Open mike 24/05/2019

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, May 24th, 2019 - 151 comments
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151 comments on “Open mike 24/05/2019 ”

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  1. WeTheBleeple 1
    24 May 2019 at 7:49 am

    Taro has finally been vindicated as a staple plant of early Maori in NZ. Now can we get back to growing it?

    https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2019/04/09/new-fossil-evidence-claims-first-discovery-of-taro-in-mori-garde.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=at_aucklandmay19&utm_term=hum,his,res,art

    I was tasked by local Iwi to try and grow the black Colocasia esculenta as they'd 'forgotten how' (told they never did grow it as they could not and were rightly frustrated with such nonsense as it was on the land). Many trials later the plant showed me how it works.

    In a bowl in the land, where after rain it holds water, but can still dry out. Wherever the white (funeral aka peace aka calla) lily grows. In partial shade. In shelter.

    Find a sheltered concave spot where the lily grows. Place Taro plants with the lilys, watch the Taro take over.

    For the non-black varieties, similar rules, but extra care making sure the place gets water. There are many varieties but these are what you'd typically encounter. Both can cope with dry for a period, the black is much hardier but only when in the right spot (ousting lilys).

    What I like most about this plant is that it is a part of the landscape. It looks really good, and it doesn't have to be decimated to be enjoyed (just thin the big stuff and eat that), this can be a staple, or emergency supplies.

    Does well beneath bananas and nut trees so very low maintenance polyculture is also an option.

    Grow some history, serve with corn beef – YUM.

    • Sabine 1.2
      24 May 2019 at 9:00 am

      There are a lot of Pacific Islanders that grow Taro in south auckland.

      The friend who works for the Department of Conservation just went to Taiwan to follow the roots of the Taro in the pacific. Very very interesting.

      • WeTheBleeple 1.2.1
        24 May 2019 at 9:12 am

        Yes there are a few here in Westmere growing it too. Interestingly it is mostly Islanders growing it, few Maori (though no qualms with eating it). I hope this historical find helps it make a comeback within 'local' cuisine as well – any variety to our staples lends resilience.

        My favorite expert here, strain specific siting is important for producers to know about:



      • greywarshark 1.2.2
        24 May 2019 at 9:49 am

        Interesting indeed about taros role in enabling life in the Pacific. We need to look back and gather in all sorts of knowledge they had in simpler times. It is what intelligent people do when faced with an uncertain future, climate and political -wise. And thanks WtB for transferring the video link. That stuff is gold I reckon and you are doing interesting, good stuff. Thanks for keeping us informed.

        We need to know useful stuff as we continue along our smooth road built on sandy ground, driven by a love of machines and technology that allow those with class connections and power to sacrifice people's lives for the love of doing things fast, getting grand things – houses, cars, planes, lime scooters, and childishly adopting ideas and things enthusiastically but shortly after throwing them out of the cot. And all to get lots of financial credits to enable the above cycle to continue. Mad. We have had heaven and never recognised it, seeking it in some vague form of the after-life. But children's thinking of a future is where there will be more and greater things when they grow up.

        • francesca 1.2.2.1
          24 May 2019 at 3:37 pm

          Absolutely Grey

          I have the notion that culture begins as an interaction with the environment peoples find themselves in .They learn how to live with those conditions. There's a certain cultural character that arises from those countries that have climates that restrict the growing season, thus they learn to grow food in a limited season and then store it

          Those in more optimal climes have less anxiety about food and don't learn to stockpile and store.

          I really regret the homogenisation of the world's societies .We have lost so much knowledge about how to live in suboptimal circumstances(without the excessive use of energy)

          We need cultural diversity just as much as biodiversity

    • Robert Guyton 1.3
      24 May 2019 at 9:56 am

      Grows in tunnelhouses in Invercargill – I seen it!

      • WeTheBleeple 1.3.1
        24 May 2019 at 10:18 am

        Wow! That's cool (yes the pun was deliberate). It was 11 degrees here this morning I felt the chill then wondered what you were getting: Riverton 7. Colder…

        We're quite blessed up here getting sub-tropicals running wild. Site selection is key to it, basic earthworks. I never in a million (ok, with climate change I totally imagined it possible) thought of Taro in Invercargill.

        Do you know their target market? That's really interesting.

        • Robert Guyton 1.3.1.1
          24 May 2019 at 12:19 pm

          Members of the Pacific Island community have a couple of big tunnelhouse in which they grow sizeable and healthy taro; huge leaves, as you know. I was promised some rhizomes, but forgot to collect, but now that I'm reminded, I'll go back, spade in hand. I don't know anything about cultivation, but they'll show me.

          Do you know the multiplex bamboos?

          • WeTheBleeple 1.3.1.1.1
            24 May 2019 at 12:38 pm

            No. Just read the wiki on it and there was little information.

            What are you up to with it?

            I saw some bamboo hedging/shelter belts recently in the Waitakere ranges, it was almost as tall as mature poplars, it was being used to shelter forestry – impressive!

            • greywarshark 1.3.1.1.1.1
              24 May 2019 at 12:51 pm

              Robert and WtB

              I think Sabine on How to.. was asking about safe bamboo ie not spreading and problematic, so if someone hasn't replied, could someone do that. She is keen on giving things a go.

          • francesca 1.3.1.1.2
            24 May 2019 at 3:26 pm

            Robert

            Can I pick your brains?

            WTB also if he's in range

            A friend and I were discussing her new tunnel house

            I told her that in mine I didnt replace or sterilise the soil each growing season, but rather added to the soil constantly with all manner of organic matter. This I said, all wise and knowledgeable ,was so that all the available living sites in the soil would be taken up by saprophytic fungi , thus excluding the parasitic fungi .But then my voice faltered as I thought about that.

            Why would parasitic fungi be in dead and decaying matter, when its liking is for living tissue? Resting bodies? Overwintering ?

            Now I'm all at 6s and 7s

            So, I'll still keep up with the seagrass and horseshit and the like , and actually , I haven't had any problems with fungal diseases the entire 10 years, but now I'm having doubts about my advice.

            Can you enlighten me?

            • WeTheBleeple 1.3.1.1.2.1
              24 May 2019 at 5:00 pm

              LOL! That's a crazy hard question.

              Yeah some fungi can encyst or hibernate for winter, some vary in hosts for winter vs summer and might be bad for one and no sign on the other.

              There's biotrophic (attack living) and necrotrophic (attack dead) fungal pathogens. A necrotrophic pathogen kills living cells and then consumes them dead while a biotrophic pathogen feeds on the living cells. Some might switch it up…

              Saprotrophs are neither supposedly – eating already dead materials. But who knows what else they get up to, trying to pin one function to one fungi is problematic at best. Botrytis use hackers, armored vehicles, propaganda and more when they attack. Plants kill off cells trying to stop it and so just play into the pathogens 'hands'.

              Fungi are crazy cool, but we know jack shit…

              Some fungi are symbionts in one circumstance and pathogens in the next, why is mostly a mystery. Changing circumstances. The pathogens of pathogenic fungi are mostly free living but can be employed by plants. Other symbionts, like mycorrhizae may provide niche exclusion where they've coated the rhizosphere… Any beneficial potentially helps exclude problematic microbes, but their functions might be important.

              In the gut Akkermancia gets a bad rap degrading sulphide bridges (memory here, forgive if I mess it up) but their wastes feed beneficial bacteria that entrain the immune system to fight bugs like Akkermancia… it pays to be careful what we consider problematic. Often the 'problems' are parts of systems beyond our comprehension.

              A complex food web is created by the organic matter, it is also protected (from weather) by it with the majority of microbial life residing in the upper surface of the soil. There are fungi for every occasion in the soil food web, most of which we've not discovered yet.

              If it's working, I wouldn't sweat it too much. I have many species on my section right now I don't know them by name – yet I'm often the go to guy for fungi…

              What's that (any clearly visible mushroom) people say?

              Basidiomycetes, I reply in sagacious tone.

              • francesca …
                24 May 2019 at 5:31 pm

                Very good.Thanks WTB

                My Dip Hort training was very black and white , good and bad bugs etc,roundup was a "good "herbicide rendered inactive by the soil, saprophytic fungi good , parasitic bad.Jeez, I spent loads of my working life unlearning stuff.The best was plant ID, and lifecycles of the rust fungus, plus metamorphosis and all that wonderful scifi life of insects

                All in all as long as you've got a thriving live community of microbiota they'll sort it out.?

