The Polish village hit by Russian missiles lies due north of Lyiv, and on the same latitude west of Kiev.
NATO knows this, Biden et al know this, and President Zelenskyy knows this. Simply put, the Russians got it wrong – human error, and knowing Russians (I lived there for a short period) the operator was probably drunk!
Ukraine uses s-300 ground to air missiles, which, if they miss their target, are designed to explode harmlessly in the air, not fall to the ground and then explode.
Another commentator has suggested the crater from the explosion is way too big for a s-300 to make, but probably comes from something larger, like a Russian cruise missile.
Pictures of some of the debris look remarkably similar to that of Russian cruise missile debris found elsewhere in Ukraine.
Lastly, Ukraine (up to now) has been denied access to the bomb site.
We have (or are) witnessed (-ing) a huge cover-up – albeit for the best of reasons, to avoid a major NATO-Russia conflict.
This missile attack which killed two Polish civilians is just another war crime by the Kremlin.
I have seen that argument as well, that it was a combination of co-ordiantes for Lviv and Kyiv, hence a Russian mistake rather than a Ukrainian error. That argument is fairly weak in my opinion, and would require a lot more physical evidence to support it.
I have no confidence in the competence (or sobriety) of Russian soldiers. It would not surprise me at all if some tipsy computer operative mixed the co-ordinates up.
But certainly a mistake rather than a deliberate provocation.
But more evidence would be needed to make that case.
Both Kyiv and Lviv are large cities, so after the fact, it probably isn't suprising that missile strike co-ordinates could be aligned with those cities in retrospect.
If, however, the co-ordinates could be matched with say, power substations in each city, then that would be interesting.
Responding to Zelenskyy’s comments, a diplomat from a Nato country in Kyiv told the Financial Times: “This is getting ridiculous. The Ukrainians are destroying [our] confidence in them. Nobody is blaming Ukraine and they are openly lying. This is more destructive than the missile.”
Zelensky has softened their stance on the origin of the missile, but is asking for access to the site and the evidence, which I think is entirely reasonable.
Both the Russians and Ukrainians use the S300 Air Defense missile that is apparently the type identified from the remains. Normally when used for its intended purpose this missile has a self-destruct algorithm that cause the missile to explode in mid-air if it misses its target.
The Russians have been bypassing this protection to enable them to use S300s to attack ground targets, while the Ukrainians, having no ground targets they are allowed to hit, do not.
Also while it is clear that neither side would have any motive to deliberately target a tiny Polish farming village, the coordinates involved are plausibly the result of a Russian serviceman accidentally transposing coordinates from Lyiv and Kyiv cities.
Of course this is proof of nothing, but if NATO are certain of their case – then it should stand open, trusted and transparent scrutiny. This is a relatively straight forward technical investigation of the type that air accident investigators routinely report on.
The Ukrainian request for access to the data is reasonable.
I understand that NATO has been tracking missiles fired, and should be able to determine the path of the missile that hit Poland.
The problem with the theory that Russia fired a S300 in ground attack mode is that, if the case, it must have been fired from Belarus. But, the analysis I have seen suggests that the nearest possible location would have been out of range.
I don't find the mixed up grid coordinate theory compelling yet as the margin for error is too high given the size of both Lviv and Kyiv. But if the coordinates could be reverse-aligned with credible targets in each city I would be more convinced.
If a Russian cruise missile was involved, I find the two missile theory most compelling. That is, a S300 air defence took down a Russian cruise missile, and that the debris for both fell onto Poland. The original reports suggested two missile strikes, so could be a credible explanation.
I understand the fail-safes in these missiles. But S300 failures have been relatively common, as has been evidenced by several videos of Russian missiles going astray and detonating on the ground.
We have our own example of what can go wrong when a technician accidently transposes coordinates. I refer to the Erebus tragedy. Together with the White Out phenomenon, the pilots were fooled into believing they were flying over the Ross Sea when in fact they were heading for Erebus.
The fault lay entirely with Air NZ (for reasons too detailed to go into here) but in their attempt to avoid responsibility Air NZ blamed the pilots. The extent of the cover-up job has never been revealed, but it included a criminal element and went to the top of the tree. Innocent people were caught up in it and had their reputations destroyed.
The chances are, something similar could happen here but perhaps the involvement of NATO will preclude a cover-up job.
Ukraine are now involved in the investigation, so a NATO coverup probably isn't likely. Neither is it necessary.
Whatever, missile hit, it obviously was an accidental strike on Poland, so never was going to cause WW3. I don't discount the accidential coordinate theory. I think we just need more evidence to co-oborate it. The missile debri supports an S300 being involved. We should know soon if there were any other missiles involved as well, such as a Russian cruise missile.
“We have sought to explain that what mainstream economists call progress is what ecologists call planetary ruin. We’ve contended that infinite growth on a finite planet is a recipe for catastrophe.”
Dr Jones takes a useful idea and spoils it. If climate change is a manifestation or outcome of colonisation, we might expect to see non-colonised populations (say in Europe) keeping their GHG emissions within sustainable bounds. We don't. If he argued that both colonisation and climate change have a similar origin (endless growth in capital accumulation) he might have something to talk about.
Instead, he seems to have inserted a false causal link in there to suit his own purposes. It really doesn't help to do this, because it ends up feeding the paranoia of the Groundswell types in believing that climate change policy is just a Trojan horse for Maori control.
The one powerful idea he expresses – "no problem [can] be solved within the conscience that created it" – therefore gets unfortunately lost.
