“To the economically illiterate, if some company makes a million dollars in profit, this means that their products cost a million dollars more than they would have cost without profits. It never occurs to such people that these products might cost several million dollars more to produce than if they were produced by enterprises operating without the incentives to be efficient created by the prospect of profits.”
[Changed the font and added WP blockquote using Editor for clarity. Bold is for specific emphasis – if you bold the whole quoted text it come across as shouting – Incognito]
Now and then being 'bold' can be justified. But of course if used too often it loses its effectiveness, ie our minds get used to it, it just becomes more of the same, or we get irrritated and turn away.
But so much of our societal habits and practices are usual, accepted and unexamined. Like always wanting higher profits and lower wages. Labour costs are commonly the biggest costs that a firm can face; so that maybe they reflect the truth of how things should be.
And something that the quote of Thomas Sewell does not mention, is that the profits that are found high enough to be satisfactory, often are that way because economic externalities have been left out.
That is no money has been paid out or withheld to pay for past damage to workers or the environment and none has gone into studying and implementing practices to prevent future damage. The rest of society bears that cost, which is exponential we find when we look at all the results on the ground and in Climate Change itself.
I think this is a place for people's thoughts and minds to exchange and learn from each other. Shouldn't that be encouraged, not reduced by rules set by long practice which may be discouraging in this era of disruption which we need to face, discuss and understand? There need to be limits but not too rigid. The times demand we shake ourselves and open up our brains.
A quote and a query comes to mind. Do we understand why the quote below from Shortland Street has longevity? That might offer us a 'Being John Malkovich' (film) window to our psyche, ie
"You're not in Guatemala now, Dr Ropata."
Setting authoritarian and rigid rules has not worked; we see by the mess and despair around us amongst a majority of people. We need looser rules to make us do what the PTB decided and agreed rules to guide us to an amicable living rather than just civil. Can we achieve a new way to handle our future with many hands on it, of people stepping forward who are thoughtful, informed, considered, and collaborative, and whose decisions are practical and mindful of the effect on all.
I was listening to Radionz this morning with Kim Hill and other interesting speakers. (Do others know Lloyd Cole's music?) One is an author, Sarah Moss from the UK, who I thought had some good ideas. We who are thinking and not just doing, take in and give out ideas, and are trying to be collaborative. So I mention this interview as likely to be interesting to others. I feel good when i hear people who have good ideas and hopes for a human future. Maybe you do too.
Perhaps we need to think about thinking. Against the ordinary citizen are people who study how our minds work and create propaganda that pushes our personal buttons. We need to understand ourselves and the things that they learn. So this from one google listing on brainstorming.
It's a pity that when someone puts up a statement or quote that has said something to them and they share it, another person tries to find some small aspect of it that can be used to dismiss the main point of it. Dont uou think? (I am putting some errors into my discourse so you can find something easy to comment on!)
Ah there's the rub. Let's proceed. I can't I must be in the garden but have put up my think piece to add to the fertile field of thought here on this blog. Good growing!
I do think points of order matter but it's rather tiring. Prefer them to everything but the major matter. You lot ( except me when I want amusement) are terrible. This isn't a Left amusement park, but as a letters depositary that's how it ends up. Climate change, end of resources and the poorest of us, are everything. In comparison, nothing else matters.
Finally someone with a platform being honest and talking about class struggle…time for those companies making millions in profit to share that wealth around with the workers… and here is something that deserves to be bold
Bernie Sanders' Union Platform Calls for Class Struggle
I don't think you will see Warren making a big issue with class warfare going forward ( I could be wrong here) I have noticed her rhetoric has shifted to more of a defending the 'hard working middle class' as of late, which would fit in nicely with her new role as saviour of the establishment DNC, I mean she has been obliquely endorsed by the Koch Bros funded Third Way think tank after all…but then you seem to be status quo centrist kind of guy, so I can see how Warren would tick all your boxes…you guys are all about being pragmatic and compromise, even as we head faster and faster toward the cliff…you are like “can’t we slow down just a bit..please”
“She believes in capitalism, amazingly we have to say this, but that matters. What she’s offering is not a rejection of capitalism.”
“She is not tipping over the edge into what is absolutely unsustainable in a general election,” he added. “Our principle problem with Sanders is that he has.”
"Yet she scares the money men." you really think so? ..I guess that's why she had the tick from Third Way then, cos they like scaring themselves.
Look 90, warren is pretty good,of course and no doubt or argument from me, but she is also a shaping up as the compromise candidate for the establishment to back. and they really are scared of Bernie, shit scared, because unlike Warren , he wants real systemic change, he is the only one who will actually 'rock the boat'..and that is just a fact.
Anyhoo, you rock the boat to build movements suitability large enough to affect real, systemic change. Any movement large enough to affect real, systemic change must include the centre and unless he can capture the centre, Sander's won't be able to deliver squat.
I like her. I'd prefer Bernie of course, but she comes across as smart, hard-headed, and looking to address the drivers of many US problems. If the DNC can be persuaded to abandon self-sabotage sufficiently to let go of Biden, Warren can probably beat Trump. If not though, there's that thing about those who refuse to learn the lessons of history.
I like her too, but lets face it Bernie is the only one who could possibly change the direction of the US in a real and meaningful way, infact he is the only one who wants too, Warren will end up being like Helen Clark ..thats why Third way like her, in her (Warren's) own words a capitalist to her bones.
No worries, comradeship is what attracted me to Left politics when I was a very young man, and is still what I believe is it's real power.
I guess that is why it is always under assault from those in power, and those (like many here unfortunately) on the left who have drunk the kool aid of neoliberalism…it's a damn shame.
What do you think Bernie will do/achieve as POTUS?
He'll have a couple of years of both houses, if enough dem reps are on board with his plan.
He might get one or two big hits, like Obama did with healthcare. Or Warren might with campaign finance reform.
But he's not the Chosen One. He's just a man. You're setting yourself up for another four years of bitterness, and that's if he gets elected. If he misses the nom, we'll never hear the end of it. Again.
So far 'All' he's done is entirely move the conversation, and that's just as a candidate.
