Open mike 22/03/2022

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, March 22nd, 2022 - 100 comments
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100 comments on “Open mike 22/03/2022 ”

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  1. Dennis Frank 1
    22 March 2022 at 6:40 am

    Andy Sinclair is the CEO of Hyundai Motors New Zealand:

    The nation’s first zero emission hydrogen-fuelled electric truck arrived in late November. Hyundai New Zealand has bought five XCIENT FCEV (fuel cell electric vehicle) trucks, with the help of some funding from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, and using the fuel cell technology developed by the Hyundai Motor Company from Korea.

    New Zealand will be one of the first three countries in the world to run hydrogen trucks in fully commercial daily operations with freight operators (along with Korea and Switzerland). At the start of commercial operations, the trucks will be fuelled by their own hydrogen refueller until the first group of hydrogen-refuelling stations are built.

    For the engine nerds out there, the XCIENT is powered by a 350kw electric motor with 2237Nm of torque. It has a range of about 400km – the driving distance between Auckland and Palmerston North.

    The difference from diesel trucks is instantly noticeable to experienced drivers. They are almost as quiet as their passenger car peers, with no loud engine noises. There are two other fascinating technologies. A special filter is required to clean the air that goes into the engine. In a neat twist, it ends up removing particulates belched into the environment by diesel trucks on the road alongside the XCIENT. The other technology is an artificial engine-sound generator. The truck is so quiet at low speeds that the sound is needed as a safety precaution.

    https://www.newsroom.co.nz/why-you-will-see-hydrogen-trucks-on-our-roads-this-year

    • Blazer 1.1
      22 March 2022 at 9:37 am

      Good luck with this taking off.

      Looks like a vanity project to me.

      The volatility of Hydrogen,plus transportation and storage challenges will be negatives imo.

  2. Dennis Frank 2
    22 March 2022 at 6:59 am

    Like chocolate? Become a councillor…

    The spending included about $188 on chocolate fish, an executive team meeting at Mood on 17th Ave that cost $796 and $471.50 on the chief executive’s annual car valet.

    Aitken said the council provided a “supply of chocolate fish” to its finance team who worked long hours at the end of the financial year and preparing the annual plan for adoption.

    “Our executive team also provided a supply of chocolate fish to attendees of a series of internal roadshows, which included presentations on the Long-term Plan, the implementation of our community relations strategy, and council’s vision and values. Spare chocolate fish have been given to staff as a form of special recognition throughout the remainder of the year.”

    Aitken said the executive team meeting at Mood was a “planning day” for 36 attendees – equating to $22 per person for food and drinks. A further $178 was spent on staff chocolates for an “executive walkabout” on December 8, 2020.

    Tauranga City Council was the biggest spender, with 15 staff members spending more than $88,500 with council credit cards between November 8, 2020 and November 7, 2021.

    https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/03/21/188-on-chocolate-fish-among-bop-leaders-credit-card-spend/

    Democracy is an excellent system to game. Competitive players get to spend other people's money on themselves all the time.

    • Jester 2.1
      22 March 2022 at 7:37 am

      It is very easy to spend other people's money.

      • Tiger Mountain 2.1.1
        22 March 2022 at 7:52 am

        As capitalists everywhere well know–they appropriate socially produced wealth for tiny elite gain–the riches that come from the physical and intellectual labour of the worlds workers applied to natural and technological resources.

        The petty indulgences of local Govt. minions while unseemly, are nothing compared to the real bludgers of society in finance capital.

        • Gypsy 2.1.1.1
          22 March 2022 at 11:43 am

          What is 'socially produced wealth', and can you give an example?

          • McFlock 2.1.1.1.1
            22 March 2022 at 2:05 pm

            A happy, healthy, and educated society.

            • Gypsy 2.1.1.1.1.1
              22 March 2022 at 2:40 pm

              I get that e.g. Education can be provided by the state, but ultimately that is paid for out of taxes. That's privately produced wealth, isn't it?

              • McFlock …
                22 March 2022 at 3:19 pm

                But the income that produces those taxes is in no small part a product of our transport, education, and health systems. So that's socially produced wealth, isn't it?

                • Gypsy …
                  22 March 2022 at 3:31 pm

                  Those systems are all paid for out of taxes, so no.

                  • McFlock …
                    22 March 2022 at 3:37 pm

                    But the income those taxes come from was markedly increased by all the infrastructure and systems we have available to us in this society, so yes.

                    Private enterprise often adds value to the capital it starts with. So does public enterprise. We have a mixed economy. Not all economic growth is due to private enterprise.

                    • Gypsy …
                      22 March 2022 at 3:58 pm

                      "But the income those taxes come from was markedly increased by all the infrastructure and systems we have available to us in this society, so yes."

                      But that infrastructure was originally funded by taxes, so no.

                      "Private enterprise often adds value to the capital it starts with. So does public enterprise. We have a mixed economy. Not all economic growth is due to private enterprise."