                Can't help thinking that sterilisation just clears the slate for the most aggressive colonisers

                Think I'll keep recommending the organic matter but lay off suggesting that'll give immunity to any pathogens

              • WeTheBleeple …
                24 May 2019 at 6:57 pm

                It's illegal to bromide soils anymore, but those in the know know that marigolds produce bromide in their root zones and can be used to control soil insect pests.

                I have some damage to some root crops and could cycle the marigolds in the area to alleviate insect pressure in the soil. I'll probably not, hoping instead to bring in predatory beetles through providing habitat, but it is an option. What damage there is I cut around it, feed to chooks, it's all good.

                Problematic fungi typically like damp poor draining places, but I can't speak too soon, in super dry California they've many pathogens all of their own.

                Organic matter might give immunity to pathogens. There's plenty of studies to suggest compost does this. It is not just nutritional but the biota. If you break it down there are many species that produce compounds plants use in defense against various parasites and pathogens and there are myriad papers of all sorts of wierd and wonderful goings on with bacteria fungi and more.

                Silica is definitely useful in plant defense – a constituent in abundance in sea grass.

                Some tried to teach me in black and white. A mugs game at best. Read the damn text books.

                • francesca …
                  24 May 2019 at 7:13 pm

                  wink

                  • Robert Guyton …
                    25 May 2019 at 6:59 am

                    A tunnelhouse is a bubble of exclusivity and the environment inside, removed from many natural processes. Minimising that exclusive quality as far as possible is the best management, imo; get rainwater in there as often as you can, allow or attract insects and birds to visit, promote the through-flow of fresh air and encourage as wide as possible a range of plants to grow in there as your sense of aesthetics will allow. If you can, flood the soil at the end of the main growing season, with rain water and rinse away any built-up salts. Bring in home-made composts. Refresh the soil if needed; take out any that's looking less than healthy and replace it with compost thats been exposed to the wide world conditions. That should do it. Focus on and promote that which is healthy and your under-cover environment will be healthy. Pay only slight heed to the pathogens; they're going to struggle in any healthy environment you create. S'wot I reckon.

                    • francesca …
                      25 May 2019 at 8:41 am

                      Great advice

                      Yep , focus on all that good life giving stuff rather than the disease

                      Love the photo Robert, hows it going with the retirement sea straw house?

                  • Robert Guyton …
                    25 May 2019 at 7:21 am

                    Oh, and on the topic of materials from the sea…

                    https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/home-property/nz-gardener/74112477/

    • ianmac 1.4
      24 May 2019 at 11:12 am

      A Samoan family rented a house near us in Blenheim. I think that they had a crop of Taro growing in a little garden facing north. It looked like Taro leaf anyway.

    • Poission 1.5
      24 May 2019 at 12:35 pm

      Taro was well known as a staple crop eg Colenso.

      The taro plants (each one beautiful in itself) rising from the plain carefully levelled surface, which was sometimes even strewed with white sand brought from a distance, and patted smooth with their hand;*

      http://rsnz.natlib.govt.nz/image/rsnz_13/rsnz_13_00_0028_0009_ac_01.html

      • WeTheBleeple 1.5.1
        24 May 2019 at 12:49 pm

        Nice! The white sand reflects and thus enhances light availability. Maori gardeners knew lots of great tricks.

        The opening lines reveal the story this paper you linked failed to correct (in the PDF):

        "Two gross errors have largely and repeatedly been industriously published concerning the ancient Maoris, and these, too, from our first knowledge of them: [….] (2) Their great want of food.Hence [….] the poor creatures were necessarily in a savage and starving state."

        We've evolved somewhat in our views, but make no mistake the denial of indigenous intelligence was widespread.

  2. Andre 2
    24 May 2019 at 8:46 am

    More indictments for Assange.

    https://edition.cnn.com/2019/05/23/politics/julian-assange-espionage-act-charges/index.html

    These go a lot further towards being political charges and being protected speech activities. So the prosecutorial overreach may in fact help Assange argue against extradition, whether it be directly from the UK, or from Sweden. And if it's from Sweden, then the UK also has to agree, so Assange may get extra protection from that.

    • James 2.1
      24 May 2019 at 8:49 am

      what the new charges indicate are that even if they can’t get him to the US they will fight this for ever – he will be held in cells for a long long long time.

      • Andre 2.1.1
        24 May 2019 at 8:54 am

        Dunno about that. In 2013 Obama and his Justice Department concluded that it wasn't in the national interest to go after Assange because of the potential harmful chilling effect on legitimate journalism and free speech. Come January 2021, there may be a new prez and Attorney General that feel that same way.

          • Andre 2.1.1.1.1
            24 May 2019 at 9:12 am

            I gotta confess to some curiosity about about what Assange now thinks about his activities helping elect the most committed anti-free press pro-corruption president in modern history.

            Whether he's filed it under "oops, seemed a good idea at the time" or whether he's so consumed by anti-american hate that he thinks the damage getting done to the US by Tyrannosaurus Arse makes it worth it.

            • greywarshark 2.1.1.1.1.1
              24 May 2019 at 9:31 am

              Assange's thoughts would be more complex and labelling them as anti-american hate is a knee jerk choice of term I am sure. Anyone who tries to be objective about the behaviours of countries and particularly the large ones will be extremely worried and wary about their attitude to the people of the world. I don't think that calling big countries' attitudes anti-people-hate is taking it too far when one looks at the sort of things they have done.

              For instance the Marshall Islands have had to fight back from being guinea pigs for atomic blasts from the USA. Also the French exploded over a hundred atomic devices mostly in the South Pacific.

              The USA has used its prominence to do lots of bad stuff. Simply put. Assange recognises this and has reacted to it by showing up their hypocrisy of pretending they are good guys protecting the free world! Andre I think you have said you are American. I think therefore that your views may be biased and not objective.

              And now this:

              In Fiji on Thursday, he [UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres] told the crowd about "a kind of coffin" built by the US in the Marshall Islands to house the deadly radioactive debris from 1980s.

              The structure, however, was never meant to last. Today, due to disrepair and rising sea tides, it is dangerously vulnerable. A strong storm could breach the dome, releasing the deadly legacy of America's nuclear might.

              "I've just been with the President of the Marshall Islands (Hilda Heine), who is very worried because there is a risk of leaking of radioactive materials that are contained in a kind of coffin in the area," Guterres said in Fiji, Agence France-Presse reported.

              Guterres' "coffin" was the product of a belated American response to the testing of the 1940s and 1950s. Beginning in 1977, the Defence Nuclear Agency began a sustained cleanup of the nuclear debris left over on Enewetak Atoll…

              https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/south-pacific/112903016/worry-as-pacific-nuclear-waste-barrier-cracks

              • Andre …
                24 May 2019 at 9:51 am

                Assange's actions around shoving his cock into women's bodies in ways that were explicitly not consented to, then scarpering every time it looked like he might get held accountable, don't speak to much complexity of thought on his part.

                • francesca …
                  24 May 2019 at 10:02 am

                  Well then Andre he deserves the judicial and psychological rape he is now being subjected to does he?

                  And the military and economic rape the lawless US dishes out daily and which Assange exposed to the world can carry on merrily because …Assange is accused(but not convicted) of not using a condom

                  And the powers that be are now in possession of a wonderful weapon… the gullibility of the public when accusations of sexual impropriety are thrown around.

                  The chilling effect that this has on journalists, because we are all, every one of us flawed in all kinds of ways, and the compliant media could discredit every one of us, destroy us , rape us psychologically every day of the week and people like you will stand on the roadside cheering and jeering

                  Funny old world

                  • Andre …
                    24 May 2019 at 10:12 am

                    What's the current going rate for how many documents showing shitty government behaviour you need to publish to get one freebie rape?

                • Blazer …
                  24 May 2019 at 10:05 am

                  not a very charitable version.

                  2 starfuckers who compared notes and were…pissed off.

                  • Andre …
                    24 May 2019 at 1:03 pm

                    Starfuckers aren't allowed to set limits to what they consent to? And because they're starfuckers, they lose the right to hold accountable those that breach the limits of their consent? When you’re a star, it’s ok even if they don’t want to let you do it?

                  • Psycho Milt …
                    24 May 2019 at 1:06 pm

                    Yeah, these two and Christine Blasey Ford – all these awful women making false accusations. Won't somebody please, please think of the rapists?

