Open mike 19/01/2025

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, January 19th, 2025 - 73 comments
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Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step up to the mike …

73 comments on “Open mike 19/01/2025 ”

  1. Jenny 1

    China's official News outlet, Xinhua is reporting that the Rafah Crossing will open on Sunday local time. According to Egyptian security sources that spoke to Xinhua, 600 trucks are lined up at Rafah in preparation to enter Gaza.
    In May the IDF occupied and closed the Rafah Crossing in defiance of the Camp David Accords

    Egypt's Rafah crossing to open Sunday: security source

    Source: Xinhua

    Editor: huaxia

    2025-01-18 19:32:30

    CAIRO, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) — An Egyptian security source told Xinhua on Saturday that the Rafah crossing, the only channel linking the Gaza Strip with Egypt, will be reopened on Sunday.

    The source added that about 600 aid trucks are expected to enter Gaza via the crossing on Sunday, as per the ceasefire-for-hostage release deal.

    The long-awaited ceasefire between Hamas and Israel reached Wednesday is set to take effect Sunday at 8:30 a.m. local time (0630 GMT).

    https://english.news.cn/20250118/b3b22e8b1ca64d41a79bff2f8190b8a1/c.html

    In other news relating to the ceasefire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, says the ceasefire will not take place if Hamas does not provide Israel with the list of names of the 33 hostages due to be released.

    "Hamas Solely Responsible": On Gaza Ceasefire Eve, Netanyahu Hints At Delay

    "We will be unable to move forward with the framework until we receive the list of the hostages who will be released, as was agreed," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

    New Delhi:

    Hours before the start of a ceasefire in the Gaza war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said they won't be able "to move forward with the framework" until they get the list of hostages who Hamas will release.

    https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/no-gaza-ceasefire-until-israel-gets-list-of-hostages-to-be-freed-netanyahu-7505359

    P.

    • joe90 1.1

      Hours before the start of a ceasefire in the Gaza war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said they won't be able "to move forward with the framework" until they get the list of hostages who Hamas will release.

      Netanyahu and co want to kill as many Palestinians and grab as much land as they can. They don't want peace.

      @aljazeera.com‬

      "We can expect ongoing efforts to goad and provoke the unravelling of this deal." Former Israeli negotiator Daniel Levy tells Al Jazeera that Israeli PM Netanyahu is likely to continue provocations to try to “upend” the Gaza ceasefire deal. 🔴 LIVE updates: aje.io/lmgoxr

      https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:2lofqead276vtc5647ye7sl2/post/3lfxd7si5t22z?

    • Subliminal 1.2

      600 trucks sounds unbelievable but remember that pre genocide, in a non bombed state, Gaza still recieved 500 trucks per day.

      Part of this siege has been the inability of Palestinians to stay warm and dry. Over the last few weeks of very cold and very wet, the death toll for new borns dying of hypothermia now stands at 8.

      https://x.com/SecKermani/status/1880542638895677590

      • Jenny 1.2.1

        The Genocide is not over

        Hours before ceasefire comes into force, the Israeli PM says his country reserves the right to resume the war in Gaza.

        https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/18/israel-hamas-ceasefire-in-gaza-to-come-into-effect-sunday-morning

        When the border crossing into Egypt from Rafah is reopened tens of thousands of Palestinians are likely to rush the opening in the border to escape the looming resumption of the genocide promised by Israeli PM Netanyahu at the end of Stage 1.

        And "we will do it stronger than ever" Benjamin Netanyahu

        Netanyahu says he will not abide by the conditions of Stage 2 to withdraw Israeli troops from Gaza or give up control of the Rafah Crossing to Egypt. Instead Netanyahu says he will increase the IDF presence on the border with Egypt and attack Gaza "stronger than ever"

        Israel has right to restart fighting in Gaza after ceasefire, …

        Al Jazeera

        https://www.aljazeera.com › news › liveblog › live-israe…

        5 hours ago — “We will increase our military presence there,” Netanyahu said, adding that Israel will not allow “the arrival of any weapons” for Hamas.

