Open mike 21/02/2019

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, February 21st, 2019 - 65 comments
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65 comments on “Open mike 21/02/2019 ”

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  1. Morrissey 1
    21 February 2019 at 7:21 am

    Concert for Trump, Pompeo, and Abrams

    In 1971 George Harrison and Ravi Shankar organized a concert in New York for the victims of the Pakistan-Bangladesh war.

    Imagine if they’d supported the murderous U.S.-backed Pakistani regime instead.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/20/pink-floyd-roger-waters-condemns-richard-branson-venezuela-aid-concert

    • Jinx 1.1
      21 February 2019 at 7:32 am

      Branson is a pimp for U.S. imperialism.

    • Gosman 1.2
      21 February 2019 at 9:39 am

      The real question is why does Venezuela NEED any aid at all. It is an oil rich country that is not suffering drought and has plenty of arable land available.

      • KJT 1.2.1
        21 February 2019 at 10:10 am

        Because of US sanctions and deliberate sabotage. Just as they did to Allende. You twit.

        Maduro hasn’t helped, but how would any leader cope with the deliberate sabotage of the economy, destruction and repeated coup attempts by a much larger neighbour?

        Don’t believe all you read in Fox news.

        • Tamati Tautuhi 1.2.1.1
          21 February 2019 at 12:02 pm

          …. and Cuba

        • Gosman 1.2.1.2
          21 February 2019 at 12:17 pm

          Nonsense, Till very recently there were no economic sanctions on Venezuela. There were targeted sanctions on members of the Venezuelan regime though. The Venezuelan economy has imploded not because of sanctions and American intervention but due to the policies followed by the Venezuelan regime. If you don’t believe me just ask me about a particular issue and I will show you how it is caused by a particular policy.

          • KJT 1.2.1.2.1
            21 February 2019 at 2:37 pm

            Of course, the US Governments stated intention to “make their economy scream”, had nothing to do with it!

            I have a Northland bridge to sell you, Gossy.

          • left_forward 1.2.1.2.2
            21 February 2019 at 3:32 pm

            How about the opposite Gossy – when a particular policy causes a particular issue.

            When a country decides a policy where its oil reserves and industry are owned by the people. The issue – the US, multi-corporations, and right wing allies don’t like that because they are being denied a slice of the action – and other countries may even follow suit. So they covertly at first destabilise the economy and democracy by inciting violence and unrest, block trade, and then rush in pretending to be the saviours of the people.

  2. Blazer 2
    21 February 2019 at 7:34 am

    Well its February 2019-time for Sir Ray Avery to perform…after all these years of…

    https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/07/24/164742/can-ray-avery-turn-promises-into-reality

  3. swordfish 3
    21 February 2019 at 7:37 am

    Old Black Magic of the Silver Fox

    In the wake of the latest round of polls … I’ve noticed a lot of loose talk predicting NZF’s apparently inevitable electoral doom.

    So … I’ve gone back and compared the Peters Party’s ratings in Colmar Bruntons at the same (16 month) point following previous Elections (starting with post-1999). While also outlining how those Poll ratings compared with their Party Vote at the subsequent General Election. Might just surprise ya.

    https://sub-zero-politics.blogspot.com/2019/02/old-black-magic-of-silver-fox.html

    • lprent 3.1
      21 February 2019 at 7:54 am

      Nice analysis.

    • That_guy 3.2
      21 February 2019 at 9:49 am

      My guess is that Peters will open some kind of investigation into Jian Yang, timed for maximum effect for the next election.

    • Enough is Enough 3.3
      21 February 2019 at 12:27 pm

      Can you add post 1996 election.

      I ask that because NZ First has been in government three times, 1996, 2005 and 2017.

      They slipped below 5% after their first two times in government so it will be interesting to see if history repeats again.

      1999 they were saved as a result of Winston winning Tauranga and post 2008 they spent three years fishing.

      Unless Winston or Shane win a seat I can’t see them in Parliament at the end of next year.

      • swordfish 3.3.1
        21 February 2019 at 11:30 pm

        Updated to include 1996 data.

        If they follow either their post-96 or post-05 trajectories then (based on their current rating – which is superior to their 1% & 2.2% ratings at the same point into previous Govts) they will, in fact, cross the threshold in 2020.

        (outlined with updated data at bottom of Post)

    • Naki man 4.1
      21 February 2019 at 9:00 am

      Hard left Paradise

      Ryan accused the Labour Party of being “infected” with “anti-Jewish racism” since Corbyn became its leader in 2015. She alleged that the issue did not exist before Corbyn’s election as Labour leader

      https://www.odt.co.nz/news/world/eighth-mp-quits-labour-party

      • mauī 4.1.1
        21 February 2019 at 1:03 pm

        The new Judeophilic Labour Party is polling at 8% – not bad for a party with no policies, no name yet, and a bunch of no names. Our very own Sustainable New Zealand Party must be very encouraged with this result lol.