                      Public enterprise can only begin with the capital it taxes from the private sector. In a mixed market economy, the public sector is able to use that capital to plan and to provide the infrastructure for growth. But ultimately it is all funded by private sector income.

                    • McFlock …
                      22 March 2022 at 4:08 pm

                      Now do private enterprise without public infrastructure provided by the rest of society.

                    • Descendant Of Smith …
                      22 March 2022 at 4:59 pm

                      "Those systems are all paid for out of taxes, so no."

                      You do realise the state has always had income streams other than taxation. The state used to have more than they do now but they were sold at bargain based prices to members of the business round table et al.

                      It also has lots of assets that were stolen – as does the private sector – Taranaki farmers for instance.

                    • Gypsy …
                      22 March 2022 at 5:01 pm

                      "Now do private enterprise without public infrastructure provided by the rest of society."

                      The rest of society are individuals and businesses paying tax.

                    • McFlock …
                      22 March 2022 at 5:10 pm

                      The rest of society are individuals and businesses paying tax.

                      With their personal productivity boosted vastly by public resources. IP protection, law and order, roads, schools, trades education, workers kept healthy by the public health system.

                  • Gypsy …
                    22 March 2022 at 5:03 pm

                    "You do realise the state has always had income streams other than taxation."

                    The only income stream a government can have is from private enterprise. When the government owned the post office (and it took months to get a phone), all of their income came from tax payers buying their services. The difference is that for most products and services, the private sector just does a much better job.

                    • Blazer …
                      23 March 2022 at 8:18 am

                      Any idea what the private sector is like at running airlines?

                      I'll give you the answer=hopeless.

                    • Gypsy …
                      23 March 2022 at 10:14 am

                      "Any idea what the private sector is like at running airlines?"

                      Public Airlines only survive because the government is spending other peoples money. 'Flagship' carriers were replaced by private sector operators until economic shocks (eg Covid) prompted governments to intervene (again with other peoples money). But there are a number of countries desperate for the private sector to take back nationalised airlines (e.g. Air India, Malaysian Airlines).

                      If governments see airlines as strategic assets, then they can take an ownership share. But the operation is best left to the private sector.

                      EDIT:
                      “In conclusion, there are lots of reasons to privatize an airline, or to keep it state-owned. The crucial differentiator is the quality of that airline’s management. An airline that is owned by the government but allowed to operate as an efficient, profit-focused entity can do very well, but those that are too encumbered by politics are unlikely to succeed.”
                      https://simpleflying.com/pros-cons-state-owned-airlines/

  3. Adrian Thornton 3
    22 March 2022 at 7:40 am

    Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian responds to media on NATO-US role in Ukraine crisis…when you have the Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson telling you..correctly…how you should be doing your job as a Journalist..you know you have lost the moral high ground…..

    • Tiger Mountain 3.1
      22 March 2022 at 8:01 am

      yes

    • Gosman 3.2
      22 March 2022 at 8:55 am

      Why should the US stop other nations from voluntarily applying to join NATO? There is a reason nations like Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia would want to join a collective defence pact. Do you know what that reason is? I'll give you a clue – It rhymes with Tussar and it's military is currently bombing Ukraine.

      • Adrian Thornton 3.2.1
        22 March 2022 at 9:00 am

        Thanks for displaying your lack of Geo-Political insight and understanding for all to see..and therefore saving me the time of having to spell it out…well done.

        • Francesca 3.2.1.1
          22 March 2022 at 9:49 am

          A Ukrainian leftist gives his view

          https://multipolarista.com/2022/03/14/ukrainian-leftist-war-russia-us/

          The Ukrainian army and its far-right paramilitary allies were responsible for the vast majority of civilian casualties, with the United Nations reporting in January 2022 that, between 2018 and 2021, 81.4% of all civilian casualties caused by active hostilities were in Donetsk and Luhansk.

          These are Russian-speaking Ukrainians being killed their own government. They are not secret Russian forces.

          Researchers at the US government-sponsored RAND Corporation acknowledged in a January 2022 report in Foreign Policy magazine that, “even by Kyiv’s own estimates, the vast majority of rebel forces consist of locals—not soldiers of the regular Russian military.”

          He makes many points that counter the official stories we are told to accept

          • Descendant Of Smith 3.2.1.1.1
            22 March 2022 at 11:36 am

            "He makes many points that counter the official stories we are told to accept"

            Where's an official story we are told to accept as you suggest? The fact that you even see fit to include the "even by Kyiv's own estimates" gives lie to your proposition.

            It has been well known and reported that it is predominantly separatists fighting the government i.e. locals fighting locals.

        • Psycho Milt 3.2.1.2
          22 March 2022 at 3:54 pm

          If someone makes a valid point and your response amounts to "Well you just lack the special insight into geo-political affairs that I have," you've effectively conceded the point.

