Awesome, I’ll be checking it out too, not tonight though but when they upload it onto the Country Calendar website. Much more interesting than the shows on standard farming.
The Archdruid explaining why the Left has been losing to the Right.
‘
There are at least two reasons why a strategy of pure reaction, without any coherent attempt to advance an agenda of its own or even a clear idea of what that agenda might be, has been a fruitful source of humiliation and defeat for the American left. The first is that this approach violates one of the most basic rules of strategy: you win when you seize the initiative and force the other side to respond to your actions, and you lose by passively responding to whatever the other side comes up with. In any contest, without exception, if you surrender the initiative and let the other side set the terms of the conflict, you’re begging to be beaten, and will normally get your wish in short order.
That in itself is bad enough. A movement that defines itself in purely negative terms, though, and attempts solely to prevent someone else’s agenda from being enacted rather than pursuing a concrete agenda of its own, suffers from another massive problem: the best such a movement can hope for is a continuation of the status quo, because the only choice it offers is the one between business as usual and something worse. That’s fine if most people are satisfied with the way things are, and are willing to fling themselves into the struggle for the sake of a set of political, economic, and social arrangements that they consider worth fighting for.
From the same article.
What a perfect description of many compromised Labour MPs in the UK and NZ.
‘I’m not sure why so many people on the leftward end of American politics haven’t noticed that this is not the case today. One hypothesis that comes to mind is that by and large, the leftward end of the American political landscape is dominated by middle class and upper middle class white people from the comparatively prosperous coastal states. Many of them belong to the upper 20% by income of the American population, and the rest aren’t far below that threshold. The grand bargain of the Reagan years, by which the middle classes bought a guarantee of their wealth and privilege by letting their former allies in the working classes get thrown under the bus, has profited them hugely, and holding onto what they gained by that maneuver doubtless ranks high on their unstated list of motives—much higher, certainly, than pushing for a different future that might put their privileges in jeopardy.’
He is just so wrong.
The monolithic left failed in the 1980s, and won. It won because “the left” split into a series of highly successful liberative movements in the late 1960s, which continued and established themselves throughout the media, academia, and education systems.
It failed because conservative governments could smash the post-WW11 Labour-capital-consumerism world while the Soviet empire remained the boogeyman of strong-state redistributive economies.
we forget the continuing successes of the former too easily, as if we are in a world of perpetual progressive regret. we are not.
Yet the basic premise of the the Archdruid Report’s latest post rings true: the Left has been losing to the Right for several decades now, and continues to lose.
It continues to lose because the Right sets the agenda and the Left reacts to it, all in an environment where the Right now has massively more institutional power than the Left.
On this, Greer, the Archdruid is spot on.
The monolithic left failed in the 1980s, and won. It won because “the left” split into a series of highly successful liberative movements in the late 1960s,
Please clarify. Where in the world did the political economic left win.
The political economic left didn’t always win.
But the importance of the economic can be overstated.
The political left found ways to recapture power elsewhere than electoral politics.
In most big-state countries, the social welfare state hasn’t been dismantled – hell even National hasn’t touched Working for Families, Kiwisaver, the unemployment benefit, or NZSuper.
Also, even National was perfectly happy to push through Gay Marriage, not repeal the Anti-Smacking Law, pushed on with Waitangi settlements, and can’t even pull someone’s hair without a smackdown. NZ is far more socially liberal than it ever used to be – and that’s a set of victories caused by the left.
Not defending this government. Just pointing out that many of the left’s victories have been banked, even built on, by National.
That particular Druid is a misanthrope.
A really simple way to keep any movement alive, or indeed any patient, is to tell them what is working, and do more of it. That writer is just a cheerleader for the Global Movement Of Told You So’s.
I posted this last night Paul. I think this will help you understand that the left is very much alive. I’ve been saying on here that labour is not the left. I know the activist who write here think it is, but they need to realise they have a real problem with hard right wing members in the labour party, who distort and twist a strong social democratic message.
And if that sounds like the manifesto of your average political party, then you’re right on the money. The endless pursuit of the Centrist voter has reduced our politicians to the equivalent of those journalistic low-lifes who go scavenging through the garbage of the rich and famous. In much the same way, the carelessly discarded detritus of the men and women “in the middle” gets picked over by political rubbish men, cleaned up, and re-cycled into party policy.
I think the Chairman is one who demands a citation when presented with a commenters’ opinion here, so it is only right to request details of a criticism from him about a media event.
can’t understand why citations should be asked for on opinions. Perhaps the question response should be – why do you think that?
I felt exactly the same, the loss of David Cunliffe’s ability to front the hard issues on television in his calm, cool and articulate way, is very apparent these days in my opinion. The Labour caucus have a lot to be ashamed of, they gave David Cunliffe a very short amount of time to establish himself before the election and then forced him out . He won every debate on television and would have been so good right now, with everything turning to custard on the economic front. Thanks Phil Goff, David Shearer, Clayton Cosgrove, Annette King, Grant Robertson, Jacinda Adern, Phil Twyford, etc etc etc.
The business of tossing out a new leader after a loss in the polls is uncannily like what happens in the sporting community. Cunliffe lost so out he goes like an unsuccessful coach.
This backs up an idea I have that politics today is not being addressed as an idealistic and practical way of attempting better conditions, fair and peaceful actions that produce good for individuals and the whole population. It is a competitive game like a sport, with great commitment to one’s team to see them win. In sport, winning is the name of the game (s.d that business about losing honourably). And these days money and perks will follow, and overseas travel. Sounds like many modern politicians’ dream wouldn’t you say.
So in politics the leader is a servant of the caucus and needs to help them win or else, and the caucus are servants of whom?
Who is behind caucus though? If the defining object for the membership is not to serve the people’s good, and they are not operating on cultural and social ethical ideas, then who and what presses their buttons, pulls their strings.
Is it now the ideology of wealthy people advancing their profit through efficiency and global opportunities. Are politicians seduced by views of them striding the world stage and talking up our importance in the financial and political world. In NZ I guess is it the 1-10% as seen behind the NZ Initiative. the Concentric Table?
CV
I think you have hit the target. That would explain their risk aversion in pursuing meaningful policies. They want to ensure that they offer enough to attract punters and keep Labour MPs in their jobs in caucus, but not ones that might be right but the voters are not ready to receive. What to do? Cut the career line to the placenta of goodies? How? I think we would get less monkeys wanting more peanuts.
And thanks for the disingenuous Matthew Hooton for doing his shapeshifter thing and derailing the thought line.
It’s Hotel California stuff.
Last thing I remember, I was
Running for the door
I had to find the passage back
To the place I was before
“Relax, ” said the night man,
“We are programmed to receive.
You can check-out any time you like,
But you can never leave! ”
+ 1000 C V – I’m still a party member but my energy levels have waned somewhat since DC was replaced. He’s keeping a very low profile – not sure whether it’s self imposed (I do know his mother is most unwell and in hospital) or forced upon him.
I feel his low profile may be imposed by caucus wanting the likes of Grant Robertson etc to “shine” – good luck with that one! Who in the caucus is actually making a huge impact lately? Jacinda? Dream on! David Cunliffe doesn’t even seem to be allowed to ask a question in Question Time these days. I miss his articulate manner, grasp of the big picture and the curly questions he might pose if given the chance!
I really miss David Cunliffe’s intellect and his ability to communicate complex issues clearly.
Little started well, but really hasn’t impressed fora number of months now.It seems to me that he is so busy trying to appease everybody that nobody knows what he stands for any more. On radio he sounds offhand and unconvincing. His main achievement is that the caucus do look more united, but IMO Little really needs to inject a bit of passion into his performance.
They run a tight ship because they have money and positions to move their deadwood and unwanted MPs on to when their due time comes, nice and smooth like.
I realize that but from what I’m aware of in you’re case is that you have been on the inside and now you are on the outs a bit so I just see you’re behaviour as sour grapes.
I caught most of the nation this am and apart from a lack of clarity around the ninety day he did OK with as clemgeopin says some poor gotcha attempts.
That’s jumping to conclusions bwaghorn. Presumably CV knows more about caucus and the interior view of Labour than you and therefore has something real to critique. Whereas you know how you feel at any given moment. So your opinion is interesting, whereas CV’s may be enlightening.