He allows the population who are suffering under a corrupted, ineficient and inhumane system of Health Care, Education, Housing, Employment..realise they can in fact demand better service and protections from their elected Representatives.
There is a reason the Corporate powers and DNC would rather he exited stage left…and its not because he has no power to bring about change..
From the fact that many of the #metoo wave of candidates, including Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, were members of and activists for the Democrats (and its state affiliates) for more than a few years before 2016.
Bernie did change the conversation, but he was an outsider looking to use the Democrat Party machinery. He wasn't a lifelong Democrat. Many of the #metoo crowd are.
Maybe Rose McGowan had a stronger effect on the dems than St Bernie did.
I don't think they would like to be described as " #metoo candidates", as I am sure their platform encompasses a little more than that one issue, and further, if you really don't understand that all the progressive gains recently are directly the result of the momentum and energy created by Bernie Sanders, then I would say you have seriously misread the direction of US politics since 2016.
You get precious about the terminology I used to denote a wave of candidates who decided 2018 was the time to put themselves forward, and then you dismiss literally all the work they did in the democratic party before Bernie became a member and continue as democrats after he got re-elected to senate as an independent.
Sanders fights. It's the right attitude. He talks. Warren making agreements with corrupt power doesne impress. Everything needs to be overthrown. Power needs to bow to the people. No agreement needs to be made with the present. This makes me think he should choose Tulsi Gabbard as his vice-president. But I don't think that plutocracy will allow him.
I'm saying revolution. Or nothing for our youngers.
Production is carried on for profit, not for use. There is no provision that all those able and willing to work will always be in a position to find employment; an “army of unemployed” almost always exists. The worker is constantly in fear of losing his job. Since unemployed and poorly paid workers do not provide a profitable market, the production of consumers’ goods is restricted, and great hardship is the consequence. Technological progress frequently results in more unemployment rather than in an easing of the burden of work for all. The profit motive, in conjunction with competition among capitalists, is responsible for an instability in the accumulation and utilization of capital which leads to increasingly severe depressions. Unlimited competition leads to a huge waste of labor, and to that crippling of the social consciousness of individuals which I mentioned before.
[Left the bold (!) but changed the font and added WP blockquote using Editor for clarity. Italics is for specific emphasis and effect – if you italicise the whole quoted text it loses its effect – Incognito]
There is no “TS's style new guide” because it would have been forewarned and announced loudly and clearly and quite possibly after some consultation. That said, Lynn does try to improve the text Editor and other things here by making technicaladjustments with various success, as you know.
I think you might be taking my Moderation note as some kind of authoritarian instruction, when it is/was actually meant to be read as a suggestion. If you don’t agree with the suggestion to improve clarity of comments, I’m keen to hear it and the reason(s) why. Blockquotes and quotation marks have a special function as does font style; I think they are there for a reason. Please don’t get too alarmed and/or read too much into being ‘moderated’.
Lastly, I thought it was obvious that I was not ‘moderating’ in a vacuum but in the context of the comment @ 1 and the reactions it elicited.
I apologise if I did upset you, as this was not my intention. NB some commenters here have an idiosyncratic style that’s beyond reprieve 😉
I’ve always block quoted comments I reply to and italicised text I cite.
Tricky when you have a mixture of quotes like that. I seem to have started italicising short initial ones from other commenters like this, but doubt there is any right way.
Accessibility work taught me it is harder for people to read lots of italics, capitals, or bold. Most of us can test that pretty easily by just reading an average paragraph in different formats..
FOR INSTANCE, DO YOUR EYES GET MORE TIRED READING A WHOLE CHUNK IN CAPS LIKE THIS WHEN IT GOES ON FOR MORE THAN A LINE OR TWO? MIGHT BE OKAY AS A HEADING BUT AT FOUR OR FIVE LINES THE EFFORT MAY BECOME MORE APPARENT. DOES ALSO DEPEND ON THE FONT USED. MY EYES END UP FEELING A BIT PHYSICALLY SORE THESE DAYS WHEN I ENCOUNTER THIS. HOW ABOUT YOURS?
Likewise long blocks of text without paragraphs, or excessive use of ellipses (both are almost a guarantee for me not to read a comment).
I used to use italics a fair bit, as it seems to convey quoting better than " " for longer quotes. Now I tend to use the blockquote, although it's a bit idiosyncratic (on my browser at least).
All bold irks me because it messes with my brain over moderation bold.
Not so long ago, I think it was after one of the iterations of the Text Editor, I embarked on a personal crusade to improve readability here and enhance readers’ experience (scrolling!). Nobody ever commented on it but I became zealously obsessed and deleted almost every non-breaking space that had no clear stylistic function other than to add unnecessary ‘whitecaps’ to each comment, big or small, and even created large deserts of white space.
Suffice to say, it was an exercise in futility and like carrying water to the sea using a bucket with holes in it.
True but I do trust Twitr a lot more than Bookface on that front. Have not managed to monetise our attention very well by comparison.
Results from free tracking cookie manager from the EFF:
Privacy Badger (www.eff.org/privacybadger) is a browser extension that automatically learns to block invisible trackers. Privacy Badger is made by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit that fights for your rights online.
Privacy Badger found 22 potential trackers on thestandard.org.nz:
Yeah, I know. I’ve looked at this a number of times over the years.
We use google analytics (keep track of usage – nothing else is remotely accurate), google fonts (the fonts used on the site are from there – which is why it looks familiar across many platforms), gravatar (those personalised icons), QR (the post barcode), twitter (the shout and count on twitter icon), facebook (the shout and count on facebook icon), and wordpress.org (including the wp) because we use wordpress jetpack.
Of those, the twitter and the QR aren’t critical. Basically twitter is the peanuts in terms of draw and the home to a noisy minority of wordy loons, QR is only used by a small number of new readers on mobiles.
However some of the other cookies (what you’re calling trackers) aren’t ‘on’ the standard. They are either on your client or attached to external videos.
Plus of course there is a load of javascript in various portions of the site – mostly jquery. Not that much because I limit its use in favour of site longevity.
