Open mike 22/10/2015

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, October 22nd, 2015 - 168 comments
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168 comments on “Open mike 22/10/2015 ”

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  1. Paul 1
    22 October 2015 at 6:22 am

    Another piece of utter propaganda in the Herlad.
    Could have been written by some our RWNJs who visit this site…

    Claire Trevett sucking up to Key again.

    ‘Little’s a jinx and Key’s a curse – just don’t tell ABs’

    This excerpt is particularly appalling

    ‘Labour did try to justify its breach of the jinx rules by claiming it was simply because Little was optimistic and upbeat. If so it was the only thing he has been optimistic about of late.
    Some things justify it – the detainees in Christmas Island, for example. But Little has griped about everything from the TPP, the economy and the surplus to the flag referendum and pandas. It should not have come as a surprise that he went to just 8 per cent in the recent Colmar Brunton poll.’

    Standing up to the TPP, being concerned about the state of our economy, questioning the distractions Key discusses to keep people distracted equals griping!

    And she even repeats Key’s 8% meme.
    And ignores 32 + 11 + 9.

    Tory propagandist, Trevett.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11532921

    • tc 1.1
      22 October 2015 at 7:01 am

      Trevitt lives up nationals butt shilling their memes and normally goes on shonkys junkets to advance their cause. Pretty poor standard of writing also imo given her intent as theres no subtelty just obvious bias.

      • savenz 1.1.1
        22 October 2015 at 8:24 am

        Trevitt is repulsive. Labour should do the opposite of any of her advice, Little are on 8% because of the rumours Labour’s support TPP. Trevitt is probably on the Natz pay roll as their patsy, nothing new there.

    • The Chairman 1.2
      22 October 2015 at 7:04 am

      We can add Catherine Beard to the propaganda touting list.

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11532902

      • Paul 1.2.1
        22 October 2015 at 7:37 am

        From Wikipedia, some research for Catherine Beard below.

        ”The New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER) is a think tank based in New Zealand. It is non-profit incorporated society and was established in 1958. Directors have included Alan Bollard and Brian Easton. Ron Trotter was a chair.’

        Tips for her as a journalist.
        Check your sources.
        If the NZIER say the investor state clauses aren’t a threat, that doesn’t make it a fact. It is an opinion.
        Who funds them?
        Who are members?
        Do they have vested interests?

        etc etc

        The NZ MSM is just so mediocre and so biased.

        • savenz 1.2.1.1
          22 October 2015 at 8:26 am

          Another far right wing lobby group hiding behind the ‘think tank’ moniker.

          • srylands 1.2.1.1.1
            22 October 2015 at 6:49 pm

            That is such crap. They are a mainstream economic consultancy with a public interest provision in their charter.

            There are no “far right” lobby groups in New Zealand!

            The relentless negativity here is appalling.

        • The Chairman 1.2.1.2
          22 October 2015 at 10:29 am

          The provisions are there to protect and uphold the interests of New Zealand exporters and that of international corporates.

          Catherine Beard works with government and other key decision makers on issues of concern to exporters.

          Could this be part of National’s charm offensive?

          It would be good to see the opposition commissioning reports to counter such arguments being put forward by Beard.

    • Morrissey 1.3
      22 October 2015 at 7:34 am

      Trevett, like the Herald‘s rugby writers, probably knows little or nothing about rugby, but even she will be aware that the All Blacks’ highly controversial status as RWC champions has nothing to do with any jinx by any politician, but has everything to do with the refusal of Craig Joubert to stop the All Black forwards—especially but not only McCaw, Hore, and Kaino—from repeatedly and flagrantly cheating and killing nearly every contest for the ball.

      • Paul 1.3.1
        22 October 2015 at 7:40 am

        What about Joubert’s refereeing of the Scotland vs Australia match?
        Your view?

        • Morrissey 1.3.1.1
          22 October 2015 at 2:27 pm

          My view is pretty much the same as everyone else’s, apart from the few sad people like Keith Quinn and Brendan “Chainsaw” Laney, who have felt compelled to defend the indefensible.

      • Puckish Rogue 1.3.2
        22 October 2015 at 8:11 am

        Morrissey, the ABs have been on the receiving end of some howlers and they’ve been the recipients of some howlers as well, its just the price to pay for having one referee on the field

        • Morrissey 1.3.2.1
          22 October 2015 at 1:56 pm

          The All Blacks didn’t simply receive the benefit of a few “howlers” by Craig Joubert in the 2011 final, they “benefited”—if you can use that word for a pyrrhic victory—from a referee who blatantly and systematically refused to do his job.

          When have the All Blacks ever suffered from a display comparable to what we witnessed in 2011?

          • Andrew 1.3.2.1.1
            22 October 2015 at 2:17 pm

            2007

          • Puckish Rogue 1.3.2.1.2
            22 October 2015 at 2:40 pm

            1995 rugby world cup final v south Africa when the pass to Jonah Lomu was ruled forward when it clearly wasn’t

            2007 rugby world cup quarter final v France when the French through a forward pass and it wasn’t called

            Bad calls happen all the time

            • Morrissey 1.3.2.1.2.1
              22 October 2015 at 3:01 pm

              1995 rugby world cup final v south Africa when the pass to Jonah Lomu was ruled forward when it clearly wasn’t

              That’s a fair call. But then, of course, South Africa shouldn’t have even been in that final; France was robbed in the semi-final.

              2007 rugby world cup quarter final v France when the French through [sic] a forward pass and it wasn’t called

              In the first half, McAlister scored a try following a forward pass by Dan Carter. Why did you not mention that?

              Bad calls happen all the time

              They happen occasionally. The problem with Joubert in 2011 was his refusal to make any call at all, not just in a single case but repeatedly. Just have a look at the disbelief and despair on the faces of the French players as, time after time, he does nothing to stop the All Blacks destroying the match.

              • Andrew …
                22 October 2015 at 4:02 pm

                Not even talking about the forward pass, even though it was so far forward it should have been impossible to miss, i’m talking about the completely lob sided penalty count. The All Blacks awarded only 2 penalties, and none at all in the second half despite constant infringing at the breakdown. The AB’s had complete territorial domination with rucks and mauls, but were not awarded a bunch of penalties that they should have been.

                Sure, the AB’s should never have let it get to that, but in sport sometimes these things happen. Error’s occur on both sides, and for you to say that the AB’s should not have won the last world cup, is to put it lightly, complete bollocks.

                • Morrissey …
                  22 October 2015 at 5:25 pm

                  1.) …should have been impossible to miss

                  It happened at great speed, and while armchair critics like you and me saw it, not one of the All Blacks saw it or complained about it. Similarly, not one of the French players complained about the forward pass that led to McAlister’s try in the first half.

                  2.) The All Blacks awarded only 2 penalties, and none at all in the second half despite constant infringing at the breakdown.

                  The French did not infringe at all; that’s why they were not penalised. More than any other team in the world, they have been victimised by whistle-happy referees; I recommend you watch a video of the 1999 RWC final some time.

                  3.) The AB’s had complete territorial domination with rucks and mauls, but were not awarded a bunch of penalties that they should have been.

