Open mike 20/02/2011

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, February 20th, 2011 - 49 comments
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49 comments on “Open mike 20/02/2011 ”

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  1. Jim Nald 1
    20 February 2011 at 6:27 am

    Milk price freeze until the end of the year?

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4679866/Milk-price-freeze-could-end-in-tears-Fed-Farmers

    Why until the end of the year?

    Milk price freeze until after the elections?

    And then what?

    And then, yippee, milk price will go down??

    Reason(s) and motivation(s) for Fonterra’s latest call?

    • logie97 1.1
      20 February 2011 at 7:11 am

      … can’t help thinking we could link this to the “block of cheese” tax cut as well somehow…

      While we are on the mantra of competition.
      Seems our book retailing section was proof that “free enterprise” is not always best. When the big got consumed by the even bigger over time to produce the apparent efficiencies – bollocks. The “big” just went down and its subsidiaries have gone with it.

      Perhaps if there had been some form of regulatory body preventing takeovers from happening where all the major brands came under one company, we might have had genuine competition in the market place.

      Which brings us back to Fonterra. What happens if Fonterra were to ever go down?

      • RedLogix 1.1.1
        20 February 2011 at 8:02 am

        What happens if Fonterra were to ever go down?

        Too big to fail.

        • r0b 1.1.1.1
          20 February 2011 at 9:02 am

          Pilgrim – moved your comment to the post on Whitcoulls.

        • Deadly_NZ 1.1.1.2
          20 February 2011 at 12:16 pm

          And thats what they said about the big American banks and mortgage companies Fannie and Freddie May.. And the whole lot went tits up due to mismanagement and thievery by the big boys at the top. The trouble in NZ is that we NEED fonterra to fail, as it is a monopoly and with No competition then they will be able to just keep on Ripping off the little man. We need Competition and a commerce commission with teeth and the balls to use them, case in point the Oil companies, and the Supermarkets and the Telecommunications market as well, and they need to say No discussion it’s going to be this way. We HAVE to break these Monopolies and let prices fall, or rise as the competition cuts in.

          • Draco T Bastard 1.1.1.2.1
            20 February 2011 at 12:32 pm

            Competition isn’t always the best option especially in regards to natural monopolies such as Telecommunications. You don’t get competition in infrastructure and when you do it just costs more while doing less. For natural monopolies it’s better for state ownership regulated to run at cost plus reinvestment.

            • Colonial Viper 1.1.1.2.1.1
              20 February 2011 at 5:25 pm

              Yep. Certain natural monopolies and basic infrastructure should be 100% Government owned and run for the benefit and resilience of the country.

    • ianmac 1.2
      20 February 2011 at 8:58 am

      Yes I wondered about that too Jim. But what connection could there be between Government and Fonterra? Could Mr Key have said that milk was politically embarrassing so “Freeze! Or else.”
      The milk producers are apparently disturbed by the decision too.

  2. joe90 2
    20 February 2011 at 8:15 am

    A Scienceblogs guest post, In Defense of Mockery. (of RWNJs).

    After all, what is the worst that could happen by whipping up snickering leftism to a fever pitch in the U.S. population? Single-payer universal healthcare? Defense spending halved? Lower teen pregnancy rates? Stable Social Security? Legalized pot? Higher tax rates for the obscenely rich? Clean energy?

    The horror.

  3. joe90 3
    20 February 2011 at 8:20 am

    Can a mod check the spam queue please, ta.

    • r0b 3.1
      20 February 2011 at 9:01 am

      Sorry – not sure what happened there – you did have comments in the spam queue – I released the first one and it has appeared above…

      Update: Sorry, between us we have been confusing the system. Think it’s all sorted now (and I’m away for the day).

      • joe90 3.1.1
        20 February 2011 at 9:13 am

        Tried to repost but the machine tells me I’m duplicating my post.. Trying again with with an alteration.

        edit: and there it is…?…

        and in moderation?

      • lprent 3.1.2
        20 February 2011 at 9:32 am

        Looks ok. I am around today having a look at the thread move. I will keep an eye on it.

        • joe90 3.1.2.1
          20 February 2011 at 9:33 am

          Thanks.

        • Deadly_NZ 3.1.2.2
          20 February 2011 at 12:19 pm

          And I hope you are feeling better now. Nice to see you back.

          • lprent 3.1.2.2.1
            20 February 2011 at 1:05 pm

            Never really went away. Apparently I was insistent on getting my comms up immediatelyl after getting out of surgery. They need wifi in the hospitals… 😈

            But I am taking it slowly. Am getting pretty bored. Going back to work next week remotely or in the flesh. Probably the latter. Hanging around home on my own even with the visitors seems a bit dangerous to me.

