Open mike 20/07/2024

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, July 20th, 2024 - 47 comments
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Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

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

Step up to the mike …

47 comments on “Open mike 20/07/2024 ”

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  1. bwaghorn 1
    20 July 2024 at 7:18 am

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350348870/jenna-lynch-government-creaks-open-treaty-debate-vault

    I have to say I agree with seymour on this one , pharmac is an 100% back office operation who's focus is getting the best drugs at the best price, why take up its time with treaty issues?

    • Ad 1.1
      20 July 2024 at 7:57 am

      Which other parts of the state would you carve off from Treaty obligation?

      • bwaghorn 1.1.1
        20 July 2024 at 10:44 am

        Any part that has no direct contact with citizens.

        What improvements to pharmac would the treaty bring?

        • Ad 1.1.1.1
          20 July 2024 at 10:46 am

          Which Ministries or state entities don't have contact with citizens?

          Surely you must have some principle in there somewhere.

          • bwaghorn 1.1.1.1.1
            20 July 2024 at 11:15 am

            Look we both know you'll run rings around me and trip me up, you tell me why pharmac should expend time and money on the treaty when they have know direct front desk contact with Joe public, and the sole job is to source the best medicines at the best prices, ?

        • aj 1.1.1.2
          20 July 2024 at 10:52 am

          Does this help?

          Pharmac director quits over government's Treaty directive

          Jordan said the evidence in favour continuing to factor the Treaty into decision making was clear.

          "Equity adjusters we made for Māori, and also Pacific, when we funded SGL-2 inhibitors for diabetes … there is evidence that did improve uptake of those medicines. It was even more improved for people who had cardiovascular and renal risk factors where there is even more evidence those medicines to well."

          "That's the robust evidence. If he wants to look at some, he should look at that."

          "It is not good to be a Māori man, in terms of morbidity and mortality, compared to your Pākeha counterparts. And, sadly, it's the same for our wāhine. This is not new information, it is published year on year," he said.

          https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/pharmac-director-quits-over-governments-treaty-directive/ar-BB1qeZbE

          • bwaghorn 1.1.1.2.1
            20 July 2024 at 11:30 am

            Is the diabetes that Maori suffer from different from the diabetes non Maori suffer from?

            If not then it's at the coal face that the treaty needs to be used to insure the health system is functioning for moari,

            • SPC 1.1.1.2.1.1
              20 July 2024 at 12:11 pm

              Given the lack of status of those of that wider profile, it is the Treaty consideration that raises all waka, when otherwise it is the better connected middle class that has influence on those of the C of C.

        • weka 1.1.1.3
          20 July 2024 at 11:34 am

          from the article,

          Health outcomes for Māori are undeniably worse than non-Māori.

          It starts from a young age – Māori tamariki are 1.5 times as likely to be hospitalised for conditions that could have been treated or managed in primary or community care.

          Māori adults are 2.5 times more likely to be hospitalised for a limb amputation due to diabetes.

          In 2021, the rate of Māori deaths was 1.7 times that of non-Māori.

          If Pharmac is unaware of discrepancies and why they matter, how can they make appropriate decisions on priorities and purchasing?

          Seymour argues its not being Māori that contributes to those stats – its poverty, poor housing and living rurally without adequate access to healthcare.

          Snort, as if he gives a shit about those things. But he's wrong. There are genetic and physiological issues, and colonisations impacts on poor Māori for example differently than on poor Pākehā.

          As an example, Māori probably metabolise grains and other refined carbs differently than those of European descent. Dairy too I would guess.

          Seymour is running ideological lines that are based in the idea that we should all be the same (kind of weird for a libertarian). We're not.

          • bwaghorn 1.1.1.3.1
            20 July 2024 at 11:52 am

            ""If Pharmac is unaware of discrepancies and why they matter, how can they make appropriate decisions on priorities and purchasing?

            Surly the medical system tells the pharmac what illness are most pressing and what drugs are required.