But please forget about Cunliffe as leader-he will make a fine minister if Labour wins the election, but going on about his demise gets us nowhere. (I will never forget John Armstrong’s disgusting article calling for him to resign over the 10 year old pro-forma letter.)
In the meantime Little will lead Labour to the next election so he needs constructive criticism to keep improving his performance. I think Labour have been performing well recently-Twyford, Parker and King especially.
Little goes off track, barely answers to the question about Serco, misses an opportunity to deride the concept of private prisons; seems like Little wouldn’t have Serco do state housing because Serco did a bad job at Mt Eden. (So if Serco improves at Mt Eden, Little would be open to them being involved in state housing?). Overall, mediocre to poor.
Then up to 5:00:
Average to mediocre on health and safety. Started off well, and then declined as he got bogged down in detail and not principles. Ended up sounding like a health and safety consultant, not the Leader of the Opposition. Even praised some National Party MPs. Didn’t effectively push back against Owen’s claim that Labour was advocating for more red tape for small businesses.
Up to 7:45:
Mediocre to poor on the claim that Labour has changed its position on the right to fire legislation. This resulted from Little not being clear who he was addressing – workers, Labour supporters or business owners. So the message was very mixed sounding.
Little should have said – Labour will definitely abolish the right to fire legislation as we have always said – but we will also ensure that employers have the right to use trial periods for staff where there are safeguards of fairness to all.
Up to 9:00
OK on the TPPA but he could have landed some better hits on the Government’s broken promises on its negotiations. At this point Little seems to not be able to pull out the short sharp meaningful one liner which has a big impact.
Up to 11:30
OK to mediocre on Climate Change, but Little didn’t really give a concise coherent explanation of why he thinks Climate Change is such a big moral issue of this century – yet Labour is still going to support coal mining and oil drilling. Most people against climate change won’t find the position sensible; most people who don’t care about climate change will wonder if Labour is just all talk.
to the finish:
Not good. Little seemed to give some disingenuous answers with regards to NZF as a coalition partner, and then the clip ends at an awkward moment where Little seems a bit frustrated with Lisa Own.
Your ‘put the boot into Andrew and Labour’ at every opportunity you get is just like Hooton’s ‘analysis’.
Did it occur to you that apart from the H& S, ‘most’ questions were
hypothetical ‘gotcha’ type of questions that could not be answered definitively with certainty without the yet to be known details and were designed to trip him up for possible sensational headlines?
Corbyn isn’t the leader of a political party YET. Did you forget that?
Once he becomes the leader, he will HAVE to reconsider some or many of his policies and bluster that happens during an internal party leadership campaign, and give more seriously measured responses in media interviews with the responsibility of knowing that he is the potential Prime Minister who will need to make sensible, workable and pragmatic decisions which will not only have the support of most of the voters but will also be good for the people and the country.
There is a big difference in pitching oneself to the faithful for party leadership and actually being the leader and potential PM for the entire country.
Of course he has worked to do. He is yet to gain more experience in the job and has to tread with care and caution. That is elementary Dr Watson. Do you remember the sweet talking Key in his early days as the opposition leader and the PM in his early days?
But some of us have been very impatient and too harsh on Little and parroting the RW statements and agenda, when he has been in the job for just about nine months, while the Labour party policies are under review and the election is still more than two years away.
Sure, criticise him, but do so constructively and not in a way to demean and harm him and the Labour party. Only enemies of the left do that.
Also, it would be useful to email him or the party with ideas and suggestions if they are useful and made with good intentions.
Fuck off a centrist establishmentarian like you Clemgeopin having the audacity to call me an enemy of the left; further Little ran out of grace period with me when he signed off on the Chinese house buyers gambit.
He wanted Cunliffe’s job now he better start doing a better job. Or shall we give Little another 6 months to get it together.
“Fuck off a centrist establishmentarian like you Clemgeopin”
You are funny!
I am not a centrist establishmentarian, nor an anti centre-right-disestablishmentarian.
What I am is a pragmatic socialist democrat for the modern times and I take the pragmatic ‘electable’ view that a modern socialist party such as Labour should be a party (1) of the left, (2) of the left-of-centre and (3) the centre, (and not foolishly be just the party of the left and die a permanent death).
That is exactly the positions that Sanders has taken if you watch many of his speech videos. He advocates for the sick, the poor, the students and primarily for the care of the middle classes. I do too!
If you loved Cunliffe’s delivery so much why did your people oust him?
I know you’re going to say “they’re not my people”, but the truth is CV, you are so all over the place that an observer has no idea what you actually stand for.
Actually I think CV has given some good examples of how Little could have done better. It is far more constructive criticism than “putting the boot in.”
Pretending that Little is performing really well in media interviews (when it is obvious that he is not) is not helpful if you want Labour to win the next election. My big worry is that Little isn’t getting any better at communication, and he really does need to.
wot??? YOU support coal mining and oil drilling? say it ain’t so – you will dig it up at great cost to many areas including the environment, emissions and so on, and then not burn it or sell it??? Wot you gonna do with it? Why not just not dig it up or suck it out? bloody/facedesk
so you and draco want to continue to dig, drill and suck – just like the gnats as it happens, and you want to use the high grade coal dug out through your eyesore, destructive, open cast mines, to make carbon fibre. Perchance why??? It doesn’t really matter what fancy you come up with be it space ships or alien cricket bats btw.
Well guess what – I oppose that. I don’t want you the gnats to dig any more shit up
No more exploitation of Papatūānuku for bullshit western lavish lifestyles and fake futures.
so now I’ve answered my own question I’ll go beddy byes.
so we don’t have to dig it, drill it or suck it after all – certainly not if we want carbon fibre for use in the ” aerospace, construction, and electronics industry” (from Grey’s post below)
this is the beauty of the net
problem – marty don’t want holes dug, draco do want them dug because he and adam want the carbon fibre to build stuff
solution – create operation to get carbon out of atmosphere thus reducing it in the atmosphere and making it (by turning it into carbon fibre) available to build spaceships and toasters.
result – less carbon in atmosphere, spaceships built of carbon fibre, and the process is likely, after development and testing to be potentially less expensive than existing methods – ahem yay!
They have even tested this new method and they were able to “generate the large amount of heat needed to run the desired reaction.” – okay yay again to that I think
problem – marty don’t want holes dug, draco do want them dug because he and adam want the carbon fibre to build stuff
I want more than the carbon fibre. I want the life saving drugs that come from the use of the hydro carbons. I want the advanced recyclable plastics that can be made from them. And hundreds if not thousands of other products that are essential to a good and healthy living.
Now, here’s a thing: Digging holes in the ground isn’t really a problem – Papatūānuku will just fill them again and often with a marvellous new ecosystem. The problem comes if we poison that hole so we don’t do that. That is going to need strong regulation and you’ll get lots of whinging from the capitalists saying that it will cost too much to keep clean but we should have learned by now that we simply shouldn’t be listening to the capitalists.
result – less carbon in atmosphere, spaceships built of carbon fibre, and the process is likely, after development and testing to be potentially less expensive than existing methods – ahem yay!
Have you considered the problem with that? To give you a hint, it’s the exact opposite of the one we have now.
How many fossil fuels are needed to create that industry? To keep it running?
None. Again, you misunderstand the nature of fossil fuels and their use and how they’re simply not needed.
@Reality +1 Little did just fine in this interview. He is smart and the Nats are having trouble knocking his solid, common-sense image after the pathetic Angry-Andy smear failed.
Reading Audrey Young’s column in Granny Herald today was a fairly interesting read about Michael Woodhouse’s absolutely pathetic handling of the Health and Safety legislation. I thought she was being fairly reasonable in her criticism of the Government, but then at the end, the boot went into Andrew Little for demanding that several Ministers should have been stood down/resigned over several botch ups. It’s all his fault/Labour did it too/it’s Labour’s fault etc etc. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11500944
Hats off to Neil Miller.*
Not many people would be so magnanimous after being made to look so foolish. The Panel, Radio NZ National, Friday 21 August 2015
Jim Mora, Andrew “Dire” Clay, Neil Miller
Should the police be armed or not? Neil Miller opined that New Zealand is an “out-lier” on this issue, but that nothing will change until not only policemen, but members of the public start getting shot. Of course, members of the public are getting shot—by the police. Sadly, however, neither Jim Mora nor Andrew “Dire” Clay had the presence of mind to remind him of this.
