The comments box sitting near the headline says there are 47 comments. If you go to the comments section at the bottom of the article, there are none published. What gives NZH?
Kerre McIvor’s opinions are worth about the same as Garry McCormick’s. His performance on the Panel on nat radio last week was appalling. You could literally feel the other panellists cringing at his rants.
At one point he was ranting “… rah rah rah, I don’t care how much money you throw at it, I don’t care how many reviews are done, I don’t care rah rah rah, if you don’t have the actual government employees then it is all a waste of time.”…
… then not two minutes later he sets off again in his old jalopy mind… “…rah rah rah I don’t care how many reviews are done, I don’t care how many government employees you’ve got rah rah rah, if you don’t have enough money then it is all a waste of time.”… did you see that? He totally contradicted himself, lost in a rant, spilling his brain tangles for all to see.
And then there were the slurred words which sounded very much like he had come from a liquid lunch.
Garry McCormick may be able to raconteur a good story but his mind is shit.
Kerry McIvor…grow up and learn to become a journalist.
Learn some history and realise your responsibility as a member of the 4th estate.
“First they came for the communists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist.
Then they came for the socialists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.
Then they came for me,
and there was no one left to speak for me.”
Pastor Martin Niemöller, describing the apathy of German intellectuals following the Nazis’ rise to power and the subsequent purging of their chosen targets, group after group.
The AOS shoots itself in the foot! No that’s just my colourful loose style of journalism, it really was just that they shot a man lying on the ground handcuffed, just accidental-like.
Perhaps that’s the way it goes as we cozy up and copy down to that Great Nation of Civilised Society Truth Freedom And all Good things in Democracy – wait for it – dah dah USA…
3) except the roadwatch/*555 calls.
that’s an issue for me – a cop decides to give a ticket rather than a warning based on your record, yet you have no opportunity to even know what some oik has complained about when you’re driving your merry way (let alone as an harassment tool)
Just because a police officer didn’t see it doesn’t declassify it as an actual crime. That said I doubt if citizen calls to the police would be used as part of someones criminal record due to the innocent until proven guilty idea that we have in law.
Should the police be on the watch for harassment through the *555? Yep
Should the police ignore those crimes reported by the public? Nope
yet you have no opportunity to even know what some oik has complained about when you’re driving your merry way (let alone as an harassment tool)
This bit would seem to address you major point there:
Some of them require follow-up and others are sort of at the lower end.
So you will know about those complaints that actually matter and I’m sure that the police* can put in place procedures that will any detect such harassment and harassment itself is a crime.
It’s the lower-end ones that could be the problem. I’m not talking about someone being fined as a direct result about *555 with no other evidence, I’m talking about the police officer pulling the driver’s record for a subsequent offense and making a judgement call based on possibly bunk information, when the driver might not even know that the complaint had been made.
I suspect that the lower end ones won’t be included in what the police office out on the street sees. I also suspect that the Assistant commissioner was being polite when he said “sort of at the lower end”.
Nice that you “suspect” that. I personally suspect that the officer will get a simple summary tally with minimal data as to extent, and use that to make a call as to whether to warn or use all the law.
Where this argument falls apart is that you would actually have to do something wrong in front of the police before the ‘judgement call’ (as you put it) comes into play. I’m of the view that if you did do break the law while driving, you can’t really expect the police to let you off with a warning. Sure, if you are lucky, perhaps they will let you off. But you can hardly expect that this should be the default outcome.
If we were talking about 80kph in a school zone, I’d agree.
But there are a lot of instances that might be on the line, infraction-wise. If the officer is in a good mood or has better things to do, then a warning is all that’s needed. And recidivist offenders being targeted is a good thing. But mix the database of complaints with automated number recognition, and someone might find themselves being constantly stopped by the police (even just for breath-testing, if the ex-hubby anonymously says “Jim’s always driving drunk”).
It’s just the potential for another level of dickishness based purely on unsupported and possibly unsourced data that irks me.
What about being given a disproportionate penalty for the law you broke?
What about ongoing stoppages to see if you might be breaking the law?
What about being stopped or ticketed where other people would not have been?
Really, you’re recycling the ‘nothing to fear, nothing to hide” argument. And it’s bull – not everything is #FFFFFF or #000000.
I’ve been stopped plenty of times for no reason at all, generally when riding a motorbike. When I ask why I’ve been stopped, the answer is always “It’s just routine.” One time I was asked, and gave, my occupation, which earned me a punch in the head for lying.
It might not happen to you, wtl, but it’s happened to me and plenty of people that I know. You have to be in front, or beside, or behind, the police to be stopped. That is sufficient.
Murray Olsen: The point McFlock was raising was that he/she was unhappy about complaints from the public about driving behaviour being placed in a police database because this would may mean that unsubstantiated complaints from members of the public would lead to increased attention from the police.
So are you saying that the police are stopping you because there have been vexatious complaints to the police about your driving/riding?
Anyway, as I already said, if such a database led to police stopping drivers without reason then I would oppose such a use of that database. But I am not opposed to the police deciding to issue a fine instead of a warning on the basis of such a database.
In AKL there has been a noticeable ramping up in the random check points, which are conducted under the guise of road safety, such as being breath tested at 11am on a Tuesday.
The police are grooming the public into believing they have an expectation to be pulled over, its everywhere, just like the police helicopter which is in the sky 24/7 or near enough!
Get used to it, the grid continues to be lowered, yet some, still want to argue for the system, sigh!
If the officer is in a good mood or has better things to do, then a warning is all that’s needed.
So, you think that if the officer is in a good mood you should get off breaking the law?
It’s just the potential for another level of dickishness based purely on unsupported and possibly unsourced data that irks me.
Which is why it needs proper procedure and oversight in place but not a reason to avoid doing it. If you’re breaking the law it shouldn’t require that a police officer sees it for it to be reported and recorded.
So, you think that if the officer is in a good mood you should get off breaking the law?
🙄 Not a murder, no.
But where an officer has discretionary powers, then yes, I’d like to be treated the same as everyone else regardless of whether somebody I pissed off for whatever reason puts forward a complaint I know nothing about, was never charged or ticketed with, and never had any ability to defend myself against that accusation.
If you’re breaking the law it shouldn’t require that a police officer sees it for it to be reported and recorded.</blockquote
Actually, I should have the ability to defend myself against any accusation that might be used against me.
It wasn’t just German apathy, but personal guilt, that Niemöller was addressing with those lines:
“Niemöller was an anti-communist and supported Hitler’s rise to power at first. But when Hitler insisted on the supremacy of the state over religion, Niemöller became disillusioned. He became the leader of a group of German clergymen opposed to Hitler. In 1937 he was arrested and eventually confined in Sachsenhausen and Dachau”
Problem solved. The ABCs have appointed a press secretary to win the election. No need for Cunliffe now!
Jeeeze they are a clever bunch. Key & co should be fearful.
Let us celebrate the imminent election victory at the party conference in Christchurch.
Sorry. I think people think they wld know if they are being monitored. People need to stop and think how their life wld change if they thought everything was being recorded
How else do text messages and emails surface so long after an event to assist police or other snoops in investigating that event?
Emails and your browsing history are recorded by your ISP, every text that goes through your cell phone is is recorded by your phone provider. This has been true for years. It seems, though, that people didn’t realise this.
On the eve of the GCSB bill vote, a timely reminder of how increasingly despotic our so called democracies are becoming. If given power without strict parameters, authoritary will inevitably abuse it.
No mention of this on BBC website. As far as I can tell the only other mainstream outlet covering the story is Huffington Post. Sadly intimidation does work.
Is he on crack, suffering from a damaged brain or just lying through his teeth?
p.s. why am I in moderation today? ( [r0b: no reason that I can see – sorry]
p.p.s. I recently only post from two places, tethered to my phone when at the studio or from the library
‘Australia now bears all the hallmarks of a country where its industrial base has hollowed out. The decision by Ford Australia to close its manufacturing plants at Broadmeadows and Geelong is evidence of what economists call Dutch disease: a natural resource boom drives up the exchange rate and makes all other exports deeply uncompetitive.
With the outlook for the global economy far less rosy than it was, the mining sector is also cutting back on investment. That has left the economy propped up by the one remaining source of growth – an overvalued real estate market.
As the economist John Llewellyn has pointed out, household debt in Australia rose sharply in the 1990s and 2000s and now stands at 150% of GDP. Noting that the housing market may already be in bubble territory, he adds: “Depending on a strong pickup in housing as a means to sustain growth and rebalance the economy would therefore appear to be fraught with danger. The risk is of unsustainable boom followed by destabilising bust, with considerable collateral damage to both financial and non-financial private sector balance sheets.’
Depending on a strong pickup in housing as a means to sustain growth and rebalance the economy would therefore appear to be fraught with danger.
And yet that is exactly Labour’s plan with their Kiwibuild which will increase the money supply by increasing debt and thus will show an improvement in GDP. I’m all for building more homes but Labour’s going about it the wrong way.
Listened to an ex-Treasury official on Nine to Noon this morning,(sorry forgot His name), who is basically advocating Government builds of housing to address the issues in both Auckland and Christchurch,
Having watched,listened and read the advice from the NZ Treasury for the past 30 years such advocacy of out-right Socialism emanating form that particular body is to say the least humorous, His most interesting point being that in 30 years 100,000 New Zealand homes have transferred from being ‘homes’ to being ‘rental investments’,
This particular conversation was ‘supportive’ of Labour’s ‘ownership model’ and ended with host Kathryn Ryan making the promise of addressing ‘social housing’ in some other time frame,
Social housing in it’s extent and intent was never ‘just’ as a means of housing the ‘poor’, what social housing does every time a new house is added to the stock is remove from the housing equation one small piece of ‘demand’ in that market,
When social housing houses a person or family there is that much less of a reason for the would be ‘investor’ to want to buy into the housing market,
Had successive Governments of the past 30 years kept pace with the need for new State rental housing based upon the population growth over this period there would in fact be no ‘crisis of affordability’,
Based upon population we as a country have 30,000 less State houses than what is required and only when these needed state houses are built will we see demand and prices across all sectors of the housing market whether rental or ownership, stabilize…
He’s just speaking the lines written for him in Washington, and refined via Murdoch. The Australian Labor Party is so scared of saying anything independent since Whitlam that they make Key look like a freedom fighter for a sovereign Aotearoa.