            • weka 1.1.1.3.1.1
              20 July 2024 at 12:03 pm

              I don't know much about Pharmac, but even if they are all bean counters (I would be surprised if they don't have in house medical people or analysts), they still need to be making decisions in the context of the Treaty.

              There is also institutional bias that we still need to overcome, unconscious rather than overt, targeted racism.

              • Grey Area …
                20 July 2024 at 5:42 pm

                Absolutely, Weka. I'm surprised you have to be pointing this out on this site. FFS!

          • Cricklewood 1.1.1.3.2
            20 July 2024 at 4:12 pm

            All those issues you rightly raise should very much be at the forefront of primary health care at community level.

            Pharmac as a drug buying agency can do very little to change the negative stats they're essentially an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff.

    • Kay 1.2
      20 July 2024 at 8:45 am

      I'm no fan of Pharmac after being in public warfare with them for 3 years.

      While I readily admit I find understanding the technicalities of treaty incorporation difficult to understand- blaming my drug addled brain here- what I do understand is Maori are definitely over-represented with certain illnesses- diabetes and some types of cancers, particularly.

      So shouldn't this be taken into consideration when buying medicines to treat said conditions? Being able to access newer medications would not only help improve the health outcome inequities, but also be of use to everyone with those conditions.

      • SPC 1.2.1
        20 July 2024 at 8:53 am

        Sure for a long time Pharmac did not provide a drug that managed the diabetes condition better than a cheaper alternative. The health system paid the price of this – quicker decline to need for costly dialysis. The wider economy with people unable to work. The better drug delayed the decline and thus provided the time for those who worked on their fitness and diet to return to good health.

        • Kay 1.2.1.1
          20 July 2024 at 10:21 am

          Which really is the simple concept of 'cost/benefit ratio', which should ALWAYS be incorporated into drug buying/funding decisions. But it isn't, and the entire health system pays the price.

      • lprent 1.2.2
        20 July 2024 at 9:11 am

        Would be. Of course they don’t generally need ‘newer’ medicines. Mostly ‘older’ medicines would do.

        The medical problem with Maori as a population (and the stats for that are ridiculously bad) is getting them to get realistic access to medical attention and to the preventative medical knowledge in the first place. Preferably before their medical issues get to a critical phase. That means having access to what are usually the simplest of medicines, not being scared of the expense of getting to doctors, nurses or the cost of prescriptions. Doing really simple things like having housing, clean water and effective sewerage systems.

        This is a concept known as public health. One that looks the effectiveness of allocating resources at maximising health for the whole population for the economic benefit of the whole of the population.

        Rather than just listening to the loudest voices. Which is what I see this government trying to do. That isn’t public health. That is just subsiding small groups of the loud mouths and not focusing on the greatest need across the whole population.

        If making the Maori population (or any other group with poor health outcomes) decades down the track comfortable with how they get the medical products isn’t an important part of their business, then I’d ask you why in the hell that I, as a taxpayer, would want support the loudest voice approach for Pharmac?

        • Cricklewood 1.2.2.1
          20 July 2024 at 10:58 am

          The Covid reponse actually got us on the right track. With all the funding that became available a heap of community level groups sprung up that provided primary services, wellness checks, care packages all sorts of things. Its by far the best way to build relationships and get early intervention happening un difficult to access communites and it does take time. Its a shame that most of the groups lost funding thus the ability to operate. As I understand it partially due to a period as the MHA was set up and funding descisions were essentially in limbo.

          Nevertheless the blueprint for success is there and the organisations now dormant would I'm sure spring back up quickly given the opportunity.

    • SPC 1.3
      20 July 2024 at 8:48 am

      It's about improving Maori health and in this context would relate to the drugs that would do this. This would in fact benefit Polynesians and the working class in general managing the impact of poverty – and thus mitigate middle class influence on National's interventions in this area.