                  You are imagining things. You cannot point to one example of the French infringing, let alone “a bunch of penalties”. I don’t like that negative, fearful, defence-based football any more than others do, but it is based on staunch discipline—not something one automatically associates with the French, I know.

                  4.) Sure, the AB’s should never have let it get to that…

                  What do you mean by that? Surely the Tricolors should “never have let it get to that”. The fact is: the French got their noses in front and then effectively closed the game down. They did not infringe; that orchestrated litany of allegations only started with Bob Howitt’s pisspoor biography of Graham Henry in 2012. Nobody—except you, evidently—takes those claims seriously.

                  5.) Error’s [sic] occur on both sides, and for you to say that the AB’s should not have won the last world cup, is to put it lightly, complete bollocks.

                  Maybe the All Blacks would have won the last World Cup if it had been refereed fairly. We’ll never know, sadly.

                  • Andrew …
                    23 October 2015 at 8:57 am

                    “The French did not infringe at all; that’s why they were not penalised”

                    ha ha, you keep telling yourself that. Sorry, i thought you were talking about the 2007 quarter final. It must be another game you are talking about.

              • Puckish Rogue …
                22 October 2015 at 4:12 pm

                I didn’t mention because it wasn’t worth mentioning, the ABs get good calls for them and they get bad calls against them

                Its just how sports is

      • northshoredoc 1.3.3
        22 October 2015 at 8:39 am

        2nd rate stenographer
        3rd rate sports pundit

        • Morrissey 1.3.3.1
          22 October 2015 at 1:37 pm

          northshoredoc: 2nd rate stenographer.

          MORRISSEY BREEN: Eh?

          Breen elaborately, grandly, peels kid glove from his left hand

          northshoredoc: 3rd rate sports pundit.

          MORRISSEY BREEN: W-w-what?!!??!?!? [With a well-honed backhand flicking action, he slaps northshore doc across the face with the kid glove] You, sir, are a cad.

    • Gabby 1.4
      22 October 2015 at 8:54 am

      Did she mention ‘relentless negativity’? That seems to be the phrase of the week.

    • Hami Shearlie 1.5
      22 October 2015 at 4:36 pm

      Trevett is getting worse by the day – trying to be clever and failing utterly – who would actually PAY to read this crap? The paywall idea is getting funnier by the day – My mother is 87 and gets the Herald delivered – she read what Trevett wrote and said “She must really think the entire population are a bunch of morons, I won’t be renewing my subscription at Christmas!”

  2. Robert Atack 2
    22 October 2015 at 7:14 am

    October 20th, 2015 at 11:08 pm
    Off the chart Radiation in Cities across America due to Pacific current release

    Normal Radiation is 5 to 20 CPM. [6]
    1962 CPM, 392.4 Times Normal, Billings, MT Gamma, Beta.
    1853 CPM, 370.6 Times Normal, Louisville, KY Gamma, Beta
    1645 CPM, 329 Times Normal, Pierre, SD Gamma, Beta.
    1545 CPM, 309 Times Normal, San Diego, CA Inactive 10 -15
    1496 CPM, 299.2 Times Normal, Lexington, KY Gamma, Beta
    1425 CPM, 285 Times Normal, Miami, FL. Gamma, Beta.
    1422 CPM, 284.4 Times Normal, Portland, ME Last Reading
    1393 CPM, 278.6 Times Normal, Navajo Lake, NM Gamma, Beta.
    1355 CPM, 271 Times Normal, Mason City, IA Gamma, Beta.
    1347 CPM, 269.4 Times Normal, Denver, CO. Gamma, Beta.
    1311 CPM, 262.2 Times Normal, Rapid City, SD. Gamma, Beta.
    1311 CPM, 262.2 Times Normal, Spokane, WA. Gamma, Beta.
    1261 CPM, 252.2 Times Normal, Little Rock, AR Gamma, Beta.
    1234 CPM, 246.8 Times Normal, Kansas City, KA, Gamma, Beta.
    1228 CPM, 245.6 Times Normal, Fresno, CA Gamma, Beta.
    1221 CPM, 244.2 Times Normal, Idaho Falls, ID Gamma, Beta.
    1214 CPM, 242.8 Times Normal, Fresno, CA. Gamma, Beta.
    1214 CPM, 242.8 Times Normal, Kearney. NE Dead Inactive Oct2015
    1213 CPM, 242.6 Times Normal, Harrisburg, VA. Gamma, Beta.
    1205 CPM, 241 Times Normal, New York City, NY Gamma, Beta.
    1203 CPM, 240.6 Times Normal, Charleston, WV. Gamma, Beta.
    1171 CPM, 234.2 Times Normal, Bakersfield, CA Gamma, Beta.
    1166 CPM, 233.2 Times Normal, Tulsa, OK Gamma, Beta.
    1159 CPM, 231.8 Times Normal, Concord, NH Gamma, Beta.
    1145 CPM, 229 Times Normal, Bismark, ND. Gamma, Beta.
    1130 CPM, 226 Times Normal, Worcester, MA. Gamma, Beta.
    1121 CPM, 224.2 Times Normal, El Paso, TX. Gamma, Beta.
    1121 CPM, 224.2 Times Normal, Tucson, AZ Gamma, Beta.
    1116 CPM, 223.2 Times Normal, Memphis, TN Gamma, Beta.
    1115 CPM, 223 Times Normal, Tallahassee, FL. Gamma, Beta.
    1095 CPM, 219 Times Normal, Jefferson City, MO Gamma, Beta.
    1088 CPM, 217.6 Times Normal, Champaign, IL Gamma, Beta.
    1083 CPM, 216.6 Times Normal, Richmond, VA Gamma, Beta.
    1081 CPM, 216.2 Times Normal, Atlanta, GA. Gamma, Beta.
    1071 CPM, 214.2 Times Normal, Laredo, TX. Gamma, Beta.
    1056 CPM, 211.2 Times Normal, Hartford, CT Gamma, Beta.
    1030 CPM, 206 Times Normal, Wichita, KA. Gamma, Beta.
    1029 CPM, 205.8 Times Normal, Riverside, CA. Gamma, Beta.
    1028 CPM, 205.6 Times Normal, Phoenix, AZ Gamma, Beta.
    1010 CPM, 202 Times Normal, Pittsburgh, PA, Gamma, Beta.
    1009 CPM, 201.8 Times Normal, Oklahoma City, OK. Gamma, Beta.
    372 CPM, 74.4 Times Normal, Washington, DC. Gamma, Beta.
    Normal Radiation is 5 to 20 CPM. [6]

    • northshoredoc 2.1
      22 October 2015 at 8:41 am

      Can you provide a link from a reliable source ?

      • Lanthanide 2.1.1
        22 October 2015 at 12:18 pm

        Googled and found this. This content has been posted in multiple places so I’m not sure the ‘origin’ of it.

        (San Francisco) Oct 17 2015 – An unacknowledged nuclear event swept through the Upper Midwest in the United States in September 2015. No terrorist organization, nuclear capable corporation, government agency or organized military has taken credit for the event.

