Open mike 25/10/2022

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, October 25th, 2022 - 134 comments
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Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step up to the mike …

134 comments on “Open mike 25/10/2022 ”

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  1. Jenny are we there yet 1
    25 October 2022 at 6:52 am

    On Sunday the head of the Russian armed forces personally telephoned the heads of NATO to inform them that Ukraine is preparing a radiological attack in Ukraine.

    On Sunday, 23 October, Sergei Shoigu, Russia’s Minister of Defence, had a phone conversation with the third NATO defence minister on the same day, Ben Wallace, the Defence Secretary of the United Kingdom….

    …..The Defence Secretary of the United Kingdom became the third representative of a NATO member state (after France and Turkey) whom Shoigu called on Sunday to tell them about supposed plans for a Ukrainian "dirty bomb".

    https://www.yahoo.com/news/shoigu-calls-uk-defence-secretary-142640235.html

    Yesterday the Speaker of the Russian government, (Duma), Vyacheslav Volodin repeated the same threat.

    Volodin claimed that Kiev had instructed its nuclear scientists to make a ‘dirty bomb’, while its forces shell the critical infrastructure of the Zaporozhye and Kursk nuclear power plants.

    https://www.rt.com/russia/565215-russia-ukraine-dirty-bomb/

    The only possible conclusion is that the Russian Federation in a last ditch desperate attempt are preparing to detonate a radiological bomb in Ukraine to inflict a heavy losses on the Ukrainian armed forces in an effort to stop the Ukrainian successes in liberating Russian occupied territories, and intend to put the blame for this crime against humanity on the Ukrainian authorities. This imminent attack is most likely to occur in Kherson, after the Russian forces have evacuated, and as Ukrainian forces pour into the area.
    In conjunction with a radiological (dirty bomb) attack in Kherson, it is quite likely that the retreating Russian Federation forces will also blow up the Zaporozhye and Kursk nuclear power plants.

    Coming from the two highest officials in the Russian military and the Russian government, this threat can not be taken lightly.

    • Sanctuary 1.1
      25 October 2022 at 8:27 am

      The price of gas is dropping in Europe, while the number of LNG carrier ships currently under construction sits at 285, with an astonishing 250+ due for delivery by the end of 2025. With a global fleet of LNG carriers of roughly 650 vessels the size and number of these ships means the carrying capacity with increase by 60-70% by 2025. Much of this construction is driven by Europe, and a determination not to be dependent on Russian gas.

      Those lucky bastards otherwise known as Australia are of course the world’s fifth biggest natural gas exporter, and they exclusively exports natural gas as LNG. Australia is now the world’s largest LNG exporter, accounting for 22% of international trade. I suspect they’ll replace most of Russia’s gas in Europe. Shipping gas halfway around the world in ships is less cost effective than piping it in from Russia, but then again Australia isn’t run by a nuclear armed mad dictator set on wars of imperial aggression.

      Russia's attempts to use energy to blackmail Europe have failed.

      • KJT 1.1.1
        25 October 2022 at 12:27 pm

        So much for reducing Green house gas producing, energy sources!

        • Jenny are we there yet 1.1.1.1
          26 October 2022 at 7:34 am

          War is provenly bad for humanity and the planet.

          If we can't even stop stop killing each other?

          How can we stop killing the biosphere that sustains us?

          What is the underlying cause that keeps us doing both?

  2. Incognito 2
    25 October 2022 at 7:25 am

    She said she had seen other videos on TikTok that had been swamped with abusive comments where the creator appealed for likes and positivity to help "pull them back from the wrong side of TikTok".

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/477276/tiktok-blamed-by-filmmaker-for-allowing-abusive-comments-on-video

    This is just one of the reasons why I dislike like buttons and the likes. Even without algorithms on/of the actual site, it introduces a bias in readers, responders, and number of mentions & links elsewhere. I think it sucks big time.

    • Sanctuary 3.1
      25 October 2022 at 7:50 am

      She is the next mayor in waiting, mark my words.

      • Bearded Git 3.1.1
        25 October 2022 at 8:37 am

        No Sanc disagree-the Greens will want to keep her winning Akl Central ad infinitum as an insurance policy against sub 5% and because she will be a co-leader soon.

        • Sacha 3.1.1.1
          25 October 2022 at 1:08 pm

          Swarbrick will do whatever job brings the most change. Mayor of Auckland is more powerful than Green co-leader in any watered-down arrangement with Labour et al.

        • Visubversa 3.1.1.2
          25 October 2022 at 3:02 pm

          However, winning Auckland Central is very resource intensive for the Greens. They run it like a by-election – as if it was almost the only seat going. That sucks in activists from all over the country, I know someone who lives in Reefton who was working in Auckland Central last time, and she was not the only one from her area. It is a very expensive insurance policy

      • Radical Alternative 3.1.2
        25 October 2022 at 1:17 pm

        I think people who like Chloe really overestimate her popularity outside of Central Auckland. As for her style of campaigning, the Efeso team essentially tried to replicate it, right down to the comedy fundraisers, and we all saw how that went.

        • Sacha 3.1.2.1
          25 October 2022 at 1:32 pm

          Almost as if the missing ingredient was.. Chloe.

          Ask young people across the country who inspires them.

          • Radical Alternative 3.1.2.1.1
            25 October 2022 at 3:22 pm

            As a young person myself, I don't find her particularly inspiring. Some of my more politically engaged friends are pretty big fans but they're a minority. Most are barely aware of who she is, or find her kinda judgmental. She has a good niche as the go-to young politician, but the idea that everyone my age sees her as our saviour just isn't true

        • Incognito 3.1.2.2
          25 October 2022 at 2:24 pm

          Her following on social media begs to differ.