                • greywarshark …
                  24 May 2019 at 12:47 pm

                  You seem to know a lot about his sexual carrying on Andre. All you described is covered by the words 'had sex with'. Do you find this itself a disgraceful and unpleasant behaviour? There might not be complexity in Assange's mind about it but there certainly seems to be in yours.

                  As I understood it he had had sexual relations with his female partner, and then felt desire and had it again when she wasn't fully awake. You speak of 'ways that were explicitly not consented to' is that two counts or one? Was it the ways that he performed this act, or did he go against explicit instructions, ie not used condom? If he had not used a condom. that is wrong and exposes the woman to possible pregnancy and/or sexual diseases so is a no-no, but doesn't constitute rape.

                  • Andre …
                    24 May 2019 at 1:00 pm

                    Are you an expert in Swedish law? Do you know exactly what happened? If not, then how do you know that what happened didn't constitute rape?

                  • Psycho Milt …
                    24 May 2019 at 1:12 pm

                    All you described is covered by the words 'had sex with'. Do you find this itself a disgraceful and unpleasant behaviour?

                    Why ask Andre? What counts is what the person he "had sex with" has to say about it, and what they've had to say can't have been that complimentary, given the criminal investigation.

                    If he had not used a condom. that is wrong and exposes the woman to possible pregnancy and/or sexual diseases so is a no-no, but doesn't constitute rape.

                    Consent can be conditional on use of a condom. In which case the term for not using one isn't the "surprise creampie" often depicted as a hilarious gag in porn videos, it's "rape."

                    • Sam …
                      24 May 2019 at 1:19 pm

                      You stupid twats are sick in the head. It's non of your business what two people do in the bedroom. For starters Julian's accusers wanted Julian tested for STDz. It was a secound prosecutor under orders who had the allegations upgraded. This has and never have been about the victim. All this is is an excuse for the woke to demonstrate how virtuous there feelings of victimhood is.

                    • Psycho Milt …
                      24 May 2019 at 1:35 pm

                      Absolutely it's none of my business what two people do in a bedroom, but it definitely is my business when people are posting rape apologia on a blog I read.

                      Also: believing that consent matters is not virtue-signalling for the woke. Men who don't understand that consent matters sometimes end up having to tell a court why the jury should believe sex was consensual when the other party vehemently denies it. Why not just avoid that scenario and avoid being a creep at the same time?

                    • greywarshark …
                      24 May 2019 at 1:57 pm

                      I was talking about the way that Andre explained the matter PM. It seems to be that sex sets many of you off like wind-up clockwork toys.

                    • Sam …
                      24 May 2019 at 2:38 pm

                      yall are producing stupid comments that illustrate how naive you are.

                    • Psycho Milt …
                      24 May 2019 at 4:23 pm

                      It seems to be that sex sets many of you off like wind-up clockwork toys.

                      Sex? Haven't noticed that topic come up. Rape apologia certainly sets some of us off though, yes. Have you all considered not writing any? That would shut down my comments on the subject of Assange almost completely.

                    • Sam …
                      24 May 2019 at 5:18 pm

                      This actually goes to a wider set of societal norms. So is it okay for the state to run assignation programmes? Or in this case against Assange, is it okay to use the coercive powers of the state keeping in mind that Hillary Clinton while Secretary of State public stated a desire to drone him for publishing evidence that she was malfeasance in the death of a Lybian Ambassador. So the question I'm trying to get at here is it it cool for the state to use rape allegations as a tool to extradite Assange?

                    • Morrissey …
                      24 May 2019 at 5:51 pm

                      There's far more compelling evidence that Assange sacrificed young boys to the goddess Chamunda while in the Ecuadorian embassy. You'd build a more convincing case if you followed up that rumour.

                    • Psycho Milt …
                      24 May 2019 at 7:09 pm

                      So the question I'm trying to get at here is it it cool for the state to use rape allegations as a tool to extradite Assange?

                      Well, that depends, doesn't it? If it's using rape allegations to extradite Assange for some nefarious non-rape-allegations-related purpose, then that wouldn't be cool at all.

                      However, if it's using rape allegations to extradite Assange because someone's made a rape allegation against him, then yes, totally cool. I notice that someone has made a rape allegation against him.

                    • Psycho Milt …
                      24 May 2019 at 7:11 pm

                      There's far more compelling evidence that Assange sacrificed young boys to the goddess Chamunda while in the Ecuadorian embassy.

                      I wasn't aware you'd reviewed the evidence in this case, Morrissey. Have you passed your findings on to the Swedish investigators?

                  • McFlock …
                    24 May 2019 at 4:57 pm

                    More of the same, really.

                    Full of straw men and not-quite-truths.

                    • Morrissey …
                      24 May 2019 at 5:27 pm

                      ?????

                      You really have nothing to offer except bile and lies. State-sponsored lies.

                    • McFlock …
                      24 May 2019 at 5:35 pm

                      State sponsored? I thought my tax refund was a bit light, frankly.

                    • Morrissey …
                      24 May 2019 at 5:45 pm

                      You're doing it for free. At least the likes of hapless Hosking and his ilk get paid for their nonsense.

                    • McFlock …
                      24 May 2019 at 5:57 pm

                      So my comments aren't state sponsored then. Nasty thing to accuse me of, that.

                      Summing up the entire swedish situation as people saying "he's a rapist" is a straw man argument. It allows no room for the concept of "he was accused of rape, so should face up to the legal system on that charge". And before you dolt45 "no charges", the British Supreme Court disagreed with that argument.

                      The statement in jeremyB's link "InterPol bizarrely issued a Red Notice for Assange, typically reserved for terrorists and dangerous criminals, not alleged first-time rapists" is a mischaracterisation of interpol notice classifications. And rape is a serious crime, even the first time. So that's a not-quite-truth.

                      And so on, with everything covered before here on rape-apology groundhog day, anyway.

                    • Morrissey …
                      24 May 2019 at 6:00 pm

                      "Rape apology"? State-sponsored or simply choosing to repeat state lies without shame, you're lying.

                    • James []
                      25 May 2019 at 9:13 am

                      Are you an apologist for all rapes – or just these ones?

                    • McFlock …
                      24 May 2019 at 6:15 pm

                      You say that, yet choose to not show how my examples from the link are not a " not-quite-truth" or a "straw man argument".

                      Because using either to minimise rape allegations against someone is rape apology. So therefore I'm telling the truth when I use that term.

                      Try using fewer slogans and more substance.

                  • Sam …
                    24 May 2019 at 5:20 pm

                    Dont mind McTrash. He's damaged.

                    Edit: yeah, 1 through 10. I could agree with that although as you can see from Mc Trashs response, you either agree that the state should be held to account or not.

                    • McFlock …
                      24 May 2019 at 5:28 pm

                      Or maybe the state should be held to account, but so should individuals.

                    • Incognito …
                      24 May 2019 at 5:46 pm

                      It was going so well 🙁

                    • Sam …
                      24 May 2019 at 5:54 pm

                      Going well? Really…

                      Assange has been stewing in jeopardy and this is well? I don't think so.

                      Yknow, New Zealand is a juvenile island Nation that for many reasons can not let go of the great powers car door, now America.

                    • Incognito []
                      24 May 2019 at 6:18 pm

                      Never mind. Sam, I wasn’t commenting on Assange 😉

                    • Sam …
                      24 May 2019 at 6:45 pm

                      Well I was. We need global solutions and Assange is apart of the package.

            • francesca 2.1.1.1.1.2
              24 May 2019 at 9:53 am

              How can you say that Assange helped elect Trump when Clinton won the popular vote?

              How did Assange publishing accurate information swing the electoral college ?

              How did Assange affect the votes of those crucial states which Clinton thought she had in the bag and didnt bother campaigning in?

              How did Assange induce the DNC to deny opportunities to Sanders to fairly campaign?

              By rigging the nomination the DNC denied voters the possibility of Sanders being a viable opposition to Trump

              You can't blame Assange for that

              • Andre …
                24 May 2019 at 10:07 am

                Wow, you're really into this post-fact post-truth thing.

                Here's a couple of pieces from The Intercept about how WikiLeaks was enthusiastically helping the Fraud from Fifth Avenue and dumping on Hillary.

                https://theintercept.com/2018/02/14/julian-assange-wikileaks-election-clinton-trump/

                https://theintercept.com/2017/11/15/wikileaks-julian-assange-donald-trump-jr-hillary-clinton/

                Or there's things like WikiLeaks enthusiastically collaborating in spreading smears about Hillary's health.

                https://www.thedailybeast.com/jerome-corsi-told-roger-stone-wikileaks-had-dirt-on-hillarys-health-then-the-attacks-started

                • francesca …
                  24 May 2019 at 10:18 am

                  Wow!