        In a nutshell, here’s what happened: A powerful nuclear pulse was created somewhere in the upper Midwest and spread a radioactive wave front outward hundreds of miles across America’s Heartland. The pulse was recorded at the few active and published radiation stations with an unmistakable signature.

        http://www.veteranstoday.com/2015/10/17/your-radiation-this-week-no-26/

        • Colonial Viper 2.1.1.1
          22 October 2015 at 12:21 pm

          This all seems very unlikely. Any ‘powerful radiation wavefront’ would have caused large scale occurrence of radiation sickness. Chinese and Russian satellites would also have picked it up.

          • Lanthanide 2.1.1.1.1
            22 October 2015 at 1:03 pm

            Yeah, i think some universities would have been publishing about it (as they did in the aftermath of Fukushima), not some anonymous ‘radiation stations’.

            It would be picked up by countries other than the US as well, obviously Canada, but it would reach Europe / Asia after a few days, just as there was a detected increase in radiation on the west coast of the US a few days after Fukushima.

          • Treetop 2.1.1.1.2
            22 October 2015 at 3:38 pm

            What about rusted containers or a battle ship leaking radiation previously dumped at sea?

        • lprent 2.1.1.2
          22 October 2015 at 1:03 pm

          There have been always been radioactive spikes all over the world whenever we get volcanic eruptions, solar flares, nuclear tests, and the odd meltdown. The problem with virtually everything I ever read on these kinds of scare articles is that they don’t bother giving any sense of real scale, like what difference it is compared to living in a valley with a granite geology.

          Consequently I don’t take any notice of the idiots promulgating them any more.

          FFS: They can’t even use measurements that are meaningful.

    • Chooky 2.2
      22 October 2015 at 11:07 am

      @ Robert Atack …interesting!…but what does it mean?…and what are the stats for New Zealand?

    • lprent 2.3
      22 October 2015 at 12:58 pm

      It is essentially bullshit. Especially when expressed as counts per minute (does whoever compiled it live in the 1950s with an antique Geiger counter?) rather than a more useful measure like micro seiverts.

      CPM basically measures alpha and more weakly the beta and pretty well ignores the more dangerous gamma radiation (which incidentally makes a mockery of his list – where is the link for that anyway).

      In other words it responds well to smoke alarms in most households with their wee dollop of radioactive test far better than it responds to serious leaks in nuclear power plants most of the way around the world. It also responds very well to solar flares.

      But the really ridiculous thing about that “quote” is that there is no such thing as a “Normal Radiation”. That is a complete and outright lie. Background radiation varies all over the place

      Geology alone tells you that. There are many places in the world (Deccan traps, Turkey, Siberia) where the background radiation level is in the order of 100x that of a sedimentary plain because they are sitting on large basalt or granite rocks with outgassing of Radon or other radioactive breakdowns. For instance the granite intrusion area in the Coromandel is way higher for radioactivity compared to living on the Canturbury plains.

      Consequently, humans like all other species on earth have a reasonably high resistance to varying levels of radiation.

      But Robert’s list is completely useless without knowing what the average and range of background radiation was in each of those cities. All cities are radioactive well above natural background levels.

      I’d class Robert’s comment and whatever unlinked source he copied it from as just being stupid scare bullshit written by fools who had no idea what they were writing about. It should be simply ignored as not adding anything to the debate.

      It’d be nice if someone wrote something that is a bit more useful and rational about what is worth watching for with radiation. In particular with a comparison to living in different areas with their natural background radiation. Like the polar regions for instance.

      • Poission 2.3.1
        22 October 2015 at 1:09 pm

        Hes copied off a list on a pseudo science blog,which in turn has extrapolated data (and added several orders of magnitude) from a quasi monitor site.

        http://www.netc.com/

        • northshoredoc 2.3.1.1
          22 October 2015 at 6:14 pm

          Yep my bullshitometer was altered as soon as it was posted – bit like the anti vaccination drivel that’s posted here on occasion.

          • lprent 2.3.1.1.1
            22 October 2015 at 9:32 pm

            Or the similar twin towers. Or the right wing drivel that you promulgate (while being a medical parasite). Or the junk about population air spraying.

            I really don’t care that much unless it interferes with the site, ie escapes from OpenMike / Daily Review and causes diversions in the other posts.

            • Northshoredoc 2.3.1.1.1.1
              23 October 2015 at 7:16 am

              Lprent – what ‘right wing drivel’ ? What is a ‘medical parasite ?’

              Or is that just your opinion which you don’t need to back up with evidence…the rules change around here so often it’s difficult to keep up.

              • Anne …
                23 October 2015 at 4:59 pm

                I think you might be getting back a bit of what you [unfairly] dish out to others sometimes.

              • weka …
                23 October 2015 at 5:58 pm

                Or is that just your opinion which you don’t need to back up with evidence…the rules change around here so often it’s difficult to keep up.

                Well that certainly explains a lot about what you do in debates.

                In general, you can express any opinion you like. However once you state something as fact, there is an onus to back it up if it seems farfetched or bullshit or maligns someone etc.

  3. Morrissey 3
    22 October 2015 at 7:23 am

    Al Jazeera “news” is a farrago of politically biased cant.
    Its “journalists” have clearly been told to crank up the displays of contempt for official enemies

    These impressions are from a selection of just a few minutes of viewing for a couple of items, but it’s typical of what is said on this official outlet for the Qatari dictatorship, on the hour, every hour…

    1.) Al Jazeera News, Wednesday 21 October 2015, 8:25 p.m. (NZ)

    The Chinese president is in Britain. Of course, when any Chinese or Iranian or Russian leader meets with a human rights champion such as David Cameron, or Binyamin Netanyahu, or Prince Harry, or Queen Elizabeth, the subject of human rights HAS to be mentioned by the state media. This time, after showing an anti-Chinese protest outside the official reception, the reporter notes archly that Xi Jinping is now “at the state banquet, where human rights is unlikely to be the topic of conversation.” (cue picture of Xi Jinping clinking glasses with Queen Elizabeth)

    A few minutes later, Rory Challands seems offended by the fact that President Assad is having talks with Pres. Putin in Moscow.

    2.) Al Jazeera news, 10 p.m., Wednesday 21 October 2015

    For the first item, there’s only one possible choice: the outrageous meeting of two Bond villains. Autocue reader Jane Dutton frowns and tries to look as grave as she can. Her harsh South African accent serves to enhance the minatory effect she is working so hard to achieve….

    JANE DUTTON: Syria’s president makes an UNANNOUNCED VISIT to Moscow to be with Vladimir Putin!

    Keeping up the grim, glowering expression, she crosses live to the even grimmer looking Moscow correspondent. He’s been practising his troubled, sour demeanour for the last hour and a half….

    JANE DUTTON: What are the PLANS now, Rory?

    RORY CHALLAND: [snorts contemptuously] Huh! That’s a very good question! They’ll be talking about the bombing of FRIENDLY groups, MODERATE groups, groups that have been trying to get rid of President al Assad and that the west has been supporting…..

    ….ad nauseam…

    • Colonial Viper 3.1
      22 October 2015 at 11:01 am

      JANE DUTTON: Syria’s president makes an UNANNOUNCED VISIT to Moscow to be with Vladimir Putin!

