Using the same tactics as the fascist regime in Syria, (and even some of the same video clips), an Israel lobby group spreads hoaxes to whitewash Gaza massacre
Contrary to the Israeli and Western effort to reduce Hamas to a collective of essentially unschooled or unsophisticated foreign born so-called Islamists, nothing could be further from the truth. Hamas is a movement born of Palestine, composed of Palestinians who were raised on the very streets where the blood of their people and families, has been lost to the occupation terror imposed by Israel. For the many who suffer from a now decade old blockade of Gaza–with its lack of food, water, medicine and mobility–Hamas and their families have known the same isolation and paid a like price.
Jenny I am with you on the Palestinian issue.
Not so your standpoint on Syria.
Do you realise that Israel and the Saudis support the head chopping Jihadis in their fight against Assad?
OAB has pro-Assad sympathies and has the overly simplistic view that all Syrian rebels are ISIS? Not that I’ve noticed. Perhaps you are getting him confused with someone else.
I hope you weren’t expecting the courtesy of an apology from Wayne @OAB – even tho’ you can see the timestamps show the irriot is still around, and even tho’ he’s at pains to present himself as a fair and reasonable sort of bloke -affably fair and balanced (almost) and very ‘nice’. Which is probably why the Sunday morning comfy media parachuted in to the studio see him as some sort of wise old sage they can depend on for some words of wisdom (going forward).
He’s as big a ‘spray and walkaway’ spreader of his ideology as the all-purpose drench is to livestock.
The Honourable Dr Wayne Mapp. No wonder we could be in the shit -the guy is as big a fossil to foresight and wisdom as a mizzz Boag is to the consumption of botox and image consultants.
Both very shallow folk. Indeed they could probably set up their own veneer company with the good Doctor advising on the technicalities with Mish advising on the latest trends.
There are plenty of Jihadist groups going under various names that have a thing for chopping off heads. Al Nusra and Al Zinki come instantly to mind.
And there is plenty of evidence that “western” governments have given material support to those groups. Should “western” include Israeli? I guess that’s somewhat of an open question.
Insofar as there is capital punishment for some crimes in Syria, I’d guess that the “preferred” method for death would be by hanging. I could well be wrong – it’s only a guess.
Assad and Putin are Benevolent and Popular Leaders who distribute presents to children and kiss puppies, and this infuriates the evil Western Deep State who spread lies and crisis hoaxes to keep their own populations in fear. The WDS also fund Terrorist Head-Choppers to fight the BPL, and every person who opposes the BPL are THCs. The WDS and their THC puppets also randomly kill BPL political opponents (who are usually THCs or WDS operatives) and innocent civilians in order to make it look like the BPL are actually cruel and totalitarian dictators who do not shy away from torture (lies) and murder (fake news!).
Fortunately, we have amongst us visionaries who can see through the lies of the WDS-controlled Main Stream Media and nobly tell us how good the BPL really are.
Ed 1.1
25 May 2018 at 6:34 am
Jenny I am with you on the Palestinian issue.
Not so your standpoint on Syria.
Do you realise that Israel and the Saudis support the head chopping Jihadis in their fight against Assad?
Hi Ed,
It probably wouldn’t hurt if you put in some links to support your narrative. At the very least to give your comment some context linked to the real world.
Your use of emotive words like “head choppers” to denounce the Syrian people in revolt against the Assad regime. Is at best a generalisation, and at worst a broad smear. Of course Isis has executed people, (and probably innocent people) by chopping off their heads. This is a matter of factual record. But to generalise that to smear the whole opposition to Assad, needs more evidence than you have ever produced.
The fact that some rich and eccentric Saudi princes have funded the fundamentalist parts of the opposition is a matter of public record. As a result, the fundamentalists are the only part of the armed opposition that has ever received much material aid of any sort. While the liberal and progressive forces have been starved of all support. (a fact which has helped the growth of the more extremist Islamist groups).
Your other conjecture Ed, is that Israel is opposed to the Assad regime.
Again you should supply some proof to back up your conjecture. Just saying it, doesn’t make it so.
There is a lot of evidence,( contrary to your conjecture), that leading members of the Assad ruling dynasty have had a close working relationship with the Zionist state over several decades.
As the above link details, much of the Assad dynasty credibility as Arab nationalists, rests on their on their supposed anti Zionist and anti-imperialist position, a position that doesn’t bear much examination.
During my time spent in the refugee camp in Latakia, at any mention or discussion of the Assad regime, the Palestinian refugees that I met expressed open derision at the idea of Assad being opposed to Israel. The Palestinian refugees in Syria told me that the Assad acted as a protector of Israel’s northern border, and that they did not consider the regime to be a genuine supporter of the Palestinian people.
The Assad regime much like the Sadat/Mubarak regime in Egypt had made their peace with the Zionists.
Though this relationship has been strained by the civil war, particularly by the Assad regime taking military support from Israel’s enemy Iran, the links will still be there. Personally I find it uncanny how the Israeli airforce can precisely target Iranian missile shipments to Hezbollah without the regime forces ever taking casualties.
The regime’s Arab nationalist anti-imperialist credentials don’t bear much examination either. As well selling off and privatising its public assets in the early 2000s at the behest of the World Bank and the IMF, (a sellout to Western imperialism that regime insiders also took a cut of), the Assad regime supplied 19,000 troops to support the US in the first Gulf War against Iraq. The Assad regime also worked closely with the CIA to help the CIA torture suspects flown to Syria under the CIA program of extraordinary rendition.
Ed, in past comments, I have provided you and others with the links to disprove your conjecture that Assad is an anti-imperialist Arab Nationalist. I won’t this time, because you obviously don’t read them, or even bother to open them. Because you have adopted a shallow narrative that such facts just don’t fit into.
In your mind Assad is some sort of Ho Chi Minh or Fidel Castro fighting the evil Yankee imperialists, as such we can afford to overlook or ignore his other faults, like genocide, and mass detention and torture in Nazi like death camps. Links that again I have supplied, (facts that you never challenge, instead that you choose to willfully ignore). In willfully overlooking these massive crimes against humanity, (as the necessary acts of a Nationalist leader defending himself against a foreign invader), as a result Ed you have become, wittingly or unwittingly an apologist and party to genocide.
I think it needs to be said over and over again, to the people who support fascism because they’ve been duped by fascist propaganda. Mention Assad, they start screeching about ‘headchoppers’ (another bunch of fascists, as though it needs saying). Mention Trump, they start blithering about her emails.
You can fool some of the people all of the time. Here at The Standard we have real world evidence that Lincoln was right.
What is your definition of fascism? Some people claim the Bathist regime in Syria is Fascist. It certainly is a totalitarian State that promotes a strong government and Syrian nationalism. Those are usually the cornerstone of Fascism.
I think it needs to be said over and over again, to the people who support fascism because they’ve been duped by fascist propaganda.
I think that’s far too narrow a focus and ought to be broadened out to include those who are unwitting supporters of fascistic tendencies because they believe Liberal propaganda.
Actually, on brief reflection, this “fascist” propaganda you speak of – who exactly are the fascists propagating it and that people are listening to?
Edit: I wonder why The Intercept doesn’t appear in your list of news sources that I’m allegedly duped by. No, wait, I’m lying: I know exactly why that is 😆
I don’t suppose you’ve ever bothered to wonder why Eva Bartlett wasn’t subjected to the level of opprobrium she’s attracted for her coverage of Syria when she was reporting on Palestine from Gaza?
Maybe she just “lost the plot” somewhere along the line, or then again, maybe she’s consistent, and it’s just that her reporting from Syria doesn’t fit in the same nice comforting box as her reporting from Palestine?
How’s about you stop with the idiotic narcissism and (given it’s a place for engagement) engage rather than dropping pointless and vaguely inflammatory nonsense on people?
Brigid baldly asserts that Al Jazeera is a mouthpiece for terrorists – attacking the messenger as opposed to engaging with his argument, but I’m the one being pointless, inflammatory and narcissistic?
Pfft.
I don’t have anything to add to Malak Chabkoun’s remarks.
So I just did a Google search for “Israel + ”war crime” + Gaza” (note the syntax – spaces between terms) and returned many pages of results – Google says “about 250k results”. I don’t think much of your “findings”.
Marco the other day ( I think )made a good post containing and accurate statement about ‘farm sewerage
Labour has been attacked for a cow cap / cull based on excessive nutrient levels in our rivers ….. Nutrients don’t sound to bad and I’d swim in them … hell, do I get some vitamins with my nutrients in the river water ??….
But ‘Farm sewerage’ … I’m not going to swim in raw animal shit … it sounds very unhealthy swallowing and bathing in fecal matter …
“farm sewage” +”New Zealand”+river+excessive+safe About 38 results
nutrients +”New Zealand”+river+excessive+safe About 18,781 results
Framing the argument …. shaping opinion
Labour can easily win the excessive farm sewerage argument ….
OAB: absolutely true. One of the most poisonous and pernicious fallacies in contemporary politics is ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’. That’s what causes otherwise sane people to support crooks and despots like Trump (‘buh, buh, but, her emails, and yuck, icky icky girl cooties’) and Assad (‘buh, buh, but the Russians like him, and we like the Russians because…’ see previous). It’s stupid now, and it was stupid 35 years ago when that senile old fool Reagan was duped into supporting the most evil political movement of the second half of the 20th century.
The children die the same way ….. But the disgusting Mays / Camerons / Trumps / Obamas are sick hypocrytes to lecture anyone about “humanitarian values” …
the United States and the United Kingdom are backing the Saudi-led coalition, and while calling for an end to the war, they continue along with Spain, France, Canada, Australia, and Italy, to sell billions of dollars’ worth of weapons and military equipment to parties to the conflict.
over the past 1,000 days:
Nearly 5,300 civilians were killed
Three million people were forced to flee their homes
Nearly one million people are suspected of contracting cholera in the world’s worst outbreak ever recorded
Poor old National party. The classic five stages of grief are on full display.
1 – DENIAL – Period suffered: Election night to budget day
Politics became meaningless. Parliament makes no sense. National were in a state of shock and denial. They were numb. Some pretended they were still minister, issuing decrees and orders that were ignored by tearful ex-staffers moving their boxes out of their Beehive offices. Awkward. Others wondered how they could go on, why should they go on. Many, many couldn’t go on and resigned. They tried to find a way to simply get through each day, going on diets, appearing on reality TV dancing shows.
2 – ANGER – Period suffered – Budget day to present.
National’s anger seems endless. But the more National truly feel it, the more the anger will begin to dissipate and the more they will heal. The truth is that Tory anger has no limits. It can extend not only to the speaker but their friends, the civil service, and silly little girls everywhere. Judith Collins, in her daily prayer session with Cameron Slater probably asks, “Where is God in this?” Underneath the anger is their pain. It is natural to feel deserted and abandoned by the electorate. Anger and fear are National’s strength and anchor, giving them temporary structure to the nothingness of their existence.
