The intro says it all. Paraphrasing – ‘We support free speech, but we don’t support free speech.’ And then calls for google to excercise a more stringent censorship regime.
The ‘shouldn’t be allowed’ sites, offered an interesting hodge podge. Alongside the usual images and indignia associated with the unpleasant guys of WW2, there were sites callng for an end to the bombing of Gaza, something on Venezuela, references to Zionism, another on Iran, Palestine…and so it went on.
I couldn’t be bothered to endlessly pause the video to check out the sites, but anyway.
As I asked at the beginning, why was it scary in your opinion?
Cards to monitor or control the spending by beneficiaries.
Judging by the outfits one or two of the cards proponents wear to mask their considerable girths, some of whom have had a history of benefit support, or being on the public purse as members of parliament, perhaps the cards should be given to them as well. The Petulant Bean has obviously been guilty of spending her money unwisely (junk food for one) and a couple of her colleagues could possibly also be guilty. What say MP’s be held to account on how they spend the money they get paid to attend parliament and debate issues – it’s all tax payers money afterall.
You want to be creeped out take a look at three short video’s showing 3 swastika shaped buildings on Google eartth. In the US, Greece and Nairobi. In Greece there is one that looks pretty well identical to the one in the US. In Nairobi there is a set of four buildings with each one being shaped like a swasticka. The proportions of these builings from Google earth all look similar to identical at a glance.
The second one is in Greece. Listen to a news report about it that you cannot understand unless you speak Greek. Not sure when this one was built but the pictures say it all.
The third one is in Nairobi either in or Near their main hospital. In this group of four builings all of them are shaped like swastikas. I checked these out ages ago. This one was built just after WW2 by imigrants. There seems to be very little information available about it.
I contacted New Zealand media people who said they don’t do stories on this sort of thing. Looks like they do news reports on it in the US and Greece so why not here. We know all about Arnie’s and Maria’s divorce so why is this subject off limits to our media.
Remember this building occured in post WWII when the German SS, the Gestapo and various other nefarious agencies were being systematically implanted into the new Security and Investigation Units being developed by the US government. Namely the CIA and the NSA. SO yes real evil, but a building is a building, concern yourself with how the intelligence machines of the Third reich ended up in Washington DC and you will have much more to be concerned about.
I would like to remind you that the swastika is one of the oldest forms in Human history. The sooner its short term association with our very dark and recent history is forgotten the sooner the world can return to the roots of its meaning. The swastika is a symbol borne of unity, love and repsect for each other.
Social conservative Trotter may be… but he’s forgotten more about Labour than most of us will ever know.
And frankly I think he’s pretty close to the mark here. While Key’s govt hasn’t swung hard right so far, and pretty much dangled about not doing much in the middle…. a further swing to the right in this election will see the same sort of destructive policies that we’ve seen in the UK this last several years… with much the same sort of outcome you would have to predict.
Key is after all popular. You might not like that, but it’s stupid to try and ignore why.
Lol
That article must be satire. Shonky saving NZ from terrorist attack. Next he will be changing quickly in phone booths and wearing his undies on the outside.
Having fun Orcusman? Its all rather sad from you and the MSM…bit like the sad reporting yesterday on the “opening” of some more of the JKey Memorial Larceny aka cycleway. Tell me how a road, used by cars and trucks can all of a sudden be designated cycleway? Its a big fekkin joke, like yourself, Whale, and the rest of the opinions coming from your side of the tracks.
Chris73, I think you’ll find that both islands (or all three) are (metaphorically) already sinking as you describe.
I’ve often wondered why there aren’t contracts on ipredict as to whether such indicators as child poverty, domestic violence, child abuse, rates of youth suicide, rates of depression and anxiety disorders, etc. will go up or down as a result of election outcomes.
It would be interesting because, ‘I predict’, Â that at least some New Zealanders would have to face the fact that the policies they support (e.g., tax cuts, fewer public services, privatisation of health, education and welfare provision, etc.) also come along with increases in these indicators (after all, putting your own money on trends in these indicators supposedly makes people more honest with themselves).
It would make the trade off that, according to the polls, many New Zealanders appear willing to make, very clear.
Puddlegum – social indicator stocks of the kind you suggest are a great idea. Which ones are published annually (or quarterly) and where, so that iPredict can begin with an experiment to see ones attract the most interest?
Yeah, omitting Cunliffe did seem so odd I had to think it was deliberate. Still we all make dozy mistakes from time to time.
But overall it was soberly written and a reasoned appraisal. I’ve repeatedly said that I do support Goff; he would make a very good PM if he ever got a fair crack at it. But I don’t think these are fair times, and I don’t think he is going to capture the imagination of the NZ public this election. Is that fair? No. But probably true all the same.
And I think Hubbard nails the reasons why. And he’s likely correct that the best outcome for Labour in the longer run is a narrow and honourable loss. That’ll keep the right in sufficient check, while allowing the left time to build a solid platform for 2014.
Sure that’s a somewhat sour pill to swallow, but not a wholly bitter one.
Labour need 40% or 41%. A hard ask but certainly not impossible.
36% or 37% would mean that Labour would lose, but National would have a precarious hold on power. And many in NAT will want to go for three terms and so be moderate…while the neoliberals will realise that three terms is not likely and will want to go hard right to pocket what they can while they can.
I’m dismayed though that after the CGT Labour has not rolled out more big brave new left wing policy. RWC is around the corner and there will be no chance to announce stuff then.
I tend to agree about the policy rollouts -but it might be a tactic to get coverage after the cup.
40% for labour would be good, but it all depends on the minor parties – if mana and nz1 get 4% each + and electorate, greens on 7, then that could be a workable coalition there with labour <40.
What Labour gets is largely irrelevant (although, before some tory goes for broke, 30% would be too low) – it’s what National get, and whether they have any friends after the election. I seriously doubt they will get 50%+, so they’ll need to pray ACT make up the difference (with Brash), or the maori party can make up the difference and are prepared to do the coalition again, or etc etc etc.
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SST fills in more of the picture of who is doing what in the scandal of exploitation of cheap foreign workers to work on 27 aged hulks in order to harvest Maori fishing quota.
– unsafe ships – one has sunk with loss of life.
– third world wages paid to maximize profits for quota holders.
– unsafe work environments.
– abusive treatment of the workers.
Our fish, from our waters, to benefit our economy and yet not answerable to our laws!
Government creates free-market property speculation bubble in Christchurch.
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This was, and is, an utterly foreseeable problem that Gerry has failed to see through the clouds of mortar dust from his haste to demolish Christchurch.
A distorted market of sudden and overwhelming demand from a limited supply.
Not that they have to do anything to create this bubble. They (National) just have to do what they have always done – just do nothing!
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Extra-ordinary situations require extra-ordinary measures (including price control legislation). This can be done so landowners make a profit, homeless get homes, everyone is happy.
Instead we can expect, as an extension of National Party policy, excessive profit taking by those who have from those who haven’t – all to the soundtrack of Gerry standing on a plinth singing “It’s a beautiful world”.
