were consented and there are builders unemployed all over the place. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political ...
Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on UnsplashEvery morning I get up at 3am to go around the traps of news sites in Aotearoa and globally. I pick out the top ones from my point of view and have been putting them into my Dawn Chorus email, which goes out with a podcast. ...
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The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi have submitted against the controversial Treaty Principles Bill, slamming the Bill as a breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and an attack on tino rangatiratanga and the collective rights of Tangata Whenua. “This Bill seeks to legislate for Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles that are ...
I don't knowHow to say what's got to be saidI don't know if it's black or whiteThere's others see it redI don't get the answers rightI'll leave that to youIs this love out of fashionOr is it the time of yearAre these words distraction?To the words you want to hearSongwriters: ...
Our economy has experienced its worst recession since 1991. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, December 20 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast above and the daily Pick ‘n’ Mix below ...
Twas the Friday before Christmas and all through the week we’ve been collecting stories for our final roundup of the year. As we start to wind down for the year we hope you all have a safe and happy Christmas and new year. If you’re travelling please be safe on ...
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Open access notables An intensification of surface Earth’s energy imbalance since the late 20th century, Li et al., Communications Earth & Environment:Tracking the energy balance of the Earth system is a key method for studying the contribution of human activities to climate change. However, accurately estimating the surface energy balance ...
Photo by Mauricio Fanfa on UnsplashKia oraCome and join us for our weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news with myself , plus regular guests and , ...
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Sparse offerings outside a Te Kauwhata church. Meanwhile, the Government is cutting spending in ways that make thousands of hungry children even hungrier, while also cutting funding for the charities that help them. It’s also doing that while winding back new building of affordable housing that would allow parents to ...
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This is a must watch, and puts on brilliant and practical display the implications and mechanics of fast-track law corruption and weakness.CLICK HERE: LINK TO WATCH VIDEOOur news media as it is set up is simply not equipped to deal with the brazen disinformation and corruption under this right wing ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Acting Secretary Erin Polaczuk is welcoming the announcement from Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden that she is opening consultation on engineered stone and is calling on her to listen to the evidence and implement a total ban of the product. “We need ...
The Government has announced a 1.5% increase in the minimum wage from 1 April 2025, well below forecast inflation of 2.5%. Unions have reacted strongly and denounced it as a real terms cut. PSA and the CTU are opposing a new round of staff cuts at WorkSafe, which they say ...
The decision to unilaterally repudiate the contract for new Cook Strait ferries is beginning to look like one of the stupidest decisions a New Zealand government ever made. While cancelling the ferries and their associated port infrastructure may have made this year's books look good, it means higher costs later, ...
Hi there! I’ve been overseas recently, looking after a situation with a family member. So apologies if there any less than focused posts! Vanuatu has just had a significant 7.3 earthquake. Two MFAT staff are unaccounted for with local fatalities.It’s always sad to hear of such things happening.I think of ...
Today is a special member's morning, scheduled to make up for the government's theft of member's days throughout the year. First up was the first reading of Greg Fleming's Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill, which was passed unanimously. Currently the House is debating the third reading of ...
We're going backwardsIgnoring the realitiesGoing backwardsAre you counting all the casualties?We are not there yetWhere we need to beWe are still in debtTo our insanitiesSongwriter: Martin Gore Read more ...
Willis blamed Treasury for changing its productivity assumptions and Labour’s spending increases since Covid for the worsening Budget outlook. Photo: Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, December 18 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast above ...
Today the Auckland Transport board meet for the last time this year. For those interested (and with time to spare), you can follow along via this MS Teams link from 10am. I’ve taken a quick look through the agenda items to see what I think the most interesting aspects are. ...
Hi,If you’re a New Zealander — you know who Mike King is. He is the face of New Zealand’s battle against mental health problems. He can be loud and brash. He raises, and is entrusted with, a lot of cash. Last year his “I Am Hope” charity reported a revenue ...
Probably about the only consolation available from yesterday’s unveiling of the Half-Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) is that it could have been worse. Though Finance Minister Nicola Willis has tightened the screws on future government spending, she has resisted the calls from hard-line academics, fiscal purists and fiscal hawks ...
The right have a stupid saying that is only occasionally true:When is democracy not democracy? When it hasn’t been voted on.While not true in regards to branches of government such as the judiciary, it’s a philosophy that probably should apply to recently-elected local government councillors. Nevertheless, this concept seemed to ...
Long story short: the Government’s austerity policy has driven the economy into a deeper and longer recession that means it will have to borrow $20 billion more over the next four years than it expected just six months ago. Treasury’s latest forecasts show the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s fiscal strategy of ...
Come and join myself and CTU Chief Economist for a pop-up ‘Hoon’ webinar on the Government’s Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) with paying subscribers to The Kākā for 30 minutes at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream to watch our chat. Don’t worry if ...
In 1998, in the wake of the Paremoremo Prison riot, the Department of Corrections established the "Behaviour Management Regime". Prisoners were locked in their cells for 22 or 23 hours a day, with no fresh air, no exercise, no social contact, no entertainment, and in some cases no clothes and ...
New data released by the Treasury shows that the economic policies of this Government have made things worse in the year since they took office, said NZCTU Economist Craig Renney. “Our fiscal indicators are all heading in the wrong direction – with higher levels of debt, a higher deficit, and ...
At the 2023 election, National basically ran on a platform of being better economic managers. So how'd that turn out for us? In just one year, they've fucked us for two full political terms: The government's books are set to remain deeply in the red for the near term ...
AUSTERITYText within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedMy spreadsheet insists This pain leads straight to glory (File not found) Read more ...