Down below the level you can see, there are a pile of connections to other systems. The wordfence that prevents site attacks by looking at what everyone is asking for and from where. The AWS cloudfront (via w3 total cache) that looks at the calls for every image and document on the site and supplies it from locations around the world, the AWS route 53 that does the same for the DNS, the shunting through voyager….
If you choose to turn all them off – then that is your issue. The site won’t be that usable without them (especially the bits of javascript – which are far more dangerous than cookies).
No-one could pay me enough to provide the kind of site detailing that these systems provide. Which is why they are used.. One stacked on top of the other – and they are all potential monitoring systems.
Plus of course there is me.
Welcome to the net – built in a mound of monitoring systems where the basic anonymity is that really we don’t care enough to turn over the midden enough to clear out the problems.
It’s possible the anti-change campaigners in both Chamberlain Park [golf course] and Takapuna will be a deciding factor in the final tally even if they’re a minority of the population. After decades of underinvestment in infrastructure, the city’s governing body and local boards could once again see an influx of candidates who are primarily distinguished by their ability to say no to things.
It seems to me that a more embracing guide for living than being kind is needed, though 'kind' helps. I believe 'kind' creates the feeling of a hippy-sounding mantra. It doesn't stand against the hard-nosed approach of the majority mired in the capitalist system, which I notice comes with a kevlar (more modern than armour) protection from receipt and acceptance of compassionate thoughts and understanding.
What about being kind and practical in balance in everything. I think that would help us to face off the dismissal of the human condition that is prevalent in neolib economics, and Randian 'The Virtue of Selfishness'.*
Stephen Fry discusses Ayn Rand and her works 2minsapprox
Incidentally that is shown as coming from Radio 4. If a country has only private radio, they would not hear or see any of this sort of discussion. Instead it would be full of capitalist jargon very focussed on what were seen to be profitable subjects, ventures and discussions that would be influential in maintaining the wall against expansion of understanding and help.
Synchronicity at work? There seems to be more attention being paid to the use of language and rhetoric.
It may seem pedantic to make a fuss over language, but it is important to remember the power of labelling and the connotations that go with it. It is a reminder too that we should consider how language is carefully packaged and presented to us by our politicians.
Within the binary structure of language, which itself is debatable, words are defined not in and of themselves, but in relation to their opposites. This means that if a "victim" exists within this set of circumstances, then a "perpetrator" must also exist. Hence, the concept of "victim" can be used as a rhetorical tactic to assign guilt to someone in the court of public opinion.
I think what we have seen being played out in the NZ Media recently is a classic example of a ternary (triangular) structure similar to the Karpman drama triangle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karpman_drama_triangle) involving the Victim, the Rescuer, and the Persecutor (sometimes called the Perpetrator). These roles can interchange. This model describes “a type of destructive interaction that can occur between people in conflict”.
I’m not going to assign names/entities to the three roles in this drama but like to emphasise that binary descriptions, concepts, and ‘explanations’ can be useful but can also be extremely limiting and overly simplistic depending on the context and their use or aim.
Our need to think – and toss ideas round outside the envelope (is writing letters and NZ Post really a thing of the past, should we be happy to see it disappear?). Random thoughts, like the above, are they useful and valuable or just inefficient?
The more we rely on technology to make us efficient, the fewer skills we have to confront the unexpected, says writer and entrepreneur Margaret Heffernan. She shares why we need less tech and more messy human skills — imagination, humility, bravery — to solve problems in business, government and life in an unpredictable age. "We are brave enough to invent things we've never seen before," she says. "We can make any future we choose."
Fucking unbelievable. That they were cavalier with evidence collection, destroyed evidence, and we don't know who or why. Can't believe the Pike River families are still having to g through this kind of thing.
Newshub revealed police notes in February that described the way they gathered evidence as "diabolical". Now we know they destroyed exhibits they decided "had no evidential value".
"It's troubling. It indicates a reasonably relaxed view to the handling of evidence," says independent investigator Tim McKinnel.
He says evidence is generally only disposed of if there are storage issues or if exhibits present a health and safety risk.
"Outside of those issues, I can't see why you would begin destroying items from a potential crime scene when so little is known about what happened there," he says.
Police will not say who exactly ordered the items be destroyed. But the lead police investigator only found out about it late last year.
Espots – gaming – not gambling. A shared space for the young brought up on the computer and games since they paid pacman at age 6 probably. Good idea to bring them together for simple friendship even proximity. A guided space where you can hang out with no stress.
..."We also have events during night-time as well where we tend to fill the arena with people, so Tuesday nights – I'm actually at the arena tonight and the boys here are being very quiet … we’ve got them in here playing Formula 1 2019 together, so it’s a racing car game."
The arena is packed during these weekly events, Featonby says.
"We’ve got a big group from one of the hostels that come in every Tuesday night without fail and fill the arena for me, which is quite nice. One of the main parts I like about being the esports coordinator is the relationship-building – getting to know them and sharing their passion for gaming."
. …"What we don’t support are realistic first-person shooters, so being the first university to have an esports presence we’re very wary that we need to be above board with everything we do and especially after Christchurch."
Games that feature realistic-looking guns, blood and gore – like the popular Counter-Strike – are not available at the arena, a move which was unpopular with some, but some of the more cartoon-style shooting games are allowed.
Jonathan Pie in full flow dissing everything in Boorish's Cabnt. Take note – not for sensitive ears – has a go at every bit of virtue signalling from the Conservatives.
Media coverage of the economy is drifting into the territory of predicting a recession and then when this does not come explaining that there was little growth but for that via migration.
This without placing this in perspective – past growth was slightly higher and so was immigration.
Given continuing demand from employers for more migrants … and the path to a higher MW ($20 in April 2021), those predicting recession connected to local economic factors alone have no credibility.
Really, you can still use the same tenancy agreement with all the same clauses you had back in 2016, as long as you cross out the bit about the letting fee.
This is all despite a Government which came to power promising the first serious change to tenancy laws in a generation, with an end to no-cause termination, limiting and codifying rent increases, more allowances for pets, and more modification of homes.