          You cannot replicate authenticity.

          • Radical Alternative 3.1.2.2.1
            25 October 2022 at 3:37 pm

            You need more than that if you want the mayoralty. Most people aren't on Twitter, and for what it's worth, I've heard plenty of people my age say they find her inauthentic. Also, based on my experience trying to vote this year as a renter, you really cannot count on young people in local elections.

            • Doogs 3.1.2.2.1.1
              25 October 2022 at 7:26 pm

              Well I would say that comment says more about you and your cohort than it does about Chloe.

              • Radical Alternative …
                26 October 2022 at 10:21 am

                I'm just trying to tell you how it is bro, scolding people for not liking your candidate is never going to get you anywhere.

            • Incognito 3.1.2.2.1.2
              25 October 2022 at 9:09 pm

              I’m struggling with both your comments @ 3.1.2.1.1 and 3.1.2.2.1. For example, I don’t know where the saviour reference comes from; if (young) people are not aware of CS they are probably politically ‘illiterate’, which is not meant as a criticism, BTW. Your comments also appear to argue against lowering the voting age to 16, which is just a side note here.

              I’d say that if anybody can reach and engage with (some but not all) young people in any election it is CS. Nobody has or is arguing that she could count on young people in an Auckland Mayoral election because one can never take voters for granted. I’d like to think that CS is not that naïve.

              • Radical Alternative …
                26 October 2022 at 10:38 am

                This whole thread started because someone said she was going to be the next mayor, and I disagreed. As for the saviour thing, do you really have no idea where it comes from? Take this line from a Spinoff piece for example:

                "Swarbrick’s resistance to political realism seems to stem less from self-belief and more from a borderline irrational faith in stuff like the fundamental goodness of other people"

                https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/06-11-2021/chloe-swarbrick-actually-believes-better-things-are-possible

                I don't have any ill will towards her as a person, it's more about her supporters trying to make her into this avatar for all young people, with the implication being that, if you don't feel the exact same way, you're some kind of traitor to your age group. Also, how is writing young people off as politically illiterate not a criticism?

                • Incognito …
                  26 October 2022 at 1:45 pm

                  Nobody knows if CS will stand a second time in an Auckland Mayoral election let alone the next one and win; she may or she may not. So, agreeing or disagreeing with the comment @ 3.1 is moot and a red herring. I’d like to think that Sanctuary made the comment not to be taken literally and absolute but as a starting point for discussion.

                  TLDR; it appears that you projected CS’s beliefs onto others, i.e., young people.

                  Your issue seems to be with her supporters rather than with her per se, which is why pigeonholing CS does not make for strong counter-argument at all. If anything, CS seems to be [in] a class of her own. I have no idea where the ‘traitor’ allegations stem from either; there are way too many inferences and wild speculations in this thread to make it of much use.

                  According to your own ‘poll’ of young people and anecdata many don’t know of CS and who she is. That’s not criticism, is it? It isn’t writing them off either, is it? You seem a little aggressive defensive …

          • Corey Humm 3.1.2.2.2
            25 October 2022 at 8:04 pm

            Totally agree with radical alternative.

            Chloe has been put on some weird pedestal from day one of her parliamentary career and it's never made any sense.

            Shes the same age as me and politically I agree with her but I find her alienating af and her "maaaaaaaate " schticks to fake and cringe.

            Shes a lightweight in the house, most people don't know who she is, she's got weirdo deeply fringe political allies and her disastrous weed legalization campaign tactics are best forgotten.

            She's just another rich kid student politician. She inspires people like herself I guess.

            I think she'd do better as sole green leader , but that's cos she's the best out of the party.

            • Muttonbird 3.1.2.2.2.1
              25 October 2022 at 8:10 pm

              The anti-Seymour.

            • weka 3.1.2.2.2.2
              25 October 2022 at 9:06 pm

              who are her weirdo deeply fringe political allies?

            • Incognito 3.1.2.2.2.3
              25 October 2022 at 9:17 pm

              Chloe has been put on some …

              You realise that is passive voice? In other words, CS didn’t do this herself. And you want to topple her off because “[s]he's just another rich kid student politician”? That’s such a pathetic character assassination attempt with a lazy stereotype.

              CS is different, I give you that wink

    • Poission 3.2
      25 October 2022 at 12:59 pm

      With Auckland central being the centre of a significant population loss.property loss and employment changes,there may be a need for fewer central government resources.

      Auckland had a provisional net loss of 15,000 people through internal migration (people moving between Auckland and other parts of New Zealand). This comes after net losses of 11,300 and 15,400 people in the previous two years. It continues a trend of net flows out of Auckland that began in the late 1990s.

      https://www.stats.govt.nz/news/regional-population-growth-slows/

      • Sacha 3.2.1
        25 October 2022 at 1:10 pm

        Yet the region's population continues to increase. Strange..

        • Descendant Of Smith 3.2.1.1
          25 October 2022 at 1:14 pm

          Replaced via immigration. Baby boomers cashing up and moving to the provinces. Why not sell in Auckland buy in a province = few hundred thousand plus in the bank.

          • Sacha 3.2.1.1.1
            25 October 2022 at 1:41 pm

            Replaced via births. And quite a different demographic makeup than the old folk retiring to the provinces.

            • Descendant Of Smith 3.2.1.1.1.1
              25 October 2022 at 5:29 pm

              Stats NZ are pretty clear the drop is as a result of less overseas immigration and low natural increase.

              Given our aging population you are not going to get increases through births. There ain't no one getting pregnant in our older population. No teenage mums in the ever increasing number of residential villages.