      • Blazer 3.2.2
        22 March 2022 at 9:01 am

        The U.S expressly promised Russia that NATO would not expand eastwards.

        But when you think about it…why would anyone trust…the U.S.

      • mikesh 3.2.3
        22 March 2022 at 9:55 am

        What is happening in Ukraine at present would seem to be a darn good reason why US should not have encouraged them to join NATO.

        • Gosman 3.2.3.1
          22 March 2022 at 10:15 am

          No. What is happening in Ukraine at present and is not happening in any of the Baltic states is WHY Ukraine wanted to join NATO. Do you think Russia will try it on with Estonia anytime soon?

          • Descendant Of Smith 3.2.3.1.1
            22 March 2022 at 10:47 am

            Agreed. While Ukraine had quite few internal issues to sort out (there clearly is a conservative right-wing fascist element within it's population and consequently it's military for instance and still lots of corruption) they like other countries that once were under the USSR yoke did not wish to go back there.

            Putin had no right to invade Ukraine let alone do much of the stuff that is going on.

            Meanwhile while I get it is a war scenario what the hell is this tying people to lampposts with their pants down and beating them that is going on in Ukraine. It's weird shit by scared people but I'm assuming that this does reflect the conservative nature of the country (is it religious? Is it a remnant of USSR punishment methods) that this is seen as a justified punishment. It isn't something I've come across before.

            • Francesca 3.2.3.1.1.1
              22 March 2022 at 12:41 pm

              you think that's weird

              How about an army medic saying he has given the order to castrate russian POWs

              • joe90 …
                22 March 2022 at 1:06 pm

                Long memories.

                /

              • Descendant Of Smith …
                22 March 2022 at 2:47 pm

                Yep I think that is weird as well. People clearly can do dumb shit.

                It isn't medieval times but sometimes seems like it.

                • Francesca …
                  22 March 2022 at 3:09 pm

                  I kind of understand it with the terrible history of that area .Stalin’s Holodomor visited upon Ukrainians, huge emptying of the areas of the Donbas, by starvation, Russian workers sent in to keep the steel factories going.The opportunity to wreak vengeance by siding with the Nazis (western Ukrainians and not all )in WW2, aiding and abetting the mass killing of Ukrainian Jews, Roma, and Poles.

                  When the Russian army made its way home from chasing the Germans to Berlin, they stopped in Kiev and guerrilla warfare took off , with revenge killings on both sides .

                  The divisions are baked in

                  “A fully independent Ukraine emerged only late in the 20th century, after long periods of successive domination by Poland–Lithuania, Russia, and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.). Ukraine had experienced a brief period of independence in 1918–20, but portions of western Ukraine were ruled by Poland, Romania, and Czechoslovakia in the period between the two World Wars, and Ukraine thereafter became part of the Soviet Union as the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (S.S.R.

                  Independence in 1991,thats when it changed its name to Ukraine according to Brittanica

                  https://www.britannica.com/place/Ukraine

                  The bitterness and rage and hatred bred from years of conquest , defeat,famine and all of that

                  At least here in NZ we still have the opportunity to address all our wrongs in a peaceful way (I hope)

          • aom 3.2.3.1.2
            22 March 2022 at 11:55 am

            Do yourself a favour Gosman and exercise your mind a smidgen by researching the background of this situation. Russia issued a red line ages ago. If Zelenskyy was really in control of what is regarded as the most corrupt European country, he would have pointed out the limits and told NATO and the US to fuck off to their side of the line. Instead, he was prepared to sacrifice his people to a sad and predictable fate.

            In the meantime, he could also have made even a mild effort to abide by the Minsk accords. His failure to do so has ended up with a higher death toll (as per yesterdays numbers) in Donbas than in Ukraine so far. As for your 'whataboutery' Russia seems never have been a threat to any other country from the former USSR.

            Regrettably, it is people like you who have encouraged our Government to prostitute the country by selling out on its supposed international morality and 'independent foreign policy' stance by sucking up to NATO/US like a domestic violence victim with a sever case of Stockholm syndrome. No doubt our Prime Minister impressed you with her 15 minutes of fame electronic cuddle-up with the President of Ukraine and her offer to provide NATO funding and protective gear to excite young Ukrainians to face off against Russian kids in a suicidal shootout as a prelude to a possible nuclear conflagration. The $5 million would have been better spent on humanitarian aid for Ukrainians than feeding the military industrial complex.

            • Descendant Of Smith 3.2.3.1.2.1
              22 March 2022 at 2:52 pm

              Putin still had choices. He chose to do what he did. Nobody forced him to invade another country. It is still his decision and his fault. It is also his decision to continue.

              • mikesh …
                22 March 2022 at 5:36 pm

                Putin still had choices.

                Not really. Actions are often predetermined by strategic situations. Ukraine seems to be the meat in the sandwich in a struggle between the US and Russia for the domination of that area. The strategic implications of Ukraine's joining NATO, with respect to that struggle, would have been the determining factor in Putin's decision.