  5. Jinx 5
    21 February 2019 at 7:56 am

    If you have 45 minutes spare today or want something thought provoking to listen to while completing your chores , here is Derrick Jensen talking to Rachel Stewart about New Zealand’s waterways, farming and future environmental collapse.

    Derrick Jensen’s book Endgame is a must read as well.

    https://t.co/kc7EsuAdPa?amp=1

  7. That_guy 7
    21 February 2019 at 9:33 am

    Just want to alert people to this thing of beauty:

    “Fox News refused to air this full interview with historian Rutger Bregman after Fox News host Tucker Carlson lost his temper, calling his guest a ‘tiny brain…moron’ during the interview.”

  8. Jimmy 8
    21 February 2019 at 9:42 am

    Well I hope that Paul Russell Wilson guy now gets put in jail for good.

  9. Chris 9
    21 February 2019 at 9:56 am

    The nats blaming the government for something the nats introduced, yet again:

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/110753822/is-a-life-worth-47-million

  10. mosa 10
    21 February 2019 at 10:01 am

    Bernie will face another obstacle in his run for the presidency and that is the Democratic party it self.

    https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2019/02/20/bernie-sanders-can-beat-trump-the-question-is-will-the-democrats-let-him/

  12. Ad 12
    21 February 2019 at 11:25 am

    capital gains tax here we come.

  13. Cinny 13
    21 February 2019 at 11:33 am

    How would you feel if your friends, neighbours, work colleagues etc could rate your behaviour? Then the government gave you a ranking, gave everyone a ranking, from the opinion of others. Such a ranking would determine where you could live etc. Too bad if you were in a bad mood one day.

    Reminds me of an episode of Black Mirror.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyUi6-Opzzw&list=PLJk1a21GKEZXxT9wwmnVle-zautJw4q12&index=3

    However in China it’s not science fiction, it’s reality.

    Millions of people are punished for alleged bad behaviour under a government monitoring scheme in China.

    Is China taking social monitoring too far?

    https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/insidestory/2019/02/china-social-monitoring-190219184710862.html

  14. marty mars 14
    21 February 2019 at 12:11 pm

    Interesting

    “Strictly speaking, there aren’t strict boundaries between Earth and space. Our atmosphere doesn’t just end at a certain altitude; it peters out gradually. A new study from Russia’s Space Research Institute (SRI) shows that our atmosphere extends out to 630,000 km into space.”

    https://www.universetoday.com/141560/did-you-know-the-earths-atmosphere-extends-beyond-the-orbit-of-the-moon/amp/

    This is interesting in and of itself. And try thinking about this as political analysis. It then becomes about blurred boundaries, extended influence, unlikely connections…

    • McFlock 14.1
      21 February 2019 at 2:01 pm

      So the moon has a tiny bit of wind resistance in its orbit.

      And SOHO orbits a point with nothing in it, wikipedia tells me.

      fun facts for the day 🙂

      • marty mars 14.1.1
        21 February 2019 at 2:40 pm

        A love of science fiction taught me about lagrange points – but your comment made me look them up again – “The L1 point is approximately 1.5 million kilometers away from Earth (about four times the distance of the Moon), in the direction of the Sun. There, SOHO enjoys an uninterrupted view of our daylight star.”

        https://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/about/orbit.html

        nice

        I wonder if politics is about moving that political lagrange point one way or another rather than moving the the parties themselves.

        • KJT 14.1.1.1
          21 February 2019 at 2:56 pm

          What my Chinese mates like to say.

          “In the West you can change the parties, not the policies. In China, you can change the policies, not the parties. In both systems, the rich are in charge”.

        • McFlock 14.1.1.2
          21 February 2019 at 3:08 pm

          Yeah, and “lagrange” is just an independently cool word for scifi.

          I was surprised SOHO isn’t exactly at L1, because it would be a bit unstable and signals would be washed out by the sun, so it orbits L1 – but there’s nothing at L1. Weirdness.

          • Andre 14.1.1.2.1
            21 February 2019 at 3:22 pm

            The stability around an L1 point is a real trip to get your head around. The point itself is unstable, of the radial and tangential directions one is stable and the other unstable. So if you try to park something there it drifts away. But it’s possible to have a stable orbit around the L1 point. In an idealised three body system with perfectly circular orbits, that is.

            But in our real system, the earth’s orbit is not circular, there’s the moon passing between the L1 point and earth, there’s the variable solar wind. So anything orbiting our real-life L1 point needs regular orbital adjustments.

            • McFlock 14.1.1.2.1.1
              21 February 2019 at 3:26 pm

              and don’t forget wind resistance for the earth-moon L1 🙂

              • Andre …
                21 February 2019 at 3:50 pm

                Yeah. But I’m having trouble coming up with any possible reason to want to put anything at the earth-moon L1 point. From a lunar perspective it would just go around and around above the centre point of the hemisphere facing us.