The focus has to be on China and India, because they aren't turning their systems around fast enough and because the effects are hitting them the fastest.
US and European climate gas emission levels are falling fast.
For example, Germany was at one point the largest producer of steel globally. Now it's China. Steel production creates massive amounts of CO2. Easy for Germany to claim a significant reduction in CO2.
Does this mean Germany stopped using steel when building cars, houses, machinery etc.? Nope.
Europe – is providing the best path towards the lowest climate impact.
Not really. Unless we move the global polluting industry off this planet, instead of shifting from one country to another (normally from a more "advanced" country to a less "advanced" one, having less environmental / job security, which makes matters worse)
OR
We either reduce the production causing massive pollution or we introduce ways to produce existing products with significant less pollution.
As I mentioned before… if people don't like the amount of green house gases China (or any other big polluting country) produces, they should simply stop buying Chinese-made products, products containing Chinese-products or products produced on Chinese-made machines…
Cherry picking is fundamentally dishonest so just stop it.
Europe was the source of colonial empires, not Germany specifically.
Europe not Germany specifically, is the global leader in greenhouse gas emission decreases with a fall of 32% between 1990 and 2020 across all sectors except for a 7% increase in transport.
As for the offshoring argument, as far I am aware the EU has the most advanced carbon offshoring mechanism against such 'leakage'. Here's some analysis:
Neither China nor India are saints in steel production, but China in particular is acting to a plan and achieving. Also its' steel production has plateaued with the stagnation of the real estate economy.
Simply instructing people not to buy from China as some wish towards perfection is just weak. New Zealand and Australia are addicted to China and it appears to suit all three just fine.
I used "For example" (with example being the country German and the industry being Steel) and I'm relatively certain other European countries did exactly the same thing, incl. colonial United Kingdom and France (to name two more major previously heavy-industrial countries in Europe); going up the "value chain" ensuring higher environmental standards and higher work safety locally, while the pollution and lower work safety are fully accepted remotely by the west. In the early years, which I would date it the early 90s after the end of the Cold War, the "dirty industry" also moved to easier close-by targets in the Eastern European countries.
The EU carbon border adjustment mechanism was certainly not around when the offshoring of dirty industries in Europe started. It's a good thing to have, no doubt.
And I've never even remotely stated, in any of my posts, that India or China are not a problem re. greenhouse gases or other forms of pollution. However, they are very easy finger-pointing targets for the West (incl. yourself, I might add)…
Until western countries clearly acknowledge that China / India's (and other countries, where often western companies produce for cheap) pollution are partially western responsibility too, improvements will be limited.
I'm not instructing people not to buy from China. I want people to acknowledge, that a significant part of their (China / India and the countries) pollution problem is inflicted by our (western) over-consumption of cheap products and moving of previously local industries to their shores.
Just posting this here, TDB hosts this, one of the excellent things they do. A must-listen for those freaking out about the media portrayal of TruMp TaKinG ContRol Of The HOuSe!!!!!!!!!!
Spoiler: well, no. Him running again is an absolute nightmare for the GOP. The tides are shifting against him, in a pretty serious way. For him.
How much is known about Trump and how he performs in the environment now compared to 2016?
The most fervent Republicans will vote Trump for President in 2024 if he is the Republican candidate. How many will stay away from voting if he is their candidate? If he doesn't win the primary will he stand as an independent out of spite? Or to somehow stall legal processes against him?
Though the current Trump Brand may be electorally toxic, politics like nature abhors a vacuum. The far right populism of Trump fills an empty space in the American, anti-liberal conservative psych.
The marriage between the far right and religious fundamentalists was the secret to Trump's success, but wasn't a good fit with Trump's personality and values, which has led to a split in conservative voter support.
Relaunched with a new face, smile and squeaky clean persona the new Trump, better able to marry venal neoliberal finance and corporate values with the conservative religious values, will be more dangerous to democracy and world peace and the environment and climate than the original.
Countdown Pt. Chev now cheaper to shop at than Pak n Save as groceries are free! Hopefully police have the car number plate so arrests should be imminent.
There is rarely a video on the follow-up, which often results in arrest.
So, not free shopping, but extremely expensive. Unfortunately, the consequences in a court are not a "shock-horror" story, and there are no pictures. So they are not reported.
Do you have some evidence that police are actively following up shoplifting cases?
Because it's directly at odds with what business owners are being told – that basically they're on their own with security – unless there is violence involved.
Occasionally the perpetrator will be picked up over another issue – and the shoplifting crime added to the docket during the trial. It is unlikely to result in additional time on any sentence – and certainly won't result in any restitution for the shop owner.
On a smaller scale – we've had a local rush of thefts from parked vehicles (not even parked on the road, but down driveways, and inside carports), and front doorsteps. Often of tradie's tools, which are serial number IDed; and of courier packages. Police almost never come, even when an offence is reported (unless you're claiming on insurance, people are starting to say 'why bother'). Home-owners have provided camera footage of the offenders, and sometimes of their vehicles; and also info of where they are flogging off the stolen goods online. Zero interest from the police.
This, however, isn't the type of case in the original comment: a supermarket trolley full of shopping; or my supplementary example of multiple local small scale thefts.
These will be commercial thefts on a large scale, almost certainly a burglary ring – stealing to order.
Given that it involved stolen property dating back at least two years – it's not exactly a ringing endorsement of timely policing.
“We have identified the property as having been stolen from as far away as Kapiti Coast and the Wairarapa, dating back as far as two years.”