              Slowing regional growth reflects what is happening nationally, particularly annual net migration loss, partly due to the impact of Covid-19 on international migration," Stats NZ population estimates and projections acting manager Rebekah Hennessey said.

              "This net migration loss [of 11,500] was combined with the lowest natural increase [24,100] since World War II."

              Auckland and the West Coast saw its population fall 0.5 percent, with Auckland's decline slowing slightly from the 0.6 percent fall recorded in the June 2021 year.

              "While people leaving the bigger cities such as Auckland is not new, internal migration losses have historically been offset by international migration gains," Hennessey said.

              "With international migration losses now occurring, Auckland had an overall population loss of 8900 people in the June 2022 year."

      • Incognito 3.2.2
        25 October 2022 at 1:34 pm

        … there may be a need for fewer central government resources.

        Such as? What are you thinking of?

        • Poission 3.2.2.1
          25 October 2022 at 2:13 pm

          Anything that involves unfunded capex,As our borrowing rate is a full percentage point higher then the UK,which have now fallen as markets perceive a lowering of fiscal risk,which is not seen here.

          • Incognito 3.2.2.1.1
            25 October 2022 at 2:33 pm

            Selling off shares, land, assets, that sort of thing?

            • Poission 3.2.2.1.1.1
              25 October 2022 at 2:52 pm

              No thats the next government plan,what need s to be constrained is unfunded capex,and limits or cuts to the consultant community,similar to what the Australian treasurer will announce this afternoon.

              It is believed $3.6 billion will be saved through the government reducing its spending on external contractors, advertising, travel and legal expenses, while $2 billion in grants promised by the former government will be cancelled.

              https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-24/carparks-scrapped-road-upgrades-delayed-budget/101567982

              Government borrowing hit the 5 % interest rate level last week ( 4.85- 5.05%) there is now a large risk premium due to the dual risks of a current account deficit and fiscal deficit,a dollar overvalued,and unfunded cost blow outs in the pipeline.

              • Sacha …
                25 October 2022 at 3:02 pm

                Less consultants = more permanent employees, plus the infrastructure to support their knowledge. Bring it on.

              • Incognito …
                25 October 2022 at 3:19 pm

                Thanks.

                Advertising and travel (and other staff ‘allowances’) are probably low-hanging fruit and might save a few dollars. Since Council doesn’t sell anything as such, I assume advertising means or includes PR and providing information to the public. If so, it may lead to more requests for information from people, which would require more staff effort.

                IDK how it would cut legal costs. Less scrutinising by legal experts? Will this really save all the much?

                That leaves consultants and external contractors assuming they’re not one and the same thing. Again, if they do stuff that’s entirely unnecessary then sure, cull it from the balance sheet. Otherwise, somebody must do the work, yes?

                Mayor-Elect Brown uses the good old slogan Less Is More but what does that really mean?

                https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-government/130268634/auckland-mayor-wayne-brown-wants-less-paperwork-more-local-control

  4. Adrian 4
    25 October 2022 at 8:05 am

    So a man far richer than the King will be the next Prime Minister of Britain, what could possibly go wrong with that?

  5. pat 5
    25 October 2022 at 8:32 am

    Summed up on one small paragraph

    "Before Truss, everyone still thought they’d turn it around. There was a plan, right? Right? Nope. The reason this last week was so captivating is it’s suddenly obvious there is no plan."

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/130264105/verity-johnson-its-easy-to-laugh-at-britains-decline-but-be-careful-what-you-wish-for

    • Incognito 5.1
      25 October 2022 at 8:34 am

      Perhaps there was and is no plan, but there always is an agenda.

      • observer 5.1.1
        25 October 2022 at 10:59 am

        The comments on that Stuff column … shudder.

        I'm proud to say I got banned from Stuff comments because I told the moderators that their "terms and conditions" were a fraud. So they banned me for telling the truth while they continue to publish garbage, contradicting their own rules.

        e.g. one comment on that column says Sunak is not British. False (and of course racist). Not opinion – simply false.

        Therefore, either the moderators don't read what they publish or they do read but don't care.

        • Incognito 5.1.1.1
          25 October 2022 at 11:43 am

          I can’t remember the last time I looked at comments on Stuff as indeed most of them are such a waste of time and life is short. I generally find the few comments on Newsroom insightful and informative but, of course, that’s an entirely different site compared to Stuff.

          All manual moderation has a major intrinsic weakness: time. And time costs money. Simple fact-checking can and perhaps should be done by the commentariat at large aka the wisdom of the crowd instead of one or a couple of overworked mods who then may still need to apply the corrections (edits) and/or flag the particular commenter. The question is who’s ultimately responsible (onus). The same applies to all content (OPs), including opinion pieces.

          The way I see it, there are 2 issues: 1) incorrect/inaccurate info; 2) vague/ambiguous/imprecise ‘info’. The second issue is actually the bigger one because it can suck up a lot of oxygen because it strays into terra incognita where anything can mean anything and people make unchecked/unsupported assumptions, jump to all sorts of conclusions, twist language, meaning, and concepts to suit their narrative (bias), and generally just talk past each other. (NB assumption ≠ conclusion)

          • observer 5.1.1.1.1
            25 October 2022 at 12:54 pm

            Yes, fair comment.

            Stuff's "system" is particularly annoying because they post comments and then replies are held in moderation for many hours (as is the case currently on that column). So rapid rebuttal is impossible.

            They let false statements stand, and if the readers can't correct (for hours) and the moderators are too busy, then it's a free platform for liars. The trolls know this, of course.

            • Incognito 5.1.1.1.1.1
              25 October 2022 at 6:45 pm

              Fair comment too.

              It is disappointing but I do think that Stuff is one of the better ones in NZ. Simply put, there’s room for improvement.