      • Jenny 1.2.2

        The ceasefire in Gaza is scheduled to start at 8.30am local time. 7.30pm NZ time.

        From Al Jazeera:

        The release of the captives will be facilitated by the Red Cross…..

        ……Israeli troops are to start pulling back from Gaza’s population centres. In the first six weeks, Israeli troops are to pull back into a buffer zone about a kilometre (0.6 miles) wide inside Gaza along its borders with Israel.

        Our correspondents on the ground say Israeli troops in Rafah have begun withdrawing from the centre of the southern city.

        Israel is also to ease its blockade on Gaza, and allow in 600 trucks carrying humanitarian supplies. The UN and aid agencies say they have supplies waiting at the entry points to the Palestinian enclave and are ready to surge the deliveries of food, water, medicine and shelter materials……

        Netanyahu has delayed the start of the ceasefire due to a technicality. Hamas have not yet released the names of the hostages to be released as per the agreement with Israel.

        Hamas claim "field technicalities" prevent them collecting the names from the scattered sites where the hostages are located. Hamas communicate by means of field runners, the runners are vulnerable to being spotted and targeted by Israeli armed drones who are still above them. Not only could the runners be killed, but the location of the hostages could be revealed.
        Leading to two possibilities, Israel may try and raid these locations to free the hostages by force. Two, Israel may yet invoke the Hannibal directive. A justifiable paranoia considering that Netanyahu may not want any returning hostages to refute accusations made that they were tortured or suffered sexual assault. Nor want any surviving hostages to provide witness testimony of Israeli hostages being killed by Israeli bombing,

        • Jenny 1.2.2.1

          Breaking News.
          The humble runners hold the fate of the ceasefire. Israel blame Hamas for not providing the names of the hostages, Hamas blame Israel for not allowing the runners to communicate. Under the agreement, Israel was supposed to remove all surveillance drones above Gaza at the agreed time of 8.30am local time.

          Hamas say they are still committed to the ceasefire and will hand over the names as soon as they can.

          Will the runners be able to gather all the names?

          Will their movements be tracked by Israel?

          Everything depends on the courage and ingenuity of the runners to evade the Israeli drones.

          • Jenny 1.2.2.1.1

            Man vs. machine played out across an apocalyptic landscape.

            Will the runners be able to get the hostages names without being detected?

            Will the runners be able to get back to their leaders' hidden operations and command bunker with the names of the hostages without revealing its location for Israeli bunker busters?

            They will make a film about this one day

            • Jenny 1.2.2.1.1.1

              Israel blames Hamas for not providing the names of the hostages to be released, this is not quite accurate. It seems that Hamas provided the full list of names of the 33 hostages to be released well beforehand.

              At the last minute Israel demanded the specific names of the first three hostages to be released.

              Also Israel did not meet its requirement to withdraw its surveillance drones, which had been agreed to, to allow Hamas to be able to move about and gather the hostages in safety, in preparation for their hand over. The continued presence of the Israeli drones in breach of this agreement, and the separation of the hostages made the collection of their names difficult for Hamas who rely on runners to pass on messages. Despite the huge risks involved, Hamas agreed to try and get the specific names of the first three hostages to be released.

              • Jenny

                Hamas has gathered the names of the three hostages they will release today

                They are; Romi Gonen, Emily Damari and Doron Steinbrecher.

  2. Jenny 2

    Due to a recent discovery by the ACT party of alternative facts, that there is no such thing as climate change, and that traffic congestion is a figment of Aucklanders' imagination.

    In response to these hitherto undiscovered alternative facts, the government has decided to discourage public transport use for more environmentally friendly private cars, by raising public transport fares.
    Another benefit of this far seeing plan, is a big improvement in Auckland air quality and liveability.

    The only downside of this far sighted policy; excrement dropped on the heads of Aucklanders by pigs flying overhead.

    Take a hike: Public transport set to get more expensive for Aucklanders

    Author NZ Herald ,

    Publish Date

    Fri, 17 Jan 2025, 2:28pm

    https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/auckland/auckland-transport-hiking-fares-across-buses-trains-ferries/?

  3. PsyclingLeft.Always 3

    Good time to get on a Bike….