NZ is cheap. It dumped an upper chamber and then went soft on its wealth creators,
so much so that wealth creators immediately leave our shores either in person, or
sold to foreign owners after taking on too much debt. NZ business sector is soft
in the head for the most part, they believed they could not hack it in a
level playing field so watered down parliament and regulation to secure an easy
living and the detriment of NZ. Nz is cheap. Business if it want to be better would
demand a upper chamber, demand a CGT, demand we respect customers. Duh.
Your fed up being on the top of the rubbish dump when you know you could be
half way up a mountain, well all I have to say is Hubbard.
I think you will find that you are a lonely cheerleader in your routine promoting an upper house as the panacea for NZ.
One of the saving graces of the current status quo is that ill-conceived policy can be overturned by a incoming government. This of course means that good policy can also be overturned however as another commentator here pointed out, it is better to have the opportunity to do some good than to be paralysed by different factions controlling the upper and lower houses and to not be able to achieve anything.
I had the displeasure of reading an article in the Taranaki Daily News today written by Gordon Brown. He’s rubbishing a report (PDF) prepared by Infometrics Ltd for Every Child Counts, a coalition of organisations led by Barnardos, Plunket, Unicef, Save the Children and Te Kahui Mana Ririki. Brown pretty much cover’s all the bases of ill informed opinion that we so often see from far right commentators…
Rugby is a whore to commerce these days. So in NZ for that matter. As far as I’m concerned we deserve all the pathetic advertising campaigns in the world – as a country we elected a vacuous PM leading a party of vile individuals. And we may do so again in November.
You would think that New Zealand would have learned from the America’s Cup defections (Butterworth, Coutes et al) that a commercial entity has no national loyalty nor heart beyond that which it’s employees give it (or it’s legislated by government).
America’s Cup, All Blacks, Super 14, Rugby World Cup will take whatever taxpayer dollars we give them but will piss-off when it is in their financial advantage to do so.
Add to that Super V8’s, FIFA World Cup, Olympics, Ellerslie International Flower Show, World of Wearable Arts. All whores to the highest bidder and parasites hungry for Corporate Welfare!
Cunliffe alluded to this problem on Q+A this morning when it comes to asset sales. Foreign buy-in will lead to calls to maximize profit (at the expense of NZ customers), leading to court cases against the NZ Government under international trade agreements.Â
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No loyalty to New Zealand and screwing us for every dollar “the market can sustain”.
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Here’s a link to the video I was talking about yesterday. Its called “The elites plan for global extermination” by Webster Tarpley ( Histortian, Economist). Its about Obama’s appointee John Holdren the director of the White House office for science and technololgy. The film starts with Obama introducing John Holdren to the public in an address.
“Today I am pleased to announce members of my science and technology team. Dr John Holdren has agreed to serve as assistant to the President for Science and Technology and director for the whitehouse office of science and technology policy…..”
Mr Holdren co-wrote a book about 20 years ago called Ecoscience. In that book all manner of methods for population control both voluntary plus forced i.e methods such as putting chemicals in water are discussed. He had a figure of 1 billion people as and ideal global population.
Tarpley shows us the quotes in Holdren’s books including one chapter heading entitled
“De- development of Over Cevelpoed Countries”
Holdren dislikes the idea that with good systems in place everyone on earth can live reasonably. My take on the austerity being introduced around the world is meant to shorten lifespan and thus reduce our population. Tarpley also talks about plans for de-industrialisation of the west and preventing countries like China and India developing. We have certainly have seen de industrialisation of the west in the last 30 years with an accompanying decrease in our standard of living with both parents having to work to make ends meet and when you don’t count immigration numbers most western countries have seen decreases in population.
Holdren wants to create a science court where people could decide what inventions could be developed. Holdren apparantly hates technolgy and see’s people as polluters.
According to Tarply Holdren is not the only nutter in the Obama administration. Cass Sunstein would like to give legal rights to animals to be represented in court. Holdren is even more extreme and would like to give legal rights to trees rather than having a plan to plant more trees which would be the correct solution as oppoed to his view of preventing development for the poor to save trees rather than getting the poor to go out and plant lots of trees.
Unfortunately I think that video you linked to is a have, it seems to have been manufactured by the pro-growth corporate crowd.
I’ve watched the first ten minutes and Tarply attacks Holdren for being anti-economic growth, attacks Holdren for believing that there is a finite carrying capacity to the world, attacks Holdren for wanting tighter global regulation of pollution and resource exploitation, attacks Holdren for thinking that a more sustainable world population is closer to the one billion mark, attacks Holdren for saying that its not possible for every developing country in the world to strive for US levels of resource consumption and energy use.
The thing is, I reckon Holdren is largely correct about the big picture on all those issues.
Tarply continuously implies that Holdren will engineer the deaths of billions to get the population down to the carrying capacity, ignoring the fact that the earth is going to do that just fine by itself in the next ~100 or so years.
Viper Maybe you should have watched the whole film before reaching a conclusion.
So Viper you put the environment above hope for the poor. I say we can do both. Seems a real Labour party person would support the poor first and foremost. Its a long video where Tarply shows quotes in the book that say India should be Triaged. I.E. not be given any more food aid. I think thats where Tarply gets the idea he wants to commit genocide. And that is what is quietly happening as we speak.
Goldman Sachs have an exculsusive exemption which allows them to manipulate the food commodities markets. Apparantly approx 200 million people starved to death due to the recent high food prices but there was no actual shortage of food, just price manipulation by Goldman Sachs to blame for all that misery and death.
He also talks about women purchasing liscences to have children so we would probably have only the rich being allowed to breed. Holdren talks about forcibly taking babies away from unwed mothers putting contraceptives in the water. Is this what NZ lefties now aspire to.
Holdren also talks about the history of killing newborn infants as a population control method.
If you love these ideas should you really be a labour person.
Your preducdice against the source of the video may have decided not to even hear it out. The sad thing is no one else is prepared or able to confront these issues without getting a source of income. they simply must pay the bills like the rest of us. If your average Jo fill the gap for free they would loose their jobs and their families starve so their must be money changing hands so whistle blowers are not silenced by impoverishment. And people involved with politics know this.
We know that workers expressing extreme views publicly might be financially ruined and sacked.
Holdren’s specific suggestions from all those years back are bizarre and extreme. I’m not backing any of them.
So Viper you put the environment above hope for the poor. I say we can do both. Seems a real Labour party person would support the poor first and foremost. Its a long video where Tarply shows quotes in the book that say India should be Triaged. I.E. not be given any more food aid. I think thats where Tarply gets the idea he wants to commit genocide. And that is what is quietly happening as we speak.
1) If you mean ‘hope for the poor’ = the developed world aspiring to US levels of consumption and resource use, it can’t happen. There’s not enough cheap fossil fuels left in the world to make it happen. Note how even the US is unable to maintain US levels of consumption and resource use in an energy depleting world.