I’m not sure how you expect an opposition to behave. If memory serves me correctly I believe people like you were almost demanding Labour and the rest of the Opposition parties oppose the last government far more vigorously. It was as if not doing their utmost to stop them would be a betrayal of the nation. Now you think National should somehow become compliant. It makes little sense.
Gosman, don’t confuse opposing ‘far more vigorously’ with petulant and pre-planned disobedience. They have the entitlement of their questions allocated by the Clerk according to their numbers in the House. They should learn to ask questions properly.
The Key kleptocracy’s innumerable rorts, failures and shortcomings were sufficient to keep a vigorous opposition busy for decades.
Having nothing comparable to criticize, the wretched Gnats are reduced to picking fights with the speaker. Had they the sporting chops to which Key so often pretended they’d realise that slagging off the Ref is a great way to excuse failure, but a lousy tactic if you actually mean to win.
More like “Great Cthulhu, blight my enemies.” Until recently her real enemies were on her own side of the house, but it must be hard to consider B&B a threat.
Aha… I was planning a bit of a dissertation along the same lines but yours is – as usual – better Sanctuary.
I think they’re almost done with the ‘Bargaining phase” (at least for the time being because Bridges won’t see the term out) and they’re moving into the ‘Depression’ state. Hence the tears of frustration and imagined victimisation by the Speaker. They’re causing it themselves but won’t ever admit it. This is likely to last until the end of the term with occasional outbursts of denial and anger thrown in for good measure.
– Pulled out of Paris Climate Accord
– Pulled out of CPTPP
– Pulled out of Iran
– Obliterated Palestinian peace dialogue
– Killed historic talks with North Korea
But delivered tax reform for corporations and very wealthy people, and increased funding for the military.
Yes but it’s the best POTUS the industrial military complex have ever had and in this world that’s all that seems to matter now with they’re pervasive ways.
Russia and China are flexing the muscles with trump effectively paving a path for them with his ‘diplomacy’ and generally making America ‘great’ again.
Eye on those mid terms as the Donald goes hard out before the GOP likely lose more than a few sitting members.
Yeah not looking so bad for Trump especially given most of the polling is probably done in and around New York and California where most of the media is ensconced
I’ve had a bit of practice doing deals with people from Korea, albeit on a much, much smaller scale, and my take is that the deal is still very much live. The deal will have several more bounces between top table and garbage bin before we get to the end result.
Jude doesn’t actually want Twyford to resign from anything as shes having far too much fun pointing out why Twyford has been promoted above his capabilities
“shes having far too much fun”.
Don’t you feel just a bit sorry for Twyford?
Question time has Phil looking rather like a mouse that a domestic cat has caught. There is the little rodent Twyford squeaking away in his state of terrified befuddlement.
Mind you, as someone who lives in the country that he claims to have some control over I would be only too happy to see Collins put him out of his misery and that he be replaced by someone with at least a skerrick of ability.
Oh for goodness sake Alvin. Go and change your pants. You are way to excited about chest beating Collins. Bet your dreams are full of Collins, black leather, thigh high boots and whips and handcuffs. Have i missed anything?
The amount of time i spend on here is directly proportionate to how much work i have on at the time
At the moment I don’t have much on so i can spend more time on here but on some days i can’t get on here at all because of the amount of work i have on
That is called Psychological Projection isn’t it FFluffy?
“Psychological projection is a defense mechanism people subconsciously employ in order to cope with difficult feelings or emotions. Psychological projection involves projecting undesirable feelings or emotions onto someone else, rather than admitting to or dealing with the unwanted feelings”
Is that how you feel about Ms Collins? It certainly not something that ever occurred to me. Just don’t try and put your fantasies into practice.
My God, FFluffy.
More Projecting on your part.
You identify as being an exhibitionist as well. You know you should be ashamed of yourself so you try and pretend it is other people who do the things that are the flaws in your own behaviour.
Sad. Really sad. Keep away from Primary Schools until you learn to control yourself.
I don’t feel sorry for him at all, he was part of the group that stated time and time again how bad NZ was, how bad National were, how Labour were so much better well hes got his chance and now hes showing just how competent he really is
The longer Jude toys with him and makes him look like the incompetent he really is the better, hes sort of representative of Labour really
Take Cindy away from Labour and all you have is people like Twyford
Funny, I seem to remember Judith Collins as one of the ‘”what housing crisis?” mob. Phil Twyford is doing OK. Don’t believe all the MSM bleats.
Collins was sacked for taking advantage of her position, so why is she so good? Oh your opinion.??
@PR.
True. When you really look at him he isn’t worthy of sympathy.
I personally think that Grant Robertson is about all the CoL has going for it. He has surprised me with the way he seems to have started getting a grasp on his portfolio. When you look back at his mucking about a couple of years ago with his blathering about things like a UBI and so on he has got much better.
I suppose it is because he has been house-trained by Treasury.
Ardern remains a major disappointment in my view. Perhaps she will learn in the future but she shows no signs of having any grasp of her job to date. She has been pretty much a glove-puppet for Tsar Winston so far.
“praising with faint damnation”.
Sounds a reasonable interpretation of my opinion.
I simply don’t think she is up to the job. She simply doesn’t know enough about the problems and isn’t prepared for it..
I want someone competent in that job, and she simply isn’t the one.
Of the Labour leaders since Clark, who was up to the job, the only one who seemed to be capable of filling the role was Shearer. Why did the Labour Party stab him in the back?
And, for your mate adam, it has nothing whatsoever to do with her sex.
But he knows that doesn’t he?
Obviously sowing discord and fanning paranoia in Labour is a perishable skill.
A solid seven years of Labour fighting itself left you incompetent at doing the job yourself.
Putting the Shearer barb aside (which is just disappointingly weak), Ardern consistently nukes shouty&co in the House, her ministers are getting results, and all in all they’ve stepped into their new roles with ease and competence. But then it doesn’t take much to improve on the last batch of ministers, anyway.
Ardern, in the House, simply doesn’t answer the questions. Still, she has got Mallard to protect her doesn’t she.
Look at this extract from Hansard. It was Question 1 last Tuesday.
“Hon Simon Bridges: What extra funding did the Budget provide to fulfil her promise to pay early childhood education (ECE) centres more for employing 100 percent qualified staff?
Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: As the member will know, Budget 2018 included a 45 percent increase in education funding. The fact that we could put 45 percent more into education—new funding—and still have additional needs that we need to meet demonstrates just how bad things were for the education sector.”
When it was pointed out that there had been no attempt to answer the question Trevor came out with,
“Mr SPEAKER: Well, it was very clearly addressing the question.”
You call that “nuking”?
“her ministers are getting results”. Really?
How many of the billion trees have been planted?
How many of the 100,000 homes have at least been started?
How many pensioners are getting their $700 heating allowance this year?
“after a few years more “.
You may be right. Of course after a few more years the answers to my 3 questions will still be the same.
Trees planted. ZERO.
Kiwibuild affordable homes started. ZERO
Pensioners getting $700 heating allowance in 2018. ZERO.
Have a nice day y’all.
Alywyn and PR if you are feeling excited that Judith blew the whistle on pt use of the cell phone you are desperate. It is a minor misdemeanor and only serves to compare and contrast what happened with Gerry and airport security. No conquence for Gerry. Phil stands down on a very minor part of his workload(probably glad to get rid of it)………jacinda looks good. The majority on an on-line poll thinks phill didn’t need to stand down……..is this all national have got? Rather pathetic
That’s nothing to do with Twyford. That’s Collins declaring open war against Brownlee – because any discussion of Twyford’s actions inevitably broadens to include Brownlee’s own error of judgement.
It’s almost sad to see how the Nats have begun tearing themselves apart after their election loss. Even Labour in 2008 weren’t that bad.
(The system is telling me this is a duplicate comment – but the original comment was lost in cyberspace – admins feel free to delete one or t’ other)
That’s nothing to do with Twyford. That’s Collins declaring open war against Brownlee – because any discussion of Twyford’s actions inevitably broadens to include Brownlee’s own error of judgement.
It’s almost sad to see how the Nats have begun tearing themselves apart after their election loss. Even Labour in 2008 weren’t that bad.
Uber autonomous car crash in Arizona investigation report is out
The Uber car, a Volvo XC90 sport-utility vehicle equipped with Uber’s sensing technology, comes with an automatic emergency braking system from the manufacturer.
But Uber disabled that function as well as other safety features to “reduce the potential for erratic vehicle behavior,” according to the report.
micro plasma bovis spread – “Livestock transporters let down over effluent “- By Ken Shirley.
This was an Interesting bit here; – from a National Party ally and ex MP in the Act party in coalition with the 1990’s era of the National Government.
Ken Shirley is now talking about shifting the blame onto Labour now!!!!
incredible it is when he was firstly an MP under Labour in the Langey government then under National Party as an ACT MP in 1990’s alongside National when they were in power!!!
Ken Shirley couild have sung loud about road truck effluent spread then couldn’t he?
Livestock transporters let down over effluent
Thursday, 24 May 2018, 12:06 pm
Press Release: Road Transport Forum
24 May 2018
Livestock transport operators are extremely disappointed in the way farmers, OSPRI and MPI have failed to implement and properly enforce stock movement regulations as is their responsibility under the National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) scheme, says Road Transport Forum Chief Executive Ken Shirley.
“These regulations were put in place for a reason, as we are now finding out to the country’s considerable cost with the Mycoplasma bovis outbreak.”
“Stock trucks are fitted with effluent tanks with a finite capacity that require frequent emptying. The act of disposing effluent, which in the past was difficult enough, has as a direct result of the fear associated with disease spread become a significant issue.”
Many farmers have been remiss in not adequately standing stock off green feed prior to transport to reduce effluent production while local government and meat processing companies have been extremely tardy in providing access to effluent disposal facilities. Access to traditional disposal facilities is also now being restricted fearing disease spread.
“With Mycoplasma bovis upon us greater demands are being put on stock transporters to wash and sanitise their vehicles but there has been no focus on the provision of adequate effluent disposal sites by the other parties.”
“Farmers and meat processors are placing increased burdens and cost on stock transporters but steadfastly refuse to shoulder the additional costs and responsibility generated by their own tardiness.”
“What if Mycoplasma bovis was an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease? In that nightmare scenario it would clearly not be acceptable to leave the burden of responsibility for effluent disposal solely with transporters, yet the primary sector doesn’t seem to appreciate that the principle here is just the same.”
“Livestock transporters are more than happy to continue to play their part in the responsible movement of animals. However, MPI, councils, farmers and meat processors also need to help facilitate the appropriate disposal of stock effluent through better facilities and practices,” says Shirley.
ends
We will not miss those rattling nasty smelling stock trucks as the smell is also the sign we are recieving water droplets of aerosols that can cause us many diseases we are warned constantly.