Also, for several years film maker Laura Poitras has been routinely singled out and questioned by the US government when passing through border control..
Mr. Miranda was in Berlin to deliver documents related to Mr. Greenwald’s investigation into government surveillance to Ms. Poitras, Mr. Greenwald said. Ms. Poitras, in turn, gave Mr. Miranda different documents to pass to Mr. Greenwald. Those documents, which were stored on encrypted thumb drives, were confiscated by airport security, Mr. Greenwald said. All of the documents came from the trove of materials provided to the two journalists by Mr. Snowden. The British authorities seized all of his electronic media — including video games, DVDs and data storage devices — and did not return them, Mr. Greenwald said.
Is it just me or has NZ Immigration forgotten we are a democratic nation with clear long-standing visa protocols that allow for work permits to be applied for once a person is already in the country. Especially if that person has previously visited and/or worked in New Zealand. Granted, there is so much change of late on so many topics, how can any of us be sure of what is what anymore, but this does appear a purely political stance.
” You’re not welcome in New Zealand.”
I wonder on what grounds they make that decision? And there must be clear grounds stated on the record as any traveler has the right to have a decision reviewed by NZ immigration. I somehow doubt a manger’s personal political leanings are written into the act as just cause for refusal of an entry visa. If a higher authority directed the refusal of entry for this traveler, who was it and what are the reasons?
Unfortunately they have the legal grounds to refuse entry to David Rovics, because he had once been refused entry to Canada. However, I think they refused him for political reasons, the decision would have come from higher up, and we should welcome him.
Yesterday I bumped into a former colleague at bunnings. She has a long background in sales and processing orders. She was made redundant in 2010. Got a job where I worked and didnt make it past the 90 day mark. Everyone was mads redundant at that point.
the next 12 months she was made redundant from 3 new jobs.
she then sent applications to major brands. Countdown… mitre 10 and so on.
after 4 interviews she was offered a casual and minimum wage job with bunnings. She had made over over 60 applications.
last week she was put on 40 hours on minimum wage.
to those who say there are jobs out there…
she has a mortgage and a father with early onset dementia.
minimum wage casual hours.
how proud the nats and labour politicians of tge last 30 years must be.
Yes agreed tracey. Take a bow Roger Douglas, Ruth Richardson, Bill Birch, Jim Bolger, Richard Prebble, Don Brash, Jenny Shipley, Helen Clark, Michael Cullen, Bill English, John Key, Stephen Joyce……..
fine upstanding New Zealanders who have made things so much very better……
They should all be Dames and Knights – they have helped bring back the aristocratic class system to NZ that our people came here to get away from. Naively the colonialists and early pakeha settlers didn’t understand that social advantage wouldn’t be bypassed just because the location had changed. After 1938 it was just in remission, ready to flare up when there was too much difficulty with deciding distribution. Such as should muscle power be paid as much as trained book and maths power as for accountants, when both might work as wharfies and get higher pay. And something else wasn’t factored in, the lack of interest by the commons in continuing the distribution system to others lower on the ladder, when the first and second cohorts had achieved comfort, education, jobs and security.
I think it was Colonial viper who stated baldly that the new regime can be correctly called Neo feudalism. And I think one of its story lines can be read in John Wyndhams The Day of the Triffids. Only people, once abandoned by government and the smug inward-turning community, who form integrated committed help groups can survive, caring and committed to the group, with some sharing with outsiders but limited by resources, so they need to be practical in planning for sufficiency and direction.
Because if it is, then this should be all over the media to again prove the sheer stupidity, avarice and plain meanness of this rotten Tory government.
Sometimes both a pad and a tampon are required. The cheap brands of pads do not give enough cover and absorption for post childbirth and during menopause or for some who have heavy periods.
It would not surprise me if Bennett’s next move is the brand of product which Winz will permit a person to purchase and the amount of the product.
There is a serious side when the purchase of tampons and pads are considered as being a luxury item.
Were a female to have miscarried or had an abortion (even though Winz could argue that an abortion was a forseen procedure, a female could argue that they required more pads) the refusal would be so insensitive and it would lack human decency and respect.
It is not the business of Winz to know why the pads and tampons are required.
The author replies in the comments section to say that some journalist’s are following up and that MSD denies the exclusion of sanitary items from the supermarket card. Will be interesting to see whether it hits the news or not.
If this is true then this is truly horrifying! How much lower can they go?! Those items may cost the same as a luxury item but how can they be excluded from the supermarket card, they are an essential. So unbelievably degrading for the woman who went through this experience. Geez, who have they got as an adviser for the list of approved goods? Alasdair Thompson?
Dear The Standard Mods, I realise that telling you how to run your site is frowned upon, but because of the apparent ignoring of my comment yesterday, I think I need to highlight the problem again.
The Standard currently has the blogsite No Minister in its feed for some unknown reason? This is not a left wing blog by any stretch of the imagination, nor is it a very well known right wing blog.
Some of the contributors to No Minister are obviously foaming at the mouth right-wingers. Take for instance Adolf Fiinkensein, who wrote on Whale Oil today:
“……you can join Labour MPs Nanaia Mahuta, Sue Moroney, Carol Beaumont and Moana Mackey.”
What a terrifying prospect. Four unintelligent, untalented, unlovely and unscrupulous clods.
Other Adolf Fiinkensein gems include:
Australians will not vote for a cheat and Labor’s recycled lemon last night demonstrated on prime time live television what a cheat and liar he is.
[…]
On the other hand, National’s Paula Bennet was selected on merit; won her electorate fair and square; and has performed her ministerial duties with skill and panache.
By having No Minister in your feed, The Standard is promoting such flawed arguments, which frankly doesn’t seem right.
I agree with this comment. I raised this issue a week or so ago, but didn’t receive any response.
Of course, ultimately it is up to those that run The Standard to decide who goes on the feed. Maybe the intent is to provide an extreme example of frothing RWNJs in action?
I wrote to akismet about all my comments going into moderation and realised it was since I changed to Greywarbler (which I felt forced to do). And I don’t usually login. Their suggestion is that WordPress will put a new name through moderation but they don’t say how long that usually applies for.
Just like the Red Devils MC shenanigans but on a grand scale, who woulda thunk it.
Although these cases rarely involve national security issues, documents reviewed by Reuters show that law enforcement agents have been directed to conceal how such investigations truly begin – not only from defense lawyers but also sometimes from prosecutors and judges.
The undated documents show that federal agents are trained to “recreate” the investigative trail to effectively cover up where the information originated, a practice that some experts say violates a defendant’s Constitutional right to a fair trial. If defendants don’t know how an investigation began, they cannot know to ask to review potential sources of exculpatory evidence – information that could reveal entrapment, mistakes or biased witnesses.
Economics purports to be an objective and purely neutral science. Yet it clearly fails on both counts. It certainly is not an inclusive subject (outsiders are regularly shunned), nor is it a true science in that it rarely provides testable hypotheses. Even more disconcertingly it actually operates as a Trojan Horse for justifying morally reprehensible decisions and outcomes (e.g. the privatisation of public assets, austerity policies that disproportionately affect the poor, tolerating rising income inequality, etc.). It is in fact an illogical and deeply immoral cult acting as a propaganda machine for certain (already) wealthy interests. The fact that it preys on our inbuilt desires and weaknesses to sneak these insidious theories past us, suggests an even greater deviance. We have trusted them with managing vitally important aspects of our society, and they have wholeheartedly abused that trust.
My bold.
The simple fact of the matter is that modern economics isn’t economic at all but a theory that helps to cement in the social hierarchy that is destroying our society.
This morning on NR politic discourse one of the commentators made this absurd claim, that the only people interested, watch Campbell live, were just political junkies. This would explain why not only should we discount what this commentator says, since he’s just a political junkie too, but that we should also ignore the consent construction he was implementing, that ‘only’ those with a political bent are worried ans so watch the Campbells Live poor coverage of the GCSB bill. The art of the neo-fascist is to provide turd blossoms, that pander to the apathetic as being the majority view, without seemingly much hesitation or fore-thought, despite having been gelled in some think tank and filter past a panel or two.
Or more generally, our modern economics, our politics, even the Eqypt religious snare, its like its all run by the same pattern of coverage. Take Egypt, the military was forced to overthrow the dictator, then it fixed up an election with two odious outcomes, them or the muslim brotherhood. It may have actually worked had not the muslim brotherhood forced the military into a corner over its Israeli peace deal. But just like economic, or politics, or Egypt, what we are seeing generally is the inability of the MSM to call, neo-liberalism, or our rightwing media, or Muslim extremism in its correct historical context, that of popery. Islam is going through a reformation, and the media won’t discuss it, the internet is doing for Islam what the printing press did for the popery. The internet is exposing the similar economic popery and political popery of our fourth estate, they just wont’ kick the faith, they won’t call the threats to democracy, environment, economy, or even to the nation state, the cult that its is popery.