The receivers will go to court (or, at least, I would hope so!) But, unless they dob in those involved in the burglaries, the people who actually committed the crimes won't.
I don't disagree with prosecuting the receivers. But you can't claim that this illustrates 'serious consequences' for the actual thieves.
That's how it's done. Well thought out, long term vision, effects on all stakeholders… what a great project and great journalism.
"…at a critical moment when human-caused climate change is hammering the Western United States with prolonged drought… allowing California’s second-largest river to flow naturally, and its flood plains and wetlands to function normally, would mitigate those impacts."
Local Biogeography Expert Shane Wright will tell you how NZ's ecosystems were once massively enriched in similar fashion with nitrogen and phosphorus from the ocean. In our instance not so much from anadromous fish migration – but the vast colonies of sea birds that visited the land, and vice versa.
Numbers beyond comprehension.
Speaking of, I wonder if the mosquito plague currently hitting parts of Aussie will be a boon to the amphibians and birds? It's not a regular event, but some flux of aquatic nutrients brought back onto land will occur.
There are great Youtube clips on these and they are inspiring.
No wonder the Contact Energy rails against the NZBattery Project given the Roxburgh Dam is well due for replacement.
Atiamuri, Whakamaru, Arapuni and Karapiro. The Waikato is such an obvious target for Waikato Tainui in 3 Waters, if Mercury haven't figured that out yet.
I don't get a reply link to your comment on Adam's line of comments.
You characterize my attacks on him as personal, but I don't know or care who he is – I treat pretty much anyone pushing fascist propaganda the same.
He never produces credible links (largely speaking there are none for most of his claims). He is never less than vile and insulting – is he to go unanswered?
I realize this creates issues for moderators, and I'm not trying to multiply them, but his disinformation needs to be contradicted.
If you want to reply to a comment that has no reply link, then just scroll upwards from that comment to the first reply link inline with the comment you are replying to.
You characterize my attacks on him as personal, but I don't know or care who he is –
Here's a selection from your recent comments, my italics,
You know, if your constant ad homs did not demonstrate what a shriveled husk of a human being you were, I might be offended.
…
… like some soulless soviet aparatchik.
…
you have become a Judas goat, a flagrant fascist supporter
and so on. You clearly are attacking him personally. Using ad homs. Which you seem to agree is a problem.
I treat pretty much anyone pushing fascist propaganda the same.
I can't imagine that adam has done that, and you've not provided any evidence that he has been. But even if he were, you still can't start flame wars here. I don't care what you think about him, I care how your behaviour affects this place, commenters, debate atmosphere.
He never produces credible links (largely speaking there are none for most of his claims). He is never less than vile and insulting – is he to go unanswered?
Your problem is that the point I came into this you were both being abusive. I see no reason why I should single him out and not you.
I realize this creates issues for moderators, and I'm not trying to multiply them, but his disinformation needs to be contradicted.
Exactly. Argue against what he is saying, without all the added abuse. Then there is no problem for the mods.
If you can't see the difference between attacking someone personally and attacking their arguments, then there is most definitely a problem for the mods.
What you don't realise is that as a mod, I don't care who started it. This isn't kindergarten. What I care about are these things,
stopping a flame war
limiting the amount of time I have to spend on this as a mod (so no, I'm not trawling back through the debate, I'm working with what I see in front of me)
upholding the robust debate ethic of TS
I have seen both of you using ad homs and personal attacks. That has to stop. Focus on the arguments and have a go at those. If adam is saying what you say he is, then you have plenty of material to work with. Personal attacks are just lazy in that sense.
No, you cannot use TS is run a crusade against those you believe are fascists. Do you have any idea how many people there are here who think like this but all about different people? Pull down the arguments, that is how you make the case. If you can demonstrate that another commenter is running fascist lines here, do that!
I've know adam commenting here a long time, so on the face of it I can't see what you mean. If you want to convince people, you have to do the work on that. Going forward.
Pah – I'm been banned for extended periods by those same fascists, Weka.
Nor do I live to indulge in the trade in lies that passes for debate from Adam.
I'm only concerned with their determination to misinform others.
I'd really rather not have to moderate Nazis on a supposedly left site.
Adam's fellow travellers are so dishonest as to routinely deny Russia's culpability for MH17 – they have no respect for truth whatsoever. They should pay for that.
Their ignorance of modern Russian history is on them – I don't propose to give them a three-year degree in it, and they wouldn't thank me if I did.
to me this looks like outright contempt of moderation on TS. Take this as a warning, that if you continue to do this you will be banned. This has nothing to do with adam, it’s about your behaviour and that you seem to think the rules here don’t apply to you.
Ohhhh, I think we can rely on Corporate Iwi and their affluent establishment Pakeha Woke "allies" (suffering from debilitating narcissistic personality disorders) to know what's best for us all.
I suspect it’s time we began to live our lives strictly according to their instructions.
Swordfish, weighing up the dilemma of unsolicited advice vs offer of something that may be useful. Apologies if I've made the wrong call.
If you are the type who looks to supplement your medical treatment, I can share access to a site that shows how to determine which off-label meds and supplements are best for your individual needs.
The approach is to interrupt the metabolic pathways that provide energy to cancer.
