Open Mike 23/10/2016

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, October 23rd, 2016 - 60 comments
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60 comments on “Open Mike 23/10/2016 ”

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  1. weka 1
    22 October 2016 at 11:46 pm

    [Please note, we are trialling something new for Open Mike and Daily Review.

    In order to keep OM and DR free for other conversations, all comments, link postings etc about the US election now need to go in the dedicated US election discussion here.

    If you are unsure, post in that thread rather than here. It’s not possible for moderators to shift comments from OM to there, so any comments here may get deleted.

    Have fun folks – weka]

  2. save nz 2
    23 October 2016 at 8:15 am

    Growth industry in US – slavery

    “The California prison system made $58m profit from the work of prison inmates in the financial year 2014-15, according to a study by the Solidarity Research Center, which also found that 4,000 incarcerated workers earn $2 a day fighting California wildfires.”

    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/oct/22/inside-us-prison-strike-labor-protest

  3. Jenny 3
    23 October 2016 at 8:17 am

    Let us hope that we can do better.

    [deleted]

    [All US election comments and links need to go in the dedicate threads. See the note at top and bottom of OM. Please repost this in a US election dedicated thread and then I will delete the one here – weka]

    • BM 3.1
      23 October 2016 at 8:21 am

      Are you blind?

    • save nz 3.2
      23 October 2016 at 9:57 am

      I think Jenny is more interested in why there hasn’t been a single direct question about the climate change to the would be presidents…

      • Sacha 3.2.1
        23 October 2016 at 10:24 am

        And she is welcome to ask that on the dedicated thread, lest this one degenerates rapidly as earlier ones did.

      • Jenny 3.2.2
        23 October 2016 at 12:27 pm

        “I think Jenny is more interested in why there hasn’t been a single direct question about the climate change to the would be presidents…”
        save nz

        Well actually no.

        While this is a concern and disgrace, my comment was aimed at our upcoming election cycle.

        [I’ve removed the link. If you post in OM again about the US election, or ignore a moderator, expect a ban. It will probably be lengthy because of the amount of time having to be spend moderating you and putting in short bans – weka]

  4. pat 4
    23 October 2016 at 9:07 am

    “Another experienced building industry source, who asked not to be named, said the defective repair issue was “huge”.

    “The way I summarise it is, at probably no time in history, in European history, has so many private individuals been screwed over by a Government who said they were going to fix their asset and instead ruined their asset.

    “You and I, the taxpayer, are paying for it to be done and done again, and sometimes again, and again,” they said.

    “It’s huge. It’s so big, it’s bigger than the leaky home crisis – thousands and thousands of homes have been ruined.”

    Leaky buildings on steroids…..this Governments gift to NZ taxpayers…..enjoy

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/84610272/vetting-problems-poor-repair-strategies-create-backlog-of-defective-repairs-in-canterbury

    • Gangnam Style 4.1
      23 October 2016 at 9:29 am

      A nice metaphor for the way National have been running things, fast & shoddy, then when you get down to see the foundations you see that they are cracked & will take years to fix. Nice one Joyce, Brownlee & Key.

      • pat 4.1.1
        23 October 2016 at 9:37 am

        +1
        yes could serve as a very apt metaphor for their whole approach to the economy….short term. no logical basis and only for appearances.

    • save nz 4.2
      23 October 2016 at 9:44 am

      Leaky building all over again. The government ‘fast track’, ‘low regulation’ and ‘importing low cost labour’ model for everything and then leaving it to the homeowners to sort out.

      In Auckland anyone can do plans for a resource consent without any qualifications and you don’t need any engineering either a lot of the time. Qualifications if at all come AFTER the resource consent is granted where the building consent people have to hobble together all the mess to try to make it work and you can change the resource consent anyway by putting different materials i.e. cladding in, post consent as long as you find a ‘friendly’ ear at council.