Yes I operate a small farm but we keep our stock away from our home.
We advocate using rail again to move our stock as rail is away from roads and our driving behind stock trucks is a health risk but trains we dont travel behind. so this is worth thinking abiout now.
Besides the roads are falling apart with so many stock trucks on our rural roads now.
Shirey and his gangsrters should ppay to fix our rural roads then he may jion us and use rail again.
Not sure that he’s trying to “blame” Labour, rather a plea for everyone in the industry to work together sort the situation out.
“Many farmers have been remiss in not adequately standing stock off green feed prior to transport to reduce effluent production while local government and meat processing companies have been extremely tardy in providing access to effluent disposal facilities. ”
That’s a full on assault on farmers and the parties that should have been providing the effluent disposal and washing facilities. And coming from the stock transport sector who’ve made a considerable amount out of being a bus service to the livestock industry. But think Citybus rather than Tour Bus.
What Ken doesn’t touch on, but which is freaking the transport sector, is transport becoming a party to NAIT. This way the stock will be tagged off the farm, onto the truck, off the truck, and onto the farm. So then there’s a record of the animals that have been on each truck. Easy to do but a considerable cost to the transporter, and will put the clammers on black / grey market stock movements. And that side of the business is where the money is. Ooooops
A stock truck pulls up to a farm loading ramp in the middle of the night, 10 cows get off, 4 get on, that’s after the same truck took a full load past the gate to the works that afternoon from a farm 100 km away.
Then you’ve got RentaBull, guy down the road has several hundred for short term hire, along with NickaBull, (can get tricky getting him into the trailer in the middle of the road), and BorrowaBull (short out the fence with your cows in the boundary paddock)
What Ken doesn’t touch on, but which is freaking the transport sector, is transport becoming a party to NAIT. This way the stock will be tagged off the farm, onto the truck, off the truck, and onto the farm. So then there’s a record of the animals that have been on each truck.
As it always should have been.
Easy to do but a considerable cost to the transporter, and will put the clammers on black / grey market stock movements.
Make it mandatory to have GPS tracking on all vehicles and road sensors watching and counting the vehicles.
Also, go Cashless. It’s difficult to commit crime when it will be picked up automatically.
Would love to see the decision trail around that. There would have been some intense lobbying to keep the truckies out of it and create a gap that the cash could flow through. Interesting that the most vocal opponents of NAIT were stock agents.
It gives me great Pleasure to announce the long awaited marriage between the above two tireless contributors to Drivel Inc . It is seldom that two blogees marry and produce happiness. We should be so grateful for their joint outpourings of hot crap.
Heres a poem i wrote that succinctly describes my feelings, what do you think?
My life is brilliant
My life is brilliant
My love is pure
I saw an angel
Of that I’m sure
She smiled at me on the TV
She was with another man
But I won’t lose no sleep on that
‘Cause I’ve got a plan
Shes beautiful
Shes beautiful
Shes beautiful, it’s true
I saw her face in a crowded place (parliament)
And I don’t know what to do
‘Cause I’ll never be with you
Yes, she caught my eye
As we walked on by
She could see from my face that I was
Flyin’ high
And I don’t think that I’ll see her again
But we shared a moment that will last till the end
Shes beautiful
Shes beautiful
Shes beautiful, it’s true
I saw your face in a crowded place
And I don’t know what to do
‘Cause I’ll never be with you
La-la-la-la
La-la-la-la
La-la-la-la, la
Shes beautiful
Shes beautiful
Shes beautiful, it’s true
There must be an angel with a smile on her face
When she thought up that I should be with you
But it’s time to face the truth
I will never be with you
Hm.
I suppose you are trying but I’m not sure you should give up your day job to chase your dream of becoming Poet Laureate/
Mind you, when very young, I used to feel much the same way about Sophia Loren. That young lady, for some strange reason, seemed to prefer that old, bald, short chap Carlo Ponti. Very odd of her when you consider all I had to offer.
After all, when she said “I do” she would have been entitled to half my bicycle.
ps. Is that suitably ageist, sexist and racist to satisfy you adam?
This is what famous literary critic Harold Bloom said about never writing poetry himself:
” It must have had something to do with the enormous reverence and rapture I felt about poetry, the incantatory strength that Crane and Blake had for me from the beginning. To be a poet did not occur to me. It was indeed a threshold guarded by demons. To try to write in verse would have been a kind of trespass.”
But…but, Tony Hazlett (Head of Talley’s Nelson division) says the hoki fishery is healthy and will be for some time.
They can still make money then. That’s nice. And they envisage making money “for some time” – that time being when the fishery is completely fucked which, as Hazlett has basically acknowledged, is what’s on the cards.
Now that National has declared on Labour the first casualty of this political war is truth.
it seems that all Polititians seem to rush to cover themselves first and ignore the truth starring thwem in the face as we all see is there today,
Labour so far have a better record onn admitting their faults than National ever had done.
So we hope this increases and labour takes the ‘bull by the preverbial horn’ and gets in and fixes all these worrying issues so we can say “we did this”
Yes Labour are better, but there is a massive mess left behind… like this one..
More than 98,000 non-New Zealand citizens arrived in the April 2018 year. However, more than 30,000 non-New Zealand citizens left this country.
The more important question might be, did the non NZ citizens leave after buying housing and assets in NZ and did they leave satellite families behind who qualify for government assistance?
Should long term NZ residents and citizens be expected to pick up the welfare bill for asset rich people who have only been in the country for a few years?
How will the government’s 1000 – 1600 new affordable houses help when 60,000+ new people arrived last year?
Should there be an expiry date and controls on residency to people who are just using NZ as a cockoo lifestyle to raise their kids or care for their aged parents after gaining residency and heading back overseas to work?
Should there be a minimum amount of time spent in the country (aka 75% of time spent in NZ over a lifetime of gaining residency) to be allowed access to free health care, education and super and voting if you come into NZ under the pretext of working or settling here permanently but then as increasingly the case, it’s leaving NZ after getting the paperwork through?
Should there be a lot more safe guards with clearer controls on trusts and companies hiding assets like housing or small businesses which can then be used to mask or structure people’s wealth enabling rich people to legitimately claim welfare and accommodation benefits, tax write offs and WFF or straight benefits through loopholes and our very relaxed laws on companies and trusts holding assets.
This is a serious issue facing the country as we have people who are born here or migrated here and working hard or just being a citizen who is also a beneficiary and genuinely poor and they are getting less opportunities.
NZ is no longer the land of plenty, somehow we have gone from state houses to living in cars, as well as people who genuinely need secure work and opportunities at living wages… and the government is not doing enough to ensure to protect our system against abuse that has occurred under the National government’s decade reign of ‘rockstar economy’ aka widespread fraud and sell offs and trougher’s of all descriptions at the public purse.
Lend me your Ears
We simply cannot admit any or every passport into NZ until we have housing, plumbing, sewerage, health, education and work for the owner of the Passport.
National, namely John Key and Billy English and their handmaids being of low IQ, did not understand that. And they have created chaos. National will never rise again for what they did not do.
For those who follow the great game of Cricket I shall tell you the score at the time of the declaration.
When they declared National had reached 987 runs for 3 wickets.
Labour went into bat and when stumps were drawn due to bad light Labour had reached a score of 16 runs for the loss of 7 wickets.
National’s score of course took four days to compile; from 450 overs.
At the end of the drawn game, National declared themselves the winner as they were the team that had scored the most runs.
The series had of course been decided with Labour winning three of the five matches.
National attacked the match umpires for obvious bias, and besides they had more players in their team.
Team vice-captain, MS Bennett, who retired early, frustrated at not scoring any runs, alleged the umpires’ decisions were “dangerous for cricket”. Later cautioned for ball-tampering with the heavy roller, she said “Their decisions had become personal.”
When the after-match commentators pointed out that the great majority of the National wickets that fell were either due to hit wicket or were bowled middle stump and obviously out, MS Bennett said that the decisions were flawed and anyway they hadn’t been quite ready.
“The pitch was too green and the opposition’s ball was red,” she said.
The question is also ‘where has all the money going” that has been collected by Auckland council. They have outrageous water bills, actually not the water apparently which is free but for the pipes which actually seem to be a mess still after years of Metrowater, we have 54% of rates going to Auckland Transport which is also a mess and takes 5 times longer than a car for a 2 stage journey and costs 5 times the cost of petrol, while many areas have little to zero public transport at all, then we have our infrastructure and development costs which seem astronomical but somehow also seem to need to go up to $70k per development and not much sign of all the infrastructure being put in by council for all the new developments they took the contributions for over the past decade of contributions. And now a petrol tax, actually two taxes, a regional one and an Auckland one.
All this while reducing library services, making people mow their own berms and thinking we need a billion dollar stadium and giving themselves salary rises and new premises, more marketing people, more lawyers, more of everyone pushing paper around at great cost and with little practical reality coming out of it.
Sounds like Phil and the Auckland council are hoping to bankrupt the city to join the government in borrowing money as fast as possible to put in development, which seems to be for the Ponzi scheme of importing in low skilled people needing welfare to top up their meagre wages, the higher skilled who leave after a few years to work after obtaining residency, while leaving behind children to be educated and the elderly to be looked after by tax paying Kiwis who now struggle to afford a house, or even to drive to work with the petrol taxes to pay for the folly.
Prior to the last decade we had a normal level of people migrating here who stayed and made a life here, we did not have floodgates of people buying up assets and then leaving with non working family members living here in million dollar houses or with small businesses losing money while employing more and more overseas people into the country!
Unfair, savey, unfair. The widespread misunderstanding of Goffles’ socalled secretiveness highlights the need for a massively expanded PR campaign. Obviously more management will be needed and managers cost money. Ratepayers will appreciate the effort and the jump in their property values.
Ok I agree a bit unfair for Goffles, he inherited the problem, but he is going in the wrong direction by adding in more managers and listening to those already there who seem to have misdirected the money collected so far.
Nope, ratepayers who actually work in Auckland are not happy unless they are cashing up and leaving, those left are paying more rates and now petrol taxes, but have nothing working ain’t happy. Even in 2015 it showed over 80% of ratepayers were not happy with the council. (The stopped public polling after that result).
You can’t go to the beach because of sewerage, you can’t drive across town because of congestion, you can’t catch public transport because it doesn’t go there or takes even longer to get there…. nothing really being done about that, even though in places there are train tracks that the experts don’t want to use, You can’t even get a decent meal these days and in the legacy of having chefs and burger managers considered a ‘essential skill’ McDonalds has been in the news when pills have been found in the Sundaes and the famous French cafe has apparently been bought out and the joke being is it going to be renamed the French curry? Now that’s capitalism and globalism at work or maybe the fall of it, I’m not sure!