Thanks very much, Molly … you have absolutely zero to apologise for !!! … I'm genuinely very grateful … but I can understand you feeling a little wary & tentative given the melodramatic, self-pitying, tiptoe-on-eggshells-around me at all times personality types favoured by some of the Woke cadre here over the years …. (the sort of people who feel they've been brutally colonised and shipped off as slave labour if two women politely disagree with them) …. We've witnessed a small segment of highly manipulative vulnerable narcissists here over the years … they find a way of playing the victim at all times even when people have gone out of their way to be helpful & kind. The sort of walking-talking personality disorders who’d find a way to be highly offended by your very kind & thoughtful offer.
So, your offer & reaching out is very much appreciated.
Yeah, during the early cycles of first-line chemo late last year (those days when I wasn't suffering from the dreaded 'Chemo Fog', where you're in a state not entirely dissimilar to significant sleep deprivation), I did a reasonable amount of research on the most promising drugs currently being re-purposed to fight cancer in general & Stage 4 Colorectal cancer in particular.
Looked pretty clear from the literature – including some really useful 'umbrella' overviews – that there are 3 particular families of drug that are exhibiting the greatest efficacy against cancer:
The Anti-Parasitical Drugs
The Hypertension Drugs
The Drugs controlling Diabetes (esp, of course, Metformin)
Along with a handful of others.
In the process of my sporadic research during Sep-Dec last year, I did come across the COC protocol … didn't have time to read anything in great depth (haven't read the associated books for instance) … just the website overviews … but learnt enough of the very basic stuff to have a couple of informative email discussions with 2 GPs who are sympathetic to COC (around the same time, I also discovered the Joe Tippens story & others who had enjoyed unusually positive outcomes)
But I'd still like to learn more so I will DM you on twitter in the next few weeks (obviously not around Xmas / New Year though). Thanks again, Molly, really appreciate it.
All good swordfish. Whenever you want to get in touch, I will provide the login for the COC Jane McLelland course. (You'll be able to see how far I got, before getting a cheat sheet from a forum, which appealed to my lazy instincts). It's not a problem if you just want to have a look and not converse.
If later on, you want to swap war stories, we can do it whenever. I'll keep an eye out for your DM.
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
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New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
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Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
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This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
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Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
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Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
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A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague – whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak – has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
A ballot for 4 Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Insurance Contracts Bill (Duncan Webb) Income Tax (Clean Transport FBT Exclusion) Amendment Bill (Julie Anne Genter) Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill (Greg Fleming) Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) ...
One of the strongest narratives about "our" spy agencies is that they are basically institutional traitors, working for foreign powers (or just themselves), without any control or oversight by the elected government. And today, we have yet another report from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security which explicitly confirms this. ...
“It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April to meet the Prime Minister’s ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Nicholas, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education, Deakin University Earlier this month, the New South Wales government announced it would roll out programs for gifted students in every public school in the state. This comes amid concerns gifted school ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Massachusetts General Hospital In a world first, we heard last week that US surgeons had transplanted a kidney from a gene-edited pig into a living human. News reports said the procedure was a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock When you think about a red object, you might picture a red carpet, or the massive ruby in the Queen’s crown. Indeed, Western monarchies and marketing from brands such ...
COMMENTARY:Jewish Voice for Peace The UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Monday — and for the first time since the beginning of the Israeli military’s genocide of Palestinians, the United States abstained rather than vetoing it. Security Council resolutions are legally binding, ...
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The Polish village hit by Russian missiles lies due north of Lyiv, and on the same latitude west of Kiev.
NATO knows this, Biden et al know this, and President Zelenskyy knows this. Simply put, the Russians got it wrong – human error, and knowing Russians (I lived there for a short period) the operator was probably drunk!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwXZcT4b5BU&t=34s
Ukraine uses s-300 ground to air missiles, which, if they miss their target, are designed to explode harmlessly in the air, not fall to the ground and then explode.
Another commentator has suggested the crater from the explosion is way too big for a s-300 to make, but probably comes from something larger, like a Russian cruise missile.
Pictures of some of the debris look remarkably similar to that of Russian cruise missile debris found elsewhere in Ukraine.
Lastly, Ukraine (up to now) has been denied access to the bomb site.
We have (or are) witnessed (-ing) a huge cover-up – albeit for the best of reasons, to avoid a major NATO-Russia conflict.
This missile attack which killed two Polish civilians is just another war crime by the Kremlin.
If that is true its all over rover for Ukraine.Nato/US will not intervene with boots on the ground
I have seen that argument as well, that it was a combination of co-ordiantes for Lviv and Kyiv, hence a Russian mistake rather than a Ukrainian error. That argument is fairly weak in my opinion, and would require a lot more physical evidence to support it.
Also, another view from Michael Clarke, often relied on by media for commentary on the war, is that it was a Russian missile and the Ukrainian air defence missile. Hence two missiles. That would square with initial reports that suggested two explosions and explain the size of the crater.
So, there is a bit of water to go under the bridge with this yet.
A bit of a coincidence, though!
I have no confidence in the competence (or sobriety) of Russian soldiers. It would not surprise me at all if some tipsy computer operative mixed the co-ordinates up.
But certainly a mistake rather than a deliberate provocation.
But more evidence would be needed to make that case.
Both Kyiv and Lviv are large cities, so after the fact, it probably isn't suprising that missile strike co-ordinates could be aligned with those cities in retrospect.
If, however, the co-ordinates could be matched with say, power substations in each city, then that would be interesting.