2) Over the next few years its more likely that the US will need Indian aid (not the other way around).
3) As I said, the earth is going to sort out the genocide itself. Modern agricultural production will plummet in the absence of fossil fuels.
First, peak oil is being distorted for propaganda purposes and being used by the elites to justify what they are doing in trying to secure global hegemony.
The problems are not population based they are misuse of resources due to vested interests who wish to perpetuate and enlarge their power structure.
Take a look here at a projected 500 year supply of oil coal and gas in the US once they decide to exploit it.
As I have written before we are not running out of fossil energy resources with enough gas, coal, and oil for over 500 years when shale oil reserves are considered. It might not be a cheap as it once was be we are not running our of fossil energy reserves any time soon. The Congressional Research Service just published a new report that the US has the largest fuel reserve on earth. We just lack the political will to capture and use them.
Bruce McQuain at Hot Air has posted a summary of this reality in a report by Peter C. Glover in the Energy Tribune. Gloverâs analysis of a recent Congressional Research Service study confirms that
we have hundreds of years of oil, gas and coal.
Glover writes:
In case anyone missed it, let me repeat something that is of a magnitude of 10 on the scale of news-quakes for Joe Public USA: Americas combined energy resources are, according to a new report from the Congressional Research Service (CSR), the largest on earth. They eclipse Saudi Arabia (3rd), China (4th) and Canada (6th) combined â and thatâs without including Americaâs shale oil deposits and, in the future, the potentially astronomic impact of methane hydrates.
The energy facts in the CRS report should be making front page news all over America. Mostly it isnât. Given the devastating news from Japan and New Zealand, it may be right to postpone dancing in the streets. But something else is going on. Even though they are going to dominate global energy supply for decades to come the insidious war on vital fossil fuels continues apace.
back to Gina
New Developments in Natural gas Extraction give estimates that we have enough gas to supply all the worlds fossil fuel needs for 400 years. Most of that Gas is in Russia and Iran and that may be the target of all these vicous wars of theft we are being pushed into. Then their is the unlimited solar. Peak oil is just another BS excuse for the agenda of the wealthy to do untold evil.
We want to be very certain we know what is really going on beyond all the propaganda before we support the poverty and misery of so many people many of whom have been our slaves over the last 30 years. They are human beings too and lets not toss out all vestiges of morality and treat them as though they are vermin because if we do that makes us the lowest of the low.
There are massive amounts of US money being spent on War, far higher than the costs of Medicare or any form of welfare. There are far better ways to limit consumption than deliberately impoverishing the most vulnerable people in society. Regulation on manufacture and recycling.
Make all manufactured goods comply with codes for recycling. I.E. Demand that a television set can be made so that it can be disassembled in 5 minutes. Everything made in a modular way where things don’t have to be smashed into one big mixed up mess which makes recycling impossible. Every piece of that TV must be easily recycled. Once we have that type of system firmly in place we can then demand that if someone wants a New TV they must have the old one completely disassembled before they can get another. Same for mobile phones. You can only have one or in some instances 2. we can fix the problem without hoping that the poor people of Africa and China will just die out after we have used all their recourses for our mean greedy selves.
There is no need for people to be thrown out into the streets and mark my word, kids are being thrown on the scrapheap right now as fodder for new wars where the desperate will be driven to enlist just to get a job.
Take a look here at a projected 500 year supply of oil coal and gas in the US once they decide to exploit it.
That can’t be correct IMO. Firstly, oil, coal and gas are not interchangeable sources of energy. How can you then say that you have 500 years worth of each one? It’s a very convenient round number.
Secondly, focussing on oil, the US hit peak oil production in 1970. No decision they make to open up natural parks, drill in Alaska, issue permits for new deep sea wells, etc. can compensate for the continuing productivity drop from existing wells. New production is not replacing production declines, and the Hubbert curve is largely holding.
Thirdly. Both cost and EROEI (energy returned on energy invested) matter. Focussing again on oil, US wealth was built on oil which cost $15-$20/barrel to produce. Many of the sources of oil they are talking about exploiting now cost three, four, five times as much per barrel. And instead of energy returns of 50:1 like the old days, energy returns are dropping to 10:1, 5:1 and sometimes even less.
Why is this important? Because the dynamics between price and EROEI will likely mean that massive amounts of the fossil fuel reserves they speak of will stay in the ground permanently. In other words, there’s a big difference between “technically recoverable reserves” and proven usable reserves.
For more serious discussion on peak energy I can recommend the oil drum
As an aside the shale gas phenomenon in the US has been massive, but the track records of the deposits are short and so no one can tell how they will produce over the long term. Further there are signs that some declared shale gas deposits may have been exaggerated for financial reasons.
Jon Stewart making some funnies about the real USA and world and welfare and taxes (I think I heard that only 50% of liable people paid tax there over one period, the subsidies etc covered any ordinary citizen tax that was estimated).
TV1 just breathlessly wanked on about Colmar-Brunton’s latest poll about the National Party winning 120% of the party vote whilst picking up 100% of electorates not only in New Zealand, but also in the UK, Maui, and several provinces in China. Phil Goff, who apparently has blood on his hands from throttling puppies, registered a negative 12%.
Don’t worry, the real NZland voter is probably watching “New Zealand’s Next Anorexic Coked-UpWhore” or “New Zealand Idle” or “Amazing Race – the Neo-Nazi Edition”
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The country is safe in their hands….
well they are just whistling in the dark to keep their spirits up.
New Zealanders know that we have been ill served by a motley collection of non-entities and a PM who is starting to show cracks in his facade.
The world is going through big changes at the moment and National and its myrmidons are totally unable to grasp the fact that they are becoming increasingly irrelavant and that they were yesterdays men ten years ago.
I wonder if the Petulant Bean will put her investigators onto people who spend a lot of time blogging while claiming to be unfit for work. Understand, after events today, that one or two could possibly be rethinking their positions.
They’ll be going into therapy courtesy of ACC, maybe having a Tariana stomach stapling and then getting a paid role for the Nats.
They are lucky they are over 16 (even though their mental age/level of understanding is about 5)
If you think that Fox News is disgusting…
Sunday 21 August 2011
At 11 p.m. a serious-sounding voice comes out of my radio: “The all-too-familiar cycle of Israeli-Palestinian violence in the Gaza Strip…. militant rocket attacks followed by Israeli reprisals.”
Where does that piece of perfect inversion of the truth come from?
If you guessed it was the Israeli (Dis)information Ministry, your guess would be an intelligent and justified guess, but it would be wrong. In fact, this nonsense comes courtesy of the BBC.
But isn’t that report accurate, Morrisey? I assume it was the recent attack on Israel’s south that you are referring to, which was followed by Israeli attacks on Gaza. Or is it something different?
But isnât that report accurate, Morrisey? I assume it was the recent attack on Israelâs south that you are referring to, which was followed by Israeli attacks on Gaza. Or is it something different?
