Because we have been discouraged from believing that the State was ours. We no longer believe in the power of the collective to do good. (Well it does all the time, but we’ve been trained not to see it.)
If the house is not yours, what do you care if it gets burnt down?
Nice comments Felix, thought what Kunstler says this morning might bear some relevance to the corporate predeliction for Randian superheroes. Kunstler is talking about the inability of American (read Western) males to be and act as mature humans, and why… The same country that furnishes an endless diet of super-hero movies to pubescent males who are not expected to develop normal adult coping powers
He then goes on to state what this Randian obsession has actually lead to….The same country that supplies gruesome, sado-masochistic video games to occupy the idle hours of young men – and then lets them take those “skills” to some tilt-up bunker in Nevada where they sit in air-conditioned comfort and direct drone aircraft ten thousand miles away to incinerate suspected “enemies” in mud villages. (Sometimes “mistakes are made” and they blow up a wedding party or something – but the drone controllers still get to leave the bunker at the end of their shift and roll down the strip for a plastic tray full of burritos.)
I agree Draco, but is it really that different to ships firing cruise missiles from 100s of kms away, pilots firing missiles from up to 100km away, or ground based artillery firing up to 20km away?
The 18-25 year olds have always been at the pointy end of what are essentially political decisions made by the suits, safe in their air conditioned bunkers.
The same country that supplies gruesome, sado-masochistic video games to occupy the idle hours of young men – and then lets them take those “skills” to some tilt-up bunker in Nevada where they sit in air-conditioned comfort and direct drone aircraft
Of course, not all these people can work as drone pilots, so you get the spillover which is the abuse at Abu Graib prison and the civilian killings by security firm formerly known as Blackwater.
And in both Libya and Afghanistan multiple reports of civilians being killed by western air forces.
Ed Vulliamy has more on the theme of the ultimate outcome of these Randian superheroes with regard to the Mexico border towns…
So Mexico’s war is how the future will look, because it belongs not in the 19th century with wars of empire, or the 20th with wars of ideology, race and religion – but utterly in a present to which the global economy is committed, and to a zeitgeist of frenzied materialism we adamantly refuse to temper: it is the inevitable war of capitalism gone mad.
Narco-cartels are not pastiches of global corporations, nor are they errant bastards of the global economy – they are pioneers of it. They point, in their business logic and modus operandi, to how the legal economy will arrange itself next. The Mexican cartels epitomised the North American free trade agreement long before it was dreamed up, and they thrive upon it.
And yet it is this vision that this government takes us towards. A failed society of murder and corruption.
And we have been manipulated into believing that being critical equals “conspiracy theorist”. Here is a nice article written by Paul Craig Roberts, former Wall street journal editor and assistent secretary of Treasury under Reagan, about how that works
They’re burning down the house called Greece. In The Guardian today is an article that basically stating that inflation could be the lesser evil when trying to get the euro-linked economies through the debt crisis.
Instead of encouraging Greece and other troubled euro-linked economies to go through additional rounds of austerity, which will only lead to further declines in GDP and higher unemployment, the IMF should be telling the European Central Bank (ECB) to increase its inflation target to a 3-4% range.
If the euro zone maintained a moderate rate of inflation, it would allow the Greek economy to become competitive without experiencing a wrenching process of wage deflation. It would also erode the real value of debt alleviating the burden on both heavily
The article links to a .pdf from last year when the IMF chief economist argued that the current consensus around macroeconomic policy is flawed, that monetary policy from the central banks and regulatory policy should be coordinated along with openly recognising exchange rate stability as an objective in small open economies. These can provide a comprehensive set of cyclical tools in a debt crisis.
A manageable level of inflation during the debt crisis can reduce the amount the likes of Germany would have to lend and inflation would eat up the debts owed, reducing the austerity measures that are causing so much social unrest. Rules would have to be in place so that a return to the inflation objective was re-instituted when the crisis was over. His argument doesn’t seem to fit the current IMF paradigm.
If all countries in the world simultaneously inflate at the same rate, then trade differences don’t really change at all. But existing debts will simply melt away. Put in that context, it seems weird that we have to have this back-door debt cancellation policy (with side-effects) that everyone just accepts as a fact of life, instead of just having a blatant debt-cancelling policy up front that does what it says on the tin and can be wielded more precisely against the debts that need cancelling.
Yesterday the NATO had to admit that civilians had been killed in a bombing raid.
Euphemistically called Kinetic Military action and humanitarian aid to liberate the Libyan people it should not surprise anyone that civilians would be the victim of what amongst us commoners is normally called illegal war of aggression and conquest which was declared the biggest war crime of all.
They were not the only ones nor will they be the last. Like in any war culture is being destroyed. Libraries, schools and make no mistake Tripoli is an ancient city and so are most of the other major cities and bombing them will inevitably damage the leftovers of Phoenician, Roman and Bedouin culture.
Depleted Uranium will make sure of that. Bunker busters and tomahawk missiles are always made with DU heads, make no mistake about that, which means that Tripoli a city of more than 1 million people the size and population of Auckland will be for the next 4.5 billion years spawning deformities amongst it’s infants and cause cancer and sickness defeating any pretence of “humanitarian” intervention.
Yemen is being bombed as I write this and according to reports coming from army personnel at ford Hood Troops are being prepared to invade Libya in contravention of the UN resolution which explicitly forbade boots on the ground and the congress has been effectively ignored in it’s wishes to have the law with regards to the president needing approval to wage war respected.
Syria is next. the European Union has put economic sanctions in place and US war ships have been moved to the coast of Syria. Anyone with the eyes to see knows what happened to Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
One definition of a World war is that the population of two or more continents must be affected over a period of several years and I dare say that with the Asian, European, African and American continents being involved and affected we have come perilously close.
Update: If you are easily grossed out maybe this is not the link for you but if like me you are driven by the need to know and want to know what happens if you bomb a library then perhaps it is the link for you.
We “the West” are committing atrocities hidden behind the words “Kinetic military action” and Humanitarian aid in the form of bombs and we accept that it is done in our name because the people it happens to are far away in countries we don’t know and who have brown skins and a religion we are afraid off.
“congress has been effectively ignored in it’s wishes to have the law with regards to the president needing approval to wage war respected”
You are letting congress off the hook here. The congress can wish all it wants to, but unless it is prepared to act then the Pres is under no obligation to pay them attention. Congress can defund military activities at any time it chooses, and it can impeach and remove a president. Absent those things, the stated ‘wishes’ of its critters are just smoke.
Congress doesn’t have to wish a president would ask them for approval. When they cry about that, they are just shifting the buck.