            • Jum 3.1.2.2.1.1
              20 February 2011 at 6:34 pm

              Whenever you threaten to moderate or remove me, I’ll remember your courage and your wit and forgive you LPrent!

  4. ZeeBop 4
    20 February 2011 at 8:55 am

    When stepping out the door, everywhere there are choices, they all mostly cost money. So choice for the most parting means parting with mulla. John ‘feels your pain’ Key knows this since he was once a kid growing up on welfare. So then why would he accuse those on a benefit of having a choice? Living the dream? Since it contrariness, the more choice a beneficiary has means the more money they surely have, but the essential problem with welfare is that beneficiaries don’t have the income to support themselves so the government steps in. Any money that a beneficiary does have spare is because they have saved it, have worked to provide themselves savings and the choice Key is talking about regarding this as belonging to the government because they weren’t personally responsible! But they had to be personally responsible to get savings to have choices to live the lifestyle, the dream! The government builds half a bridge over a gully, put up a sign that warns people of the impending danger, then accuses the citizens who fall into the gully of not being able to read, and they the government justified cutting back on reading classes as a result! Because citizens weren’t being personally responsible. Because citizens didn’t know government could be so inept to fail to create jobs, and so it must be their personal responsible if they fell into the gully of unemployment, their personal fault for trying to learn to read road signage that government had failed to educate them because government cut the public information program!
    Where are the Jobs? Why are the warning signs being removed? Why does the media allow those with the power, with the incentive to do better, with the means at their disposal, to blame the least powerful, those will huge marginal tax disincentives, and little disposable income except the savings they’ve personally made at considerable effort??? Why do we live with such horrendously propaganda that lets government fail and allows government to justify its failure by blaming the victims of its poor policiesWhy are we alloing the creation of a class of rich poverty exploiters, when we should have government that creates a society of real choice exploiters.

    • neoleftie 4.1
      20 February 2011 at 9:12 am

      Maybe cause the capitalists are cleverer and more connected that the masses. Maybe cause Stalin came to power and exiled Trotsky, maybe cause the break down of society to the base unit of the individual had depowered the community and the rise of materalism has increased the desire for more and more stuff at any price.
      Also well if we take a longer view the ‘free-ish market’ actual brought real increases in base wealth to most people, more people can read, few people starve to death, most people have a home.
      The true social left block need to take a longer view than just 3-9 years and think about what eco system can co-oped both the capitalist and the people and satisfy both. We thinker at a micro level within fiscal constraints but overall bring no real longer tern satisfaction to the base question of opportunity, equity sharing and equality.

      • Colonial Viper 4.1.1
        20 February 2011 at 9:54 am

        The true social left block need to take a longer view than just 3-9 years and think about what eco system can co-oped both the capitalist and the people and satisfy both.

        This is a good approach, however you still have to take into account a class of very powerful, very wealthy, capitalist decision makers whose goal is to maximise their return on investment whatever the externalised cost on communities and individuals outside their own sphere. In our current set up these people are extraordinarily influential.

        You can see their fingerprints all over many decisions. Efforts to remove the estate tax in the US (which would benefit only the top 0.3% of the wealthiest people), participation in highly risky speculative schemes with huge toxic leverage, etc.

        For this class of capitalist, there is no such thing as ‘sufficient returns’ it’s always going to be “more, more, more”.

    • Todd 4.2
      20 February 2011 at 9:34 am

      In other words, if you ain’t got the dosh like the big cheese, you’re going to get milked for every cent. The simple answer there ZeeBop is greed and lust for money and power. Some people have a little switch inside their brains that cuts various emotions like empathy and compassion. It’s often money that flicks the switch, which is hard to turn on again. In fact it’s more like someone has come along and removed the cognitive reasoning part of their brains entirely, so that they place politics before the impoverished and the all-powerful dollar before everything else. They would privatize their own mothers if they could.

      • ZeeBop 4.2.1
        20 February 2011 at 8:44 pm

        My point was that a beneficiary saves every penny they can, they take their kids out to have a day where they aren’t shackled to their deprived economic existence, and then some sh*t PM comes out and uses them, telling everyone that their living a lifestyle choice, that they have no personal responsibility, yet the beneficiary had to have huge personal responsibility to restrict all the urges they are bombarded with. It was just contradictory to say a group of people seeking to maximize their lives and willing to take sh*t, and so go out wait in line for free food are not being personally responsible. So those who don’t, who have given up and are never trying anything, never trying to better themselves, never trying to maximize their wealth (legally) are the ‘personally responsible’!!! WTF. Lots of people get jobs because a mate knew a mate. If a company creates a bad batch of food, that’s still edible, they sure don’t want to give it to people who have the money to pay for it, but they also don’t want to throw good food away, by gifting it to a food bank who *wants* to give the food away to beneficiaries is not the beneficiaries fault, or something irresponsible, rather its poor envy – the whole living the dream attack on the poor, that some rich prick who gets a bonus just because the oil price has gone up sudden hears someone is getting something for nothing, and they don’t understand basics like charitable giving helps the brand, that they abuse the poor so they can cut back welfare and pay for the tax cuts they gave themselves.