                • McFlock …
                  21 February 2019 at 4:13 pm

                  True.

                  Maybe some sort of staging point / dock that’s handy for a lunar gravity assist? Especially if a nanotube space elevator comes into play – slingshot the payload from the elevator to L1 station, assemble whatever you need to assemble, and then have the moon help the finished vehicle or supply package on its way. All done without a small nuke’s worth of rocket fuel. Not sure why it couldn’t be hiffed immediately from the elevator, though, unless there’s a basic safety principle of assembling things that might go boom well away from your primary orbital system.

                  But all this is on the scientific principle of extraxerunt de ano est, of course.

  16. Muttonbird 16
    21 February 2019 at 3:23 pm

    Baggy Marry to be investigated by Parliamentary Services for using government money to further National Party interests.

    The Nats probably give a huge collective shrug at this sort of behaviour since I’m sure they are all neck deep in it. It’s just how you do things when you belong to the born-to-rule elite.

    The AG did do her a massive favour releasing this letter today of all days…

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/02/auditor-general-recommends-investigation-into-maggie-barry-s-use-of-parliamentary-staff-for-party-purposes.html

  17. Andre 17
    21 February 2019 at 4:36 pm

    Space Cadet Bonespurs isn’t getting his Space Farce after all.

    Bowing to bipartisan concerns in Congress, President Trump retreated Tuesday from his plan to create an independent “space force” in the Pentagon, proposing instead to consolidate the military’s space operations and personnel in the Air Force.

    https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-pol-space-trump-20190219-story.html

    Pretty much all US military operations in space already occurred under the Air Force umbrella.

  18. Macro 18
    21 February 2019 at 5:36 pm

    Hmmm Lime scooters are causing a bit of pain..

    Lime e-scooters hit the streets of Auckland in October last year, followed by mass roll-outs in Christchurch, Dunedin and the Hutt Valley.

    The e-scooters have proved a huge hit but at a cost. The Accident Compensation Authority (ACC) has recorded more than 1,200 injury claims for e-scooters since October last year, at a cost to the public of $566,405. The majority of the injuries – 656 – have been in Auckland.

    The glitch has seen riders break collarbones and jaws, among other serious injuries.

    In particular, there are concerns about the speed at which the scooters can travel (up to 48km/h) and the rising number of accidents.

    “We cannot let cool trump safety,” Auckland Transport chairman Lester Levy told RNZ. “From the outset, I have had serious safety concerns, initially about user behaviour, but recently we’re seeing what could be equipment – either software or mechanical failure. I am very concerned.”

    A loss of balance or personal control was the most common reason listed for an injury claim, but unexpected braking issues were not able to be isolated from the data, ACC said.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/21/auckland-threatens-to-eject-lime-scooters-after-wheels-lock-at-high-speed

  19. Morrissey 19
    21 February 2019 at 5:40 pm

    Is Lisa Owen working for RNZ, or for the National Party?
    Checkpoint, RNZ National, Thursday 21 February 2019, 5 p.m.

    The Tax Working Group is the big news of the day. Lisa Owen stares grimly at the camera and intones:

    “That second holiday property, and farm: all said to be part of the recommended HIT LIST…”

    Yes, it’s RNZ, but in tone and intellectual depth, it sounds like NewstalkZzzzzzB. And, yes, Richard Griffin, a vacuous National Party placeman, is running the show.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12027576

    • mosa 19.1
      21 February 2019 at 7:30 pm

      Lisa Owen and all the others are unofficial National party spokespersons.

      The same old tactics are being applied…..to rouse those who have money and privilege.

      The MSM take their instructions from the National party on how to convey anything that means their rich , privileged supporters are under threat.

      After all it is their country not ours !!!

      • Pat 19.1.1
        21 February 2019 at 7:34 pm

        even at 33% you maintain 67% of your gain, so it will take a little longer (or more risk) to reach your goal, big deal…it hasnt changed the fundamentals….sadly

    • fender 19.2
      21 February 2019 at 7:35 pm

      +1
      Checkpoint has been wrecked, and Lisa induces nausea.

      I can’t stomach it for much longer unfortunately..

      • weston 19.2.1
        21 February 2019 at 8:47 pm

        Whether its checkpoint or morning report my gripe is theres no time to digest anything , within a nanosecond its on to the next topic .Whats the fucking rush ??A bit more balance would be nice also , RNZ seems joined at the hip with bbc and american commentators like the rest of the world doesnt even exist !!

    • greywarshark 19.3
      21 February 2019 at 7:43 pm

      Isn/t Richard Griffin a bit old and tired?

  20. greywarshark 20
    21 February 2019 at 7:40 pm

    Dairy farmers going for efficiency and faster growth in feed had better be careful of a result that has caused cow deaths in the USA.

    High nitrate, mostly concentrated in grass stems, causes quick death, Evans says. Nitrate converts to nitrite in a cow’s rumen. Nitrite in the blood blocks oxygen uptake. Without oxygen, cows die quickly.
    “Testing low-quality forage for nitrate is urgent,” Evans said. “We’re trying to get word out. Producers need to know potential problems.”