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi are saying that the Government should do the right thing and deliver minimum wage increases that don’t see workers fall further behind, in response to today’s announcement that the minimum wage will only be increased by 1.5%, well short of forecast inflation. “With inflation forecast ...
Oh, I weptFor daysFilled my eyesWith silly tearsOh, yeaBut I don'tCare no moreI don't care ifMy eyes get soreSongwriters: Paul Rodgers / Paul Kossoff. Read more ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Bob HensonIn this aerial view, fingers of meltwater flow from the melting Isunnguata Sermia glacier descending from the Greenland Ice Sheet on July 11, 2024, near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. According to the Programme for Monitoring of the Greenland Ice Sheet (PROMICE), the ...
In August, I wrote an article about David Seymour1 with a video of his testimony, to warn that there were grave dangers to his Ministry of Regulation:David Seymour's Ministry of Slush Hides Far Greater RisksWhy Seymour's exorbitant waste of taxpayers' money could be the least of concernThe money for Seymour ...
Willis is expected to have to reveal the bitter fiscal fruits of her austerity strategy in the HYEFU later today. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/TheKakaMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, December 17 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast ...
On Friday the government announced it would double the number of toll roads in New Zealand as well as make a few other changes to how toll roads are used in the country. The real issue though is not that tolling is being used but the suggestion it will make ...
The Prime Minister yesterday engaged in what looked like a pre-emptive strike designed to counter what is likely to be a series of depressing economic statistics expected before the end of the week. He opened his weekly post-Cabinet press conference with a recitation of the Government’s achievements. “It certainly has ...
This whooping cough story from south Auckland is a good example of the coalition government’s approach to social need – spend money on urging people to get vaccinated but only after you’ve cut the funding to where they could get vaccinated. This has been the case all year with public ...
And if there is a GodI know he likes to rockHe likes his loud guitarsHis spiders from MarsAnd if there is a GodI know he's watching meHe likes what he seesBut there's trouble on the breezeSongwriter: William Patrick Corgan Read more ...
Here’s a quick round up of today’s political news:1. MORE FOOD BANKS, CHARITIES, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS AND YOUTH SOCIAL SERVICES SET TO CLOSE OR SCALE BACK AROUND THE COUNTRY AS GOVT CUTS FUNDINGSome of Auckland's largest foodbanks are warning they may need to close or significantly reduce food parcels after ...
Iain Rennie, CNZMSecretary and Chief Executive to the TreasuryDear Secretary, Undue restrictions on restricted briefings This week, the Treasury barred representatives from four organisations, including the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi, from attending the restricted briefing for the Half-Year Economic and Fiscal Update. We had been ...
This is a guest post by Tim Adriaansen, a community, climate, and accessibility advocate.I won’t shut up about climate breakdown, and whenever possible I try to shift the focus of a climate conversation towards solutions. But you’ll almost never hear me give more than a passing nod to ...
A grassroots backlash has forced a backdown from Brown, but he is still eyeing up plenty of tolls for other new roads. And the pressure is on Willis to ramp up the Government’s austerity strategy. Photo: Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
Hi all,I'm pretty overwhelmed by all your messages and emails today; thank you so very much.As much as my newsletter this morning was about money, and we all need to earn money, it was mostly about world domination if I'm honest. 😉I really hate what’s happening to our country, and ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 8, 2024 thru Sat, December 14, 2024. Listing by Category Like last week's summary this one contains the list of articles twice: based on categories and based on ...
I started writing this morning about Hobson’s Pledge, examining the claims they and their supporters make, basically ripping into them. But I kept getting notifications coming through, and not good ones.Each time I looked up, there was another un-subscription message, and I felt a bit sicker at the thought of ...
Once, long before there was Harry and Meghan and Dodi and all those episodes of The Crown, they came to spend some time with us, Charles and Diana. Was there anyone in the world more glamorous than the Princess of Wales?Dazzled as everyone was by their company, the leader of ...
The collective right have a problem.The entire foundation for their world view is antiscientific. Their preferred economic strategies have been disproven. Their whole neoliberal model faces accusations of corporate corruption and worsening inequality. Climate change not only definitely exists, its rapid progression demands an immediate and expensive response in order ...
Just ten days ago, South Korea's president attempted a self-coup, declaring martial law and attempting to have opposition MPs murdered or arrested in an effort to seize unconstrained power. The attempt was rapidly defeated by the national assembly voting it down and the people flooding the streets to defend democracy. ...
National has only been in power for a year, but everywhere you look, its choices are taking New Zealand a long way backwards. In no particular order, here are the National Government's Top 50 Greatest Misses of its first year in power. ...
The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention. ...
The Government’s planned changes to the freedom of speech obligations of universities is little more than a front for stoking the political fires of disinformation and fear, placing teachers and students in the crosshairs. ...
The Ministry of Regulation’s report into Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Aotearoa raises serious concerns about the possibility of lowering qualification requirements, undermining quality and risking worse outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and kaiako. ...
A Bill to modernise the role of Justices of the Peace (JP), ensuring they remain active in their communities and connected with other JPs, has been put into the ballot. ...
Labour will continue to fight unsustainable and destructive projects that are able to leap-frog environment protection under National’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. ...
The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Track legislation being passed today. ...
The Green Party says the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows how the Government is failing to address the massive social and infrastructure deficits our country faces. ...
The Government’s latest move to reduce the earnings of migrant workers will not only hurt migrants but it will drive down the wages of Kiwi workers. ...
Te Pāti Māori has this morning issued a stern warning to Fast-Track applicants with interests in mining, pledging to hold them accountable through retrospective liability and to immediately revoke Fast-Track consents under a future Te Pāti Māori government. This warning comes ahead of today’s third reading of the Fast-Track Approvals ...