  2. SPC 2
    20 July 2024 at 9:05 am

    The UN's top court has said Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories is against international law, in a landmark opinion.

    The International Court of Justice (ICJ) said Israel should stop settlement activity in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem and end its "illegal" occupation of those areas and the Gaza Strip as soon as possible.

    The ICJ, based at The Hague in the Netherlands, has been examining the issue since the beginning of last year, at the request of the UN General Assembly.

    The UN position for decades, affirmed as the international law status quo.

    Netanyahu explains the historic position of Likud (not a supporter of the Olso Accords) and some of its current coalition partners (who want to annex territory to the Litani River in Lebanon).

    Some Israelis in 1967 were concerned that occupation of the WB and Gaza would corrupt Israel. But this did not occur until Likud came to government in 1977 and began settlement.

    "The Jewish people are not occupiers in their own land – not in our eternal capital Jerusalem, nor in our ancestral heritage of Judea and Samaria" (the West Bank), Mr Netanyahu said in a statement.

    "No decision of lies in The Hague will distort this historical truth, and similarly, the legality of Israeli settlements in all parts of our homeland cannot be disputed."

    Israel in 1967 should have created a Palestinian state, given the refugees in exile Palestinian passports and run the borders until the ME accepted the two state arrangement.

    Now they are being directed by the ICJ to.

    evacuate all of its settlers from the West Bank and East Jerusalem and pay reparations to Palestinians for damages caused by the occupation.

    and the wider world

    advised states to avoid any actions, including providing aid or assistance, that would maintain the current situation.

    It determined that

    Israeli restrictions on Palestinians in the occupied territories constituted "systemic discrimination based on, inter alia, race, religion or ethnic origin". It also said Israel had illegally exploited the Palestinians' natural resources and violated their right to self-determination.

    https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjerjzxlpvdo

    • SPC 2.1
      20 July 2024 at 9:09 am

      If the UN General Assembly is being consistent it will make the same determination as to Ukraine. Russia cannot annex territory of Ukraine and other states should not provide any military aid to it.

      • mikesh 2.1.1
        20 July 2024 at 12:20 pm

        “Russia cannot annex territory of Ukraine”

        They have already done so. Russia would probably justify the annexation by claiming that it is defending itself against eastward encroachment by a hostile nation, America, under the ostensible umbrella of NATO, and using the Ukrainians as "cannon fodder". I suspect that defending one's country would have priority over strict complaince with international law since the latter would seem to have difficulty recognising America's role in this conflict as long America keeps on claiming it is defending "democracy" and "Ukrainian sovereignty" etc.. etc.

        • SPC 2.1.1.1
          20 July 2024 at 12:29 pm

          It is not possible to claim that defence of a nation involves starting a war.

          And annexing territory by war (even if attacked first) was banned by the UN in 1949.

          BN appreciates your support for occupying and settling land taken in the defensive aggression of 1967.

          • mikesh 2.1.1.1.1
            21 July 2024 at 11:15 pm

            And annexing territory by war (even if attacked first) was banned by the UN in 1949.

            So what.

            BN appreciates your support for occupying and settling land taken in the defensive aggression of 1967.

            I don't support BN. Each situation needs to be considered on its merits.

        • lprent 2.1.1.2
          20 July 2024 at 3:52 pm

          More like they have asserted they have annexed. A position that very few states out of the UN have recognised even for Crimea.

          Unilateral annexation is not recognised under international law for a very good reason. It just gives mad old fuckwits with delusions of grandeur like Putin. Because the mad fuckwits trigger widescale wars that kill millions purely to stoke the own egos. Usually for really stupid reasons – almost invariably for domestic popularity issues.

          Doesn’t matter if they pop a few special forces across in mufti to do it, or have a fake referendum without credible outside state observers getting access to the population and to observe the whole process.

          Grabbing a few offshore supporters as ‘observers’, giving them a free holiday and lots of vodka to distract them simply does not count. That kind of stupid shit went out with after the second world war. It causes bloody world wars.