I agree. The whole lot are callous out of control and a corrupt pork barrel swilling lot and the French had a perfectly good solution for that problem. It comes with a very sharp blade and a loud thud. LOL.
Congress doesn’t have to wish a president would ask them for approval. When they cry about that, they are just shifting the buck.
This is the same with congressmen and senators wailing at and telling off banking executives when they turn up at hearings.
Don’t bleat ineffectually to get prime time TV soundbites senators, simply make sure that the machinery of government and of the regulators enforces the rules already in place and puts those guys behind bars.
It was rather amusing to watch Bomber beat himself raw about DPF getting his very own Herald column a few weeks ago. Bomber was incensed and obviously had to check himself before he turned into the hulk and went completely berserk on us. He does raise a serious issue though, that is becoming more and more problematic; the right wing is trying to take over our airwaves.
There is a common courtesy while using other peoples material online. You only quote part of it and you link to their publication in the hopes of spreading their work while acknowledging their right to be named as the owner and above all you never ever claim something from someone else as written by yourself. That would be stealing.
And as for my “pathetic” blog; many of the writers I quote and link to are co-activists and and are happy to share their material because of the greater good they are trying to achieve and even though I have published parts of other peoples work for five years I have never ever had the request to take anything down.
You on the other hand STOLE someone else’s work and published that as you own. That is dishonest and shows like, by the way this ignorant remark, that you are lazy and dishonest and people have lost University jobs, book publishings and their careers over the sort of behaviour you exhibited when you STOLE the article you posted under you own name.
Now my blog might be pathetic to you which I might add says more about you than about me but I can hold my head high as I have never ever STOLEN other peoples work and presented it as my own.
Apart from publishing my own work (Which can also be used in the above described manner and which is used by others in the pursuit of spreading the truth) I have linked to other peoples work in the hopes of spreading their often excellent work.
The fact that you don’t seem to understand the difference is greatly troubling but I see you did not publish this week so perhaps I’m not alone in this sentiment.
I will also forward this to Iprent because I have no need for another silly and above all limitless exchange with someone I consider to be defective in the integrity department and I think that you need to sort out your attitude with the writers here and not with me.
I must admit I don’t know about the ins and outs of resource consent, etc. But living in a semi-rural community north of Auckland, we’re all on tank water of course. And as I recall, neighbours of ours in Manurewa had tank water a few years ago (don’t know if it was just for the garden or for drinking).
‘ (NaturalNews) Many of the freedoms we enjoy here in the U.S. are quickly eroding as the nation transforms from the land of the free into the land of the enslaved, but what I’m about to share with you takes the assault on our freedoms to a whole new level. You may not be aware of this, but many Western states, including Utah, Washington and Colorado, have long outlawed individuals from collecting rainwater on their own properties because, according to officials, that rain belongs to someone else.’
Before everyone gets high and mighty here, bear in mind that every other TA charges for water supply via their rates.
And rates are subject to pretty similar non-payment provisions. Not much different really. And Water Care is totally owned by Auckland City Council.
What this does show up is how unwise it is to split out water supply into separate entities, and to charge seperately for the service. It just riles people up.
some people in the labour party should remember that the original labour party newspaper went down in flames when the bluenoses would not let them publish race results. good thinking guys. and now that we have progressed into the twenty first century it is possible to buy micropulse line of sight fm radio stations for less than $5,000.
Time to wise up and tackle the spin meisters head on. the trouble is everybody in the labour party who has any money has already fallen under the capitalist spell of using it to browbeat their bank manager for sport rather than investing in something that would make a difference.
and furthermore the mor people use this space to display their erudtion and learning about the byzantine minutae of the workings of the united states congress then the more the spotlight shifts off the neanderthals currently in charge here.
I hate to say this and please note the qualifiers …
Most of the A-list left the country,
increasingly, more of the B-list are fleeing,
and we have to make do with the C-list.
We can talk, or hear, about being ‘ambitious’ for all we like –
But if we do nothing, if we don’t follow up talk with action,
we bleed more of our B-list overseas.
This is called self-selection down the spiral –
Dumbing down produces dumbs.
May New Zealand not descend to the levels of New Dumbland.
“New Zealand had a net migration loss for a third consecutive month as large numbers of people continue to head to Australia to live … The net outflow of 3300 migrants to Australia last month was up from 1700 in May 2010 …”
While Key blunders and plunders, Kiwis increasingly vote with their feet.
Smile and wave goodbye to your family, friends and work mates!
Now, what else is there left to ambitiously sell and shut down here?
Pike River mine ‘would be illegal in Australia’ – Key
“Prime Minister John Key has defended his claims that the Pike River coal mine would be illegal in Australia.”
‘The Australian newspaper reported that Key had yesterday “vowed that there would be changes to mining safety laws”.
He told the newspaper the Pike River mine, which was a single-entry uphill mine, “couldn’t have been constructed in Australia” because it would have been “illegal”.
“There will be changes in New Zealand,” Key said.’
‘But, in an apparent departure from his comments at the time of the disaster, Key conceded that the mine could not have been operational in Australia.
In November last year, however, he said:
“I have no reason to believe that New Zealand safety standards are any less than Australia’s.” ‘
Prosecutor Evan McCaughan said Bryant’s house was protected by a CCTV set-up which was inconsistent with his admissions of low-level drug dealing to friends over the past two years.
Better tell all those people who set up their houses with security cameras that, if they’re investigated by the law, that it’s going to be assumed that they’re criminals.
The appalling way that Vince Siemer has been treated by the NZ ‘Justice’ system helps confirm why our New Zealand so desperately needs real checks and balances to help ensure an ‘open, transparent and accountable’ judiciary?
SUCH AS:
1) An enforceable ‘Code of Conduct’ for Judges.
(Preferably based upon the ‘Banagalore Principles for Judicial Conduct’
Vince Siemer was denied leave to appeal by the NZ Supreme Court on 3 June 2011:
BACKGROUND:
On 23 December 2008, Cooper J delivered his judgment awarding the first respondent, Michael Peter Stiassny, defamation damages against Vincent Ross Siemer, totalling $825,000 and the second respondent, Korda Mentha, damages of $95,000 ($75,000 for defamation and $20,000 for breach of an agreement settling a dispute between the parties).
This was the highest ever defamation award in New Zealand.
(Korda Mentha v Siemer HC Auckland CIV-2005-404-1808, 23 December 2008. )
“An unusual feature of the case is that Mr Siemer had been debarred from defending the proceedings.”
Whatever happened to ‘Justice 101′?
That there are always at least TWO sides to the story, and in order to get a ‘fair trial’ you are supposed to be able to defend yourself?