Lolz, Slippery the Prime Minister on Prime News showing His arrogance and then swishing the Tutu and walking out on media questions over the GCSB legislation,
First He tries His normal diversion, interrupting the Scoop reporter mid-question and then when the reporter refused to accept being rudely interrupted Slippery does a quick exit stage left,
The cheerleaders over at the Herald might be all about giving the Slippery little used care salesman an easy ride but other elements of the press corp are definitely going to skewer Him with His own bulls**t…
Yes ”more people are interested in the snapper catch limits than the GCSB Legislation” may well prove to be the one large dose of bulls**t too far for Slippery the Prime Minister who’s teflon coating is in danger of being burned off in the heat of debate surrounding the GCSB Legislation…
Has anyone else noticed the latest Roy Morgan? I went looking for it last week but the results appear to be there now. July 29th – Aug 11. Nats dropping 7% – The Greens have hit 14%
Yes, I was rather surprised there had been no mention of it in the media (only saw it after reading Salsy’s comment).
Not surprising really, considering how pro Nat they seem, although not even a mention of it here?
I didn’t realise that the Roy Morgan was a foreign company. I’m highly suspicious of these polls and discovering the company isn’t NZ doesn’t exactly calm this suspicion.
Someone usually spots new Roy Morgan polls as they come out and provides a link. They come out about every two weeks rather than the two months that the NZ ones seem to do, so they are the most useful for picking trend changes. Someone will usually write a post when a trend starts showing or maintains for about 4-6 weeks.
The RM poll has been either the closest or one of the closest of the polls to the actual result for at least the last three elections. FYI: That means, like all of the rest of the polls (but to a lesser extent), that they tend to
1. Overestimate National a lot
2. Overestimate the Greens – who are electorally scarred with the enrolled non-vote young
2. Get Labour close to right within a few percent
3. Underestimate NZ First – cagey suspicious buggers those NZF voters.
The teeny parties are well within their margins of error so don’t count for much. The reasons for the polling companies systematic biases can and have been attributed to many things, but it essentially comes down to what the population they are sampling is.
Since that consists of people with phones (RM has at last started sampling cell phones) who are listed in some way and therefore enjoy wasting time with telemarketers*, this lets out most of the young and the less affluent and those living in the urban environments long afflicted by telemarketers.
So given those demographics, what do you think will happen? The trick with polls isn’t to get accurate numbers because they have significant sampling errors and it shows up between polls. It is to look at the trends and reference them to previous trends leading up to previous elections. Obviously a poll that comes out every two weeks is far superior to the TV3/TNVZ/NZ Herald/Dompost polls that seem to come out about every two months (except in the weeks leading up to elections)
So in 2010 at about this time, Morgan was showing ~32% numbers for Labour and ~52% numbers for National. But by the time elections rolled around in 2011 they were closer to the actual results of Labour’s 27%, and National 47%. Percentage went to smaller parties like the Greens and NZF. But most of the 2011 result was due to the massive non-vote of people who’d usually vote Labour. They voted to not vote. Unfortunately I suspect that will be even higher this time.
* I’ve been off the white pages for 20 years and if a phone company lets loose with my number then they will lose my business.
Thanks for the explanation, lprent.
I hope you are wrong re the non-vote. Hope that if people don’t trust/like Labour they will do the MMP thing and vote for a smaller party!
Hope that if people don’t trust/like Labour they will do the MMP thing and vote for a smaller party!
Some do. Most seem to treat them as being even more suspect than Labour.
The ENV’s (enrolled non-vote) has been steadily rising since the 80’s, but it has really started to accelerate in the last two elections. It seems to be a function of both demographics, especially if people start voting when they are young, and if they feel that the government is of any relevance to their lives.
It is severely generational. In my view it seems to be directly related to the bad performances of the government over their first few elections.in their 18-25 period. If they don’t get engaged then into voting, then they never seem to get it strongly. You can literally see a generational waves of non-voters and spasmodic voters who will vote when they think something may change for the better (or they see a fool like Don Brash coming).
I had hoped to get along, but I was cooking dinner tonight. Guess what we are having. Red Snapper in Grape Leaves with Garlic and Caper Butter.
8 (4 ounce) fillets red snapper, skin removed
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
16 grape leaves, rinsed and patted dry
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon drained capers
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon cooking sherry
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Directions
1.Preheat the oven’s broiler.
2.Season the snapper fillets with sea salt and pepper. Place two grape leaves on a clean surface so that they overlap slightly. Place a fillet in the center. Fold the leaves over the center of the fillet to enclose completely. Brush with oil on the top and bottom to keep the leaves from sticking, and place on a broiler pan. Repeat with the remaining fillets and leaves.
3.Place the fish under the preheated broiler about 6 inches from the heat source. Broil for 4 minutes per side, turning once, or until fish is opaque.
4.While the fish is broiling, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, lemon zest, capers, sherry and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
5.To serve, remove the fish packets to a platter, and spoon the sauce over the top.
[lprent: Off topic – booted to OpenMike. Continue, and you will get booted as well. ]
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The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report shows worsening food poverty and housing shortages mean more than 400,000 people now need welfare support, the highest level since the 1990s. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and ...
You're just too too obscure for meOh you don't really get through to meAnd there's no need for you to talk that wayIs there any less pessimistic things to say?Songwriters: Graeme DownesToday, I thought we’d take a look at some of the most cringe-inducing moments from last week, but don’t ...
Please note: I’ve delayed my “What can we do?” article for this video.The video above shows Destiny Church members assaulting staff and librarians as they pushed through to a room of terrified parents and young children.It was posted to social media last night.But if you read Sinead Boucher’s Stuff, you ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is sea level rise exaggerated? Sea levels are rising at an accelerating rate, not stagnating or decreasing. Warming global temperatures cause land ice ...
Here is a scenario, but first a historical parallel. Hitler and the Nazis could well have accomplished everything that they wanted to do within German borders, including exterminating Jews, so long as they confined their ambitious to Germany itself. After all, the world pretty much sat and watched as the ...
I’ve spent the last couple of days in Hamilton covering Waikato University’s annual NZ Economics Forum, where (arguably) three of the most influential people in our political economy right now laid out their thinking in major speeches about the size and role of Government, their views on for spending, tax ...
Simeon Brown’s Ideology BentSimeon Brown once told Kiwis he tries to represent his deep sense of faith by interacting “with integrity”.“It’s important that there’s Christians in Parliament…and from my perspective, it’s great to be a Christian in Parliament and to bring that perspective to [laws, conversations and policies].”And with ...
Severe geological and financial earthquakes are inevitable. We just don’t know how soon and how they will play out. Are we putting the right effort into preparing for them?Every decade or so the international economy has a major financial crisis. We cannot predict exactly when or exactly how it will ...
Questions1. How did Old Mate Grabaseat describe his soon-to-be-Deputy-PM’s letter to police advocating for Philip Polkinghorne?a.Ill-advisedb.A perfect letterc.A letter that will live in infamyd.He had me at hello2. What did Seymour say in response?a.What’s ill-advised is commenting when you don’t know all the facts and ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff has called on OJI Fibre Solutions to work with the government, unions, and the community before closing the Kinleith Paper Mill. “OJI has today announced 230 job losses in what will be a devastating blow for the community. OJI needs to work with ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff is sounding the alarm about the latest attack on workers from Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden, who is ignoring her own officials to pursue reckless changes that would completely undermine the personal grievance system. “Brooke van Velden’s changes will ...
Hi,When I started writing Webworm in 2020, I wrote a lot about the conspiracy theories that were suddenly invading our Twitter timelines and Facebook feeds. Four years ago a reader, John, left this feedback under one of my essays:It’s a never ending labyrinth of lunacy which, as you have pointed ...
And if you said this life ain't good enoughI would give my world to lift you upI could change my life to better suit your moodBecause you're so smoothAnd it's just like the ocean under the moonOh, it's the same as the emotion that I get from youYou got the ...
Aotearoa remains the minority’s birthright, New Zealand the majority’s possession. WAITANGI DAY commentary see-saws manically between the warmly positive and the coldly negative. Many New Zealanders consider this a good thing. They point to the unexamined patriotism of July Fourth and Bastille Day celebrations, and applaud the fact that the ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: and on the week in geopolitics, including the latest from Donald Trump’s administration over Gaza and Ukraine; on the ...
Up until now, the prevailing coalition view of public servants was that there were simply too many of them. But yesterday the new Public Service Commissioner, handpicked by the Luxon Government, said it was not so much numbers but what they did and the value they produced that mattered. Sir ...
In a moment we explore the question: What is Andrew Bayly wanting to tell ACC, and will it involve enjoying a small wine tasting and then telling someone to fuck off? But first, for context, a broader one: What do we look for in a government?Imagine for a moment, you ...
As expected, Donald Trump just threw Ukraine under the bus, demanding that it accept Russia's illegal theft of land, while ruling out any future membership of NATO. Its a colossal betrayal, which effectively legitimises Russia's invasion, while laying the groundwork for the next one. But Trump is apparently fine with ...
A ballot for a single member's bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Employment Relations (Collective Agreements in Triangular Relationships) Amendment Bill (Adrian Rurawhe) The bill would extend union rights to employees in triangular relationships, where they are (nominally) employed by one party, but ...
This is a guest post by George Weeks, reviewing a book called ‘How to Fly a Horse’ by Kevin AshtonBook review: ‘How to Fly a Horse’ by Kevin Ashton (2015) – and what it means for Auckland. The title of this article might unnerve any Greater Auckland ...
This story was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Within just a week, the sheer devastation of the Los Angeles wildfires has pushed to the fore fundamental questions about the impact of the climate crisis that have been ...
In this world, it's just usYou know it's not the same as it wasSongwriters: Harry Edward Styles / Thomas Edward Percy Hull / Tyler Sam JohnsonYesterday, I received a lovely message from Caty, a reader of Nick’s Kōrero, that got me thinking. So I thought I’d share it with you, ...