Auckland council and COO thinking is from a money grab perspective, and still adding in more people. The poorer citizens are being advised by MSM to leave the city and go to the provinces, essentially surrender and just leave the neoliberals to sell off the city.
What a legacy, bankrupting the city and purging it of poor and middle class people and leaving the rich, the rich who claim benefits, more and more fake, illegal or misleading businesses and a few refugees left. How Rogernomics.
It’s a beautiful day in Putaruru Aotearoa at the minute.
Io gave us another big bouncy baby boy yesterday and it our mokos birthday today she’s 3 our mokos in Auckland are all good here’s a link to some music ECO MAORI likes below.
Hi standardistas. I know you have differences with people in New Zealand. But today a man in England was sentenced to death by the Tory government run by the Israeli interests in England for standing up for the working class girls of England.
This is bipartisan issue. If a Tory government can arrest people and sentence and imprison them within the hour for speech in the United Kingtom for standing up for British working class girls who were raped under Labour we are in dire straights.
Please stand up for free speech. Stand up for Tommy Robinson, defending the working class girls who were sacrificed to diversity.
The working class in England should be marching in the streets. This is bipartisan, genuine fascism. You want to see real fascism? Here it is.
I’m going to be doing daily posts on Tommy Robinson.
The British government and the overall British ruling class have no mandate by the British people. They have suspended their relations with the British people. They should be regarded as an illegitimate government ruling by force and their supposed authority should be suspended and they should be regarded as adversaries of the British people.
The people of England need to start arming themselves with anything they can find. This is real. This is terrifying. And justice needs to be served.
The rape of 1 million girls by the English ruling class deserves justice.
I hope that justice comes for the English ruling class, whatever form it takes. The English ruling class are aliens to England. I won’t state why, but they are not English. They are of another group of people who have a different agenda to the English.
Every day, I’m going to start writing about the English government and what it is doing.
New Zealand needs to put pressure on this regime and start divesting ourselves of the relationship until they restore the rule of law and the freedoms of western institutions to England.
Good evening Newshub Lloyd looks like Ireland is going to catch up with the times and give Lady’s the right to have a abortion the Mana Wahine = rights movement is strong. Lloyd do you miss Winston.
Judge Andrew Becroft is a good fair Kiwi who ECO MAORI backs 100 %. Off topic my view is that Judith Collins the – – – – – – is at her worst paying someone to spy on Phil Twyford and slowly leak the the bad habits of Phil that’s is how nasty people like Judith Collins behave .
Does that show te tangata what tech can be use for the tracking of visit to farms with the bovine virus is a good thing but there are many bad things that people can use tech for even the state.
ECO MAORI Says there should be a total set net ban around the endanger Mauri dolphins habitat come on there are less than 60 of these beautiful creatures of Tangaroa left these fishmen can use long lines some how I think NZF are slowing down the process of a set net ban – – – – – – you Ka kite ano P.S people like Judith Collins can’t win fairly so they cheat
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
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 ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8. The universe was ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
Peter Dunne writes – The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
…it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisitionNOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes – The High Court ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same?Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
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Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
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Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
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Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
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Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
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Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
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Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
Sir Robert devoted his life to disability rights after living in institutions in his younger years, says Kaihautū Tika Hauātanga | Disability Rights Commissioner Prudence Walker. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University Violence against women is not a women’s problem to solve, it is a whole of society problem to solve; and men in particular have to take responsibility. Those were the ...
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Analysis - The United States has unveiled plans to boost the weapons trade with Australia and the UK, on the same day that Winston Peters is expected to sketch NZ's position on AUKUS. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrea Carson, Professor of Political Communication, Department of Politics, Media and Philosophy, La Trobe University Since Australia’s First Nations Voice to Parliament referendum in October 2023, diverse commentaries have sought to explain why it failed. But what does an analysis of media ...
Lawyers representing two iwi as well as the Māori Women’s Welfare League on Wednesday asked the Court of Appeal to overturn last week’s High Court decision on the Waitangi Tribunal’s decision to summons Children’s Minister Karen Chhour. The Tribunal is currently investigating the Government’s decision to repeal section 7AA of ...
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Thousands of workers attended public events in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch today to celebrate International Workers’ Day (May Day), but union representatives are urging caution and vigilance over the Government’s blatantly "anti-worker" ...
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The PSA is warning the Government that the sensitive information of New Zealanders held by various agencies will fall into the wrong hands if the latest round of proposed cuts goes ahead. ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark A Gregory, Associate Professor, School of Engineering, RMIT University The telecommunications industry faces a major shakeup following the release of the post-incident report on last November’s 12-hour Optus outage. Telecommunications companies will have to share more information with customers during future ...
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NZCTU Economist Craig Renney said new data released by Statistics New Zealand shows the need for Government to act now, with unemployment rising from 3.4% to 4.3%. ...
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By Dale Luma in Port Moresby “We want grants and not concessional loans,” is the crisp message from Papua New Guinea businesses directly affected by the Black Wednesday looting four months ago. The businesses, which lost millions after the January 10 rioting and looting, say they need grants as part ...
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A Koi Tū discussion paper released today proposes sweeping changes to New Zealand’s media industry. The principal’s key author, Gavin Ellis, explains how journalists have a key role to play in making others value their role in society. This is an abridged version of a piece first published on knightlyviews.com ...
The Government’s spending cuts are again targeting support for Māori with proposed reform of the agency charged with advising on Māori wellbeing and development. ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Usmar, Lecturer in Critical Media Literacies, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images With the coalition government’s ban of student mobile phones in New Zealand schools coming into effect this week, reaction has ranged from the sceptical (kids will just get ...
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Using the same tactics as the fascist regime in Syria, (and even some of the same video clips), an Israel lobby group spreads hoaxes to whitewash Gaza massacre
https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/david-cronin/israel-lobby-group-spreads-hoaxes-whitewash-gaza-massacre-0
https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/05/22/broken-dreams-and-lost-lives-israel-gaza-and-the-hamas-card/
Jenny I am with you on the Palestinian issue.
Not so your standpoint on Syria.
Do you realise that Israel and the Saudis support the head chopping Jihadis in their fight against Assad?
+1
I presume your “head chopping jihadis” is a reference to ISIS. When has Israel ever supported ISIS?
In the propaganda that dupes believe, it’s common knowledge. But Israel doesn’t need to support external fascism: it has its own.
OAB
Plenty of information that Israel has supported Syrian rebels, zero evidence that Israel has supported ISIS.
Though given your pro Assad sympathies, perhaps you think all Syrian rebels are ISIS.
OAB has pro-Assad sympathies and has the overly simplistic view that all Syrian rebels are ISIS? Not that I’ve noticed. Perhaps you are getting him confused with someone else.
your pro Assad sympathies
Are you on drugs Mapp? Beta blockers? Viagra*? Something that induces hallucinations?
*”Some sildenafil users have complained of seeing everything tinted blue”.
I hope you weren’t expecting the courtesy of an apology from Wayne @OAB – even tho’ you can see the timestamps show the irriot is still around, and even tho’ he’s at pains to present himself as a fair and reasonable sort of bloke -affably fair and balanced (almost) and very ‘nice’. Which is probably why the Sunday morning comfy media parachuted in to the studio see him as some sort of wise old sage they can depend on for some words of wisdom (going forward).
He’s as big a ‘spray and walkaway’ spreader of his ideology as the all-purpose drench is to livestock.
The Honourable Dr Wayne Mapp. No wonder we could be in the shit -the guy is as big a fossil to foresight and wisdom as a mizzz Boag is to the consumption of botox and image consultants.
Both very shallow folk. Indeed they could probably set up their own veneer company with the good Doctor advising on the technicalities with Mish advising on the latest trends.
Wayne you need to reread what oab wrote – he is no supporter of Assad.
Nice straw man and diversion there Wayne.
There are plenty of Jihadist groups going under various names that have a thing for chopping off heads. Al Nusra and Al Zinki come instantly to mind.
And there is plenty of evidence that “western” governments have given material support to those groups. Should “western” include Israeli? I guess that’s somewhat of an open question.
What’s The governments preferred method for execution in Syria Bill ?
Insofar as there is capital punishment for some crimes in Syria, I’d guess that the “preferred” method for death would be by hanging. I could well be wrong – it’s only a guess.
I had a look on the amnesty site but couldn’t find it.
https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/middle-east-and-north-africa/syria/report-syria/
You quote Amnesty?
Hilarious
Brigid I don’t find any of the information relayed by Amnesty International hilarious, if you do you have a very strange and dark sense of humour.
As everyone knows*, Amnesty are headchoppers.
*terms and conditions apply.
Ah thanks for the clarification it’s so hard to keep up with who’s in whose bad books these days.
Pretty simple, really.
Assad and Putin are Benevolent and Popular Leaders who distribute presents to children and kiss puppies, and this infuriates the evil Western Deep State who spread lies and crisis hoaxes to keep their own populations in fear. The WDS also fund Terrorist Head-Choppers to fight the BPL, and every person who opposes the BPL are THCs. The WDS and their THC puppets also randomly kill BPL political opponents (who are usually THCs or WDS operatives) and innocent civilians in order to make it look like the BPL are actually cruel and totalitarian dictators who do not shy away from torture (lies) and murder (fake news!).
Fortunately, we have amongst us visionaries who can see through the lies of the WDS-controlled Main Stream Media and nobly tell us how good the BPL really are.
lol
Don’t forget torture.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/26/saudi-arabia-criticised-over-executions-for-drug-offences
48 beheadings in Saudi so far in 2018
But think of the sheep exports!
“I’m going to call the State Department!”
“What?”
“I’m going to call them a barrel of motherfuckers…”
Frank Zappa.
Apparently we’re supposed to turn a blind eye to all this because trade.
This is true. This is why we still have trade with many countries that do not have an ethical government.
That you don’t know Wayne, demonstrates your ignorance.
Wayne, FYI
Israeli Intelligence chief: We do not want ISIS defeat in Syria
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/israeli-intelligence-chief-not-want-isis-defeat-syria/
Why isn’t the Assad regime fascist?
Maybe it needs to try harder?
Hi Ed,
It probably wouldn’t hurt if you put in some links to support your narrative. At the very least to give your comment some context linked to the real world.
Your use of emotive words like “head choppers” to denounce the Syrian people in revolt against the Assad regime. Is at best a generalisation, and at worst a broad smear. Of course Isis has executed people, (and probably innocent people) by chopping off their heads. This is a matter of factual record. But to generalise that to smear the whole opposition to Assad, needs more evidence than you have ever produced.
The fact that some rich and eccentric Saudi princes have funded the fundamentalist parts of the opposition is a matter of public record. As a result, the fundamentalists are the only part of the armed opposition that has ever received much material aid of any sort. While the liberal and progressive forces have been starved of all support. (a fact which has helped the growth of the more extremist Islamist groups).