Vince Siemer appealed to the Court of Appeal against J Cooper’s decision, and lost.
(Siemer v Stiassny [2011] NZCA 106. )
He then sought leave to appeal to the Supreme Court, but his application was dismissed.
((SC 49/2011) [2011] NZSC 63 3 June 2011 )
The judgment of Cooper J accused Vince Siemer of engaging in “vile racist abuse”;
Subsequently, a comment was made by the Court of Appeal that its attention had not been drawn to a worse case of defamation in the British Commonwealth and that its own researches had not disclosed one.
(Following comments from Steven Price Media Law Journal on these matters)
Vince Siemer was denied his day in Court to defend himself at the defamation hearing at which he got the highest ever defamation award against him and he has been denied leave to appeal to the Supreme Court about the accuracy of the comments upon which the defamation award was based.
How would you like this happening to YOU?
BEWARE! If it can happen to Vince Siemer – WHO IS NEXT?
I cannot find ANYTHING Vince Siemer said about Michael Stiassny that was ‘anti-semetic’ or constituted ‘vile racist abuse’.
VERY interested in the CONSIDERED opinions of others on this matter.
What EXACT ‘defamatory’ statements made by Vince Siemer about Michael Stiassny were relied upon by Judge Cooper from the High Court; Judges Arnold, Glazebrook and Hammond from the Court of Appeal; and Judges Blanchard, Tipping and William Young from the Supreme Court as being:
Hard to feel sorry for Seimer. He repeatedly, consistently and fragrantly put himself above the law by breaching any order of the Court he felt above. Which turned out to be most of them.
One of the interesting things, for me at least, about the recent Deaker controversy was the way that both the man’s detractors and defenders seemed to assume that the racist phrase he used came from a society far, far away, and didn’t have any organic connection to this part of the world. It’s certainly true that ‘working like a nigger’ is a phrase connected to slavery, but was slavery really unknown to New Zealanders in the nineteenth century? The truth is that we were trading in slaves foro/f the years after the end American Civil War: http://readingthemaps.blogspot.com/2011/06/new-zealands-slaving-history.html
Well at last the serious fraud office has charged “that lovely old man ” Hubbard. My opinion is that he is a con man of the very best. Interesting that he is friendly with Key and interesting that when the shit hit the fan he said “this would not have happened if Mr Key had been in the country.
He hopes to one day be the president of the Pacific rim Federation of Nations.
He like his masters believes no doubt that we would all be better off being farmed by sensible bankers.
Radio lightweights sling off at Miss USA
National Radio, “The Panel”, Tuesday 21 June 2011
Jim Mora, Susan Baldacci, Graham Bell, Julia Hartley Moore
Last Wednesday, the target of their scorn was a Playboy bunny-girl. This week, another young American beauty has drawn the contempt of some of radio’s finest intellects…
MORA: Uh, Susan Baldacci, what’s the world talking about on the social networks?
SUSAN BALDACCI: We’ve got a new Miss USA!
MORA: Hur, hur, hur!
GRAHAM BELL: Ho ho ho ho ho!
BALDACCI: Yes! Miss California, Alyssa Campanella, crowned as Miss USA in Las Vegas on Sunday, says she’s a history geek!
MORA: Oh really? Hur, hur, hur, hur, hur!
BELL: Ho ho ho ho ho!
BALDACCI: Yes, she says she has watched Braveheart, Gladiator, and Shakespeare in Love. And she’s a huge fan of Camelot, apparently.
BELL: Ho ho ho ho ho! She probably thinks Camelot is about the Kennedys!
MORA: Ha ha ha ha ha! She probably DOES think that!
BALDACCI: Ha ha ha ha ha!
BELL: Ho ho ho ho ho!
BALDACCI: And she made an unbelievable speech! The judges asked her about her thoughts on the legalization of medical marijuana in California. Here’s what she said: “Medical marijuana is sort of like medicine. I’m not sure if it should be legalized, if it would really affect, with the drug war. That kind of tells me there’s a war going on, and the people on drugs are winning. America doesn’t lose wars. So we need to get the Army in there and take down the Islamic pot lords. I mean, it’s abused today, unfortunately, so that’s the only reason why I would kind of be a little bit against it, but medically it’s OK. And if the law-making people legalize it, then that would be great too. But I still wouldn’t do it because my friends tell me that weed makes you hungry, and I can’t risk eating food at this stage in my career.”
MORA: Hur, hur, hur, hur, hur!
BELL: Ho ho ho ho ho! She’s obviously a towering intellect!
———————————————————
After the 4:30 news, the Panelists get their chance to say what’s on their minds. As you read what they have to say, bear in mind that, unlike beauty contestants, these two have had days to come up with something witty and/or intelligent to say. Let’s see how they did…
Here are the considered thoughts of panelist Julia Hartley Moore: “Greece is the dirtiest country I’ve ever been to. Is it something to do with the people? The mindset? I dunno.”
And here are the considered thoughts of panelist Graham Bell: “There’s a number of things that RANKLE me and FRUSTRATE me….Some time, just once in a blue moon, I’d like to get TWO biscuits with my cup of coffee, not just one biscuit!”
If only Miss USA could be serious and intelligent, like these people.
I really enjoy reading these Morrissey – thanks. Sometimes seeing it written down after hearing it highlights just how absurd, idiotic and vacant that lot are. But not hearing it – just reading this is even better.
Last week, Chris Cornell sat down in Los Angeles with David Farrier for an interview. Chris was the front man of the hugely successful band Soundgarden. He then embarked on other endeavours such as Temple of the Dog, Audioslave and his solo career. The seminal statement in the interview was “stay of the pipe.” Although Chris delivered this with humour, it’s a serious topic that needs further investigation…
“There’s two different standards…” – it’s singular John, FFS.
This joke, who is pushing for literacy standards, wouldn’t pass a Year 5 (Standard 3) test.
It is not surprising that his speeches are written for him – he is just left to struggle with the phrasing and intonation when he reads them to make it sound as though he is making sense. Goodness knows what his speeches would be like if he wrote them himself. I guess it is what we can expect from MBAs though. They’re not interested in the Arts or the intricacies of the English language, as long as they can spell “Dollars” and “sense”.
Did anyone pick up Simon Power’s comment on Radionz about his true feelings concerning the rorting of low income people with 500% p.a. loans using texts? Super fast money, once cleared for credit the loan can be sent to your bank account in 4 minutes! It went something like this – that the government can’t bring in controlling legislation on innovative financial packages. This means that all the repeated media coverage about his concern for ordinary people on low incomes taking on vicious loans, and how something should be done about it, is just a smokescreen.