In past times a person was considered “unserious” or “not a serious” person if they failed to grasp, behave and speak according to the solemnity of the context in which they were located. For example a serious person does not audibly pass gas at Church, or yell “gun” at a ...
Long stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, February 13 are:The coalition Government’s early 2024 ‘fiscal emergency’ freeze on funding, planning and building houses, schools, local roads and hospitals helped extend and deepen the economic and jobs recession through calendar ...
For obvious reasons, people feel uneasy when the right to be a citizen is sold off to wealthy foreigners. Even selling the right to residency seems a bit dubious, when so many migrants who are not millionaires get turned away or are made to jump through innumerable hoops – simply ...
A new season of White Lotus is nearly upon us: more murder mystery, more sumptuous surroundings, more rich people behaving badly.Once more we get to identify with the experience of the pampered tourist or perhaps the poorly paid help; there's something in White Lotus for all New Zealanders.And unlike the ...
In 2016, Aotearoa shockingly plunged to fourth place in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index. Nine years later, and we're back there again: New Zealand has seen a further slip in its global ranking in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). [...] In the latest CPI New Zealand's score ...
1. You’ve started ranking your politicians on how much they respect the rule of law2. You’ve stopped paying attention to those news publications3. You’ve developed a sudden interest in a particular period of history4. More and more people are sounding like your racist, conspiracist uncle.5. Someone just pulled a Nazi ...
Transforming New Zealand: Brian EastonBrian Easton will discuss the above topic at 2/57 Willis Street, Wellington at 5:30pm on Tuesday 26 February at 2/57 Willis Street, WellingtonThe sub-title to the above is "Why is the Left failing?" Brian Easton's analysis is based on his view that while the ...
Salvation Army’s State of the Nation 2025 report highlights falling living standards, the highest unemployment rates since the 1990s and half of all Pacific children going without food. There are reports of hundreds if not thousands of people are applying for the same jobs in the wake of last year’s ...
Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Correction: On the article The Condundrum of David Seymour, Luke Malpass conducted joint reviews with Bryce Wilkinson, the architect of the Regulatory Standards Bill - not Bryce Edwards. The article ...
Tomorrow the council’s Transport, Resilience and Infrastructure Committee meet and agenda has a few interesting papers. Council’s Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport Every year the council provide a Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport which is part of the process for informing AT of the council’s priorities and ...
All around in my home townThey're trying to track me down, yeahThey say they want to bring me in guiltyFor the killing of a deputyFor the life of a deputySongwriter: Robert Nesta Marley.Support Nick’s Kōrero today with a 20% discount on a paid subscription to receive all my newsletters directly ...
Hi,I think all of us have probably experienced the power of music — that strange, transformative thing that gets under our skin and helps us experience this whole life thing with some kind of sanity.Listening and experiencing music has always been such a huge part of my life, and has ...
Business frustration over the stalled economy is growing, and only 34% of voters are confidentNicola Willis can deliver. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, February 12 are:Business frustration is growing about a ...
I have now lived long enough to see a cabinet minister go both barrels on their Prime Minister and not get sacked.It used to be that the PM would have a drawer full of resignations signed by ministers on the day of their appointment, ready for such an occasion. But ...
This session will feature Simon McCallum, Senior Lecturer in Engineering and Computer Science (VUW) and recent Labour Party candidate in the Southland Electorate talking about some of the issues around AI and how this should inform Labour Party policy. Simon is an excellent speaker with a comprehensive command of AI ...
The proposed Waimate garbage incinerator is dead: The company behind a highly-controversial proposal to build a waste-to-energy plant in the Waimate District no longer has the land. [...] However, SIRRL director Paul Taylor said the sales and purchase agreement to purchase land from Murphy Farms, near Glenavy, lapsed at ...
The US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has been a vital tool in combatting international corruption. It forbids US companies and citizens from bribing foreign public officials anywhere in the world. And its actually enforced: some of the world's biggest companies - Siemens, Hewlett Packard, and Bristol Myers Squibb - have ...
December 2024 photo - with UK Tory Boris Johnson (Source: Facebook)Those PollsFor hours, political poll results have resounded across political hallways and commentary.According to the 1News Verizon poll, 50% of the country believe we are heading in the “wrong direction”, while 39% believe we are “on the right track”.The left ...
A Tai Rāwhiti mill that ran for 30 years before it was shut down in late 2023 is set to re-open in the coming months, which will eventually see nearly 300 new jobs in the region. A new report from Massey University shows that pensioners are struggling with rising costs. ...
As support continues to fall, Luxon also now faces his biggest internal ructions within the coalition since the election, with David Seymour reacting badly to being criticised by the PM. File photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Not since 1988 when Richard Prebble openly criticised David Lange have we seen such a challenge to a Prime Minister as that of David Seymour to Christopher Luxon last night. Prebble suggested Lange had mental health issues during a TV interview and was almost immediately fired. Seymour hasn’t gone quite ...
Three weeks in, and the 24/7 news cycle is not helping anyone feel calm and informed about the second Trump presidency. One day, the US is threatening 25% trade tariffs on its friends and neighbours. The reasons offered by the White House are absurd, such as stopping fentanyl coming in ...
This video includes personal musings and conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Wherever you look, you'll hear headlines claiming we've passed 1.5 degrees of global warming. And while 2024 saw ...
Photo by Heather M. Edwards on UnsplashHere’s the key news, commentary, reports and debate around Aotearoa’s politics and economy in the week to Feb 10 below. That’s ahead of live chats on the Substack App and The Kākā’s front page on Substack at 5pm with: on his column in The ...
Is there anyone in the world the National Party loves more than a campaign donor? Why yes, there is! They will always have the warmest hello and would you like to slip into something more comfortable for that great god of our age, the High Net Worth Individual.The words the ...
Waste and fraud certainly exist in foreign aid programs, but rightwing celebration of USAID’s dismantling shows profound ignorance of the value of soft power (as opposed to hard power) in projecting US influence and interests abroad by non-military/coercive means (think of “hearts and minds,” “hugs, not bullets,” “honey versus vinegar,” ...
Health New Zealand is proposing to cut almost half of its data and digital positions – more than 1000 of them. The PSA has called on the Privacy Commissioner to urgently investigate the cuts due to the potential for serious consequences for patients. NZNO is calling for an urgent increase ...
We may see a few more luxury cars on Queen Street, but a loosening of rules to entice rich foreigners to invest more here is unlikely to “turbocharge our economic growth”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Let us not dance daintily around the elephant in the room. Our politicians who serve us in the present are not honest, certainly not as honest as they should be, and while the right are taking out most of the trophies for warping narratives and literally redefining “facts”, the kiwi ...
A few weeks ago I took a look at public transport ridership in 2024. In today’s post I’m going to be looking a bit deeper at bus ridership. Buses make up the vast majority of ridership in Auckland with 70 million boardings last year out of a total of 89.4 ...
Oh, you know I did itIt's over and I feel fineNothing you could say is gonna change my mindWaited and I waited the longest nightNothing like the taste of sweet declineSongwriters: Chris Shiflett / David Eric Grohl / Nate Mendel / Taylor Hawkins.Hindsight is good, eh?The clarity when the pieces ...
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on UnsplashHere’s what we’re watching in the week to February 16 and beyond in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty:Monday, February 10The Kākā’s weekly wrap-up of news about politics and the economy is due at midday, followed by webinar for paying subscribers in Substack’s ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, February 2, 2025 thru Sat, February 8, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
Today, I stumbled across a Twitter Meme: the ending of The Lord of the Rings as a Chess scenario: https://x.com/mellon_heads/status/1887983845917564991 It gets across the basic gist. Aragorn and Gandalf offering up ‘material’ at the Morannon allows Frodo and Samwise to catch Sauron unawares – fair enough. But there are a ...
Last week, Kieran McAnulty called out Chris Bishop and Nicola Willis for their claims that Kāinga Ora’s costs were too high.They had claimed Kāinga Ora’s cost were 12% higher than market i.e. private devlopersBut Kāinga Ora’s Chair had already explained why last year:"We're not building to sell, so we'll be ...
The Government’s newly announced funding for biodiversity and tourism of $30-million over three years is a small fraction of what is required for conservation in this country. ...
The Government's sudden cancellation of the tertiary education funding increase is a reckless move that risks widespread job losses and service reductions across New Zealand's universities. ...
National’s cuts to disability support funding and freezing of new residential placements has resulted in significant mental health decline for intellectually disabled people. ...
The hundreds of jobs lost needlessly as a result of the Kinleith Mill paper production closure will have a devastating impact on the Tokoroa community - something that could have easily been avoided. ...
Today Te Pāti Māori MP for Te Tai Tokerau, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, released her members bill that will see the return of tamariki and mokopuna Māori from state care back to te iwi Māori. This bill will establish an independent authority that asserts and protects the rights promised in He Whakaputanga ...
The Whangarei District Council being forced to fluoridate their local water supply is facing a despotic Soviet-era disgrace. This is not a matter of being pro-fluoride or anti-fluoride. It is a matter of what New Zealanders see and value as democracy in our country. Individual democratically elected Councillors are not ...
Nicola Willis’ latest supermarket announcement is painfully weak with no new ideas, no real plan, and no relief for Kiwis struggling with rising grocery costs. ...
Half of Pacific children sometimes going without food is just one of many heartbreaking lowlights in the Salvation Army’s annual State of the Nation report. ...
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report is a bleak indictment on the failure of Government to take steps to end poverty, with those on benefits, including their children, hit hardest. ...