      Of course it was unannounced; we wouldn’t want Assad’s plane to be accidentally shot down by a US F-16, would we?

      • Grindlebottom 3.1.1
        22 October 2015 at 12:19 pm

        Nah, they wouldn’t dare. That’d see them totally screwed internationally and they know it. Notice that they never attack Assad’s forces directly themselves? They’ve talked about it but never done it.

        • Colonial Viper 3.1.1.1
          22 October 2015 at 12:23 pm

          Good point…but having forced down the Ecuadorean president’s plane over the Snowden affair you never know…

          • Grindlebottom 3.1.1.1.1
            22 October 2015 at 12:30 pm

            They can’t even afford to supply their “moderate” rebel friends with anti-aircraft missiles so someone else could maybe do it – in case the missiles wind up being used against their own aircraft the way things go over there.

        • millsy 3.1.1.2
          23 October 2015 at 12:20 am

          If the US wanted to do it, they would have done it..they would have known about trip well in advance — thanks to Mossad (who seem to know everything, apparently)

      • billmurray 3.1.2
        22 October 2015 at 1:29 pm

        Assad is not a enemy of the West, he is a secular leader who was attacked by ISIL and other rebels of dubious back-grounds. The Americans and the West have backed the wrong side in Syria and the refugee crisis is the result. The Russians have picked up a mess, but do not underestimate their resolve in Syria or their understanding of Islam. Putin has and will continue to make America and Europe look stupid and impotent in the Middle East.

        • Treetop 3.1.2.1
          22 October 2015 at 3:31 pm

          Assad is the enemy of every refugee/displaced person in Syria or who has fled Syria. Assad’s leadership is untenable in the long term.

          The way I see Syria is:
          1. Saudi Arabia want Assad gone.
          2. The Kurds seem to be able to defend their territory, they require more weapons to be more effective.
          3. The opposition fighters want Assad gone.
          4. Assad does not have an army to defeat Isil.
          5. Assad needs to make up his mind who the biggest enemy in Syria is and to defeat them with the help of Russia and the USA, then to unite all the different religions and nationalties.
          6. Putin could not do any worse than the USA, (Russia took on Afganistan in the 1990s and Putin has not interfered in the 2000 invasion by the USA in Iraq and Afganistan).
          7. Turkey will fall apart on the shared border unless there is stability in Syria.

          The suffering is clear to see on the faces of those who have fled Syria, Iraq and Afganistan..

          Stalin did a u – turn in WW2, Putin is no fool.

          For all I know the USA could already be working with Russia in Syria.

    • infused 3.2
      22 October 2015 at 12:46 pm

      RT is the same, yet keeps getting posted.

      • Morrissey 3.2.1
        22 October 2015 at 1:49 pm

        Yes, infused, it is a fair comment to observe that RT cleaves pretty closely to the Russian government’s line, just as the ABC parrots Canberra’s line and the BBC is a megaphone for the British political elite.

        But it’s not fair or accurate to say that RT is “the same” as Al Jazeera; it’s not a simple case of one being as bad as the other. Both of them have some excellent documentaries, and some excellent reporting, but both of them also have some extremely dodgy, almost comically bad programmes too.

        On RT, Jesse Ventura’s son fronts a simply absurd program which varies little from the paranoid tone of his father’s commentaries. Al Jazeera has some truly brilliant programmes, but they also give an inordinate amount of time to dolts like Mehdi Hassan and Kamahl Santamaria.

        Yes, RT’s commentary needs to be regarded just as skeptically as any other outlet’s, but I would challenge you to find anything on an RT news broadcast as unashamedly partisan and biased and dishonest as Rory Challand’s comments last night.

  4. North 4
    22 October 2015 at 7:32 am

    Oh that Andrew little would deal more definitively with the obtuse, dunderhead types like Suzie Ferguson on Morning Report just now.

    On the question of Jacinda Ardern and the Labour deputy leadership dear Suzie started off with the pejorative – in as many words – ‘Mr Little, you’ve just despatched Ardern as useless.’ “No no no…..” says Little.

    Not good enough for the obtuse Suzie. Two or three more times, different words, same question, same pejorative. I wish Little would deal with the unartful like Ferguson a little more in the nature of Winston – “Didn’t you hear what I just said Suzie ?”

    Frustrating ! Ferguson’s one of the worst at it and deserves a good smacking. Who TF does she think she is with this childish gnawing on the construct bone of her own making ?

    • Bearded Git 4.1
      22 October 2015 at 8:27 am

      Susie Ferguson 10 seconds ago on Labour’s polling-“it is 31% which hasn’t moved at all from the election.”

      err no Susie. Labour’s vote is up 24% on the election (25 to 31). She then went on to try and posit some sort of leadership challenge by Ardern. err no Susie, it’s not happening.

      She is biased. She is useless. Get rid of her Radio NZ.

      • Chooky 4.1.1
        22 October 2015 at 10:20 am

        +100 North and Bearded Git…Ferguson is pretty biased and hopeless…I really enjoyed it when Kim Hill was in her place for a short period recently

        It is a soft, nact government biased, smoochy self satisfied programme …short on sharp questions and professionalism

      • tc 4.1.2
        22 October 2015 at 12:17 pm

        Not going anywhere with the nact stacked RNZ upper levels as designed.

    • savenz 4.2
      22 October 2015 at 8:46 am

      Disgusting, I have my beef’s with Labour’s confusion on policy in particular TPP, but the journo’s are openly discriminating and manufacturing rubbish to Labour and the opposition’s faces. It is actually bullying when it is at that level.

      Decent Journo’s are being sacked and dumb propaganda and outright lies are being used in these nauseating ‘interviews’ by journo nobodies with the journo just telling some manufactured line over and over during the interview. Not only does it mean no useful information comes out of the interview but it is hard for the interviewee to look good. In contract the nauseating fawning over the Natz makes me sick.

      I actually have stopped watch most TV, radio and so forth. Have to get my info off the internet and selected journo’s who still have some integrity of whom you can now count on one hand.

        • Grindlebottom 4.2.1.1
          22 October 2015 at 12:36 pm

          I’m thinking it’s probably time for Labour’s MPs to all get some media training from Winston Peters. Winston really does probably have the best way to deal with these dense or biased kinds of reporters.

          They end up busting a blood vessel while he just cruises off laughing.

          • Ergo Robertina 4.2.1.1.1
            22 October 2015 at 8:00 pm

            Yes I’m sure it gives a few sad folk a thrill.
            But after TWO DECADES Winston is still being asked the same question – which of the two parties will you put on the Treasury benches?
            If you don’t consider that a valid question I would suggest it may well be you who’s a tad obtuse and biased.
            It says a lot about Kiwi culture that one of the neoliberal protagonists (Winnie) of the 1990s is a hero for many, including those who actually follow politics, because he’s good with a put-down.

    • Olwyn 4.3
      22 October 2015 at 10:01 am

      @ North: I am not sure what sort of response Andrew Little should take to this sort of nonsense but I do know that I am utterly sick of it. To start with, why is the deputy leadership of the LP suddenly a source of excitement? And why, when there are about 34 Labour MP’s, must it be a choice between two of them? Your phrase, “gnawing on a construct bone” is an apt one. Soap opera writers rely on the suspension of disbelieve to make us care about their constructed cliff hangers. It wears thin rather quickly when soap opera writing is so frequently offered as a stand-in for news.