Loans available via text – Radionz 9.31am Tues 21/6
A global finance company, offering high interest micro-loans via text message, has begun operating in New Zealand. These loans have been met with despair by family budgeting services. Kathryn talked to Peter Sykes, CEO of Mangere East Family Service Centre, and Labour consumer affairs spokesperson, Carol Beaumont. We also hear from a spokesman for Ferratum, the finance company concerned. (24′59″)
Carol Beaumont, Labour’s Spokesperson for Consumer Affairs had a bill about this that National and ACT voted down. She spoke well, very impressive. Also to note is that barrister Catriona MacLennan has been advocating for action for ages. Herald piece – Labour MP Carol Beaumont is to introduce to Parliament a member’s bill designed to cap New Zealand’s interest rates. The Credit Reform (Responsible Lending) Bill provides for the Governor of the Reserve Bank to set maximum annual percentage rates of interest payable on consumer credit contracts. The bill also requires lenders to make inquiries to ascertain that borrowers have a reasonable prospect of repaying loans. Catriona MacLennan: Govt chance to reel in loan sharks
Power thinks that if people are informed of all the factors, then they can make smart, informed decisions and after that they are on their own (the suckers). They are just patsies to be bled by business people who like that sort of business. Not his cup of tea, he makes his money being a clever lawyer, but it takes all sorts doesn’t it. He belongs to the group that is willing to make money from tempting people to do something that will be injurious to them, and then condemn them for being foolish in falling prey to the scam.
There are psychological drives to gain instant gratification in people deprived of discretionary income or who are prone to impulsive action. If fully informed they may still refuse to accept that they are stepping into a debt quagmire which will suck them down. I don’t know what enforcement system this outrageous new loan scheme will use when people can’t pay back all the debt and all the interest – 91% for an 8 day debt, rising.
I’ll just add, for those who haven’t experienced them, that the constant small tremors are a strong reminder of the aftermaths of the 7.1 and the 6.3 from February. Not so much last week’s 6.3, though. So having so many small quakes puts me on edge for something bigger about to break.
Looking at the location on the map, right in the centre of banks peninsula, Akaroa probably got quite a rocking from reflected waves, I would think. Could be a bit of damage there.
How do you know you’ve been too long in Christchurch?
When you know the underlying fault structure like a geologist..
When you can estimate the effect of reflections of P waves off local basalt..
More come to mind…
But it is actually better to have lots of slightly larger 5’s than those 4’s, it probably means that nothing is jamming up for a bigger one as that whole area destresses.
A bit harder on the people and already stressed buildings with repeated shakes.
In a comment? You can’t here. Just editors and above when they use the moderating editor.
There are many nasty things that can be done to our layout with images, so I have it off. The plugin fix sometimes gets bypassed with wordpress updates. KSES isn’t exactly finished.
Test as logged out.
Good. Still protected. KSES swallows non allowed HTML and discards it.
Looks like wordpress are doing a better job on layout these days
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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 ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
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. ...
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 ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
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 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
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If someone says they want to burn your house down you wouldn’t let them move in, would you?
You wouldn’t hire someone whose stated aim is to destroy your company, would you?
So why do we allow randians to work in government jobs? Seeing as Key and English think we have too many public servants anyway, lets have a purge.
And let’s start at the top.
Absolutely felix. So why do we let it happen?
Because we have been discouraged from believing that the State was ours. We no longer believe in the power of the collective to do good. (Well it does all the time, but we’ve been trained not to see it.)
If the house is not yours, what do you care if it gets burnt down?
Nice comments Felix, thought what Kunstler says this morning might bear some relevance to the corporate predeliction for Randian superheroes. Kunstler is talking about the inability of American (read Western) males to be and act as mature humans, and why… The same country that furnishes an endless diet of super-hero movies to pubescent males who are not expected to develop normal adult coping powers
He then goes on to state what this Randian obsession has actually lead to….The same country that supplies gruesome, sado-masochistic video games to occupy the idle hours of young men – and then lets them take those “skills” to some tilt-up bunker in Nevada where they sit in air-conditioned comfort and direct drone aircraft ten thousand miles away to incinerate suspected “enemies” in mud villages. (Sometimes “mistakes are made” and they blow up a wedding party or something – but the drone controllers still get to leave the bunker at the end of their shift and roll down the strip for a plastic tray full of burritos.)
Yeah, the concept behind drone killing is horrible really. Total disassociation from the act itself.
I agree Draco, but is it really that different to ships firing cruise missiles from 100s of kms away, pilots firing missiles from up to 100km away, or ground based artillery firing up to 20km away?
The 18-25 year olds have always been at the pointy end of what are essentially political decisions made by the suits, safe in their air conditioned bunkers.
Of course, not all these people can work as drone pilots, so you get the spillover which is the abuse at Abu Graib prison and the civilian killings by security firm formerly known as Blackwater.
And in both Libya and Afghanistan multiple reports of civilians being killed by western air forces.
Ed Vulliamy has more on the theme of the ultimate outcome of these Randian superheroes with regard to the Mexico border towns…
And yet it is this vision that this government takes us towards. A failed society of murder and corruption.
And we have been manipulated into believing that being critical equals “conspiracy theorist”. Here is a nice article written by Paul Craig Roberts, former Wall street journal editor and assistent secretary of Treasury under Reagan, about how that works
They’re burning down the house called Greece. In The Guardian today is an article that basically stating that inflation could be the lesser evil when trying to get the euro-linked economies through the debt crisis.
The article links to a .pdf from last year when the IMF chief economist argued that the current consensus around macroeconomic policy is flawed, that monetary policy from the central banks and regulatory policy should be coordinated along with openly recognising exchange rate stability as an objective in small open economies. These can provide a comprehensive set of cyclical tools in a debt crisis.
A manageable level of inflation during the debt crisis can reduce the amount the likes of Germany would have to lend and inflation would eat up the debts owed, reducing the austerity measures that are causing so much social unrest. Rules would have to be in place so that a return to the inflation objective was re-instituted when the crisis was over. His argument doesn’t seem to fit the current IMF paradigm.
Inflation is a funny beast, really.
If all countries in the world simultaneously inflate at the same rate, then trade differences don’t really change at all. But existing debts will simply melt away. Put in that context, it seems weird that we have to have this back-door debt cancellation policy (with side-effects) that everyone just accepts as a fact of life, instead of just having a blatant debt-cancelling policy up front that does what it says on the tin and can be wielded more precisely against the debts that need cancelling.
Yesterday the NATO had to admit that civilians had been killed in a bombing raid.