Is "social credit" an organisation, an author, or just a generic category of story? Can't seem to find it on the site. Might just be a category from Bradbury – I was wondering if the actual social credit movement was getting more active again.
Social Credit is New Zealand's oldest, surviving, smaller political party.
The following (below) is from mosa's initial link.
Social Credit, which has been part of New Zealand’s political landscape for 66 years, was the first party to propose a comprehensive environmental policy when it published a 28 page booklet entitled ‘You and Your Environment’ in 1973.
It was also the first party to promote an anti-nuclear position for New Zealand and it campaigned strongly for proportional representation.
More of us from the left should be supporting them.
Yes we know, you think lefties and environmentalists should vote for a party that doesn't have a shit show chance of getting into Parliament rather than the one that is already there. All so boring.
With Labour largely having the Greens onside, they know there is hardly anywhere for the left-wing voter to turn. Hence, we on the left need to show them otherwise.
The competition would be good for the left, forcing them both (Labour and the Greens) to up their game.
And that, IMO, would be a real concern for Labour. They would have to offer us more than merely being a National lite.
I think it is great that Labour is playing nice with the Greens these days. There are two things that are needed now for a more left and environmental government:
1. for the Greens to win back the vote they lost back to Labour last election and other stragglers they can pick up so that they are a bigger player in the government
2. for Labour to win more of the swing vote from National so that Winston First's support is not required to pass legislation.
More of us from the left should be supporting them.
You'd like to see more of the left vote directed to parties that won't make the threshold, so that their vote share gets re-distributed to, among others, right-wing parties? So not surprised to hear that…
I'd like to see more of the left vote directed to them (SC) to not only make the threshold but to help them win.
But clearly, I can't do that alone.
The left have a choice. Continue to vote Labour and get National lite or force Labour to up their game. The Greens have shown they are ineffective. Shaw won't rock the boat. Hell, they were the ones that came up with the BRR all on their own. Largely robbing Labour of the funding to do little more than National. Therefore, it's time to give SC a go.
Less chance of them climbing to even get a score on the board in opinion polls than there is of you being taken seriously on this site claiming to be part of "we on the left".
Good to hear! If only NZ would just wait for some kind of study so that we know it is safe or not. But no, why not experiment with our population first (because, rugby!)?
For fucks sake i am sick off feckin rugby !!!!!!!!
It is totally out of control and wayyyyyy over the top.
Imagine what it will be like when or if we loose or win for that matter.
If we loose then the NZRFU will hold an inquiry which will regrettably get more publicity than the current Burnham shambles.
If we win it will be like the second coming of christ and no one even those kiwis who DON'T watch this stupid 80 minutes of utter crap will not be safe.
What annoys me is: we've got the police ballsing-up the Pike River Inquiry by destroying crucial evidence, and it now transpires senior Defence Force personnel were either total incompetents or downright liars.
But all we get to hear about is a bunch of macho-ridden boof-heads kicking a funny shaped ball around a field.
You know things are dire when the arch capitalists start musing thus…
"Off the record, other senior people in the City tell me they find the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, who has been circulating among them busily in recent months, a serious and intriguing figure: a supposed Marxist who looks, and sometimes talks, a bit like a bank manager.
A similar thaw is under way in the more thoughtful parts of the business press. With western capitalism having a crisis of confidence, at the very least – this week the Financial Times announced “Capitalism: time for a reset” – Labour’s radical economic alternatives have begun to look more reasonable to some business journalists. The Economist, despite its longstanding support for the Thatcherite free-market reforms that McDonnell would like to reverse, has been covering the development of Labour’s new economic thinking with intense curiosity since 2017. This month, the more cautious, centrist FT has published a succession of long articles about “Labour’s new establishment” and its ambitions for Britain. While the pieces were still spiked with criticisms, the scale of the coverage has suggested a degree of respect – and that corporate Britain needs to understand Corbynism, and be prepared to make some accommodations with it."
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Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
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 ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 - ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
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— Thomas Sowell
Hmmm.
[Changed the font and added WP blockquote using Editor for clarity. Bold is for specific emphasis – if you bold the whole quoted text it come across as shouting – Incognito]
Are you worried people will not read your quote if you do not make the whole thing bold?
Now and then being 'bold' can be justified. But of course if used too often it loses its effectiveness, ie our minds get used to it, it just becomes more of the same, or we get irrritated and turn away.
But so much of our societal habits and practices are usual, accepted and unexamined. Like always wanting higher profits and lower wages. Labour costs are commonly the biggest costs that a firm can face; so that maybe they reflect the truth of how things should be.
And something that the quote of Thomas Sewell does not mention, is that the profits that are found high enough to be satisfactory, often are that way because economic externalities have been left out.
That is no money has been paid out or withheld to pay for past damage to workers or the environment and none has gone into studying and implementing practices to prevent future damage. The rest of society bears that cost, which is exponential we find when we look at all the results on the ground and in Climate Change itself.
In this place, whole sentences in bold tend to be moderators' comments.
I think this is a place for people's thoughts and minds to exchange and learn from each other. Shouldn't that be encouraged, not reduced by rules set by long practice which may be discouraging in this era of disruption which we need to face, discuss and understand? There need to be limits but not too rigid. The times demand we shake ourselves and open up our brains.
A quote and a query comes to mind. Do we understand why the quote below from Shortland Street has longevity? That might offer us a 'Being John Malkovich' (film) window to our psyche, ie
Setting authoritarian and rigid rules has not worked; we see by the mess and despair around us amongst a majority of people. We need looser rules to make us do what the PTB decided and agreed rules to guide us to an amicable living rather than just civil. Can we achieve a new way to handle our future with many hands on it, of people stepping forward who are thoughtful, informed, considered, and collaborative, and whose decisions are practical and mindful of the effect on all.
I was listening to Radionz this morning with Kim Hill and other interesting speakers. (Do others know Lloyd Cole's music?) One is an author, Sarah Moss from the UK, who I thought had some good ideas. We who are thinking and not just doing, take in and give out ideas, and are trying to be collaborative. So I mention this interview as likely to be interesting to others. I feel good when i hear people who have good ideas and hopes for a human future. Maybe you do too.