        • bwaghorn 5.1.1.2
          25 October 2022 at 12:34 pm

          Reading stuff comments is sbout as useful as reading face book comments, the only time I do it is when I start think there is hope for the human race, a quick read of the comments soon fixs that dose of optimism I tell ya

        • Jilly Bee 5.1.1.3
          25 October 2022 at 2:50 pm

          If you think the STUFF comments are bad – have you read the comments on some of the Herald articles which do allow comments – they are diabolical. I (probably against my better judgement) re-subscribed to the Herald a few months ago so I could read Simon Wilson's articles and Shane Te Pou's too plus one or two other authors worth having a look at. There are some pieces I point blank refuse to read, probably to keep my sometimes elevated blood pressure at a reasonable level indecision

        • logie97 5.1.1.4
          25 October 2022 at 5:42 pm

          When The Herald and Stuff were just hard copy, if you wanted to comment on an article you wrote a letter to the editor. The letter had to be signed with an address supplied.

          How many of the comments would be made if the commenters had to identify who they were? Also, how many comments are made by resident New Zealanders and how many are from "Comments pools" submitting comment from the US /Australia/ UK based subversives.

    • Tony Veitch 5.2
      25 October 2022 at 8:41 am

      So, ah, do we have a plan?

      Labour and the Greens have much more of a plan than the tired, old, discredited ones of the Natz – at least those announced so far – trickle down economics and privatising social welfare! (they call it 'social investment!)

    • observer 5.3
      25 October 2022 at 10:37 am

      everyone still thought they’d turn it around.

      She does this in all her columns. "I reckon, therefore everyone reckons".

      Even a cursory glance at the UK media coverage would tell her that was not true, not in the slightest. She simply makes things up.

      It would help if her editors cared – but they don't.

  7. Peter 7
    25 October 2022 at 10:10 am

    Last week the discussion about falling achievement of school pupils was a focus here and there. It seems we are not alone in having issues to address.

    ‘Nation’s Report Card’ shows new evidence of Covid-19’s devastating impact on US children’s education

    Fourth- and eighth-graders fell behind in reading and had the largest ever decline in math, according to a national educational assessment showing the devastating effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on America’s children."

    https://edition.cnn.com/2022/10/24/us/student-test-scores-nations-report-card/index.html

    • Incognito 7.1
      25 October 2022 at 10:48 am

      It happened pretty much everywhere, as one would expect. For example, here is a study published in a top scientific journal in April 2021:

      The Netherlands is interesting as a “best-case” scenario, with a short lockdown, equitable school funding, and world-leading rates of broadband access.

      …

      Here we evaluate the effect of school closures on primary school performance using exceptionally rich data from The Netherlands (n ≈ 350,000). We use the fact that national examinations took place before and after lockdown and compare progress during this period to the same period in the 3 previous years.

      …

      The findings imply that students made little or no progress while learning from home and suggest losses even larger in countries with weaker infrastructure or longer school closures.

      Learning loss due to school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic

      https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2022376118

      • Peter 7.1.1
        25 October 2022 at 12:30 pm

        Thanks for that link.

        Young people didn't learn what was hoped or expected in maths, spelling, and reading. Did they learn anything? What did they learn? Did they learn resilience? Did they learn to be 'creative.'

        Another study has it

        "In our recent survey of 16,370 parents across every state in America, 35 percent of parents said they were very or extremely concerned about their child’s mental health."

        https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/education/our-insights/covid-19-and-education-the-lingering-effects-of-unfinished-learning

        Did children learn their parents were resilient, creative? Or become concerned about their parents' mental health?

        'Deschooling Society' the Ivan Ilich book from 1971 comes to mind.

        "Illich presented schools as places where consumerism and obedience to authority were paramount and genuine learning was replaced by a process of advancement through institutional hierarchies accompanied by the accumulation of largely meaningless credentials."

        Interesting to consider some of the notions from just over 50 years ago and think of how Ivan Ilich would have seen the challenges and opportunities presented by the pandemic in the sort of societies we now live in.

        https://monoskop.org/images/1/17/Illich_Ivan_Deschooling_Society.pdf

  8. Muttonbird 8
    25 October 2022 at 10:36 am

    Dr. Cravat interviewing his own keyboard again. He claims there is increased speculation about Jacinda Ardern quitting but provides just two examples, the NBR and himself. 😆

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/bryce-edwards-the-increasing-speculation-about-jacinda-ardern-quitting/U72FTQFMEJFADALEK5HKF4BXTY/

    • observer 8.1
      25 October 2022 at 10:44 am

      Time for the regular reminder …

      The pundit class did not predict John Key's resignation as PM. They did not predict Simon Bridges' resignation as an MP. Shocked, they were! Shocked!

      But they've been predicting Ardern's departure since her first term. Fluffy little girlie, no staying power … and now facing her 5th opposition leader.

      • Incognito 8.1.1
        25 October 2022 at 10:55 am

        One day they will be proven right and have a little celebratory dance singing ‘I told you so’.

        • Anne 8.1.1.1
          25 October 2022 at 3:58 pm

          Are you sure 'they' are real people or are they robots? Seriously, I wonder sometimes. TV presenters and reporters stare glassy eyed into the camera lens repeating bald-faced lies about Ardern in particular, but all Labour ministers are fair game.

          If they were real would there not be a flicker of a conscience in those eyes? 😕

      • Jimmy 8.1.2
        25 October 2022 at 2:11 pm

        Even a stopped clock is right twice a day. Eventually, they will be correct.

        • James Simpson 8.1.2.1
          25 October 2022 at 4:45 pm

          They won't be correct.