    Christchurch cyclist numbers hit all-time high

    The number of people cycling in Christchurch is at an all-time high, the city council's data shows.

    Its cycle counters logged a record-breaking 4.08 million trips in 2024 across the 31 locations monitored.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/539346/christchurch-cyclist-numbers-hit-all-time-high

    As apart from your Physical/Mental Health and the Environmental aspects, your economic health will be much better too. Esp as fuel costs could soon be heading upwards..

    I wonder if NAct1 will get shit about the fuel price ? Labour and Greens always did….

    More pain at the petrol pump as NZ dollar trades at nearly two year low

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/538897/more-pain-at-the-petrol-pump-as-nz-dollar-trades-at-nearly-two-year-low

    Bike free : )

    • Binders full of women 3.1

      I find it hard to believe that there's more bikes now than this pic..

      https://canterburystories.nz/collections/archives/star/prints/1986/ccl-cs-1176

      I bike to work 4 days a week

    • Kay 3.2

      Yes, wonderful if you can do it. There's a rather large group of us who can't drive, or cycle. In my case, medical ban, and too dangerous for the latter. The only alternatives being buses and taxis, many of them still running on petrol. And fuel increases always equal transport increases. I can see power prices raising the cost of electric vehicles.

      My only 'perk' to all of this is qualifying for a Total Mobility card which offers substantial discounts on taxis. My CSC card is loaded onto all the bus cards I have for around the country, so I only pay 1/2 price, for now. It's only a matter of time before these discounts are revoked, leaving a lot of people stranded.

      I miss cycling, I used to a lot.

      • PsyclingLeft.Always 3.2.1

        It's only a matter of time before these discounts are revoked, leaving a lot of people stranded.

        Just one of the shameful things NAct1 did/is doing….

        You are probably aware of all these but..maybe some info?

        https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/515503/public-transport-subsidies-are-ending-here-s-how-much-fares-will-rise

        https://www.publictransportforum.nz/articles/article/connecting-communities-2030-01-02-2022/

        Good on you for having cycled and appreciate that.

        • Descendant Of Smith 3.2.1.1

          Aye I've cycled all my life due to not being allowed to drive. The increase in cycle lanes has massively reduced the opening car door risk that has upended me a few times – also causing significant injury to the people opening the door and stepping out at the same time.

          In fact I haven't had to dodge a car door for about three years now.

          Dodging inattentive idiots overshooting intersections cycle lanes can't fix unless they move the lanes (effectively making them trails) right off the roads.

          • PsyclingLeft.Always 3.2.1.1.1

            Well good on you for being lifetime Pedal Powered ! Im not up to your level…but I have biked a lot, I always bike into town (no parking problems, fuel stops, traffic jams : )

            And as you probably aware its surprising what you can carry on a bike !

            Know exactly what you mean re the flung open car door. One of the things Biking teaches.. situational awareness. Im always scanning ahead, particularly parked cars with a driver sitting in.

            Our cycle lanes are to the right of the street car parks….means you have to carefully go around the idiot who has blithely opened door in front of you ! While also hoping no following car dumbass is going to sideswipe you…..

            There is a safe way open car door that should be taught more…

            https://mtc.ca.gov/news/use-dutch-reach-when-opening-car-doors

            Anyway keep up your Biking. Feb is also NZ Bike Month.

            https://www.lovetoride.net/nz?locale=en-GB

  4. tWig 4

    A very informative Observer article on UK racism which clearly defines concepts like implicit and unconscious bias, and discusses strategies to deal with embedded racism. Well written and packed full of important information.

    • tWig 4.1

      Following on from this, Seymour is pushing the concept of 'colour blindness', where you do not consider someone's race. This Psychology Today article sums it up well:

      "Research has shown that hearing colorblind messages predict negative outcomes among White people, such as greater racial bias and negative affect; likewise colorblind messages cause stress in people of color, resulting in decreased cognitive performance (Holoien et al., 2011)…The alternative to colorblindness is multiculturalism, an ideology that acknowledges, highlights, and celebrates ethnoracial differences. It recognizes that each tradition has something valuable to offer. It is not afraid to see how others have suffered as a result of racial conflict or differences."