Miller then announced how much of a fan he is of police using tasers. Clay, who often refers to himself as a “liberal”, endorsed Miller’s view, burbling: “I’m a big fan of tasers.”
To introduce some informed comment on to the program, the producers had arranged for Mora to cross to Deakin University Associate Professor in Criminology Dr Darren Palmer, who quickly and eloquently showed that neither Clay nor Miller had a clue what they were talking about. Politely but devastatingly, he showed that every single point that they had made was fallacious.
Neil Miller had nothing at all to offer by way of counter-argument. However, once Dr Palmer had departed, Miller said sportingly: “Very sensible comments from an academic, I must say.”
If only Neil Miller’s sportsmanship and honour could be emulated by the likes of Cameron Slater or Jordan Williams or David Farrar or Barry Corbett or Stephen Franks or Michelle Boag or Denise L’Estrange-Corbet or Nevil “Breivik” Gibson.
* Yesterday this writer, i.e., moi, misheard Neil Miller’s generous comment and posted that he had called Dr Palmer’s comments “cynical”. Thanks to our vigilant friend Gabby for pointing out my grievous error. Here’s the original post…. http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-21082015/#comment-1061375
Here is an interesting article on policing in USA.
“More than one thousand people are killed by police every year in America,” the group states on its website. “Nearly sixty percent of victims did not have a gun or were involved in activities that should not require police intervention such as harmless ‘quality of life’ behaviors or mental health crises.”http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/taskforce/Interim_TF_Report.pdf http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/08/21/campaign-zero-blueprint-ending-police-violence
The article refers to an Interim report from the task force on policing in USA and this paragraph caught my attention.
“In 2012, we began asking the question, “Why are we training police officers like
soldiers?” Although police officers wear uniforms and carry weapons, the similarity
ends there. The missions and rules of engagement are completely different. The
soldier’s mission is that of a warrior: to conquer. The rules of engagement are decided before the battle. The police officer’s mission is that of a guardian: to protect. The rules of engagement evolve as the incident unfolds. Soldiers must follow orders. Police officers must make independent decisions. Soldiers come into communities as an outside, occupying force. Guardians are members of the community, protecting from within.”
This makes sense to me and I wonder what path Greg O’Connor is wanting to take our police down?
Thanks for that, my friend. I share your concerns about Greg O’Connor. Whenever he appears on television or radio, his views seem poorly thought out and reflexively right wing.
It just goes to show that not every union rep is of the calibre of Helen Kelly or Richard Wagstaff. O’Connor is a union rep more in the mould of Tau Henare, who sneered at cleaning women at a select committee hearing and reduced them to tears.
I see John Pilger is being interviewed on RNZ in the morning about Assange. Whatever other interesting and useful things he has to say, I’ll also be listening to see if he has learnt how not to support rape culture in his support for Assange.
Your answer was confusing too, but I assumed you meant I was lying about something (calling Pilger a rape apologist?). So if a govt attacks Corbyn and people defending Corbyn use rape culture in their defense in the way that Pilger has, I will name that. But it won’t be a lie because it’s just happened and I’m just making an observation about it.
Of course I am guessing because you were obscure. How about you write in plain English?
but I assumed you meant I was lying about something (calling Pilger a rape apologist?).
Good. You do understand that I was calling you on your absurd lie.
…..use rape culture in their defense in the way that Pilger has
Could you expand on this bizarre claim, please? I suspect you’re already way out of your depth, but I’m willing for you to show us otherwise.
I’m just making an observation about it
You’re not making an “observation” about anything. You are simply reiterating one of the most brutal lies about a human rights activist that has been propagated in living memory. The viciousness of your mindless activity is not mitigated by the fact you write so poorly.
There’s nothing vicious in what I said, unless you are suggesting that a feminist having a political analysis of rape culture is vicious. Which is not an uncommon assertion, but that doesn’t make it any less absurd.
If you want the detail, search ts for weka +pilger, I’ve commented on it before. That Pilger is so good in other ways is precisely the point that feminists have been making for a long time now. Left wing men still have large blind spots when it comes to the oppressions they take part in.
Interestingly, if you want an example of how to write about Assange without promoting rape culture, look at CV’s post from the other day. He got his points across without using rape myths or undermining women who routinely get caught up in the politics of rape. That’s a very good sign.
unless you are suggesting that a feminist having a political analysis of rape culture is vicious.
There is not a shred of analysis in what you have said. You have merely recycled the black propaganda of the British and U.S. regimes. You might see such behaviour as virtuous, I see it as the very opposite.
I have read what you said about Pilger, and it is as vacuous now as when it was first published on this mostly excellent forum.
“There is not a shred of analysis in what you have said”
Not on this page, because all I did was name something.
“You have merely recycled the black propaganda of the British and U.S. regimes.”
Please link to where the British and US regimes have named Pilger as promoting rape culture. A couple of examples will suffice.
“You might see such behaviour as virtuous, I see it as the very opposite.”
I’d be very surprised if the British and US regimes had even considered the idea.
“I have read what you said about Pilger, and it is as vacuous now as when it was first published on this mostly excellent forum.”
That doesn’t match what you said before when you asked me to explain. I’m getting the sense of disingenuous here. I notice that you haven’t put up a single thing to refute my claim other than that Pilger is Great.
Every one of the ridiculous, completely discredited accusations made against this dangerous, truth-telling, dissenting journalist is the result of deliberate lies orchestrated by the British secret services.
You need to seriously do some reading. Your naiveté is alarming, to say the least.
You might like to start by listening to someone else who was targeted in the same way as Assange, except the agents of his intended destruction were a little more ham-fisted and vulnerable than the likes of the odious Marianne Ny….
oh right, silly little feminists couldn’t come up with an argument of their own, they’re just parrotting the evil British SS.
You have failed to provide any evidence that the US or Brits have named Pilger as a rape apologist. Get a grip Morrisey, and put up an actual proper argument or fuck off. I can’t be bothered with a Pilger fanboy who just wants to spout florid rhetoric and move goal posts instead of discussing actual issues.
“silly little feminists couldn’t come up with an argument of their own, they’re just parrotting the evil British SS.”
You’re trying to argue that the persecution of this dissenter is being organized by feminists? That’s about as foolish a thing as you’ve written here. And that’s saying something.
I note that Women Against Rape almost immediately denounced this ridiculous campaign, as did the young women who had been bullied and manipulated into complying with this obscene business.
Everything you have said about Pilger lacks even a hint of credibility.
the only thing I’ve said about Pilger is that I hope he’s changed and doesn’t talking about Assange tomorrow in ways that promote rape culture. If you don’t understand what I mean by that, it’s up to you to ask.
All the other stuff about persecution by the state etc is what you’ve brought up, nothing to do with my point.
there is no contest. Morrissey went off on a mission of his own making that had nothing to do with my comment. Last time I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.
Please don’t make his mistake. I wasn’t talking about Assange.
Objectives To identify published clinical trials in which an FDA inspection found significant evidence of objectionable conditions or practices, to describe violations, and to determine whether the violations are mentioned in the peer-reviewed literature
Conclusions and Relevance When the FDA finds significant departures from good clinical practice, those findings are seldom reflected in the peer-reviewed literature, even when there is evidence of data fabrication or other forms of research misconduct.
The Blairites that dominate the Labour Party and the media are running scared of this bloke. He’s the MP for Islington North. His majority at the last election was 21,194, but Blair’s cronies insist on calling him “unelectable”….
Clearly not, as his 21,194 majority demonstrates only too clearly.
What real “Labour” voters and the wider public believe are worlds apart.
So the huge majority of Labour voters who back Corbyn, and the majority of the British population that agree with his views, are not real voters. Got it.
Perez’s conservative administration has spent much of this year mired in public protests and scandals over corruption allegations against senior officials, several of whom the retired general fired during a cabinet purge in May.
I remember when conservatives actually had some moral fortitude…
1: Im not religious
2: I believe in the right to Protest and Counter Protest.
3: I Like America.
4: I have no idea if the TPPA will be good or not.
5: Told ya Hoverboards will be invented.
So walking down the street in Nelson today, I heard a lone protester screaming “The TPPA is awful” he looked really angry, his eyes were popping out his head, his fists were clenched, he looked like he wanted to punch someone.
He then yelled “Jesus Hates the TPPA, even Jesus hates the TPPA”
he walked straight past me, I said “Seriously even Jesus hates it?”