Your other conjecture Ed, is that Israel is opposed to the Assad regime.
Again you should supply some proof to back up your conjecture. Just saying it, doesn’t make it so.
There is a lot of evidence,( contrary to your conjecture), that leading members of the Assad ruling dynasty have had a close working relationship with the Zionist state over several decades.
https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/features/2015/8/17/exclusive-assads-sanctions-busting-ties-to-israeli-business-tycoon
As the above link details, much of the Assad dynasty credibility as Arab nationalists, rests on their on their supposed anti Zionist and anti-imperialist position, a position that doesn’t bear much examination.
During my time spent in the refugee camp in Latakia, at any mention or discussion of the Assad regime, the Palestinian refugees that I met expressed open derision at the idea of Assad being opposed to Israel. The Palestinian refugees in Syria told me that the Assad acted as a protector of Israel’s northern border, and that they did not consider the regime to be a genuine supporter of the Palestinian people.
The Assad regime much like the Sadat/Mubarak regime in Egypt had made their peace with the Zionists.
Though this relationship has been strained by the civil war, particularly by the Assad regime taking military support from Israel’s enemy Iran, the links will still be there. Personally I find it uncanny how the Israeli airforce can precisely target Iranian missile shipments to Hezbollah without the regime forces ever taking casualties.
The regime’s Arab nationalist anti-imperialist credentials don’t bear much examination either. As well selling off and privatising its public assets in the early 2000s at the behest of the World Bank and the IMF, (a sellout to Western imperialism that regime insiders also took a cut of), the Assad regime supplied 19,000 troops to support the US in the first Gulf War against Iraq. The Assad regime also worked closely with the CIA to help the CIA torture suspects flown to Syria under the CIA program of extraordinary rendition.
Ed, in past comments, I have provided you and others with the links to disprove your conjecture that Assad is an anti-imperialist Arab Nationalist. I won’t this time, because you obviously don’t read them, or even bother to open them. Because you have adopted a shallow narrative that such facts just don’t fit into.
In your mind Assad is some sort of Ho Chi Minh or Fidel Castro fighting the evil Yankee imperialists, as such we can afford to overlook or ignore his other faults, like genocide, and mass detention and torture in Nazi like death camps. Links that again I have supplied, (facts that you never challenge, instead that you choose to willfully ignore). In willfully overlooking these massive crimes against humanity, (as the necessary acts of a Nationalist leader defending himself against a foreign invader), as a result Ed you have become, wittingly or unwittingly an apologist and party to genocide.
Don’t support fascism.
It really shouldn’t have to be said.
I think it needs to be said over and over again, to the people who support fascism because they’ve been duped by fascist propaganda. Mention Assad, they start screeching about ‘headchoppers’ (another bunch of fascists, as though it needs saying). Mention Trump, they start blithering about her emails.
You can fool some of the people all of the time. Here at The Standard we have real world evidence that Lincoln was right.
So very true aob
What is your definition of fascism? Some people claim the Bathist regime in Syria is Fascist. It certainly is a totalitarian State that promotes a strong government and Syrian nationalism. Those are usually the cornerstone of Fascism.
You can add the practice of corporatism, torture and extrajudicial killing. Racism and “self-made-man” myths are usually to the fore aswell.
+111
Pretty sure most of those are part of the Assad regime as well.
‘Pretty sure’
Yep that’s proof enough
Why are you so quick to leap to the defence of the Assad government Brigid ?
Why are you so quick to make insinuations, Stoned Mullett?
I think it needs to be said over and over again, to the people who support fascism because they’ve been duped by fascist propaganda.
I think that’s far too narrow a focus and ought to be broadened out to include those who are unwitting supporters of fascistic tendencies because they believe Liberal propaganda.
Actually, on brief reflection, this “fascist” propaganda you speak of – who exactly are the fascists propagating it and that people are listening to?
Duped by fascist propaganda, from the likes of decent journalists like Pilger, Bartlett, Beeley and others. Hmm..k.
Sure you haven’t been duped by CNN, MSNBC, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights working out of his house in the UK?
Pilger supports the Chavista regime in Venezuela. Enough said.
Which we may surmise means you support extreme rightists like the New Order, who mean to steal their oil reserves.
Beeley and Bartlett are decent journalists? 😆
Edit: I wonder why The Intercept doesn’t appear in your list of news sources that I’m allegedly duped by. No, wait, I’m lying: I know exactly why that is 😆
I don’t suppose you’ve ever bothered to wonder why Eva Bartlett wasn’t subjected to the level of opprobrium she’s attracted for her coverage of Syria when she was reporting on Palestine from Gaza?
Maybe she just “lost the plot” somewhere along the line, or then again, maybe she’s consistent, and it’s just that her reporting from Syria doesn’t fit in the same nice comforting box as her reporting from Palestine?
What you suppose is of no concern to me.
As for Bartlett, I broadly agree with Malak Chabkoun.
Aljazeera, the mouth piece for El Nusra.
Do you actually believe I’m going to take your word for that?
How’s about you stop with the idiotic narcissism and (given it’s a place for engagement) engage rather than dropping pointless and vaguely inflammatory nonsense on people?
@Bill.
Brigid baldly asserts that Al Jazeera is a mouthpiece for terrorists – attacking the messenger as opposed to engaging with his argument, but I’m the one being pointless, inflammatory and narcissistic?
Pfft.
I don’t have anything to add to Malak Chabkoun’s remarks.
To bloody right maui … and we could add Fisk, Jeremy Scahill , Seymor hersh and others who have to find a outlet in our media landscape …
And what a warped landscape it is …. Here’s the results of some google searches I did ….
Skripal+poison+russia About 863,443 results
Yemen+siege+u.s.a+famine+2018 About 270 results
Syria+gas+Assad+2018 About 2,859,015 results
Yemen+siege+Britain+2018 About 15 results
Russia+”war crime”+Syria+2018 About 30,358 results
Israel+”war crime”+Gaza About 3 results
Corbyn+Anti-Semite bout 21,479 results
“Israeli terrorists”About 3,430 results
“Palestinian terrorists” About 24,209 results
Shaping opinion …. manufacturing consent
So I just did a Google search for “Israel + ”war crime” + Gaza” (note the syntax – spaces between terms) and returned many pages of results – Google says “about 250k results”. I don’t think much of your “findings”.
Edit: “Yemen + siege + u.s.a + famine + 2018” (note the syntax again) returns “about 253k results”. 🙄
Thanks OAB … can you fact check this for me
Marco the other day ( I think )made a good post containing and accurate statement about ‘farm sewerage
Labour has been attacked for a cow cap / cull based on excessive nutrient levels in our rivers ….. Nutrients don’t sound to bad and I’d swim in them … hell, do I get some vitamins with my nutrients in the river water ??….
But ‘Farm sewerage’ … I’m not going to swim in raw animal shit … it sounds very unhealthy swallowing and bathing in fecal matter …
“farm sewage” +”New Zealand”+river+excessive+safe About 38 results
nutrients +”New Zealand”+river+excessive+safe About 18,781 results
Framing the argument …. shaping opinion
Labour can easily win the excessive farm sewerage argument ….
“farm sewage” + ”New Zealand” + river + excessive + safe: “about 253 results”.
nutrients + ”New Zealand” + river + excessive + safe: “about 899k results”.
This is the last time I will try and educate you about syntax: add spaces between your search terms.
M. Bovis might just give the government space to initiate some “disaster Socialism“, and I’m not holding my breath.
OAB: absolutely true. One of the most poisonous and pernicious fallacies in contemporary politics is ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’. That’s what causes otherwise sane people to support crooks and despots like Trump (‘buh, buh, but, her emails, and yuck, icky icky girl cooties’) and Assad (‘buh, buh, but the Russians like him, and we like the Russians because…’ see previous). It’s stupid now, and it was stupid 35 years ago when that senile old fool Reagan was duped into supporting the most evil political movement of the second half of the 20th century.
What Is the difference in a nazi / facist who does this … http://ahrp.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Ravensbruck-Emaciated_Children-.gif
And the people who do this https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/yemen-civil-war-crisis-conflict-udai-faisal-starving-children-malnutrition-saudi-air-strikes-aid-a6958096.html
The children die the same way ….. But the disgusting Mays / Camerons / Trumps / Obamas are sick hypocrytes to lecture anyone about “humanitarian values” …
the United States and the United Kingdom are backing the Saudi-led coalition, and while calling for an end to the war, they continue along with Spain, France, Canada, Australia, and Italy, to sell billions of dollars’ worth of weapons and military equipment to parties to the conflict.
over the past 1,000 days:
Nearly 5,300 civilians were killed
Three million people were forced to flee their homes
Nearly one million people are suspected of contracting cholera in the world’s worst outbreak ever recorded
Oxfam said all that all parties to the conflict bear responsibility for these huge levels of human suffering and all are responsible for violations of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Law.http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/08/the-united-states-is-complicit-in-the-destruction-of-yemen.html
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/yemen-saudi-blockade-un_us_5a04678fe4b0f76b05c3d4f1
Poor old National party. The classic five stages of grief are on full display.
1 – DENIAL – Period suffered: Election night to budget day
Politics became meaningless. Parliament makes no sense. National were in a state of shock and denial. They were numb. Some pretended they were still minister, issuing decrees and orders that were ignored by tearful ex-staffers moving their boxes out of their Beehive offices. Awkward. Others wondered how they could go on, why should they go on. Many, many couldn’t go on and resigned. They tried to find a way to simply get through each day, going on diets, appearing on reality TV dancing shows.
2 – ANGER – Period suffered – Budget day to present.
National’s anger seems endless. But the more National truly feel it, the more the anger will begin to dissipate and the more they will heal. The truth is that Tory anger has no limits. It can extend not only to the speaker but their friends, the civil service, and silly little girls everywhere. Judith Collins, in her daily prayer session with Cameron Slater probably asks, “Where is God in this?” Underneath the anger is their pain. It is natural to feel deserted and abandoned by the electorate. Anger and fear are National’s strength and anchor, giving them temporary structure to the nothingness of their existence.
Still to come:
BARGAINING
DEPRESSION
ACCEPTANCE
Sanctuary 100%
A good wrap on the shonkey way National mussles in to crash Parliament now as they are such sore loosers arent they just.
They still dont accept defeat because they oppose MMP and believe they still have the right to Govern.
Sad folks National Party are really.
I’m not sure how you expect an opposition to behave. If memory serves me correctly I believe people like you were almost demanding Labour and the rest of the Opposition parties oppose the last government far more vigorously. It was as if not doing their utmost to stop them would be a betrayal of the nation. Now you think National should somehow become compliant. It makes little sense.