The Government’s announcement today of a 1.5 per cent increase to minimum wage is another blow for workers, with inflation projected to exceed the increase, meaning it’s a real terms pay reduction for many. ...
All the Government has achieved from its announcement today is to continue to push responsibility back on councils for its own lack of action to help bring down skyrocketing rates. ...
The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing. ...
The Government has failed to keep its promise to ‘super charge’ the EV network, delivering just 292 chargers - less than half of the 670 chargers needed to meet its target. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop subsidising the largest user of the country’s gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-national’s disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...
The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...
New independent analysis has revealed that the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) will reduce emissions by a measly 1 per cent by 2030, failing to set us up for the future and meeting upcoming targets. ...
The loss of 27 kaimahi at Whakaata Māori and the end of its daily news bulletin is a sad day for Māori media and another step backwards for Te Tiriti o Waitangi justice. ...
Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean more households cannot afford the basic essentials. ...
Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season. ...
After wasting a year, Nicola Willis has delivered a worse deal for the Cook Strait ferries that will end up being more expensive and take longer to arrive. ...
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has today launched a Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as the All Out For Gaza rally reaches Parliament. ...
After years of advocacy, the Green Party is very happy to hear the Government has listened to our collective voices and announced the closure of the greyhound racing industry, by 1 August 2026. ...
In response to a new report from ERO, the Government has acknowledged the urgent need for consistency across the curriculum for Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) in schools. ...
The Green Party is appalled at the Government introducing legislation that will make it easier to penalise workers fighting for better pay and conditions. ...
Thank you for the invitation to speak with you tonight on behalf of the political party I belong to - which is New Zealand First. As we have heard before this evening the Kinleith Mill is proposing to reduce operations by focusing on pulp and discontinuing “lossmaking paper production”. They say that they are currently consulting on the plan to permanently shut ...
Auckland Central MP, Chlöe Swarbrick, has written to Mayor Wayne Brown requesting he stop the unnecessary delays on St James Theatre’s restoration. ...
Kiwis planning a swim or heading out on a boat this summer should remember to stop and think about water safety, Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop and ACC and Associate Transport Minister Matt Doocey say. “New Zealand’s beaches, lakes and rivers are some of the most beautiful in the ...
The Government is urging Kiwis to drive safely this summer and reminding motorists that Police will be out in force to enforce the road rules, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“This time of year can be stressful and result in poor decision-making on our roads. Whether you are travelling to see ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says Health New Zealand will move swiftly to support dozens of internationally-trained doctors already in New Zealand on their journey to employment here, after a tripling of sought-after examination places. “The Medical Council has delivered great news for hardworking overseas doctors who want to contribute ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has appointed Sarah Ottrey to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). “At my first APEC Summit in Lima, I experienced firsthand the role that ABAC plays in guaranteeing political leaders hear the voice of business,” Mr Luxon says. “New Zealand’s ABAC representatives are very well respected and ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced four appointments to New Zealand’s intelligence oversight functions. The Honourable Robert Dobson KC has been appointed Chief Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, and the Honourable Brendan Brown KC has been appointed as a Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants. The appointments of Hon Robert Dobson and Hon ...
Improvements in the average time it takes to process survey and title applications means housing developments can progress more quickly, Minister for Land Information Chris Penk says. “The government is resolutely focused on improving the building and construction pipeline,” Mr Penk says. “Applications to issue titles and subdivide land are ...
The Government’s measures to reduce airport wait times, and better transparency around flight disruptions is delivering encouraging early results for passengers ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Improving the efficiency of air travel is a priority for the Government to give passengers a smoother, more reliable ...
The Government today announced the intended closure of the Apollo Hotel as Contracted Emergency Housing (CEH) in Rotorua, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. This follows a 30 per cent reduction in the number of households in CEH in Rotorua since National came into Government. “Our focus is on ending CEH in the Whakarewarewa area starting ...
The Government will reshape vocational education and training to return decision making to regions and enable greater industry input into work-based learning Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds says. “The redesigned system will better meet the needs of learners, industry, and the economy. It includes re-establishing regional polytechnics that ...
The Government is taking action to better manage synthetic refrigerants and reduce emissions caused by greenhouse gases found in heating and cooling products, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says. “Regulations will be drafted to support a product stewardship scheme for synthetic refrigerants, Ms. Simmonds says. “Synthetic refrigerants are found in a ...
People travelling on State Highway 1 north of Hamilton will be relieved that remedial works and safety improvements on the Ngāruawāhia section of the Waikato Expressway were finished today, with all lanes now open to traffic, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“I would like to acknowledge the patience of road users ...
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds, has announced a new appointment to the board of Education New Zealand (ENZ). Dr Erik Lithander has been appointed as a new member of the ENZ board for a three-year term until 30 January 2028. “I would like to welcome Dr Erik Lithander to the ...
The Government will have senior representatives at Waitangi Day events around the country, including at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, but next year Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has chosen to take part in celebrations elsewhere. “It has always been my intention to celebrate Waitangi Day around the country with different ...
Two more criminal gangs will be subject to the raft of laws passed by the Coalition Government that give Police more powers to disrupt gang activity, and the intimidation they impose in our communities, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. Following an Order passed by Cabinet, from 3 February 2025 the ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Justice Christian Whata as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Whata’s appointment as a Judge of the Court of Appeal will take effect on 1 August 2025 and fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Hon Justice David Goddard on ...
The latest economic figures highlight the importance of the steps the Government has taken to restore respect for taxpayers’ money and drive economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Data released today by Stats NZ shows Gross Domestic Product fell 1 per cent in the September quarter. “Treasury and most ...
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Minister of Education David Seymour today announced legislation changes to strengthen freedom of speech obligations on universities. “Freedom of speech is fundamental to the concept of academic freedom and there is concern that universities seem to be taking a more risk-averse ...