      • save nz 4.2.1
        23 October 2016 at 10:40 am

        One of the biggest leaky building cases going to court at present at 40 million the Victopia building in Auckland. What is interesting is that the developer had numerous names and companies over the years (KNZ International Co Ltd, formerly named Ganada Development Co Ltd and Dae Ju Developments Co Ltd) and that the architect which also has other leaky buildings in litigation such as the Spencer On Byron building, is ex Mainzeal another bankrupt company.

        The design alone should have alerted anyone well before it leaked, that there were going to be big problems. The victims are the poor owners who bought them and those who also bought around the monstrosity – and have to both view it and then live through the remedial work which looks like lasting for years. And if the other parties go bust, then I think the Auckland council aka the Auckland ratepayers have to pick up the rebuild tab.

        Win win for the incompetent all round. sarc. If you can be put in prison for a WINZ benefit fraud of a few thousand dollars by the testimony of some angry boyfriend, I’m not sure why more of these developers are not going to prison after years of litigation, that cost owners and taxpayers millions of dollars.

      • Brigid 4.2.2
        23 October 2016 at 12:17 pm

        No, that isn’t the case. All building work, including plans and specifications must be approved by a Certified Building Professional. Each trade being approved by a CBP for that trade.
        This legislation was brought in in 2009

        • Gristle 4.2.2.1
          23 October 2016 at 5:17 pm

          The concept is of limited use in the real world and has put a huge amount of risk onto small contractors.

          The common factor is that the CFP prefer to go belly up rather than face litigation. This leaves you either having a go at the insurance company (if applicable) or the product manufacturer (if you can prove that it was inherent to the product rather than faulty installation) or the council (if you can prove faulty inspection).

          Notice how many contractors will have tools and plant owned by one entity that leases these to the building company. Notice how many of these companies go under leaving sub-contractors unpaid. Notice how sub-contractors never get paid a decent percentage of the retentions, so end up building it into the first 90% of the contract.

        • save nz 4.2.2.2
          23 October 2016 at 8:48 pm

          @Bridget. I’m talking about the Resource consent, not the building consent. It’s crazy you don’t need to be qualified to put the plans in. Also that is why so many developers just go to the resource consent and then sell. They leave all the problems for someone else as you can pretty much put anything thing onto the resource consent and 99% are approved no matter how crappy and unworkable the design.

  5. Jenny 5
    23 October 2016 at 9:23 am

    As the world witnesses a desperate dictator bombing his country’s cities with the help of his foreign allies, many wonder what is happening? Is Syria the same a Iraq where the US is trying to invade and take over another Arab country?

    The act of liberation can only be an act of the people themselves.

    My thoughts on the Syrian revolution and civil war.

    The difference between Iraq and Syria, is the Arab Spring.

    The people of the Middle East have for a long time been cursed to be ruled by a plethora of oppressive dictatorships and autocracies. Most of these regimes are a holdover from the division of the Middle East by the rival global empirialists of the 19th and 20 century, who set their borders, and have backed and installed the long line of despotic strongmen and autocrats we see ruling the region today.

    Most of these regimes are armed to the teeth and have a whole apparatus of oppression to maintain their rule. With massive armies and brutal internal security forces, supplied with arms and money in the form of military aid by The their superpower sponsors, who in return gain concessions to exploit the mineral wealth and people of the region.

    Eventually, it was inevitable, that there would be a region wide uprising against this state of affairs.

    It had been my opinion for a long time, even before the term “Arab Spring” had been coined, that the place for this outbreak to start would have been Iraq. Unfortunately the US war and invasion, aborted this potential.

    (Maybe this is what the US feared most).

    Democracy and independence, in Iraq, in Egypt, in Syria, in Saudi Arabia, in Jordan would mean the end of imperial domination and subjection of the region. It would also mean the end of the apartheid colonial state of Israel.

    The Arab Spring was/is the biggest democratic uprising in human history dwarfing in sheer scale and size of the numbers involved, and who took to the streets across the region, any other grass roots political movement in human history.

    Those who support the Regime of Basha Assad that I have debated with, and who can be (reluctantly), drawn to comment on the Arab Spring, and who more commonly refuse to acknowledge it all, dismiss the Arab Spring as a CIA, US, Saudi plot.