    • The Fan Club 4.4
      22 October 2015 at 10:25 am

      “Ferguson’s one of the worst at it and deserves a good smacking”

      maybe lay off the threatening female journos you don’t like with physical violence? it makes you look like a thug

      • North 4.4.1
        22 October 2015 at 11:05 am

        Got your crazy meter a bit overtuned there Fan Club…..try to pitch that as an exhortation to physical violence you might as well try to fly to the moon. Have you no familiarity with prosaic metaphor ? Seems not. Makes you look like an illiterate mug. Your burden.

        • The Fan Club 4.4.1.1
          22 October 2015 at 11:12 am

          So you express your disapproval of a woman’s professional work though the metaphor of giving them “a good smack”? Classy!

          I don’t think anyone expected you were personally going to deliver this smack. Online cowards never do. But oh well, keep fantasising about using physical violence to overcome your frustration at your political impotence!

          That always ends well.

          • North 4.4.1.1.1
            22 October 2015 at 2:51 pm

            Obviously you’ll believe (and impose) whatever you want to believe (and impose) Fan Club. Ever heard of an interviewee “owning” an idotic interviewer, one debater “slapping down” another, so and so getting a “smacking” in a verbal exchange” ?

            In respective order that would be to rejoice in slavery, violence, and violence I suppose.

            Grow up !

        • Chooky 4.4.1.2
          22 October 2015 at 11:16 am

          +100 North…spankings , paddywhacks, brickbats…for Morning Report ( they have all got well padded bums …bigger than their heads…and their heads are too big for their boots )

          …a little bit of metaphorical ,colloquial light chastisement never hurt anyone

          The Fan Club is precious

      • Colonial Viper 4.4.2
        22 October 2015 at 11:15 am

        LOL mate were you a supporter of the anti-smacking legislation?

        No?

        A bit late to get all precious about smacking now, isn’t it?

        • The Fan Club 4.4.2.1
          22 October 2015 at 11:34 am

          Bro I was a strong supporter of the anti-smacking law because we have a huge problem with violence in New Zealand and bullshit excuses like this are part of why kids and women “get a good smack” and noone mans up and says it’s not ok.

          Do you guys ever wonder why this space is so toxic to women?

          • lprent 4.4.2.1.1
            22 October 2015 at 12:08 pm

            Do you guys ever wonder why this space is so toxic to women?

            You ever wonder why you are such an idiot? And how could you possibly know that? I suspect that you are simply deliberately lying and pulling ‘facts’ out of your arse.

            FYI, we started getting estimates for male/female reader ratios back in March last year when Google analytics turned it on for “sessions” for the people where google knew their gender.

            Since April 2014 to September 2015 we have had measurements of 1,582,138 sessions which is 56.24% of our total sessions.70.03% male and 29.97% female. The latter number is a very high percentage for a mainstream political blog.

            After starting around 27% in April/May 2014, it peaked in September 2014 at 33% during election month. In April 2015 it was 31%. It has consistently been higher as a percentage this year compared to last year if you ignore months close to the elections. Last month it was 30%.

            This year it has bounced around between 28% and 32%, lower when we have less traffic, and higher when we have more traffic. It’d be nice to figure out a way to increase faster overall. However there has been a discernible slow increase over the 18 months.

            It pisses me off when I see lazy fuckwit critics like you outright lying about this site, and I’m liable to take offense.

            Next time I’d suggest that you express it as an opinion rather than asserting a fact.

          • DeadSmurf 4.4.2.1.2
            22 October 2015 at 12:22 pm

            +1 The Fan Club. Well said.

            • Mrs Brillo 4.4.2.1.2.1
              22 October 2015 at 1:40 pm

              +1 The Fan Club.

              And this place is indeed an uncomfortable place for women.
              Or you would see more of them here.

              I know plenty of women working as volunteers for political organisations, but they avoid Internet political discussion because of the aggressive males who frequent such places spoiling for a fight. And this is no exception.

          • Lanthanide 4.4.2.1.3
            22 October 2015 at 12:26 pm

            Personally I’m tired of what seems to happen whenever someone makes a statement about someone else, who happens to be female, others automatically assume the author was being sexist.

            If they had said that Guyon needed a smacking, would you have been jumping up and down about sexism? Or would you have not said anything at all.

            • The Fan Club 4.4.2.1.3.1
              22 October 2015 at 12:40 pm

              Who said anything about sexism bro? I said that if you want to hit female journos cause you don’t like there work maybe you should think about how you relate to women.

              Maybe if society wasn’t so sexist you wouldn’t hear so much about it? If you’re sick of hearing about sexism why don’t you step up and do something about it.

              • Lanthanide …
                22 October 2015 at 1:01 pm

                “I said that if you want to hit female journos cause you don’t like there work maybe you should think about how you relate to women.’

                Maybe they need to think about how they relate to journalists.

                Is my point.

              • North …
                22 October 2015 at 3:17 pm

                You’re dishonest Fan Club. There were no ‘ifs’ in anything you said to me. You accused of outright threat of violence. Then upped the ante with your “coward” shit. Which is wickedly indulgent of course. You don’t know shit about me or my relationships with women.

                Sadly common sense rules of interpretation often fall under the runaway truck of ‘immaculate zealotry’.

          • Chooky 4.4.2.1.4
            22 October 2015 at 1:27 pm

            @ The Fan Club….The Standard aint toxic to women( some of the big girls are scary though)…and you deserve a good spanking for that porkie ( Nursies remedy for telling porkies)

            Nursie: If you weren’t quite so big, it would be time for Mr and Mrs Spank to pay a short sharp trip to Bottieland.

            http://www.thetop100.net/the-entertainment-zone/the-top-100-blackadder-quotes/list/z26l54.aspx

          • millsy 4.4.2.1.5
            23 October 2015 at 12:22 am

            Toxic to women?

            Give me a break.

            4chan is toxic to women. Reddit is toxic to women. So it Kiwiblog and Whaleoil.

  5. Whateva Next 5
    22 October 2015 at 8:02 am

    Crosby Textor in overdrive drumming up “stories” about Labour…..deflecting from Keys flaccid flag pole.
    Creating a Ardern v King for deputy is desperate, and we are doing pretty well if that’s the biggest “dirt” they can splash.

  6. esoteric pineapples 6
    22 October 2015 at 9:37 am

    Good progressive independent Canadian news site for anyone who wants to keep up with what is happening in that country politically – http://rabble.ca/

  7. esoteric pineapples 7
    22 October 2015 at 9:52 am

    Israeli Prime Minister ACTUALLY blames Muslims for the Holocaust

    http://revolution-news.com/israeli-pm-netanyahu-blames-muslims-for-sparking-holocaust/

    Nice to see the German Chancellor rejects this and places the blame firmly with the Germans.

  8. Puckish Rogue 8
    22 October 2015 at 9:58 am

    https://nz.news.yahoo.com/top-stories/a/29869736/criminal-investigation-opened-into-online-firearms-purchase/

    Throw the book at her and Greg O’Connor must resign and if possible charges should be laid agianst him as well

    • dv 8.1
      22 October 2015 at 10:43 am

      TH police need to look check the mail order sales of the guns to see if they are all approiate.