          • mikesh 3.2.3.1.3
            22 March 2022 at 5:27 pm

            What is happening in Ukraine at present and is not happening in any of the Baltic states is WHY Ukraine wanted to join NATO

            The Ukraine, and the US, are obviously not very clever, given that they failed to anticipate Russia's reaction.

        • Psycho Milt 3.2.3.2
          22 March 2022 at 3:56 pm

          The US didn't "encourage" them to join NATO, in fact NATO was reluctant to have them. It gave in to their demands, if anything. Their well-justified demands, as it turns out.

          • Sanctuary 3.2.3.2.1
            22 March 2022 at 4:45 pm

            I still don't grasp while so many people think a country wanting to join an alliance it neighbour doesn't like justifies a massive unprovoked invasion. I can imagine all the usual suspects justifying a brutal Chinese attack on Taiwan by saying the US is just as bad and besides, Kiang Kai-Shek was corrupt and a thoroughly unpleasant man.

            Anyway, the Ukrainians just might be on the verge of winning this war without the help of the Standard's ragtag of of appeasers, pacifists and would-be Quislings.

            Thanks to the massive aid they've had US intelligence says they still have 90% of their combat power, so the attritional phase of the war is going their way. The Russians are not "regrouping" they have been defeated.

            The Russian air force sortie rate into the Ukraine is dwindling in the face of a still-effective SAM network, to the point where the Ukrainians appear to now be able to embark on limited manoeuvre warfare with successful counter attacks at Makariv and Makovyshche clearing Russian forces from the M06 highway, re-opening a major supply route for Kyiv west to Zhytomyr and thence to the Ukrainian supply hub at Lviv.

            If these counter-attacks develop into a counter offensive in the direction of Borodyanka with the aim of trapping Russian forces against the West bank Dnieper then a real chance of a first class Russian collapse in the decisive theatre of this war presents itself.

            Putin wouldn't survive a military humiliation of that order.

            • aom 3.2.3.2.1.1
              22 March 2022 at 5:30 pm

              What a twisted little world you gung-ho keyboard Generals live in. Far easier to stuff more arms into Ukraine that they will be paying for forever than to give in to the realities of MEANINGFUL negotiations that intelligent world leaders are attempting to get on the table. (Reluctant to include Naftali Bennett in that list but he appears to be genuine.)

              Some of us 'ragtag of appeasers, pacifists and would-be Quislings.' have more humanity and concern for the Ukrainians than you could possibly muster in a lifetime judging by all your bullshit and bluster. We also lack your hypocrisy gene. Surely you are not blind to the fact that Russia is not doing anything much different to what your empire heroes have sown so many times before.

              Actually, fuck it – time for a bit of nuclear conflagration to make your day. Perhaps you can arrange it.

            • Psycho Milt 3.2.3.2.1.2
              22 March 2022 at 5:34 pm

              Being a useful idiot is a tough job, you have to rationalise the most ridiculous illogic. See also "Ukraine has neo-Nazi groups similar to Russia's ones, therefore Russia must invade to 'denazify' Ukraine."

              I hope you're right re the military situation. Can't help thinking the resulting peace negotiations would be the making of a "Treaty of Versailles betrayal" story for Russian fascists, though.

            • adam 3.2.3.2.1.3
              23 March 2022 at 2:40 am

              Standard's ragtag of of appeasers, pacifists and would-be Quislings.

              Way to go full dickhead.

              Anti war is just that, anti-war. But that is probably a bit to much logic for you.

              Most pacifists commenting here, if not all have condemned the invasion as a war crime. So you lack logic their as well.

              But then again, jingoistic dogs are not know for their ability to go beyond guttural violent depravity.

              [Clearly, the shoe fits, but it is still not an invitation to spew your “hyperbolized rhetoric”, which is irony in full display. Tone it down – Incognito]

          • mikesh 3.2.3.2.2
            22 March 2022 at 5:55 pm

            On the whole I don't think Ukraine wanted to join either. I think it was a small Neo Nazi contingent with too much influence that was pushing for it.

  4. DB Brown 4
    22 March 2022 at 8:14 am

    Is US fudging their covid death count numbers? On 13th March I said (elsewhere) they were close to hitting a million. They had something like 993 000 deaths at that stage, and > 1 500 average deaths daily. But today they're still a few thousand shy of the million. The last three days deaths reported were 327, 88, and 7.

    Miraculous! A headline worthy story! Covid is vanishing!

    Mar 20 reported a seven day average down to 719. The numbers don't add up.

    https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/#graph-deaths-daily

    Maybe they don't want to reach this auspicious milestone while strutting about the world stage posing as leader.