    But though it is hardly mentioned any more, it is through gaining a real understanding of the Arab Spring that we can understand the dispute in Syria.

    http://peacetour.org/Egypt-revolution

    • Morrissey 5.1
      23 October 2016 at 9:54 am

      Jenny, your rambling and confused words, and your absurd spelling errors, show you have done no serious reading or thinking about Syria. And, no, watching television and reading blog sites does not constitute serious reading or thinking.

      Could I suggest you actually invest some time in educating yourself? The following would be a good beginning for you….

      http://www.medialens.org/index.php/alerts/alert-archive/2016/825-propagandising-for-war-the-bbc-today-programme-on-syria.html

      [Gday, Morrissey. Spelling mistakes happen regularly here, particularly if people are using smart phones or autocorrect or dictionaries that default to American English. Sneering about minor inaccuracies is poor form and discourages people for whom writing doesn’t come naturally from contributing. And, as someone who is notoriously inaccurate, I would have though you’d be the last person to go down the pedantry route. Petard, hoist etc. Concentrate on the ideas, not the expression of them, OK? TRP]

      • Paul 5.1.1
        23 October 2016 at 10:09 am

        Patrick Cockburn has a lot more insight than many and he highlights the bias of the reporting of western media by comparing the reports of the sieges of Aleppo and Mosul.

        I recommend Jenny reads him as well as watch Adam Curtis’s recent film ‘Hypernormalisation’ which looks at perception management.
        The colour revolutions and the Arab spring are not exactly what they seem….

        http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/iraq-syria-aleppo-mosul-patrick-cockburn-propaganda-we-consume-a7373951.html

        • Morrissey 5.1.1.1
          23 October 2016 at 4:24 pm

          Ignore the ad hominems Morrissey.
          Your work is appreciated by many.

          As is your work, my friend. I do very much appreciate your support, Paul, as well as that of “reason” and “fender”.

          Interestingly, this business of intensely scrutinizing every tiny inaccuracy in my transcripts—or transcrapts, as our friend Te Reo sometimes calls them—first started when the venerable Standardista Lanthanide objected to a post I had made in August 2011, targeting…. Hekia Parata.

          https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-30082011/#comment-369467

      • Paul 5.1.2
        23 October 2016 at 10:17 am

        Did you see how Dita da Boni showed up how right wing and reactionary ‘gentle and liberal’ Jim Mora is?

      • Morrissey 5.1.3
        23 October 2016 at 10:26 am

        Some very good advice there, my friend; my post was largely un-gallant and I apologize to Jenny and the wider Standard family.

        I have just one quibble: you claim, without posting any evidence, that I am “someone who is notoriously inaccurate”. Could you back that up please?

        (I don’t think you can.)

        • te reo putake 5.1.3.1
          23 October 2016 at 10:38 am

          I refer you to your many previous transcrapts, whose tenuous relationship to their claimed subject matter put the awe into awful 😉

          • Morrissey 5.1.3.1.1
            23 October 2016 at 10:40 am

            That’s simply personal abuse, Te Reo. You have nothing substantial to back up your claim.

            • te reo putake 5.1.3.1.1.1
              23 October 2016 at 10:43 am

              No, it’s not. The comment refers to your poor output not you personally. I’m shocked you don’t know the difference. Shocked, I tell ya.

              • Morrissey …
                23 October 2016 at 10:55 am

                My “poor output”? That is personal abuse, and inaccurate. I don’t think even my enemies would describe my oeuvre in such terms.

                As you are well aware, Te Reo, I work extremely hard at writing good, presentable items for this site.

                • weka …
                  23 October 2016 at 11:11 am

                  ‘Poor output’ clearly refers to the inaccuracy of the transcripts. TRP is hardly the first person on ts to say that. It’s not abuse of you personally, it’s a characterisation of that part of your work, which you can dispute if you think it’s an unfair or inaccurate characterisation.

                  • Morrissey …
                    23 October 2016 at 4:16 pm

                    Thanks for that, weka. As always, I appreciate your frank and well considered criticism.