Responding to Zelenskyy’s comments, a diplomat from a Nato country in Kyiv told the Financial Times: “This is getting ridiculous. The Ukrainians are destroying [our] confidence in them. Nobody is blaming Ukraine and they are openly lying. This is more destructive than the missile.”
https://www.ft.com/content/d417ea8f-62ee-4bb8-966b-a85a98fc6b3a
That article is paywalled!
try putting the URL into this (second field, or the first if the second doesn't work)
https://archive.ph/
Zelensky has softened their stance on the origin of the missile, but is asking for access to the site and the evidence, which I think is entirely reasonable.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ukraine-news-russia-war-poland-missile-nato-zelenskyy-biden/
Both the Russians and Ukrainians use the S300 Air Defense missile that is apparently the type identified from the remains. Normally when used for its intended purpose this missile has a self-destruct algorithm that cause the missile to explode in mid-air if it misses its target.
The Russians have been bypassing this protection to enable them to use S300s to attack ground targets, while the Ukrainians, having no ground targets they are allowed to hit, do not.
Also while it is clear that neither side would have any motive to deliberately target a tiny Polish farming village, the coordinates involved are plausibly the result of a Russian serviceman accidentally transposing coordinates from Lyiv and Kyiv cities.
Of course this is proof of nothing, but if NATO are certain of their case – then it should stand open, trusted and transparent scrutiny. This is a relatively straight forward technical investigation of the type that air accident investigators routinely report on.
The Ukrainian request for access to the data is reasonable.
Ukrainians have now been granted access to the missile site.
I understand that NATO has been tracking missiles fired, and should be able to determine the path of the missile that hit Poland.
The problem with the theory that Russia fired a S300 in ground attack mode is that, if the case, it must have been fired from Belarus. But, the analysis I have seen suggests that the nearest possible location would have been out of range.
I don't find the mixed up grid coordinate theory compelling yet as the margin for error is too high given the size of both Lviv and Kyiv. But if the coordinates could be reverse-aligned with credible targets in each city I would be more convinced.
If a Russian cruise missile was involved, I find the two missile theory most compelling. That is, a S300 air defence took down a Russian cruise missile, and that the debris for both fell onto Poland. The original reports suggested two missile strikes, so could be a credible explanation.
I understand the fail-safes in these missiles. But S300 failures have been relatively common, as has been evidenced by several videos of Russian missiles going astray and detonating on the ground.
We have our own example of what can go wrong when a technician accidently transposes coordinates. I refer to the Erebus tragedy. Together with the White Out phenomenon, the pilots were fooled into believing they were flying over the Ross Sea when in fact they were heading for Erebus.
The fault lay entirely with Air NZ (for reasons too detailed to go into here) but in their attempt to avoid responsibility Air NZ blamed the pilots. The extent of the cover-up job has never been revealed, but it included a criminal element and went to the top of the tree. Innocent people were caught up in it and had their reputations destroyed.
The chances are, something similar could happen here but perhaps the involvement of NATO will preclude a cover-up job.
Ukraine are now involved in the investigation, so a NATO coverup probably isn't likely. Neither is it necessary.
Whatever, missile hit, it obviously was an accidental strike on Poland, so never was going to cause WW3. I don't discount the accidential coordinate theory. I think we just need more evidence to co-oborate it. The missile debri supports an S300 being involved. We should know soon if there were any other missiles involved as well, such as a Russian cruise missile.
… so a NATO coverup probably isn't likely. Neither is it necessary.
I meant that. If another person or entity did try to cover-up NATO would expose it. 🙂
Invasion, war, genocide, slavery, resource looting, environmental destruction, racism, white supremacy. colonialisation, neo-colonialisan, imperialism, neo-imperialism.
Initially spreading out from Europe, the ongoing process of imperialism is now colonising the climate.
It's a process
It's a process and it has yet to reach its nadir.
Growth:
"Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of a cancer cell"
Edward Abbey
https://www.methodeva.com/blog/2018/11/growth-for-the-sake-of-growth-is-the-ideology-of-a-cancer-cell/
The anti-growth movement:
“We have sought to explain that what mainstream economists call progress is what ecologists call planetary ruin. We’ve contended that infinite growth on a finite planet is a recipe for catastrophe.”
George Monbiot
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/oct/12/liz-truss-anti-growth-coalition-class-power
Cancerous:
“We’re bullish about the whole of the Pacific rim,”
“We think there’s the potential for lots of growth.”
Christopher Luxon
https://globalnews.ca/news/257764/ap-interview-air-nzs-new-ceo-christopher-luxon-sees-growth-opportunities-in-asia-us/
(tell it to the Pacific rim countries suffering the negative effects of climate change due to rising emissions).
Dr Jones takes a useful idea and spoils it. If climate change is a manifestation or outcome of colonisation, we might expect to see non-colonised populations (say in Europe) keeping their GHG emissions within sustainable bounds. We don't. If he argued that both colonisation and climate change have a similar origin (endless growth in capital accumulation) he might have something to talk about.
Instead, he seems to have inserted a false causal link in there to suit his own purposes. It really doesn't help to do this, because it ends up feeding the paranoia of the Groundswell types in believing that climate change policy is just a Trojan horse for Maori control.
The one powerful idea he expresses – "no problem [can] be solved within the conscience that created it" – therefore gets unfortunately lost.
I'm sure Dr dude is great at mental health, but gas emissions scientist he ain't.
US and European climate gas emission levels are falling fast.
Climate Change Indicators: Greenhouse Gases | US EPA
China is the biggest emitter by a long shot and it's mostly their coal.
World’s Top Emitters Interactive Chart I World Resources Institute (wri.org)
There is no pathway to a 1.5c degree increase solution anymore, and it's the actual collective global opinion saying that.
