Open mike 20/02/2023
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6:00 am, February 20th, 2023 - 43 comments
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The past couple of days, an online furore has blown up regarding commentator/scholar Corey Olsen and his claim that there is no Tolkienian canon. The sort of people who delight in getting outraged over such things have been piling onto Olsen, and often doing it in a matter that is ...4 hours ago - Sorting your act out
Perhaps when the archaeologists come picking their way through the ruins of a civilisation that was so fond of its fossil fuel comforts it wasn't prepared to give up any of them, they will find these two artefacts. Read more ...6 hours ago - Climate Change: The same problems everywhere
Here in Aotearoa, our right-wing, ATLAS-network-backed government is rolling back climate policy and plotting to raise emissions to allow the fossil fuel industry a few more years of profit. And in Canada, their right-wing, ATLAS-network-backed opposition is campaigning on doing the same thing: Mass hunger and malnutrition. A looming ...7 hours ago - NZCTU Resolution on the Israel/Palestine Conflict
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Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says he anticipates an increase in people “coming into the Corrections system”. The Corrections Department has applied for fast tracking so it will be able to add more beds at Mt Eden Prison when needed. Photo: Getty ImagesKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six ...13 hours ago - Firearms Minister Expresses Extraordinary Ignorance of Mosque Shooting Circumstances
Remember when a guy walked into a mosque and shot everyone inside? He killed 44 people. And he then drove to a second mosque and shot and killed 7 more. He was on his way to a third mosque in Ashburton when he was stopped and arrested by the New ...14 hours ago - Talk Wellington takes a pause
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Something I especially like about you all, you loyal and much-appreciated readers of More Than A Feilding, is that you are so very widely experienced and knowledgeable. Not just saying that. You really are.So I'm mindful as I write today that at least one of you has been captain of an ...1 day ago - The corruption list
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- Follow The Money In NZ’s Health Privatisation Heist
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- Bishop goes for growth, but leaves finance hand brake on
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Change is coming to America. Next month’s elections are likely to pave the way for an overhaul of US foreign policy– regardless of whether Donald Trump or Kamala Harris wins the presidency. Decisions made in Washington will also have a direct impact on Wellington. While the Biden administration started its ...2 days ago - Bishops answers the call
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- An Ailing Health Service
I had occasion yesterday to visit our health centre. My doctor had said that I needed a blood test. The first thing I noticed was that the phlebotomist was acting as her own receptionist. She was handing a number to prospective patients in the order in which they presented themselves. ...2 days ago - Real Kiwis Say Welcome
One day there will come a timeWhen the person you are named after diesAnd all of a sudden, you're the only one leftSong: The Smith Street BandThis headline jumped out at me yesterday: Racism fallout at North Shore Hospital after patient request to avoid Asian staff.The article is sparse in ...2 days ago - A better way of living
Nicola Willis and her boss have been peddling a fake short history of the previous government that runs as follows:They spent and spent, they had nothing to show for it and that is not how you grow the economy, because You can't tax yourself to prosperity.There is a sort of ...3 days ago - The End of the Beginning of a Curate’s Egg: A Review and Analysis of The Rings of Power, Episode 8...
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This is a live page and will be updated with updates and resources.Facebook page: No to Privatisation by StealthSigns ...3 days ago - If the Rain Comes
If the rain comes they run and hide their heads.They might as well be dead,If the rain comes, if the rain comes…Can you hear me that when it rains and shines,It's just a state of mind,Can you hear me, can you hear me?Song: Lennon-McCartneyIt’s been quite a week for Dunedin ...4 days ago - Up and down
4 days ago - Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head: Dunedin Flooding
I noted a few days ago that the Hospital protest happened to coincide with favourable weather. Well, it was a very happy coincidence, because the past twenty-four hours have been rather wet in this part of the world. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/weather-pictures-dunedin-flooded-as-state-of-local-emergency-declared/HNOB5YIEWFCUXNWXYIWGICZ6ZU/ In terms of sheer amount of rain, it’s one of those ...4 days ago - Is the New Zealand’s Retirement Strategy Sustainable?