            • Peter Swift 5.1.3.1.1.2
              23 October 2016 at 10:46 am

              There are many instances in the archives where your transcripts have been roundly dismissed for being nothing like the events they were portraying to advance your own pointed agenda.
              And whilst that is a clear abuse of free speech, TRP’s is simply not.
              Reporting fact can never be personal abuse.

              • Morrissey …
                23 October 2016 at 10:52 am

                Could you give one example of this? And, by the way, who ARE you?

                • Peter Swift …
                  23 October 2016 at 10:56 am

                  These posts where you have been called out for falsely interpretating for your own gain are all in the archives. Regular readers will know this to be true. You also know this as truth as you’ve counter argued in them.
                  Do you really not remember? Or is it convenient to forget?
                  Or are you just playing at dumb?

                  • Morrissey …
                    23 October 2016 at 11:02 am

                    As you say, I’ve counter-argued in them, in fact, I’ve refuted their quibbles, which are almost entirely indignant claims that someone like Chris Trotter did not speak in a certain tone of voice, or that the long silences that often follow an inane Jim Mora statement are not “awkward”.

                    Once again, I ask: who are you?

                    [not sure what you are asking there Morrissey, but as you know it’s a site rule that no-one has to say who they are. This is to protect people who need that for RL ID reasons, and to focus the debate on the content of what people say rather than say trying to get personal about it – weka]

                    • Peter Swift …
                      23 October 2016 at 11:07 am

                      So that’s an acceptance your transcript reporting and impartiality have, on numerous occasions, been taken to task and rejected as self serving.
                      As far as ‘output’ goes, that’s definitely poor.

                    • Paul …
                      23 October 2016 at 1:01 pm

                      Ignore the ad hominems Morrissey.
                      Your work is appreciated by many.

                    • reason …
                      23 October 2016 at 1:51 pm

                      Peter Swift is a troll ……………… trolls are internet enabled self-sending dic pics …

                      presumptuous little dic pic swift peter has some balls ….. thinking a dic pic should have a decent humane like Morrissey justify themselves to a repeated & offensive……… prick.

                      I have appreciated reading Morrissey high grade posts which I generally find educating and interesting ….

                      trp, weka …… and peter swift couldn’t have done a better trolls job at derailing Morrisseys accurate calling out of Jennys hard core and disturbing war propaganda ….than if all three were trolls.

                      Looked like a pretty wanky three way handshake to me …..

                      Jennys posting …… which I would describe as a patchwork of war propaganda ….. is some seriously sick confused rubbish that is offensive to read.

                      batshit crazy war propaganda …. delivered like a sick sunday service.

                      Bullshit & bad behavior …………

                      Shit house

                    • Peter Swift …
                      23 October 2016 at 2:54 pm

                      Ouch, Reason, you’re a sharp one. You totally cut me up and sliced me real good. A dic (sic), with balls, well I never did.
                      With wit like that, you should come with a safety warning attached. lol

                    • McFlock …
                      23 October 2016 at 7:02 pm

                      lol

                      I suppose that someone who can’t transcribe for shit can’t be expected to correctly remember the arguments they had about the accuracy (lack thereof) of those “transcripts”.

                  • fender …
                    23 October 2016 at 1:09 pm

                    [deleted]

                    [trying to guess someone’s identity is not on – weka]

                    • Peter Swift …
                      23 October 2016 at 1:31 pm

                      I didn’t see the failed guess, which would have been wrong who ever it was, but thanks to Weka for protecting and enforcing my shared right to post anonymously in the face of unmerited intrusion.

                    • fender …
                      23 October 2016 at 1:50 pm

                      Weka, “fender” is not my identity. [deleted] was not an identity either. I believe the term is a moniker? I admire your enthusiasm but you might be getting a little carried away.

                      Don’t worry “Peter Swift”, no one was trying to guess your real life identity.