  5. PsyclingLeft.Always 5

    NZ Health and its Minister….Dr Cigareti looking to be shuffled..

    Shane Reti expected to lose health portfolio as PM reshuffles Cabinet

    Could it get any worse ?! fark….looks like it could

    Several ministers have been thrown up as possibilities to take on the soon to be vacant health role, including Judith Collins, Paul Goldsmith, and Simeon Brown.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/539354/shane-reti-expected-to-lose-health-portfolio-as-pm-reshuffles-cabinet

    • tc 5.1

      Shane will likely get shifted so when the outsourcing begins he's no longer minister as his private health interests are clearly a conflict too obvious even for our lazy owned MSM to not point out as a very bad look.

      Isn't it all left to Lester Levy and his razor gang anyways ? So more arrogance up top required you could pick from any of those, medical experience is not required with Chopper Levy on the job as a well paid scapegoat should the proverbial hit the fan.

    • georgecom 5.2

      Luxatives got a major problem here. Health is already a major weakness for his government and could be about to get worse. Neither Reti or any replacement will improve health whilst Willis starves the health system in lieu of tax breaks for tobacco and landlords and borrows $12billion for tax cuts. Reti, as a health practitioner, brings respect with him, people at least respect him and his knowledge whilst acknowledging he is a weak minister. The named possible replacement – Simeon Brown, Goldsmith and Collins. Lord save us. Brown is a character people tend to quickly take a dislike to, big boastful talk. With him no health improvements but an easily disliked minister. Goldsmith is a decent administrator but has his limits, competent but no more. Collinshas been quiet and displaying the more likeable aspects of her personality lately but like Brown is someone the public easily dislikes. No magic bullets there for the COC. May as well leave "that nice man” Shane Reti there.

      • Tc 5.2.1

        "Reti, as a health practitioner, brings respect with him…." So was coleman, both shafted the public system so IMO whatever respect he garners isnt from practicing health pro's.

        The minister who bought back smoking and repurposed upgrade funds away from his local public hospital.

        • Kay 5.2.1.1

          If Reti had the spine to very publicly blast the Govt over the tobacco policy and walk away from the party- and parliament- he would've had a hell of a lot more respect from most NZers and his medical peers. There might also be one more practicing GP somewhere, which is of way more benefit to society than a politician.

          But, no. Which makes it pretty obvious the power is more important than his oath to 'do no harm.'

        • georgecom 5.2.1.2

          interesting about Coleman, when Key retired Coleman stood for PM against English and said any tax cuts would be cancelled and money repurposed for health. Never a statement like that from reti. Teri is someone you can like whilst thinking he is a very weak minister

  6. Jenny 6

    Pigs take flight over South Auckland

    Electric trains to Pukekohe

    Auckland’s metro rail network was electrified in 2015, allowing Auckland Transport to operate electric trains. Electrification is now being extended to Pukekohe.

    Project status: under construction
    Project zone: South

    Auckland Transport will resume passenger train services on Monday 3 February 2025. By this time, KiwiRail will have completed work on this section of track, including electrification and KiwiRail’s Rail Network Rebuild.

    Work on the electrification of this part of the Auckland rail network appears to have stalled, with no update on the finish time being provided by AT.

    • Ad 6.1

      They need to integrate the opening with the CRL timetable as well as freight.

      Also there's 3 future stations on that line to integrate with masterplanned developments.

      Don't worry its happening.

      • Jenny 6.1.1

        It (the Pukekohe/Papakura connection) may be happening, but not any time soon and certainly not Monday 3 February 2025 which AT still claim on their website.

    • Kay 6.2

      Oh wonderful. I've been having to travel to Pukekohe a lot over the last couple of years and was stupidly getting my hopes up for getting a train back. Sometime, anytime. It's bus-train-bus from the airport, and for the last month 3x buses with the rail replacement. One bus and a train right through would be a hell of a lot easier.

  7. joe90 7

    His very own laundromat.

    .