    • Colonial Viper 4.3
      20 February 2011 at 10:00 am

      People make bad and irrational choices from time to time, full stop. We’ve all done it, we all know what its like. You give people a number, tell them its totally random, and they will still act on it. They will pay more for insurance against terrorist action, than for comprehensive insurance (which includes the same protection from terrorist action). Human beings are subject to a shit-tonne of psychological biases.

      Now, if we insist on creating a totally unforgiving society where there are lots of bad choices available and few good choices which allow people to recover from them, we will end up with lots of frakked up people. Which co-incidentally is what we have now.

      The Right’s defence to this is of course – individual responsibility! If people take a turn in the wrong direction, they have to suffer the consequences. Which to my mind is a fair comment only if you are not the one who has laid out a minefield and then dropped off a bunch of people in the middle with no instructions how to get out.

      • ZeeBop 4.3.1
        20 February 2011 at 8:51 pm

        But its worse than that, someone buys shares in a gold mine, or an oil company and the shares just go up and up without them lifting a finger, and that means they can pooh pooh some poor envy line about poor people getting free food. How frigging out of touch!
        Someone makes millions sitting at the gats of the NZ economy, taking a cut from the trading of NZ dollar, or someone making millions from buying homes and selling them after talking them up, most people with education can do those jobs, but not everyone can HAVE those jobs. So there are always going to be people left behind, some quite capable, and the idea that just because Key, or whoever won life’s lottery, should not mean everyone else is scum.

  5. Thomas Forrow 5
    20 February 2011 at 12:53 pm

    I attended a protest on Saturday Morning in Kapati about the new express way.
    Stephen Joyce got a real roasting
    Now compare TVNZ report To TV3.
    Both News teams even interviewed the same local

    welly-commuters-get-new-train-service
    Kapiti-expressway-protesters-vent-at-Steven-Joyce
    Spot the different headlines?
    What are TVNZ up to? Kinda like there is a political bias? no couldn’t be surely

  6. marsman 6
    20 February 2011 at 12:57 pm

    Sound familiar? :- ‘But Cameron’s gift for planting great political myths in the popular imagination, aided by his mighty press, means he wins most arguments – until found out. This week it’s welfare. Polls show the public deeply believes immigrant/teen mother/druggy idlers live the high life on others’ hard-earned taxes. One anecdote is worth a hundred facts, but phoney facts can be very useful too – until found out.’ – Polly Toynbee in The Guardian talking about England’s dodgy PM.

  7. Todd 7
    20 February 2011 at 5:59 pm

    There is a possible intrusion threat to your system through an SLO cookie KB places on your computer when you visit.

    Presently the KB SLO cookie seems to be offline. I’ve just reviewed some of the syntax, in my opinion there is still a potential threat. If you have visited KB recently, their SLO will still be in effect on your computer.

    An SLO cookie is not a normal cookie, usually you cannot delete it through your browser. Many SLO will re-spawn the normal cookie you have deleted. The KB SLO is not the DART google cookie. Learn about it here:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_Shared_Object

    If your using Firefox, this is what to do: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/

    Install BetterPrivacy or a similar application. Follow the instructions carefully.

    • Colonial Viper 7.1
      20 February 2011 at 6:08 pm

      Hi Todd, does it seem to you that the potential threat from the cookie was inadvertent, or was it engineered? Or is it simply a characteristic of all LSO cookies?

      • Todd 7.1.1
        20 February 2011 at 6:50 pm

        Hi Colonial Viper,

        It’s my opinion the KB SLO cookie threat was engineered. My initial review of KB syntax shows certain loggers. I believe the recipient must be informed about all cookies and an opt out provision made available. This is not the case for the KB SLO cookie.

    • lprent 7.2
      20 February 2011 at 9:26 pm

      Interesting. I will have a look around my systems.

  8. Pete 8
    20 February 2011 at 6:01 pm

    How TV Ruined Your Life – You might be familiar with Charlie Brooker’s Screenwipe. He’s got a new series out and this episode examines why we’re so fearful when society is now safer than it’s ever been. He blames the media, but I think we can also blame the politicians who capitalise on it too.

  9. Jum 9
    20 February 2011 at 6:42 pm

    I’m watching the Libraries. Some very interesting books are being sold off – women’s history of liberation books, anything to do with socialism, they refuse to stock The Spirit Level where I am. Is this the start of the blackout, like in ’51, the dumbing down of people who can’t afford to buy the books?