                      [I didn’t say real life identity. People have all sorts of reasons for using the pseudonyms they do, including changing them if they need to for reasons that might not be visible to you but are nevertheless important. You have no way of knowing if the name you are guessing is outing someone or not. I have no idea if you are right about your guess, but it’s against the rules here to do so. I take this very seriously. Because you have reused the name after a moderator asked you not to, I’m going to put you in premod until you acknowledge this second moderation, thanks – weka]

                    • fender …
                      23 October 2016 at 3:17 pm

                      oh yes my mistake weka, I’ll change my name on a regular basis too

      • Jenny 5.1.4
        23 October 2016 at 10:46 pm

        “Jenny, your rambling and confused words, and your absurd spelling errors, show you have done no serious reading or thinking about Syria.”
        Morrissey

        That my absurd spelling errors gave you some amusement, is all for the good.

        About my rambling I make no apology. I was indulging in a stream of consciousness trying to figure out how The Standard Authors like Colonial Viper and Bill can support a mass murdering dictator, who slaughters his people from the air.

        Morrissey, in thinking that I have done no serious reading or thinking about Syria, you are seriously mistaken. After having been in Syria in late 2010, I have followed subsequent events there very closely.

        From my time in Syria I can tell you, that I know an oppressive and grotesque police state when I see one.

        It is those who peddle the narrative of a foreign CIA conspiracy to topple the dictator who have a very shallow understanding of Syria or indeed of the Arab people. That the Arab people don’t have the wit or the courage to try and overthrough their oppressors, and are not dupes in a big foreign conspiracy, is patronising and dare I say it racist.

        Here is a video report by New Zealand’s own Anita McNaught inside Syria at the start of the genocidal aerial bombardment of the liberated areas by the dictator. I think it destroys the stupid and shallow narrative of a foreign CIA/US/Saudi plot.

        https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=captured+syrian+pilot+you+tube&view=detail&mid=DFD73E031467791E0C66DFD73E031467791E0C66&FORM=VIRE

        http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2012/08/20128213363370291.html

        • Morrissey 5.1.4.1
          24 October 2016 at 4:18 pm

          About my rambling I make no apology. I was indulging in a stream of consciousness…

          What this issue needs more than ever is honest, intelligent discussion. Please leave the rambling and stream-of-consciousness nonsense to the likes of Mike Hosking, Leighton Smith, and Paul Henry—all of whom, by the way, share your support for the Al Qaeda insurrection in Syria.

          … trying to figure out how The Standard Authors like Colonial Viper and Bill can support a mass murdering dictator, who slaughters his people from the air.

          Neither of those two Standard regulars do that. You are willfully misrepresenting them.

          Morrissey, in thinking that I have done no serious reading or thinking about Syria, you are seriously mistaken.

          Really? Your views, which seem to be nothing more than automatic acceptance of the State Department’s brutal propaganda, are dangerously naïve.

          After having been in Syria in late 2010, I have followed subsequent events there very closely. From my time in Syria I can tell you,

          Who did you talk to in Syria? Just going there is no guarantee that you learned anything or had a serious look at the situation.

          …that I know an oppressive and grotesque police state when I see one.

          The United States is being revealed every day to be an oppressive and grotesque police state, at least in regard to poor blacks and Latinos and native Americans. Would you support a bloody insurrection in the U.S., led by religious fanatics and funded by a foreign state, as is happening in Syria?

          It is those who peddle the narrative of a foreign CIA conspiracy to topple the dictator who have a very shallow understanding of Syria or indeed of the Arab people.

          “Peddle the narrative”? You’re pretending that there is NOT a U.S./U.K./Saudi/Turkish conspiracy to topple Assad? Are you serious?

          That the Arab people don’t have the wit or the courage to try and overthrough [sic] their oppressors, and are not dupes in a big foreign conspiracy, is patronising and dare I say it racist.

          It is not “the Arab people” that is behind this bloody insurrection, it is Al Qaeda, and its state supporters—the United States, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.

          Here is a video report by New Zealand’s own Anita McNaught inside Syria at the start of the genocidal aerial bombardment of the liberated areas by the dictator. I think it destroys the stupid and shallow narrative of a foreign CIA/US/Saudi plot.