It’s not at all accurate. It frames the story the Israeli way, as the BBC almost always does. So the firing of a few rockets from Gaza is presented as something that happens out of the blue, for no reason. What the BBC coverage ignores—perhaps deliberately—is the fact that since 2006 Israel has continued to drop bombs and incendiary devices on Gaza, and has continued with its illegal blockade. Israel regularly destroys crops, uproots trees, cuts off water, and electricity—an Israeli spokesman laughed that “we are putting them on a diet”—and kidnaps and imprisons Gaza’s citizens at will.
Any resistance at all by the people of Gaza is invariably presented as an “attack” on Israel.
Even you, and I regard you as a fair and thoughtful person, have framed this as Palestinian aggression followed by an Israeli “response”. I think if you look at the situation in Gaza more carefully, you will soon realize who the aggressor is.
I recommend anyone who wants to learn about what has happened and is happening in Gaza, to have a look at the following…
Cheers, Morrissey. I’d have to say the cycle of attacks is so routine, I’m still not sure which particular incident you heard reported. The one I most recently heard reported on the BBC and elsewhere was on Thursday.
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There was an attack on buses in Israel’s south. The attackers trekked through the Gaza/Egypt and Egypt/Israel borders and killed 8 people. Israel retaliated in the usual way by bombing the shit out of Gaza. They also apparently killed 3 Egyptian soldiers, which has caused a major diplomatic incident. I guess the BBC’s problem is that they report the news in 3 minutes every hour and can’t give the context you and I both agree on in such a short bulletin. So they stick to the facts. I bet if you asked the IDF, they’d probably also claim that the BBC is biased, but in the other direction!
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However, I know that there have been indications of a pro-Israel bias in the past, but I’d like to think they’ve improved. I thought their coverage of the flotilla massacre was pretty on the money, for example.
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Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund â When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayersâ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund â and ...
Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 âredesign of the welfare stateâ â which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty â various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being âWorking for Familiesâ, introduced in 2005. ...
Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing âon why Melissa is muteâ. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Leeâs ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from âserious populist discontentâ. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring âhard-working peopleâ. ...
Chris Trotter writes –Â MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling â or non-handling â of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealandâs two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
New Zealand is said to be suffering from âserious populist discontentâ. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring âhard-working peopleâ. The data is from February this ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications:Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to âdefend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.â To achieve this, they have pledged they âwill not advance ...
Chris Trotter writes –Â The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workersâ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
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 Zealandâs good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National governmentâs 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. ...
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 TÄmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Governmentâs democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Governmentâs 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 thatâs great for the planet and great for consumers after her memberâs 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 countryâs books after Teanau Tuionoâs membersâ 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 memberâs bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Todayâs 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. ...
The Governmentâs newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealandâs urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
MÄori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, MÄori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
The Coalition Governmentâs refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
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. âRecently 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 Teachersâ 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.  âThe 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. âScience, 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 todayâs 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. âThe Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in TaupĆ as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the TaupĆ International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. âAnticipation for the ITM TaupĆ 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. âThe 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. âThis project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sectorâs productivity,â Mr Jones says. âThe project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Governmentâs plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. âBenefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Governmentâs commitment to doubling New Zealandâs 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 Zealandâs 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. âOur 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. âNew 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 Governmentâs intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. âThe introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Todayâs 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 Governmentâs plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. âInflation 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 ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sectorâs role in the export-led recovery of the economy. âI am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Governmentâs support for the revitalisation the sector.  "New Zealandâs wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. âThe inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. âMy meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singaporeâs outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.  Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpartâs almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During todayâs meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. âI am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. âPets are important members of many Kiwi families. Itâs estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iranâs shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.  âThese attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.  "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand â Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.  âDame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,â says Dr Reti. âI have asked her to ...
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Governmentâs 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. âBoosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Governmentâs plan to ...
New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.  âOur country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,â Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States.  âWe cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. âThis is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.  âThe strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin itârule ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor in Honiara Solomon Islandsâ incumbent prime minister Manasseh Sogavare has been re-elected in the East Choiseul constituency. It is the opening move in the political chess match to form the countryâs next government. Returning officer Christopher Makoni made the declaration late last night after ...
Headline: The moment of friction. – 36th Parallel Assessments In strategic studies âfrictionâ is a term that it is used to describe the moment when military action encounters adversary resistance. âFrictionâ is one of four (along with an unofficial fifth) âFâsâ in military strategy, which includes force (kinetic mass), ...
The Fast-track Bill, if passed, would allow three Ministers, unchallenged and unchecked, to approve the immediate extraction and exhaustion of one-off resources. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne iamharin/Shutterstock For many people, the term âbulk billedâ refers to a GP visit they donât have to pay ...
Emmas Hislop, Sidnam and Wehipeihana discuss whatâs in a name. Emma Sidnam: Hello Emmas! Thank you so much for agreeing to do this with me. My first question for you is related to whatâs been on my mind for a while. Itâs very important. You see weâve recently had some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Sievers, Research Fellow, Global Wetlands Project, Australia Rivers Institute, Griffith University Chris Brown Humans love the coast. But we love it to death, so much so weâve destroyed valuable coastal habitat â in the case of some types of habitat, ...
Josh Thomson on the 80s milk ad jingle he canât stop singing, the beauty of The Simpsons, why Jersey Shore is as good as Shakespeare and more. For someone who spends a lot of time on our screens, popping up in everything from 7 Days to Taskmaster, Educators to Good ...
In apparent defiance of the Biden administration, the Netanyahu government has now initiated missile strikes against Iran. Last Saturday night (Sunday morning in New Zealand) Iran launched more than 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles against Israeli military targets. With the assistance of US, UK and possibly French forces, ...
MÄori representation brings a perspective that encompasses not only the interests of MÄori communities but also a broader, holistic approach to environmental stewardship and community well-being, principles deeply embedded in Te Ao MÄori (the MÄori ...
This week in Auckland, a group of young people took over the microphone at a ministerial press conference, to explain why they oppose the Fast-Track Approvals Bill. One young woman said, âWeâre here because we love Aotearoa New Zealand. We want to raise our children in an environment thatâs thriving, ...
The summer was wonderful. Evie was wonderful, too; finally a teenager, finally worthy of long, hot days. She shaved her legs for the first time and bought cut-off shorts from the op-shop that made them look long. She got a Warehouse singlet so tight on her new shape that her ...
When Thomas James was on his solo camp as part of Outward Bound, the keen outdoorsman didnât find it too challenging, as others often do. In what might just be the perfect illustration of his character, he saw it as a great opportunity to solve a few problems. âI thought, ...
From the unstable and drippy to the hi-tech and pretty, hereâs our ranking of all the tunnels you can drive through in this country. The first tunnel seems to have been built in 2200BC in Babylonia, kicking off a global phenomenon for digging holes in order to get places more ...
Lucinda Bennett on the art of being greedy but resourceful. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. When I picture the market, it is always this time of year. Crisp air, dripping nose, counting coins with cold fingers. Sunlight pale, filtered through specks of dew still ...