          Jacinda will either win or lose the election. But she won't be jumping ship early.

    • AB 8.2
      25 October 2022 at 11:14 am

      The rumour has been created to implant the idea that some plausible reason for her resigning actually exists. There is no such reason. It's propaganda from the RW disinformation mill and Edwards travesties his academic and intellectual credentials by repeating it. A real journalist or intellectual (unlike Edwards) would come up with an explanation as to why the rumour is being generated, and by whom.

      • observer 8.2.1
        25 October 2022 at 11:20 am

        Even his first sentence is part of the RW trope.

        It must be a "photo op" because it's Ardern. Never mind that John Key and Helen Clark went to Antarctica as PMs, never mind any of the NZ relationship and responsibilities there. Feed the frothers.

        • alwyn 8.2.1.1
          25 October 2022 at 1:11 pm

          While it is true that both Clark and Key did visit Antarctica while they were Prime Minister they both made their trips in January, while Parliament was in recess. Clark's visit was from 18-22 January 2007 and Key from 17-21 January 2013.

          There is a difference in that PM Ardern will be there while the House is sitting and will miss Question time for the week.

          Whether she would add anything useful if she was in Wellington is of course an open question.

          .

          • observer 8.2.1.1.1
            25 October 2022 at 1:31 pm

            She'll miss Question Time? Luxon probably booked her ticket.

          • Patricia Bremner 8.2.1.1.2
            25 October 2022 at 1:44 pm

            It is a special anniversary visit to Antarctica ….. but you know that.

            • alwyn 8.2.1.1.2.1
              25 October 2022 at 2:12 pm

              Really? According to the RNZ news her visit is to celebrate the 65th anniversary of Scott Base. However the opening of Scott Base was on 20th January 1957 so surely she should be visiting at about the same time of year as Clark and Key visited?

              Helen's visit in 2007 was of course to celebrate the 50th anniversary.

              What special anniversary is being celebrated in October?

          • Incognito 8.2.1.1.3
            25 October 2022 at 1:53 pm

            There are a few reasons for the timing of the PM’s visit, of course, but not that you’d know or care. She probably also wanted to give Luxon a much-needed break; the poor fellow looked worse than Truss last week.

            • alwyn 8.2.1.1.3.1
              25 October 2022 at 2:14 pm

              "There are a few reasons for the timing of the PM’s visit".

              Pray tell. You are obviously in possession of something important. Why not share this material to which you are privy.

              • Incognito …
                25 October 2022 at 2:39 pm

                You are obviously in possession of something important.

                Yup, I give you the finger.

                Use it to click on links and read beyond headlines and the stuff that is regurgitated ad nauseam in MSM.

            • Stuart Munro 8.2.1.1.3.2
              25 October 2022 at 4:02 pm

              It's the lettuce I feel sorry for – it beat Liz fair and square, but doesn't get to be PM. Sucks to be a salad vegetable.

              • Incognito …
                25 October 2022 at 5:26 pm

                Typically, greens with an online presence and following attract trolls and other vermin. I also feel for the lettuce but luckily Truss stepped aside quickly and probably saved the lettuce’s life. It could have led to a few good slogans, e.g.:

                Let Lettuce Live

                Lettuce Lives Matter

                Lettuce Trumps Truss

                Truss Tossed in Salacious Tussle with Lettuce

                Lettuce Champignon After Beating Truss

          • Gabby 8.2.1.1.4
            25 October 2022 at 7:08 pm

            Nice break for Luxie if Ms Ardern misses Q Time.

      • Drowsy M. Kram 8.2.2
        25 October 2022 at 11:47 am

        He claims there is increased speculation about Jacinda Ardern quitting…

        NAct et al. wish – spot on observer and AB, and thanks to Muttonbird for posting.

        Grant Duncan (Massey University) wrote on this topic nearly a year ago.

        Labour makes it easier to change leaders, but Jacinda Ardern has no reason to go – yet [8 Nov 2021]

        I particularly liked one of the comments under Duncan's article.

        It is interesting, from Australia, to read this internal NZ political detail. It is understandably hard for us to be across all the various nuances that are discussed in this article, and given how brilliantly your PM has performed in a number of crises, it seems astonishing that her own party would consider replacing her. Perhaps they like the view from the Opposition benches better. However, I WOULD say that if NZ Labour DID replace Jacinda, and she felt like a change of scenery, an awful lot of us on this side of The Ditch would give our eye teeth to have someone of her calibre available to lead those to the political left of Genghis Khan. We are not afforded the luxury of speculating on whether there might be someone better than her out there, we just know from daily experience how appallingly worse a PM can be than she is!

        • alwyn 8.2.2.1
          25 October 2022 at 1:17 pm

          I see that the title of the article you quote finishes "no reason to go – yet".

          I believe that it was Harold Wilson who quipped that "A week is a long time in politics". A year, which is the time since Gran Duncan wrote his opinion piece is an infinity.

          She may have had no reason to go then but her prospects don't look anywhere near as rosy today, do they?

          • Patricia Bremner 8.2.2.1.1
            25 October 2022 at 1:48 pm

            I agree that a week is a long time in Politics…. Luxon learned that the hard way.

            Any talk of Jacinda Ardern leaving is just that. Talk!!

            • Patricia Bremner 8.2.2.1.1.1
              25 October 2022 at 2:00 pm

              Actually she is returning due to bad weather. Two hours into an eight hour flight. Not even a week Alwyn!!

              • alwyn …
                25 October 2022 at 6:14 pm

                At 1.44pm you told me that

                "It is a special anniversary visit to Antarctica ….. but you know that."

                Given that the Scott Base anniversary, as previously observed by Helen Clark and John Key, is in January what was the anniversary that Ms Ardern was planning to celebrate there in October?