          Russia would probably justify the annexation by claiming that it is defending itself against eastward encroachment by a hostile nation, America, under the ostensible umbrella of NATO, and using the Ukrainians as “cannon fodder”. I suspect that defending one’s country would have priority over strict compliance with international law…

          Nope. It does not. That is exactly what it was designed to prevent. Having the support of the nation it is being severed from does count. Even that is usually only after having credibly observed and free referendums in the areas concerned while not being held under the military duress of invading troops.

          The only country in the world who has done annexations since WW2 like this is Russia. That is why they are a pariah state.

          BTW: Oddly enough, NATO consists a total of 32 member states ( see https://www.nato.int/nato-welcome/ ) that have come in since 1949. Its purpose is multilateral defence against direct attacks and an awareness of security issues that affect member states. That is why you don’t see it annexing bits of territory, and you do see collective security responses to wannabe imperialists like Putin annexing bits states bordering member states.

          It includes most of the European states + US, Canada, and Iceland. The US has the exactly the same veto as any of the other states, like Iceland. The entry to it has usually involved the states really wanting to, typically in referendums that aren’t done under the guns of invading troops in mufti posing as locals (like Russia did in Crimea and the Donetsk).

          Basically you a mindless parrot for stupid propaganda. You sound like typical apologist for the empire builders of 18th, 19th, and early twentieth century. I can just imagine you justifying slavery as being a way to bring god and civilisation to the heathens and/or uncivilised natives.

          Basically you read like a fuckwit parrot who can’t think, research, and is probably so brain-dead that you require an ideology manual to figure out the ‘correct’ way to crap in a public toilet. You’d just drop it with all of the precision of your assessment of the principles of international law. Anywhere that is convenient at the time. Most likely not in the public health amenity…

          • mikesh 2.1.1.2.1
            21 July 2024 at 11:31 pm

            Basically you read like a fuckwit parrot who can’t think, research, and is probably so brain-dead that you require an ideology manual to figure out the ‘correct’ way to crap in a public toilet. You’d just drop it with all of the precision of your assessment of the principles of international law. Anywhere that is convenient at the time. Most likely not in the public health amenity…

            A comment like that speaks volumns for your mental capacities. You haven't really addressed my contention that defence of one's country sometimes takes priority over international law, or UN decisions. I suspect the appropriate foreign policy for a country like Ukraine woiuld have been "Finlandization", but the silly fools, egged on by the US, the worlds no.1 mischief maker, apparently decided otherwise, and they are now reaping he consequences; and it is not as though they did not foresee Russia's response.

            • lprent 2.1.1.2.1.1
              24 July 2024 at 11:40 am

              As I said – braindead. What I said was about international law on conflict was

              Nope. It does not. That is exactly what it was designed to prevent.

              This is what the USSR and later the Russian Federation signed up to in the UN Charter. Both a commitment not to be aggressive and to act in a defence to attacks.

              Note that these are not acts of other nations going into mutual defence arrangements and not the worries of an aged dictator worried about increasing internal opposition

              You haven't really addressed my contention that defence of one's country sometimes takes priority over international law…

              In the absence of any defence being required by Russia I'd say that you don't have an argument. On the other-hand, Ukraine has a excellent case about Russia being a stone cold aggressor nation after it invaded Crimea with troops in mufti in 2014, then fomented a rebellion in the Donetsk and supported it with 'off-duty' Russian Federation military and hardware.

              As I inferred earlier. You mindlessly parroting RT slogans and other Russian propaganda does nothing to convince me of anything apart from your idiocy. As does you apparent complete ignorance of international laws and the reason why they are the way that they are.

              Nor does the continuous whining that you always use when challenged on things like that. Imagine if you spent as much time actually learning what you're waffling about as you do on playing the frigging victim. It'd make for a more interesting world.