ZoĂ« Colling’s favourite piece in the ‘That’s So Last Century’ collection is a lubrication chart for a sewing machine from the ’60s. It’s about the size of a postcard, and carefully maintained. “I like it that this piece of ephemera highlights that manual and technical side of the skill involved ...
Kia Ora Gaza A passionate haka reverberated through Auckland International Airport as a medical team of three New Zealand doctors received an emotional farewell from a big crowd of supporters before flying to Turkey to join the international Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The doctors, who left Auckland yesterday, hope to ...
With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...
Our response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...
The new âFast-track Approvals Billâ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...
COMMENTARY:By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister â the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory â gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Before climate change really got going, eastern Australiaâs flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But thatâs changing. Now ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum âre-imaginedâ itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...
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The Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so itâs wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Daniel Boud/Sydney Theatre Company Decay, terror, revulsion. These are three of the central themes of Thomas Bernhardâs rarely performed play The President. The Austrian is one of the greatest ...
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Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Edith Cowan University Pexels/RDNE stock project Youâre not in your 20s or 30s anymore and you know regular health checks are important. So you go to your GP. During the appointment they measure your waist. ...
A new poem by Evangeline Riddiford Graham. Mitochondrial Problem I. It was long drive to Kansas for the man and his dog but you have to understand he said She doesnât fly. Which calls to mind not carsick shitting barking or whining but a dog who chooses not to as ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Booksâ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingwayâs Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)Hot off the press, this debut ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...
Chief executive Shaun Robinson said it has not had any government funding cut, but government-funded contracts have not kept pace with rising costs. ...
The Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans peopleâs self-determination and agency. The ...
Barcelonaâs city streets have gone from traffic-clogged to pedestrian-friendly. How? Superblocks. Ellen Rykers explains. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week I read a great interview with renowned urbanist Janette Sadik-Khan by The Spinoffâs Wellington editor Joel MacManus: âYou can reimagine streets, ...
Student groups âClimate Action VUWâ, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Governmentâs âWar on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, Research Fellow, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modiâs popularity has grown exponentially â and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a ...
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Scary stuff:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwj0jwZ2tNY
What’s scary about it?
The intro says it all. Paraphrasing – ‘We support free speech, but we don’t support free speech.’ And then calls for google to excercise a more stringent censorship regime.
The ‘shouldn’t be allowed’ sites, offered an interesting hodge podge. Alongside the usual images and indignia associated with the unpleasant guys of WW2, there were sites callng for an end to the bombing of Gaza, something on Venezuela, references to Zionism, another on Iran, Palestine…and so it went on.
I couldn’t be bothered to endlessly pause the video to check out the sites, but anyway.
As I asked at the beginning, why was it scary in your opinion?
Love Colin Campbell – bachelor and spinsterhood could be high on the agenda in future particularly with no pill or condoms.
http://cassandralegacy.blogspot.com/2011/08/colin-campbell-on-embedded-energy.html
Cards to monitor or control the spending by beneficiaries.
Judging by the outfits one or two of the cards proponents wear to mask their considerable girths, some of whom have had a history of benefit support, or being on the public purse as members of parliament, perhaps the cards should be given to them as well. The Petulant Bean has obviously been guilty of spending her money unwisely (junk food for one) and a couple of her colleagues could possibly also be guilty. What say MP’s be held to account on how they spend the money they get paid to attend parliament and debate issues – it’s all tax payers money afterall.
You want to be creeped out take a look at three short video’s showing 3 swastika shaped buildings on Google eartth. In the US, Greece and Nairobi. In Greece there is one that looks pretty well identical to the one in the US. In Nairobi there is a set of four buildings with each one being shaped like a swasticka. The proportions of these builings from Google earth all look similar to identical at a glance.
The one in the US is in Coronado Naval Base built in 1967 more than 20 gyears after the war. Check out this news report about it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWkls1v6vJE&playnext=1&list=PLFF0A40AAFABBA0F1
The second one is in Greece. Listen to a news report about it that you cannot understand unless you speak Greek. Not sure when this one was built but the pictures say it all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DzMlF_jvY4&feature=autoplay&list=PLFF0A40AAFABBA0F1&index=9&playnext=2
The third one is in Nairobi either in or Near their main hospital. In this group of four builings all of them are shaped like swastikas. I checked these out ages ago. This one was built just after WW2 by imigrants. There seems to be very little information available about it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0M8Dsw29AYU
I contacted New Zealand media people who said they don’t do stories on this sort of thing. Looks like they do news reports on it in the US and Greece so why not here. We know all about Arnie’s and Maria’s divorce so why is this subject off limits to our media.
Remember this building occured in post WWII when the German SS, the Gestapo and various other nefarious agencies were being systematically implanted into the new Security and Investigation Units being developed by the US government. Namely the CIA and the NSA. SO yes real evil, but a building is a building, concern yourself with how the intelligence machines of the Third reich ended up in Washington DC and you will have much more to be concerned about.
I would like to remind you that the swastika is one of the oldest forms in Human history. The sooner its short term association with our very dark and recent history is forgotten the sooner the world can return to the roots of its meaning. The swastika is a symbol borne of unity, love and repsect for each other.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/opinion/5479874/Labour-must-leave-past-behind
Ouch, thats gotta hurt
What’s gotta hurt, Chris? If you didn’t want your photo taken with Phil Goff, you shouldn’t have stood there.
Thats me on the right (naturally) and Jacinda Ardern on the left
oh and this probably isn’t helpful either:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/5470134/Trotter-A-swing-right-could-tear-us-apart
No problem there, Chris. Conservative columnist with no connection to Labour quotes flea while praising Key. Yawn.
Social conservative Trotter may be… but he’s forgotten more about Labour than most of us will ever know.
And frankly I think he’s pretty close to the mark here. While Key’s govt hasn’t swung hard right so far, and pretty much dangled about not doing much in the middle…. a further swing to the right in this election will see the same sort of destructive policies that we’ve seen in the UK this last several years… with much the same sort of outcome you would have to predict.
Key is after all popular. You might not like that, but it’s stupid to try and ignore why.
Lol
That article must be satire. Shonky saving NZ from terrorist attack. Next he will be changing quickly in phone booths and wearing his undies on the outside.
Yes because thats the main point of the article
I, for one, sleep better knowing that John “uberman” Key and the SAS are fighting in Afghanistan to keep Norway free from Muslim extremists. đ
http://blog.labour.org.nz/index.php/2011/07/28/labour-candidate-making-an-impression-in-botany/
Yeah he could join Phil Goff in saving lives
Having fun Orcusman? Its all rather sad from you and the MSM…bit like the sad reporting yesterday on the “opening” of some more of the JKey Memorial Larceny aka cycleway. Tell me how a road, used by cars and trucks can all of a sudden be designated cycleway? Its a big fekkin joke, like yourself, Whale, and the rest of the opinions coming from your side of the tracks.