Euphemistically called Kinetic Military action and humanitarian aid to liberate the Libyan people it should not surprise anyone that civilians would be the victim of what amongst us commoners is normally called illegal war of aggression and conquest which was declared the biggest war crime of all.
They were not the only ones nor will they be the last. Like in any war culture is being destroyed. Libraries, schools and make no mistake Tripoli is an ancient city and so are most of the other major cities and bombing them will inevitably damage the leftovers of Phoenician, Roman and Bedouin culture.
Depleted Uranium will make sure of that. Bunker busters and tomahawk missiles are always made with DU heads, make no mistake about that, which means that Tripoli a city of more than 1 million people the size and population of Auckland will be for the next 4.5 billion years spawning deformities amongst it’s infants and cause cancer and sickness defeating any pretence of “humanitarian” intervention.
Yemen is being bombed as I write this and according to reports coming from army personnel at ford Hood Troops are being prepared to invade Libya in contravention of the UN resolution which explicitly forbade boots on the ground and the congress has been effectively ignored in it’s wishes to have the law with regards to the president needing approval to wage war respected.
Syria is next. the European Union has put economic sanctions in place and US war ships have been moved to the coast of Syria. Anyone with the eyes to see knows what happened to Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
One definition of a World war is that the population of two or more continents must be affected over a period of several years and I dare say that with the Asian, European, African and American continents being involved and affected we have come perilously close.
Update: If you are easily grossed out maybe this is not the link for you but if like me you are driven by the need to know and want to know what happens if you bomb a library then perhaps it is the link for you.
We “the West” are committing atrocities hidden behind the words “Kinetic military action” and Humanitarian aid in the form of bombs and we accept that it is done in our name because the people it happens to are far away in countries we don’t know and who have brown skins and a religion we are afraid off.
It is that simple.
[lprent: removed excess bolding. ]
Thanks for the link T. These pictures should be on the 6pm news.
Wee point on this bit :
“congress has been effectively ignored in it’s wishes to have the law with regards to the president needing approval to wage war respected”
You are letting congress off the hook here. The congress can wish all it wants to, but unless it is prepared to act then the Pres is under no obligation to pay them attention. Congress can defund military activities at any time it chooses, and it can impeach and remove a president. Absent those things, the stated ‘wishes’ of its critters are just smoke.
Congress doesn’t have to wish a president would ask them for approval. When they cry about that, they are just shifting the buck.
Tigger,
Thanks, I agree.
PB,
I agree. The whole lot are callous out of control and a corrupt pork barrel swilling lot and the French had a perfectly good solution for that problem. It comes with a very sharp blade and a loud thud. LOL.
This is the same with congressmen and senators wailing at and telling off banking executives when they turn up at hearings.
Don’t bleat ineffectually to get prime time TV soundbites senators, simply make sure that the machinery of government and of the regulators enforces the rules already in place and puts those guys behind bars.
Never going to happen though is it.
In the Westernised World, rules are only for the “little” people.
So the NBR is running the Labour/NEIS email story.
“Labour says email addresses harvested solely for campaign”
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/labour-says-email-addresses-harvested-solely-campaign-ck-95615
A Room Full of Typing Monkeys
It was rather amusing to watch Bomber beat himself raw about DPF getting his very own Herald column a few weeks ago. Bomber was incensed and obviously had to check himself before he turned into the hulk and went completely berserk on us. He does raise a serious issue though, that is becoming more and more problematic; the right wing is trying to take over our airwaves.
No, they have taken over our airways.
Perhaps a better word to use was media.
Smarmy git
I notice your still using copyrighted material on your pathetic blog travellerev… Hypocrite!
Well I didn’t start this one.
I’ll try to explain it one more time to you.
There is a common courtesy while using other peoples material online. You only quote part of it and you link to their publication in the hopes of spreading their work while acknowledging their right to be named as the owner and above all you never ever claim something from someone else as written by yourself. That would be stealing.
And as for my “pathetic” blog; many of the writers I quote and link to are co-activists and and are happy to share their material because of the greater good they are trying to achieve and even though I have published parts of other peoples work for five years I have never ever had the request to take anything down.
You on the other hand STOLE someone else’s work and published that as you own. That is dishonest and shows like, by the way this ignorant remark, that you are lazy and dishonest and people have lost University jobs, book publishings and their careers over the sort of behaviour you exhibited when you STOLE the article you posted under you own name.
Now my blog might be pathetic to you which I might add says more about you than about me but I can hold my head high as I have never ever STOLEN other peoples work and presented it as my own.
Apart from publishing my own work (Which can also be used in the above described manner and which is used by others in the pursuit of spreading the truth) I have linked to other peoples work in the hopes of spreading their often excellent work.
The fact that you don’t seem to understand the difference is greatly troubling but I see you did not publish this week so perhaps I’m not alone in this sentiment.
I will also forward this to Iprent because I have no need for another silly and above all limitless exchange with someone I consider to be defective in the integrity department and I think that you need to sort out your attitude with the writers here and not with me.
travellerev
Dito
pft!
Bullshit!
? I’ve published this week Dick! Not only on The Jackal I might add. Scroll up to see one of today’s posts.
Ha ha ha! That’s the funniest brain fart I’ve seen in a while.
Aucklanders not paying your water bills?
Expect to go thirsty then, thanks to the kind folks at “Watercare”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10733531
Put in your own water tank. No more reliance on Watercare.
Simple.
They still charge you for wastewater though!
Waste-water could be stored for watering the garden when needed.
Can you get consent approval for roof sourced water containment systems for potable water? I didn’t think this was possible in Auckland.
Watercare owns the monopoly on a literal necessity of life.
I must admit I don’t know about the ins and outs of resource consent, etc. But living in a semi-rural community north of Auckland, we’re all on tank water of course. And as I recall, neighbours of ours in Manurewa had tank water a few years ago (don’t know if it was just for the garden or for drinking).
Echoing evermore the state of play in the US:
‘ (NaturalNews) Many of the freedoms we enjoy here in the U.S. are quickly eroding as the nation transforms from the land of the free into the land of the enslaved, but what I’m about to share with you takes the assault on our freedoms to a whole new level. You may not be aware of this, but many Western states, including Utah, Washington and Colorado, have long outlawed individuals from collecting rainwater on their own properties because, according to officials, that rain belongs to someone else.’
http://www.naturalnews.com/029286_rainwater_collection_water.html
Heads on pikes when there’s no energy to pump the water?
The corporates and super rich are a bit despondent that they can’t privatise oxygen and sell that.
Yet.
Bloody hell JN. Be carefull they might start thinking along those line.I do not put anything beyond those Right-Wing bastards.