Police Minister, Mark Mitchell, and Internal Affairs Minister, Brooke van Velden, today launched a further Public Safety Network cellular service that alongside last year’s Cellular Roaming roll-out, puts globally-leading cellular communications capability into the hands of our emergency responders. The Public Safety Network’s new Cellular Priority service means Police, Wellington ...
State Highway 1 through the Mangamuka Gorge has officially reopened today, providing a critical link for Northlanders and offering much-needed relief ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“The Mangamuka Gorge is a vital route for Northland, carrying around 1,300 vehicles per day and connecting the Far ...
The Government has welcomed decisions by the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) and Ashburton District Council confirming funding to boost resilience in the Canterbury region, with construction on a second Ashburton Bridge expected to begin in 2026, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Delivering a second Ashburton Bridge to improve resilience and ...
The Government is backing the response into high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Otago, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says. “Cabinet has approved new funding of $20 million to enable MPI to meet unbudgeted ongoing expenses associated with the H7N6 response including rigorous scientific testing of samples at the enhanced PC3 ...
Legislation that will repeal all advertising restrictions for broadcasters on Sundays and public holidays has passed through first reading in Parliament today, Media Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “As a growing share of audiences get their news and entertainment from streaming services, these restrictions have become increasingly redundant. New Zealand on ...
Today the House agreed to Brendan Horsley being appointed Inspector-General of Defence, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Mr Horsley’s experience will be invaluable in overseeing the establishment of the new office and its support networks. “He is currently Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, having held that role since June 2020. ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government has agreed to the final regulations for the levy on insurance contracts that will fund Fire and Emergency New Zealand from July 2026. “Earlier this year the Government agreed to a 2.2 percent increase to the rate of levy. Fire ...
The Government is delivering regulatory relief for New Zealand businesses through changes to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act. “The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Amendment Bill, which was introduced today, is the second Bill – the other being the Statutes Amendment Bill - that ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed further progress on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS), with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board approving funding for the detailed design of Stage 1, paving the way for main works construction to begin in late 2025.“The Government is moving at ...
The Government today released a request for information (RFI) to seeking interest in partnerships to plant trees on Crown-owned land with low farming and conservation value (excluding National Parks) Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced. “Planting trees on Crown-owned land will drive economic growth by creating more forestry jobs in our regions, providing more wood ...
Court timeliness, access to justice, and improving the quality of existing regulation are the focus of a series of law changes introduced to Parliament today by Associate Minister of Justice Nicole McKee. The three Bills in the Regulatory Systems (Justice) Amendment Bill package each improve a different part of the ...
A total of 41 appointments and reappointments have been made to the 12 community trusts around New Zealand that serve their regions, Associate Finance Minister Shane Jones says. “These trusts, and the communities they serve from the Far North to the deep south, will benefit from the rich experience, knowledge, ...
The Government has confirmed how it will provide redress to survivors who were tortured at the Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital Child and Adolescent Unit (the Lake Alice Unit). “The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care found that many of the 362 children who went through the Lake Alice Unit between 1972 and ...
It has been a busy, productive year in the House as the coalition Government works hard to get New Zealand back on track, Leader of the House Chris Bishop says. “This Government promised to rebuild the economy, restore law and order and reduce the cost of living. Our record this ...
“Accelerated silicosis is an emerging occupational disease caused by unsafe work such as engineered stone benchtops. I am running a standalone consultation on engineered stone to understand what the industry is currently doing to manage the risks, and whether further regulatory intervention is needed,” says Workplace Relations and Safety Minister ...
Mehemea he pai mō te tangata, mahia – if it’s good for the people, get on with it. Enhanced reporting on the public sector’s delivery of Treaty settlement commitments will help improve outcomes for Māori and all New Zealanders, Māori Crown Relations Minister Tama Potaka says. Compiled together for the ...
Mr Roger Holmes Miller and Ms Tarita Hutchinson have been appointed to the Charities Registration Board, Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Louise Upston says. “I would like to welcome the new members joining the Charities Registration Board. “The appointment of Ms Hutchinson and Mr Miller will strengthen the Board’s capacity ...
More building consent and code compliance applications are being processed within the statutory timeframe since the Government required councils to submit quarterly data, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “In the midst of a housing shortage we need to look at every step of the build process for efficiencies ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey is proud to announce the first three recipients of the Government’s $10 million Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fund which will enable more Kiwis faster access to mental health and addiction support. “This fund is part of the Government’s commitment to investing in ...
New Zealand is providing Vanuatu assistance following yesterday's devastating earthquake, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. "Vanuatu is a member of our Pacific family and we are supporting it in this time of acute need," Mr Peters says. "Our thoughts are with the people of Vanuatu, and we will be ...
The Government welcomes the Commerce Commission’s plan to reduce card fees for Kiwis by an estimated $260 million a year, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.“The Government is relentlessly focused on reducing the cost of living, so Kiwis can keep more of their hard-earned income and live a ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour has welcomed the Early Childhood Education (ECE) regulatory review report, the first major report from the Ministry for Regulation. The report makes 15 recommendations to modernise and simplify regulations across ECE so services can get on with what they do best – providing safe, high-quality care ...
The Government‘s Offshore Renewable Energy Bill to create a new regulatory regime that will enable firms to construct offshore wind generation has passed its first reading in Parliament, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says.“New Zealand currently does not have a regulatory regime for offshore renewable energy as the previous government failed ...