          Anita McNaught is hardly a credible journalist. As I said yesterday, you need to read something other than propaganda. I suggest you start sooner rather than later.

  6. Jenny 6
    23 October 2016 at 9:42 am

    Ever since the protest and occupation of the drill ship in New Plymouth by Lucy Lawless and other climate activists the continuing fight against extreme fossil fuel technologies like deep sea oil and arctic oil drillling the links between New Zealand and Norway are being drawn again.

    Tomorrow, the President of the native Sami People of Norway is joining a gathering of Maori and locals on the Marae Aripara in the far north at 1pm to celebrate a victory over deep sea oil drilling in this country.

    https://tehiku.nz/te-hiku-radio/kuaka-marangaranga/4432/mike-smith-on-the-president-of-sami-visiting-te-taitokerau

    Meantime James Hansen has penned a letter to the Prime Minister of Norway asking for a halt in Artic oil drilling.

    Dear Prime Minister Solberg
    by Web Team | October 19, 2016
    Category: Blog
    October 18th, 2016
     
    Dear Prime Minister Solberg,
    A year ago I wrote an open letter urging you to carry out an act of transformational climate leadership. I held the faint hope that your government might yet waken to the realities of climate change, heed the call of thousands of Norwegians and rescind the 23rd licensing round, which allows oil companies to exploit massive fossil resources in the Barents Sea. That act of responsible stewardship – pulling out of an Arctic oil race that puts all of humanity at risk – would have salvaged Norway’s reputation as an environmental champion and set a bold example for the rest of the world. It would also have secured your legacy as one of a handful of political leaders reacting decisively to the greatest threat civilization has ever faced……

    http://csas.ei.columbia.edu/2016/10/19/dear-prime-minister-solberg/

    • Jenny 6.1
      23 October 2016 at 9:50 am

      Correction: The President of the Sami People will be in Ahipara on Tuesday, not Monday.

      All welcome to join the celebrations.

  7. Morrissey 7
    23 October 2016 at 10:50 am

    The wit and wisdom of Michelle Boag
    Q+A, TV1, Sunday 23 October 2016

    The embarrassingly inept Hekia Parata will soon be gone, no doubt having been “encouraged” strongly to leave by the brains of the National Party, Mr Joyce, who has more than once been required to move in and clean up after her. Despite her embarrassingly substandard performance, there are some people who will do their duty and stick up up for her. People like Michelle Boag, who delivered the following eulogy this morning….

    “Hekia is a change agent. She is totally dedicated to education. The children in New Zealand could not be in better hands….”

    incoherent rambling continues….

    http://tvnz.co.nz/q-and-a-news/superfund-s-move-away-fossil-fuels-panel-video-6498859

  8. marty mars 8
    23 October 2016 at 12:18 pm

    It can often be very challenging for the children of those who suicide. They often need a lot of support immediately after and access to it when they need it down the track. Of course they are a subset of all children who need help. They are all waiting too long for support – this MUST be improved. Kia kaha to all.

    http://i.stuff.co.nz/national/health/85509692/thousand-of-kiwi-kids-waiting-for-mental-health-treatment

    • RedLogix 8.1
      24 October 2016 at 12:32 am

      Here in Australia it’s finally getting some attention. Six men are killing themselves every day and almost nothing was being said about it. Yes you read that right … six every day.

      http://www.smh.com.au/comment/suicide-rate-we-need-to-stop-the-scourge-killing-our-men-20160309-gnf7un.html

      https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/mar/09/highest-australian-suicide-rate-in-13-years-driven-by-men-aged-40-to-44

      Many of these men were employed in manufacturing, construction, farming and mining, Hickie said, fields which over the past few years have experienced high levels of redundancies and uncertainty.

      “Those with better employment prospects in these fields a decade ago are now experiencing a downturn, they often have families to support and mortgages to pay and they are then losing their jobs and losing their connection to friends and financial security. They become disconnected.

      “Sometimes their families fall apart as a result and they find themselves going through a divorce and personal upheaval too.”

      It is now the leading cause of pre-mature death in middle-aged men in Australia, almost 18% of deaths. An absolute epidemic that until very recently nobody wanted to talk about.