He got in my face yelled rather loudly said “Yes, everybody hates it” and walked off.
He is my friendly advice to future protesters.
1: Just because your angry, that doesnt make you right.
2: I can be turned around on any issue, if you provided facts/data/stats and are very analytical in how you present them.
3: If you attend a lot of protests where you burn the American flag, I will believe that your more about political ideology than whether a certain law is good or not.
4: Please dont scream in my face or poke your finger in my eye.
5: You may believe if New Zealand was a socialist country, we will all be on seven figure salaries, I dont believe this.
6: The people who make the most noise, don’t come across as Rhode Scholars or people I would trust with any economic law.
7: Please know that there are people who are just as passionate about a issue and may be on the Opposite side of that issue.
Again, I think you will get a lot further with your protests if you take this advice.
and yes I was expecting you back – you said when hoverboards happen you will return and apparently they are happening but for me I’m still not convinced yet.
I thank you Brett Dale for your detailed exposition on behalf of all protesters, who are all individuals not a collective of yellow-eyed children into groupthink as in Wyndhams book The Midwich Cuckoos,
The politics of TPPA are enough to drive sensitive people nutty. Thank goodness you are not sensitive, nutty or shy of advising everyone on how to avoid such states.
yep the absurd asking for the impossible – “Male gnats often assemble in large mating swarms or ghosts, particularly at dusk.” We’ve all seen them milling around in the late afternoon light – bet they don’t have to crawl to the doctor.
Still, others said they had plenty of advice for the man they regularly identified in conversation as “Mr. Trump.”
“Hopefully, he’s going to sit there and say, ‘When I become elected president, what we’re going to do is we’re going to make the border a vacation spot, it’s going to cost you $25 for a permit, and then you get $50 for every confirmed kill,’ ” said Jim Sherota, 53, who works for a landscaping company. “That’d be one nice thing.”
Thanks for the links. The article on Corbyn and the dirty politics was very intertesting. Fascinating elections coming up with Corbyn on IK and Sanders in USA!
“Maybe sometime in the past the British establishment could succeed in destroying an alternative voice, as they did with Labour’s Michael Foot and Tony Benn during the 1980s. But, today, the public no longer rely on the media mouthpieces of the establishment. They can make their own minds up with abundant alternative information sources.
The surging popular support for Corbyn is proof of that. The British people have had it with the rich getting richer and the vast majority getting poorer. They have had it with war, state-sponsored lawlessness and “professional” politician-puppets like Tony Blair and his New Labour ilk.
Corbyn is showing that socialism is a real alternative, no matter what the establishment says’
A new method for taking carbon dioxide directly from the air and converting it to oxygen and nanoscale fibers made of carbon could lead to an inexpensive way to make a valuable building material—and may even serve as a weapon against climate change.
Licht says his group’s newly demonstrated technology, which both captures the carbon dioxide from the air and employs an electrochemical process to convert it to carbon nanofibers and oxygen, is more efficient and potentially a lot cheaper than existing methods
But it’s more than just a simpler, less expensive way of making a high value product. It’s also a “means of storing and sequestering carbon dioxide in a useful manner, a stable manner, and in a compact manner,” says Licht. He points out that if the process is powered by renewable energy, the result is a net removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In a recent demonstration, his group used a unique concentrated solar power system, which makes use of infrared sunlight as well as visible light to generate the large amount of heat needed to run the desired reaction..
Our own Rdion is up to dte with this. Plese note – I hve spilt some wter on my keybord, now the left side keys including the first lphbet letter don’t work. In the opinion of people who know, will it dry out nd the function return?
9:21 AM. Researchers invent a process that turns polluting carbon dioxide into carbon nanofibers, a highly sought-after manufacturing material with the potential to be used in the aerospace, construction, and electronics industry. Stuart Licht, Professor of Chemistry at George Washington University.
Thanks I lifted and angled keyboard overnight. More keys down. Have a spare and the old one was due to move on. Maybe my head is a bit wet – will use the hairdryer on that.
I thought the article was really good too, it’s hard to pull yourself up by your bootstraps when you’re already small but we must try.
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
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Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
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Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
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 — 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 taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — 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 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s 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 ‘serious populist discontent’. 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 ‘hard-working people’. ...
Chris Trotter writes – MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s 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 ‘serious populist discontent’. 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 ‘hard-working people’. 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 ...
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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 ...
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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 “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
Chris Trotter writes – The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ 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 Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s 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. ...
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
The Coalition Government’s 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. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I 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 Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s 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. “The 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. “My 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 Singapore’s 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 counterpart’s 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 today’s 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. “I 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. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s 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 ...
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https://www.facebook.com/CountryCalendar/videos/vb.320771647948378/1208219955870205/?type=2&theater
Tonight at 7:00, heritage apples and forest-gardens.
Excellent! I heard the fascinating report about your place on Radio New Zealand a year or so ago. Look forward to seeing this one.
Awesome, I’ll be checking it out too, not tonight though but when they upload it onto the Country Calendar website. Much more interesting than the shows on standard farming.
Thanks – both for letting us know and for the great work you’re doing. Was definitely worth catching.
The Archdruid explaining why the Left has been losing to the Right.
‘
There are at least two reasons why a strategy of pure reaction, without any coherent attempt to advance an agenda of its own or even a clear idea of what that agenda might be, has been a fruitful source of humiliation and defeat for the American left. The first is that this approach violates one of the most basic rules of strategy: you win when you seize the initiative and force the other side to respond to your actions, and you lose by passively responding to whatever the other side comes up with. In any contest, without exception, if you surrender the initiative and let the other side set the terms of the conflict, you’re begging to be beaten, and will normally get your wish in short order.
That in itself is bad enough. A movement that defines itself in purely negative terms, though, and attempts solely to prevent someone else’s agenda from being enacted rather than pursuing a concrete agenda of its own, suffers from another massive problem: the best such a movement can hope for is a continuation of the status quo, because the only choice it offers is the one between business as usual and something worse. That’s fine if most people are satisfied with the way things are, and are willing to fling themselves into the struggle for the sake of a set of political, economic, and social arrangements that they consider worth fighting for.
http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.co.nz/2015/08/the-suicide-of-american-left.html?m=1
‘
From the same article.
What a perfect description of many compromised Labour MPs in the UK and NZ.
‘I’m not sure why so many people on the leftward end of American politics haven’t noticed that this is not the case today. One hypothesis that comes to mind is that by and large, the leftward end of the American political landscape is dominated by middle class and upper middle class white people from the comparatively prosperous coastal states. Many of them belong to the upper 20% by income of the American population, and the rest aren’t far below that threshold. The grand bargain of the Reagan years, by which the middle classes bought a guarantee of their wealth and privilege by letting their former allies in the working classes get thrown under the bus, has profited them hugely, and holding onto what they gained by that maneuver doubtless ranks high on their unstated list of motives—much higher, certainly, than pushing for a different future that might put their privileges in jeopardy.’
He is just so wrong.
The monolithic left failed in the 1980s, and won. It won because “the left” split into a series of highly successful liberative movements in the late 1960s, which continued and established themselves throughout the media, academia, and education systems.
It failed because conservative governments could smash the post-WW11 Labour-capital-consumerism world while the Soviet empire remained the boogeyman of strong-state redistributive economies.
we forget the continuing successes of the former too easily, as if we are in a world of perpetual progressive regret. we are not.
Yet the basic premise of the the Archdruid Report’s latest post rings true: the Left has been losing to the Right for several decades now, and continues to lose.
It continues to lose because the Right sets the agenda and the Left reacts to it, all in an environment where the Right now has massively more institutional power than the Left.
On this, Greer, the Archdruid is spot on.
Please clarify. Where in the world did the political economic left win.
The political economic left didn’t always win.
But the importance of the economic can be overstated.
The political left found ways to recapture power elsewhere than electoral politics.
In most big-state countries, the social welfare state hasn’t been dismantled – hell even National hasn’t touched Working for Families, Kiwisaver, the unemployment benefit, or NZSuper.
Also, even National was perfectly happy to push through Gay Marriage, not repeal the Anti-Smacking Law, pushed on with Waitangi settlements, and can’t even pull someone’s hair without a smackdown. NZ is far more socially liberal than it ever used to be – and that’s a set of victories caused by the left.
Not defending this government. Just pointing out that many of the left’s victories have been banked, even built on, by National.