Summer reissue: Was it a false measurement, a full-blown conspiracy or just some mild incompetence? Mad Chapman uncovers the truth of Maddi Wesche’s final throw. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julie Old, Associate Professor, Biology, Zoology, Animal Science, Western Sydney University Dmitry Chulov, Shutterstock At this time of year, images of reindeer are everywhere. I’ve had a soft spot for reindeer ever since I was a little girl. Doesn’t everyone? ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Grozdana Manalo, Career Services Manager (Education), University of Sydney hedgehog94/Shutterstock Getting casual work over summer, or a part-time job that you might continue once your tertiary course starts, can be a great way to get workplace experience and earn some extra ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ty Ferguson, Research associate in exercise, nutrition and activity, University of South Australia Peera_Stockfoto/Shutterstock It’s never been easier to stay connected to work. Even when we’re on leave, our phones and laptops keep us tethered. Many of us promise ourselves we ...
The NZ Media Council upheld the complaint under principle four: comment and fact On 5 September 2024, The Spinoff published a brief article titled Made in Palestine, found in 1970s Hastings, which highlighted an upcoming art exhibition featuring photographs of vintage cosmetic products labelled “Made in Palestine.” The piece, described ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kasey Symons, Lecturer of Communication, Sports Media, Deakin University We are well and truly in cricket season. The Australian men’s cricket team is taking centre stage against India in the Border Gavaskar Trophy series while the Big Bash League is underway, as ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Woods, Lecturer, Nursing, Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University FTiare/Shutterstock Summer is here and for many that means going to the beach. You grab your swimmers, beach towel and sunscreen then maybe check the weather forecast. Did you think to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Saman Khalesi, Senior Lecturer and Discipline Lead in Nutrition, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQUniversity Australia Dean Clarke/Shutterstock The holiday season can be a time of joy, celebration, and indulgence in delicious foods and meals. However, for many, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ari Mattes, Lecturer in Communications and Media, University of Notre Dame Australia Late Night With The Devil. Maslow Entertainment Marketing is critical to the success of commercial films, and companies will often spend half as much again on top of the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Francisco Jose Testa, Lecturer in Earth Sciences (Mineralogy, Petrology & Geochemistry), University of Tasmania The Conversation As a kid, it was tough for me to grasp the massive time scale of Earth’s history. Now, with nearly two decades of experience as ...
Te Pāti Māori has had to adopt a new way of debating, operating and even thinking in Parliament in response to the Government’s “onslaught” against te ao Māori, co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says.In an end-of-year interview with Newsroom, the Te Tai Hauauru MP reflected on how 2024 has differed from her ...
Opinion: The latest Trends in International Mathematics and Science report was announced earlier this month, yet it didn’t get the flurry of media attention and political hand-wringing that typically accompanies these announcements. This might be because it presented good news, or you could argue, no news; the results paint a ...
NewsroomBy Dr Lisa Darragh, Dr Raewyn Eden and Dr David Pomeroy
At long last, The Spinoff shells out for a nut ranking. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today.It recently came to The Spinoff’s attention ...
I was one of hundreds of people who lost my government job this week. Here’s exactly how it played out. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a ...
Summer reissue: One anxiously attentive passenger pays attention to an in-flight safety video, and wonders ‘Why can’t I pick up my own phone?’ The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up ...
Summer reissue: Why do those Lange-Douglas years cast such a long shadow 40 years on? The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today. First published June ...
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The Government’s social housing agency has backed out of a billion-dollar infrastructure alliance that would have built about 6000 new homes in Auckland – less than 18 months after signing a five-year extension.Labour says the decision to rip up the contract and sell off existing state houses could lead to ...
An unrelenting faith in “swift transition” has driven Tauranga Whai to their first Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa championship. At a boisterous Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre, the visiting Tokomanawa Queens were blown away 90-71 in the final.Whai led by 20 points at halftime as their urgent movement and unflinching faith in three-point shooting from anywhere ...
ByKoroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor New Zealand’s Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) says impending bad weather for Port Vila is now the most significant post-quake hazard. A tropical low in the Coral Sea is expected to move into Vanuatu waters, bringing heavy rainfall. Authorities have issued warnings to people ...
Cosmic CatastropheThe year draws to a close.King Luxon has grown tired of the long eveningsListening to the dreary squabbling of his Triumvirate.He strolls up to the top floor of the PalaceTo consult with his Astronomer Royal.The Royal Telescope scans the skies,And King Luxon stares up into the heavensFrom the terrestrial ...
Spinoff editor Mad Chapman and books editor Claire Mabey debate Carl Shuker’s new novel about… an editor. Claire: Hello Mad, you just finished The Royal Free – overall impressions? Mad: Hi Claire, I literally just put the book down and I would have to say my immediate impression is ...
Christmas and its buildup are often lonely, hard and full of unreasonable expectations. Here’s how to make it to Jesus’s birthday and find the little bit of joy we all deserve. Have you found this year relentless? Has the latest Apple update “fucked up your life”? Have you lost two ...
Despite overwhelming public and corporate support, the government has stalled progress on a modern day slavery law. That puts us behind other countries – and makes Christmas a time of tragedy rather than joy, argues Shanti Mathias. Picture the scene on Christmas Day. Everyone replete with nice things to eat, ...
Asia Pacific Report “It looks like Hiroshima. It looks like Germany at the end of World War Two,” says an Israeli-American historian and professor of holocaust and genocide studies at Brown University about the horrifying reality of Gaza. Professor Omer Bartov, has described Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza as an ...
The New Zealand government coalition is tweaking university regulations to curb what it says is an increasingly “risk-averse approach” to free speech. The proposed changes will set clear expectations on how universities should approach freedom of speech issues. Each university will then have to adopt a “freedom of speech statement” ...
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From the world of science fiction becomes reality, the Israelis have just produced an energy beam weapon that can take down incoming artillery shells and drones at a cost of $3.50 a shot.