                  Read the comments below the line on those 2 outdated Intercept pieces?

                  Fucking hilarious, and better written than the articles

                  Intercept readers weren't buying it

                  • Andre …
                    24 May 2019 at 10:30 am

                    Assange groupie endorses views of other Assange groupies, ignores anything unfavourable to Assange. What a surprise.

                  • Morrissey …
                    24 May 2019 at 5:31 pm

                    Francesca, the outstanding independent journalist Allan Nairn was on Democracy Now! today. He had words of counsel for the Democratic Party:

                    AMY GOODMAN: Just before you leave, can you weigh in on the whole impeachment debate in the United States?

                    ALLAN NAIRN: Well, it’s a longer discussion. But if you turn on CNN, MSNBC these days, unless you’re someone who has been following these channels avidly, I think you’ll find a lot of what they’re talking about is incomprehensible gobbledygook, because they go on and on about Don McGahn and all these figures who most people don’t know who they are, rather than talking about the substantive issues of the atrocities that Trump is committing daily—the abduction and, as you just mentioned, de facto murder of children on the border, the gutting of labor rights, the gutting of environmental protections. And instead, they’re talking about—the Democrats are going off on a tangent, and they’re handing Trump a political gift. If you’re going to impeach him, impeach him on substance, not a Russia plot, which Mueller already concluded Trump didn’t criminally participate in.

                    AMY GOODMAN: Well, we’re going to have to leave it there, because I know you have to catch a train. But I do want to ask you, on other grounds—that’s what a number of the Democrats are talking about now—for example, not being willing to cooperate with Congress on giving over information.

                    ALLAN NAIRN: Yeah. One problem, though, is the Democrats are creating this constitutional confrontation. They rightly point out that it’s outrageous that Trump is refusing to turn over documents that Congress has legally and rightfully subpoenaed, but the Democrats are doing that premised on what is a very weak premise, the idea that somehow there’s something nefarious in the Russia plot, when Mueller has already concluded that there was nothing there criminally.

                    Do that based on substance. Do it based on his refusal to turn over documents about the crimes he’s committing along the Mexican border, about the way he’s driving the world to possible extinction through his stance on global warming, about his lifting of restrictions on the killing of civilians with the U.S. bombing and droning operations in the Middle East and North Africa. Do it on real issues, not a premise that has already been undercut by the Mueller investigation.

                    https://www.democracynow.org/2019/5/23/allan_nairn_impeachment_inquiry_should_focus

                    • francesca …
                      24 May 2019 at 6:55 pm

                      yeah thanks Morrissey

                      Its obviously much more exciting to believe in cartoon villains like them evil Rooskies….whatever they do its Wrong…they can't help it its in their nature

                      especially if you've been brought up on comics and Lex Luthor

      • McFlock 2.1.2
        24 May 2019 at 1:31 pm

        His original extradition case only took a couple of years, and went all the way up the system.

        But the British will have to have the same argument about freedom of speech and journalists as the US would if he ends up going over there.

  3. greywarshark 3
    24 May 2019 at 9:55 am

    India's Prime Minister Modi showed an echo of Trump when he was talking about making India great again, or similar expression. He is very popular despite some worrying tendencies in the past. Populism is in eh.

    • OnceWasTim 3.1
      24 May 2019 at 2:22 pm

      The whole Indian election thing I don't find the least bit surprising. And like the OZ elections thing across the ditch, there are parallels here that are also interesting.

      Personally I'm NOT AT ALL surprised at the Modi clean sweep (or indeed the ScoMo phenomenon) but what worries me is that we could see those parallels here in 2020 DESPITE an opposition being completely fucking useless, punitive, vacuous, nasty, and basically just a bit fik at times. (In fact I predicted it and I'm $5 better off).

      And in !ndia, that's even AFTER rural farmers committing suicide, the whole demonetisation fiasco, and a number of other things. I mean……… I know a couple of Congress and Smajwadi Party politicians (i.e. non-corrupt and with left-wing values the founders of NZ's Labour Party would be envious of) who jumped ship to the BJP before the latest. They did so because they perceived, and are now in a better position to get a few things done. I wish them the best of British luck too if any lil 'ole Koiwoi goes grovelling for, or to advance a FTA. )

      Pardon my resorting to buzz lingo, but basically the "Let's do this!" after now what is half way through a parliamentary term is being perceived by many as

      "Let's do this in the fullness of time going forward". (1984 and 1987 were also "transformational", as was Ruthenasia.)

      At the moment, 2020 is Labour and partners' election to lose, and it could ekshully happen.

      There's so much 'low hanging fruit' this coalition COULD be dealing with – and I mean some comparatively simple things….. but it's now evident to me that they won't.

      What are people at grass root pissed off with? and what do they perceive is being done about it? It isn't the cost of Corban's White Label Chardonnay – so far, it's SFA and it doesn't really fit with what their day-to-day experiences are – whether it's with Health, Edjikayshun, Social Warfare, Transport, etc.

      Why is food so expensive in NZ? (Why is it that locally produced [NZ] food can be obtained overseas CHEAPER than here)

      Why are building materials (including NZ pine timber) more expensive here? And why, if housing is (and was) a crisis, isn't the coalition responding with mechanisms normally used during an emergency or crisis – especially with regard to homelessness.

      Why do the exploited – whether the minimum waged (citizen or immigrant) get half-hearted measures and promises to rectify – there are one or two things that can be done there IMMEDIATELY.

      Why is it that restoring prisoners right to vote considered low priority – not too hard to simply repeal a bit of legislation promoted by a total fuckwit and failed public servant whose only real achievements involve successfully stealing and plagiarising others' policy and getting away with it.

      Why do problems in Health and Education keep persisting down.

      (Gawd!!!! there's so much more but it's involve a rave)

      There's so much the current opposition could take advantage of, and really the only reason they're not making any traction (so far) is that they're a complete load of plastic, self-entitled fuckwits – possibly as they always will be.

      We're so fortunate that the previous junta is struggling and that we have an amazing, intelligent and compassionate PM – even if she has to be assisted by a wise old owl dadda figure.

      My fear is that it's all being taken a wee bit for granted and some of them seem totally unaware who their enemas are (They're quite obviously closer to home than they know)

  4. Rosemary McDonald 4
    24 May 2019 at 10:20 am

    Organisations who support a sugary drink tax

    • Diabetes New Zealand

    • Heart Foundation

    • Dieticians NZ

    • New Zealand Dental Association

    • Public Health Association of New Zealand

    • Toi Tangata

    • FIZZ New Zealand

    • Hapai te Hauroa: Māori Public Health

    • Moana Ola: Pasifika Public Health Network

    • New Zealand Medical Association

    • Consumer NZ

    • Health Coalition Aotearoa

    • Diabetes Foundation Aotearoa (formerly Diabetes Project Trust)

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12233791

    Dr. Rob Beaglehole (and friends) again call on the Government to implement a tax on sugar.

    Of course Clark again says, nah.

    "I have met several times with the food industry and set out the clear expectation that business and the Government will work together on this issue."

    Sound science on the cost benefits of a sugar tax has been put before this government as it was to previous incumbents and yet Clark assumes the perennial default position of the neo liberal government by declaring a closer relationship with big business than it has with its own science advisors.

    SSDD.

    • higherstandard 4.1
      24 May 2019 at 10:36 am

      It is odd, general consensus that a tax would do good and certainly no harm, strong clinical and scientific support and the general public appear OK with a tax, yet the minister and government doing next to nothing.

  5. greywarshark 5
    24 May 2019 at 10:27 am

    Good moves on the political front on RadioNZ this morning that we would not have got if National was still in warming their bums, and drinking their summer wine (mulled in winter).

    Ron Mark is going ahead with the Defence Forces looking at man-rape in the '70s. Good on him for caring about the men's welfare. Fair's fair, we need to prevent people from being brutalised in any role, as the sealing off and secrecy about bad behaviour just produces rottenness underneath, like a wound not cleansed. (Single cells in prison also please. Perhaps with a review about some prisoners being let out, but having to attend remedial classes for their day task.)