Perhaps we need to think about thinking. Against the ordinary citizen are people who study how our minds work and create propaganda that pushes our personal buttons. We need to understand ourselves and the things that they learn. So this from one google listing on brainstorming.
https://business.tutsplus.com/articles/top-brainstorming-techniques–cms-27181
19 Top Brainstorming Techniques to Generate Ideas for Every Situation
A few techniques for this type of brainstorming include Step Ladder Brainstorming, Round Robin Brainstorming, Rapid Ideation, and Trigger Storming.
Sorry I just copied + pasted and it was bold. Didn't think.
All good. Enjoy your eve.
operative word being 'might'
It's a pity that when someone puts up a statement or quote that has said something to them and they share it, another person tries to find some small aspect of it that can be used to dismiss the main point of it. Dont uou think? (I am putting some errors into my discourse so you can find something easy to comment on!)
you may not recognise the importance of the caveat.
the proverb dosnt say "profit is the mother of invention"
'Some small aspect' – or a fundamental flaw..
Ah there's the rub. Let's proceed. I can't I must be in the garden but have put up my think piece to add to the fertile field of thought here on this blog. Good growing!
I do think points of order matter but it's rather tiring. Prefer them to everything but the major matter. You lot ( except me when I want amusement) are terrible. This isn't a Left amusement park, but as a letters depositary that's how it ends up. Climate change, end of resources and the poorest of us, are everything. In comparison, nothing else matters.
How would this economist manage to ignore lots of factors including externalities? Ah, by being another of these dolts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Sowell
Oof.
Finally someone with a platform being honest and talking about class struggle…time for those companies making millions in profit to share that wealth around with the workers… and here is something that deserves to be bold
Bernie Sanders' Union Platform Calls for Class Struggle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRfL5B_uJRo
What took him so long?
https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4779589/class-warfare
I don't think you will see Warren making a big issue with class warfare going forward ( I could be wrong here) I have noticed her rhetoric has shifted to more of a defending the 'hard working middle class' as of late, which would fit in nicely with her new role as saviour of the establishment DNC, I mean she has been obliquely endorsed by the Koch Bros funded Third Way think tank after all…but then you seem to be status quo centrist kind of guy, so I can see how Warren would tick all your boxes…you guys are all about being pragmatic and compromise, even as we head faster and faster toward the cliff…you are like “can’t we slow down just a bit..please”
Warren emerges as potential compromise nominee
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/06/19/democratic-establishment-elizabeth-warren-136987
Why Elizabeth Warren doesn’t scare many moderate (read establishment) Democrats..
https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/election/campaigns/article231718348.html
“She believes in capitalism, amazingly we have to say this, but that matters. What she’s offering is not a rejection of capitalism.”
“She is not tipping over the edge into what is absolutely unsustainable in a general election,” he added. “Our principle problem with Sanders is that he has.”
Warren was on message long before the advent of St Bern.
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/the-viral-video-of-elizabeth-warren-going-after-gop-on-class-warfare-2011-9?
Yet she scares the money men.
https://twitter.com/CNBC/status/1171500839686590464
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/19/delivering-alpha-elizabeth-warren-presidency-causes-a-scare.html
"Yet she scares the money men." you really think so? ..I guess that's why she had the tick from Third Way then, cos they like scaring themselves.
Look 90, warren is pretty good,of course and no doubt or argument from me, but she is also a shaping up as the compromise candidate for the establishment to back. and they really are scared of Bernie, shit scared, because unlike Warren , he wants real systemic change, he is the only one who will actually 'rock the boat'..and that is just a fact.
What tick?
Anyhoo, you rock the boat to build movements suitability large enough to affect real, systemic change. Any movement large enough to affect real, systemic change must include the centre and unless he can capture the centre, Sander's won't be able to deliver squat.
I like her. I'd prefer Bernie of course, but she comes across as smart, hard-headed, and looking to address the drivers of many US problems. If the DNC can be persuaded to abandon self-sabotage sufficiently to let go of Biden, Warren can probably beat Trump. If not though, there's that thing about those who refuse to learn the lessons of history.
I like her too, but lets face it Bernie is the only one who could possibly change the direction of the US in a real and meaningful way, infact he is the only one who wants too, Warren will end up being like Helen Clark ..thats why Third way like her, in her (Warren's) own words a capitalist to her bones.
Hi Adrian.
Just wanted to thank you for your support last week.
No worries, comradeship is what attracted me to Left politics when I was a very young man, and is still what I believe is it's real power.
I guess that is why it is always under assault from those in power, and those (like many here unfortunately) on the left who have drunk the kool aid of neoliberalism…it's a damn shame.
What do you think Bernie will do/achieve as POTUS?
He'll have a couple of years of both houses, if enough dem reps are on board with his plan.
He might get one or two big hits, like Obama did with healthcare. Or Warren might with campaign finance reform.
But he's not the Chosen One. He's just a man. You're setting yourself up for another four years of bitterness, and that's if he gets elected. If he misses the nom, we'll never hear the end of it. Again.
So far 'All' he's done is entirely move the conversation, and that's just as a candidate.
He allows the population who are suffering under a corrupted, ineficient and inhumane system of Health Care, Education, Housing, Employment..realise they can in fact demand better service and protections from their elected Representatives.
There is a reason the Corporate powers and DNC would rather he exited stage left…and its not because he has no power to bring about change..
Sanders shifted the conversation in 2016 – and it shifted even further last year, from within the Democratic party.
As a president, how much do you think he could actually get done?
Reforming healthcare requires both houses to cooperate, and SCOTUS to defeat any legal challenges.
Reforming administration requires budgetary approval from the legislature.
Can he unilaterally end US hegemony around the world?
Change minimum wage levels?
Role back the attack on reproductive healthcare?
"from within the Democratic party" WTF..really? where exactly did you get that totally outrageous fake news from?…the Russians maybe?
From the fact that many of the #metoo wave of candidates, including Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, were members of and activists for the Democrats (and its state affiliates) for more than a few years before 2016.