    • Gosman 4.1
      22 March 2022 at 9:00 am

      It is extremely difficult for Covid numbers to be fudged in the way you suggest as each State manages health reporting. They may take advice from Federal organisations like the CDC but it is still managed locally. What you suggest is happening would require a level of centralised control that just doesn't exist in the US health care system. You can see the reason for the fall in deaths when you look at the numbers reporting the virus. The Omicron outbreak has now subsided.

    • Brigitte 4.2
      22 March 2022 at 12:29 pm

      No, a far simpler explanation. This happens every week and is due to reporting (or not) around weekends. It seems to be more the case for the US than other countries.

      • DB Brown 4.2.1
        22 March 2022 at 1:32 pm

        Thanks Brigitte that makes a lot more sense than wishful thinking.

        It is good to see they are coming down off a peak though.

    • Gypsy 4.3
      22 March 2022 at 2:48 pm

      You want numbers that don't add up? Try China.

  5. Blazer 5
    22 March 2022 at 8:46 am

    The 'nothing to see here','Russian misinformation ' campaign run by the American msm,regarding Hunter Biden going to the Ukraine for a 'job',has come back to haunt the U.S President.

    'long after all mainstream media outlets killed a legitimate story about Hunter Biden’s infamous laptop, the New York Times finally announced it had ‘authenticated’ the computer and its messages. The computer, left at a Delaware computer repair shop, is filled with damning information about Hunter’s operations, which appeared to take advantage of his family’s political power. Hunter’s only proper marketable skill was opening doors with his last name. It’s still unclear how deeply and directly Hunter’s father, Joe, is implicate….'

    The shameful silence about the Hunter Biden laptop story | The Spectator

    • Francesca 5.1
      22 March 2022 at 9:32 am

      The US has been at it for a long time , ever since the wall came down

      18 years ago, the Guardian was open and almost boastful about interference in Eastern European elections.All in the name of democracy of course

      https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/nov/26/ukraine.usa

      The Democratic party's National Democratic Institute, the Republican party's International Republican Institute, the US state department and USAid are the main agencies involved in these grassroots campaigns as well as the Freedom House NGO and billionaire George Soros's open society institute.

      Officially, the US government spent $41m (£21.7m) organising and funding the year-long operation to get rid of Milosevic from October 1999. In Ukraine, the figure is said to be around $14m.

  6. Jimmy 6
    22 March 2022 at 9:05 am

    Over at The NZ Herald they've had their thinking caps on, and come up with a new word of the day (no not Wordle) "An Ardernity". A clever play on words. Even the NZH are getting annoyed with the announcing a decision but we wont tell you what it is for another 48 hours.

    Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: PM Jacinda Ardern under fire over big vax pass, mandates announcement delay – NZ Herald

    • Scotty 6.1
      22 March 2022 at 9:12 am

      The Herald annoyed with a Labour government ?

      strange days indeed.

    • Incognito 6.2
      22 March 2022 at 9:23 am

      When I was the same mental age as Chris Bishop and David Seymour I couldn’t wait till Christmas Day to open my present even though I already knew it was a football.

      • Bearded Git 6.2.1
        22 March 2022 at 10:08 am

        smiley

      • AB 6.2.2
        22 March 2022 at 10:08 am

        Beautiful comment – thanks. Being annoyed at receiving a heads up on an impending policy announcement really is infantile. I believe the PM has rightly said that if the media don't want the heads up, she won't give it. Add to this the mania for 'certainty' where none is possible, and we really get the flavour of how deranged so many people have become over what amounts to nothing more than rational and unremarkable public health measures.

      • alwyn 6.2.3
        22 March 2022 at 11:40 am

        "When I was the same mental age as Chris Bishop and David Seymour".

        Come, come. Such boasting really doesn't become you. It is quite beyond belief that you were ever that smart. Even if you were only half their level at your peak it illustrates the rapid drop in brain size and decline in mental acuity that occurred as you got older doesn't it?

        Have you recently had Covid 19? That can also cause these problems.

        https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01693-6

        • Incognito 6.2.3.1
          22 March 2022 at 12:04 pm

          Two snotty little boys with a (political) football are upset because none of the other older kids in the street wants to play ball with them, not even Chippy. Alwyn is picking his brain because he can’t get his head around such injustice. Alwyn, blow your nose, wipe your face and go do a puzzle with no more than 8 pieces.

      • Jimmy 6.2.4
        22 March 2022 at 1:43 pm

        Remember the old joke:

        How do you keep an idiot in suspense?

        I'll tell you on Wednesday.

    • mac1 6.3
      22 March 2022 at 10:36 am

      There seems to be a new version of gotcha politics at play here,

      The opposition hears that a new move is going through the 'about to be announced new decisions" process and demands that it happens, saying the government is slow etc. But government can't announce something until processes such as cabinet approval and regulation creation occur.

      So does the government attempt to counter this barracking by announcing decisions as a heads up with detail to follow?

      In this case, the PM announced the heads up saying it wasn't immediately, crucially needed.