New Zealand First has today introduced a Member’s Bill which would restore decision-making power to local communities regarding the fluoridation of drinking water. The ‘Fluoridation (Referendum) Legislation Bill’ seeks to repeal the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021 that granted centralised authority to the Direct General of Health ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill aimed at preventing banks from refusing their services to businesses because of the current “Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Framework”. “This Bill ensures fairness and prevents ESG standards from perpetuating woke ideology in the banking sector being driven by unelected, globalist, climate ...
Erica Stanford has reached peak shortsightedness if today’s announcement is anything to go by, picking apart immigration settings piece by piece to the detriment of the New Zealand economy. ...
Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...
Despite being confronted every day with people in genuine need being stopped from accessing emergency housing – National still won’t commit to building more public houses. ...
The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis. ...
Before any thoughts of the New Year and what lies ahead could even be contemplated, New Zealand reeled with the tragedy of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming losing her life. For over 38 years she had faithfully served as a front-line Police officer. Working alongside her was Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson will return to politics at Waitangi on Monday the 3rd of February where she will hold a stand up with fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. ...
Te Pāti Māori is appalled by the government's blatant mishandling of the school lunch programme. David Seymour’s ‘cost-saving’ measures have left tamariki across Aotearoa with unidentifiable meals, causing distress and outrage among parents and communities alike. “What’s the difference between providing inedible food, and providing no food at all?” Said ...
The Government is doubling down on outdated and volatile fossil fuels, showing how shortsighted and destructive their policies are for working New Zealanders. ...
Green Party MP Steve Abel this morning joined Coromandel locals in Waihi to condemn new mining plans announced by Shane Jones in the pit of the town’s Australian-owned Gold mine. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to strengthen its just-announced 2030-2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and address its woeful lack of commitment to climate security. ...
Today marks a historic moment for Taranaki iwi with the passing of the Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill in Parliament. "Today, we stand together as descendants of Taranaki, and our tūpuna, Taranaki Maunga, is now formally acknowledged by the law as a living tūpuna. ...
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035. “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious ...
Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi ...
As schools start back for 2025, there will be a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly so all Kiwi kids grow up with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to grow the New Zealand of the future, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “A world-leading education system is a key ...
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson have welcomed Kāinga Ora’s decision to re-open its tender for carpets to allow wool carpet suppliers to bid. “In 2024 Kāinga Ora issued requests for tender (RFTs) seeking bids from suppliers to carpet their properties,” Mr Bishop says. “As part ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today visited Otahuhu College where the new school lunch programme has served up healthy lunches to students in the first days of the school year. “As schools open in 2025, the programme will deliver nutritious meals to around 242,000 students, every school day. On ...
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos can continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline. “When I found out about the potential impact to this service, I asked Oranga Tamariki for an explanation. Based on the information ...
A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said today. “The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill modernises the way in which Customs can recover the costs of services that are needed ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] has achieved significant progress in completing applications for New Zealand citizenship. “December 2024 saw the Department complete 5,661 citizenship applications, the most for any month in 2024. This is a 54 per cent increase compared ...
Reversals to Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions begin tonight and will be in place by 1 July, says Minister of Transport Chris Bishop. “The previous government was obsessed with slowing New Zealanders down by imposing illogical and untargeted speed limit reductions on state highways and local roads. “National campaigned on ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced Budget 2025 – the Growth Budget - will be delivered on Thursday 22 May. “This year’s Budget will drive forward the Government’s plan to grow our economy to improve the incomes of New Zealanders now and in the years ahead. “Budget 2025 will build ...
Asia Pacific Report Two Palestinian resistance groups have condemned “the brutal assault” on prisoners at Ofer Prison, saying it was “barbaric criminal behaviour that reflects the fascist and terrorist nature of” Israel. In the joint statement, Hamas and Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ) called the attack a “miserable attempt” by Israel ...
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist in Avarua, Rarotonga Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown hopes to have “an opportunity to talk” with the New Zealand government to “heal some of the rift”. Brown returned to Avarua on Sunday afternoon (Cook Islands Time) following his week-long state visit to China, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sonia R. Grover, Clinical Professor of Gynaecology, The University of Melbourne Polina Zimmerman/Pexels Menstruation, or a period, is the bleeding that occurs about monthly in healthy people born with a uterus, from puberty to menopause. This happens when the endometrium, the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ella Barclay, Senior Lecturer, School of Art and Design, Australian National University Despite the perceived outrage at Khaled Sabsabi’s depiction of Hassan Nasrallah in his 2007 work You, Australian art has long made subjects of outlaws and questionable figures. And it is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Louise Pryke, Honorary Research Associate, Department of Classics and Ancient History, University of Sydney Lisa Tomasetti/Opera Australia “It’s an old song”, Hermes (Christine Anu) sings at the opening of Hadestown, but “we’re gonna sing it again and again”. Based on a ...
An additional $13 million will be invested in tourism infrastructure, including upgrading huts and resolving the backlog in Milford Sound concessions. ...
The reality is that we have no obligation to tolerate the intolerant. They are using violence to shut down and silence others. The result of tolerating intolerant views is the loss of everyone’s freedom of speech except for the one who most effectively ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Davis, Associate Professor in Conservation, Edith Cowan University Adwo/Shutterstock Humans have been poisoning rodents for centuries. But fast-breeding rats and mice have evolved resistance to earlier poisons. In response, manufacturers have produced second generation anticoagulant rodenticides such as bromadiolone, widely ...
Alex Casey unearths Simon Court’s full sales pitch for how menstrual cups could end poverty. On Friday last week, Act MP Simon Court was accused of “mansplaining” during a parliamentary committee hearing about benefit sanctions. After submitter Rachel Dibble shared her concerns about period poverty and the impact that sanctions ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato It’s an unfortunate fact that bad people sometimes want guns. And while laws are designed to prevent guns falling into the wrong hands, the determined criminal can be highly resourceful. There are three main ...
Asia Pacific Report Two independent Jewish Voices groups in Aotearoa New Zealand have written an open letter to the government condemning the Zionist “colonisation” project leading to genocide and criticising the role of the NZ Jewish Council for its “unelected” and “uncritical support” for Israel. The groups, Alternative Jewish Voices ...
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 Newspoll, conducted February 10–14 from a sample of 1,244, gave the Coalition a 51–49 lead, unchanged from the previous Newspoll, ...
We round up everything coming to streaming services this week, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, ThreeNow, Neon and TVNZ+. If you enjoy whip-smart satire: The White Lotus (Neon, February 17) HBO’s award-winning The White Lotus is back for what critics are calling “an absolutely exquisite third ...
NZPF called for a slowdown of the curriculum change, asking for one subject at a time, so that teachers and principals could be fully trained and feel confident and competent to implement the changes, New Zealand Principals’ Federation (NZPF) President ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University Indonesia’s TVOne launched an AI news presenter in 2023.T.J. Thomson Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has taken off at lightning speed in the past couple of years, creating disruption in ...
Many of the young vapers interviewed by a team of public health researchers said they felt unable to resist the pro-vaping environment that surrounded them. New Zealand’s smokefree law was hailed around the world for creating a smokefree generation that would have lifelong protection from smoking’s harms. The smokefree ...
Analysis: While most Wellingtonians enjoyed a rare but unbeatable sunny day on Saturday, some New Zealand diplomats will have been briefly shocked by a screenshot making the rounds on social media showing US President Donald Trump calling us a “third world country”.The image, it appears, was a fake – certainly a ...
ActionStation Director, Kassie Hartendorp says that the Treaty Principles Bill has galvanised the biggest movement in support of Te Tiriti in modern history. ...
While it is in the interests of Wellington ratepayers to sell off this subsidy for the rich, it is unfortunate that it has come to this point. The council should have never spent a penny on this programme, and the $3.4 million spent is a flagrant abuse ...
A search for the person behind a social media account ridiculing Māori.Last week, while scrolling Facebook, I came across a post shared to the New Zealand Centre for Political Research group. The post began, “From Matua Kahurangi on X”, before pasting his critique of iwi leadership – particularly Ngāpuhi ...
On the heels of The White Lotus season three, Tara Ward travels to Koh Samui, Thailand, to live her best life as a five-star wannabe. I’ve never been one for luxury travel. Despite religiously watching TV shows like Luxury Escapes: World’s Best Holidays and harbouring grand dreams of one day ...
The Treaty Principles Bill submission hearings continue at Parliament today with a range of submitters expected including councils, iwi, community organisations and individuals. ...
It’s become of one of Christchurch’s most famous landmarks online, but why? Alex Casey steps through the portal of the brutalist Timezone. Ask anyone what Christchurch’s most iconic building is and you might expect to hear some of the dusty old classics like the Cathedral, or the Town Hall, or ...
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Kerre McIvor (Woodham) – ” I couldn’t give a fat rat’s bum if they monitored my house and my life……. “.
Thanks Kerre. Two out of three ain’t bad I guess.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10913783
It’s called flibbitigibbet journalism. Check out the “likes” in the comments though. Interesting.
The comments box sitting near the headline says there are 47 comments. If you go to the comments section at the bottom of the article, there are none published. What gives NZH?
it appears the comments are now visible on that article, they weren’t earlier this morning.
They are all anti mcivor
Kerre McIvor’s opinions are worth about the same as Garry McCormick’s. His performance on the Panel on nat radio last week was appalling. You could literally feel the other panellists cringing at his rants.
At one point he was ranting “… rah rah rah, I don’t care how much money you throw at it, I don’t care how many reviews are done, I don’t care rah rah rah, if you don’t have the actual government employees then it is all a waste of time.”…
… then not two minutes later he sets off again in his old jalopy mind… “…rah rah rah I don’t care how many reviews are done, I don’t care how many government employees you’ve got rah rah rah, if you don’t have enough money then it is all a waste of time.”… did you see that? He totally contradicted himself, lost in a rant, spilling his brain tangles for all to see.