      • Puckish Rogue 8.1.1
        22 October 2015 at 10:55 am

        She doesn’t get to break the law with impunity, she could have easily stopped the sale at any time even target, when using kids, stopped short the kids buying cigarettes because that would have broken the law

        Just because the ratings are tanking she decides to try to create some controversy and try to create a link to the shootings in the USA

        • weka 8.1.1.1
          22 October 2015 at 11:02 am

          So how come the seller didn’t know the police details were fake?

          • Puckish Rogue 8.1.1.1.1
            22 October 2015 at 11:13 am

            http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2015/10/dirtymedia-mediaworks-story-breaks-the-law-to-get-a-story/

            Gun City owner David Tipple sent the form to Whaleoil so you can open it in clear conscience 😉

            But basically under the Police Use Only section HDPA used a fake name but legit QID number

            • ianmac 8.1.1.1.1.1
              22 October 2015 at 11:48 am

              They invented the QID number which just happened to match an actual license holder.

              • Puckish Rogue …
                22 October 2015 at 11:53 am

                Maybe (well probably) but I’m sure theres some law about falsely signing a document especially a police one

                • Lanthanide …
                  22 October 2015 at 12:29 pm

                  Ok great, she broke the law.

                  Now, what are we going to do about how easy it is to buy firearms illegally?

                  • Puckish Rogue …
                    22 October 2015 at 2:06 pm

                    Firstly she (and her producer) should be charged of course because being a journalist doesn’t mean shes above the law

                    Secondly the police, in conjunction with gun retailers need to let the minister of police a simple way ensuring this can be ended

                    Althouh if I was a crim and i wanted to buy a firearm the last thing I’d do is leave any sort of a paper trail but thats just me

                    • tracey …
                      22 October 2015 at 2:56 pm

                      You feel this way about all Whaleoil’s actions too, right? Wilfully breaking the law for ratings/money?

                    • Puckish Rogue …
                      22 October 2015 at 3:03 pm

                      You feel the same about the illegal hacking of his emails that was used in a certain book..?

                      But if Cameron Slater is found guilty in a court of law then the full weight of the law should be thrown at him

                    • tracey …
                      22 October 2015 at 3:05 pm

                      You still struggling with the difference between public interest and personal interest PR?

                    • Puckish Rogue …
                      22 October 2015 at 4:07 pm

                      You still struggling with the difference between public interest and personal interest PR?

                      If HDPA had stopped short of actually buying the gun then fair enough, like how on Target they’d get schoolkids to go into shops to buy cigarettes but wouldn’t actually any, she’d have a point

                      But she can’t go and complain how easy it is to buy a gun by lying on the documents and then say she shouldn’t be charged

                      If i went out and put incorrect information on my driving licence and started driving an HT truck would that make it ok because I’m showing the loophole?

                    • Tracey …
                      22 October 2015 at 5:08 pm

                      my comment was in relation to the difference between slaters motivation and hagers which, imo, you wrongly put on a par.

            • weka 8.1.1.1.1.2
              22 October 2015 at 12:34 pm

              That doesn’t answer my question PR. Why did the seller not know that the police name was fake?

              • Puckish Rogue …
                22 October 2015 at 2:02 pm

                The gun seller is not at fault here (as more evidence comes to light that may change) the buyer is

                • weka …
                  22 October 2015 at 2:48 pm

                  You still haven’t answered my question.

                  • Puckish Rogue …
                    22 October 2015 at 2:57 pm

                    No I just did, I’ll repeat it for you the gun seller is not at fault.

                    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11533406

                    Law expert says Heather Du Plessis-Allan would lose against Gun City millionaire

                    Gun shop owner likely to go ahead with a private prosecution

                    “Although technically [Gun City] might not have broken any laws or regulations, it has shown that [their] processes which are in place are shonky at best, or at least very easily evadable.”

                    (I find the use of the phrase millionarie interesting because assuming HDPA and her husband own a house then she’d be classed as a millionaire as well)

                    • Puckish Rogue …
                      22 October 2015 at 3:51 pm

                      But what does his financial status have to do with anything, is it that hes a millionaire therefore he must be in the wrong?

                      I’d suggest that Mr and Mrs HDPA probably own a home or two in auckland which would make her a millionaire as well but I didn’t see anything like millionaire journalist HDPA

                    • weka …
                      22 October 2015 at 4:18 pm

                      Irrespective of your opinion that the seller wasn’t at fault, that doesn’t answer the question “why did the seller not know that the police ID was fake?” (I’m not asking who was at fault).

                    • Puckish Rogue …
                      22 October 2015 at 4:25 pm

                      Well Weka I really don’t know why not, I mean i’m not trying to be obtuse but I’m not the owner and i don’t work in the gun industry

                    • Tracey …
                      22 October 2015 at 5:09 pm

                      i agree his financial status is irrelevant. his multiple gun law violations would have been a better focus.

                    • weka …
                      22 October 2015 at 9:54 pm

                      “Well Weka I really don’t know why not, I mean i’m not trying to be obtuse but I’m not the owner and i don’t work in the gun industry”

                      If you can’t answer the question then how do you know he’s not at fault?

        • Draco T Bastard 8.1.1.2
          22 October 2015 at 1:03 pm

          She doesn’t get to break the law with impunity,

          Actually, in this case, she does as she used the act to highlight to the public that it was happening and that the government and the police needed to review their present processes and legislation.

          • Lanthanide 8.1.1.2.1
            22 October 2015 at 1:06 pm

            Well no, she still broke the law, and does not have something like diplomatic immunity that would actually allow her to ‘break the law with impunity’ (and even diplomatic immunity is more theoretical, as we saw with the Malaysian diplomat who is now facing his crimes despite having diplomatic immunity).

            The police have discretion in who they charge for law breaking, and what specific charges they choose to lay.

            • Draco T Bastard 8.1.1.2.1.1
              22 October 2015 at 2:02 pm

              She can be, and probably will be, charged. But once in court she has the defense of Public Interest which, IMO, will hold. What she found is most definitely in the public interest to know.

              The police probably don’t like getting egg on their face over this but such mistakes are how you learn.

              • Puckish Rogue …
                22 October 2015 at 2:32 pm

                Is it though or is it because the ratings are poor and they’re trying to desperately link this to american shootings because controversy creates cash (or in this case rating?

                Firstly the rates of deaths via frearms is thankfully low (could be lower of course)

                Secondly rates of crime involving guns is also low

                Thirdly if a crim wants a gun there are less trackable ways of buying a gun

                • Draco T Bastard …
                  22 October 2015 at 3:34 pm

                  Is it though or is it because the ratings are poor and they’re trying to desperately link this to american shootings because controversy creates cash (or in this case rating?

                  Just because they’re trying to up ratings doesn’t mean that it’s not in the public interest. One does not negate the other.

                  Firstly the rates of deaths via frearms is thankfully low (could be lower of course)

                  Secondly rates of crime involving guns is also low

                  This has nothing to do with the discussion so why bring it up?