Emissions Gap Report 2022 (unep.org)
The focus has to be on China and India, because they aren't turning their systems around fast enough and because the effects are hitting them the fastest.
The Carbon Brief Profile: India
Arguably the source of historical colonialisation – Europe – is providing the best path towards the lowest climate impact.
.
For example, Germany was at one point the largest producer of steel globally. Now it's China. Steel production creates massive amounts of CO2. Easy for Germany to claim a significant reduction in CO2.
Does this mean Germany stopped using steel when building cars, houses, machinery etc.? Nope.
Not really. Unless we move the global polluting industry off this planet, instead of shifting from one country to another (normally from a more "advanced" country to a less "advanced" one, having less environmental / job security, which makes matters worse)
OR
We either reduce the production causing massive pollution or we introduce ways to produce existing products with significant less pollution.
As I mentioned before… if people don't like the amount of green house gases China (or any other big polluting country) produces, they should simply stop buying Chinese-made products, products containing Chinese-products or products produced on Chinese-made machines…
Cherry picking is fundamentally dishonest so just stop it.
Europe was the source of colonial empires, not Germany specifically.
Europe not Germany specifically, is the global leader in greenhouse gas emission decreases with a fall of 32% between 1990 and 2020 across all sectors except for a 7% increase in transport.
As for the offshoring argument, as far I am aware the EU has the most advanced carbon offshoring mechanism against such 'leakage'. Here's some analysis:
EU carbon border adjustment mechanism (europa.eu)
Neither China nor India are saints in steel production, but China in particular is acting to a plan and achieving. Also its' steel production has plateaued with the stagnation of the real estate economy.
For steel sector, China’s decarbonization is a costly quest | S&P Global
Simply instructing people not to buy from China as some wish towards perfection is just weak. New Zealand and Australia are addicted to China and it appears to suit all three just fine.
I used "For example" (with example being the country German and the industry being Steel) and I'm relatively certain other European countries did exactly the same thing, incl. colonial United Kingdom and France (to name two more major previously heavy-industrial countries in Europe); going up the "value chain" ensuring higher environmental standards and higher work safety locally, while the pollution and lower work safety are fully accepted remotely by the west. In the early years, which I would date it the early 90s after the end of the Cold War, the "dirty industry" also moved to easier close-by targets in the Eastern European countries.
The EU carbon border adjustment mechanism was certainly not around when the offshoring of dirty industries in Europe started. It's a good thing to have, no doubt.
And I've never even remotely stated, in any of my posts, that India or China are not a problem re. greenhouse gases or other forms of pollution. However, they are very easy finger-pointing targets for the West (incl. yourself, I might add)…
Until western countries clearly acknowledge that China / India's (and other countries, where often western companies produce for cheap) pollution are partially western responsibility too, improvements will be limited.
I'm not instructing people not to buy from China. I want people to acknowledge, that a significant part of their (China / India and the countries) pollution problem is inflicted by our (western) over-consumption of cheap products and moving of previously local industries to their shores.
Just posting this here, TDB hosts this, one of the excellent things they do. A must-listen for those freaking out about the media portrayal of TruMp TaKinG ContRol Of The HOuSe!!!!!!!!!!
Spoiler: well, no. Him running again is an absolute nightmare for the GOP. The tides are shifting against him, in a pretty serious way. For him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1fxS0OdshU&t=848s
Yeah they said that last time in 2016.
Must say that went through my mind as well. The scoffing media wrote Tr^mp off then couldn't get enough of him.
How much is known about Trump and how he performs in the environment now compared to 2016?
The most fervent Republicans will vote Trump for President in 2024 if he is the Republican candidate. How many will stay away from voting if he is their candidate? If he doesn't win the primary will he stand as an independent out of spite? Or to somehow stall legal processes against him?
Though the current Trump Brand may be electorally toxic, politics like nature abhors a vacuum. The far right populism of Trump fills an empty space in the American, anti-liberal conservative psych.
The marriage between the far right and religious fundamentalists was the secret to Trump's success, but wasn't a good fit with Trump's personality and values, which has led to a split in conservative voter support.
Relaunched with a new face, smile and squeaky clean persona the new Trump, better able to marry venal neoliberal finance and corporate values with the conservative religious values, will be more dangerous to democracy and world peace and the environment and climate than the original.
Countdown Pt. Chev now cheaper to shop at than Pak n Save as groceries are free! Hopefully police have the car number plate so arrests should be imminent.
Watch: Bold thieves bag trolley full of groceries before taking off in getaway car – NZ Herald
Last time it was Countdown Meadowbank
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/brazen-auckland-supermarket-shopping-trolley-theft-not-reported-to-police-countdown-using-own-security-measures/OO7WGZIKZ62B432INYH4R3PRZA/
Free groceries! How awful. Send the perps to the colonies – that'll learn 'em.
https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/wellington-food-bank-appeals-for-donations-as-holiday-period-approaches/
https://waateanews.com/2022/10/17/davel-letele-food-banks-at-risk/
If you want to help, get in touch with a local food bank.
https://www.foodbank.co.nz/
https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/16-08-2022/the-side-eyes-two-new-zealands-the-table
There is always a video on social media.
There is rarely a video on the follow-up, which often results in arrest.
So, not free shopping, but extremely expensive. Unfortunately, the consequences in a court are not a "shock-horror" story, and there are no pictures. So they are not reported.
Do you have some evidence that police are actively following up shoplifting cases?
Because it's directly at odds with what business owners are being told – that basically they're on their own with security – unless there is violence involved.