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When cancer minister Casey Costello convinced Cabinet to give her mates at Philip Morris a $216 million tax cut, she did so in the face of departmental advice that there would be no benefits and that Philip Morris' "heated tobacco products" were more cancerous and toxic than cigarettes. But she ...4 days ago
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- The new winning face of the Government
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6 days ago - A private matter
Boy oh boy, are you as excited as I am for a fresh wave of privatisation? You only need to reflect for a moment on how much better off privatisation has made us these past few decades to see that more of that would be a very good thing.The paragraph ...6 days ago - National wants to loot the health system
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Kia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, October 1:PM Christopher Luxon has made $460,000 in tax-free income this year from capital gains on the sale of two of his rental properties, almost as much ...1 week ago - In the Waiting Line
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The Prime Minister’s decision to back his firearms minister on gun law changes despite multiple warnings shows his political judgement has failed him yet again. ...8 hours ago
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Yesterday the government announced the list of 149 projects selected for fast-tracking across Aotearoa. Trans-Tasman Resources’ plan to mine the seabed off the coast of Taranaki was one of these projects. “We are disgusted but not surprised with the government’s decision to fast-track the decimation of our seabed,” said Te ...1 day ago
- Release: Govt takes the scalpel to regional health budgets
At Labour’s insistence, Te Whatu Ora financial documents have been released by the Health Select Committee today showing more cuts are on the way for our health system. ...1 day ago
- Trojan Horse approach to fast-track projects threatens environment
The Government’s fast-track list is another example of its reckless approach to the environment and disregard for due process. ...1 day ago - Release: Fast track list reveals Govt’s backroom deals
The coalition Government’s backroom deals with coal and ironsands mining companies have finally been revealed – and it’s not pretty. ...2 days ago
- Release: Nicole McKee unfit for firearms portfolio
Fresh questions have been raised about the conduct of the Firearms Minister after revelations she misled New Zealanders about her role in stopping gun reforms prior to the mosque shootings. ...2 days ago
- Release: The question remains… will schools get their classrooms?
Education Minister Erica Stanford still can’t confirm when the Government will deliver the $2 billion worth school upgrades she cut earlier this year. ...4 days ago
- Release: Govt failing NZ’s manufacturing sector
Labour acknowledges the hundreds of workers today losing their jobs as the Winstone Pulp mill closes and what it will mean for their families and community. ...5 days ago
- Tell National what their $216m tobacco tax cut could have funded instead
In Budget '24, the National Government put aside $216 million to pay for a tax cut which mainly benefitted one company: global tobacco giant Philip Morris. Instead of giving hundreds of millions to big tobacco, National could have spent the money sensibly, on New Zealand. ...5 days ago
- Release: Govt has made up a cost crisis to justify cuts
Te Whatu Ora’s financials from the last year show the Government has manufactured a financial crisis to justify making cuts that are already affecting patient care. ...5 days ago
- Speech: Why Kiwi businesses are the best in the world
The New Zealand business community is unique. It has always punched well above its weight on the world stage. ...6 days ago
- Te Pāti Māori Statement on Israel & Iran
Over 41,000 Palestinian’s have been murdered by Israel in the last 12 months. At the same time, Israel have launched attacks against at least four other countries in the Middle East including Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iran. “You cannot play the aggressor and the victim at the same time,” said ...6 days ago
- Release: Costello makes a fool of the PM
Associate health minister Casey Costello has made a fool of the Prime Minister, because the product she’s been fighting to get a tax cut for and he’s been backing her on is now illegal – and he doesn’t seem to know it. ...7 days ago
- Work to do on climate adaptation
The Finance and Expenditure Committee’s inquiry into climate adaptation is something that must be built on for an enduring framework to manage climate risk. ...1 week ago
- End of free RAT tests means more exposure to virus
The end of free Rapid Antigen Tests today is another sign the Government is giving up on the challenge of protecting the community from Covid-19. ...1 week ago
- Release: Government breaks promise on ferry plan
Time has run out for Nicola Willis who has failed to keep her promise to deliver a solution to replace the Interislander ferries by today. ...1 week ago
- Release: Labour supports marches for better health
Labour supports Buller and Dunedin communities who are marching today and calling on the Government to act urgently to fix the health crisis. ...1 week ago
- Raising speed limits will cost our communities
The Government’s move to disregard all evidence and increase speed limits will result in serious harm. ...1 week ago
- Greens stand in solidarity with Buller community
The Green Party stands in solidarity with the Buller community in its silent protest for better healthcare. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Proposed job losses devastating for Timaru