Plus, Archdruid is at base a misanthropist.
He can’t see the point of people existing anymore – it’s life through a glass, half darkly.
Druids aren’t misanthropes. But they can see when the seasons are changing.
That particular Druid is a misanthrope.
A really simple way to keep any movement alive, or indeed any patient, is to tell them what is working, and do more of it. That writer is just a cheerleader for the Global Movement Of Told You So’s.
I posted this last night Paul. I think this will help you understand that the left is very much alive. I’ve been saying on here that labour is not the left. I know the activist who write here think it is, but they need to realise they have a real problem with hard right wing members in the labour party, who distort and twist a strong social democratic message.
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/08/19/bernie-sanders-gives-wall-street-journal-reporter-the-best-tongue-lashing-youve-ever-seen-video/
The Left is very much alive, but it lacks institutional power and it lacks funding and resources.
And is undermined by hard right wing members in the labour party.
“undermined by hard right wing members in the labour party”
What are you talking about?
This may be more accurate:
Labour isn’t truly working as a Left wing party.
Yes, to quote Clemgeopin, what are you talking about?
Try following the conversation.
Another poor performance from Little on the Nation today.
More detail please.
I think the Chairman is one who demands a citation when presented with a commenters’ opinion here, so it is only right to request details of a criticism from him about a media event.
can’t understand why citations should be asked for on opinions. Perhaps the question response should be – why do you think that?
I felt exactly the same, the loss of David Cunliffe’s ability to front the hard issues on television in his calm, cool and articulate way, is very apparent these days in my opinion. The Labour caucus have a lot to be ashamed of, they gave David Cunliffe a very short amount of time to establish himself before the election and then forced him out . He won every debate on television and would have been so good right now, with everything turning to custard on the economic front. Thanks Phil Goff, David Shearer, Clayton Cosgrove, Annette King, Grant Robertson, Jacinda Adern, Phil Twyford, etc etc etc.
In reality, Little is a relatively new backbencher and certainly has had no Ministerial experience.
Cunliffe certainly had room to improve but also had the potential to be the outstanding Labour Leader of our era, given a little bit more time.
Which was exactly what many in his caucus did not want to give him.
The business of tossing out a new leader after a loss in the polls is uncannily like what happens in the sporting community. Cunliffe lost so out he goes like an unsuccessful coach.
This backs up an idea I have that politics today is not being addressed as an idealistic and practical way of attempting better conditions, fair and peaceful actions that produce good for individuals and the whole population. It is a competitive game like a sport, with great commitment to one’s team to see them win. In sport, winning is the name of the game (s.d that business about losing honourably). And these days money and perks will follow, and overseas travel. Sounds like many modern politicians’ dream wouldn’t you say.
So in politics the leader is a servant of the caucus and needs to help them win or else, and the caucus are servants of whom?
Caucus serves itself, and despite what is said is effectively accountable to no one else.
Who is behind caucus though? If the defining object for the membership is not to serve the people’s good, and they are not operating on cultural and social ethical ideas, then who and what presses their buttons, pulls their strings.
Is it now the ideology of wealthy people advancing their profit through efficiency and global opportunities. Are politicians seduced by views of them striding the world stage and talking up our importance in the financial and political world. In NZ I guess is it the 1-10% as seen behind the NZ Initiative. the Concentric Table?
Not so much, who, but what.
Careerism is the driving force. The details of how this is expressed varies according to the personality and ability of the individual.
CV
I think you have hit the target. That would explain their risk aversion in pursuing meaningful policies. They want to ensure that they offer enough to attract punters and keep Labour MPs in their jobs in caucus, but not ones that might be right but the voters are not ready to receive. What to do? Cut the career line to the placenta of goodies? How? I think we would get less monkeys wanting more peanuts.
And thanks for the disingenuous Matthew Hooton for doing his shapeshifter thing and derailing the thought line.
It’s Hotel California stuff.
Last thing I remember, I was
Running for the door
I had to find the passage back
To the place I was before
“Relax, ” said the night man,
“We are programmed to receive.
You can check-out any time you like,
But you can never leave! ”
The whole song is quite apt for the scenario we are thinking of.
AZ Lyrics present the lines well.
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/eagles/hotelcalifornia.html
and for those who love the music.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yyy4yaVwsv0)
Sir Graham Henry was kept on as All Blacks coach after the 2007 Rugby World Cup debacle.
“Debacle”? They were beaten by France. Did you think it was going to be a gimme?
+ 1000 C V – I’m still a party member but my energy levels have waned somewhat since DC was replaced. He’s keeping a very low profile – not sure whether it’s self imposed (I do know his mother is most unwell and in hospital) or forced upon him.
I feel his low profile may be imposed by caucus wanting the likes of Grant Robertson etc to “shine” – good luck with that one! Who in the caucus is actually making a huge impact lately? Jacinda? Dream on! David Cunliffe doesn’t even seem to be allowed to ask a question in Question Time these days. I miss his articulate manner, grasp of the big picture and the curly questions he might pose if given the chance!
+1 Hami
I really miss David Cunliffe’s intellect and his ability to communicate complex issues clearly.
Little started well, but really hasn’t impressed fora number of months now.It seems to me that he is so busy trying to appease everybody that nobody knows what he stands for any more. On radio he sounds offhand and unconvincing. His main achievement is that the caucus do look more united, but IMO Little really needs to inject a bit of passion into his performance.
Putting some more boots in? Do you even realise what the hell you are actually ending up doing?
Exactly the left is its own worst enemy as much as I despise national I have to admire the tight ship they run.
They run a tight ship because they have money and positions to move their deadwood and unwanted MPs on to when their due time comes, nice and smooth like.
I realize that but from what I’m aware of in you’re case is that you have been on the inside and now you are on the outs a bit so I just see you’re behaviour as sour grapes.
I caught most of the nation this am and apart from a lack of clarity around the ninety day he did OK with as clemgeopin says some poor gotcha attempts.
That’s jumping to conclusions bwaghorn. Presumably CV knows more about caucus and the interior view of Labour than you and therefore has something real to critique. Whereas you know how you feel at any given moment. So your opinion is interesting, whereas CV’s may be enlightening.
Sour grapes, yes indeed: the exact feeling when you realise that you have been sold a false bill of goods.
@Karen Agree about the the passion.
But please forget about Cunliffe as leader-he will make a fine minister if Labour wins the election, but going on about his demise gets us nowhere. (I will never forget John Armstrong’s disgusting article calling for him to resign over the 10 year old pro-forma letter.)
In the meantime Little will lead Labour to the next election so he needs constructive criticism to keep improving his performance. I think Labour have been performing well recently-Twyford, Parker and King especially.
AH the voice of reason.
Nothing to inspire – just keep calm, trust us – we have not done working folk any harm (Of late).
Look we will just cut you off at the knees, is that not better than being cut off at the hip.
Why are working class people so bloody demanding!!!
My sarcasm is a bit lame tonight. How about this
The Radical Peasant: We’ve got to get rid of this Feudal system, it’s killing us! Are you with us?
The Liberal Peasant: No, no, just wait till we get a new Lord. I hear his son has some good views on crop rotation.
I was going to post a link (to let commentators judge for themselves) but its not up yet.
Use your words then.
His position on the 90 day trial law was far from clear.
In fact, clear answers weren’t forthcoming. Too much waffle.
Little reaffirmed Nationals rowing boat campaign, with the opposition rowing in all different directions.
See for yourself:
http://www.3news.co.nz/tvshows/thenation/interview-labour-leader-andrew-little-2015082210#axzz3jUXymhOn
Andrew Little’s responses were perfectly fine. He talks sense and rightly highlighted the worm farm and lavender growing nonsense.
First 90s:
Little goes off track, barely answers to the question about Serco, misses an opportunity to deride the concept of private prisons; seems like Little wouldn’t have Serco do state housing because Serco did a bad job at Mt Eden. (So if Serco improves at Mt Eden, Little would be open to them being involved in state housing?). Overall, mediocre to poor.
Then up to 5:00:
Average to mediocre on health and safety. Started off well, and then declined as he got bogged down in detail and not principles. Ended up sounding like a health and safety consultant, not the Leader of the Opposition. Even praised some National Party MPs. Didn’t effectively push back against Owen’s claim that Labour was advocating for more red tape for small businesses.