    The Police are looking practically at speed cameras which are expensive in money and person-hours – and not good for the image of the Force which people think should be dealing with crime. Give them to the Transport Authority – managing road usage is their bag and they are good fine with spending money.

    Also the Commissioner for Children is requesting again that Police rethink their unwise chasing of stolen cars, and those who won't stop and salute. Speeding after speeding cars tends to make them go faster, the Commissioner referred to one at 160 kmh. Simple psychology says that fear and excitement mixed in immature brains will not result in reasoned thinking. Too much like film Thelma and Louise feeling!

    CAA spokesperson uttered the basic problem of neo liberalism that affected them, that for a period in decades back they were not sure of their required role. Was their role an enforcement regulator, or as a support to help business to be effective and efficient.

    (That's my take on his quote. And I think that would be behind the actions or inactions of the Christchurch building, planning and inspectors department. They were criticised but no doubt caught between a rock and a hard place by the invidious government acceptance of neo lib. This resulted in withdrawal from their role of responsibility for standards and the passing the ball to business which hailed itself as better, more efficient, reliable, knowledgable about the latest and always looking for the optimum standards, not wastefully over-specified by timid government.

    We can rue the past experiment with business cowing government and strutting like peacocks themselves, now with far too many failures left to government to clean up, or structures with built-in weaknesses, leading to early failures. Let's have a sea change to this approach now.)

    • alwyn 5.1
      24 May 2019 at 10:51 am

      "Also the Commissioner for Children is requesting again that Police rethink their unwise chasing of stolen cars, and those who won't stop".

      The problem I have with this idea is the question of how you are supposed to know that the driver is young and that they are only joy-riding. How would you like to be the Policeman who had to answer this question after they had stopped chasing a car?

      "Why did you stop chasing this car? There were 3 men in it together with a young girl they had abducted. After you stopped they continued to a deserted spot where they raped and murdered her. This would not have happened if you had stopped them, and protected her, as your oath required you to. What do you say to her family?"

      Of course it is hypothetical. However such abductions do, occasionally, happen and I would hate to be a Policeman who was responsible for allowing it.

      Look at the cases of Teresa Cormack and Kirsa Jensen in Hawke's Bay in the 1980s.

      My worry is of course an extreme one. However even having to account for your actions in not chasing a stolen car which then continued on and, 5 kilometers further along the road, crashed head-on into another car filled with totally innocent people who were killed in the crash would continue to haunt the police driver who gave up the chase.

      And I have to admit I have no idea what the right thing to do is.

      • dv 5.1.1
        24 May 2019 at 11:09 am

        Re chases.

        I have thought that a tag with a gps chip fired from ??? , and then track the car and pick up when safer.

        • Andre 5.1.1.1
          24 May 2019 at 12:46 pm

          Trying to attach a tracker depends on getting close enough to actually make it work. Most chases will have gone on for quite a long time before that happens.

          Personally, I'd be fine with every car getting some sort of tracking transponder before getting the privilege of being licensed to go out on public roads, and the cops being able to tap into the tracking information whenever they want. But I imagine that would trigger all sorts of objections from civil-liberties types. Some of those objections might even be valid.

          • McFlock 5.1.1.1.1
            24 May 2019 at 1:43 pm

            and then there's the issue that thieves could disable the transponder while they disable the car alarm lol

            • Andre 5.1.1.1.1.1
              24 May 2019 at 1:50 pm

              I wouldn't be surprised if sometime soon there's some big scandalous revelation that new cars are already doing it and it can't be disabled since it's built into the vehicle control systems. I vaguely recall reading something about Tesla collecting data from all their autonomous-ready vehicles to develop the mapping info they need to actually make fully autonomous work.

              • McFlock …
                24 May 2019 at 6:23 pm

                Oooo that's true. And we find out that their wifi/bluetooth capabilities are network sniffing like the google streetview cars were.

                I keep forgetting that since about 2001 most cars have been more computer than mechanical. "Oh, just unplug it" works less and less these days 🙂

                • Macro …
                  24 May 2019 at 7:09 pm

                  Well Mark Z turn 35 the other day – and all he wanted for his birthday was your personal data. laugh

        • WeTheBleeple 5.1.1.2
          24 May 2019 at 12:56 pm

          I thought similar, but what if you could just not chase suspects, but laser tag vehicles so a drone follows it. They wouldn't know they were being followed and with a bit of slick drone GPS-cop radio coordination, they stop someplace, cops move in.

      • McFlock 5.1.2
        24 May 2019 at 1:38 pm

        The problem I have with this idea is the question of how you are supposed to know that the driver is young and that they are only joy-riding.

        It is a fair point in general, although in a recent case in the news they were looking for that specific kid, ID'd the car he'd stolen, and knew the kid had a history of dangerous flight.

    • Rosemary McDonald 5.2
      24 May 2019 at 2:01 pm

      CAA spokesperson uttered the basic problem of neo liberalism that affected them, that for a period in decades back they were not sure of their required role. Was their role an enforcement regulator, or as a support to help business to be effective and efficient.

      It is a troubled organisation is the Civil Aviation Authority and they seem to get on the wrong side with just about everyone they deal with.

      New Zealand is a tiny country and governing bodies have a hard time sourcing board members with the appropriate industry knowledge who are also free from conflicts of interests.

      https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/102902046/civil-aviation-authority-cleans-house-and-rejects-toxic-label

      My own dealings with CAA a number of years go has left me fearful in the knowledge that despite clear and proveable breaches of the regulations and strong evidence of incompetency and prevarication, an offending pilot can enjoy enjoy apparent immunity from being held to account.

      • greywarshark 5.2.1
        24 May 2019 at 10:07 pm

        Closer attention to air traffic rules would have saved the lives of four I think, of our scientists that were killed in a charter plane crash near Christchurch. We are slack often.

  6. Koff 6
    24 May 2019 at 10:51 am

    Thousands of school kids and others on climate change action protests all over NZ today, but you wouldn't know it was happening from the almost total absence of news in the media. Guess if you keep quiet about climate change it will just go away! Over where I am in Australia, it seems that the federal Labor Party is set to backpedal on climate change policy and the Queensland state labor government will probably allow the huge Adani coal mine to be approved in Queensland because of the recent loss to the Coalition in the federal election. Maybe that's the answer to climate change? You can just vote against doing anything about it and CO2 levels will come tumbling down?

  7. One Two 7
    24 May 2019 at 10:54 am

    HHS : FDA. The US Constitution makes lawmakers democratically accountable, yet Americans are subject to thousands of rules that are issued by bureaucrats without democratic accountability.

    Final Rules: 2001 – 2017

    HHS (all)

    29% – Constitutional

    71% – Unconstitutional

    FDA

    2% – Constitutional

    98% – Unconstitutional

  8. mosa 8
    24 May 2019 at 11:17 am

    900 million eligible voters have cast their ballot

    Al jazeera reports

    “There is no denying that this is the result of a formidable Modi wave ”

    In the lead-up to the results, the opposition’s Hopes were pinned on a good showing in states such as Bengal in the east and the Hindi-speaking heartland states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

    But these were the states where the BJP performed exceedingly well and dashed the opposition’s plans.

    BJP ( National Democratic Alliance ) has increased their majority in the Indian general election.

    https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/05/india-votes-modi-landmark-mandate-190523122306435.html

  9. Kay 9
    24 May 2019 at 11:44 am

    Guyon has been busy in his new role. Good work on a Pharmac expose that began yesterday, the final 2 episodes air on Morning Report and the website next week. While unfortunately it;s unlikely to change much, short of the Government being shamed into a serious cash injection for drug funding- which we should not hold our collective breath for-I always enjoy a spot of public humiliation towards Public Sector CEOs who say things like this: (from episode 1)

    What does Pharmac chief executive Sarah Fitt make of people taking desperate measures to fund their own medicine? "I don't think it is a two-tiered system," she says.

    "We have to make the decisions about what are the best uses of the medicines we've got. If people choose to go and fund medicines themselves then that is their choice … It's like having elective surgery on insurance – you can choose whether to do that rather than going to the hospital system."

    But what if you are a low-income earner? "Yeah, that's not going to be a choice. Absolutely," she says.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-depth/389835/guyon-espiner-investigates-pharmac-the-nz-buyer-s-club

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-depth/389918/guyon-espiner-investigates-pharmac-the-secret-list

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/the-detail/story/2018696420/drugs-and-money (podcast)

    • Rosemary McDonald 9.1
      24 May 2019 at 1:44 pm

      Thanks Kay for posting those links… and most definitely did Ms. Fitt present herself as being less than sensitive to the people she is supposed to be serving.