                  Thirdly if a crim wants a gun there are less trackable ways of buying a gun

                  Actually, I suspect that there isn’t a less trackable way than this. False name, false license, false police officer, false address, legitimate gun.

                  Remember, even legitimate guns aren’t registered any more.

                  • Puckish Rogue …
                    22 October 2015 at 4:02 pm

                    I brought it up because the program is trying to scare people into thinking theres a flood of illegal weapons out there and crims are running around armed to the hilt and they’re arn’t

                    I mean I’d have thought the people on the left would have been aghast about the blatent attempt by the media to scare people because when people are scared they want tougher laws in place or, because Greg O’Connor seems to be involved, arming the police

                    • Tracey …
                      22 October 2015 at 5:10 pm

                      but it isnt really like “terrorism” as the shop owner has suggested.

                    • Draco T Bastard …
                      22 October 2015 at 8:06 pm

                      I brought it up because the program is trying to scare people into thinking theres a flood of illegal weapons out there and crims are running around armed to the hilt and they’re arn’t

                      Then you should probably have started another thread about that then rather than placing it in a thread about something else.

  9. savenz 9
    22 October 2015 at 10:37 am

    The TPP’s intellectual property provisions – a blow for global health and access to medicines

    http://www.healthypolicies.com/2015/10/the-tpps-intellectual-property-provisions-a-blow-for-global-health-and-access-to-medicines/

  10. weka 10
    22 October 2015 at 11:01 am

    OUR RESEARCH INDICATES ABOUT 28% OF VOTERS CONSIDERED VOTING GREEN AT THE LAST ELECTION. And that’s on top of the 10.7% of voters who did give the Greens their party vote.

    from a Green Party email from Jeanette Fitzsimons. They’re going to hire a campaign manager in Jan as part of the drive to increase the actual vote.

    Even allowing for the vagueness of what ‘considered’ means, those are impressive numbers. Which begs the question of why people don’t vote Green, esp people on the left. I think the reasons are varied, but it does seem like there is still this hesitancy and I don’t quite get what it’s about. I think the whole they’re amatuers who shouldn’t be in govt thing is well behind them, so what is it?

    btw, they’re asking for donations to help with the campaign. This is one easy way for well off lefties to support a left wing government. Donations can be made here,

    https://contribute.greens.org.nz/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=19

    • Lanthanide 10.1
      22 October 2015 at 12:32 pm

      “it does seem like there is still this hesitancy and I don’t quite get what it’s about”

      I don’t understand it either. My only assumption is people have bought into the right-wing fear-mongering, and that once the Greens actually get into power they will show that they really aren’t crazies, they are competent, and their vote share will rise from there.

    • Draco T Bastard 10.2
      22 October 2015 at 1:17 pm

      Yep, got that and donated this morning.

  11. Rosemary McDonald 11
    22 October 2015 at 11:21 am

    Auntie Paula tells Community Housing sector …

    “…the Government’s long-term rental contracts were a “double A rated, Government guaranteed investment product” which most investors would “climb over broken glass” for.”

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11533295

    Well, there you go.

    A cup of TPP anyone?

  12. tracey 12
    22 October 2015 at 11:32 am

    The pinup boy for the property hoax

    In 2013 this guy first made the news. With his $18,000 deposit for a home, a plan, living rent free at parents home, accountant job… all designed to show that if you really want a home you can get one. Or 3. Or 7.

    http://www.smartpropertyinvestment.com.au/monthly-profile

    Today stuff have reactivated his pinup boy status.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/home-property/73267537/meet-the-25yearold-with-eight-investment-properties

    Interestingly in February 2013 he was 24 years old. Two and a half years later Stuff tells us, he is only 25. A small thing, perhaps. But an error or inaccuracy nonetheless.

    Anyway, it reads, to me, as an Advertorial. Seems little reason to repeat it, especially as it is Australian based. Slow news day? Low staff means news needs to be recycled or a piece of paid advertising but undisclosed?

    • Draco T Bastard 12.1
      22 October 2015 at 1:20 pm

      We really need to jump on this habit of elevating bludging to heights of respectability that the MSM has. these bludgers are why we have poverty, inequality and a poor innovation culture.

    • Sabine 12.2
      22 October 2015 at 3:57 pm

      How much does he owe the banks? That is what I would like to know.

      Unless and until all the properties are paid in full he owns squat diddly do other then an arsefull of debt.
      What would happen to posterboy if the market tanks, he looses his job, one of his buildings is a leaky or otherwise shoddy build and he suddenly can’t service the bills?

      So he might own the mortgages for 8 buildings, but the banks owns him, all of him until he pays them their dues.

      • Tracey 12.2.1
        22 October 2015 at 5:05 pm

        he has been used twice now. 2013 and 2015. someones want people to chase the mytb. banks and/or real estate agents

  13. Penny Bright 13
    22 October 2015 at 12:43 pm

    For whom has this forced Auckland amalgamation been ‘$UPER’ ?

    Yep – New Zealand ‘perceived’ to be the SECOND ‘least corrupt country in the world’ ….

    ________________________________________________________

    ‘Large scale’ Auckland mortgage fraud

    Thursday, 22 October 2015
    The New Zealand Herald

    The Serious Fraud Office says Auckland’s property market and the scale of commercial developments is a ‘key environmental risk’.

    The Serious Fraud Office is investigating large-scale mortgage fraud in the Auckland property market involving developers, company directors, property valuers and lawyers.

    “Auckland’s property market and the scale of impending commercial developments represent a key environmental risk,” the SFO said in its 2015 annual report released this week.

    “We have invested significant resources into investigating a large-scale mortgage fraud involving highly organised teams of property developers, shell company directors, property valuers and lawyers.”

    The SFO, which aims to reduce the impact of serious financial crime on both the economy and the public, said the investigation is ongoing and declined further comment.

    ______________________________________________

    Penny Bright

  14. Blue Boy 14
    22 October 2015 at 12:57 pm

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miOEmyjpLkU

    “Explosions”

    You trembled like you’d seen a ghost
    And I gave in
    I lacked the things you need the most,
    You said where have you been?

    You wasted all that sweetness to run and hide
    I wonder why
    I remind you of the days you poured your heart into
    But you never tried

    I’ve fallen from grace
    Took a blow to my face
    I’ve loved and I’ve lost
    I’ve loved and I’ve lost

    Explosions…on the day you wake up
    Needing somebody and you’ve learned
    It’s okay to be afraid
    But it will never be the same
    It will never be the same

    You left my soul bleeding in the dark
    So you could be king
    The rules you set are still untold to me
    And I’ve lost my faith in everything

    The nights you could cope,
    Your intentions were gold
    But the mountains will shake
    I need to know I can still make

    Explosions…on the day you wake up
    Needing somebody and you’ve learned
    It’s okay to be afraid
    But it will never be the same

    And as the floods move in
    And your body starts to sink
    I was the last thing on your mind
    I know you better than you think
    ‘Cause it’s simple darling, I gave you warning
    Now everything you own is falling from the sky in pieces
    So watch them fall with you, in slow motion
    I pray that you’ll find peace of mind
    And I’ll find you another time
    I’ll love you, another time

    Explosions…on the day you wake up
    Needing somebody and you’ve learned
    It’s okay to be afraid
    But it will never be the same

    • Grindlebottom 14.1
      22 October 2015 at 1:23 pm

      WTF?