And then there were the slurred words which sounded very much like he had come from a liquid lunch.
Garry McCormick may be able to raconteur a good story but his mind is shit.
Just like McIvor here – ignorant and shallow.
Both McIvor and McCormick have got pickled brains. It is unfortunate that either of them still have a platform.
Seems a “Fair Go” in Kerre’s eyes doesn’t extend to the privacy of her fellow New Zealanders.
Perhaps she should stick to investigating dodgy used car salesmen and seedy tradespeople.
Poor Kerre doesn’t seem very bright. Just another silly teenager in an adult body, hero worshipping the assassin who would be king.
Good old Kerre — nice to look at until she opens her mouth — rather like most Tory ladies,
Kerry McIvor…grow up and learn to become a journalist.
Learn some history and realise your responsibility as a member of the 4th estate.
“First they came for the communists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist.
Then they came for the socialists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.
Then they came for me,
and there was no one left to speak for me.”
Pastor Martin Niemöller, describing the apathy of German intellectuals following the Nazis’ rise to power and the subsequent purging of their chosen targets, group after group.
Then they came for the motorists….
The AOS shoots itself in the foot! No that’s just my colourful loose style of journalism, it really was just that they shot a man lying on the ground handcuffed, just accidental-like.
Perhaps that’s the way it goes as we cozy up and copy down to that Great Nation of Civilised Society Truth Freedom And all Good things in Democracy – wait for it – dah dah USA…
this
I don’t have a problem with that at all for a couple of reasons:
1.) The road is a public space
2.) A motor vehicle something that can kill when used incorrectly
3.) What’s being recorded are actual crimes
3) except the roadwatch/*555 calls.
that’s an issue for me – a cop decides to give a ticket rather than a warning based on your record, yet you have no opportunity to even know what some oik has complained about when you’re driving your merry way (let alone as an harassment tool)
Just because a police officer didn’t see it doesn’t declassify it as an actual crime. That said I doubt if citizen calls to the police would be used as part of someones criminal record due to the innocent until proven guilty idea that we have in law.
Should the police be on the watch for harassment through the *555? Yep
Should the police ignore those crimes reported by the public? Nope
This bit would seem to address you major point there:
So you will know about those complaints that actually matter and I’m sure that the police* can put in place procedures that will any detect such harassment and harassment itself is a crime.
* Yes, the police need better oversight
It’s the lower-end ones that could be the problem. I’m not talking about someone being fined as a direct result about *555 with no other evidence, I’m talking about the police officer pulling the driver’s record for a subsequent offense and making a judgement call based on possibly bunk information, when the driver might not even know that the complaint had been made.
I suspect that the lower end ones won’t be included in what the police office out on the street sees. I also suspect that the Assistant commissioner was being polite when he said “sort of at the lower end”.
Nice that you “suspect” that. I personally suspect that the officer will get a simple summary tally with minimal data as to extent, and use that to make a call as to whether to warn or use all the law.
Where this argument falls apart is that you would actually have to do something wrong in front of the police before the ‘judgement call’ (as you put it) comes into play. I’m of the view that if you did do break the law while driving, you can’t really expect the police to let you off with a warning. Sure, if you are lucky, perhaps they will let you off. But you can hardly expect that this should be the default outcome.
If we were talking about 80kph in a school zone, I’d agree.
But there are a lot of instances that might be on the line, infraction-wise. If the officer is in a good mood or has better things to do, then a warning is all that’s needed. And recidivist offenders being targeted is a good thing. But mix the database of complaints with automated number recognition, and someone might find themselves being constantly stopped by the police (even just for breath-testing, if the ex-hubby anonymously says “Jim’s always driving drunk”).
It’s just the potential for another level of dickishness based purely on unsupported and possibly unsourced data that irks me.
If you are talking about being stopped for no good reason, then I would agree with you.
But if you are talking about being ticketed for breaking the law instead of being given a warning, then I don’t. Simple solution: Don’t break the law.
What about being given a disproportionate penalty for the law you broke?
What about ongoing stoppages to see if you might be breaking the law?
What about being stopped or ticketed where other people would not have been?
Really, you’re recycling the ‘nothing to fear, nothing to hide” argument. And it’s bull – not everything is #FFFFFF or #000000.
I’ve been stopped plenty of times for no reason at all, generally when riding a motorbike. When I ask why I’ve been stopped, the answer is always “It’s just routine.” One time I was asked, and gave, my occupation, which earned me a punch in the head for lying.
It might not happen to you, wtl, but it’s happened to me and plenty of people that I know. You have to be in front, or beside, or behind, the police to be stopped. That is sufficient.
Murray Olsen: The point McFlock was raising was that he/she was unhappy about complaints from the public about driving behaviour being placed in a police database because this would may mean that unsubstantiated complaints from members of the public would lead to increased attention from the police.
So are you saying that the police are stopping you because there have been vexatious complaints to the police about your driving/riding?
Anyway, as I already said, if such a database led to police stopping drivers without reason then I would oppose such a use of that database. But I am not opposed to the police deciding to issue a fine instead of a warning on the basis of such a database.
In AKL there has been a noticeable ramping up in the random check points, which are conducted under the guise of road safety, such as being breath tested at 11am on a Tuesday.
The police are grooming the public into believing they have an expectation to be pulled over, its everywhere, just like the police helicopter which is in the sky 24/7 or near enough!
Get used to it, the grid continues to be lowered, yet some, still want to argue for the system, sigh!
So, you think that if the officer is in a good mood you should get off breaking the law?
Which is why it needs proper procedure and oversight in place but not a reason to avoid doing it. If you’re breaking the law it shouldn’t require that a police officer sees it for it to be reported and recorded.
🙄 Not a murder, no.
But where an officer has discretionary powers, then yes, I’d like to be treated the same as everyone else regardless of whether somebody I pissed off for whatever reason puts forward a complaint I know nothing about, was never charged or ticketed with, and never had any ability to defend myself against that accusation.
Draco, your trend line is consistent on this at least.
You’re wrong of course, and like your mistaken belief that the monetary and financial systems are likely to be nationalized.
Actual crimes – pssssst, piffle!
Post-panopticism , not, pan optimism
!
I’d hardly call Kerre an “intellectual”Paul. More a big mouth with lots of blonde hair….
@ Paul
It wasn’t just German apathy, but personal guilt, that Niemöller was addressing with those lines:
“Niemöller was an anti-communist and supported Hitler’s rise to power at first. But when Hitler insisted on the supremacy of the state over religion, Niemöller became disillusioned. He became the leader of a group of German clergymen opposed to Hitler. In 1937 he was arrested and eventually confined in Sachsenhausen and Dachau”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_they_came_…
Wikipedia also continues after Trade Unionists:
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Catholic.
Then they came for me,
and there was no one left to speak for me.
Problem solved. The ABCs have appointed a press secretary to win the election. No need for Cunliffe now!
Jeeeze they are a clever bunch. Key & co should be fearful.
Let us celebrate the imminent election victory at the party conference in Christchurch.
Well to prove it will she release recordings of her and her partner having sex? Cos thats what monitors would hear while monitoring her house.
oh but they wldnt listen to that cos its irrelevant
Sorry. I think people think they wld know if they are being monitored. People need to stop and think how their life wld change if they thought everything was being recorded
Everything is being recorded ffs.
How else do text messages and emails surface so long after an event to assist police or other snoops in investigating that event?
The default position must assumption of recording. How on earth could you expect anything else?
Emails and your browsing history are recorded by your ISP, every text that goes through your cell phone is is recorded by your phone provider. This has been true for years. It seems, though, that people didn’t realise this.
This is scary.
On the eve of the GCSB bill vote, a timely reminder of how increasingly despotic our so called democracies are becoming. If given power without strict parameters, authoritary will inevitably abuse it.
No mention of this on BBC website. As far as I can tell the only other mainstream outlet covering the story is Huffington Post. Sadly intimidation does work.
from the same page
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/14/australian-attorney-general-attacks-snowden-manning
“Edward Snowden and Bradley Manning should not be regarded as whistleblowers as the information they made public did not expose government wrongdoing, the Australian attorney general said.”
Is he on crack, suffering from a damaged brain or just lying through his teeth?
p.s. why am I in moderation today? ( [r0b: no reason that I can see – sorry]
p.p.s. I recently only post from two places, tethered to my phone when at the studio or from the library
From the same page lol
http://www.theguardian.com/world/economics-blog/2013/aug/18/ashes-economy-australia-facing-new-collapse
‘Australia now bears all the hallmarks of a country where its industrial base has hollowed out. The decision by Ford Australia to close its manufacturing plants at Broadmeadows and Geelong is evidence of what economists call Dutch disease: a natural resource boom drives up the exchange rate and makes all other exports deeply uncompetitive.
With the outlook for the global economy far less rosy than it was, the mining sector is also cutting back on investment. That has left the economy propped up by the one remaining source of growth – an overvalued real estate market.
As the economist John Llewellyn has pointed out, household debt in Australia rose sharply in the 1990s and 2000s and now stands at 150% of GDP. Noting that the housing market may already be in bubble territory, he adds: “Depending on a strong pickup in housing as a means to sustain growth and rebalance the economy would therefore appear to be fraught with danger. The risk is of unsustainable boom followed by destabilising bust, with considerable collateral damage to both financial and non-financial private sector balance sheets.’
And yet that is exactly Labour’s plan with their Kiwibuild which will increase the money supply by increasing debt and thus will show an improvement in GDP. I’m all for building more homes but Labour’s going about it the wrong way.