You remind me of the scene in erik the viking where the island is sinking but the king refuses to believe whats happening
But hey you’re happy đ
Fuckwit troll dullard thickshit..
Chris73, I think you’ll find that both islands (or all three) are (metaphorically) already sinking as you describe.
I’ve often wondered why there aren’t contracts on ipredict as to whether such indicators as child poverty, domestic violence, child abuse, rates of youth suicide, rates of depression and anxiety disorders, etc. will go up or down as a result of election outcomes.
It would be interesting because, ‘I predict’, Â that at least some New Zealanders would have to face the fact that the policies they support (e.g., tax cuts, fewer public services, privatisation of health, education and welfare provision, etc.) also come along with increases in these indicators (after all, putting your own money on trends in these indicators supposedly makes people more honest with themselves).
It would make the trade off that, according to the polls, many New Zealanders appear willing to make, very clear.
Puddlegum – social indicator stocks of the kind you suggest are a great idea. Which ones are published annually (or quarterly) and where, so that iPredict can begin with an experiment to see ones attract the most interest?
Hubbard has as much credibility as Slater.
An article about future leadership prospects and he does not mention David Cunliffe.
Unbelievable.Â
Insider knowledge? (Might help my ipredict)
Yeah, omitting Cunliffe did seem so odd I had to think it was deliberate. Still we all make dozy mistakes from time to time.
But overall it was soberly written and a reasoned appraisal. I’ve repeatedly said that I do support Goff; he would make a very good PM if he ever got a fair crack at it. But I don’t think these are fair times, and I don’t think he is going to capture the imagination of the NZ public this election. Is that fair? No. But probably true all the same.
And I think Hubbard nails the reasons why. And he’s likely correct that the best outcome for Labour in the longer run is a narrow and honourable loss. That’ll keep the right in sufficient check, while allowing the left time to build a solid platform for 2014.
Sure that’s a somewhat sour pill to swallow, but not a wholly bitter one.
Labour need 40% or 41%. A hard ask but certainly not impossible.
36% or 37% would mean that Labour would lose, but National would have a precarious hold on power. And many in NAT will want to go for three terms and so be moderate…while the neoliberals will realise that three terms is not likely and will want to go hard right to pocket what they can while they can.
I’m dismayed though that after the CGT Labour has not rolled out more big brave new left wing policy. RWC is around the corner and there will be no chance to announce stuff then.
I tend to agree about the policy rollouts -but it might be a tactic to get coverage after the cup.
40% for labour would be good, but it all depends on the minor parties – if mana and nz1 get 4% each + and electorate, greens on 7, then that could be a workable coalition there with labour <40.
What Labour gets is largely irrelevant (although, before some tory goes for broke, 30% would be too low) – it’s what National get, and whether they have any friends after the election. I seriously doubt they will get 50%+, so they’ll need to pray ACT make up the difference (with Brash), or the maori party can make up the difference and are prepared to do the coalition again, or etc etc etc.
Â
Â
Yes it seems to me that NZ1 will very likely fail to cross the 5% line – just the way Key has deliberately positioned it.
Winston might have something to say about it, though
SST fills in more of the picture of who is doing what in the scandal of exploitation of cheap foreign workers to work on 27 aged hulks in order to harvest Maori fishing quota.
– unsafe ships – one has sunk with loss of life.
– third world wages paid to maximize profits for quota holders.
– unsafe work environments.
– abusive treatment of the workers.
Our fish, from our waters, to benefit our economy and yet not answerable to our laws!
I see that Mallard vs Cameron bike ride that the right have been obsessing about for months is on today
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10746451Â
Weather is nice, I think I will head along and watch the start
Government creates free-market property speculation bubble in Christchurch.
Â
This was, and is, an utterly foreseeable problem that Gerry has failed to see through the clouds of mortar dust from his haste to demolish Christchurch.
A distorted market of sudden and overwhelming demand from a limited supply.
Not that they have to do anything to create this bubble. They (National) just have to do what they have always done – just do nothing!
Â
Extra-ordinary situations require extra-ordinary measures (including price control legislation). This can be done so landowners make a profit, homeless get homes, everyone is happy.
Instead we can expect, as an extension of National Party policy, excessive profit taking by those who have from those who haven’t – all to the soundtrack of Gerry standing on a plinth singing “It’s a beautiful world”.
NZ is cheap. It dumped an upper chamber and then went soft on its wealth creators,
so much so that wealth creators immediately leave our shores either in person, or
sold to foreign owners after taking on too much debt. NZ business sector is soft
in the head for the most part, they believed they could not hack it in a
level playing field so watered down parliament and regulation to secure an easy
living and the detriment of NZ. Nz is cheap. Business if it want to be better would
demand a upper chamber, demand a CGT, demand we respect customers. Duh.
Your fed up being on the top of the rubbish dump when you know you could be
half way up a mountain, well all I have to say is Hubbard.
I think you will find that you are a lonely cheerleader in your routine promoting an upper house as the panacea for NZ.
One of the saving graces of the current status quo is that ill-conceived policy can be overturned by a incoming government. This of course means that good policy can also be overturned however as another commentator here pointed out, it is better to have the opportunity to do some good than to be paralysed by different factions controlling the upper and lower houses and to not be able to achieve anything.
Asshole of the Week Award – Gordon Brown
I had the displeasure of reading an article in the Taranaki Daily News today written by Gordon Brown. He’s rubbishing a report (PDF) prepared by Infometrics Ltd for Every Child Counts, a coalition of organisations led by Barnardos, Plunket, Unicef, Save the Children and Te Kahui Mana Ririki. Brown pretty much cover’s all the bases of ill informed opinion that we so often see from far right commentators…
Whilst there are ignorant red necks like this pontificating in the regional media the country will remain divided.
For the good of NZ (and the All Blacks) could Kevin Roberts please keep his mouth shut and his ideas to himself.
Rugby is a whore to commerce these days. So in NZ for that matter. As far as I’m concerned we deserve all the pathetic advertising campaigns in the world – as a country we elected a vacuous PM leading a party of vile individuals. And we may do so again in November.
You would think that New Zealand would have learned from the America’s Cup defections (Butterworth, Coutes et al) that a commercial entity has no national loyalty nor heart beyond that which it’s employees give it (or it’s legislated by government).
America’s Cup, All Blacks, Super 14, Rugby World Cup will take whatever taxpayer dollars we give them but will piss-off when it is in their financial advantage to do so.
Add to that Super V8’s, FIFA World Cup, Olympics, Ellerslie International Flower Show, World of Wearable Arts. All whores to the highest bidder and parasites hungry for Corporate Welfare!
Cunliffe alluded to this problem on Q+A this morning when it comes to asset sales. Foreign buy-in will lead to calls to maximize profit (at the expense of NZ customers), leading to court cases against the NZ Government under international trade agreements.Â
Â
No loyalty to New Zealand and screwing us for every dollar “the market can sustain”.
Â
We seem to be slow learners on a bunch of different issues.