Gosman, don’t confuse opposing ‘far more vigorously’ with petulant and pre-planned disobedience. They have the entitlement of their questions allocated by the Clerk according to their numbers in the House. They should learn to ask questions properly.
You’re confusing form with content.
The Key kleptocracy’s innumerable rorts, failures and shortcomings were sufficient to keep a vigorous opposition busy for decades.
Having nothing comparable to criticize, the wretched Gnats are reduced to picking fights with the speaker. Had they the sporting chops to which Key so often pretended they’d realise that slagging off the Ref is a great way to excuse failure, but a lousy tactic if you actually mean to win.
“Where is God in this?”
More like “Great Cthulhu, blight my enemies.” Until recently her real enemies were on her own side of the house, but it must be hard to consider B&B a threat.
Aha… I was planning a bit of a dissertation along the same lines but yours is – as usual – better Sanctuary.
I think they’re almost done with the ‘Bargaining phase” (at least for the time being because Bridges won’t see the term out) and they’re moving into the ‘Depression’ state. Hence the tears of frustration and imagined victimisation by the Speaker. They’re causing it themselves but won’t ever admit it. This is likely to last until the end of the term with occasional outbursts of denial and anger thrown in for good measure.
I’m lovin it. 😀
President Trump.
– Pulled out of Paris Climate Accord
– Pulled out of CPTPP
– Pulled out of Iran
– Obliterated Palestinian peace dialogue
– Killed historic talks with North Korea
But delivered tax reform for corporations and very wealthy people, and increased funding for the military.
Worst US President in my lifetime.
Yes but it’s the best POTUS the industrial military complex have ever had and in this world that’s all that seems to matter now with they’re pervasive ways.
Russia and China are flexing the muscles with trump effectively paving a path for them with his ‘diplomacy’ and generally making America ‘great’ again.
Eye on those mid terms as the Donald goes hard out before the GOP likely lose more than a few sitting members.
Wasn’t he going to be the most tremendous bestest dealmaker ever? He did say maker, not breaker, right?
http://fortune.com/2018/05/04/unemployment-rate-century-low-percent/
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-03-15/this-is-what-record-low-unemployment-looks-like-in-america
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/04/business/economy/jobs-report.html
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/economy/2018/05/04/black-unemployment-rate-hits-record-low-april/581090002/
Now you’re about to show me the causal relationship between President Trump’s economic policies and record low unemployment.
and of course if unemployment rose you wouldn’t use that as proof of how bad Trump is
President Trump’s track record in international relations is unquestioningly bad.
As to unemployment levels being an indicator of national belief in his leadership, check his polling.
President Trump is an exceptionally bad US President.
Ok I will:
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/02/trump-bounceback/553337/
https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/04/donald-trump-poll-numbers-rising-foreign-policy-challenges/
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/05/07/politics/cnn-poll-trump-steady-right-direction-rises/index.html
Yeah not looking so bad for Trump especially given most of the polling is probably done in and around New York and California where most of the media is ensconced
Even a dead cat bounces. Check the trend.
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/trump-approval-ratings/
So Labour won’t take credit for NZs good economy and will instead pay tribute to Nationals handling of the economy for the last nine years?
So, what you’re saying is that the US’s boom economy is all on Obama?
Might well be, I’m not that into american politics
Good economy.
What planet are you on?
Sames as Grants apparantly
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11994447
https://www.odt.co.nz/business/govt-finances-better-expected
Ah, planet Key.
Robertson. Another Neo-Lib.
They changed how the unemployed are counted again pucker?
I thought pulling out of the TPP would have been counted as a positive.
He was very close to being the first US president to meet the DPRK president, I thought that would be a positive too, and it’s still possible.
“….and it’s still possible.”
I’ve had a bit of practice doing deals with people from Korea, albeit on a much, much smaller scale, and my take is that the deal is still very much live. The deal will have several more bounces between top table and garbage bin before we get to the end result.
In the face of Donald Trump’s saber rattling and veiled threat about the size and power of the US nuclear strike capability.
Will South Korea and Japan defy the US and continue to seek rapprochement with North Korea?
South Korean president ‘perplexed’ at Trump’s decision to cancel North Korea summit
JULIA MANCHESTER – 24 May, 2018
http://thehill.com/policy/international/389219-south-korean-president-holds-emergency-meeting-after-trump-scraps-summit
Japan has reportedly reached out to North Korea for a summit meeting
http://www.businessinsider.com/japan-summit-with-north-korea-2018-3/?r=AU&IR=T
Has Donald Trump torpedoed the proposed peace treaty between North and South Korea to officially end the Korean War?
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/north-and-south-korea-agree-to-pursue-signing-a-peace-treaty-2018-4?r=US&IR=T
Judith Collins says Jacinda weak by not accepting Twyfords resignation. Yet here she still is. .
Unfortunately.
Jude doesn’t actually want Twyford to resign from anything as shes having far too much fun pointing out why Twyford has been promoted above his capabilities
“shes having far too much fun”.
Don’t you feel just a bit sorry for Twyford?
Question time has Phil looking rather like a mouse that a domestic cat has caught. There is the little rodent Twyford squeaking away in his state of terrified befuddlement.
Mind you, as someone who lives in the country that he claims to have some control over I would be only too happy to see Collins put him out of his misery and that he be replaced by someone with at least a skerrick of ability.
Oh for goodness sake Alvin. Go and change your pants. You are way to excited about chest beating Collins. Bet your dreams are full of Collins, black leather, thigh high boots and whips and handcuffs. Have i missed anything?
Thats quite a detailed description there Ffloyd 🙂
Cold shower, Pucky!
I’m getting some strange looks from around the office at the moment
Suit drenched in perspiration? Heart beating like a drum? The barely audible whine? Or is it something unmentionable? Costume malfunction?
Well…
LMFAO !!! Fancy looking codpiece, ROFL, that curve would hit the spot. Too funny!
That’s about your 50th post of the day and you are at work? Not getting much value out of you, are they?
Your tax payers dollars at work 🙂
An you’re proud of it!
That’s the smug dishonesty of the right for you I guess.
I am proud that I can work so efficiently that i can muck around on here and get all my work done 🙂
Not sure how you sleep at night.
If you really want to know I sleep au natural, mostly on my side (sometimes on my front) and am quite the deep sleeper
Can’t work out why you are so gleeful about wasting your employer’s time. You admonish others for arrogance but display all the signs of it yourself.
The amount of time i spend on here is directly proportionate to how much work i have on at the time
At the moment I don’t have much on so i can spend more time on here but on some days i can’t get on here at all because of the amount of work i have on
If you had a job you’d understand this concept 🙂
You have given away quite a lot of information about yourself today.
Noted for the future.
That is called Psychological Projection isn’t it FFluffy?
“Psychological projection is a defense mechanism people subconsciously employ in order to cope with difficult feelings or emotions. Psychological projection involves projecting undesirable feelings or emotions onto someone else, rather than admitting to or dealing with the unwanted feelings”
Is that how you feel about Ms Collins? It certainly not something that ever occurred to me. Just don’t try and put your fantasies into practice.
So funny Alvin. You’d better sit down your projection is showing.
My God, FFluffy.
More Projecting on your part.
You identify as being an exhibitionist as well. You know you should be ashamed of yourself so you try and pretend it is other people who do the things that are the flaws in your own behaviour.
Sad. Really sad. Keep away from Primary Schools until you learn to control yourself.
I don’t feel sorry for him at all, he was part of the group that stated time and time again how bad NZ was, how bad National were, how Labour were so much better well hes got his chance and now hes showing just how competent he really is
The longer Jude toys with him and makes him look like the incompetent he really is the better, hes sort of representative of Labour really
Take Cindy away from Labour and all you have is people like Twyford
Funny, I seem to remember Judith Collins as one of the ‘”what housing crisis?” mob. Phil Twyford is doing OK. Don’t believe all the MSM bleats.
Collins was sacked for taking advantage of her position, so why is she so good? Oh your opinion.??
@PR.
True. When you really look at him he isn’t worthy of sympathy.
I personally think that Grant Robertson is about all the CoL has going for it. He has surprised me with the way he seems to have started getting a grasp on his portfolio. When you look back at his mucking about a couple of years ago with his blathering about things like a UBI and so on he has got much better.
I suppose it is because he has been house-trained by Treasury.
Ardern remains a major disappointment in my view. Perhaps she will learn in the future but she shows no signs of having any grasp of her job to date. She has been pretty much a glove-puppet for Tsar Winston so far.
Your assessment of ardern is praising with faint damnation.
I thought the casual sexism from alwyn was the standout silliness, but I can see what you’re saying McFlock.
“praising with faint damnation”.
Sounds a reasonable interpretation of my opinion.
I simply don’t think she is up to the job. She simply doesn’t know enough about the problems and isn’t prepared for it..
I want someone competent in that job, and she simply isn’t the one.
Of the Labour leaders since Clark, who was up to the job, the only one who seemed to be capable of filling the role was Shearer. Why did the Labour Party stab him in the back?
And, for your mate adam, it has nothing whatsoever to do with her sex.
But he knows that doesn’t he?
lol
Obviously sowing discord and fanning paranoia in Labour is a perishable skill.
A solid seven years of Labour fighting itself left you incompetent at doing the job yourself.
Putting the Shearer barb aside (which is just disappointingly weak), Ardern consistently nukes shouty&co in the House, her ministers are getting results, and all in all they’ve stepped into their new roles with ease and competence. But then it doesn’t take much to improve on the last batch of ministers, anyway.
Ardern, in the House, simply doesn’t answer the questions. Still, she has got Mallard to protect her doesn’t she.
Look at this extract from Hansard. It was Question 1 last Tuesday.
“Hon Simon Bridges: What extra funding did the Budget provide to fulfil her promise to pay early childhood education (ECE) centres more for employing 100 percent qualified staff?
Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: As the member will know, Budget 2018 included a 45 percent increase in education funding. The fact that we could put 45 percent more into education—new funding—and still have additional needs that we need to meet demonstrates just how bad things were for the education sector.”
When it was pointed out that there had been no attempt to answer the question Trevor came out with,
“Mr SPEAKER: Well, it was very clearly addressing the question.”
You call that “nuking”?
“her ministers are getting results”. Really?
How many of the billion trees have been planted?
How many of the 100,000 homes have at least been started?
How many pensioners are getting their $700 heating allowance this year?
maybe after a few years more practise you’ll get the hang of it.
“after a few years more “.
You may be right. Of course after a few more years the answers to my 3 questions will still be the same.
Trees planted. ZERO.
Kiwibuild affordable homes started. ZERO
Pensioners getting $700 heating allowance in 2018. ZERO.
Have a nice day y’all.
I would bookmark that prediction, but in two years we’ll probably have plenty of more recent examples of your grief-ridden disconnect with reality.
That addressing the question malarkey is bollocks isn’t it wally. Whose bright idea was that?