    President-elect Trump launched his own cryptocurrency overnight and swiftly appeared to make more than $25 billion on paper for himself and his companies.

    https://archive.li/RvhMC (axios)

  8. Stephen D 8

    Simeon Brown as the new Minister of Health! Certainly possible, very scary.

    • tc 8.1

      Him and Seymour as associate health what could possibly go wrong.

    • georgecom 8.2

      Luxon must be a bit desperate to put Brown in, big mouth but little man, easily disliked by people and would Brown want to give up his precious roads?

      • tc 8.2.1

        Its not desperate at all, calculated as someone else now has to make sense of his under costed roads.

        Couldn’t see him doing that !

        Teachers pet gets to change subjects as his swift treatment of the wellington council probably won over many as having the 'right stuff'.

      • Ad 8.2.2

        It's insulting to teenagers to call Simeon undeveloped.

      • Bearded Git 8.2.3

        Agree George….sounds like a government in panic mode. But putting Mr Smug and Nasty in charge of health is not going to help.

        It’s also weird because Brown is up to his neck in the RONS mess….to take this off him now leaves somebody else to pick up the pieces. Chaos really.

    • Mike the Lefty 8.3

      I just knew that it would be either petrol head Simeon or Seymour butts. He will probably want to bulldoze hospitals to make room for his roads, by-passes and tunnels.

      I'm sure all health workers will feel so much more secure in their jobs with this announcement.

  9. tWig 9

    Interest.co.nz article on the history of US oligarchy, following Biden's exit speech.

    'Abraham Lincoln helped to organise westerners against a government takeover by elite southern enslavers who argued that society advanced most efficiently when the capital produced by workers flowed to the top of society, where a few men would use it to develop the country for everyone. Lincoln warned that “crowned-kings, money-kings, and land-kings” would crush independent men, and he created a government that worked for ordinary men, a government “of the people, by the people, for the people.” '

    'Crowned-kings, money-kings and land-kings'

    Lincoln’s meme becomes pertinant again, with Trump a crowned-king via the backdoor of propaganda.

    • joe90 9.1

      The new 'Crowned-kings, money-kings and land-kings'.

      .

      • Jan. 18, 2025

      For a long time, Curtis Yarvin, a 51-year-old computer engineer, has written online about political theory in relative obscurity. His ideas were pretty extreme: that institutions at the heart of American intellectual life, like the mainstream media and academia, have been overrun by progressive groupthink and need to be dissolved. He believes that government bureaucracy should be radically gutted, and perhaps most provocative, he argues that American democracy should be replaced by what he calls a “monarchy” run by what he has called a “C.E.O.” — basically his friendlier term for a dictator. To support his arguments, Yarvin relies on what those sympathetic to his views might see as a helpful serving of historical references — and what others see as a highly distorting mix of gross oversimplification, cherry-picking and personal interpretation presented as fact.

      https://archive.li/WHycw (nyt)

      https://newrepublic.com/article/183971/jd-vance-weird-terrifying-techno-authoritarian-ideas

      • tWig 9.1.1

        There is enough research on the attitudes of the rich and entitled, who develop justifications for their entrenched wealth. From Louis XIV and god-bestowed kinghood, to 'rich man in his castle, poor man at his gate'. And the self-made are not excluded.

        The one I like is the science experiment where participants who think they are being tested for something else are left alone in a 'waiting-room' with a jar of lollies they have been told is to be distributed later to children. The richer the person, the more likely to steal from the jar.

  10. Ad 10

    Simeon Brown gets Health, Bishop gets Transport.

    Lee out.

    Crikey

    • Matiri 10.1

      Simeon Brown also gets State Owned Enterprises. Are the failed Crown Health Enterprises CHE of the 1990s coming back?

      We in the South Island are very pissed off – ferries, Dunedin and Nelson hospitals etc. Oh look, we now have our own minister in James Meager!

    • Populuxe 10.2

      I'm going to f******g RIOT!

    • Obtrectator 10.3

      Diversity takes a hit (Reti demoted; Lee out altogether).