          • Drowsy M. Kram 8.2.2.1.2
            25 October 2022 at 4:31 pm

            Ardern is Labour's best chance of winning a third term – we both know it – hence all this ‘headless chook’ action regarding her supposedly imminent departure.

            It's unsurprising to me that you feel Ardern has been PM for "an infinity", or perhaps several political infinities, just as it will come as no surprise to you that each of English/Bridges/Muller/Collins/Luxon's recent stints as 'leader' of the opposition seemed like an eternity to me.

            "An infinity" of time will tell if Ardern's 'infinity' as PM lasts longer than honest John's. I'll leave you to count your chickens – cLux cLux.

            • alwyn 8.2.2.1.2.1
              25 October 2022 at 6:20 pm

              "It's unsurprising to me that you feel Ardern has been PM for "an infinity""

              Really? Given that I have never said that I feel she has been the PM for a long time how on earth can you possibly decide that I feel such a thing?

              • Drowsy M. Kram …
                25 October 2022 at 8:53 pm

                Given that I have never said that I feel she has been the PM for a long time how on earth can you possibly decide that I feel such a thing?

                Apologies alwyn, I thought you had asserted [@8.2.2.1] something to the effect that 'a year is "an infinity" in politics' (quite original), and inferred that the very nearly five years Ardern has been our PM would feel like, if not "an infinity", then at least 'a long time' to you. What with the ChCh massacre, plus the pandemic and is repercussions, it feels like a long time to me.
                Honestly didn't realise it mattered that much – it's just a bit of fun –
                cLux cLux cLux
                laugh . laugh . laugh

        • Muttonbird 8.2.2.2
          25 October 2022 at 6:33 pm

          Yep, right wing morons have been at it all day. HADP and her grandfather husband discussing it at length on their cosy, mostly undeclared political spot this afternoon.

          All from a speculative piece by self-appointed Guardian Of Democracy (GOD), Dr Bryce Cravat!

          An important window into how bitter cranks operate.

  9. UncookedSelachimorpha 9
    25 October 2022 at 12:33 pm

    Adam Conover knocks it out of the park – 'Why there's no such thing as a Good Billionaire'. Tackles the lie that is billionaire philanthropy.

    Amazing statistic from America – top 0.1% own about as much as the poorest 90%! NZ won't be that far behind.

    • Shanreagh 9.1
      25 October 2022 at 1:06 pm

      But, but Nicola Willis says this is not true and she can see a place for philanthropists in the delivery of social services.

      https://www.national.org.nz/doing_good_better_a_new_approach_for_new_zealanders_in_the_greatest_need

      From Max Rashbrooke's analysis of her speech

      https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/130243992/max-rashbrooke-nationals-new-social-plan-goes-back-to-the-future–but-is-that-a-bad-thing

      "Second, drop this strange idea that philanthropists could provide social-investment funding for state schemes. If private money helps determine whether or not someone receives a core social service, that’s a wildly inappropriate privilege for the wealthy. And if we want more funds for social programmes, we should simply ensure millionaires pay more tax."

      • Incognito 9.1.1
        25 October 2022 at 2:02 pm

        There’s a fine line between [some] philanthropists (and [some] charities for that matter), moral crusaders, and people with a saviour/messiah complex. It also reminds of Karpman’s drama triangle (i.e., victim, rescuer, persecutor). Some ex-CEOs and so-called ‘successful people’ (incl. celebrities) can substitute philanthropists by giving their time instead of their money …

        • Shanreagh 9.1.1.1
          25 October 2022 at 3:12 pm

          Couldn't we just have a better tax system so that everyone pays appropriately and then if philanthropists want to fund other things that make life better for people then let them do this (with the money they have left after paying tax).

          So from taxes we allow for people to live a good life. The gifts from others can be the extra, the bit that allows talented students facing a parental inability to pay for 'whatever' for their children to have equal chances.

          Simple a concept.

          Ah me…..

          PS The Conover piece is concerning this latest way of passing wealth on through the generations by using 'charitable' companies as a front for the ability to influence far beyond one's natural life. They in fact are not giving $1m to charity. They are setting up a charity called XYZ charity that has a shareholding of ABC wholly owned Company with 999998 shares with family holding the remaining two shares and these two are the only ones having voting rights. I think there are more steps and twists but the end result is less tax to pay all round and rollicking good but undeserved reputation as a good firm/person. Patagonia was looked at. also the pulling at your heartstrings statements about these accidental billionaires who still drive their own old dungers and got rich by eating cat food. Seriously…..unpicked by Conover who said there was no need for them to do this as some tinned fish made for humans was cheaper than catfood!

        • Shanreagh 9.1.1.2
          25 October 2022 at 3:17 pm

          Yes there are some good people and charities.

          Today through TS I have been reminded of Human Synergistics and Karpmans triangle (we had a course so we could find out which we were) both of which were visited on unsuspecting Govt Depts and round this off by a bit of Myers Briggs and that sums up some of my career in the PS.

          • Incognito 9.1.1.2.1
            25 October 2022 at 3:31 pm

            You have my utmost empathy.

            • Shanreagh 9.1.1.2.1.1
              25 October 2022 at 9:01 pm

              I did however make some of our HR people and managers (and restructuring consultants especially) a bit grumpy by pointing out that all of these probably had their genesis or the norms calculated in the US using tests done on white males. This meant they were unrepresentative and unsuited to NZ where women were the first in the world to vote, and where we had Maori and Pasifika people.

              Some of these perhaps MB are ok for personal use only, but wildly unsuitable for any population use. I count workplaces as population use.