              Mind you exactly the same could be said about the traditional grievance complex of Russia as well. Traditional since at least 1720.

          • mikesh 2.1.1.2.2
            24 July 2024 at 1:19 pm

            Nope. It does not. [justify defence against NATO advancement]

            That is of course a matter of opinion. Putin obviously doesn't think so, and I suspect he is in a better position than you to make an accurate assessment of the Russia's defensive needs, and NATO's intentions.

            • mikesh 2.1.1.2.2.1
              24 July 2024 at 1:43 pm

              When Yeltsin granted Ukranian independence in the 'nineties he alluded to a longstanding border dispute, though I don't know the details. He said that Russia would probably not pursue that dispute, but only as long as Ukraine remained "friendly".*

              • From The Russo-Ukrainian War, by Serhii Plokhy, a Harvard history professor, and Ukrainian national.

              Ukraine seems to have become rather "unfriendly" since 2014.

      • Subliminal 2.1.2
        20 July 2024 at 1:51 pm

        First in order of occurrence would be to put Tony Blair and the shrub Bush in the dock for Iraq, then look at the bombing of Belgrade which brought us the anexing of Serb territory in the form of Kosovo with its huge US military base. Not to mention Libya and the destruction of all forms of society in that state. After that they could restsrt their investigations into US and NATO war crimes in Afghanistan. It's probable that this would keep them occupied for a decade or two after which there may be time to investigate the Russian invasion of Ukraine and complete it in a more timely fashion than all of the above. After all, its something like 75 years since Israel began its systematic death squads and ethnic cleansing.

        • SPC 2.1.2.1
          20 July 2024 at 2:21 pm

          Iraq was complicated by it being under UN oversight because of its attempt to annex Kuwait. They hoped sanctions would end the regime, but it did not. NATO wanted to end sanctions, but not while Hussein was still in power. It would have been better if they had ended oil sanctions and just maintained an arms embargo on Iraq. At least neither UK nor USA companies got access to the oil.

          Serbia was just one part of the former state Yugoslavia, and there was contention over borders when it broke up. Sure there was intervention against a greater Serbia, but it was not for the purpose of Kosovo independence. To what state was Kosovo annexed?

          In Libya NATO went beyond their mandate to prevent the Libyan air force being used in a civil war. That was a mistake alright. It also meant no one would trust a NATO involvement in Syria after that. And Syria had a worse outcome.

          The first war major war crime in Afghanistan was to support the Mujahadeen to take power, the second was to leave and allow the Taleban back in power.

          Abkhazia and South Ossetia not worth a mention? They are actual cases of theft of land and annexation in breach of UN law. As is the Donbass and Crimea.

          As for ethnic cleansing – there is the case of India/Pakistan and Israel/Palestine and Jews from the Arab world (both 1940's) and Serbia/Croatia (1990's) and Ukraine now. Also the Armenia/Azerbaijan issue (ongoing).

          • Subliminal 2.1.2.1.1
            20 July 2024 at 3:25 pm

            Oh right. Nato makes "mistakes".

            Translation: Do as I say not as I do. (Synonym for both "mistakes" and the rules based order) aka the Mafia.

            However, the ongoing costs of this "mistake" are many millions of lives and Russia using the exact same playbook in Ukraine as the US used in Serbia aka R2P.

            War’s destruction of economies, public services, infrastructure, and the environment leads to deaths that occur long after bombs drop and grow in scale over time. This report reviews the latest research to examine the causal pathways that have led to an estimated 3.6-3.8 million indirect deaths in post-9/11 war zones, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen. The total death toll in these war zones could be at least 4.5-4.7 million and counting, though the precise mortality figure remains unknown. Some people were killed in the fighting, but far more, especially children, have been killed by the reverberating effects of war, such as the spread of disease.

            https://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/papers/2023/IndirectDeaths

    • Grey Area 2.2
      20 July 2024 at 5:46 pm

      Not going to happen while almost any politician leads the failed state USA.