Listened to an ex-Treasury official on Nine to Noon this morning,(sorry forgot His name), who is basically advocating Government builds of housing to address the issues in both Auckland and Christchurch,
Having watched,listened and read the advice from the NZ Treasury for the past 30 years such advocacy of out-right Socialism emanating form that particular body is to say the least humorous, His most interesting point being that in 30 years 100,000 New Zealand homes have transferred from being ‘homes’ to being ‘rental investments’,
This particular conversation was ‘supportive’ of Labour’s ‘ownership model’ and ended with host Kathryn Ryan making the promise of addressing ‘social housing’ in some other time frame,
Social housing in it’s extent and intent was never ‘just’ as a means of housing the ‘poor’, what social housing does every time a new house is added to the stock is remove from the housing equation one small piece of ‘demand’ in that market,
When social housing houses a person or family there is that much less of a reason for the would be ‘investor’ to want to buy into the housing market,
Had successive Governments of the past 30 years kept pace with the need for new State rental housing based upon the population growth over this period there would in fact be no ‘crisis of affordability’,
Based upon population we as a country have 30,000 less State houses than what is required and only when these needed state houses are built will we see demand and prices across all sectors of the housing market whether rental or ownership, stabilize…
Freedom: Lawyer and Liar, not spelt the same way but certainly sounds the same…
He’s just speaking the lines written for him in Washington, and refined via Murdoch. The Australian Labor Party is so scared of saying anything independent since Whitlam that they make Key look like a freedom fighter for a sovereign Aotearoa.
The ALP is more right wing than our Labour party ever will be,
Don’t forget who the AG’s work for…
Note, it’s not Oz/NZ , whatever those so called countries actually exist as!
Sullivan and Drum weigh in.
http://dish.andrewsullivan.com/2013/08/18/cameron-proves-greenwald-right/
http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2013/08/heathrow-greenwald-miranda-detain
Also, for several years film maker Laura Poitras has been routinely singled out and questioned by the US government when passing through border control..
http://www.salon.com/2012/04/08/u_s_filmmaker_repeatedly_detained_at_border/
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/18/magazine/laura-poitras-snowden.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
Seems Mr Miranda was being used as a mule.
Mr. Miranda was in Berlin to deliver documents related to Mr. Greenwald’s investigation into government surveillance to Ms. Poitras, Mr. Greenwald said. Ms. Poitras, in turn, gave Mr. Miranda different documents to pass to Mr. Greenwald. Those documents, which were stored on encrypted thumb drives, were confiscated by airport security, Mr. Greenwald said. All of the documents came from the trove of materials provided to the two journalists by Mr. Snowden. The British authorities seized all of his electronic media — including video games, DVDs and data storage devices — and did not return them, Mr. Greenwald said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/19/world/europe/britain-detains-partner-of-reporter-tied-to-leaks.html
http://rdln.wordpress.com/2013/08/14/progressive-singer-songwriter-david-rovics-banned-by-new-zealand-immigration/
Is it just me or has NZ Immigration forgotten we are a democratic nation with clear long-standing visa protocols that allow for work permits to be applied for once a person is already in the country. Especially if that person has previously visited and/or worked in New Zealand. Granted, there is so much change of late on so many topics, how can any of us be sure of what is what anymore, but this does appear a purely political stance.
” You’re not welcome in New Zealand.”
I wonder on what grounds they make that decision? And there must be clear grounds stated on the record as any traveler has the right to have a decision reviewed by NZ immigration. I somehow doubt a manger’s personal political leanings are written into the act as just cause for refusal of an entry visa. If a higher authority directed the refusal of entry for this traveler, who was it and what are the reasons?
Unfortunately they have the legal grounds to refuse entry to David Rovics, because he had once been refused entry to Canada. However, I think they refused him for political reasons, the decision would have come from higher up, and we should welcome him.
Sounds like the chickens have come home to roost:
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/18555434/gcsb-protest-crossed-line-at-house-key/latest/1376865386097-d96ae560-9a3c-44f4-b168-44d66355b9eb/#4
Nek minnit, Key decrees any protest to be unlawful.
Oh wait…
Yesterday I bumped into a former colleague at bunnings. She has a long background in sales and processing orders. She was made redundant in 2010. Got a job where I worked and didnt make it past the 90 day mark. Everyone was mads redundant at that point.
the next 12 months she was made redundant from 3 new jobs.
she then sent applications to major brands. Countdown… mitre 10 and so on.
after 4 interviews she was offered a casual and minimum wage job with bunnings. She had made over over 60 applications.
last week she was put on 40 hours on minimum wage.
to those who say there are jobs out there…
she has a mortgage and a father with early onset dementia.
minimum wage casual hours.
how proud the nats and labour politicians of tge last 30 years must be.
Yes agreed tracey. Take a bow Roger Douglas, Ruth Richardson, Bill Birch, Jim Bolger, Richard Prebble, Don Brash, Jenny Shipley, Helen Clark, Michael Cullen, Bill English, John Key, Stephen Joyce……..
fine upstanding New Zealanders who have made things so much very better……
/sarc
+1 vto
and please don’t forget Michael Bassett, one of the most right wing Labourites masquerading a s a lefty in a long long time…
They should all be Dames and Knights – they have helped bring back the aristocratic class system to NZ that our people came here to get away from. Naively the colonialists and early pakeha settlers didn’t understand that social advantage wouldn’t be bypassed just because the location had changed. After 1938 it was just in remission, ready to flare up when there was too much difficulty with deciding distribution. Such as should muscle power be paid as much as trained book and maths power as for accountants, when both might work as wharfies and get higher pay. And something else wasn’t factored in, the lack of interest by the commons in continuing the distribution system to others lower on the ladder, when the first and second cohorts had achieved comfort, education, jobs and security.
I think it was Colonial viper who stated baldly that the new regime can be correctly called Neo feudalism. And I think one of its story lines can be read in John Wyndhams The Day of the Triffids. Only people, once abandoned by government and the smug inward-turning community, who form integrated committed help groups can survive, caring and committed to the group, with some sharing with outsiders but limited by resources, so they need to be practical in planning for sufficiency and direction.
Is this true?
http://tuliathompson.wordpress.com/2013/08/18/no-paula-bennett-tampons-and-pads-are-not-luxury-items-winz-and-institutionalised-sexism/
Because if it is, then this should be all over the media to again prove the sheer stupidity, avarice and plain meanness of this rotten Tory government.
Sometimes both a pad and a tampon are required. The cheap brands of pads do not give enough cover and absorption for post childbirth and during menopause or for some who have heavy periods.
It would not surprise me if Bennett’s next move is the brand of product which Winz will permit a person to purchase and the amount of the product.
And the expensive brands do not assist those with very heavy periods.
There is nothing worse than being in a 2 hour meeting or giving a very long presentation and wondering/knowing that your single tampon will not last.
I did not read the 12 replies in the link.
There is a serious side when the purchase of tampons and pads are considered as being a luxury item.
Were a female to have miscarried or had an abortion (even though Winz could argue that an abortion was a forseen procedure, a female could argue that they required more pads) the refusal would be so insensitive and it would lack human decency and respect.
It is not the business of Winz to know why the pads and tampons are required.
The author replies in the comments section to say that some journalist’s are following up and that MSD denies the exclusion of sanitary items from the supermarket card. Will be interesting to see whether it hits the news or not.
Has just hit the Herald: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11110932
If this is true then this is truly horrifying! How much lower can they go?! Those items may cost the same as a luxury item but how can they be excluded from the supermarket card, they are an essential. So unbelievably degrading for the woman who went through this experience. Geez, who have they got as an adviser for the list of approved goods? Alasdair Thompson?
Fortunately not true…..just media crying wolf……again
Where there’s smoke there is fire — there would have been some frantic mouse clicking and button pushing when this came out.
Opposition parties need to take advantage of John Key’s major weakness, he will do just about anything to stay popular.
Which is a very hard weakness to target, because if he’s doing things to be popular, being anti to those things is by default going to be unpopular.
Dear The Standard Mods, I realise that telling you how to run your site is frowned upon, but because of the apparent ignoring of my comment yesterday, I think I need to highlight the problem again.
The Standard currently has the blogsite No Minister in its feed for some unknown reason? This is not a left wing blog by any stretch of the imagination, nor is it a very well known right wing blog.
Some of the contributors to No Minister are obviously foaming at the mouth right-wingers. Take for instance Adolf Fiinkensein, who wrote on Whale Oil today:
Other Adolf Fiinkensein gems include:
By having No Minister in your feed, The Standard is promoting such flawed arguments, which frankly doesn’t seem right.
I agree with this comment. I raised this issue a week or so ago, but didn’t receive any response.
Of course, ultimately it is up to those that run The Standard to decide who goes on the feed. Maybe the intent is to provide an extreme example of frothing RWNJs in action?
I wrote to akismet about all my comments going into moderation and realised it was since I changed to Greywarbler (which I felt forced to do). And I don’t usually login. Their suggestion is that WordPress will put a new name through moderation but they don’t say how long that usually applies for.
i hea koe i te tangihanga o te riroriro?
i hea koe i te tangihanga o te riroriro?
this unifying artform
more than thirty spokes join at the hub.
all the trees are stripped bare. Lies seized
from the Winter Palace
a vessel where the clay is not fill rooms.
melodic ramblings, musical, poetic and scenic
herald springs overture
the chase and hunt sap the people’s sanity.
the higher the nest the calmer the weather
Skuld bearing einherjar departs
the gradual clarification of resting stillness.
preparation time to cultivate. descendents
few native song-birds remained
as kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall.
Frame-works of stout material,
rootlets, grass, Shields
cobwebs. The gravity of a guest?
coastal sand-dunes, swamps, mangroves
leading Robert Acts
blunt the edges. Gotzen-Dammerung
pine for farmland, parks and gardens
demolished New York slums
voice and echoes conform to each other.