    This ties in with ZeeBop 4
    20 February 2011 at 8:55 am

    That is the cunning plan of National which they cannot publicise. After all, what do cleaners and waiters, sweat machinists and rubbish collectors need to read for…?

  10. Jum 10
    20 February 2011 at 6:59 pm

    Neoleftie,

    Absolutely, I agree, providing the initial information is there in the first place for allowing informed thinking. That’s all I have ever asked in politics.

    Trouble is, you are dealing with media that only presents one side, as Duncan Garner presented tonight on 3 and the Herald, which has its own history of rightwing support, so the written media becomes a valuable asset. Internet is still not strong enough to politically influence. Hard copy will still be the medium that all/most New Zealanders rely on for their information.

    I hope I’m wrong.

    PS I said “I hope I’m wrong” when John Key and National was elected. It turns out I was correct.

    • neoleftie 10.1
      20 February 2011 at 7:30 pm

      Not to sound pompous but i sent some time hanging round the electoral office of my local MP (pitching in ) and challenged the local university’s marketing department Poll on the basis of their statistics they use to generate the poll…my experience is never never accept at face value at statistics esp from the MSM. I always ‘drill down’ to the underlying assumptions or data set to get a fuller understanding. MSM are so lazy they simple use the data given to them by the polies – spin spin spin and inaccurate data.
      To follow suit here i should use quotes etc more as well

  11. Colonial Viper 11
    20 February 2011 at 7:19 pm

    How to topple dictators – Peacefully

    Looks like this old US academic’s instruction manual had a strong influence in the Egyptian removal of Mubarak.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/17/world/middleeast/17sharp.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=general

  12. Jum 12
    20 February 2011 at 7:44 pm

    Colonial Viper. I will check it out. I am getting very angry with the way this country’s msm is dealing with the political parties. All I have ever asked is objectivity and the media reporting in the interests of New Zealanders, not their foreign owners.

    I don’t have any faith left in this country and its people.

    I guess my rhetoric is beginning to show. ‘Refuse’ to me is not stocking it!

  13. Tigger 13
    20 February 2011 at 8:13 pm

    Key and Bing Bing are off to the royal wedding!
    http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/fergie-snubbed-royal-wedding-john-key-invited-4035280

    I’m sure that royalist lapdog will just lurve being able to hob nob it with all the world leaders, especially since it will finally give him that Obama time he’s been craving so…wait, Obama hasn’t been invited! Bwahahahahahaha!

    • Rosy 13.1
      21 February 2011 at 4:07 am

      Key’s minders will be happy with that. He can’t do any damage to the brand while he’s there (unless he tells Kate she’s ‘hot’)

  14. Colonial Viper 14
    20 February 2011 at 9:34 pm

    High value added manufacturing means better jobs, higher wages

    http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/19/business/19hyundai.html?src=me&ref=general

    Hyundai and its sister company, Kia, which opened a plant last year just across the Georgia state line, have brought thousands of well-paying jobs to the region and even helped nurture a little Korean culture in Montgomery, the first capital of the old Confederacy. Hyundai is running its Montgomery plant almost nonstop. Rarely do more than a few weeks pass without word that another parts supplier has dozens of new positions to fill, typically offering good benefits and double the pay that the average Alabaman earns.

    Seriously, we do not want an employment market consisting of people making coffees and working in milking sheds – which is where we are going right now.

  15. joe90 15
    20 February 2011 at 9:46 pm

    Rachel Maddow on Beck, Obama and the antichrist guy and end times.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_arY7ixjY84

  16. Colonial Viper 16
    20 February 2011 at 10:59 pm

    NZ scores bad on income inequality, prison population

    Australia does better than us in several measures, and is well above average. But the US sucks the most, by far.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/19/opinion/19blow.html?src=me&ref=general

  17. Rob 17
    21 February 2011 at 8:30 pm

    Just went and visited the enemy (Kiwiblog) and saw this. Am I correct in hearing this guy runs a polling company and thus would have some mathematical/statistical skills?

    Polls
    Do you support the the Govt’s likely policy to allow minority shareholdings in four energy SOEs?

    » Yes (49%, 517 Votes)» No (51%, 516 Votes)Total Voters: 1,049

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    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A Step–by–Step Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and third–party applications. So, let‘s dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. That‘s why they introduced the “Recently Deleted“ folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Here‘s how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the “Recents“ tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on “Edit“. Select “Show Recently Deleted“. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose “Recover“ to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Here‘s how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose “Erase All Content and Settings“. Follow the on–screen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose “Restore from iCloud Backup“ during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore Third–Party Apps (with Caution): ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    2 days ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    2 days ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    2 days ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    4 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
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