  3. SPC 3
    20 July 2024 at 9:26 am

    In Europe

    An Italian the PM has been called short (she is 5 foot 3)

    https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cnk41nnl125o

    Ursula von der Leyen has been re-elected as president of the European Commission following a secret ballot among MEPs.

    She is also short (5 foot 3).

    Ahead of the vote, Ms von der Leyen also said she would champion European defence with increased military spending, and committed to sticking to climate targets.

    https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cnk41nnl125o

    Europe must be prepared for a decade of Ukranian war, the outgoing secretary general of Nato has warned.

    https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c03l9eky1p9o

    Sir Keir Starmer met 45 European leaders on Thursday.

    https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgxqlz8l8plo

    • Bearded Git 3.1
      20 July 2024 at 10:05 am

      Van Leyden is a big fan of Israel and has taken very pro-Israel stances in conflict with European Commission official positions.

      “She simply said Israel has the right to defend itself, full stop,” said a diplomat who spoke anonymously to speak freely. “That is not the line member states agreed.”

      “On Tuesday, EU’s foreign ministers condemned attacks by Hamas but also “called for the protection of civilians and restraint, the release of hostages, for allowing access to food, water and medicines to Gaza in line with international humanitarian law.”

      https://www.politico.eu/article/von-der-leyen-visit-israel-gaza-hamas-conflict-bias/

      "Palestinians have described remarks about Israel by the head of the European Commission [Van Leyden] as "inappropriate, false and discriminatory. The Palestinian Authority singled out Ms von der Leyen's suggestion that Israel had cultivated barren land, calling it an "anti-Palestinian racist trope. The phrase [used by van Leyden] "making the desert bloom" is commonly used by Israel and its backers to describe what they view as the country's success in developing the land since the founding of the modern state in 1948. However, Palestinians argue that it erases their history and suggests that the land was previously uninhabited or untended."

      https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-65413810

      • SPC 3.1.1
        20 July 2024 at 10:08 am

        But she still has to confront the issue of consistency on international law, as per recognised international borders and defence of them.

    • mikesh 3.2
      20 July 2024 at 12:26 pm

      With a name like Ursula* one might her to be somewhat short.

      *Little bear in latin.

  4. SPC 4
    20 July 2024 at 9:40 am

    CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. is an American cybersecurity technology company based in Austin, Texas. It provides cloud workload protection and endpoint security, threat intelligence, and cyberattack response service

    Presumably they will not (now) be the American contribution to the AUKUS Pillar 2 tech co-operation …

    Y2K code on a 24 year time loop … . A bit like SCOTUS interfering in the counting of the Florida "chads". What if there was no regime change in Iraq or GFC and instead focus on GW action and health care …

    • lprent 4.1
      20 July 2024 at 10:47 am

      I was going to post on this this morning. Got sidetracked into code, and procrastinated about writing the code into replies….

      Gotta stop that behaviour. Anyway, doing it again.

      //—

      I've made a few code and data updates in my time. They are more complex than most people would suppose. Most updates are extensively tested, but for client level updates they go into a particularly dynamic and often almost untestable environment.

      The problem is most likely that the crowdstrike update hit another untested combination of updates from elsewhere. Or that there was a combination of other code running was common in client systems, that wasn't the testing framework. I've seen both of those happening on security systems in particular, especially where there are multiple layers of security operating at the same time, frequently fighting over the same resources and files. They cause the most frustrating and hard to find errors because they're hard to reproduce for analysis off the particular box they are in.

      Military setups aren't like non-military client systems – I've done quite a lot of work on some. They're virtually always bespoke systems, have very constrained combinations of code and operating systems, and are invariably locked down against any external access outside of military systems and civilian contractors onsite. The reasons for that should be self-evident.

      What this bug based outage does point out because of its widespread nature is the inherent issues with automatic updates and upgrades in our current networked systems.