      I too have the more than occasional fantasy of seeing some sociopathic so -called Public Servant being forced to suffer some of the pain and humiliation they have happily metered out to those they are paid to serve.

      Perhaps they should be made to open a Givealittle page to fund their salaries?

      As for the 'two-tiered' system for access to pharmaceuticals, it came as a revelation to me a few years ago that ACC will fully fund drugs for its clients that Pharmac refuses to fund for those under the Public Health system.

      • Herodotus 9.1.1
        24 May 2019 at 4:08 pm

        To head Pharmac is a job many of us would never want to have it. To have restricted funds to purchase medication.

        To fund a drug to save or improve the life of same would mean that other medication is not funded, I would imagine that those in such organisations must face many moral dilemmas daily, and IMO do not deserve personal attacks. There is no win win in these positions, having to work out what is the best they can do, the minister and govt. restrict what they fund, so perhaps look in that direction.

        • Rosemary McDonald 9.1.1.1
          24 May 2019 at 5:08 pm

          I would imagine that those in such organisations must face many moral dilemmas daily,

          Oh, I don't know….they seem pretty proud of their efforts in their latest bragsheet…

          https://www.pharmac.govt.nz/assets/briefing-to-incoming-minister-2017-11.pdf

          …and they have Plans, Big Plans, for the future.

        • Incognito 9.1.1.2
          24 May 2019 at 9:54 pm

          To fund a drug to save or improve the life of same [sic] would mean that other medication is not funded …

          Some of those horrendously expensive drugs only work in a small number of patients and do diddly squat in others except for exposing them to the risk of the unwanted side effects that all these drugs carry. It is like buying a very expensive Lotto ticket and hope for the best …

  10. bwaghorn 10
    24 May 2019 at 12:27 pm

    I few here might be interested in a fb group called

    50 shades of green .

    They are trying to have a reasoned debate about farms and tree planting , carbon,methane etc

    You'll have to ignore the fools from the nutty ends of the spectrum, but a few of the commenters are trying to think.

  11. mosa 11
    24 May 2019 at 12:35 pm

    I'ts always about the oil.

    More U.S troops to be deployed.

    Iran vows no surrender – even if bombed by 'enemies'

    https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/05/iran-vows-surrender-bombed-enemies-190523191232934.html

  12. Poission 12
    24 May 2019 at 2:00 pm

    The horror.

    So if IQ scores are really dropping, that could not only mean 15 more seasons of the Kardashians, but also the potential end of progress on all these other fronts, ultimately leading to fewer scientific breakthroughs, stagnant economies and a general dimming of our collective future.

    https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/iq-rates-are-dropping-many-developed-countries-doesn-t-bode-ncna1008576

    • Sabine 12.1
      24 May 2019 at 3:10 pm

      the kardashians is that like Coronation Street or Shortland Street? I confess to not having watched either of them and I have no intention. But i remember the looks i got from people in the office (when i was still a workdrone for others) when details were discussed and I looked at people like ….sorry i has no idea what you are on about.

      As for fewer scientific breakthroughs, stagnant economies and a general dimming of our collective future we could argue that we are already there.

      I must add tho that the daughter of a friend of mine what so happy when the kardashians arrived at the scene many many moons ago….reason why? Finally a 'star' who looked like here, hipped, small waisted, dark hair, matte skin and black eyes. She felt pretty in her very blond white society were she grew up.

      So maybe that explain their success…..that women that look like them feel validated in a world where skinny, boyish hips, tiny bust, blondes are elevated to 'norm' status.

    • satty 12.2
      24 May 2019 at 3:55 pm

      There have been a couple of articles recently potentially linking lower IQ to air pollution in the cities and higher CO2 concentrations in general. Was it in The Guardian?

    • Morrissey 12.4
      24 May 2019 at 6:02 pm

      What are you worried about the Kardashians for? Shouldn't you concern yourself with the likes of the Obamas, the Bushes, the Blairs, the Trumps, the Pelosis?

  13. joe90 13
    24 May 2019 at 4:01 pm

    The President of The United States. Rat fucker in chief.

    https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1131728912835383300

    Distorted videos of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), altered to make her sound as if she’s drunkenly slurring her words, are spreading rapidly across social media, highlighting how political disinformation that clouds public understanding can now grow at the speed of the Web.

    […]

    Rudolph W. Giuliani, Trump’s personal attorney, tweeted a link to the altered video Thursday night with the note, “What is wrong with Nancy Pelosi? Her speech pattern is bizarre.” The tweet has since been deleted.

    On Thursday night, Trump tweeted a separate video of Pelosi — a selectively edited supercut, taken from Fox News, focused on moments where she briefly paused or stumbled — that he claimed showed her stammering through a news conference. The clip included roughly 30 seconds of Pelosi’s full 21-minute briefing on Thursday, in which she took questions from reporters and discussed what she called Trump’s “temper tantrum.”

    http://archive.li/LwkQ0

    • Gabby 13.1
      24 May 2019 at 4:25 pm

      Will Fux newts be sued for broadcasting lies?

    • Morrissey 13.2
      24 May 2019 at 5:33 pm

      She's useless. The horrid fact that she is still No. 1 in the Democrats explains why we are facing five and a half more years of Trump—and no doubt eight years of Pence after that.

      https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/t_Article2016_ControlFaceDetect/432315

      • Sabine 13.2.1
        24 May 2019 at 6:18 pm

        People, especially working class white men with economic anxiety, their wifes, the evangelic anti abortion pro forced birther crowd, and then lovely people like Paris Hilton and her ilk voted of Uncle Donnie (her words no mine) and everyone else did not vote for the orange shitshow that currently slings shit at everyone that crosses his way.

        And while you cry foul, please also keep in mind that Mike Pence is there to keep the anti abortion pro forced birth anti gay anti gay marriage anti trans anti lesbian anti other anti brown people crowd to keep on voting for this shit show.

        I can understand taht it is easy to find someone and blame them for the evils that are,. but sadly, no, Nancy Pelosi is not at fault for the choice people take, these people would vote for Attila the Hun if they promise to make america great again, call all Mexicans rapists and murderes, blames the loss of manufacturing on the overseas car industry that produces a lot of cars in Alabama (but never call out the US American companies that left for cheaper labour), that calls women Nasty for wanting the right to bodily autonomy and that lie about 'cutting out babies and the discussing with the doctors how to best kill them'. These people will never vote democrats, no more then Mike Hoskins is ever gonna vote for Labour.

        Sometimes people just do vote for the worst human being they can find precisely because he is a bully, a fuckwit, a sadist, a feces flinging shitgibbon who fantasizes about bedding his own daughter, and they do so to 'own the libs'.

        Cause that is what it is, owning the libs, owning the uppity women, owning the uppity people of color, owning the uppity gay lesbians/trans/other and the country can be fucked.

        People wanted someone who would tear it all apart, Clinton was gonna start world war three five minutes after election, and other assorted bullshit, and well they all got what they wanted.

        And in 2020 they have exactly the same choice. Politicians for the most are useless overpaid suits. But some are better then other, and sadly that is the choice we all have. So maybe it behooves to not vote for useless fucks like Donald Trump, or in NZ terms Alfred Ngaro or Brian Tamaki.

    • Shadrach 13.3
      24 May 2019 at 5:35 pm

      Yes it's hilarious to see the Dems continuing to lose their minds over Trump. They just don't seem to realise they are making the nutbar a shooin for 2020.

      • Morrissey 13.3.1
        24 May 2019 at 5:53 pm

        It's not Trump that's the "nutbar", it's the horror show that's ganged up to run the country for him.

        • Shadrach 13.3.1.1
          24 May 2019 at 6:55 pm

          Unfortunately the US is attracting more than her share. Look down the list if Dem's seeking the nomination – a collection of bats and battier.

  14. Rosemary McDonald 14
    24 May 2019 at 5:27 pm

    Natrad scrutinizes the Diaries of various Ministers and finds that…

    An elite group of business and iwi leaders, union officials and lobbyists are frequently bending the ear of the Labour-led government ..