Up to 7:45:
Mediocre to poor on the claim that Labour has changed its position on the right to fire legislation. This resulted from Little not being clear who he was addressing – workers, Labour supporters or business owners. So the message was very mixed sounding.
Little should have said – Labour will definitely abolish the right to fire legislation as we have always said – but we will also ensure that employers have the right to use trial periods for staff where there are safeguards of fairness to all.
Up to 9:00
OK on the TPPA but he could have landed some better hits on the Government’s broken promises on its negotiations. At this point Little seems to not be able to pull out the short sharp meaningful one liner which has a big impact.
Up to 11:30
OK to mediocre on Climate Change, but Little didn’t really give a concise coherent explanation of why he thinks Climate Change is such a big moral issue of this century – yet Labour is still going to support coal mining and oil drilling. Most people against climate change won’t find the position sensible; most people who don’t care about climate change will wonder if Labour is just all talk.
to the finish:
Not good. Little seemed to give some disingenuous answers with regards to NZF as a coalition partner, and then the clip ends at an awkward moment where Little seems a bit frustrated with Lisa Own.
Your ‘put the boot into Andrew and Labour’ at every opportunity you get is just like Hooton’s ‘analysis’.
Did it occur to you that apart from the H& S, ‘most’ questions were
hypothetical ‘gotcha’ type of questions that could not be answered definitively with certainty without the yet to be known details and were designed to trip him up for possible sensational headlines?
Not good enough, I’m afraid. Cunliffe, Peters, Clark, Key would have all pushed back more effectively.
Andrew is a different person and a different type of leader. He is not the ‘usual’ type of politician that you are looking/longing for.
Among the four names you mentioned, Peters and Key are still there for you to choose between.
yeah well Corbyn is not the usual smoothy politician type either and he seems to do just fine in tough interviews.
Corbyn isn’t the leader of a political party YET. Did you forget that?
Once he becomes the leader, he will HAVE to reconsider some or many of his policies and bluster that happens during an internal party leadership campaign, and give more seriously measured responses in media interviews with the responsibility of knowing that he is the potential Prime Minister who will need to make sensible, workable and pragmatic decisions which will not only have the support of most of the voters but will also be good for the people and the country.
There is a big difference in pitching oneself to the faithful for party leadership and actually being the leader and potential PM for the entire country.
All I know is that Little has work to do.
Of course he has worked to do. He is yet to gain more experience in the job and has to tread with care and caution. That is elementary Dr Watson. Do you remember the sweet talking Key in his early days as the opposition leader and the PM in his early days?
Would you prefer a thoughtful honest leader who tries to give honest answers or a leader who smiles, easy going but seems quite untrustworthy?
Take a look at this clip:
http://www.3news.co.nz/politics/highlights-from-keys-2008-no-job-cuts-speech-2012031418#axzz3jV9pfRhh
But some of us have been very impatient and too harsh on Little and parroting the RW statements and agenda, when he has been in the job for just about nine months, while the Labour party policies are under review and the election is still more than two years away.
Sure, criticise him, but do so constructively and not in a way to demean and harm him and the Labour party. Only enemies of the left do that.
Also, it would be useful to email him or the party with ideas and suggestions if they are useful and made with good intentions.
Fuck off a centrist establishmentarian like you Clemgeopin having the audacity to call me an enemy of the left; further Little ran out of grace period with me when he signed off on the Chinese house buyers gambit.
He wanted Cunliffe’s job now he better start doing a better job. Or shall we give Little another 6 months to get it together.
“Fuck off a centrist establishmentarian like you Clemgeopin”
You are funny!
I am not a centrist establishmentarian, nor an anti centre-right-disestablishmentarian.
What I am is a pragmatic socialist democrat for the modern times and I take the pragmatic ‘electable’ view that a modern socialist party such as Labour should be a party (1) of the left, (2) of the left-of-centre and (3) the centre, (and not foolishly be just the party of the left and die a permanent death).
That is exactly the positions that Sanders has taken if you watch many of his speech videos. He advocates for the sick, the poor, the students and primarily for the care of the middle classes. I do too!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFAq-4Vv5c0&feature=youtu.be
Not sure if Corbyn says the same thing about the vast majority of the middle classes. Probably does.
Labour will be electable when it stands in solidarity with the bottom 80% in society. Currently it is too concerned with what the top 5% think of it.
“Labour will be electable when it stands in solidarity with the bottom 80% in society”
I certainly think they do!
“Currently it is too concerned with what the top 5% think of it”
I doubt that and hope not.
Now go to bed and have happy peaceful dreams. 晚安
If you loved Cunliffe’s delivery so much why did your people oust him?
I know you’re going to say “they’re not my people”, but the truth is CV, you are so all over the place that an observer has no idea what you actually stand for.
Actually I think CV has given some good examples of how Little could have done better. It is far more constructive criticism than “putting the boot in.”
Pretending that Little is performing really well in media interviews (when it is obvious that he is not) is not helpful if you want Labour to win the next election. My big worry is that Little isn’t getting any better at communication, and he really does need to.
Indeed, Karen.
So do I. I just say that we should ban burning it or selling it to people who are going to burn it.
wot??? YOU support coal mining and oil drilling? say it ain’t so – you will dig it up at great cost to many areas including the environment, emissions and so on, and then not burn it or sell it??? Wot you gonna do with it? Why not just not dig it up or suck it out? bloody/facedesk
As per usual, your ignorance is showing. You can do more with the hydrocarbons than just burn them.
http://science.howstuffworks.com/plastic5.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrochemical
answer the questions
I did.
Please show where you answered this question – why not just not dig it up or suck it out?
I thought Draco T Bastard gave a couple of great introduction links – you can expand from there marty mars – try google.
Here’s a heads up.
NZ has quite a substantial reserve of high grade coal – which should not be burnt as it is awesome for many other things – ever heard of carbon fibre?
that’s nice adam
I did read the links.
so you and draco want to continue to dig, drill and suck – just like the gnats as it happens, and you want to use the high grade coal dug out through your eyesore, destructive, open cast mines, to make carbon fibre. Perchance why??? It doesn’t really matter what fancy you come up with be it space ships or alien cricket bats btw.
Well guess what – I oppose that. I don’t want you the gnats to dig any more shit up
No more exploitation of Papatūānuku for bullshit western lavish lifestyles and fake futures.
so now I’ve answered my own question I’ll go beddy byes.
Carbon is a very useful element.
We just been stupid enough to burn it.
Not sure what you expect to use if not carbon for quite a few things – please if you have a solution, I’m all for reading about it.
can you give some examples of the things you think are important?
further down this page a solution!!!
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-22082015/#comment-1061769
so we don’t have to dig it, drill it or suck it after all – certainly not if we want carbon fibre for use in the ” aerospace, construction, and electronics industry” (from Grey’s post below)
this is the beauty of the net
problem – marty don’t want holes dug, draco do want them dug because he and adam want the carbon fibre to build stuff
solution – create operation to get carbon out of atmosphere thus reducing it in the atmosphere and making it (by turning it into carbon fibre) available to build spaceships and toasters.
result – less carbon in atmosphere, spaceships built of carbon fibre, and the process is likely, after development and testing to be potentially less expensive than existing methods – ahem yay!
They have even tested this new method and they were able to “generate the large amount of heat needed to run the desired reaction.” – okay yay again to that I think
What are the potential pollution problems arising from that? Manufacture, disposal at end of life, etc.
How many fossil fuels are needed to create that industry? To keep it running?
I want more than the carbon fibre. I want the life saving drugs that come from the use of the hydro carbons. I want the advanced recyclable plastics that can be made from them. And hundreds if not thousands of other products that are essential to a good and healthy living.
Now, here’s a thing: Digging holes in the ground isn’t really a problem – Papatūānuku will just fill them again and often with a marvellous new ecosystem. The problem comes if we poison that hole so we don’t do that. That is going to need strong regulation and you’ll get lots of whinging from the capitalists saying that it will cost too much to keep clean but we should have learned by now that we simply shouldn’t be listening to the capitalists.
Have you considered the problem with that? To give you a hint, it’s the exact opposite of the one we have now.
None. Again, you misunderstand the nature of fossil fuels and their use and how they’re simply not needed.
It will require more mining though.
@Reality +1 Little did just fine in this interview. He is smart and the Nats are having trouble knocking his solid, common-sense image after the pathetic Angry-Andy smear failed.