    In an MU Extension teleconference with area livestock specialists, Eldon Cole, Mount Vernon, told of two cases in southwestern Missouri. One farmer fed new forage to his herd of 70 cows. Forty were dead the next morning. In another case, 20 cows died.
    In both cases, producers used nitrogen or poultry litter to boost forage growth last fall.

    MU Extension centers may have kits used for testing nitrate in drought areas last summer, Evans said. Those work best on split stems that are still moist.
    Area extension specialists for livestock or agronomy advise producers on testing and forming safe rations.

    MU Extension beef nutritionist Eric Bailey says supplements dilute nitrate in cow diets.

    [BUT] Adding starchy grain speeds up rumen fermentation more than other feeds.

    Hay ferments slowly.
    “Nitrogen is needed by the rumen bugs, and nitrate provides it,” Bailey adds. “Bugs break nitrate down to provide nitrogen. When fermentation is slow, not much nitrate is digested.”

    [BUT] Unused nitrate, converted to nitrite, spills into the blood.
    Adding grain to hay diets speeds nitrate usage.
    http://www.thebullvine.com/news/

  21. Eco Maori 21
    23 February 2019 at 11:09 am

    A tax on captial gains is needed to balance the tax system in NZ at the minute people who have all NZ captial =money get away with paying less % taxes than the common person . When these people gain enough Captial money they FLEE with there money to Island states with minimal tax rates .
    This type of behaviour by the wealthy 00.1 is a huge drain on New Zealands Resorces that leaves the burden of keeping NZ Society functioning on the lower classes shoulders thats a big burden when you have 10% of people owning 95 % of NZ Captial=money. AT the minute its like Big companies have a wopping great hose siphoning many billions out of NZ economy leaving little captial behind to keep the society that they siphoned the Captial from funcing at a healthy humane level anyone can SEE that is not a SUSTAINABLE MODEL as eventually society has no Captial left.
    Look at the power companys shonky sold and made $5 billion that $5 billion has been losted in less than 5 years with the profts losted and the Captial Gains losted to KIWIS. They take that money with out paying taxes .shonky gifted half of OUR stratedic assets to foreigners most people need power these days.
    Don’t listen to simon as national party has showen its true colours time and time again they serve the wealthy weather it ruins OUR country or not
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2kQqPH85gc
    P.S A Captial Gains TAX will keep some of the captial in NZ for te mokopunas and DECENDANT,S to have a happy healthy LIFE

  22. Eco maori 22
    23 February 2019 at 12:31 pm

    The capitalist system is a unsustainable model people think that capital that is gain comes from the organization willing to pay more for thee ASSET in the short term that’s correct .
    Long term all the capital gained comes from the loss of the purchaseing POWER of OUR dollars yesterday we could buy one liter of milk for 80 cents today we have to pay more $1.00 the assets that have been sold at a higher price will charge U.S. more for there product or services that is the phenomenon called inflation in reality it is the 99 % of people paying for the capital flowing overseas it will also be Te mokopunas playing for that capital outflow from Aotearoa. It’s not ROCKET SCIENCE it’s a model dreamed up by the wealthiest to serve the wealthiest people at the expense of the lower class’s .
    That is why we have people who have so much money if they got there money in cash and stacked it in one dollar note the stack would reach Te Marama they could not count there money in ten life times . It is what we have at the minute capitalism so too make that system fair a capital gains tax is NEEDED .Ka kite Ano.

  23. Eco Maori 23
    23 February 2019 at 5:06 pm

    Some Eco Maori Music for the minute.

  24. Eco Maori 24
    23 February 2019 at 6:36 pm

    Kia ora Newshub A bad dease in Otago that’s not on we are a first world nation.
    The airshow lost its main attraction a b52 well that will be less carbon in our inviroment they must burn heaps of fuel.???? Stargazing is free of carbon and putea.
    The container deposit skeem is good but shying away from cutting carbon out of our environment is just soft.
    That’s sad that the Zoo had to put down a barboon.
    Looks like someone is on the attack against the billionaire from America who got busted doing his business I wonder who he has upset with the power to do that to him.
    That was cool the penguins being released they are such unique cute creatures Ka pai.
    The Scarfie flats in Dunedin are classic they have a Kiwi flear and wit Ka kite ano P.S I won’t be commenting on movies till. I watch them

  25. Eco Maori 25
    24 February 2019 at 9:23 am

    Kia ora R&R We do have to stop the short term thinking and make products so they last for years make it so it is best to repair reuse instead of REPLACE.
    Good point on weed I agree. That is a nother good point 1000 liters of Wai to make 1 liter of WINE we could bring down the 400 litres of Wai to grow 1 litre of milk te Papatuanukue needs milk not wine Ka kite ano