News that the Smithfield meatworks could close is devastating for the hundreds of people who work there, Timaru and the wider region. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Question mark over financial sustainability of Polytechs
The Government is taking tertiary education down a worrying path with new reporting finding that fourteen of the country’s sixteen polytechnics couldn’t survive on their own,” Labour’s tertiary education spokesperson Dr Deborah Russell says. ...2 weeks ago
- TPM issues warning to Govt: Back down or prepare for the wrath of the million Māori
Today the government announced a $30m cut to Te Ahu o Te Reo Māori- a programme that develops te reo Māori among our kaiako. “This announcement is just the latest in an onslaught of attacks on te iwi Māori,” said Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader Rawiri Waititi. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt set to break promise on Dunedin Hospital
The Green Party is calling on the Government to honour its promise to Dunedin and build its new hospital to full capacity. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Dunedin Hospital d-listed by Government
The non-announcement in Dunedin today had Ministers leaving broken promises and a likely severely diluted hospital build in their wake. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour welcomes UAE trade deal
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed today with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Hundreds more jobs cuts on housing frontline
The Government has shown its true intentions for the public service and economy – it’s not to get more public servants back to the office, it’s more job losses. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt not addressing health workforce crisis
The National Government is hiding the gaps in the health workforce from New Zealanders, by not producing a full workforce plan nearly a year into their tenure. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Government cuts fair pay for bus drivers
The Government has cut funding for bus drivers to get paid fairly for the work they do, Labour transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...2 weeks ago
- Crown Minerals Bill Advances Colonisation
Today, the Crown Mineral Amendment Bill was read for the first time, reversing the ban on oil exploration off the coast of Taranaki. It was no accident that this proposed law change was read directly after the Government started to unravel the ability of iwi and hapū Māori to have ...2 weeks ago
- Landlord govt finds new way to undermine public housing
Proposed cuts to Kāinga Ora reflect a failure to fully commit to fixing the housing crisis. ...2 weeks ago
- Crown should prove their rights to Foreshore & Seabed – Te Pāti Māori
Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Justice, Tākuta Ferris, has hit out at the Government, demanding the Crown prove its rights to the foreshore, following the Marine and Coastal Area Amendment Bill, passing its first reading. "Māori rights to the foreshore pre-exist the Declaration of Independence, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and ...2 weeks ago
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The Government must immediately help evacuate New Zealanders and Lebanese whanau caught up in the current conflict unfolding across south Lebanon. ...2 weeks ago
- Green Government will revoke oil and gas permits
The Green Party vows to reinstate the oil and gas ban and revoke permits when it returns to government following the coalition’s introduction of legislation to reopen offshore oil and gas exploration this afternoon. ...2 weeks ago
- Government introduces controversial MACA legislation
The Government’s introduction of its interventions in the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act threatens to throw relations between Māori and Crown into deeper disharmony. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Gun lobby bill removes regulation at ranges
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- Sir Jerry Mateparae appointed in Bougainville post-referendum moderator role
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- Latest census data highlights New Zealand’s growing ethnic diversity
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- South Pacific defence meeting fosters collaboration
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- Positive progress on Government health targets
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- Progressing remote building inspections
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- PPTA accepts charter schools
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- New TAIC Chief Commissioner appointed
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- Government secures market access for blueberries to Korea
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- South Pacific Defence Ministers meet in Auckland
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- Keytruda, CGMs, and FamilyBoost welcomed
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- Children’s Unit opens at Rotorua Hospital
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- New diplomatic appointments
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- SuperGold Information Hub live
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- New fund to clean up old landfill and dump sites
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- Politics with Michelle Grattan: Danielle Wood on the keys to growing Australia’s weak productivity
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- Australia will protect a vast swathe of the Southern Ocean, but squanders the chance to show global ...
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Asking here to see what Standardistas think. Would be great if you could explain your thinking.
My answer, is a firm yes. But, you have to be really smart about it.
The perfect example is Bastion Point and Whinia Coopers land march.