Occasionally the perpetrator will be picked up over another issue – and the shoplifting crime added to the docket during the trial. It is unlikely to result in additional time on any sentence – and certainly won't result in any restitution for the shop owner.
On a smaller scale – we've had a local rush of thefts from parked vehicles (not even parked on the road, but down driveways, and inside carports), and front doorsteps. Often of tradie's tools, which are serial number IDed; and of courier packages. Police almost never come, even when an offence is reported (unless you're claiming on insurance, people are starting to say 'why bother'). Home-owners have provided camera footage of the offenders, and sometimes of their vehicles; and also info of where they are flogging off the stolen goods online. Zero interest from the police.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/130078074/hundreds-of-thousands-of-dollars-worth-of-stolen-property-recovered-in-wellington-police-operation
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/major-police-operation-sees-over-3000-stolen-goods-recovered/XZZGX2HLDJAHFGAX2KI6YJNJZ4/
This, however, isn't the type of case in the original comment: a supermarket trolley full of shopping; or my supplementary example of multiple local small scale thefts.
These will be commercial thefts on a large scale, almost certainly a burglary ring – stealing to order.
Given that it involved stolen property dating back at least two years – it's not exactly a ringing endorsement of timely policing.
The receivers will go to court (or, at least, I would hope so!) But, unless they dob in those involved in the burglaries, the people who actually committed the crimes won't.
I don't disagree with prosecuting the receivers. But you can't claim that this illustrates 'serious consequences' for the actual thieves.
That's how it's done. Well thought out, long term vision, effects on all stakeholders… what a great project and great journalism.
"…at a critical moment when human-caused climate change is hammering the Western United States with prolonged drought… allowing California’s second-largest river to flow naturally, and its flood plains and wetlands to function normally, would mitigate those impacts."
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/11/17/us-to-demolish-four-dams-in-river-restoration-effort
such good news!
for those that want to understand the meaning here, this from Derrick Jensen is worth a read,
https://derrickjensen.org/endgame/the-gift-of-salmon/
That's great.
Local Biogeography Expert Shane Wright will tell you how NZ's ecosystems were once massively enriched in similar fashion with nitrogen and phosphorus from the ocean. In our instance not so much from anadromous fish migration – but the vast colonies of sea birds that visited the land, and vice versa.
Numbers beyond comprehension.
Speaking of, I wonder if the mosquito plague currently hitting parts of Aussie will be a boon to the amphibians and birds? It's not a regular event, but some flux of aquatic nutrients brought back onto land will occur.
The world-view of the First Peoples led to this result.
There are great Youtube clips on these and they are inspiring.
No wonder the Contact Energy rails against the NZBattery Project given the Roxburgh Dam is well due for replacement.
Atiamuri, Whakamaru, Arapuni and Karapiro. The Waikato is such an obvious target for Waikato Tainui in 3 Waters, if Mercury haven't figured that out yet.
Mathematical analyst introduces well posed prose to crypto catastrophe.
https://twitter.com/nntaleb/status/1593347534591868932
Charlie Munger being more old school,called crypto VD,turds,coinage for kidnappers.
@ Weka
I don't get a reply link to your comment on Adam's line of comments.
You characterize my attacks on him as personal, but I don't know or care who he is – I treat pretty much anyone pushing fascist propaganda the same.
He never produces credible links (largely speaking there are none for most of his claims). He is never less than vile and insulting – is he to go unanswered?
I realize this creates issues for moderators, and I'm not trying to multiply them, but his disinformation needs to be contradicted.
If you want to reply to a comment that has no reply link, then just scroll upwards from that comment to the first reply link inline with the comment you are replying to.
Stuart,
Here's a selection from your recent comments, my italics,
and so on. You clearly are attacking him personally. Using ad homs. Which you seem to agree is a problem.
I can't imagine that adam has done that, and you've not provided any evidence that he has been. But even if he were, you still can't start flame wars here. I don't care what you think about him, I care how your behaviour affects this place, commenters, debate atmosphere.
Your problem is that the point I came into this you were both being abusive. I see no reason why I should single him out and not you.
Exactly. Argue against what he is saying, without all the added abuse. Then there is no problem for the mods.
If you can't see the difference between attacking someone personally and attacking their arguments, then there is most definitely a problem for the mods.
I have argued against what he's saying.
He started the ad homs, (a crack about warmongers! from a troll that supports Putin's invasion no less!) and he hasn't stopped lying for a moment.
He's a dedicated Putin bot, with no real world knowledge of Russia whatsoever.
You might want to go through his comments for ad homs too – I didn't start them.
I don't think the truth should be treated equally with lies, or fascist trolls the same as those who support Ukraine's right to self-determination.
He's the modern form of Nazi, and tolerance of him is inappropriate.
What you don't realise is that as a mod, I don't care who started it. This isn't kindergarten. What I care about are these things,
I have seen both of you using ad homs and personal attacks. That has to stop. Focus on the arguments and have a go at those. If adam is saying what you say he is, then you have plenty of material to work with. Personal attacks are just lazy in that sense.
No, you cannot use TS is run a crusade against those you believe are fascists. Do you have any idea how many people there are here who think like this but all about different people? Pull down the arguments, that is how you make the case. If you can demonstrate that another commenter is running fascist lines here, do that!
I've know adam commenting here a long time, so on the face of it I can't see what you mean. If you want to convince people, you have to do the work on that. Going forward.
I would be saying exactly the same thing to him.
Pah – I'm been banned for extended periods by those same fascists, Weka.