Bernie did change the conversation, but he was an outsider looking to use the Democrat Party machinery. He wasn't a lifelong Democrat. Many of the #metoo crowd are.
Maybe Rose McGowan had a stronger effect on the dems than St Bernie did.
I don't think they would like to be described as " #metoo candidates", as I am sure their platform encompasses a little more than that one issue, and further, if you really don't understand that all the progressive gains recently are directly the result of the momentum and energy created by Bernie Sanders, then I would say you have seriously misread the direction of US politics since 2016.
Noice.
You get precious about the terminology I used to denote a wave of candidates who decided 2018 was the time to put themselves forward, and then you dismiss literally all the work they did in the democratic party before Bernie became a member and continue as democrats after he got re-elected to senate as an independent.
St Julian. St Bernie! Can I get a St Greta? Preys Jaysus.
Only if it's for the greta good
People do seem to be warming to her around the globe. Must be some sort of expression for that, like "world-wide mellowing".
@ Adrian Thornton (at 3:59 pm)
Sanders fights. It's the right attitude. He talks. Warren making agreements with corrupt power doesne impress. Everything needs to be overthrown. Power needs to bow to the people. No agreement needs to be made with the present. This makes me think he should choose Tulsi Gabbard as his vice-president. But I don't think that plutocracy will allow him.
I'm saying revolution. Or nothing for our youngers.
Sowell.
Really?
See my Moderation note @ 8:34 AM.
And while we're bolding.
– Albert Einstein
[Left the bold (!) but changed the font and added WP blockquote using Editor for clarity. Italics is for specific emphasis and effect – if you italicise the whole quoted text it loses its effect – Incognito]
Good quote. Thanks Joe90.
See my Moderation note @ 10:24 AM.
I've always block quoted comments I reply to and italicised text I cite.
Do you have a link to TS's style new guide?
There is no “TS's style new guide” because it would have been forewarned and announced loudly and clearly and quite possibly after some consultation. That said, Lynn does try to improve the text Editor and other things here by making technical adjustments with various success, as you know.
I think you might be taking my Moderation note as some kind of authoritarian instruction, when it is/was actually meant to be read as a suggestion. If you don’t agree with the suggestion to improve clarity of comments, I’m keen to hear it and the reason(s) why. Blockquotes and quotation marks have a special function as does font style; I think they are there for a reason. Please don’t get too alarmed and/or read too much into being ‘moderated’.
Lastly, I thought it was obvious that I was not ‘moderating’ in a vacuum but in the context of the comment @ 1 and the reactions it elicited.
I apologise if I did upset you, as this was not my intention. NB some commenters here have an idiosyncratic style that’s beyond reprieve 😉
Tricky when you have a mixture of quotes like that. I seem to have started italicising short initial ones from other commenters like this, but doubt there is any right way.
Accessibility work taught me it is harder for people to read lots of italics, capitals, or bold. Most of us can test that pretty easily by just reading an average paragraph in different formats..
FOR INSTANCE, DO YOUR EYES GET MORE TIRED READING A WHOLE CHUNK IN CAPS LIKE THIS WHEN IT GOES ON FOR MORE THAN A LINE OR TWO? MIGHT BE OKAY AS A HEADING BUT AT FOUR OR FIVE LINES THE EFFORT MAY BECOME MORE APPARENT. DOES ALSO DEPEND ON THE FONT USED. MY EYES END UP FEELING A BIT PHYSICALLY SORE THESE DAYS WHEN I ENCOUNTER THIS. HOW ABOUT YOURS?
Likewise long blocks of text without paragraphs, or excessive use of ellipses (both are almost a guarantee for me not to read a comment).
I used to use italics a fair bit, as it seems to convey quoting better than " " for longer quotes. Now I tend to use the blockquote, although it's a bit idiosyncratic (on my browser at least).
All bold irks me because it messes with my brain over moderation bold.
current bugbear is the gaps that the editor leaves in at the bottom of comments (or between cut and pastes).
Not so long ago, I think it was after one of the iterations of the Text Editor, I embarked on a personal crusade to improve readability here and enhance readers’ experience (scrolling!). Nobody ever commented on it but I became zealously obsessed and deleted almost every non-breaking space that had no clear stylistic function other than to add unnecessary ‘whitecaps’ to each comment, big or small, and even created large deserts of white space.
Suffice to say, it was an exercise in futility and like carrying water to the sea using a bucket with holes in it.
haha, I've been totally tempted. I edit my own, and other people's if I'm moderating. Hopefully Lynn will find a fix.
I do feel for you as moderators having to read all this. The new editor adding easy formatting buttons is not necessarily a good thing. 🙂
I really like the twitter embeds though, that might be my favourite change.
"I really like the twitter embeds though, that might be my favourite change."
you do understand that these (twitter embeds) prompt each readers browser to collect a twitter cookie?
what's your point there xanthe?
not really making a point but rather referencing a previous discussion here about why do we pick up so many cookies when accessing TS
embedded stuff is great but there is a cost in personal data leakage
"why do we pick up so many cookies when accessing TS"
I think most people, myself included, won't understand the implications of what you are pointing to.
True but I do trust Twitr a lot more than Bookface on that front. Have not managed to monetise our attention very well by comparison.
Results from free tracking cookie manager from the EFF:
Yeah, I know. I’ve looked at this a number of times over the years.
We use google analytics (keep track of usage – nothing else is remotely accurate), google fonts (the fonts used on the site are from there – which is why it looks familiar across many platforms), gravatar (those personalised icons), QR (the post barcode), twitter (the shout and count on twitter icon), facebook (the shout and count on facebook icon), and wordpress.org (including the wp) because we use wordpress jetpack.
Of those, the twitter and the QR aren’t critical. Basically twitter is the peanuts in terms of draw and the home to a noisy minority of wordy loons, QR is only used by a small number of new readers on mobiles.
However some of the other cookies (what you’re calling trackers) aren’t ‘on’ the standard. They are either on your client or attached to external videos.
Plus of course there is a load of javascript in various portions of the site – mostly jquery. Not that much because I limit its use in favour of site longevity.