  26. Eco Maori 26
    24 February 2019 at 9:33 am

    R&R take the whenua away take there Mana away and you end up with people who don’t like there reality so they get stoned or drunk to get to a different reality /Cause Colonialism is the cause of that problem thats a fact Ka kite ano P.S break a person and they want to hide in a bottle

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    The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts and talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest climate science on rising temperatures and the climate implications of the US Presidential elections; and special guests Janet ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Do or do not. There is no try

    1. Upon receiving evidence that school lunches were doing a marvellous job of improving outcomes for students, David Seymour did what?a. Declared we need much more of this sort of good news and poured extra resources and funding into them b. Emailed Atlas network to ask what to do next c. Cut ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Dangerous ground

    The Waitangi Tribunal has reported back on National's proposed changes to gut the Marine and Coastal Area Act and steal the foreshore and seabed for its greedy fishing-industry donors, and declared it to be another huge violation of ti Tiriti: The Waitangi Tribunal has found government changes to the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • Climate Change: National wants to cheat on Paris

    In 2016, the then-National government signed the Paris Agreement, committing Aotearoa to a 30 (later 50) percent reduction in emissions by 2030. When questioned about how they intended to meet that target with their complete absence of effective climate policy, they made a lot of noise about how it was ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • Treasury warned Govt lower debt limits meant less ‘productivity-enhancing investment’

    Treasury’s advice to Cabinet was that the new Government could actually prudently carry net core Crown debt of up to 50% of GDP. But Luxon and Willis instead chose to portray the Government’s finances as in such a mess they had no choice but to carve 6.5% to 7.5% off ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Is the Media Complicit?

    This is a long read. Open to all.SYNOPSIS: Traditional media is at a cross roads. There is a need for those in the media landscape, as it stands, to earn enough to stay afloat, but also come across as balanced and neutral to keep its audiences.In America, NYT’s liberal leaning ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Black Friday

    It's Black Friday, the end of the weekYou take my hand and hold it gently up against your cheekIt's all in my head, it's all in my mindI see the darkness where you see the lightSong by Tom OdellFriday the 13th, don’t be afraid.No, really, don’t. Everything has felt a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 13-September-2024

    Ooh, Friday the thirteenth. Spooky! Is that why certain zombie ideas have been stalking the landscape this week, like the Mayor’s brainwave for a motorway bridge from Kauri Point to Point Chev? Read on and find out. This roundup, like all our coverage, is brought to you by the Greater ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    3 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #37 2024

    Open access notables Early knowledge but delays in climate actions: An ecocide case against both transnational oil corporations and national governments, Hauser et al., Environmental Science & Policy: Cast within the wide context of investigating the collusion at play between powerful political-economic actors and decision-makers as monopolists and debates about ‘the modern ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • What it is

    I liked what Kieran McAnulty had to say about the Treaty Principles bill this morning so much I've written it down and copied it out for you. He was saying that rather than let this piece of ordure spend six months in Select Committee, the Prime Minister could stop making such ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • A government-funded hate campaign

    Cabinet discussed National's constitutionally and historically illiterate "Treaty Principles Bill" this week, and decided to push on with it. The bill will apparently receive a full six month select committee process - unlike practically every other policy this government has pushed, and despite the fact that if the government is ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • How Substack works to take (some) craziness out of America’s elections

    I spoke with Substack co-founder yesterday, just before the Trump-Harris debate, about how Substack is doing its thing during the US elections. He talks in particular about how Substack’s focus on paid subscriptions rather than ads has made political debate on the platform calmer, simpler, deeper and more satisfying ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Kamala Harris Did Something Unthinkable

    Hi,Yesterday me and a bunch of friends gathered in front of the TV, ate tortillas, drank wine, and watched the debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.Some of you may have joined in on the live Webworm chat where we shared thoughts, jokes and memes — and a basic glee ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago
  • Kamala Harris Did Something Unthinkable

    Hi,Yesterday me and a bunch of friends gathered in front of the TV, ate tortillas, drank wine, and watched the debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.Some of you may have joined in on the live Webworm chat where we shared thoughts, jokes and memes — and a basic glee ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago
  • Kamala Harris Did Something Unthinkable

    Hi,Yesterday me and a bunch of friends gathered in front of the TV, ate tortillas, drank wine, and watched the debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.Some of you may have joined in on the live Webworm chat where we shared thoughts, jokes and memes — and a basic glee ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago
  • David Seymour is such a loser

    For paid subscribersNot content with siphoning off $230,000,000 of taxpayers money for his hobby projects - and telling everyone his passion is education and early childcare - an intersection painfully coincidental to the interests of wealthy private families like Sean Plunkett’s1 backers, the Wright Family, Seymour is back in the ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Cross-party consensus: there’s no pipeline without good faith

    There’s been a lot of talk recently about a cross-party agreement to develop a pipeline for infrastructure, including transport. Last month, outgoing CRL boss Sean Sweeney talked about the importance of securing an enduring infrastructure programme. He outlined the high costs of the relentless political flip-flopping of priorities, which drives ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • Voters love this climate policy they’ve never heard of