Nor do I live to indulge in the trade in lies that passes for debate from Adam.
I'm only concerned with their determination to misinform others.
I'd really rather not have to moderate Nazis on a supposedly left site.
Adam's fellow travellers are so dishonest as to routinely deny Russia's culpability for MH17 – they have no respect for truth whatsoever. They should pay for that.
Their ignorance of modern Russian history is on them – I don't propose to give them a three-year degree in it, and they wouldn't thank me if I did.
to me this looks like outright contempt of moderation on TS. Take this as a warning, that if you continue to do this you will be banned. This has nothing to do with adam, it’s about your behaviour and that you seem to think the rules here don’t apply to you.
mod note
One of the rules is truthfulness.
Until it is enforced on the Putin trolls, they will continue to waste everyone's time.
then use the way things work here to address that. Stop fucking with moderation.
I'm not sure that 'the way things work here' works.
My impression is that we are dealing with something very like Bonhoeffer's Theory of Stupidity.
In any case, I am increasingly busy these days, and have proportionately less time to deal with our resident Putin propagandists.
Good luck with them.
I encountered Bonhoeffer's story a while back and I commend you for linking to it. Best wishes with whatever it is that is gotten you busier.
Thought for the day..
Are we a representative democracy?
For the moment. 'Tweaked Democracies' seem all the rage.
Democracy needs tweaking. Witness how the privileged right howl whenever anything is suggested to grow participation.
Preservation of power is crucial to the already powerful.
.
Ohhhh, I think we can rely on Corporate Iwi and their affluent establishment Pakeha Woke "allies" (suffering from debilitating narcissistic personality disorders) to know what's best for us all.
I suspect it’s time we began to live our lives strictly according to their instructions.
Swordfish, weighing up the dilemma of unsolicited advice vs offer of something that may be useful. Apologies if I've made the wrong call.
If you are the type who looks to supplement your medical treatment, I can share access to a site that shows how to determine which off-label meds and supplements are best for your individual needs.
The approach is to interrupt the metabolic pathways that provide energy to cancer.
A research trial is happening in the UK.
https://careoncologyclinic.com/what-is-the-coc-protocol-new/
If interested, you can DM me on Twitter: @EdgeWatching
.
Thanks very much, Molly … you have absolutely zero to apologise for !!! … I'm genuinely very grateful … but I can understand you feeling a little wary & tentative given the melodramatic, self-pitying, tiptoe-on-eggshells-around me at all times personality types favoured by some of the Woke cadre here over the years …. (the sort of people who feel they've been brutally colonised and shipped off as slave labour if two women politely disagree with them) …. We've witnessed a small segment of highly manipulative vulnerable narcissists here over the years … they find a way of playing the victim at all times even when people have gone out of their way to be helpful & kind. The sort of walking-talking personality disorders who’d find a way to be highly offended by your very kind & thoughtful offer.
So, your offer & reaching out is very much appreciated.
Yeah, during the early cycles of first-line chemo late last year (those days when I wasn't suffering from the dreaded 'Chemo Fog', where you're in a state not entirely dissimilar to significant sleep deprivation), I did a reasonable amount of research on the most promising drugs currently being re-purposed to fight cancer in general & Stage 4 Colorectal cancer in particular.
Looked pretty clear from the literature – including some really useful 'umbrella' overviews – that there are 3 particular families of drug that are exhibiting the greatest efficacy against cancer:
Along with a handful of others.
In the process of my sporadic research during Sep-Dec last year, I did come across the COC protocol … didn't have time to read anything in great depth (haven't read the associated books for instance) … just the website overviews … but learnt enough of the very basic stuff to have a couple of informative email discussions with 2 GPs who are sympathetic to COC (around the same time, I also discovered the Joe Tippens story & others who had enjoyed unusually positive outcomes)
But I'd still like to learn more so I will DM you on twitter in the next few weeks (obviously not around Xmas / New Year though). Thanks again, Molly, really appreciate it.
All good swordfish. Whenever you want to get in touch, I will provide the login for the COC Jane McLelland course. (You'll be able to see how far I got, before getting a cheat sheet from a forum, which appealed to my lazy instincts). It's not a problem if you just want to have a look and not converse.
If later on, you want to swap war stories, we can do it whenever. I'll keep an eye out for your DM.
Very interesting. Although not directly applicable to my situation I will follow up on that.
Invitation applies to you also RedLogix. Just DM me if you want to know details.
" https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2022/11/18/christopher-luxon-why-not-a-boot-camp-for-tax-dodgers/
Yesterday the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists released a report on dental care in Aotearoa, highlighting its unaffordability and recommending free, universal dental care. This is something the left has been campaigning for for a long time – Jim Anderton pushed for it before the 2011 election, and Helen Clark has advocated for it. It would massively improve people's lives, reduce pain and suffering, and save money in the long-term. But it would involve spending money, so naturally Grant Robertson has vetoed it:
http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2022/11/grant-says-no-again.html
They should find that billion dollars a year for dental care. It would make a huge difference, A real difference. Lets do this Grant!
How much is the new health authority costing again?
Oh just checked it out. The new Health Authority is costing $11 billion dollars to set up and run for the next four years……..
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/467473/budget-2022-11-point-1b-allocated-to-overhauling-the-health-system#:~:text=A%20whopping%20%2411.1%20billion%20has,run%20the%20new%20health%20system.&text=Health%20New%20Zealand%20and%20the,district%20health%20boards%20from%20July.
Persoanally I rather have that money spent of dental care for all NZders.