Hi Viper
Here’s a link to the video I was talking about yesterday. Its called “The elites plan for global extermination” by Webster Tarpley ( Histortian, Economist). Its about Obama’s appointee John Holdren the director of the White House office for science and technololgy. The film starts with Obama introducing John Holdren to the public in an address.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3Xv8CbMFcc
“Today I am pleased to announce members of my science and technology team. Dr John Holdren has agreed to serve as assistant to the President for Science and Technology and director for the whitehouse office of science and technology policy…..”
Mr Holdren co-wrote a book about 20 years ago called Ecoscience. In that book all manner of methods for population control both voluntary plus forced i.e methods such as putting chemicals in water are discussed. He had a figure of 1 billion people as and ideal global population.
Tarpley shows us the quotes in Holdren’s books including one chapter heading entitled
“De- development of Over Cevelpoed Countries”
Holdren dislikes the idea that with good systems in place everyone on earth can live reasonably. My take on the austerity being introduced around the world is meant to shorten lifespan and thus reduce our population. Tarpley also talks about plans for de-industrialisation of the west and preventing countries like China and India developing. We have certainly have seen de industrialisation of the west in the last 30 years with an accompanying decrease in our standard of living with both parents having to work to make ends meet and when you don’t count immigration numbers most western countries have seen decreases in population.
Holdren wants to create a science court where people could decide what inventions could be developed. Holdren apparantly hates technolgy and see’s people as polluters.
According to Tarply Holdren is not the only nutter in the Obama administration. Cass Sunstein would like to give legal rights to animals to be represented in court. Holdren is even more extreme and would like to give legal rights to trees rather than having a plan to plant more trees which would be the correct solution as oppoed to his view of preventing development for the poor to save trees rather than getting the poor to go out and plant lots of trees.
Unfortunately I think that video you linked to is a have, it seems to have been manufactured by the pro-growth corporate crowd.
I’ve watched the first ten minutes and Tarply attacks Holdren for being anti-economic growth, attacks Holdren for believing that there is a finite carrying capacity to the world, attacks Holdren for wanting tighter global regulation of pollution and resource exploitation, attacks Holdren for thinking that a more sustainable world population is closer to the one billion mark, attacks Holdren for saying that its not possible for every developing country in the world to strive for US levels of resource consumption and energy use.
The thing is, I reckon Holdren is largely correct about the big picture on all those issues.
Tarply continuously implies that Holdren will engineer the deaths of billions to get the population down to the carrying capacity, ignoring the fact that the earth is going to do that just fine by itself in the next ~100 or so years.
So after all that I like Holdren more not less.
Viper Maybe you should have watched the whole film before reaching a conclusion.
So Viper you put the environment above hope for the poor. I say we can do both. Seems a real Labour party person would support the poor first and foremost. Its a long video where Tarply shows quotes in the book that say India should be Triaged. I.E. not be given any more food aid. I think thats where Tarply gets the idea he wants to commit genocide. And that is what is quietly happening as we speak.
Goldman Sachs have an exculsusive exemption which allows them to manipulate the food commodities markets. Apparantly approx 200 million people starved to death due to the recent high food prices but there was no actual shortage of food, just price manipulation by Goldman Sachs to blame for all that misery and death.
He also talks about women purchasing liscences to have children so we would probably have only the rich being allowed to breed. Holdren talks about forcibly taking babies away from unwed mothers putting contraceptives in the water. Is this what NZ lefties now aspire to.
Holdren also talks about the history of killing newborn infants as a population control method.
If you love these ideas should you really be a labour person.
Your preducdice against the source of the video may have decided not to even hear it out. The sad thing is no one else is prepared or able to confront these issues without getting a source of income. they simply must pay the bills like the rest of us. If your average Jo fill the gap for free they would loose their jobs and their families starve so their must be money changing hands so whistle blowers are not silenced by impoverishment. And people involved with politics know this.
We know that workers expressing extreme views publicly might be financially ruined and sacked.
Holdren’s specific suggestions from all those years back are bizarre and extreme. I’m not backing any of them.
1) If you mean ‘hope for the poor’ = the developed world aspiring to US levels of consumption and resource use, it can’t happen. There’s not enough cheap fossil fuels left in the world to make it happen. Note how even the US is unable to maintain US levels of consumption and resource use in an energy depleting world.
2) Over the next few years its more likely that the US will need Indian aid (not the other way around).
3) As I said, the earth is going to sort out the genocide itself. Modern agricultural production will plummet in the absence of fossil fuels.
First, peak oil is being distorted for propaganda purposes and being used by the elites to justify what they are doing in trying to secure global hegemony.
The problems are not population based they are misuse of resources due to vested interests who wish to perpetuate and enlarge their power structure.
Take a look here at a projected 500 year supply of oil coal and gas in the US once they decide to exploit it.
http://ncwatch.typepad.com/media/2011/03/peak-energy-update-post-petroleum-reality-check.html
As I have written before we are not running out of fossil energy resources with enough gas, coal, and oil for over 500 years when shale oil reserves are considered. It might not be a cheap as it once was be we are not running our of fossil energy reserves any time soon. The Congressional Research Service just published a new report that the US has the largest fuel reserve on earth. We just lack the political will to capture and use them.
Bruce McQuain at Hot Air has posted a summary of this reality in a report by Peter C. Glover in the Energy Tribune. Gloverâs analysis of a recent Congressional Research Service study confirms that
we have hundreds of years of oil, gas and coal.
Glover writes:
In case anyone missed it, let me repeat something that is of a magnitude of 10 on the scale of news-quakes for Joe Public USA: Americas combined energy resources are, according to a new report from the Congressional Research Service (CSR), the largest on earth. They eclipse Saudi Arabia (3rd), China (4th) and Canada (6th) combined â and thatâs without including Americaâs shale oil deposits and, in the future, the potentially astronomic impact of methane hydrates.
The energy facts in the CRS report should be making front page news all over America. Mostly it isnât. Given the devastating news from Japan and New Zealand, it may be right to postpone dancing in the streets. But something else is going on. Even though they are going to dominate global energy supply for decades to come the insidious war on vital fossil fuels continues apace.
back to Gina
New Developments in Natural gas Extraction give estimates that we have enough gas to supply all the worlds fossil fuel needs for 400 years. Most of that Gas is in Russia and Iran and that may be the target of all these vicous wars of theft we are being pushed into. Then their is the unlimited solar. Peak oil is just another BS excuse for the agenda of the wealthy to do untold evil.
We want to be very certain we know what is really going on beyond all the propaganda before we support the poverty and misery of so many people many of whom have been our slaves over the last 30 years. They are human beings too and lets not toss out all vestiges of morality and treat them as though they are vermin because if we do that makes us the lowest of the low.
There are massive amounts of US money being spent on War, far higher than the costs of Medicare or any form of welfare. There are far better ways to limit consumption than deliberately impoverishing the most vulnerable people in society. Regulation on manufacture and recycling.