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/389965/ministerial-diaries-who-influences-those-in-power

    Being particularly interested in matters to do with disability under the Misery of Health I keep a closish watch on what Julie Anne Genter gets up to.

    https://www.beehive.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2019-05/Diary%20Summary%20April%202019%20Final.pdf

    Not much happening for Genter that is disability specific, just meetings with two groups…both of which have already had too much attention for very little benefit for non ACC disabled.

    SSDD.

  15. Pingau 15
    24 May 2019 at 6:12 pm

    http://www.bamboo.org.nz/

    NZ bamboo society link. Just need to do a little bit of googling and check that whatever species you are thinking of doesn't "run" in your local microclimate/conditions.

    • Pingau 15.1
      24 May 2019 at 6:16 pm

      Sorry don't know what happened there … meant to be a reply to Greywarshark at 1.3.1.1.1.1 or thereabouts about Sabine wanting to know a good bamboo.

  16. Pingau 16
    24 May 2019 at 6:12 pm

    http://www.bamboo.org.nz/

    NZ bamboo society link. Just need to do a little bit of googling and check that whatever species you are thinking of doesn't "run" in your local microclimate/conditions.

  17. mosa 17
    24 May 2019 at 9:02 pm

    PM May on the way out.

    That snap election and loss of her majority a significant factor in her loss of authority.

    Who would want this job !!!!!

  18. Jenny - How to get there? 18
    24 May 2019 at 10:42 pm

    The Green MPs have delivered us up the Zero Carbon Act which has not one single measure to cut GHG emissions, or even any measure to keep us, to the targets set out in it.

    Setting out targets is good, but with no measures to achieve them targets are meaningless.

    I could set a target to be a millionaire in ten years.

    I could even set down intermediate targets, that to reach my goal I will need to meet a target of a $100,000 a year.

    Sorted.

    To give myself further excuse not to implement any measures to achieve it, I could push my millionaire target out to thirty years from now, so that no one can really check whether I achieve it or not.

    • Pat 18.1
      24 May 2019 at 10:56 pm

      I dont think theyre quite that cynical

      Sadly they appear to believe that some nominal consensus is the best strategy but confoundedly fail to understand that if your boat is miles from shore and taking on water the best strategy is not to design new pumps to be built and installed when next in port but to start bailing NOW as if you dont you will never reach port

      • WeTheBleeple 18.1.1
        25 May 2019 at 4:38 am

        Quite the succinct analogy when one considers the myopic gazing into future tech to save us.

  19. Eco maori 19
    25 May 2019 at 10:22 am

    Kia ora Newshub Nation.

    Chris the government needs to run the books sustainably you can not just splash the cash that's foolish. I see national supporters promoting the teachers striking .

    I,, it stinks that Wahine who have conceived by rape were being charged child support this story shows if you don't give up one can succeed kia kaha.

    The culture in ACC has been changed by national party the culture now is one that does its best not to pay compensation to the people who needs it. Of course ACC pays for the hospital bills as they have to keep the wheels of the health system rolling but paying fair/ compensation to people is what ACC was designed for. (Bring back the right to SUE).

    I can't see these new parts floating to high but I just had to give Eco Maori point of view on them .

    Ka kite ano

  20. Eco maori 20
    25 May 2019 at 11:51 am

    Here is a link that shows how the defense forces cover there ass weather it distorts the course of JUSTICE. No matter what the Defense forces credibility/image comes first ka kite ano links below.

    Op Burnham Inquiry: Hager accuses NZDF of spin and lies

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1905/S00117/op-burnham-inquiry-hager-accuses-nzdf-of-spin-and-lies.htm

  21. Eco maori 21
    25 May 2019 at 12:59 pm

    Some Eco Maori music for the minute.

    https://youtu.be/GKSRyLdjsPA

  22. Eco maori 22
    25 May 2019 at 2:46 pm

    Some Eco Maori music for the minute.

    https://youtu.be/M66U_DuMCS8

  23. Eco maori 23
    25 May 2019 at 3:22 pm

    Whanau here is another concern about climate change tropical diseases will plague te tangata. I see the warning effect back home the kikuyu grass is not being kill of by frost it is out growing all the Rye an clover grasses.

    The nation's nurses are warning a failure to combat climate change may enable new diseases to spread.

    No caption

    Mosquitos and rats could spread new diseases if climate change continues unabated, nurses have warned. Photo: mrfiza/123RF

    The New Zealand Nurses Organisation is supporting school students in their calls for the government to declare a climate emergency.

    Union climate change spokesperson Rachel Dobric said continuing warming would boost the risks of exotic diseases spread by rats and mosquitos.

    Outbreaks of diseases, such as malaria, would dramatically affect communities that had never been exposed to those illnesses.

    Ms Dobric said a zero carbon future would improve public health by reducing respiratory diseases and making people more active.

    Climate change was declared an emergency by Kāpiti Coast District Council on Thursday

    Links below ka kite ano.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/390009/new-zealand-nurses-warn-of-disease-risk-from-climate-change

    Kikuyu grass https://g.co/kgs/qZsrBE

  24. Eco maori 24
    25 May 2019 at 6:29 pm

    Kia ora Newshub.

    I see May is resigning let's hope that the alt right doesn't get into POWER.

    Milia all the bad bullshit bombs shootings that is sweeping te papatuanuku at the minute is bad.

    There are many flaws in the building trade people should legislated to provide a quality service.

    That's sad those mountains climbers dieing on mountain Everest 9 this year to.

    That's stealing Mr Lowes bonsai trees I can see it's his passion desperate people stealing to pay their PEE habbit one of my clients lost a bird bath she was upset to.

    The Ebola outbreak in DRC in Africa is bad enough and they are being shot at and harassed so sad .ka kite ano.

  25. Eco maori 25
    25 May 2019 at 6:55 pm

    Kia ora te ao Maori news.

    I know a couple of Vietnam veterans it's cool that they are running a event to educate te tangata about the services available to help them ka paid.

    The Ahewhenua cup has been won by King whanau from te taiwhiti Matawai it looks like a well run farm awesome that's good for Maori farmers lifting their mana.

    A YMCA youth conference so the rangatahi can let the older generations know what they want a happy healthy future that means the ruling class will have to accept the changes needed to guarantee THEIR FUTURE.

    Ahikaroa is a great watch I watch the show whenever I can its cool they use both Maori and English on the show it shows the world one side to tangata whenua O Aotearoa.

    Cool Maori art at the Auckland airport telling Tangata Whenua stories in the Art . Eco Maori is a big fan of Railways transportation its awesome that new trains are coming on line for the Auckland Hamilton route. Ka kite ano.

  26. Eco maori 26
    26 May 2019 at 9:23 am

    Kia ora R&R.

    I say Wahine have advanced more in Aotearoa than other countries we still have a long road ahead for equlaty to be achieved.

    I agree Ngati Porou Wahine status has slipped back a bit from the past I see this with our kau matua point of views.

    If you can complete a task as good as MAN you should be payed the same it all about being fair.

    Jacinda is a great role model for our Wahine all around te Papatuanuku she will help lift there aspercration and goals.

    Our Wahine sports stars help lift the mana wairua of there fellow Wahine .

    I agree that there is a brown gap in equity but I say even though equally for Wahine has not been a Maori kauppa I say lifting Maori Wahine status in Maoridom will help close the equalty brown gap a lot of times when the going get tuff te Wahine rise to the challenge.

    Ka kite ano

  27. Eco maori 27
    26 May 2019 at 9:54 am

    Thehui.

    Its cool the story of Whatu Nelson Iwi winning in the highest court of the land about the loses of there Whenua.

    The crown is just stalling the crown should treat them honorably and fairly from were I'm looking David that's is not happening m8. It's awesome that thehui has given this story of Nelson Iwi issues with the crown.&nbsp and helped te iwi get some respect on this subject

    I think that Kelvin Davis has achieved a lot te tangata just have to go on YouTube and look at news articles 3 years old and compare it to the minute you can see that this coalition government has lifted Maoridom MANA with how Maori is treated NOW. KA KITE ANO

  28. Eco maori 28
    26 May 2019 at 11:46 am

    Kia ora R&R Maori TV.

    Masculinity is the way of the world men are displaying there mana .

    I say aorha should be of a higher quality of value for our society to counteract that phenomenon.