  11. Populuxe 11

    Desperately looking for a single bright spot in the reshuffle, and the appointment of James Meager as Minister for the South Island is pretty much it.
    Unlike a lot of the Nats he is involved in his electorate and Labour should have appointed a Minister for Te Wai Pounamu when they had the chance.
    The biggest disaster is appointing Simeon Brown to Health – it's an absolutely insane decision.

    • Bearded Git 11.1

      It is patronising and senseless to appoint a Minister for the South Island.

      It implies the SI has special needs, where in reality it should be part of the overall picture.

      Having said that, surely the first thing an effective MOSI would do is to reinstate Labour's ferry deal.

      • Popul 11.1.1

        The South Island does have special needs. Policy inevitably prioritises population, which is why the SI often lags being infrastructurally, which becomes an issue given its significance to the agricultural, tourism and energy sectors, and Christchurch is the second-largest city in the country.

        Politics is perception, and the perception is that the SI is not a priority.

      • Mike the Lefty 11.1.2

        About as sane as appointing Dracula the head of a blood donor clinic.

      • Populuxe 11.1.3

        The South Island does have special needs. Policy inevitably prioritises population, which is why the SI often lags being infrastructurally, which becomes an issue given its significance to the agricultural, tourism and energy sectors, and Christchurch is the second-largest city in the country.

        Politics is perception, and the perception is that the SI is not a priority.

      • weka 11.1.4

        I'll disagree with you here too. NZ is dominated by human population and that means NI gets more attention across the board.

        The rural issues in healthcare alone says the SI needs Ministerial attention.

        • Bearded Git 11.1.4.1

          Are you saying to that Luxon will suddenly start listening to a newly appointed MOSI and because of this will reinstate the ferry deal and build the hospital he promised to build in Dunedin.

          Dream on. It is a popularist appointment that pretends to take action on the SI where in reality nothing will change.

        • Graeme 11.1.4.2

          The poling must have been dire for National to suddenly think about Te Wai Pounamu. They certainly haven't given a toss up till now.

          Lots of opportunity for the opposition to really take it to the Minister, every Question Time.

    • Populuxe 11.2

      Possibly I have completely lost my mind, but Simon Watts being now Minister of Local Government and Energy as well as Minister of Climate Change, is not the worst possible combination of portfolios, not that I expect the coalition to do the right thing by emissions reduction at all.

  12. Stephen D 12

    https://www.1news.co.nz/2025/01/17/nz-sees-highest-annual-business-liquidation-count-in-10-years/

    “Business liquidations have hit a 10-year high with 2500 companies folding last year, marking the highest annual figure since 2014 amid challenging conditions for construction and retail.”

    Chatting with the local retailers, and tradies, it’s getting tougher out there all the time. Where the sparky and plumbers had 2-3 months of work. Now down to weeks or even days.

  13. Ad 13

    Vale in pacem Russell Marshall.

    You made solid policy delivery in education and in conservation.

    Thankyou.

    • Patricia Bremner 13.1

      Yes, and I bumped into Lange at a Labour do. I said teachers liked Russell Marshall as Minister of Ed. Lange sneered, and said "Hope you like what happens next" I said "We will if it is good for children". He paused, a slightly surprised look at that comeback, and he turned and strode away. School Boards, and himself as Minister of Education. No not great. Yes Rest in peace Russell, you were a good man, not driven by ego.

    • Mike the Lefty 13.2

      Russell Marshall showed a lot more true Christianity than the self styled Christian pretenders that comprise the present government.

  14. tWig 14

    Watch Crystia Freeland's excellent campaign ad embedded in the article. I'd vote for her after watching it and I'm not even Canadian.

  15. tWig 15

    Politics Joe's comic mash-up of Spice Girls × Trump x Putin here. 'Tell me what you want, what you really, really want…'

    Made me giggle.

  16. SPC 16

    The risk is that the removal of Reti is because of his association with the private health sector and what they plan next is a Brown-Seymour axis to contract out the leasing of new hospital buildings on the PPP model.

    Will the Minister for the South Island get the Dunedin or Nelson hospital builds done well? Will he protect the roads from truck damage by advocating for a successful future of rail enabled ferries. Or is this just PR because of all they have failed to do for the SI and want to avoid electoral consequence?

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