One single clear objective, and whether you agreed or not with the objective it was clearly understood by all of nz.
Look how successful they were. No side issues or intruding factions clouding the issue.
Take a humble leaf from a Maori way of operating.
After all this time I still can't for the life of me, understand what the recent parliament occupation was trying to achieve. Too many voices heading every which way. A classic way of not doing stuff
You touch on something important with: "No side issues or intruding factions clouding the issue."
The '81 tour protests have been cited here as an example of 'proper protest', honourable folk, honoutable intention etc. I know of more than one individual that got involved because it meant a chance to have a scrap 'with some pigs'. They didn't give a toss about the cause.
The Wellington occupation had some folk with really undesirable opinions and non-mainstream views. That is bound to occur when the state did what it did in mandating folk out of their professions, careers, livelihoods, job, identity (by that I mean plenty of people have a string sense of themselves through what they do).
Couple that with anyone with a twitter account being able to 'report the truth' contrasted with the type and style of media back in Dame Whena Cooper’s day.
I'm not surprised the occupation is viewed so dimly.
such an open ended question deserves an open ended answer> it depends. >occupying a hazardous area? putting rescue personal in danger if it turns to shit? blocking innocent citizens from their legal rights? damaging unrelated private property? there are so many if's and maybe's ,that yr question doesnt answer.
All those depends would apply to any kind of protest so let’s assume the protesters weren’t doing any if that.
The support imperialist expansion rally.
/
https://twitter.com/PepPepVladdy/status/1627370425415000066
Imperialist expansion etc and other bullshit mainly spouted by neocons and warmongering americans while practicing shameless hypocrisy
The people organizing and participating in the Rage against the war rally are mostly Americans who feel that a hundred billion dollars and counting could be better spent at home .
Some interesting speakers were there too Jill Stein for ex tulsi gabbard ron paul max blominfield gerald celante to name a few …
By the way who do you think is likely to win the prize for being the biggest imperialist joe , Russia with three overseas bases or America with seven hundred and fifty ? take your time lol
Share token access to Times review of the "Time to Think", a book about the UK's Tavistock Clinic.
(Relevant here because we follow the same affirmation, medical and surgical guidelines and also have an inadequate mental health service.)
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/91450fd0-a3c5-11ed-8e45-d36dad29d912?shareToken=44fd8d7da26e2377268902296d4bec0c
Also relevant because the Relationship and Sexuality Education curriculum in State schools here is absolutely infested with Gender Ideology. Where it is followed, children are being taught that they have a "gender identity".
permanent link in case the time share token runs out.
https://archive.is/IfIRE
Thanks, weka. Again.
In the same vein regarding medical treatment for minors.
Affirmation Generation is a documentary just released on Vimeo (currently free):
<iframe src="https://player
h=d57e3ac230" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p><a href="
quot;>AFFIRMATION GENERATION Feb18.mp4</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user186080953">Dimitri Kanche</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
Watch @ around 1:03 to hear about the difficulties in getting the American Academy of Pediatrics to listen to membership, or review the guidelines they adopted without scrutiny.
Article written by documentary filmmaker here:
https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2023/02/18/i-made-a-film-about-transgender-kids-that-doesnt-align-with-my-politics/
Interesting to note that the author/filmmaker chooses anonymity because of concerns regarding backlash from the progressive left. This awkward position is reflected in the somewhat apologetic tone of the opening paragraphs:
Note: From a personal point of view – given that the filmmaker is apparently a professional filmmaker, there are some editing choices that seem amateurish, but perhaps that was a deliberate choice to hide the usual styling. However, getting past that, there are good interviews with detransitioners and medical professionals about the reality of "affirmation healthcare".
Vimeo should embed without having to use the tags
https://player
Again…. thanks.
Nicola Sturgeon should never have pissed off these ladies!
Could some kind admin please resize? Beyond my tech skills!
That’s fantastic. Where is it from?
I should write a guide on how to link and embed on TS
CNN Morning Show host Don Lemon takes it upon himself to tell women when they are in their 'prime'.
"A woman is considered to be in her prime in her 20s and 30s and maybe 40s,” Mr. Lemon said, to the visible dismay of his “CNN This Morning” co-anchors, Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins. He refused to back down after Ms. Harlow questioned his remarks, telling her to “look it up.”"