I think this sort of technology has the potential to change air and missile attack forever. It might be that aircraft, in the future, need to be clad with really good mirrors.
I doesn't take a stretch to imagine this technology being extended to take down enemy fighters, bombers, and missiles. It probably could also be extended to satellite defense systems.
I imagine it would be possible to have this type of equipment on satellites to take down incoming intercontinental ballistic missiles, or even to deal with enemy threats on the ground from an unseen source in the sky.
The new thing seems to be independent targeting of multiple lasers onto the same spot.
The trouble with lasers, unless you're using frequencies that can also fry electronics, is that they're not a destructive kinetic kill – one focuses the laser on the same spot until the energy absorbed creates a structural weakness or fire. Or, in the case of the warheads, dumps enough energy to inisitate the warhead's own primer or explosive.
Drones hang about for ages, so, sure, laser bait. But the shorter term stuff like rockets and shells? Such tests have been rigged since SDI in the 1980s. Forget mirrors, throw on some ablative shielding that lasts just long enough, and your warhead is practically immune.
So, practical system? Sure, given the importance of drones in recent years. Cheaper than a missile or gatling gun, and no friendly debris to come down somewhere if you miss.
Not sure it's the "global game-changer" or whatever they called it, though.
"Not sure it's the "global game-changer" or whatever they called it, though."
I definitely don't think this specific one is a global game changer. But I think improvements will be made and better models developed. I understand this one requires only 150KW, which in the scheme of things isn't that big. Some large industrial motors would require more power than that.
But imagine if one is made that soaked up 1000KW. That sort of thing could be a lot more challenging for air-craft. Particularly if it can saw off a wing like it did to that drone.
The main problem is attenuation in air, if I recall the old Star wars projects. Air scatters the beam. Wider spot means longer to heat up, so either more power or some manner of beam refocussing to get back to a small dot – ISTR a fair amount of crossover there between 1990s SDI-type projects and ground-based astronomical observatories using lasers to calculate how their images are warping because of the air.
Funnily enough, the main advantage I see in Iron Beam is the networking ability. Having an array of these things thinly distributed basically increases the engagement time while reducing thermal blooming screwing the attentuation. Two or three vehicles can hit the same point at the same time, as an integrated network.
BTW, it didn't look to me like it sawed off the wing. Looks to me like it started a fire that structurally weakened the wing to the point of collapse. So much is down to wing design, fuel payload, even the colour of the target. A different wing structure, maybe the fire would have had less effect. A different colour, maybe the mortar bomb hits the ground before it goes boom. Hell, did they attack it from the time of firing or was it set to land just inside their 7km radius and they had 2sec to make it go boom? Defense industry is so full of shit, lol. Who knows what the kernel of truth might be.
Yeah, I get the bit about the atmosphere reducing the focus of the beam.
That was why I was thinking in terms of satellite type war. Maybe powered by a large solar array. It could be quite effective in taking out intercontinental ballistic missiles as they approach close to outer space where the atmosphere isn’t such a problem.
I realise there are limitations to this sort of thing. But it is quite cool to see something like that even working at all.
Trouble is that the higher you go, the larger the distance you have to project the laser over. In low earth orbit there's still enough air in the thousands of kilometres range ICBM interception requires, and tens of thousands of km for a higher orbit.
Additionally, in order to reduce the number of targets to a plausibly-manageable level all the ICBMs need to be intercepted in their boost phase (going up) before they seperate into individual re-entry vehicles.
But the problem with a nuclear umbrella is that it just encourages further buildup – sooner or later a large enough number of nukes will get through to be a deterrent.
One funny thing about some of the short range laser systems the US has been working with on ships (the navy really likes the idea of getting away from the potential for magazine explosiones, so rail guns and lasers are the go) is that the laser optics need to be outsdtanding, and attenuation works both ways, so the experimental system turned out to be a really useful sensor. Better than a sailor with binoculars.
Uh-oh, dementia..
Well, there were these imaginary supporters who had crowded the stage to congratulate him, I presume. Anyone who can speak for 40 minutes on supply chains to a public audience deserves congratulation. Who cares if they weren't really there?
Just normal identity politics. Reality doesn't matter according to the doctrine of postmodernism. You compete via narratives.
It worked for Reagan & GWB. He's just demonstrating bipartisanship. It's a leadership style that has become traditional in US politics.
Saudis have a sense of humour?? Who knew?
Bomber fulminates against "…the craven China worship by quisling website Socialist Equality Group decry any criticism of the largest human rights abusing regime on the face of the Planet", thereby becoming the first person in the history of the universe to give planet a capital P.
When one encounters two origin myths of the pandemic, and one is rational, one ought to note that proof is lacking for either, and therefore it is rational to point out that the competing narratives saga has no winner. Schrodinger's cat scenario.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schr%C3%B6dinger%27s_cat
So what's the guts? This guy, a virus specialist: https://www.fredhutch.org/en/faculty-lab-directory/bloom-jesse.html
He sent "the draft of an unpublished scientific paper he’d written to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the chief medical adviser to the president of the United States."
Why? The officials in charge are refusing to say. Cue conspiracy theorists. Apologists for traditional left/right governance will say look, we never tell the public anything important. Don't ask.
I think everyone privately knows how the virus originated, but it is not allowed to become public knowledge because that would point the finger directly at St Fauci.
Hence the need to keep this 'it isn't certain' theatre going for a few more acts.
Dennis, some are so invested in the SARS-CoV-2 lab origin hypothesis that there's no talking with them. Those with more open minds are continuing the research, and will no doubt be the target of much opprobrium for their efforts.
https://www.science.org/content/article/hunt-new-viruses-bat-trapping-scientist-hopes-prevent-future-pandemics
It’s intriguing that the more closed-minded among us believe some gene sequences of the original SARS-CoV-2 samples are ‘unlikely’ to have arisen naturally, when the initial Omicron variant sported the "craziest", "most mutated" genome – lab origin, anyone?