Before everyone gets high and mighty here, bear in mind that every other TA charges for water supply via their rates.
And rates are subject to pretty similar non-payment provisions. Not much different really. And Water Care is totally owned by Auckland City Council.
What this does show up is how unwise it is to split out water supply into separate entities, and to charge seperately for the service. It just riles people up.
I guess splitting water out into a separate business entity might make it easier to sell off when our bankster occupiers demand it.
And allows councils to pretend that they can’t control the decisions of the organisation.
some people in the labour party should remember that the original labour party newspaper went down in flames when the bluenoses would not let them publish race results. good thinking guys. and now that we have progressed into the twenty first century it is possible to buy micropulse line of sight fm radio stations for less than $5,000.
Time to wise up and tackle the spin meisters head on. the trouble is everybody in the labour party who has any money has already fallen under the capitalist spell of using it to browbeat their bank manager for sport rather than investing in something that would make a difference.
+1
but screw FM radio, that is too 1970’s, I want HD digital TV with surround sound broadcasting the Message of the Left.
and furthermore the mor people use this space to display their erudtion and learning about the byzantine minutae of the workings of the united states congress then the more the spotlight shifts off the neanderthals currently in charge here.
I always thought of TVNZ News to be one of the better news sources in NZ…they have proved to be stupid idiots…they fell for anti-capitalist satire, no wonder NZ is so stupid
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/online-outrage-quake-profiteers-4248164
I hate to say this and please note the qualifiers …
Most of the A-list left the country,
increasingly, more of the B-list are fleeing,
and we have to make do with the C-list.
We can talk, or hear, about being ‘ambitious’ for all we like –
But if we do nothing, if we don’t follow up talk with action,
we bleed more of our B-list overseas.
This is called self-selection down the spiral –
Dumbing down produces dumbs.
May New Zealand not descend to the levels of New Dumbland.
~ Newsflash ~
[quoting National(‘s) Business Review]
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/record-number-leave-live-australia-ck-95729
“New Zealand had a net migration loss for a third consecutive month as large numbers of people continue to head to Australia to live … The net outflow of 3300 migrants to Australia last month was up from 1700 in May 2010 …”
While Key blunders and plunders, Kiwis increasingly vote with their feet.
Smile and wave goodbye to your family, friends and work mates!
Now, what else is there left to ambitiously sell and shut down here?
John Key makes incredible statement on Pike River …
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10733536
This fits the usual pattern:
1) The comments are made to foreign media.
2) The comments totally contradict his earlier statements (even the Herald notices this).
3) The comments will finally be picked up by the Labour party some time after everyone else has …
Yep, the usual pattern of NZ politics today: two-faced Prime Minister, feeble domestic media, and a useless opposition.
This should be THE lead story. Key should be facing a grilling when he gets back. But who from?
Let me at him. Pleeeaaase!!!
maybe he’ll do a one-one with the herald…or that morning show on TV1
Where they always asking him these hard case questions? Yeah right!
Goff has now read my comment (!) and has spoken to the media, describing Key’s remarks as an “unbelievable about-face”. Good.
Labour need to keep up the pressure. Key can’t be allowed to get away with saying one thing in Greymouth and another in Canberra.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5171922/Pike-River-mine-would-be-illegal-in-Australia-Key
Pike River mine ‘would be illegal in Australia’ – Key
“Prime Minister John Key has defended his claims that the Pike River coal mine would be illegal in Australia.”
‘The Australian newspaper reported that Key had yesterday “vowed that there would be changes to mining safety laws”.
He told the newspaper the Pike River mine, which was a single-entry uphill mine, “couldn’t have been constructed in Australia” because it would have been “illegal”.
“There will be changes in New Zealand,” Key said.’
‘But, in an apparent departure from his comments at the time of the disaster, Key conceded that the mine could not have been operational in Australia.
In November last year, however, he said:
“I have no reason to believe that New Zealand safety standards are any less than Australia’s.” ‘
____________________________________________________________
Seen the Sunday Programme on Pike River Mine?
tvnz.co.nz/sunday-news/disturbing-questions-pike-river-mine-part-1-15-04-video-4222074
tvnz.co.nz/sunday-news/disturbing-questions-pike-river-mine-part-2-8-34-video-4222107
Hmmmm…….. seems the Pike River Mine ‘Whistleblower’ was correct about safety concerns
– what else …………….?
http://www.scribd.com/doc/47745564/Murder-at-Pike-River-Mine-SECOND-EDITION-With-Postscript
Check out Chapter 9, pg 38,
“SECRET PLAN TO OPEN UP PARKS TO OPEN CAST MINING:
BATHURST RESOURCES & L&M COAL”
Check out Bathurst Resources Ltd, the company which is currently applying for a resource consent for open-cast coal mining in Buller:
See ‘Resource Consent Process’ 7 June 2011
“Buller Coal Resource Consent Application Public Hearing Commences”
http://www.bathurstresources.com/Investor-Information/Announcements/2011-ASX-Announcements
Who is a substantial shareholder in Bathurst Resources Ltd?
The Bank of America.
( Has voting power of 7.50% in Bathurst Resources Ltd.)
See April 29 2011 ‘Changes in substantial ownership’
Remember?
John Key is a shareholder in the Bank of America.
http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/MPP/MPs/FinInterests/8/c/3/00CLOOCMPPFinInterests20101-Register-of-Pecuniary-Interests-of-Members.htm (See pg 36)
So – would John Key stand to personally profit from open cast coal-mining in the West Coast, given his shareholding in the Bank of America?
Arguably YES.
Penny Bright
waterpressure.wordpress.com
Key’s (and Kate Wilkinson’s) earlier comments here
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/pike-river-coal-slammed-inspector-shortage-3909410
Completely stupid and senseless imprisonment. What a farce the drug laws are http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/5170738/Rock-legend-Rick-Bryant-jailed-for-drugs
No, no we have to rid the world of evil cannabis smokers. F*&king hell!
Better tell all those people who set up their houses with security cameras that, if they’re investigated by the law, that it’s going to be assumed that they’re criminals.
/sarc
The appalling way that Vince Siemer has been treated by the NZ ‘Justice’ system helps confirm why our New Zealand so desperately needs real checks and balances to help ensure an ‘open, transparent and accountable’ judiciary?
SUCH AS:
1) An enforceable ‘Code of Conduct’ for Judges.
(Preferably based upon the ‘Banagalore Principles for Judicial Conduct’
http://www.unodc.org/unodc/search.html?q=Bangalore+Principles+of+judicial+Conduct
2) An enforceable ‘Register of Pecuniary Interests’ for Judges.
3) ALL Court proceedings to be recorded, and records made available to parties who request them.