Down below the level you can see, there are a pile of connections to other systems. The wordfence that prevents site attacks by looking at what everyone is asking for and from where. The AWS cloudfront (via w3 total cache) that looks at the calls for every image and document on the site and supplies it from locations around the world, the AWS route 53 that does the same for the DNS, the shunting through voyager….
If you choose to turn all them off – then that is your issue. The site won’t be that usable without them (especially the bits of javascript – which are far more dangerous than cookies).
No-one could pay me enough to provide the kind of site detailing that these systems provide. Which is why they are used.. One stacked on top of the other – and they are all potential monitoring systems.
Plus of course there is me.
Welcome to the net – built in a mound of monitoring systems where the basic anonymity is that really we don’t care enough to turn over the midden enough to clear out the problems.
It's a minimal set compared with commercial sites. Privacy Badger is an interesting tool.
On the pushback showing up in local politics: https://thespinoff.co.nz/local-elections/19-09-2019/the-two-loud-angry-campaigns-that-could-swing-the-auckland-local-elections/
Want some feel good?
"Be kind to one another"
https://twitter.com/TheEllenShow/status/1175152974240157697
It seems to me that a more embracing guide for living than being kind is needed, though 'kind' helps. I believe 'kind' creates the feeling of a hippy-sounding mantra. It doesn't stand against the hard-nosed approach of the majority mired in the capitalist system, which I notice comes with a kevlar (more modern than armour) protection from receipt and acceptance of compassionate thoughts and understanding.
What about being kind and practical in balance in everything. I think that would help us to face off the dismissal of the human condition that is prevalent in neolib economics, and Randian 'The Virtue of Selfishness'.*
Stephen Fry discusses Ayn Rand and her works 2minsapprox
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kbfy6_fMBiw
Incidentally that is shown as coming from Radio 4. If a country has only private radio, they would not hear or see any of this sort of discussion. Instead it would be full of capitalist jargon very focussed on what were seen to be profitable subjects, ventures and discussions that would be influential in maintaining the wall against expansion of understanding and help.
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Virtue_of_Selfishness
Synchronicity at work? There seems to be more attention being paid to the use of language and rhetoric.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/115935261/politicians-treating-labour-party-sexual-assault-allegations-as-a-game-when-it-deserves-gravitis
I think what we have seen being played out in the NZ Media recently is a classic example of a ternary (triangular) structure similar to the Karpman drama triangle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karpman_drama_triangle) involving the Victim, the Rescuer, and the Persecutor (sometimes called the Perpetrator). These roles can interchange. This model describes “a type of destructive interaction that can occur between people in conflict”.
I’m not going to assign names/entities to the three roles in this drama but like to emphasise that binary descriptions, concepts, and ‘explanations’ can be useful but can also be extremely limiting and overly simplistic depending on the context and their use or aim.
Our need to think – and toss ideas round outside the envelope (is writing letters and NZ Post really a thing of the past, should we be happy to see it disappear?). Random thoughts, like the above, are they useful and valuable or just inefficient?
The more we rely on technology to make us efficient, the fewer skills we have to confront the unexpected, says writer and entrepreneur Margaret Heffernan. She shares why we need less tech and more messy human skills — imagination, humility, bravery — to solve problems in business, government and life in an unpredictable age. "We are brave enough to invent things we've never seen before," she says. "We can make any future we choose."
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4OPtFCs_fw
Fucking unbelievable. That they were cavalier with evidence collection, destroyed evidence, and we don't know who or why. Can't believe the Pike River families are still having to g through this kind of thing.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2019/09/items-found-around-pike-river-mine-destroyed-by-police-revealed.html
Police will not say who exactly ordered the items be destroyed.
Naturally.
Wag the dog and they're off. Iraq 2.0
https://twitter.com/CharlesMBlow/status/1175179334933520384
I wonder how many golliwogs that odious Trudeau had when growing up. The mind boggles… My guess would be that he had whole "families" of them…
How do you 'guess' that? Seems a bit ott to me.
The Nation: Simon Shepherd Interviews James Shaw.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1909/S00285/the-nation-simon-shepherd-interviews-james-shaw.htm
Nicely balanced middle of the road kind of interview.
Espots – gaming – not gambling. A shared space for the young brought up on the computer and games since they paid pacman at age 6 probably. Good idea to bring them together for simple friendship even proximity. A guided space where you can hang out with no stress.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/lately/audio/2018713717/game-theory-tom-featonby-on-the-omen-esports-arena
..."We also have events during night-time as well where we tend to fill the arena with people, so Tuesday nights – I'm actually at the arena tonight and the boys here are being very quiet … we’ve got them in here playing Formula 1 2019 together, so it’s a racing car game."
The arena is packed during these weekly events, Featonby says.
"We’ve got a big group from one of the hostels that come in every Tuesday night without fail and fill the arena for me, which is quite nice. One of the main parts I like about being the esports coordinator is the relationship-building – getting to know them and sharing their passion for gaming."
.
…"What we don’t support are realistic first-person shooters, so being the first university to have an esports presence we’re very wary that we need to be above board with everything we do and especially after Christchurch."
Games that feature realistic-looking guns, blood and gore – like the popular Counter-Strike – are not available at the arena, a move which was unpopular with some, but some of the more cartoon-style shooting games are allowed.
Labour conference at Brighton coming up.
Labour conference: Five things to look out for in Brighton
By Gavin Stamp Political reporter, BBC News
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49767667
Jonathan Pie in full flow dissing everything in Boorish's Cabnt. Take note – not for sensitive ears – has a go at every bit of virtue signalling from the Conservatives.
https://www.supernewsworld.com/Jonathan-Pie-Boriss-Britain-9526714.html
Media coverage of the economy is drifting into the territory of predicting a recession and then when this does not come explaining that there was little growth but for that via migration.
This without placing this in perspective – past growth was slightly higher and so was immigration.
Given continuing demand from employers for more migrants … and the path to a higher MW ($20 in April 2021), those predicting recession connected to local economic factors alone have no credibility.
Govt pissing around on making things fairer for renters: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/115955602/governments-rental-law-changes-missing-in-action
This was a good story of community working together for an outcome good for them all. Might have been put up before but worth another go.