      And this is without even considering the impact on all the families, friends and co-workers left behind. That’s a whole other story as well.

  9. joe90 9
    23 October 2016 at 8:33 pm

    Gavin MacFadyen, founder and director of the Centre for Investigative Journalism and associate of Julian Assange, has died.

    Standing by for the Clinton death pool nonsense……

    http://tcij.org/gavin-macfadyen

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gavin_MacFadyen

  10. repateet 10
    23 October 2016 at 9:22 pm

    “Did police use booze checkpoint to target elderly women at euthanasia meeting?”

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/85652982/did-police-use-booze-checkpoint-to-targets-elderly-women-at-euthanasia-meeting

    I wondered when I heard n the rad that police were visiting women who’d been at the meeting, if they or any of their neighbours were waiting for visits from the police because they’d been burgled. Waiting but not getting attention because the police were busy with important stuff.

    The legal people have their views, and expressed them in the article, “may have over-stepped the mark” and “unusual for those details (name and addresses) to be requested ahead of a breath-test”.

    To me it sounds like the stuff of a Police state.

  11. pat 11
    23 October 2016 at 10:33 pm

    “As the commission doubtless knows, no government would impose such charges, or shut down northern airports to allow Heathrow to grow. Having approved the extra capacity, the government will discover that it’s incompatible with our commitments under the climate change act, mull the consequences for a minute or two, then quietly abandon the commitments. It’s this simple: a third runway at Heathrow means that the UK will not meet its carbon targets. Hold me to that in 2050.”

    http://www.monbiot.com/2016/10/19/the-flight-of-reason/

    a reaction I suspect we will see imitated here…

  12. weka 12
    23 October 2016 at 11:46 pm

    [In order to keep OM and DR free for other conversations, all comments, link postings etc about the US election now need to go in the dedicated US election discussion here.

    If you are unsure, post in that thread rather than here. It’s not possible for moderators to shift comments from OM to there, so any comments here may get deleted – weka]

  13. Stuart Munro 13
    23 October 2016 at 11:50 pm

    There was some discussion of the Philippines the other day after CV’s post. This is the Economist’s take on it:

    http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21708984-philippines-until-now-staunch-american-ally-falling-chinese-camp-dutertes-pivot

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    One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    10 hours ago

  • A who’s who of New Zealand’s dodgiest companies
    Submissions on National's corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law are due today (have you submitted?), and just hours before they close, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has been forced to release the list of companies he invited to apply. I've spent the last hour going through it in an epic thread of bleats, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    12 hours ago

  • On Lee’s watch, Economic Development seems to be stuck on scoring points from promoting sporting e...
    Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    13 hours ago

  • New Zealand has never been closed for business
    1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    14 hours ago

  • Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    17 hours ago

  • Melissa Lee and the media: ending the quest
    Chris Trotter writes –  MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    18 hours ago

  • The Hoon around the week to April 19
    TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    18 hours ago

  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
    Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    19 hours ago

  • Nicola's Salad Days.
    I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    19 hours ago

  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
    TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    20 hours ago

  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
    It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    21 hours ago

  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    22 hours ago

  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    24 hours ago

  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A Step–by–Step Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and third–party applications. So, let‘s dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. That‘s why they introduced the “Recently Deleted“ folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Here‘s how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the “Recents“ tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on “Edit“. Select “Show Recently Deleted“. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose “Recover“ to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Here‘s how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose “Erase All Content and Settings“. Follow the on–screen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose “Restore from iCloud Backup“ during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore Third–Party Apps (with Caution): ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago

  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    2 days ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    2 days ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    2 days ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    4 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    5 days ago

  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
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  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
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  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
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  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
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  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
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  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
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  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
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  • Taupō takes pole position
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  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
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  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
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  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
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  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
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  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
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  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
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  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
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  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
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  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
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  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
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  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
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  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
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  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
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  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
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  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
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  • Navigating an unstable global environment
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  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
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  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
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  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
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  • Joint US and NZ declaration
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  • NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
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