__________________________________________________________________________
Vince Siemer was denied leave to appeal by the NZ Supreme Court on 3 June 2011:
BACKGROUND:
On 23 December 2008, Cooper J delivered his judgment awarding the first respondent, Michael Peter Stiassny, defamation damages against Vincent Ross Siemer, totalling $825,000 and the second respondent, Korda Mentha, damages of $95,000 ($75,000 for defamation and $20,000 for breach of an agreement settling a dispute between the parties).
This was the highest ever defamation award in New Zealand.
(Korda Mentha v Siemer HC Auckland CIV-2005-404-1808, 23 December 2008. )
“An unusual feature of the case is that Mr Siemer had been debarred from defending the proceedings.”
Whatever happened to ‘Justice 101′?
That there are always at least TWO sides to the story, and in order to get a ‘fair trial’ you are supposed to be able to defend yourself?
Vince Siemer appealed to the Court of Appeal against J Cooper’s decision, and lost.
(Siemer v Stiassny [2011] NZCA 106. )
He then sought leave to appeal to the Supreme Court, but his application was dismissed.
((SC 49/2011) [2011] NZSC 63 3 June 2011 )
The judgment of Cooper J accused Vince Siemer of engaging in “vile racist abuse”;
Subsequently, a comment was made by the Court of Appeal that its attention had not been drawn to a worse case of defamation in the British Commonwealth and that its own researches had not disclosed one.
(Following comments from Steven Price Media Law Journal on these matters)
http://www.medialawjournal.co.nz/?p=205
http://www.medialawjournal.co.nz/?p=452
That’s pretty heavy stuff!
Vince Siemer was denied his day in Court to defend himself at the defamation hearing at which he got the highest ever defamation award against him and he has been denied leave to appeal to the Supreme Court about the accuracy of the comments upon which the defamation award was based.
How would you like this happening to YOU?
BEWARE! If it can happen to Vince Siemer – WHO IS NEXT?
Having STUDIED the recent SUPREME COURT JUDGMENT 3 June 2011 (SC 49/2011) [2011] NZSC 63
http://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/from/decisions/judgments
I cannot find ANYTHING Vince Siemer said about Michael Stiassny that was ‘anti-semetic’ or constituted ‘vile racist abuse’.
VERY interested in the CONSIDERED opinions of others on this matter.
What EXACT ‘defamatory’ statements made by Vince Siemer about Michael Stiassny were relied upon by Judge Cooper from the High Court; Judges Arnold, Glazebrook and Hammond from the Court of Appeal; and Judges Blanchard, Tipping and William Young from the Supreme Court as being:
a) ‘anti-semetic’?
b) constituting ‘vile racist abuse’?
c) constituting ‘poking racist jibes’?
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
YOU BE THE JUDGE!
Penny Bright
http://waterpressure.wordpress.com
[email deleted]
‘Anti-corruption campaigner’
Attendee: Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference (APSACC) 2009
Attendee: Transparency international 14th Anti-Corruption Conference 2010
Hard to feel sorry for Seimer. He repeatedly, consistently and fragrantly put himself above the law by breaching any order of the Court he felt above. Which turned out to be most of them.
One of the interesting things, for me at least, about the recent Deaker controversy was the way that both the man’s detractors and defenders seemed to assume that the racist phrase he used came from a society far, far away, and didn’t have any organic connection to this part of the world. It’s certainly true that ‘working like a nigger’ is a phrase connected to slavery, but was slavery really unknown to New Zealanders in the nineteenth century? The truth is that we were trading in slaves foro/f the years after the end American Civil War:
http://readingthemaps.blogspot.com/2011/06/new-zealands-slaving-history.html
Very interesting. Thanks for the link.
Well at last the serious fraud office has charged “that lovely old man ” Hubbard. My opinion is that he is a con man of the very best. Interesting that he is friendly with Key and interesting that when the shit hit the fan he said “this would not have happened if Mr Key had been in the country.
Well the One Man Band is busy wowing them in Ushtralia and he’s even taught the Mad Monk to smile and wave.
He hopes to one day be the president of the Pacific rim Federation of Nations.
He like his masters believes no doubt that we would all be better off being farmed by sensible bankers.
Radio lightweights sling off at Miss USA
National Radio, “The Panel”, Tuesday 21 June 2011
Jim Mora, Susan Baldacci, Graham Bell, Julia Hartley Moore
Last Wednesday, the target of their scorn was a Playboy bunny-girl. This week, another young American beauty has drawn the contempt of some of radio’s finest intellects…
MORA: Uh, Susan Baldacci, what’s the world talking about on the social networks?
SUSAN BALDACCI: We’ve got a new Miss USA!
MORA: Hur, hur, hur!
GRAHAM BELL: Ho ho ho ho ho!
BALDACCI: Yes! Miss California, Alyssa Campanella, crowned as Miss USA in Las Vegas on Sunday, says she’s a history geek!
MORA: Oh really? Hur, hur, hur, hur, hur!
BELL: Ho ho ho ho ho!
BALDACCI: Yes, she says she has watched Braveheart, Gladiator, and Shakespeare in Love. And she’s a huge fan of Camelot, apparently.
BELL: Ho ho ho ho ho! She probably thinks Camelot is about the Kennedys!
MORA: Ha ha ha ha ha! She probably DOES think that!
BALDACCI: Ha ha ha ha ha!
BELL: Ho ho ho ho ho!
BALDACCI: And she made an unbelievable speech! The judges asked her about her thoughts on the legalization of medical marijuana in California. Here’s what she said: “Medical marijuana is sort of like medicine. I’m not sure if it should be legalized, if it would really affect, with the drug war. That kind of tells me there’s a war going on, and the people on drugs are winning. America doesn’t lose wars. So we need to get the Army in there and take down the Islamic pot lords. I mean, it’s abused today, unfortunately, so that’s the only reason why I would kind of be a little bit against it, but medically it’s OK. And if the law-making people legalize it, then that would be great too. But I still wouldn’t do it because my friends tell me that weed makes you hungry, and I can’t risk eating food at this stage in my career.”
MORA: Hur, hur, hur, hur, hur!
BELL: Ho ho ho ho ho! She’s obviously a towering intellect!
———————————————————
After the 4:30 news, the Panelists get their chance to say what’s on their minds. As you read what they have to say, bear in mind that, unlike beauty contestants, these two have had days to come up with something witty and/or intelligent to say. Let’s see how they did…
Here are the considered thoughts of panelist Julia Hartley Moore: “Greece is the dirtiest country I’ve ever been to. Is it something to do with the people? The mindset? I dunno.”