Reading Audrey Young’s column in Granny Herald today was a fairly interesting read about Michael Woodhouse’s absolutely pathetic handling of the Health and Safety legislation. I thought she was being fairly reasonable in her criticism of the Government, but then at the end, the boot went into Andrew Little for demanding that several Ministers should have been stood down/resigned over several botch ups. It’s all his fault/Labour did it too/it’s Labour’s fault etc etc. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11500944
Hats off to Neil Miller.*
Not many people would be so magnanimous after being made to look so foolish.
The Panel, Radio NZ National, Friday 21 August 2015
Jim Mora, Andrew “Dire” Clay, Neil Miller
Should the police be armed or not? Neil Miller opined that New Zealand is an “out-lier” on this issue, but that nothing will change until not only policemen, but members of the public start getting shot. Of course, members of the public are getting shot—by the police. Sadly, however, neither Jim Mora nor Andrew “Dire” Clay had the presence of mind to remind him of this.
Miller then announced how much of a fan he is of police using tasers. Clay, who often refers to himself as a “liberal”, endorsed Miller’s view, burbling: “I’m a big fan of tasers.”
To introduce some informed comment on to the program, the producers had arranged for Mora to cross to Deakin University Associate Professor in Criminology Dr Darren Palmer, who quickly and eloquently showed that neither Clay nor Miller had a clue what they were talking about. Politely but devastatingly, he showed that every single point that they had made was fallacious.
Neil Miller had nothing at all to offer by way of counter-argument. However, once Dr Palmer had departed, Miller said sportingly: “Very sensible comments from an academic, I must say.”
If only Neil Miller’s sportsmanship and honour could be emulated by the likes of Cameron Slater or Jordan Williams or David Farrar or Barry Corbett or Stephen Franks or Michelle Boag or Denise L’Estrange-Corbet or Nevil “Breivik” Gibson.
* Yesterday this writer, i.e., moi, misheard Neil Miller’s generous comment and posted that he had called Dr Palmer’s comments “cynical”. Thanks to our vigilant friend Gabby for pointing out my grievous error. Here’s the original post….
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-21082015/#comment-1061375
Here is an interesting article on policing in USA.
“More than one thousand people are killed by police every year in America,” the group states on its website. “Nearly sixty percent of victims did not have a gun or were involved in activities that should not require police intervention such as harmless ‘quality of life’ behaviors or mental health crises.”http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/taskforce/Interim_TF_Report.pdf
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/08/21/campaign-zero-blueprint-ending-police-violence
The article refers to an Interim report from the task force on policing in USA and this paragraph caught my attention.
“In 2012, we began asking the question, “Why are we training police officers like
soldiers?” Although police officers wear uniforms and carry weapons, the similarity
ends there. The missions and rules of engagement are completely different. The
soldier’s mission is that of a warrior: to conquer. The rules of engagement are decided before the battle. The police officer’s mission is that of a guardian: to protect. The rules of engagement evolve as the incident unfolds. Soldiers must follow orders. Police officers must make independent decisions. Soldiers come into communities as an outside, occupying force. Guardians are members of the community, protecting from within.”
This makes sense to me and I wonder what path Greg O’Connor is wanting to take our police down?
Thanks for that, my friend. I share your concerns about Greg O’Connor. Whenever he appears on television or radio, his views seem poorly thought out and reflexively right wing.
It just goes to show that not every union rep is of the calibre of Helen Kelly or Richard Wagstaff. O’Connor is a union rep more in the mould of Tau Henare, who sneered at cleaning women at a select committee hearing and reduced them to tears.
This looks like an interesting movie about this topic:
http://www.peaceofficerfilm.com
I see John Pilger is being interviewed on RNZ in the morning about Assange. Whatever other interesting and useful things he has to say, I’ll also be listening to see if he has learnt how not to support rape culture in his support for Assange.
9.30 Sunday http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/20150823
He’s also going to be talking about Corbyn.
If someone in the British secret services concocts a fantastic case against Jeremy Corbyn, you’ll no doubt be repeating those lies enthusiastically.
Only if the person who writes about it misuses rape culture as part of their argument. In which case it won’t be lie, will it.
Your answer is totally confusing. Could you write in plain English please?
Your answer was confusing too, but I assumed you meant I was lying about something (calling Pilger a rape apologist?). So if a govt attacks Corbyn and people defending Corbyn use rape culture in their defense in the way that Pilger has, I will name that. But it won’t be a lie because it’s just happened and I’m just making an observation about it.
Of course I am guessing because you were obscure. How about you write in plain English?
Your answer was confusing too,
No it was not. You know exactly what I meant.
but I assumed you meant I was lying about something (calling Pilger a rape apologist?).
Good. You do understand that I was calling you on your absurd lie.
…..use rape culture in their defense in the way that Pilger has
Could you expand on this bizarre claim, please? I suspect you’re already way out of your depth, but I’m willing for you to show us otherwise.
I’m just making an observation about it
You’re not making an “observation” about anything. You are simply reiterating one of the most brutal lies about a human rights activist that has been propagated in living memory. The viciousness of your mindless activity is not mitigated by the fact you write so poorly.
There’s nothing vicious in what I said, unless you are suggesting that a feminist having a political analysis of rape culture is vicious. Which is not an uncommon assertion, but that doesn’t make it any less absurd.
If you want the detail, search ts for weka +pilger, I’ve commented on it before. That Pilger is so good in other ways is precisely the point that feminists have been making for a long time now. Left wing men still have large blind spots when it comes to the oppressions they take part in.
Interestingly, if you want an example of how to write about Assange without promoting rape culture, look at CV’s post from the other day. He got his points across without using rape myths or undermining women who routinely get caught up in the politics of rape. That’s a very good sign.
unless you are suggesting that a feminist having a political analysis of rape culture is vicious.
There is not a shred of analysis in what you have said. You have merely recycled the black propaganda of the British and U.S. regimes. You might see such behaviour as virtuous, I see it as the very opposite.
I have read what you said about Pilger, and it is as vacuous now as when it was first published on this mostly excellent forum.
“There is not a shred of analysis in what you have said”
Not on this page, because all I did was name something.
“You have merely recycled the black propaganda of the British and U.S. regimes.”
Please link to where the British and US regimes have named Pilger as promoting rape culture. A couple of examples will suffice.
“You might see such behaviour as virtuous, I see it as the very opposite.”
I’d be very surprised if the British and US regimes had even considered the idea.
“I have read what you said about Pilger, and it is as vacuous now as when it was first published on this mostly excellent forum.”
That doesn’t match what you said before when you asked me to explain. I’m getting the sense of disingenuous here. I notice that you haven’t put up a single thing to refute my claim other than that Pilger is Great.
Every one of the ridiculous, completely discredited accusations made against this dangerous, truth-telling, dissenting journalist is the result of deliberate lies orchestrated by the British secret services.
You need to seriously do some reading. Your naiveté is alarming, to say the least.
You might like to start by listening to someone else who was targeted in the same way as Assange, except the agents of his intended destruction were a little more ham-fisted and vulnerable than the likes of the odious Marianne Ny….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tvmi14pzto
oh right, silly little feminists couldn’t come up with an argument of their own, they’re just parrotting the evil British SS.
You have failed to provide any evidence that the US or Brits have named Pilger as a rape apologist. Get a grip Morrisey, and put up an actual proper argument or fuck off. I can’t be bothered with a Pilger fanboy who just wants to spout florid rhetoric and move goal posts instead of discussing actual issues.
“silly little feminists couldn’t come up with an argument of their own, they’re just parrotting the evil British SS.”
You’re trying to argue that the persecution of this dissenter is being organized by feminists? That’s about as foolish a thing as you’ve written here. And that’s saying something.
I note that Women Against Rape almost immediately denounced this ridiculous campaign, as did the young women who had been bullied and manipulated into complying with this obscene business.
Everything you have said about Pilger lacks even a hint of credibility.
I can’t tell if you are being extremely thick or just trying to wind me up. I think I’ll go for the latter.
To be clear, what I have said today has nothing to do with the persecution of Assange (or Pilger) by the US or UK.
You seem to think I am talking about the rape charges against Assange. I’m not.
Then why are you making these nutty allegations about Pilger?
the only thing I’ve said about Pilger is that I hope he’s changed and doesn’t talking about Assange tomorrow in ways that promote rape culture. If you don’t understand what I mean by that, it’s up to you to ask.