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Karin Kirk The Inflation Reduction Act is the Biden administration’s signature climate law and the largest U.S. government investment in reducing climate pollution to date. Among climate advocates, the policy is well-known and celebrated, but beyond that, only a minority of Americans ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • ACC wants to administer inflation at more than double the RBNZ’s target rate

    ACC levies are set to rise at more than double the inflation rate targeted by the RBNZ. Photo: Lynn GrievesonKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, September 12:The state-owned monopoly for accident insurance wants ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Harris vs Trump

    We’ve been selected to rock your asses 'til midnightThis is my term, I've shaved off my perm, but it's alrightI solemnly swear to uphold the ConstitutionGot a rock 'n' roll problem? Well we got a solutionLet us be who we am, and let us kick out the jams, yeahKick out ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Treaty Bill “a political stunt”

    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon appears to have given ACT Leader David Seymour more than he has been admitting in the proposals to go forward with a Treaty Principles Bill.All along, Luxon has maintained that the Government is proceeding with the Bill to honour the coalition agreement.But that is quite specific.It ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • An average 219 NZers migrated each day in July

    Kia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, September 11:Annual migration of New Zealanders rose to a record-high 80,963 in the year to the end of July, which is more than double its pre-Covid levels.Two ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • What you’re wanting to win more than anything is The Narrative

    Hubris is sitting down on election day 2016 to watch that pig Trump get his ass handed to him, and watching the New York Times needle hover for a while over Hillary and then move across to Trump where it remains all night to your gathering horror and dismay. You're ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • National’s automated lie machine

    The government has a problem: lots of people want information from it all the time. Information about benefits, about superannuation, ACC coverage and healthcare, taxes, jury service, immigration - and that's just the routine stuff. Responding to all of those queries takes a lot of time and costs a lot ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Christopher Luxon: A Man of “Faith” and “Compassion” Speaks on the Treaty Pr...

    Synopsis: Today - we explore two different realities. One where National lost. And another - which is the one we are living with here. Note: the footnote on increased fees/taxes may be of interest to some readers.Article open.Subscribe nowIt’s an alternate timeline.Yesterday as news broke that the central North Island ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Member’s Day

    Today is a Member's Day. First up is the third reading of Dan Bidois' Fair Trading (Gift Card Expiry) Amendment Bill, which will be followed by the committee stage of Deborah Russell's Family Proceedings (Dissolution for Family Violence) Amendment Bill. This will be followed by the second readings of Katie ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Northern Expressway Boondoggle

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has been soaring high with his hubris of getting on and building motorways but some uncomfortable realities are starting to creep in. Back in July he announced that the government was pushing on with a Northland Expressway using an “accelerated delivery strategy” The Coalition Government is ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    5 days ago
  • Never Enough

    However much I'm falling downNever enoughHowever much I'm falling outNever, never enough!Whatever smile I smile the mostNever enoughHowever I smile I smile the mostSongwriters: Robert James Smith / Simon Gallup / Boris Williams / Porl ThompsonToday in Nick’s Kōrero:A death in the Emergency Department at Rotorua Hospital.A sad homecoming and ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Question Two of The Kākā Project of 2026 for 2050 (TKP 26/50)

    Kia ora.Last month I proposed restarting The Kākā Project work done before the 2023 election as The Kākā Project of 2026 for 2050 (TKP 26/50), aiming to be up and running before the 2025 Local Government elections, and then in a finalised form by the 2026 General Elections.A couple of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Why is God Obsessed with Spanking?

    Hi,If you’ve read Webworm for a while, you’ll be aware that I’ve spent a lot of time writing about horrific, corrupt megachurches and the shitty men who lead them.And in all of this writing, I think some people have this idea that I hate Christians or Christianity. As I explain ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago
  • Inside the public service

    In 2023, there were 63,117 full-time public servants earning, on average, $97,200 a year each. All up, that is a cost to the Government of $6.1 billion a year. It’s little wonder, then, that the public service has become a political whipping boy castigated by the Prime Minister and members ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • New Models Show Stronger Atlantic Hurricanes, and More of Them

    This is a re-post from This is Not Cool Here’s an example of some of the best kind of climate reporting, especially in that it relates to impacts that will directly affect the audience. WFLA in Tampa conducted a study in collaboration with the Department of Energy, analyzing trends in ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • Where ever do they find these people?