      So, the government gets barracked for 'unnecessary' delays, etc.

      In the long term it's a bad thing for our democracy that this type of attack politics comes from both media and opposition.

      Fair enough if reasonable, but like using the word 'shambles' and 'crises' unreasonably, the net result is public turn-off, or public distrust in ordinary government processes, and a weakening of the proper roles of media and opposition.

    • Incognito 6.4
      22 March 2022 at 10:52 am

      The NZH political reporter probably didn’t put a lot of thinking as such into his balanced report, which is not an opinion piece. Whoever came up with the headline may have put a bit more ‘thought’ into it.

      You are too easily impressed by a silly wordplay by David Seymour, who didn’t write the report and doesn’t work for the NZH AFAIK.

      If I may ask, what’s your thought on the matter of having to wait 48 hours? Care to share?

  7. Peter 7
    22 March 2022 at 9:19 am

    David Seymour thinks New Zealand is the missing link to the world being putting right. No doubt his supporters will be on board with the big bold Act, us saving Ukraine.

    "Act Party leader David Seymour wants New Zealand to send missile launchers to Ukraine – and has called New Zealand the "weakest link in the West" in its response to the Russian invasion.

    "Asked what he would have done if he were in government, Seymour said he would have called Australia to ask what they were doing."

    It's the sort of talk of an 8 year old boy when the question is 'you hear a noise downstairs at night what do you do?' The kid of course gets up and goes downstairs, tackles the burglar and scares them away. Or these days would he get under the blankets and call Australia?

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/russia-invasion-of-ukraine-act-partys-david-seymour-calls-for-nz-to-send-missile-launchers/ELKZ75S6EPQLDCOMTUE6TRSJ7A/

    • Puckish Rogue 7.1
      22 March 2022 at 2:25 pm

      Considering the amount of training we do together it makes sense to see what our closet ally is up to and work in with them

      • Peter 7.1.1
        22 March 2022 at 3:46 pm

        It occurred to him to imply that there'd been no communication with Australia about Ukraine and that he had come up with a genius, novel notion.

  8. weston 8
    22 March 2022 at 2:19 pm

    Michael walker and Barnaby Raine host Tysky Sour interview with a very anti russian young woman from Kakiev more about Ukraine the Zazanin Zaghari story pommie politics Pinochet conservatives and more !



  9. Puckish Rogue 9
    22 March 2022 at 2:26 pm

    He has a tendency to get a bit over excited but he dials it back and is right on the money on this:

    • weston 9.1
      22 March 2022 at 5:11 pm

      Great stuff puck i,ll let you off for making me watch all that kung fu crap !!

      • Puckish Rogue 9.1.1
        22 March 2022 at 10:12 pm

        It makes you wonder how much of what we think we know is merely what the corporations want us to think

  10. Peter 10
    22 March 2022 at 3:51 pm

    It's hard when someone keeps doing things to suggest he's an idiot, from being thought an idiot.

    Brian Tamaki in full flight on his travels with Freedom & Rights.

    "Making clear he was not aiming for political office, he said he wanted NZ's official religion to be Christianity – and for all other religions to be outlawed."

    So we're to be free and have choice except we can't choose our religion?

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/destiny-church-founder-brian-tamaki-calls-on-flock-to-lease-their-vote-to-new-political-movement/R7P4NGQ5QU7G3RYEQTZWI5VLBI/

  11. Gypsy 11
    22 March 2022 at 4:01 pm

    Kudos to the government for taking their time with the proposed hate speech laws. Better yet would be if they ditch them altogether.

    • weka 11.1
      22 March 2022 at 4:47 pm

      better than rushing them through.

      The first proposal was to broaden protection under the Human Rights Act. It currently prohibits hatred incited against people because of their colour, race, or ethnic origin. The law would be expanded to include religious groups and rainbow communities.

      Hmm, I wonder what group of people, who experience some of the worst targeted abuse in society, are missing from this list.

      • roblogic 11.1.1
        22 March 2022 at 4:55 pm

        legislation won't stop people from being dicks.

        i note that discrimination based on wealth & privilege is normal and encouraged by a major political party.

        • Gypsy 11.1.1.1
          22 March 2022 at 5:06 pm

          Should speech that some pointy head deems insulting be hate speech, in your opinion? Because Chris Faafoi didn't seem to know.

          • roblogic 11.1.1.1.1
            22 March 2022 at 9:13 pm

            Nope. NZ already has laws against inciting violence. Inciting "hate" is too nebulous and subjective, and very likely to cause stupid outcomes as in Scotland where they have police visiting private citizens who write rude things on Twitter. What a waste of time and effort.

            The legislation was drafted in response to the Christchurch mosque massacre, but I suspect that the Muslim community feedback was not supportive.

            However I expect it will be forced through sooner or later because it is an important part of the woke millennial cultural project to force their rather cultic belief system on everyone.