All the other stuff about persecution by the state etc is what you’ve brought up, nothing to do with my point.
Weka – Morrissey on Assange. Can anyone give me the result of the contest without me having to read it. I am guessing its nil all.
there is no contest. Morrissey went off on a mission of his own making that had nothing to do with my comment. Last time I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.
Please don’t make his mistake. I wasn’t talking about Assange.
http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2109855
Objectives To identify published clinical trials in which an FDA inspection found significant evidence of objectionable conditions or practices, to describe violations, and to determine whether the violations are mentioned in the peer-reviewed literature
Conclusions and Relevance When the FDA finds significant departures from good clinical practice, those findings are seldom reflected in the peer-reviewed literature, even when there is evidence of data fabrication or other forms of research misconduct.
http://charlesseife.com/fdadocuments.html
Andrew Little’s well considered answers for difficult questions, in spite of cachya type of questions in this morning’s The Nation’s interview.
http://www.3news.co.nz/tvshows/thenation/interview-labour-leader-andrew-little-2015082210#axzz3jV9pfRhh
Meet the next British prime minister
The Blairites that dominate the Labour Party and the media are running scared of this bloke. He’s the MP for Islington North. His majority at the last election was 21,194, but Blair’s cronies insist on calling him “unelectable”….
Jeremy Corbyn – Leeds 8th August 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhhYnEYnM9A
Corbyn will never be Prime Minister.
I believe that the guy is unelectable. What real “Labour” voters and the wider public believe are worlds apart.
Someone who must be an ACT voter writes….
I believe that the guy is unelectable.
Clearly not, as his 21,194 majority demonstrates only too clearly.
What real “Labour” voters and the wider public believe are worlds apart.
So the huge majority of Labour voters who back Corbyn, and the majority of the British population that agree with his views, are not real voters. Got it.
Yes Morrissey I too believe that James is an ACT voter. He regularly comes over as a RW twit.
I notice the young people in the meeting. Few grey older people to be seen. Very responsive meeting for Corbyn.
Guatemala prosecutors seek to impeach president after ex-VP’s arrest
I remember when conservatives actually had some moral fortitude…
Oh, wait, no I don’t.
Why Corbynomics could be a good idea.
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ftalphaville.ft.com/2015/08/06/2136475/corbyns-peoples-qe-could-actually-be-a-decent-idea/
First off.
1: Im not religious
2: I believe in the right to Protest and Counter Protest.
3: I Like America.
4: I have no idea if the TPPA will be good or not.
5: Told ya Hoverboards will be invented.
So walking down the street in Nelson today, I heard a lone protester screaming “The TPPA is awful” he looked really angry, his eyes were popping out his head, his fists were clenched, he looked like he wanted to punch someone.
He then yelled “Jesus Hates the TPPA, even Jesus hates the TPPA”
he walked straight past me, I said “Seriously even Jesus hates it?”
He got in my face yelled rather loudly said “Yes, everybody hates it” and walked off.
He is my friendly advice to future protesters.
1: Just because your angry, that doesnt make you right.
2: I can be turned around on any issue, if you provided facts/data/stats and are very analytical in how you present them.
3: If you attend a lot of protests where you burn the American flag, I will believe that your more about political ideology than whether a certain law is good or not.
4: Please dont scream in my face or poke your finger in my eye.
5: You may believe if New Zealand was a socialist country, we will all be on seven figure salaries, I dont believe this.
6: The people who make the most noise, don’t come across as Rhode Scholars or people I would trust with any economic law.
7: Please know that there are people who are just as passionate about a issue and may be on the Opposite side of that issue.
Again, I think you will get a lot further with your protests if you take this advice.
I cannot understand why you didn’t outline your 7 step plan to the ACTUAL protester you wrote the plan for.
indeed, hard to see what that advice has to do with anyone here.
It all happened to quickly, I guess I can now, if someone else starts screaming in my face.
Did you outline to this person—assuming he exists and you’re not fantasizing—your carefully thought out view on the plight of the Palestinians?
(i,e. “They deserve everything that happens to them.”)
and yes I was expecting you back – you said when hoverboards happen you will return and apparently they are happening but for me I’m still not convinced yet.
I believe they will. In October. Maybe really expensive, but theres two companies that have working prototypes.
I thank you Brett Dale for your detailed exposition on behalf of all protesters, who are all individuals not a collective of yellow-eyed children into groupthink as in Wyndhams book The Midwich Cuckoos,
The politics of TPPA are enough to drive sensitive people nutty. Thank goodness you are not sensitive, nutty or shy of advising everyone on how to avoid such states.
Cool story bro.
With National your ‘Brighter Future’ involves:
Yeah, crawling up driveways because you can no longer walk to get the treatment that would allow you to walk.
yep, they cooked the booked for a shiter future, as we knew they would
yep the absurd asking for the impossible – “Male gnats often assemble in large mating swarms or ghosts, particularly at dusk.” We’ve all seen them milling around in the late afternoon light – bet they don’t have to crawl to the doctor.
The little guy from the embarrassing MasterCard ads…
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CM9hxiMUkAAFYgT.png
Thanks Weepus beard – great wee giggle.
M’urica
https://twitter.com/julito77/status/634932196776759296/photo/1
edit: the source
Still, others said they had plenty of advice for the man they regularly identified in conversation as “Mr. Trump.”
“Hopefully, he’s going to sit there and say, ‘When I become elected president, what we’re going to do is we’re going to make the border a vacation spot, it’s going to cost you $25 for a permit, and then you get $50 for every confirmed kill,’ ” said Jim Sherota, 53, who works for a landscaping company. “That’d be one nice thing.”
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/08/22/us/donald-trump-fails-to-fill-alabama-stadium-but-fans-zeal-is-undiminished.html
Good news on workers solidarity from.
http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Brazil-Hundreds-of-Thousands-Protest-Against-Coup-Attempts-20150820-0033.html
And some bad news from the Ukraine. It seem to getting worse not better there. Worth watching the vice video if you have not yet.
http://sputniknews.com/europe/20150820/1025986430/ukraine-right-sector-child-soldiers.html
One more piece – depressing – when they go so hard after social democrat’s.
http://sputniknews.com/columnists/20150821/1026006091.html
Dutch blogger Dajey Petros tells a rather different story.
http://ukraineatwar.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/nazis-are-core-of-russias-hybrid-army.html
I think there are neo-nazis on both sides. That said, right-sector is a ultra right wing group who are fubar.
Thanks for the links. The article on Corbyn and the dirty politics was very intertesting. Fascinating elections coming up with Corbyn on IK and Sanders in USA!
“Maybe sometime in the past the British establishment could succeed in destroying an alternative voice, as they did with Labour’s Michael Foot and Tony Benn during the 1980s. But, today, the public no longer rely on the media mouthpieces of the establishment. They can make their own minds up with abundant alternative information sources.
The surging popular support for Corbyn is proof of that. The British people have had it with the rich getting richer and the vast majority getting poorer. They have had it with war, state-sponsored lawlessness and “professional” politician-puppets like Tony Blair and his New Labour ilk.
Corbyn is showing that socialism is a real alternative, no matter what the establishment says’
Great to hear that! Fingers crossed.
This is an interesting development
http://www.technologyreview.com/news/540706/researcher-demonstrates-how-to-suck-carbon-from-the-air-make-stuff-from-it/
Our own Rdion is up to dte with this. Plese note – I hve spilt some wter on my keybord, now the left side keys including the first lphbet letter don’t work. In the opinion of people who know, will it dry out nd the function return?
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201767441
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/201767441/a-groundbreaking-co2-strategy-that-pays-for-itself
9:21 AM. Researchers invent a process that turns polluting carbon dioxide into carbon nanofibers, a highly sought-after manufacturing material with the potential to be used in the aerospace, construction, and electronics industry. Stuart Licht, Professor of Chemistry at George Washington University.
Yes I had heard it on the radio, but I couldn’t recall where, so I went hunting for the “original” article.
It sound really interesting.
Aha rdion = radionz!!!
May be a hairdryer might help?
Thanks I lifted and angled keyboard overnight. More keys down. Have a spare and the old one was due to move on. Maybe my head is a bit wet – will use the hairdryer on that.
I thought the article was really good too, it’s hard to pull yourself up by your bootstraps when you’re already small but we must try.