Interesting, thanks.
Could we call it hyperdarwinism? I take your point re lab origin via assisted mutation which could be a basis for conspiracists to do their thing. I'm mostly agnostic – but the way the US kept their Wuhan lab involvement out of the media for so long two years ago made me suspicious.
However it makes sense that natural evolution at hyperspeed is likely too – if it's true that it happens faster the deeper you dive into small worlds…
You are way late to that party.
Given that Omicron has turned out to be the most effective vaccine of all – you might want to say thank you.
Only by getting around the vaccine that was puting delta to bed.
Omigod they're ALL lab leaks!
Ah yes, the fantastic 'Omicron vaccine' – if you believe that, then I've some ivermectin to sell you, assuming that your previous stock is now exhausted.
With ‘vaccines’ like that, who needs viruses. And, after reading the article linked to @3.2.2, I'm none the wiser as to who I should be thanking – do you have any clue?
That quote is a furphy – it quotes a daily death rate not a death rate per case. Everyone understands that because Omicron will infect a lot more people very quickly that even with a much lower morbidity there will be a spike in the daily rates for a period. As back in Feb. Now it is much lower.
Secondly my OWiD link above demonstrates the headline in that article is another mistake. The Delta daily peak was around 3,200, while Omicron was about 2,600.
But this is all a diversion – the evidence that COVID has strong links to GoF research is every bit as reasonable as the emerged from nature hypothesis.
My point (“With ‘vaccines’ like that, who needs viruses.“), in case it wasn’t clear, is that the ‘Omicron vaccine’ is (way) more dangerous than the Pfizer vaccine, and the latter seems reasonably effective at keeping people above ground during an Omicron wave, provided they possess sufficient common sense to get boosted beforehand
I can just about stretch to "every bit as reasonable" if you can – how about it?
Let's just say that having read both Sharri Markson's What Really Happened in Wuhan and Alina Chan and Matt Ridley's Viral – I may well be a bit biased. Both books contain a lot of interesting material – and while it would be impossible for any authors to be absolutely definitive when dealing with such an opaque matter – the preponderance of evidence in my view still points to a lab origin.
But let me put it this way. If the natural origin hypothesis is eventually demonstrated to be true, what we will also know for certain is that after 15 years of intensive coronavirus hunting and testing by the Wuhan Institute of Virology, it turned out they were helpless to prevent an epidemic of the same in their own backyard. That would have to be a very great irony indeed.
I'll take that as a 'Yes'.
But let me put it this way. Despite tremendous and on-going advances in the sciences, technology, medicine, engineering, et al., this iteration of civilisation is essentially helpless to prevent or correct a myriad of human behaviour-based catastrophes, ranging from the personal to the global. Still, some good souls will keep trying, and I wish them luck.
I know, and appreciate, just how lucky I am
A selection from my gender critical twitter this morning, for those that might still be wondering why women don't want males in female only spaces. This isn't about trans women, it's about gender identity ideologues (of whateever GI) who insist that TW are literally women and who won't address the massive misogyny in their movement as MRAs and predatory males take advantage of the doors being opened.
https://twitter.com/poetsoup/status/1515719481980604424
https://twitter.com/DonovanCleckley/status/1515820147453353990
https://twitter.com/MForstater/status/1515723607715971074
https://twitter.com/janeclarejones/status/1515786822101651458
That's a UK Labour councillor in response to a feminist group askig for stories from the local body election campaigning. Feminists are running a grass roots campaign #respectmysex, which is asking candidates to answer the question "what is a woman?" Apparently people are starting to ask the question of party door knockers (there's now decent MSM coverage of the issues and there's been a shift away from No Debate, to an acknowledgement by media of the conflict of rights).
The councillor above just said that any male can now identify as a woman and be considered a woman. Why is it not obvious to left wing men how hugely problematic this is? I hope people are paying attention for the NZ 2023 election.
I recently read this as a library book: https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/matthew-dancona-5/identity-ignorance-innovation/9781529303995/
Relevance comes from the interface between the first two factors. Ignorance is produced by ignoring stuff. For instance, males who ignore the motivational basis of trans identification are unlikely to realise they are supporting public policies of discrimination. Leftist males who support trans ideology can easily fall into a credibility trap. They think they are being politically correct. If women point out that they are exhibiting bigotry as a result they will be likely to take refuge in denial.
Leftists traditionally pose as do-gooders. Those who aren't hypocrites may even do good to validate their self-belief. Identity translating into behaviour appropriately. Triggering perception that they are doing bad while believing they are doing good therefore requires applied psychology way up there at the level of sophistication!
Dunno about relevance to the next election, but progress will probably hinge on group consciousness-raising around incidents that cause harm and produce victims. The latter are often too traumatised to be suitably advocates for change so victim support groups will need to do the advocacy.
I share your concern about potential harm but suspect publicity of actual harm done will be the only way that the sham of males pretending to be females can be exposed.
We don't have a grass roots gender critical feminist movement here like the UK. But there is potential for that. Or a group of left wing women asking the question next year and being willing to take the hits.
Re publicity of harm, I could write a post a week about this, but not without putting myself at risk. Left wing men probably don't realise just how long it's going to take to get past the fact that they have tried to silence women.
There's one thing we need to allow and one thing we need to prevent:
I am all ears for a way to do both these things. How do we do the second without also killing off the first? How do we do the first without also permitting the second?
These are very good questions and excellent framing, thank you. This is the conversation the left should be having instead of the sex/gender war.