  12. Karl Sinclair 12
    22 March 2022 at 11:31 pm

    Russia Ukraine conflict:

    Potentially if genuine this analysis this could inform the Ukraine conflict. Something we don’t see in MSM

    https://www.bitchute.com/video/hQ2SvStulvPf/

    “RUSSIA ALREADY VICTORIOUS? | U.S. COL. DOUGLAS MACGREGOR'S ASSESSMENT OF THE UKRAINE CONFLICT

    Russia is likely more victorious than Western media indicates. Russia is slowed by their intention of saving as many civilians as possible, which Western media will not acknowledge.

    In addition to the above:

    Ukrainian war ….. hypersonic weapons and Russia v USA v China

    The puzzle….. so it’s all about timing of your military advantage

    I wonder …. who has won this race ….Russians or US or China.

    Very much noted US news via RNZ underplay Russians exhibiting real use of hypersonic weapons….

    (maybe NZs 4th estate and Labour/National are Bidens bitches or fluffers)

    If you then assess the above with the below

    https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/40584/the-army-has-finally-revealed-the-range-its-new-hypersonic-weapon

    The U.S. Army has finally provided an official range for its future Long Range Hypersonic Weapon, or LRHW. This range figure notably means it would have been prohibited under the now-defunct Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, or INF, that the United States and Russia were parties to until 2019. This disclosure also follows criticism earlier this yearfrom a senior Air Force officer about the utility of this weapon, especially in the Pacific region.

    "The Long Range Hypersonic Weapon provides a capability at a distance greater than 2,775 km," an Army spokesperson said, according to Breaking Defense. This means that the LRHW can strike targets at least 1,725 miles away. For comparison, the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) short-range ballistic missile, the longest-range ground-based missile system currently in Army service, can only reach targets out to 300 kilometers, or close to 186 miles.”

    ”US ARMY

    One of the first inert Long Range Hypersonic Weapon missile canisters, which are now being used for training purposes, arrive at an undisclosed US Army base in 2021.

    The complete LRHW missile consists of a large rocket booster with an unpowered hypersonic boost-glide vehicle on top. The rocket is used to loft the conical boost-glide vehicle to a desired speed and altitude. The vehicle then detaches and comes zooming back down toward its target along an atmospheric flight trajectory at hypersonic velocity, defined as anything above Mach 5.

    Hypersonic boost-glide vehicles are designed to have a high degree of maneuverability, especially compared to traditional ballistic missiles, even those with advanced maneuverable reentry vehicles. This makes them ideal for striking time-sensitive or other high-value targets protected by dense enemy air and missile defenses and doing so on short notice, even at extended ranges. The combination of speed and maneuvering makes it very difficult for opponents to spot and track these weapons, let alone try to defend against them, including just trying to relocate critical assets or otherwise seek cover.

    https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/40584/the-army-has-finally-revealed-the-range-its-new-hypersonic-weapon ”

    Question 1

    Potentially if genuine and meant with accurate and informed analysis this could inform wider questions of the Ukraine conflict.

    https://www.bitchute.com/video/hQ2SvStulvPf/

    “RUSSIA ALREADY VICTORIOUS? | U.S. COL. DOUGLAS MACGREGOR'S ASSESSMENT OF THE UKRAINE CONFLICT

    Question 1 Is US behind Russia in hypersonic weapons technology?

    Question 2 If you corner a wild animal…. (NATO surrounding Russia via Ukraine) What do you expect the result will be…?????

    It’s like a psychotic parent (US) taking a child (Ukraine) to a wild dog and saying hey “child” take it’s territory (bone) it’s not going to bite. The sickness is that the parent knows full well the dog will bite (as its in its natureg). The worst thing is the parent gets some sick physiological kick out of it…(aka power advantage).

    Question 3 Why did US et al not push Ukraine to be a non military Swiss like state? What was the point of the destruction in Ukraine?

    Question 4 Has Biden (Obama et al) effectively thrown Ukraine under a bus to benefit there world view

    Question 5 Who benefits (follow the money and power)

    [Less is generally more – I reckon that very few will read long comments and all the (embedded) links in these. 10 or more links will hold up any comment in Auto-Moderation until a Moderator makes the time to review & release it – Incognito]

    • Incognito 12.1
      23 March 2022 at 8:11 am

      Mod note for you.

    • weston 12.2
      23 March 2022 at 9:54 am

      Ive always thought 'better out than in ' so in general im not in favour of censorship .Youre link to the Bitchute site which is using a genuine Greyzone piece to make its point tells us that you by association are surely imbued with the same fairly ugly antisemitism which coupled with your incoherent comment gives us a reasonable idea of who you are .Congratulations for revealing yourself as a complete fuckwit !