Alywyn and PR if you are feeling excited that Judith blew the whistle on pt use of the cell phone you are desperate. It is a minor misdemeanor and only serves to compare and contrast what happened with Gerry and airport security. No conquence for Gerry. Phil stands down on a very minor part of his workload(probably glad to get rid of it)………jacinda looks good. The majority on an on-line poll thinks phill didn’t need to stand down……..is this all national have got? Rather pathetic
It’s those godawful butchered eyebrows that terrorise the poor man wally.
That’s nothing to do with Twyford. That’s Collins declaring open war against Brownlee – because any discussion of Twyford’s actions inevitably broadens to include Brownlee’s own error of judgement.
It’s almost sad to see how the Nats have begun tearing themselves apart after their election loss. Even Labour in 2008 weren’t that bad.
(The system is telling me this is a duplicate comment – but the original comment was lost in cyberspace – admins feel free to delete one or t’ other)
That’s nothing to do with Twyford. That’s Collins declaring open war against Brownlee – because any discussion of Twyford’s actions inevitably broadens to include Brownlee’s own error of judgement.
It’s almost sad to see how the Nats have begun tearing themselves apart after their election loss. Even Labour in 2008 weren’t that bad.
Uber autonomous car crash in Arizona investigation report is out
The Uber car, a Volvo XC90 sport-utility vehicle equipped with Uber’s sensing technology, comes with an automatic emergency braking system from the manufacturer.
But Uber disabled that function as well as other safety features to “reduce the potential for erratic vehicle behavior,” according to the report.
While the person pushing the bike across the road had traces of P and marijuana in her system, its stunning to find Uber had disabled part of the vehicles emergency systems
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/24/technology/uber-autonomous-car-ntsb-investigation.html
micro plasma bovis spread – “Livestock transporters let down over effluent “- By Ken Shirley.
This was an Interesting bit here; – from a National Party ally and ex MP in the Act party in coalition with the 1990’s era of the National Government.
Ken Shirley is now talking about shifting the blame onto Labour now!!!!
incredible it is when he was firstly an MP under Labour in the Langey government then under National Party as an ACT MP in 1990’s alongside National when they were in power!!!
Ken Shirley couild have sung loud about road truck effluent spread then couldn’t he?
“I see nothing” = Ken Shirley.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Shirley
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1805/S00364/livestock-transporters-let-down-over-effluent.htm
SCOOP POLITICS
Livestock transporters let down over effluent
Thursday, 24 May 2018, 12:06 pm
Press Release: Road Transport Forum
24 May 2018
Livestock transport operators are extremely disappointed in the way farmers, OSPRI and MPI have failed to implement and properly enforce stock movement regulations as is their responsibility under the National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) scheme, says Road Transport Forum Chief Executive Ken Shirley.
“These regulations were put in place for a reason, as we are now finding out to the country’s considerable cost with the Mycoplasma bovis outbreak.”
“Stock trucks are fitted with effluent tanks with a finite capacity that require frequent emptying. The act of disposing effluent, which in the past was difficult enough, has as a direct result of the fear associated with disease spread become a significant issue.”
Many farmers have been remiss in not adequately standing stock off green feed prior to transport to reduce effluent production while local government and meat processing companies have been extremely tardy in providing access to effluent disposal facilities. Access to traditional disposal facilities is also now being restricted fearing disease spread.
“With Mycoplasma bovis upon us greater demands are being put on stock transporters to wash and sanitise their vehicles but there has been no focus on the provision of adequate effluent disposal sites by the other parties.”
“Farmers and meat processors are placing increased burdens and cost on stock transporters but steadfastly refuse to shoulder the additional costs and responsibility generated by their own tardiness.”
“What if Mycoplasma bovis was an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease? In that nightmare scenario it would clearly not be acceptable to leave the burden of responsibility for effluent disposal solely with transporters, yet the primary sector doesn’t seem to appreciate that the principle here is just the same.”
“Livestock transporters are more than happy to continue to play their part in the responsible movement of animals. However, MPI, councils, farmers and meat processors also need to help facilitate the appropriate disposal of stock effluent through better facilities and practices,” says Shirley.
ends
The constant movement of stock will be a thing of the past now the disease is here. If you have a disease free herd you will want to keep it that way.
by bye stock trucks. You wont be missed. ( other than to the works)
here here; dukeofurl,
We will not miss those rattling nasty smelling stock trucks as the smell is also the sign we are recieving water droplets of aerosols that can cause us many diseases we are warned constantly.
Yes I operate a small farm but we keep our stock away from our home.
We advocate using rail again to move our stock as rail is away from roads and our driving behind stock trucks is a health risk but trains we dont travel behind. so this is worth thinking abiout now.
Besides the roads are falling apart with so many stock trucks on our rural roads now.
Shirey and his gangsrters should ppay to fix our rural roads then he may jion us and use rail again.
Not sure that he’s trying to “blame” Labour, rather a plea for everyone in the industry to work together sort the situation out.
“Many farmers have been remiss in not adequately standing stock off green feed prior to transport to reduce effluent production while local government and meat processing companies have been extremely tardy in providing access to effluent disposal facilities. ”
That’s a full on assault on farmers and the parties that should have been providing the effluent disposal and washing facilities. And coming from the stock transport sector who’ve made a considerable amount out of being a bus service to the livestock industry. But think Citybus rather than Tour Bus.
What Ken doesn’t touch on, but which is freaking the transport sector, is transport becoming a party to NAIT. This way the stock will be tagged off the farm, onto the truck, off the truck, and onto the farm. So then there’s a record of the animals that have been on each truck. Easy to do but a considerable cost to the transporter, and will put the clammers on black / grey market stock movements. And that side of the business is where the money is. Ooooops
Graeme! Wash, as the trucks have to be, your mouth out with soap! Such things you say! Calves, without ear-tags? Surely, no!
A stock truck pulls up to a farm loading ramp in the middle of the night, 10 cows get off, 4 get on, that’s after the same truck took a full load past the gate to the works that afternoon from a farm 100 km away.
Then you’ve got RentaBull, guy down the road has several hundred for short term hire, along with NickaBull, (can get tricky getting him into the trailer in the middle of the road), and BorrowaBull (short out the fence with your cows in the boundary paddock)
Indeed.
As it always should have been.
Make it mandatory to have GPS tracking on all vehicles and road sensors watching and counting the vehicles.
Also, go Cashless. It’s difficult to commit crime when it will be picked up automatically.
“As it always should have been.”
Would love to see the decision trail around that. There would have been some intense lobbying to keep the truckies out of it and create a gap that the cash could flow through. Interesting that the most vocal opponents of NAIT were stock agents.
Cashless..
There you go again, Draco..
How do you see cashless playing out …really…
Serious question…
Pretty well. We’re almost there already as I point out.
It’s difficult to commit crime when it will be picked up automatically.
No, it will simply require a little more coordination between organised criminals in the banking sector and those in the underground economy.
The banking sector won’t actually have the money on them. It will be entirely stored in government servers.
Shirley he’s not preempting some revelation about effluent disposal.
Gosman
Puckish Rogue
It gives me great Pleasure to announce the long awaited marriage between the above two tireless contributors to Drivel Inc . It is seldom that two blogees marry and produce happiness. We should be so grateful for their joint outpourings of hot crap.
They are so well matched and mated.
No, they are too imbued in the concept of self pleasuring to be able to consumate a relationship.
On the marriage of Gosman and Pucky; Jude will be seething!!
Pucky’s hers!
Heres a poem i wrote that succinctly describes my feelings, what do you think?
My life is brilliant
My life is brilliant
My love is pure
I saw an angel
Of that I’m sure
She smiled at me on the TV
She was with another man
But I won’t lose no sleep on that
‘Cause I’ve got a plan
Shes beautiful
Shes beautiful
Shes beautiful, it’s true
I saw her face in a crowded place (parliament)
And I don’t know what to do
‘Cause I’ll never be with you
Yes, she caught my eye
As we walked on by
She could see from my face that I was
Flyin’ high
And I don’t think that I’ll see her again
But we shared a moment that will last till the end
Shes beautiful
Shes beautiful
Shes beautiful, it’s true
I saw your face in a crowded place
And I don’t know what to do
‘Cause I’ll never be with you
La-la-la-la
La-la-la-la
La-la-la-la, la
Shes beautiful
Shes beautiful
Shes beautiful, it’s true
There must be an angel with a smile on her face
When she thought up that I should be with you
But it’s time to face the truth
I will never be with you
Hm.
I suppose you are trying but I’m not sure you should give up your day job to chase your dream of becoming Poet Laureate/
Mind you, when very young, I used to feel much the same way about Sophia Loren. That young lady, for some strange reason, seemed to prefer that old, bald, short chap Carlo Ponti. Very odd of her when you consider all I had to offer.
After all, when she said “I do” she would have been entitled to half my bicycle.
ps. Is that suitably ageist, sexist and racist to satisfy you adam?
lols.
But I have to agree with alwyn. Don’t give up your day job.
This is what famous literary critic Harold Bloom said about never writing poetry himself:
” It must have had something to do with the enormous reverence and rapture I felt about poetry, the incantatory strength that Crane and Blake had for me from the beginning. To be a poet did not occur to me. It was indeed a threshold guarded by demons. To try to write in verse would have been a kind of trespass.”
Advice worth heeding Pucky.
Jude is a big fan of casual racism and sexism, so I guess you’re right Robert Guyton – Gossy would not be a perfect fit.
http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/312/563/05d.jpg
Not really interested in another round of you trying to laugh off your casual sexism and racism Puckish Rogue – so jog on.
OT they are probably one of the same person; who knows?
Yes. Felicitations to them both. They are well-matched.
One has all the questions. The other has all the answers.
And we get to critique both. 🙂
More hidden reports and zero action on industry from the Natz. But what is Labour going to do about it, give a free pass to industry?
Fishing industry lies revealed in leaked report
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1805/S00160/fishing-industry-lies-revealed-in-leaked-report.htm
Labour wont do shit because Winston.
Fisheries in NZ is a disgrace.
But…but, Tony Hazlett (Head of Talley’s Nelson division) says the hoki fishery is healthy and will be for some time.
They can still make money then. That’s nice. And they envisage making money “for some time” – that time being when the fishery is completely fucked which, as Hazlett has basically acknowledged, is what’s on the cards.
saveNZ,
Now that National has declared on Labour the first casualty of this political war is truth.
it seems that all Polititians seem to rush to cover themselves first and ignore the truth starring thwem in the face as we all see is there today,
Labour so far have a better record onn admitting their faults than National ever had done.
So we hope this increases and labour takes the ‘bull by the preverbial horn’ and gets in and fixes all these worrying issues so we can say “we did this”
Yes Labour are better, but there is a massive mess left behind… like this one..