    A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma, is how Winston Churchill described the Soviet Union in 1939.  How might the great man have described the 2024 government of New Zealand, do we think? I can't imagine he would have thought them all that mysterious or enigmatic. I think ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Motorway madness

    How mad is National's obsession with roads? One of their pet projects - a truck highway to Whangārei - is going to eat 10% of our total infrastructure budget for the next 25 years: Official advice from the Infrastructure Commission shows the government could be set to spend 10 ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Our transport planning system is fundamentally broken

    Ever since Wayne Brown became mayor (nearly two years ago now) he’s been wanting to progress an “integrated transport plan” with the government – which sounded a lot like the previous Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP) with just a different name. It seems like a fair bit of work progressed ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    6 days ago
  • Thou Shalt Not Steal

    And they taught usWhoa-oh, black woman, thou shalt not stealI said, hey, yeah, black man, thou shalt not stealWe're gonna civilise your black barbaric livesAnd we teach you how to kneelBut your history couldn't hide the genocideThe hypocrisy to us was realFor your Jesus said you're supposed to giveThe oppressed ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • How mismanagement, not wind and solar energy, causes blackouts

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections In February 2021, several severe storms swept across the United States, culminating with one that the Weather Channel unofficially named Winter Storm Uri. In Texas, Uri knocked out power to over 4.5 million homes and 10 million people. Hundreds of Texans died as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • The ‘Infra Boys’ Highway to Budget Hell

    Chris Bishop has enthusiastically dubbed himself and Simeon Brown “the Infra Boys”, but they need to take note of the sums around their roading dreams. Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, September ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Media Link: “AVFA” on the politics of desperation.

    In this podcast Selwyn Manning and I talk about what appears to be a particular type of end-game in the long transition to systemic realignment in international affairs, in which the move to a new multipolar order with different characteristics … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    7 days ago
  • The cost of flying blind

    Just over two years ago, when worries about immediate mass-death from covid had waned, and people started to talk about covid becoming "endemic", I asked various government agencies what work they'd done on the costs of that - and particularly, on the cost of Long Covid. The answer was that ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago
  • Seymour vs The Clergy

    For paid subscribers“Aotearoa is not as malleable as they think,” Lynette wrote last week on Homage to Simeon Brown:In my heart/mind, that phrase ricocheted over the next days, translating out to “We are not so malleable.”It gave me comfort. I always felt that we were given an advantage in New ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Unstoppable Minister McKee

    All smiles, I know what it takes to fool this townI'll do it 'til the sun goes downAnd all through the nighttimeOh, yeahOh, yeah, I'll tell you what you wanna hearLeave my sunglasses on while I shed a tearIt's never the right timeYeah, yeahSong by SiaLast night there was a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Could outdoor dining revitalise Queen Street?

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    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    1 week ago
  • Hipkins challenges long-held Labour view Government must stay below 30% of GDP

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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Your invite to Webworm Chat (a bit like Reddit)

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    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 week ago
  • Seymour’s Treaty bill making Nats nervous

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    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 week ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #36

    A listing of 34 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, September 1, 2024 thru Sat, September 7, 2024. Story of the week Our Story of the Week is about how peopele are not born stupid but can be fooled ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago
  • Time for a Change

    You act as thoughYou are a blind manWho's crying, crying 'boutAll the virgins that are dyingIn your habitual dreams, you knowSeems you need more sleepBut like a parrot in a flaming treeI know it's pretty hard to seeI'm beginning to wonderIf it's time for a changeSong: Phil JuddThe next line ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt Six.

    The “double shocks” in post Cold War international affairs. The end of the Cold War fundamentally altered the global geostrategic context. In particular, the end of the nuclear “balance of terror” between the USA and USSR, coupled with the relaxation … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    1 week ago
  • Buried deep

    Here's a bike on Manchester St, Feilding. I took this photo on Friday night after a very nice dinner at the very nice Vietnamese restaurant, Saigon, on Manchester Street.I thought to myself, Manchester Street? Bicycle? This could be the very spot.To recap from an earlier edition: on a February night ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies, Excerpt Five.

    Military politics as a distinct “partial regime.” Notwithstanding their peripheral status, national defense offers the raison d’être of the combat function, which their relative vulnerability makes apparent, so military forces in small peripheral democracies must be very conscious of events … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    1 week ago
  • Leadership for Dummies

    If you’re going somewhere, do you maybe take a bit of an interest in the place? Read up a bit on the history, current events, places to see - that sort of thing? Presumably, if you’re taking a trip somewhere, it’s for a reason. But what if you’re going somewhere ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Home again

    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on anything you may have missed. Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • Dead even tie for hottest August ever

    Long stories short, here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer:The month of August was 1.49˚C warmer than pre-industrial levels, tying with 2023 for the warmest August ever, according ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Asia Foundation Board appointments announced

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced the appointments of Hone McGregor, Professor David Capie, and John Boswell to the Board of the Asia New Zealand Foundation.  Bede Corry, Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade, has also been appointed as an ex-officio member. The new trustees join Dame Fran Wilde (Chair), ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    54 mins ago
  • Endeavour Fund projects for economic growth

    New Zealand’s largest contestable science fund is investing in 72 new projects to address challenges, develop new technology and support communities, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins says. “This Endeavour Fund round being funded is focused on economic growth and commercial outputs,” Ms Collins says. “It involves funding of more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago
  • Parihaka infrastructure upgrades funded