    • Ad 14.2
      22 October 2015 at 7:47 pm

      BlueBoy a challenge for you.

      Step up and write your own stuff.
      You don’t need other people.

      Nor necessarily be rational – anyone here can dial a dialectic materialist.
      Flow.

      Become poetry.
      Lyric is lithe; it entails efficiency of meaning and economy of movement.

      Boil it down to a concentrate.

      • Blue Boy 14.2.1
        23 October 2015 at 11:59 am

        Ad, since your the expect……………….

        Please, write a poem (yourself), show us how it is done?

        Teach me.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 14.2.1.1
          23 October 2015 at 12:14 pm

          Fatuous boring and Blue,
          Copy-paste talentless too,
          Tory epitome,
          Parrot epiphany,
          A stranger to anything true.

          • Blue Boy 14.2.1.1.1
            23 October 2015 at 12:25 pm

            Your rhyming is childish.

            Poetry comes from the heart, true poetry is written from the heart, with inspiration, and it always comes from instincts, intuition, feeling and beauty, whether that beauty is born from sadness or happiness, it doesn’t matter but it always comes from the heart.

            You can’t just write crap and make it rhyme, you are ‘budget’.

            Maybe Ad should have a go- he’s the expect.

            • One Anonymous Bloke 14.2.1.1.1.1
              23 October 2015 at 12:30 pm

              Limerick offends
              A shameless plagiarist
              Hoist up own petard.

            • One Anonymous Bloke 14.2.1.1.1.2
              23 October 2015 at 12:33 pm

              Heartfelt ridicule,
              Meets querulous Tory boy,
              Critical failure.

              • Blue Boy …
                23 October 2015 at 12:37 pm

                Desperate and totally budget.

                I will give you a topic-

                “Praying Mantis whacking his head against a brick wall.”

                How’s that for ya?

                • One Anonymous Bloke …
                  23 October 2015 at 12:48 pm

                  Much as I’d like,
                  To meet the Tory goad,
                  He offers nothing for his part,
                  No prime examples of this art,
                  Nor wit, nor wisdom,
                  I’ll depart,
                  From his neglected road.

          • b waghorn 14.2.1.1.2
            23 October 2015 at 12:27 pm

            Now oab I try not to grip,
            But it looks like that for today blue boy has stayed away from the pipe.
            I say the proggresives should allow him the chance
            To free his mind to dance.

            • Grindlebottom 14.2.1.1.2.1
              23 October 2015 at 12:34 pm

              *sp … gripe. 🙂

              • Grindlebottom …
                23 October 2015 at 12:37 pm

                The best thing to do
                With the Boy who is Blue
                May be to ignore
                Or to boot out the door
                But the job is not mine
                So I won’t waste more time
                Going on about that
                I’ll just smile at the prat
                🙂

  15. Rosemary McDonald 15
    22 October 2015 at 2:24 pm

  16. tracey 16
    22 October 2015 at 3:03 pm

    Oh look, C&R Auckland (that conduit of national or ACT depending on what time of year it is) is breaking the intent if not the letter of the law in the Auckland Energy Trust elections.

    Whodda thunkit

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11533344

  17. joe90 17
    22 October 2015 at 3:06 pm

    CIA director Brennan’s emails.

    (the failure to redact personal info is bad form)

    https://wikileaks.org/cia-emails/

  18. Tautoko Mangō Mata 18
    22 October 2015 at 6:06 pm

    TPP and Sovereignty: two different views:

    1. Wall St Journal “TPP Is Surprising Vote of Confidence in Globalization”
    “Despite limits on sovereignty, political support for trade pact is strong—except in the U.S.”
    “Every country will bear some political price. Thousands have taken to the streets in New Zealand to protest potentially higher drug prices and the threat of lawsuits by multinational companies claiming discrimination. Australians have similar concerns. Japanese farmers complain of betrayal. Yet in all three, as in Canada, opposition parties back the agreement, though this is contingent on the still-unreleased text rather than the principles agreed to in Atlanta on Oct. 5.”

    “This is why TPP’s significance lies not in its economic impact—modest for most signatories—but how it restricts its members’ domestic sovereignty.”
    http://www.wsj.com/articles/tpp-is-surprising-vote-of-confidence-in-globalization-1445446966

    Meanwhile in nzherald we have Catherine Beard writing : “Dispute provisions in TPP to protect New Zealand’s sovereignty” without having read the fine print. If the chance of ISDS threat was so low, Catherine, then why was it necessary to carve out Tobacco from using it? Getting a RW think tank to “research” ISDS is a joke.

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  • Stories of varying weight

    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on anything you may have missed. Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 hours ago
  • Balancing External Security and the Economy

    New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    17 hours ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: The unravelling of the offsets

    The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    22 hours ago
  • What makes us tick

    This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    23 hours ago
  • Foreshore and seabed 2.0

    In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the Royal Commission report into abuse in care

    Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Weekly Roundup 26-July-2024

    Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 day ago
  • God what a relief

    1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Trust In Me

    Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 26

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care report released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced $802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Radical law changes needed to build road

    The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #30 2024

    Open access notables Could an extremely cold central European winter such as 1963 happen again despite climate change?, Sippel et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics: Here, we first show based on multiple attribution methods that a winter of similar circulation conditions to 1963 would still lead to an extreme seasonal ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • First they came for the Māori

    Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live

    Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Will the real PM Luxon please stand up?

    Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Will debt reduction trump abuse in care redress?

    Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Care report in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Olywhites and Time Bandits

    About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Why were the 1930s so hot in North America?

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson Those who’ve trawled social media during heat waves have likely encountered a tidbit frequently used to brush aside human-caused climate change: Many U.S. states and cities had their single hottest temperature on record during the 1930s, setting incredible heat marks ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

    Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 19

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #29 2024

    Open access notables Improving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society: To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
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    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
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    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
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    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
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    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
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    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
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    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
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    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
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    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
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    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
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    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
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    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
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    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
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    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
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    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
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    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
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    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
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    4 days ago
  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

    The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
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    4 days ago
  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

    Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.    “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
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    4 days ago
  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024.  “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
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    4 days ago
  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane.    “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says.   “This will be our third visit to ...
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    4 days ago
  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

    Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
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    4 days ago
  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

    New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
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    4 days ago
  • Students’ needs at centre of new charter school adjustments

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
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    4 days ago
  • Commissioner replaces Health NZ Board

    In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.  “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
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    5 days ago
  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

    Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum.  While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation.  “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
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    5 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan.  “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
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    5 days ago
  • Oceans and Fisheries Minister to Solomons

    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government launches Military Style Academy Pilot

    The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Nine priority bridge replacements to get underway

    The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Update on global IT outage

    Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
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    1 week ago
  • New Zealand, Japan renew Pacific partnership

    New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.    “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
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    1 week ago
  • New infrastructure energises BOP forestry towns

    New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
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    1 week ago
  • 'Pacific Futures'

    President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests.    Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone.    Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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