              We had some teams made up so as to avoid Karpman, use MB or Human Synergistics. Totally artificial and all it made us do was to yearn to have our old teams back where in any brainstorm, policy development, we knew and valued who was going to do have the wacky off the wall stuff, who was going to be grump central but with an eye for bullkaka etc.

              Competent recruitment techniques, reference checking and an eye for a chance for a person and an org then competent management are key.

              Do we have any current PS who can tell us if these techniques are still being used across whole workplace populations?

              • Incognito …
                25 October 2022 at 9:25 pm

                Sorry, I can't help with this. I do have my own personal experience with this kind of stuff and it still akes me cringe, i.e., it left a mental scar for life. Don't ever get me started on psychometric tests and evaluations.

    • tWiggle 9.2
      25 October 2022 at 11:23 pm

      Regarding the new UK PM, a Guardian reader wondered if, in the same way that rich people have hobby farms, is the UK perhaps Rishi's hobby nation?

  12. Anker 12
    25 October 2022 at 1:35 pm

    My apologies in advance for posting a link above with no explanation.

    Having some technical difficulties and I couldn't even delete it, so very sorry in advance Mods.

    The link is an article about a statement from the NHS that gender dyphoria in most children is a phase. (It also mentions the move away from the affirmation approach since the Cass report).

    In NZ in the current climate if you say gender dysphoria is a phase, you will likely be called transphobic and a bigot.

    • Visubversa 12.1
      25 October 2022 at 3:15 pm

      Lets not call it "gender non conforming". Let's call it by its real name – "sexual stereotyping non conforming". Kids get transed for liking the "wrong" toys, or the "wrong" clothes. They get transed by homophobic parents who would rather have a "so fashionable" trans daughter than an icky gay son. Kids get transed because their parents are lied to by autogynephiliac "Trans Rights Activists" (who need the existence of trans kids to cloak their paraphilia) and told that their children will kill themselves unless they are "affirmed". And they are also lied to by the health and education systems who are either captured – or "for profit".

      • SPC 12.1.1
        25 October 2022 at 6:00 pm

        Do you think all transgender people are paraphiliacs with a psychiatric disorder "characterized by deviant and culturally non-sanctioned sexual fantasies, thoughts, and/or behaviors – apparently a proportion of which also suffer from symptoms of mental illness that can go unrecognized", or just trans rights activists?

        I just note how similar some of this language is that to that decades ago when gay men were criminalised and lesbian women were institutionalised for compulsory treatment.

        [Link required for quoted text – Incognito]

        • Incognito 12.1.1.1
          25 October 2022 at 6:11 pm

          Where does the quoted text come from? Please provide a source link, thanks.

        • SPC 12.1.1.2
          25 October 2022 at 6:18 pm

          What is a paraphilic?
          (sub list)
          Is paraphilia a mental disorder?

          https://www.google.com/search?q=paraphiliacs&rlz=1C1CHBF_enNZ988NZ988&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

        • Incognito 12.1.1.3
          25 October 2022 at 6:30 pm

          Mod note

        • weka 12.1.1.4
          25 October 2022 at 7:15 pm

          Do you think all transgender people are paraphiliacs with a psychiatric disorder "characterized by deviant and culturally non-sanctioned sexual fantasies, thoughts, and/or behaviors – apparently a proportion of which also suffer from symptoms of mental illness that can go unrecognized", or just trans rights activists?

          We don't know the rate of autogynephilia, because No Debate has meant that many academics aren't free to do the research. Blanchard may have some figures from his work but we really need to free up researchers to look at this properly.

          My own view is similar to Blanchard's proposal, that is are a small number of gender dysphoric males who have a strong identification with the gender stereotypes of women. Some of those males find relief from transition. They are often gay ie. they are sexually attracted to other males before and after transition.

          There are also males who are gay, who grow up in parts of society that don't tolerate or accept gayness in men, or effeminate behaviour and expression, and those young men are being socialised into being trans. You can follow the male detrans people online for a deeper understanding of what is going on there. There are parents on record talking about their discomfit about having a gay son but who are ok with a trans daughter. There are also countries that are intolerant of gay men, but tolerant of trans women.

          Then there are AGP males, many who are probably cross dressers historically, who are sexually aroused by the thought of themselves as a woman and who now seek to colonise women's spaces in search of affirmation and arousal. These are the males online taking photos of themselves wanking in women's public toilets. There are AGP males who aren't colonising women's culture/space as well. These males aren't dysphoric in the same way that transsexual males are, the driver isn't extreme mental distress.

          With women the pattern is different. There appears to be no female equivalent of AGP. That leaves us with girls/women with such extreme gender dysphoria that they are willing to go through a lot of medicalisation. But there are also a lot of girls growing up who hate being female because they are abused for it. Being male is an escape. Again, listen to what detrans women are saying.

          Social media socialisation of transness is a major issue. As is rapid onset gender dysphoria.

          You will probably find a lot there to disagree with, and I'm happy to hash it out with evidence and further reasoning. But it's wrong to respond to Visubversa's comment as if she is saying all trans are this thing. If you reread what she said, she is naming AGPs and their role and motivations in the major social shifts, she’s not saying all trans people are AGP.

          The question of how many trans activists fit into which category is an interesting one.

          I just note how similar some of this language is that to that decades ago when gay men were criminalised and lesbian women were institutionalised for compulsory treatment.

          I’m more careful with my language than some, because I don't believe trans people deserve to be categorised in negative ways anymore than any other vulnerable group.

          But, powerful lobby groups like Stonewall UK, and activists, have broadened the definition of trans so far now that we are well beyond transsexuals. The inclusion and denial of AGP is core to the gender/ sex war. Women have been losing rights, been seriously abused, and backed into a corner. Many GC feminists tried engaging in ways to find resolutions to the conflict of rights, but the denial and harm that has been done by activists has been extreme. You can't complain now when many women come out fighting including with language.