Commenter says: Mike O'Donnell: " If you fail to treat people as the humans they are, at some point it's going to come back and bite you on the bum."
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/opinion-analysis/115591856/a-closing-school-taught-its-community-some-new-skills
Public funded election broadcasting should be turned on head – Social Credit
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2019/09/21/public-funded-election-broadcasting-should-be-turned-on-head-social-credit
Is "social credit" an organisation, an author, or just a generic category of story? Can't seem to find it on the site. Might just be a category from Bradbury – I was wondering if the actual social credit movement was getting more active again.
Here you go Mc Flock
https://www.socialcredit.nz/
Cheers. Same symbol, must be the same crowd. And it looks like they're the old DSC from the 1990s-2000s.
Never really followed them, but I think it's a perspective to keep around.
Social Credit is New Zealand's oldest, surviving, smaller political party.
The following (below) is from mosa's initial link.
More of us from the left should be supporting them.
Yes we know, you think lefties and environmentalists should vote for a party that doesn't have a shit show chance of getting into Parliament rather than the one that is already there. All so boring.
Wrong.
I think we on the left require far better representation than what Labour and the Greens have provided thus far.
To me (and others) Labour and the Greens representation of the left has largely been disappointing.
Like sands through the hourglass, so are the concerns of our lives.
With Labour largely having the Greens onside, they know there is hardly anywhere for the left-wing voter to turn. Hence, we on the left need to show them otherwise.
The competition would be good for the left, forcing them both (Labour and the Greens) to up their game.
And that, IMO, would be a real concern for Labour. They would have to offer us more than merely being a National lite.
I think it is great that Labour is playing nice with the Greens these days. There are two things that are needed now for a more left and environmental government:
1. for the Greens to win back the vote they lost back to Labour last election and other stragglers they can pick up so that they are a bigger player in the government
2. for Labour to win more of the swing vote from National so that Winston First's support is not required to pass legislation.
More of us from the left should be supporting them.
You'd like to see more of the left vote directed to parties that won't make the threshold, so that their vote share gets re-distributed to, among others, right-wing parties? So not surprised to hear that…
No.
I'd like to see more of the left vote directed to them (SC) to not only make the threshold but to help them win.
But clearly, I can't do that alone.
The left have a choice. Continue to vote Labour and get National lite or force Labour to up their game. The Greens have shown they are ineffective. Shaw won't rock the boat. Hell, they were the ones that came up with the BRR all on their own. Largely robbing Labour of the funding to do little more than National. Therefore, it's time to give SC a go.
Less chance of them climbing to even get a score on the board in opinion polls than there is of you being taken seriously on this site claiming to be part of "we on the left".
You're fucking hilarious sometimes.
I didn't know Social Credit still existed!
I remember the days of Bruce Betham and Gary Knapp….whats Gary Knapp doing these days?
https://www.activistpost.com/2019/09/health-concerns-have-stopped-5g-rollout-in-australia.html
Good to hear! If only NZ would just wait for some kind of study so that we know it is safe or not. But no, why not experiment with our population first (because, rugby!)?
For fucks sake i am sick off feckin rugby !!!!!!!!
It is totally out of control and wayyyyyy over the top.
Imagine what it will be like when or if we loose or win for that matter.
If we loose then the NZRFU will hold an inquiry which will regrettably get more publicity than the current Burnham shambles.
If we win it will be like the second coming of christ and no one even those kiwis who DON'T watch this stupid 80 minutes of utter crap will not be safe.
Ditto, ditto, ditto.
I'm currently trying to figure out how I'm going to get through the next 3 weeks without going stark raving mad.
Each to their own I suppose. I like sitting down with a beer and watching a game of rugby. (or a few other sports come to that).
The media’s war with Bernie Sanders highlights the need to factcheck the factcheckers
An interesting read that does not mention rugby.
https://www.thecanary.co/us/us-analysis/2019/09/19/the-medias-war-with-bernie-sanders-highlights-the-need-to-factcheck-the-factcheckers
Who cares about frigging rugby! That is a subject that belongs to potatoes living on a couch and addicted to watching advertisements.
If they want to enjoy rugby they should get their arse moving and go and play some while they still can.
What annoys me is: we've got the police ballsing-up the Pike River Inquiry by destroying crucial evidence, and it now transpires senior Defence Force personnel were either total incompetents or downright liars.
But all we get to hear about is a bunch of macho-ridden boof-heads kicking a funny shaped ball around a field.
Ok got that off my chest. Back to normal.
Spoiler!
Ringo's still got it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph1GU1qQ1zQ
Jordan Peterson is checking himself into rehab.
All those gay couples getting married, casual hookups, and women being able to go on the pill are freaking him out.
'heh ''
https://twitter.com/Muellertime1000/status/1175048736965320706
You know things are dire when the arch capitalists start musing thus…
"Off the record, other senior people in the City tell me they find the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, who has been circulating among them busily in recent months, a serious and intriguing figure: a supposed Marxist who looks, and sometimes talks, a bit like a bank manager.
A similar thaw is under way in the more thoughtful parts of the business press. With western capitalism having a crisis of confidence, at the very least – this week the Financial Times announced “Capitalism: time for a reset” – Labour’s radical economic alternatives have begun to look more reasonable to some business journalists. The Economist, despite its longstanding support for the Thatcherite free-market reforms that McDonnell would like to reverse, has been covering the development of Labour’s new economic thinking with intense curiosity since 2017. This month, the more cautious, centrist FT has published a succession of long articles about “Labour’s new establishment” and its ambitions for Britain. While the pieces were still spiked with criticisms, the scale of the coverage has suggested a degree of respect – and that corporate Britain needs to understand Corbynism, and be prepared to make some accommodations with it."
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/sep/21/bankers-corbyn-tories-no-deal-capitalism-radical-government
Mmmm?
Spark have waved the white flag on their streaming and made the second half of the sportsball free to air on tvnz's Duke channel. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12269739
You above all seem to be committed to showing the last legs of human wealth. Worthwhile aim.
The other, is ridiculous after-all.