      • Karl Sinclair 12.2.1
        24 March 2022 at 8:34 pm

        Weston…. OMG did you eat a bad sandwich, suck on a car tail pipe or just get out of bed the wrong way. Ya logic circuits are fried mate. you said to me:

        ” Greyzone piece to make its point tells us that you by association are surely imbued with the same fairly ugly antisemitism which coupled with your incoherent comment gives us a reasonable idea of who you are .Congratulations for revealing yourself as a complete fuckwit !”

        Did you even bother to watch the interview?

        No, probably note…. Spending too much time with ya head up your own arse (carbon monoxide and methane not a good combo for clear thoughts)

        How the f$&&k did you arrive at “antisemitism”

        Good luck with that …. Maybe take some Prozac to calm ya farm and a chaser of viagra to make your mind now, shall we say, firm (or less flaccid)

        Hugs kisses …. Watch the video… use analytical thought, get back to me mate

        • weston 12.2.1.1
          24 March 2022 at 9:04 pm

          Ive already watched that video karl on Grey zone itself so i didnt need it second hand plus the site had sidebars labled jew this an jewery that why was i suposed to be impressed ?

          • weka 12.2.1.1.1
            24 March 2022 at 9:35 pm

            you still need to check the user name (and email fields) when commenting from whatever device this comment was done on. As you can see.

        • weston 12.2.1.2
          24 March 2022 at 9:35 pm

          For some reason im having a few glitches commenting karl so if u get this twice you,ll know why .Ive already watch the vid on greyzone itself so didnt need to go to Bitchute to watch it .The side bars or the click bait pics on that site are rabidly antisemetic suggesting that jewery are responsible for this an that and this persons a filthy jew etc Its not my cup of tea karl why did you think it would impress anybody ?

          • weka 12.2.1.2.1
            24 March 2022 at 9:36 pm

            if you make a mistake in your name or email address, the TS system will treat you as a new commenter and hold your comment back for manual release.

          • Karl Sinclair 12.2.1.2.2
            24 March 2022 at 10:03 pm

            Weston….. what hell are you on

            • weston 12.2.1.2.2.1
              24 March 2022 at 10:50 pm

              Ok i didnt look at all the multiple embedded links in yr comment karl just the bitchute one did u not notice the all the stuff to the side ?

  13. Karl Sinclair 13
    24 March 2022 at 10:57 pm

    Weston…. So you seem to be trying, the “let’s distract tactics” so no one will look up the interview….due to fear of being called a Nazi

    The interview is clearly not

    However….

    Whats your informed opinion on

    “DOUGLAS MACGREGOR'S ASSESSMENT OF THE UKRAINE CONFLICT”

    Can your synapses coordinate to provide an articulate response….or has the lobotomy proven to problematic

    Hugs kisses Karl

    tick… tick…. Waiting

    • weston 13.1
      24 March 2022 at 11:17 pm

      Not my worry what others might make of it karl particularly although im pretty sure it wouldnt go down well .the actual interview i thought was thoughtfull balanced and relevant most if not all the stuff from greyzone is .

      • Karl Sinclair 13.1.1
        25 March 2022 at 10:09 am

        Weston, glad you took the time to review the video. It provides an alternative perspective that is not being let out in NZs MSM.

        I had no idea that the site that hosted the video Bitchute was controversial (never visited it before). Now I understand your initial response.

        https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/BitChute

        Saying that however..if it wasn’t for the “freedom” to host that video it may never get the air time it deserves and people wouldn’t stumble across it.

        Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook are all definitely playing in the pig pen of propaganda to. RNZ / Herald seem to also play in the pen, seemingly parrot Bidens BS to a large extent. An alliance to Democrats…some digging to done there.

        However alternative sites need to exist to promote freedom of speech

        Elon Musk had the bulls to say this regarding censorship:

        ”Starlink has been told by some governments (not Ukraine) to block Russian news sources,” he tweeted.

        “We will not do so unless at gunpoint,” Musk added. “Sorry to be a free speech absolutist.”

        Additionally Twitter has been going all out jihad on the satirical site babylonbee for taking the piss out of msm, wokeness and Biden. Banning them for satire. Babylonbees response rather funny I thought as Twitter do allow Taliban (no hypocrisy there ehh)

        https://babylonbee.com/news/taliban-spokesman-finally-banned-from-twitter-after-sharing-babylon-bee-headline

        KABUL—Taliban spokesperson Mohammad Naeem Warda has finally been banned from Twitter this week after carelessly sharing a satirical headline from The Babylon Bee.

        "Wallahi, I just thought the joke was funny," said the bloodthirsty terrorist PR rep. "A man who thinks he's a woman? Whoever heard of such a thing? Those Babylon Bee people are so fun and crazy, even though they're infidels who must die a painful death by our hands."

        At the end of the day probably a critically thinking population is the best defence against “hate” not curbs on freedoms of speech.

        The issue is getting a critically thinking population. Maybe the “powers” at be don’t really want that. But hey, that’s another debate

        That’s enough bla blaa blaa from me

        Take care…. It’s a crazy world

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