    The Government will provide a $5.8 million grant to improve water infrastructure at Parihaka in Taranaki, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka say. “This grant from the Regional Infrastructure Fund will have a multitude of benefits for this hugely significant cultural site, including keeping local ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • Serious assaults down 22% in Auckland CBD

    Cross-government action to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour in Auckland is getting traction, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “Our central cities should be great places to live and work, but in recent years they have become hot spots for crime and anti-social behaviour. In Auckland, businesses and residents suffered as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Increased certainty for contractors coming

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says upcoming changes to the Employment Relations Act will provide greater certainty for contractors and businesses. “These changes to legislation are necessary to ensure businesses and workers have more clarity from the start of their contracting arrangement. It is an ACT-National coalition ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Draft critical minerals list released for consultation

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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Government eliminates $190 million in trade barriers to boost the economy

    The Government has successfully removed trade barriers affecting nearly $190 million worth of exports to help grow the economy, Minister for Trade and Agriculture Todd McClay today announced.  “In the past year, we have resolved 14 Non Tariff Barriers (NTBs), returning significant value to kiwi exporters. These efforts directly boost our ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Reo Māori the ‘beating heart’ of Aotearoa New Zealand

    From private business to the Paris Olympics, reo Māori is growing with the success of New Zealanders, says Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka. “I’m joining New Zealanders across the country in celebrating this year’s Te Wiki o te Reo Māori – Māori Language Week, which has a big range ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Need and value at forefront of public service delivery

    New Cabinet policy directives will ensure public agencies prioritise public services on the basis of need and award Government contracts on the basis of public value, Minister for the Public Service Nicola Willis says. “Cabinet Office has today issued a circular to central government organisations setting out the Government’s expectations ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Minister to attend Police Ministers Council Meeting

    Police Minister Mark Mitchell will join with Australian Police Ministers and Commissioners at the Police Ministers Council meeting (PMC) today in Melbourne. “The council is an opportunity to come together to discuss a range of issues, gain valuable insights on areas of common interest, and different approaches towards law enforcement ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • New Bill to crack down on youth vaping

    The coalition Government has introduced legislation to tackle youth vaping, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Amendment Bill (No 2) is aimed at preventing youth vaping.  “While vaping has contributed to a significant fall in our smoking rates, the rise in youth vaping ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Interest in agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review welcomed

    Regulation Minister David Seymour, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, and Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard have welcomed interest in the agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review. The review by the Ministry for Regulation is looking at how to speed up the process to get farmers and growers access to the safe, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Bill to allow online charity lotteries passes first reading

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government is moving at pace to ensure lotteries for charitable purposes are allowed to operate online permanently. Charities fundraising online, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust and local hospices will continue to do ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Tax exempt threshold changes to benefit startups

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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Getting the healthcare you need, when you need it

    The path to faster cancer treatment, an increase in immunisation rates, shorter stays in emergency departments and quick assessment and treatments when you are sick has been laid out today. Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has revealed details of how the ambitious health targets the Government has set will be ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Targeted supports to accelerate reading

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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Survivors invited to Abuse in Care national apology

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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Rangatahi inspire at Ngā Manu Kōrero final

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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Driving structured literacy in schools

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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s misleading information is disappointing

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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Govt takes action on mpox response, widens access to vaccine

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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Next steps agreed for Treaty Principles Bill

    Associate Justice Minister David Seymour says Cabinet has agreed to the next steps for the Treaty Principles Bill. “The Treaty Principles Bill provides an opportunity for Parliament, rather than the courts, to define the principles of the Treaty, including establishing that every person is equal before the law,” says Mr Seymour. “Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government unlocking potential of AI

    Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today announced a programme to drive Artificial Intelligence (AI) uptake among New Zealand businesses. “The AI Activator will unlock the potential of AI for New Zealand businesses through a range of support, including access to AI research experts, technical assistance, AI tools and resources, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government releases Wairoa flood review findings

    The independent rapid review into the Wairoa flooding event on 26 June 2024 has been released, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced today. “We welcome the review’s findings and recommendations to strengthen Wairoa's resilience against future events,” Ms ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Promoting faster payment times for government

    The Government is sending a clear message to central government agencies that they must prioritise paying invoices in a timely manner, Small Business and Manufacturing Minister Andrew Bayly says. Data released today promotes transparency by publishing the payment times of each central government agency. This data will be published quarterly ...
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    5 days ago
  • Acknowledgement to Kīngi Tuheitia speech

    E te māngai o te Whare Pāremata, kua riro māku te whakaputa i te waka ki waho moana. E te Pirimia tēnā koe.Mr Speaker, it is my privilege to take this adjournment kōrero forward.  Prime Minister – thank you for your leadership. Taupiri te maunga Waikato te awa Te Wherowhero ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Interim fix to GST adjustment rules to support businesses

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