    I have just read a story on a our national swimming coach on very serious sexual offenses against his students and what do you know swimming nz is protecting this man if he was brown he would have gone down years ago with weeks of bad publicity from the media on the subjects because he is light colored he gets the cover from this system. What I'm getting at is not just MAORI do bad stuff white people do to but the system protects them so the true data on there offenses is not reported on but when Tangata Whenua have a pehau/ FART EVERYONE HEARS that go figure. Ka kite ano P.S and when Eco Maori farts its spun out and the whole Papatuanuku hears

  29. Eco maori 29
    26 May 2019 at 1:48 pm

    Whanau here is the story I referred to in my last post the system protects its OWN. Maori are —————— by the same system WAKE UP. Ka kite ano links below.

    https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/112959577/swimming-nz-face-human-rights-tribunal-over-secret-report

  30. Eco maori 30
    26 May 2019 at 3:19 pm

    Some Eco Maori music for the minute.

    https://youtu.be/tgVVG5EknuI

  31. Eco maori 31
    26 May 2019 at 6:28 pm

    Kia ora Newshub.

    It was lucky that whaine was found in Hawaii lost for weeks.

    What's driving the crime problems in Auckland is poverty and who did this well policys that are made for the wealthy without considering the consequences it has on the common person is the cause national.

    It would be great to have a vaccine that covers all viruses we could get .

    It gives me a sore face to see more funds for our valuable tamariki up to the age of 18 they need all the care they can get ka pai.

    Lloyd I seen a story on shady nigel forage it backs my point of view.

    Ka pai Newshub it is not on the way the crown is treating te tangata whenua of Nelson they are owed whenua what's wrong with doing the correct thing.

    Ka kite ano

  32. Eco maori 32
    26 May 2019 at 6:50 pm

    Kia ora te ao Maori news

    The transition support for our tamariki that end up in Oranga tamariki till they are 18 is good news they need all the care that they can get.

    Cool that the Deaf All blacks had test 3 against Argentina in Aotearoa it good for their wairua playing Rugby it would be nice if they got more funding.

    Congratulations to Ben O'Keefe for being involved in the Rugby World Cup reffing ka pai the only Maori ref at the World Cup.

    I the SuperRugby is very different from the last comps it's a lot closer than the past between the teams.

    Ka kite ano

  33. Eco maori 33
    27 May 2019 at 8:22 am

    Kia ora The Am Show.

    I say that the new rocket technology being developed by Rocketlab yes it could be used for bad things but we must develop new technologies to advance our society into space travers the math shows us that is what we have to achieve this as the populations out grows Papatuanuku.

    Andrew I agree totally having young people in custody without a charge is foolish and inhumane. Breaks International human rights laws to thanks shonky.

    The Auckland house prices are just in correction mode it's a good phenomenon it will let kiwi family's back into the market after all whare/houses are for whanau/family's not for the wealthy to short and make millions of in Eco Maori point of view don't panic I have just seen a story about our tourist industry pumping hold onto your property and reap the future growth.

    Tipical national scare tactics trying to scare the public into voting for simon the crime reporting stats is done people who love national ????????they have there own press team to manipulate te tangata into believing that crime is out of control so simon can use it to try and float his TOILET YAR RIGHT Who cares whom he stuffs up in Simon's quest for POWER.

    With the teeth decaying problems of Aotearoa we have 2 factors driving the bad teeth problems 1 sugar is ruining our tamariki teeth and adults .PEE a easy indicator of a PEE user is it stuff's their teeth after a few short years .so spending billions to have a AMBULANCES at the bottom of the monga hill is not a logical or efficient way to fix the problems first tax sugary drinks and spend more money eradicating/minimizing PEE in Aotearoa advertising to showing the people that PEE make a mess of people and shortens there life expectancy by decades. Paddy's actor fits the profile.

    If the Army put them into a trade training that would be OK. IT would not be hard to run a risk assessment on the youth remanded in custody a sort out the small portion of them that could be a bad person and do dumb stuff.

    Mark first duncans story is False did that blow to the head make you lose your marbles the police have not had any powers removed HAVE THEY so stop taking shit about them being hamstrung by the new government fool I think I should over RIDE my humane side and just keep use pined down with my WORDs and not care about your consequences.

    Bilingenglish was just going to use the health and state care system to line his —– pockets by shouting the bad stats out say it needed to be privatized so he could cream millions off the system like his $40.000 parliament accommodations support he got caught ripping.
    Every problem can be solved one just has be determined and find a simple solution to the problem.
    Ka kite ano

  34. Eco maori 34
    27 May 2019 at 12:19 pm

    Whanau this gives me a sore face and shows Eco Maori that the STUDENTS STRIKES is having a positive effect on the way te tangata/the people of OUR Papatuanuku/ world sees buring carbon HAS TO STOP students Strikeing kia kaha/stay strong and champion action on climate change

    BHP is looking to add more oil, copper and nickel resources to its portfolio, while souring on thermal coal because it thinks the fossil fuel will be phased out, “potentially sooner than expected”.

    BHP’s chief financial officer, Peter Beaven, told investors and analysts in a strategy briefing on Wednesday that “the world will be a very different place in 10 to 20 years’ time” and the global miner must be thoughtful about the risks and opportunities Ka kite ano links below P.S Who's going to tell their grandchildren they don't care about there FUTURE

    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/may/22/bhp-warns-investors-coal-could-be-phased-out-sooner-than-expected

  35. Eco maori 35
    27 May 2019 at 1:51 pm

    Some Eco Maori music for the minute.

    https://youtu.be/cEXhZ8PwM-Y

  36. Eco maori 36
    27 May 2019 at 3:56 pm

    Ka pai to Cedella Marley for tau toko/supporting Jamaican Wahine Football Eco Maori loves your father music its still ring TRUE in 2019 he was a master musician .I tau Yoko /suport equal rights for Wahine.

    Cedella Marley

    "Big up to Cedella Marley for putting her neck on the line for us."

    To say Jamaica's success owes much to Menzies' vision and passion would be an understatement. When the JFF had little interest in organizing international matches for its female footballers, Menzies ensured the country's most promising players had a pathway, had hope.

    In 2008, funding was cut and the women's senior team was disbanded. Six years later, Bob Marley's daughter, Cedella, attempted to fix things by becoming an ambassador and sponsor through the Bob Marley Foundation, raising just enough for the team to re-form. But in 2016, the federation disbanded the team again.

    Cedella, who lives in America, redoubled her efforts, convincing Alessandra Lo Savio, co-founder of the Alacran Foundation, to become a major contributor.

    "Big up to Cedella Marley for putting her neck on the line for us," Menzies told reporters immediately after the shootout win in Dallas. But perhaps her greatest act was persuading Menzies to coach the team because, in truth, it took some convincing.

    "She told me her purpose. A large part of it is her dad's love for the game and, second of all, she wanted to inspire young females in Jamaica," explains Menzies, who gave up a career in corporate finance to become a full-time soccer coach la kite ano link below.

    https://edition-m.cnn.com/2019/05/24/football/jamaica-womens-world-cup-reggae-girlz-bob-marley-wwc-spt-int/index.html?r=https%3A%2F%2Fedition.cnn.com%2F

  37. Eco maori 37
    27 May 2019 at 6:31 pm

    Kia ora Newshub.

    I,,, there is a massive housing shortage no Mitch the cause is the there is no housing shortage by you know who over the last 8 years and that's part of the SHORT the other is opening the floodgates for imagination to push up rents and down wages and wala.

    Paddy I say we have to stop PEE and sugar drinks if you don't stop the cause of tooth decay trying to fix their teeth will be a never ending game as there teeth will carry on decaying if the cause is not SORTED.

    Air Newzealand is buy new planes that are 25 % more efficient than the old ones that good b saving a lot of carbon being burned I can see the game.

    It's is a unusually warm autumn in Aotearoa that's Global Climate change .

    That is a big baby nearly 12 pounds 10 pounds 11 ounces the baby and mother seem Ok .

    Ka kite ano

  38. Eco maori 38
    27 May 2019 at 6:49 pm

    Kia ora te ao Maori news.

    I have a lot of respect for Andrew Beecroft he is correct the young people should not be held in custody without any charges.

    Our Coalition

    I see our Maori King payed a visit to the Pope I read he offered him a invitation to Aotearoa its cool that our Maori King gets on the Papatuanuku stage that will help lift his and our mana ka pai.

    I quite enjoy watching Casket Affairs its got a good Maori way of how we treat our loved ones who have passed respects your tipuna congratulations for your winnings.

    That's the way Maori Wahine be proud of our great culture 3 finalist cool.

    Ka kite ano