And here are the considered thoughts of panelist Graham Bell: “There’s a number of things that RANKLE me and FRUSTRATE me….Some time, just once in a blue moon, I’d like to get TWO biscuits with my cup of coffee, not just one biscuit!”
If only Miss USA could be serious and intelligent, like these people.
I really enjoy reading these Morrissey – thanks. Sometimes seeing it written down after hearing it highlights just how absurd, idiotic and vacant that lot are. But not hearing it – just reading this is even better.
LOL 😀
Question 10: Darien Fenton to the Minister of Labour
Her response to the last question asked by Jacinda Adern is, effectively, I’m not telling, neeya, neeya, neeya.
Stay off the Pipe
Last week, Chris Cornell sat down in Los Angeles with David Farrier for an interview. Chris was the front man of the hugely successful band Soundgarden. He then embarked on other endeavours such as Temple of the Dog, Audioslave and his solo career. The seminal statement in the interview was “stay of the pipe.” Although Chris delivered this with humour, it’s a serious topic that needs further investigation…
Joky Hen on this evening’s news. (re mining)
“There’s two different standards…” – it’s singular John, FFS.
This joke, who is pushing for literacy standards, wouldn’t pass a Year 5 (Standard 3) test.
It is not surprising that his speeches are written for him – he is just left to struggle with the phrasing and intonation when he reads them to make it sound as though he is making sense. Goodness knows what his speeches would be like if he wrote them himself. I guess it is what we can expect from MBAs though. They’re not interested in the Arts or the intricacies of the English language, as long as they can spell “Dollars” and “sense”.
I wonder how the families of those who died at Pike River mine feel about what Shonkey said?
“Two different standards” ??
Joky Hen is splitting hair which he got from a bald man.
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/pm-denies-u-turn-pike-river-mine-4252180
Ummm, he is not doing a u-turn. The road was turning into a ‘u’.
Did anyone pick up Simon Power’s comment on Radionz about his true feelings concerning the rorting of low income people with 500% p.a. loans using texts? Super fast money, once cleared for credit the loan can be sent to your bank account in 4 minutes! It went something like this – that the government can’t bring in controlling legislation on innovative financial packages. This means that all the repeated media coverage about his concern for ordinary people on low incomes taking on vicious loans, and how something should be done about it, is just a smokescreen.
Loans available via text – Radionz 9.31am Tues 21/6
A global finance company, offering high interest micro-loans via text message, has begun operating in New Zealand. These loans have been met with despair by family budgeting services. Kathryn talked to Peter Sykes, CEO of Mangere East Family Service Centre, and Labour consumer affairs spokesperson, Carol Beaumont. We also hear from a spokesman for Ferratum, the finance company concerned. (24′59″)
Carol Beaumont, Labour’s Spokesperson for Consumer Affairs had a bill about this that National and ACT voted down. She spoke well, very impressive. Also to note is that barrister Catriona MacLennan has been advocating for action for ages. Herald piece – Labour MP Carol Beaumont is to introduce to Parliament a member’s bill designed to cap New Zealand’s interest rates. The Credit Reform (Responsible Lending) Bill provides for the Governor of the Reserve Bank to set maximum annual percentage rates of interest payable on consumer credit contracts. The bill also requires lenders to make inquiries to ascertain that borrowers have a reasonable prospect of repaying loans. Catriona MacLennan: Govt chance to reel in loan sharks
Power thinks that if people are informed of all the factors, then they can make smart, informed decisions and after that they are on their own (the suckers). They are just patsies to be bled by business people who like that sort of business. Not his cup of tea, he makes his money being a clever lawyer, but it takes all sorts doesn’t it. He belongs to the group that is willing to make money from tempting people to do something that will be injurious to them, and then condemn them for being foolish in falling prey to the scam.
There are psychological drives to gain instant gratification in people deprived of discretionary income or who are prone to impulsive action. If fully informed they may still refuse to accept that they are stepping into a debt quagmire which will suck them down. I don’t know what enforcement system this outrageous new loan scheme will use when people can’t pay back all the debt and all the interest – 91% for an 8 day debt, rising.
I read/heard (?) somewhere about simple simon and a “financial summit” in august.
Given this government’s track record (ahem, job summit), let’s just be very very polite and say we wish the summit all the very best.
Poor people deserve to be fraked over while the National Government helps invest in the financial institutions doing the fraking.
Another sizeable aftershock just now. At least 5, probably 5.0 to 5.5 I think.
Lots of little rumbles in the last few minutes after it, too. No damage here, as usual. Lights are still swaying though (quite long pendants).
Edit: another rattler, good 4ish in size. Jumping for doorways ’cause I don’t know if they’re going to get worse :/
Edit x2: Getting little tremors about once every minute. Can hear them, sometimes the house creaks and can feel a small judder. Pretty unnerving.
Geonet update, 5.3M, 10km west of Akaroa:
http://geonet.org.nz/earthquake/quakes/3533107g.html
I’ll just add, for those who haven’t experienced them, that the constant small tremors are a strong reminder of the aftermaths of the 7.1 and the 6.3 from February. Not so much last week’s 6.3, though. So having so many small quakes puts me on edge for something bigger about to break.
Looking at the location on the map, right in the centre of banks peninsula, Akaroa probably got quite a rocking from reflected waves, I would think. Could be a bit of damage there.
Yeah time for a calming cup of tea.
Gin and tonic.
Seems I filled my glass a bit full. Hopefully I can drink it before a tremor spills it.
Bugger the tea, pass the Scotch.
And don’t forget to do some deep breathing.
Deadly_NZ: hope the baby reckons this is all fun and games !
You guys 🙂
How do you know you’ve been too long in Christchurch?
When you know the underlying fault structure like a geologist..
When you can estimate the effect of reflections of P waves off local basalt..
More come to mind…
But it is actually better to have lots of slightly larger 5’s than those 4’s, it probably means that nothing is jamming up for a bigger one as that whole area destresses.
A bit harder on the people and already stressed buildings with repeated shakes.
Anyone able to tell me how to insert an image into a post?
I don’t think the comments support that here.
The FAQ doesn’t mention anything about image tags: http://thestandard.org.nz/faq/
I’ve seen it once or twice before but I dont know if they were flukes.
In a comment? You can’t here. Just editors and above when they use the moderating editor.
There are many nasty things that can be done to our layout with images, so I have it off. The plugin fix sometimes gets bypassed with wordpress updates. KSES isn’t exactly finished.
testing…. Um mm..
Test as logged out.
Good. Still protected. KSES swallows non allowed HTML and discards it.
Looks like wordpress are doing a better job on layout these days