More than 98,000 non-New Zealand citizens arrived in the April 2018 year. However, more than 30,000 non-New Zealand citizens left this country.
The more important question might be, did the non NZ citizens leave after buying housing and assets in NZ and did they leave satellite families behind who qualify for government assistance?
Should long term NZ residents and citizens be expected to pick up the welfare bill for asset rich people who have only been in the country for a few years?
How will the government’s 1000 – 1600 new affordable houses help when 60,000+ new people arrived last year?
Should there be an expiry date and controls on residency to people who are just using NZ as a cockoo lifestyle to raise their kids or care for their aged parents after gaining residency and heading back overseas to work?
Should there be a minimum amount of time spent in the country (aka 75% of time spent in NZ over a lifetime of gaining residency) to be allowed access to free health care, education and super and voting if you come into NZ under the pretext of working or settling here permanently but then as increasingly the case, it’s leaving NZ after getting the paperwork through?
Should there be a lot more safe guards with clearer controls on trusts and companies hiding assets like housing or small businesses which can then be used to mask or structure people’s wealth enabling rich people to legitimately claim welfare and accommodation benefits, tax write offs and WFF or straight benefits through loopholes and our very relaxed laws on companies and trusts holding assets.
This is a serious issue facing the country as we have people who are born here or migrated here and working hard or just being a citizen who is also a beneficiary and genuinely poor and they are getting less opportunities.
NZ is no longer the land of plenty, somehow we have gone from state houses to living in cars, as well as people who genuinely need secure work and opportunities at living wages… and the government is not doing enough to ensure to protect our system against abuse that has occurred under the National government’s decade reign of ‘rockstar economy’ aka widespread fraud and sell offs and trougher’s of all descriptions at the public purse.
@Save NZ
An excellent article !
Lend me your Ears
We simply cannot admit any or every passport into NZ until we have housing, plumbing, sewerage, health, education and work for the owner of the Passport.
National, namely John Key and Billy English and their handmaids being of low IQ, did not understand that. And they have created chaos. National will never rise again for what they did not do.
“National has declared on Labour”.
For those who follow the great game of Cricket I shall tell you the score at the time of the declaration.
When they declared National had reached 987 runs for 3 wickets.
Labour went into bat and when stumps were drawn due to bad light Labour had reached a score of 16 runs for the loss of 7 wickets.
National’s score of course took four days to compile; from 450 overs.
At the end of the drawn game, National declared themselves the winner as they were the team that had scored the most runs.
The series had of course been decided with Labour winning three of the five matches.
National attacked the match umpires for obvious bias, and besides they had more players in their team.
Team vice-captain, MS Bennett, who retired early, frustrated at not scoring any runs, alleged the umpires’ decisions were “dangerous for cricket”. Later cautioned for ball-tampering with the heavy roller, she said “Their decisions had become personal.”
When the after-match commentators pointed out that the great majority of the National wickets that fell were either due to hit wicket or were bowled middle stump and obviously out, MS Bennett said that the decisions were flawed and anyway they hadn’t been quite ready.
“The pitch was too green and the opposition’s ball was red,” she said.
Next week we could see the end of Kiwibuild and the NZ dream for all of Home Ownership. If Auckland Council has its way lifting development contributions from $20-$25k/house to $70k/house for Greenfield developments. You can argue from both positions as to the justification of who incurs the financial cost of infrastructure.
https://www.interest.co.nz/property/93235/auckland-councils-economists-argue-full-development-contributions-are-unlikely-result
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12043072
“And a separate proposal could see developers on future greenfields sites paying as much as $70,000 per dwelling.”
And would not the Unitec development be considered Greenfields as its current use is not housing ?
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/353359/mt-albert-kiwibuild-homes-private-sector-needs-help-twyford
“Forty percent of the houses will be part of KiwiBuild – available to first-home buyers at between $500,000 and $600,000.” Unfortunately there is even more pressure on the cost to construct and still be considered “Affordable”
How sad for the young that owing a house is fast vanishing more most 🙁
The question is also ‘where has all the money going” that has been collected by Auckland council. They have outrageous water bills, actually not the water apparently which is free but for the pipes which actually seem to be a mess still after years of Metrowater, we have 54% of rates going to Auckland Transport which is also a mess and takes 5 times longer than a car for a 2 stage journey and costs 5 times the cost of petrol, while many areas have little to zero public transport at all, then we have our infrastructure and development costs which seem astronomical but somehow also seem to need to go up to $70k per development and not much sign of all the infrastructure being put in by council for all the new developments they took the contributions for over the past decade of contributions. And now a petrol tax, actually two taxes, a regional one and an Auckland one.
All this while reducing library services, making people mow their own berms and thinking we need a billion dollar stadium and giving themselves salary rises and new premises, more marketing people, more lawyers, more of everyone pushing paper around at great cost and with little practical reality coming out of it.
Prior to having his heart attack Phil Goff was in China. This is an interesting article about how a Chinese strategy is to get countries to borrow money that they can’t pay back. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/15/warning-sounded-over-chinas-debtbook-diplomacy.
Sounds like Phil and the Auckland council are hoping to bankrupt the city to join the government in borrowing money as fast as possible to put in development, which seems to be for the Ponzi scheme of importing in low skilled people needing welfare to top up their meagre wages, the higher skilled who leave after a few years to work after obtaining residency, while leaving behind children to be educated and the elderly to be looked after by tax paying Kiwis who now struggle to afford a house, or even to drive to work with the petrol taxes to pay for the folly.
Prior to the last decade we had a normal level of people migrating here who stayed and made a life here, we did not have floodgates of people buying up assets and then leaving with non working family members living here in million dollar houses or with small businesses losing money while employing more and more overseas people into the country!
What is going wrong with this picture?
Remember this, nobody held to account and the ratepayers forced to pay 25% rises of rates for the folly which mean’t many lost their houses….
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1208/S00196/commissioners-at-kaipara-council-a-sign-of-things-to-come.htm
Detroit city council approves bankruptcy related water authority deal
http://www.jurist.org/paperchase/2014/09/detroit-city-council-approves-bankruptcy-related-water-authority-deal.php
Unfair, savey, unfair. The widespread misunderstanding of Goffles’ socalled secretiveness highlights the need for a massively expanded PR campaign. Obviously more management will be needed and managers cost money. Ratepayers will appreciate the effort and the jump in their property values.
Ok I agree a bit unfair for Goffles, he inherited the problem, but he is going in the wrong direction by adding in more managers and listening to those already there who seem to have misdirected the money collected so far.
Nope, ratepayers who actually work in Auckland are not happy unless they are cashing up and leaving, those left are paying more rates and now petrol taxes, but have nothing working ain’t happy. Even in 2015 it showed over 80% of ratepayers were not happy with the council. (The stopped public polling after that result).
You can’t go to the beach because of sewerage, you can’t drive across town because of congestion, you can’t catch public transport because it doesn’t go there or takes even longer to get there…. nothing really being done about that, even though in places there are train tracks that the experts don’t want to use, You can’t even get a decent meal these days and in the legacy of having chefs and burger managers considered a ‘essential skill’ McDonalds has been in the news when pills have been found in the Sundaes and the famous French cafe has apparently been bought out and the joke being is it going to be renamed the French curry? Now that’s capitalism and globalism at work or maybe the fall of it, I’m not sure!
Auckland council and COO thinking is from a money grab perspective, and still adding in more people. The poorer citizens are being advised by MSM to leave the city and go to the provinces, essentially surrender and just leave the neoliberals to sell off the city.
What a legacy, bankrupting the city and purging it of poor and middle class people and leaving the rich, the rich who claim benefits, more and more fake, illegal or misleading businesses and a few refugees left. How Rogernomics.
Lip Reading the Royal Wedding. Very clever and very funny.
Because its Friday heres my two favourite bad lip reading efforts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9aM9Ch97U8
It’s a beautiful day in Putaruru Aotearoa at the minute.
Io gave us another big bouncy baby boy yesterday and it our mokos birthday today she’s 3 our mokos in Auckland are all good here’s a link to some music ECO MAORI likes below.
https://youtu.be/papuvlVeZg8
Ka kite ano P.S Its Mataraki
Hi standardistas. I know you have differences with people in New Zealand. But today a man in England was sentenced to death by the Tory government run by the Israeli interests in England for standing up for the working class girls of England.
This is bipartisan issue. If a Tory government can arrest people and sentence and imprison them within the hour for speech in the United Kingtom for standing up for British working class girls who were raped under Labour we are in dire straights.
Please stand up for free speech. Stand up for Tommy Robinson, defending the working class girls who were sacrificed to diversity.
The working class in England should be marching in the streets. This is bipartisan, genuine fascism. You want to see real fascism? Here it is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irhQtamQ6Mo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRt-iFANWKg
If Tommy Robinson dies in prison because he’s murdered by muslims, it’s time for bad things to start happening to the British ruling classes.
The man was imprisoned over nothing, and then sentenced and imprisoned within the hour. No jury. No trial.
https://www.menofthewest.net/the-murder-of-tommy-robinson-how-britain-became-the-kebab-archipelago/
I’m going to be doing daily posts on Tommy Robinson.
The British government and the overall British ruling class have no mandate by the British people. They have suspended their relations with the British people. They should be regarded as an illegitimate government ruling by force and their supposed authority should be suspended and they should be regarded as adversaries of the British people.
The people of England need to start arming themselves with anything they can find. This is real. This is terrifying. And justice needs to be served.
The rape of 1 million girls by the English ruling class deserves justice.
I hope that justice comes for the English ruling class, whatever form it takes. The English ruling class are aliens to England. I won’t state why, but they are not English. They are of another group of people who have a different agenda to the English.
Every day, I’m going to start writing about the English government and what it is doing.
New Zealand needs to put pressure on this regime and start divesting ourselves of the relationship until they restore the rule of law and the freedoms of western institutions to England.
God bless the English
Good evening Newshub Lloyd looks like Ireland is going to catch up with the times and give Lady’s the right to have a abortion the Mana Wahine = rights movement is strong. Lloyd do you miss Winston.
Judge Andrew Becroft is a good fair Kiwi who ECO MAORI backs 100 %. Off topic my view is that Judith Collins the – – – – – – is at her worst paying someone to spy on Phil Twyford and slowly leak the the bad habits of Phil that’s is how nasty people like Judith Collins behave .
Does that show te tangata what tech can be use for the tracking of visit to farms with the bovine virus is a good thing but there are many bad things that people can use tech for even the state.
ECO MAORI Says there should be a total set net ban around the endanger Mauri dolphins habitat come on there are less than 60 of these beautiful creatures of Tangaroa left these fishmen can use long lines some how I think NZF are slowing down the process of a set net ban – – – – – – you Ka kite ano P.S people like Judith Collins can’t win fairly so they cheat