  5. SPC 5
    20 July 2024 at 10:05 am

    Over 10,000 nurses have moved to Oz in the past year. Now it's well over 20,000 registered Kiwis there.

    Each year graduates sit an exam to be eligible for their placement.

    Only half have a local placement (hiring freeze).

    For some yet to be explained reason the exam was more subjective than objective in its questioning – this was called a “psychometric” approach.

    Once students complete their training programmes they must sit and pass the Nursing Council State Final Examination to become registered. They need to pass to be matched with a job under the Nursing Entry to Practice Programme (NetP).

    It's one way to stop them going to Oz and force them to look for nursing jobs not requiring registration.

    Maybe Oz should allow them to sit their registration exam.

    But it will not encourage people to take up nursing, unless there is a change of government.

    A person working in the health sector earlier told the Herald that Auckland health authorities had “cancelled hiring any new graduate nurses this year”.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/nursing-students-describe-incredibly-stressful-time-as-not-all-applications-result-in-jobs/M62M3SMVCJGH5HHNTKRFQL4Q2Q/

  6. SPC 6
    20 July 2024 at 10:26 am

    Meanwhile In France, Macron is allowing a summer recess without a parliamentary government.

    Leaving the Popular Front to decide whether they want a govern alone, without a majority to achieve anything, or not.

    The only majority is where a Socialist is premier and that party and Greens leave the Popular Front and form a majority with Ensemble and the Republican Party.

    Known as the Valerie (GdE), Francois (M) and Jacques (C) of tradition and its more modern and chic Green Ensemble. This is the Presidents preferred garbure – all in the centrist pot (grub in English).

  7. adam 7
    20 July 2024 at 11:36 am

    Fuck China and Fuck the Unions.

    So this is policy in our country now.

    A radical shift towards hate.

    From a collection Tory wankers

    Oh for those interested the Australian think tanks who have probably helped this massive sea change in NZ politics.

  8. Obtrectator 8
    20 July 2024 at 2:17 pm

    My Trump-supporting NAct-voting-and-fundraising SIL emailed yesterday tearing a strip off Arvida for the staff cuts, "old people are entitled to proper support", etc, etc. Felt like zapping back "well those tax cuts won't pay for themselves, will they" and similar, but forebore. (We actually get on quite well, as long as we observe the tacit pact not to discuss politics.)

    https://business.scoop.co.nz/2024/07/18/150-people-picket-against-cuts-to-care-at-ardivas-village-at-the-park-aged-care-facility/

    The old story: RW policies (and LW ideologies, let's be fair) are all very well in the abstract, until they start having the potential to affect you personally ….

  9. aj 9
    20 July 2024 at 4:37 pm

    In New Zealand, crickets

    In short: China is installing record amounts of solar and wind, while scaling back once-ambitious plans for nuclear.

    While Australia is falling behind its renewables installation targets, China may meet its end-of-2030 target by the end of this month, according to a report.

    What's next? Energy experts are looking to China, the world's largest emitter and once a climate villain, for lessons on how to rapidly decarbonise.

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2024-07-16/chinas-renewable-energy-boom-breaks-records/104086640

  10. Joe90 10
    20 July 2024 at 5:42 pm

    Of course Theil's stickies are all over #bidensgottago

    /

    @LurieFavors

    Restating for precision: Nate Silver – leading pollster pushing for Biden to drop out – now works for a company funded by Peter Theil…who is also funding GOP VP candidate JD Vance:

    https://finance.yahoo.com/news/polymarket-hires-nate-silver-taking-154956290.html

    https://x.com/LurieFavors/status/1814404954972438963

  11. joe90 11
    20 July 2024 at 7:22 pm

    Bernie on Cobert's Late Show touting Biden's presidency and proposed 100 day agenda for 2025.

    Senator Sanders lists some of the progressive policies President Biden has promised to put forward should he be reelected, including expanding medicare, eliminating medical debt and capping rent increases. Stick around for more with Senator Sanders.