Could be right ,I'd imagine it goes about the same for men.
I'm 51 and it's atleast 5 years since I felt like I was a prime specimen!!
Well I've got a few years on you, and I'm ready to take on the world.
Next time I've got 2000 fat ewes to drag over the board and dag I'll be sending out the invite
The problem with these off the cuff derogatory remarks is that nobody defines " in their prime".
Is it; sexual performance, mental performance, world wisdom and common sense, empathy and kindness, et al
Lemon was referring to a female Republican presidential hopeful who is 51.
I'd suggest that unless she's related to Bill Clinton, sexual performance is not a criteria for that role.
The other criteria you list are or should be, which, given Nikki Haley's age (the only criteria Lemon was referencing), places Lemon's comments into the stupid beyond reasonable doubt category IMHO.
In your prime to me is at your mental, physical peak. Which I would say is mid to late 20s to maybe 40.
But I see it's about a 50 year old presidential candidate, can't see how being fifty is a problem,
I'm having issues with not being able to access the comments when opening some of the posts – help. This has been happening since 15th Feb.
I've been having issues with this blog since 15th Feb, I've managed to update it on my Galaxy phone but cannot access the comments. This is my go to blog and I'm missing my dairy fix
it's a known issue, the sysop has been notified. There's some discussion in OM from a day or two ago if you can access that.
Have you tried both versions on you mobile? (desktop and mobile).
Yeah, I'm unsure where it is coming from. I can't get it on any of my usual or test platforms which makes it hard to debug.
Thought it was just safari and apple, but have at least one person getting it on Microsoft Edge.
Cleared all server side caches, the external caches, and now I'm running cloud front in development mode – just trying to isolate the problem.
Can see your above comment on my phone – but the text box for reply is not working – this reply from my laptop
Just to let Lynn and y'all at The Standard that I'm up and running again my three devices. Thanks for your hard work in getting the site operational. I meant to say in my earlier post, which doubled up that I was missing my daily fix, not my 'dairy' fix!
Nah, we suspected all along that dairy chocolate is your fix 😉
It's worked maybe twice for me on mobile since the 15th, now working. Use chrome.
Just want to big up the mods and commenters on this site. The open mic and comment sections here are well worth reading, and a lot of good insight is to be gained. A stark contrast to many other sites, which are a free-for-all of uninformed rants, name-calling, trolling and bizarre and off-topic wannabe-posts.
MWAH!
cheers roy. I've been impressed by the increase in good debate recently. Makes it all worthwhile.
Cheers!
TS is a good inclusive on-line community, which is what people need, even at the best of times …
Hear, hear Roy – I even looked at the headings on the Daily Blog by Te Reo Putake, but yeah, nah, it's all a bit demented over there.
Same old National Party story; trained as a bean counter, buggered off abroad to make his fortune and returns home a first class know-it-all.
Diversity!
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300811126/carl-bates-selected-as-nationals-candidate-in-whanganui
Bloody hell. Shit getting weird in NZ, but someone saved the day.
https://twitter.com/veronicaglamis/status/1627381065081065472
https://twitter.com/veronicaglamis/status/1627499967194755072
In a tiny small way I was part of the push to get this weird stuff seen to, providing some info.
Although this was not part of what we objected to, the imagery offended me in several ways. It may have been carelessly chosen.
It seemed to link to the Parliamentary Protest. Bearing in mind the links between anti vaxxers and fringe Christians, in the US, is real this would not surprise me.
and
to my mind, at first glance the upraised arms could be construed as weapons, pitchforks etc. 'Heiling' etc.
Poor effort all round really.
Perhaps I should offer myself to critique things like this.
Hi Shanreagh. I had been following some of that. Simon O'Connor is something..else. But Ol' Alfred Ngaro is there too. Creepy critter IMO.
Link…scroll down for reasons.
And..well..yeah
Lprent, (can't see your email address)
I'm another who couldn't see updated pages since the 15th, both on laptop using Edge and android mobile using Chrome.
Was concerned this was due to you being involved with more important things because you have family in Hawkes Bay (?)
Thanks for the fine job you do with TS, it's really missed when it goes down.
I'm an idiot, your email is easily found via the Contact tab