Far out weka ! sounds like a ' too toxic 'environment for my liking ! changing the topic slightly why were you seemingly so anti musks takeova moves ?in a nutshell ?
Too much ego. Plus, his ideas on climate responses are problematic in that he seems to have no sense of nature and thinks we can put animals on the Mars zoo as a way to save their species. His space stuff is basically let's not bother about saving earth. He's a fully paid up member of the death cult as far as I can see, only he likes to think of himself as somehow green.
Zuckerberg, Dorsey, Gates, et al, they're all men with way too much power and at a time when society lets them do what they want. We could be using all that resource for stopping climate change, regenerating nature, and making sure people don't starve or get sold into the sex trade, but no, they want to accumulate wealth instead. Musk shouldn't be rewarded for that.
Plus the whole private vs public listing thing.
And to censor or not to censor ?
It’s the wrong question. Those power lingering dudes think it’s about tgat but it’s really about social and emotional intelligence and well-being. They have neither the skills nor the consciousness nor the ethics to run social media in ways that net benefit society. If we had any sense we’d take their toys away from them.
Muskie was dropped off on Earth as a baby and needs to build a really good space ship to get home.
And this is how gender non confirming kids are being lied to and irreversibly harmed by gender ideology. This is the result of No Debate (which prevented the safeguarding conversations that should have happened in the past decade), and of the affirmation only approach by medical people and therapists (kids aren’t getting the suppprt they need to sort out their shit before they are put on this life long path).
Expect lawsuits in the US. UK already had its own legal actions happening.
https://twitter.com/d_wprince/status/1515835867105054721?s=21
Bromeopathy; the woo-believer's remedy for fragile manliness.
https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1515817464533291018
You may think it nuts, but then again not entirely a load of bollocks.
I use an infrared rather than a gas heater outdoors but I'm not too sure how my drinking companions would react should I declare bromeopathy, and then irradiate my goolies.
Let us know how you get on
https://twitter.com/kimpossiblefact/status/1515513617600290818
https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2020/07/16/where-does-british-public-stand-transgender-rights
Of course. It's expected that progressives would support trans rights.
Now look at what happens to women's position when the question is about trans women who have had no surgery being allowed to use women's changing rooms (in your link).
What do you think is going to happen when women generally find out that a) most trans women are pre-op, b) self ID means that any man can say at any time they are a woman and there is an expectation they will be accepted as such, and c) there is a class of men who cross dress as a sexual kink (are aroused by this and the thought of themselves as woman) who now claim to be trans women (thanks Stonewall).
Then, when they find out that young girls who are really lesbian have gone down a medical and surgical transition route (mastectomies and sometimes hysterectomy) because of affirmation only policies, and later regret it (and it doesn't resolve their dysphoria) so they detransition but are left with lifelong damage to their bodies.
If you want to ask progressive women what they think, then tell them the truth about the situation first. My guess is that they will support general rights for trans people along with everyone else, and will put in place boundaries around protecting women and children from the ideology that is causing problems. Both/and.
The detail of the poll is useful for their government decision-making process.
It's not at that level with Pew (USA) yet.
There is the same greater level of support from Democrat registered, women and youth.
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/02/11/deep-partisan-divide-on-whether-greater-acceptance-of-transgender-people-is-good-for-society/
And males who transition because they were attracted to other males in the AIDS era.
The personal account covers all the issues you raise and relates it to the situation today.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/04/11/i-was-too-young-to-decide-about-transgender-surgery-at-nineteen/
(article gifted for sharing).
I have not yet watched all of this, but if it even close to the quality of his previous work it will be absolutely worth the hour and 50:
What about the good old days,the holiday in Las Vegas.
https://twitter.com/EvanKirstel/status/1515852092581236748?cxt=HHwWmMCy5czcsYkqAAAA
Inflation in Japan is expected to reach a 30yr high (excluding sales tax yrs) of 1.8%.A country that is a significant commodity importer and high quality goods exporter.
The low level of inflation is due to stable housing,transportation and health care costs due to population demographics.
The recent inflation is due to immigration into urban centres to meet labour shortages,and the prices of apartments increases are now what they were in 1992.
https://twitter.com/LHorowitz4/status/1515699236683325440
Well this is one less for the jail system that should please Kelvin Davis.
"Price was sentenced in November to two years and six months' jail on a total of 33 charges spanning several months."
So if he was sentenced to over two years in jail in November, how is it that he is out driving around in public? Did he escape?
One less oxygen thief.
Man shot by police in Taranaki named online by friends | Stuff.co.nz
High court judge quashed the sentence down to 23 months in February, making him eligible for home detention – which self-evidently failed to keep either him or the community safe.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/fatal-police-shooting-in-new-plymouth-victim-kaoss-price-has-been-described-as-one-man-crime-wave/SD7WN3SWYBNZVOMLUG5ILWU2FE/?l_id=146&objectid=12518442
Judge Grice quoted his chaotic family life as a significant factor – however, didn't seem to consider that this made him less suitable for home detention….
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/127736657/judges-cites-chaotic-family-life-as-sentence-cut-for-a-man-named-kaoss
Thanks for that. IMO Justice Christine Grice should be held partly accountable. In fact if it was up to me, she would no longer be able to be a judge for say 5 years.
Also have to hope that his name "Kaoss" is self-bestowed – because otherwise his parents did him no favours…..
Nope. From age group champ to shot dead in less than ten years
Statistics often tell a story or two about sporting teams. The Toko under-12 rugby side is no exception.
Played 15, won 15. Points for 958, points against 66. Tries scored 171, tries conceded 12.
[…]
There was also Kaoss Price, who ripped opposition midfields to pieces on his way to being the team's top try scorer.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/features/7459807/THE-A-TEAM