Five Year life-cycles bound together
master-pieces of Nibelungen
To keep on filling not as good as stopping.
a covered hanging nest, small circular entry
‘the hangman’s meta-physics’
The Way assimilates to the world.
elongated, tapered, with a trailing beard
National Labour Relations, 1935
things flourish then return to their roots.
wool, strips of bark, beneath a covered porch
induced fevers to treat insanity
As understanding spreads can you be innocent?
hovers in mid-air to glean the inaccessible
Princess Elsa freed
Skilled warriors of old were subtle.
Shining Cuckoo slips into the second clutch
‘Oh Absalom, Absalom !
The talkative reach their wits end, again and again.
tenderizing catch before a tantalizing swallow
All Our Yesterdays
that’s why returning to the root is called stillness.
“from life’s school of war” the door is open
they’re standing there
Acts at random in ignorance of the constant.
🙂 j.
What could go wrong.
http://grist.org/news/offshore-fracking-in-california-what-could-go-wrong/
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/08/07
Just like the Red Devils MC shenanigans but on a grand scale, who woulda thunk it.
Although these cases rarely involve national security issues, documents reviewed by Reuters show that law enforcement agents have been directed to conceal how such investigations truly begin – not only from defense lawyers but also sometimes from prosecutors and judges.
The undated documents show that federal agents are trained to “recreate” the investigative trail to effectively cover up where the information originated, a practice that some experts say violates a defendant’s Constitutional right to a fair trial. If defendants don’t know how an investigation began, they cannot know to ask to review potential sources of exculpatory evidence – information that could reveal entrapment, mistakes or biased witnesses.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/05/us-dea-sod-idUSBRE97409R20130805
Illogical Economics
My bold.
The simple fact of the matter is that modern economics isn’t economic at all but a theory that helps to cement in the social hierarchy that is destroying our society.
This morning on NR politic discourse one of the commentators made this absurd claim, that the only people interested, watch Campbell live, were just political junkies. This would explain why not only should we discount what this commentator says, since he’s just a political junkie too, but that we should also ignore the consent construction he was implementing, that ‘only’ those with a political bent are worried ans so watch the Campbells Live poor coverage of the GCSB bill. The art of the neo-fascist is to provide turd blossoms, that pander to the apathetic as being the majority view, without seemingly much hesitation or fore-thought, despite having been gelled in some think tank and filter past a panel or two.
Or more generally, our modern economics, our politics, even the Eqypt religious snare, its like its all run by the same pattern of coverage. Take Egypt, the military was forced to overthrow the dictator, then it fixed up an election with two odious outcomes, them or the muslim brotherhood. It may have actually worked had not the muslim brotherhood forced the military into a corner over its Israeli peace deal. But just like economic, or politics, or Egypt, what we are seeing generally is the inability of the MSM to call, neo-liberalism, or our rightwing media, or Muslim extremism in its correct historical context, that of popery. Islam is going through a reformation, and the media won’t discuss it, the internet is doing for Islam what the printing press did for the popery. The internet is exposing the similar economic popery and political popery of our fourth estate, they just wont’ kick the faith, they won’t call the threats to democracy, environment, economy, or even to the nation state, the cult that its is popery.
give ’em a Rev up aerobubble.
NZers choose the reactionary over the left-wing Doctor Who
http://www.readingthemaps.blogspot.co.nz/2013/08/choosing-wrong-doctor-who.html
interesting link thanks.
Compulsory reading….why Labour dont need Shearer or his press secretary.
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/08/19/boadicea-without-an-army-john-armstrong-talks-up-david-shearers-latest-chief-of-staff/
Lolz, Slippery the Prime Minister on Prime News showing His arrogance and then swishing the Tutu and walking out on media questions over the GCSB legislation,
First He tries His normal diversion, interrupting the Scoop reporter mid-question and then when the reporter refused to accept being rudely interrupted Slippery does a quick exit stage left,
The cheerleaders over at the Herald might be all about giving the Slippery little used care salesman an easy ride but other elements of the press corp are definitely going to skewer Him with His own bulls**t…
The latest on the Campbell Live poll on the GCSB Bill. Over 52000 votes cast, far lot more than Key’s snapper poll. Result 89% against the bill.
Do the honorable thing Dunne vote against it.
I never got a reply from Dunne to an email I wrote to ask him where his integrity was in voting for this Bill.
Strange that.
Not at all strange. Perhaps you could suggest that he look down the back of his sofa? That’s where most things turn up.
Yes ”more people are interested in the snapper catch limits than the GCSB Legislation” may well prove to be the one large dose of bulls**t too far for Slippery the Prime Minister who’s teflon coating is in danger of being burned off in the heat of debate surrounding the GCSB Legislation…
Has anyone else noticed the latest Roy Morgan? I went looking for it last week but the results appear to be there now. July 29th – Aug 11. Nats dropping 7% – The Greens have hit 14%
Right: 46.5 – Left: 51.5
Last Month:
Right 53.5 – Left: 44
Jeez these polls are volatile..
Where did you source this from, Salsy? Googled Roy Morgan and could not find anything and would like to see the full results – eg what was Labour?
Here it is
Thanks, BL. Very interesting results – and a big turnaround from the last one. I wonder why there has been nothing in the media?
Yes, I was rather surprised there had been no mention of it in the media (only saw it after reading Salsy’s comment).
Not surprising really, considering how pro Nat they seem, although not even a mention of it here?
I didn’t realise that the Roy Morgan was a foreign company. I’m highly suspicious of these polls and discovering the company isn’t NZ doesn’t exactly calm this suspicion.
?? why can’t we poll things ourselves??
FFS
Someone usually spots new Roy Morgan polls as they come out and provides a link. They come out about every two weeks rather than the two months that the NZ ones seem to do, so they are the most useful for picking trend changes. Someone will usually write a post when a trend starts showing or maintains for about 4-6 weeks.
The RM poll has been either the closest or one of the closest of the polls to the actual result for at least the last three elections. FYI: That means, like all of the rest of the polls (but to a lesser extent), that they tend to
1. Overestimate National a lot
2. Overestimate the Greens – who are electorally scarred with the enrolled non-vote young
2. Get Labour close to right within a few percent
3. Underestimate NZ First – cagey suspicious buggers those NZF voters.
The teeny parties are well within their margins of error so don’t count for much. The reasons for the polling companies systematic biases can and have been attributed to many things, but it essentially comes down to what the population they are sampling is.
Since that consists of people with phones (RM has at last started sampling cell phones) who are listed in some way and therefore enjoy wasting time with telemarketers*, this lets out most of the young and the less affluent and those living in the urban environments long afflicted by telemarketers.
So given those demographics, what do you think will happen? The trick with polls isn’t to get accurate numbers because they have significant sampling errors and it shows up between polls. It is to look at the trends and reference them to previous trends leading up to previous elections. Obviously a poll that comes out every two weeks is far superior to the TV3/TNVZ/NZ Herald/Dompost polls that seem to come out about every two months (except in the weeks leading up to elections)
So in 2010 at about this time, Morgan was showing ~32% numbers for Labour and ~52% numbers for National. But by the time elections rolled around in 2011 they were closer to the actual results of Labour’s 27%, and National 47%. Percentage went to smaller parties like the Greens and NZF. But most of the 2011 result was due to the massive non-vote of people who’d usually vote Labour. They voted to not vote. Unfortunately I suspect that will be even higher this time.
* I’ve been off the white pages for 20 years and if a phone company lets loose with my number then they will lose my business.
Thanks for the explanation, lprent.
I hope you are wrong re the non-vote. Hope that if people don’t trust/like Labour they will do the MMP thing and vote for a smaller party!
Some do. Most seem to treat them as being even more suspect than Labour.
The ENV’s (enrolled non-vote) has been steadily rising since the 80’s, but it has really started to accelerate in the last two elections. It seems to be a function of both demographics, especially if people start voting when they are young, and if they feel that the government is of any relevance to their lives.
It is severely generational. In my view it seems to be directly related to the bad performances of the government over their first few elections.in their 18-25 period. If they don’t get engaged then into voting, then they never seem to get it strongly. You can literally see a generational waves of non-voters and spasmodic voters who will vote when they think something may change for the better (or they see a fool like Don Brash coming).
really .. no mention of it anywhere !
I had hoped to get along, but I was cooking dinner tonight. Guess what we are having. Red Snapper in Grape Leaves with Garlic and Caper Butter.
8 (4 ounce) fillets red snapper, skin removed
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
16 grape leaves, rinsed and patted dry
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon drained capers
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon cooking sherry
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Directions
1.Preheat the oven’s broiler.
2.Season the snapper fillets with sea salt and pepper. Place two grape leaves on a clean surface so that they overlap slightly. Place a fillet in the center. Fold the leaves over the center of the fillet to enclose completely. Brush with oil on the top and bottom to keep the leaves from sticking, and place on a broiler pan. Repeat with the remaining fillets and leaves.
3.Place the fish under the preheated broiler about 6 inches from the heat source. Broil for 4 minutes per side, turning once, or until fish is opaque.
4.While the fish is broiling, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, lemon zest, capers, sherry and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
5.To serve, remove the fish packets to a platter, and spoon the sauce over the top.
[lprent: Off topic – booted to OpenMike. Continue, and you will get booted as well. ]
@ Bruce tM
I imagine that you are just as much a waste of space in everyday life as you are here.
Nice recipe, I’ll have to try it – I might use more lemon though the capers and sherry are a nice touch.
Well done to trade me, their mascot Kevin is holding the rainbow flag.
Bet you wont be able to view it in Russia now 🙂