Make all manufactured goods comply with codes for recycling. I.E. Demand that a television set can be made so that it can be disassembled in 5 minutes. Everything made in a modular way where things don’t have to be smashed into one big mixed up mess which makes recycling impossible. Every piece of that TV must be easily recycled. Once we have that type of system firmly in place we can then demand that if someone wants a New TV they must have the old one completely disassembled before they can get another. Same for mobile phones. You can only have one or in some instances 2. we can fix the problem without hoping that the poor people of Africa and China will just die out after we have used all their recourses for our mean greedy selves.
There is no need for people to be thrown out into the streets and mark my word, kids are being thrown on the scrapheap right now as fodder for new wars where the desperate will be driven to enlist just to get a job.
That can’t be correct IMO. Firstly, oil, coal and gas are not interchangeable sources of energy. How can you then say that you have 500 years worth of each one? It’s a very convenient round number.
Secondly, focussing on oil, the US hit peak oil production in 1970. No decision they make to open up natural parks, drill in Alaska, issue permits for new deep sea wells, etc. can compensate for the continuing productivity drop from existing wells. New production is not replacing production declines, and the Hubbert curve is largely holding.
Thirdly. Both cost and EROEI (energy returned on energy invested) matter. Focussing again on oil, US wealth was built on oil which cost $15-$20/barrel to produce. Many of the sources of oil they are talking about exploiting now cost three, four, five times as much per barrel. And instead of energy returns of 50:1 like the old days, energy returns are dropping to 10:1, 5:1 and sometimes even less.
Why is this important? Because the dynamics between price and EROEI will likely mean that massive amounts of the fossil fuel reserves they speak of will stay in the ground permanently. In other words, there’s a big difference between “technically recoverable reserves” and proven usable reserves.
For more serious discussion on peak energy I can recommend the oil drum
http://www.theoildrum.com/
As an aside the shale gas phenomenon in the US has been massive, but the track records of the deposits are short and so no one can tell how they will produce over the long term. Further there are signs that some declared shale gas deposits may have been exaggerated for financial reasons.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/26/us/26gas.html?pagewanted=all
Jon Stewart making some funnies about the real USA and world and welfare and taxes (I think I heard that only 50% of liable people paid tax there over one period, the subsidies etc covered any ordinary citizen tax that was estimated).
http://hahajk.com/videos/video-jon-stewart-on-world-of-class-warfare/
TV1 just breathlessly wanked on about Colmar-Brunton’s latest poll about the National Party winning 120% of the party vote whilst picking up 100% of electorates not only in New Zealand, but also in the UK, Maui, and several provinces in China. Phil Goff, who apparently has blood on his hands from throttling puppies, registered a negative 12%.
Sheesh…
Don’t worry, the real NZland voter is probably watching “New Zealand’s Next Anorexic Coked-UpWhore” or “New Zealand Idle” or “Amazing Race – the Neo-Nazi Edition”
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The country is safe in their hands….
well they are just whistling in the dark to keep their spirits up.
New Zealanders know that we have been ill served by a motley collection of non-entities and a PM who is starting to show cracks in his facade.
The world is going through big changes at the moment and National and its myrmidons are totally unable to grasp the fact that they are becoming increasingly irrelavant and that they were yesterdays men ten years ago.
Rap news 8 Osamacide
http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=NZ#/watch?v=L6O6sM2Shok
For those that haven’t seen a rap news before : )
Key performs his signature ‘dodge and wriggle’ dance move:
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/10079949/key-defends-non-attendance-decision/
This time avoiding quake victims.
I wonder if the Petulant Bean will put her investigators onto people who spend a lot of time blogging while claiming to be unfit for work. Understand, after events today, that one or two could possibly be rethinking their positions.
They’ll be going into therapy courtesy of ACC, maybe having a Tariana stomach stapling and then getting a paid role for the Nats.
They are lucky they are over 16 (even though their mental age/level of understanding is about 5)
If you think that Fox News is disgusting…
Sunday 21 August 2011
At 11 p.m. a serious-sounding voice comes out of my radio: “The all-too-familiar cycle of Israeli-Palestinian violence in the Gaza Strip…. militant rocket attacks followed by Israeli reprisals.”
Where does that piece of perfect inversion of the truth come from?
If you guessed it was the Israeli (Dis)information Ministry, your guess would be an intelligent and justified guess, but it would be wrong. In fact, this nonsense comes courtesy of the BBC.
The BBC: as fair and balanced as Fox News…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sq9-dBTIQwE
yeah, regarding british interests and israel. Like the u.s. channels with us interests and israel. Or russian tv on, say, the balkans.
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But isn’t that report accurate, Morrisey? I assume it was the recent attack on Israel’s south that you are referring to, which was followed by Israeli attacks on Gaza. Or is it something different?
But isnât that report accurate, Morrisey? I assume it was the recent attack on Israelâs south that you are referring to, which was followed by Israeli attacks on Gaza. Or is it something different?
It’s not at all accurate. It frames the story the Israeli way, as the BBC almost always does. So the firing of a few rockets from Gaza is presented as something that happens out of the blue, for no reason. What the BBC coverage ignores—perhaps deliberately—is the fact that since 2006 Israel has continued to drop bombs and incendiary devices on Gaza, and has continued with its illegal blockade. Israel regularly destroys crops, uproots trees, cuts off water, and electricity—an Israeli spokesman laughed that “we are putting them on a diet”—and kidnaps and imprisons Gaza’s citizens at will.
Any resistance at all by the people of Gaza is invariably presented as an “attack” on Israel.
Even you, and I regard you as a fair and thoughtful person, have framed this as Palestinian aggression followed by an Israeli “response”. I think if you look at the situation in Gaza more carefully, you will soon realize who the aggressor is.
I recommend anyone who wants to learn about what has happened and is happening in Gaza, to have a look at the following…
http://antonyloewenstein.com/tag/gaza/
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/amira-hass-the-one-thing-worse-than-denying-the-gaza-report-1.7747
http://www.fpif.org/articles/chomsky_undermining_gaza
http://www.normanfinkelstein.com/democracy-now-analysis-of-goldstone-report/
Cheers, Morrissey. I’d have to say the cycle of attacks is so routine, I’m still not sure which particular incident you heard reported. The one I most recently heard reported on the BBC and elsewhere was on Thursday.
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There was an attack on buses in Israel’s south. The attackers trekked through the Gaza/Egypt and Egypt/Israel borders and killed 8 people. Israel retaliated in the usual way by bombing the shit out of Gaza. They also apparently killed 3 Egyptian soldiers, which has caused a major diplomatic incident. I guess the BBC’s problem is that they report the news in 3 minutes every hour and can’t give the context you and I both agree on in such a short bulletin. So they stick to the facts. I bet if you asked the IDF, they’d probably also claim that the BBC is biased, but in the other direction!
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However, I know that there have been indications of a pro-Israel bias in the past, but I’d like to think they’ve improved. I thought their coverage of the flotilla massacre was pretty on the money, for example.
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Sadly, it’s become typical of them…