          • SPC 12.1.1.4.1
            25 October 2022 at 8:37 pm

            My advice is that those debating/advocating on the issue not throw the word "paraphilia" around. One can note the autogynephilia side of trans activism without doing that.

            If the actual problem is a tendency to affirmation of self identity at too young an age in response to temporary dysphoria (or parental promotion because of concern at children not meeting gender stereotypes), then that is how that matter should be confronted – this is how to get change at the governmental/bureaucratic/professional end.

            There are two intensifiers in play – one the way social media reinforces a concern and poses a possible miscategorisation of a problem and the other tribalisation of debate about this. Professionals should be concerned about the former and not being captured by trends, and those in social media/media the other.

            • Visubversa 12.1.1.4.1.1
              25 October 2022 at 9:41 pm

              My advice is that you actually look at who has the loudest voices in this debate. Heterosexual men – many with wives and children – often "transitioning" in their 40's or older, well off and in positions of power and influence. Look at Eddie Izzard – now in "permanent girl mode" (at 60 years old FFS), complaining that "dating is difficult". You don't get to say this sort of stuff from a position of "marginalisation and oppression". https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/may/29/if-lesbian-prefers-same-sex-dates-thats-not-bigotry-desire-personal-thing

              • SPC …
                25 October 2022 at 10:09 pm

                More likely merely those with name recognition and the money to live as they want.

                The wider not cisgender male nor cisgender female identity derives from a younger generation, and this probably led the "coming out" of the older group.

                This is an issue to others in two areas, woman identity and safety and the original topic here Ankers link to the NHS view that gender dyphoria in most children is a phase.

                • Visubversa …
                  26 October 2022 at 9:47 am

                  There is no such thing as "cis". That is the language of the gender idealogues.

                  And it is not a fetish? https://twitter.com/sally_hines/status/1584292177907109890?fbclid=IwAR3XIEIZzuYKpox0Y9hmAMzPfnMrwei3ofwqrX0EKNuvi7YfFVVA7exrRQI

                  • SPC …
                    26 October 2022 at 10:16 am

                    It is the NOW who argued for gender equality – those born females having equal opportunity. Girls can do anything, females not being confined to roles/a limited place in society.

                    The concept was that there was a diversity within the female group (as to interests/way of living a life) also applied to males – each being freed from gender/birth sex stereotype.

                    From this derived the concept that there were those born male and female and living the traditional roles (and heterosexual) expected by religious and cultural tradition (marriage and family). Since called being cisgender male and female. And otherwise – those feminists critical of traditional marriage, those homosexual or lesbian, and since then a wider concept of those not conforming to birth sex/gender stereotype (sometimes related to not coupling to form families).

                    This is the setting in which the concept of sexual (bisexuality) and gender fluidity (non binary/gender queer etc) emerged.

                    Sure this is all add on to being born male and female, being male or female by biology. A bit like how there is nature and then nurture/culture.

                    At some point we are biological bio-determinism or there is more, the mind (what society constructs). Thus philosophy, are we who we think we are?

                    Some of our society have rethought whether we should be limited to inherited culture, some say we are who we have always have been (Greek males were misogynists before becoming Christians) and some say we should embrace the full equality of humanity (in all its diversity).

          • SPC 12.1.1.4.2
            25 October 2022 at 8:51 pm

            You raised other points way beyond this particular issue – managing gender dysphoria in youth and related activism. Each of them (womens concerns and the diversity of the transgender group) will come up at other times.

  13. AB 13
    25 October 2022 at 4:26 pm

    Nice takedown of the word "woke" by black Welsh actress Rakie Ayola on the BBC. (Link should skip and start at 45min 15secs into the video).

    • weka 13.1
      25 October 2022 at 7:21 pm

      really good points about asking people to say what they mean by woke.

      Didn't quite follow the bit about the family. Is she starring in a TV show about a black Welsh family?

      • Shanreagh 13.1.2
        25 October 2022 at 9:11 pm

        I tried several times seeking the meaning of 'woke anti racism' or was it 'anti woke racism' and 'woke' from a TS participant over the weekend but never got it. My small brain thinks being an anti racist is a good thing……..

        I am really confused by it as it seems to be in the same category as PC. PC just swept in and swept about with people being accused of being PC for being good mannered, avoiding stereotypes, not slamming people, giving others the benefit of the doubt, being inclusive etc

        I think it is a non word.

        Rakie Ayola – brilliant advice. Gorgeous voice too.

        • roblogic 13.1.2.1
          26 October 2022 at 11:35 pm

          Nice explanation of the potential toxicity of woke movements. There's a difference between genuine civil rights causes with a clearly defined objective, and pressure groups of privileged narcissists.

          https://twitter.com/ShellenbergerMD/status/1584981077172817920?s=20&t=vpEhRY4TgvUI85IvL35r0Q

          Example

          https://twitter.com/ShahrarAli/status/1583827419835748352?s=20&t=vpEhRY4TgvUI85IvL35r0Q

          • SPC 13.1.2.1.1
            27 October 2022 at 12:04 am

            .

            "narcissists have lost their "true self", the core of their personality, which has been replaced by delusions of grandeur, a "false self". Therefore, he believes, they cannot be healed, because they do not exist as real persons, only as reflections: "The False Self replaces the narcissist's True Self and is intended to shield him from hurt and narcissistic injury by self-imputing omnipotence…

            A bit like the Trump brand or online influencer persona

            The narcissist pretends that his False Self is real and demands that others affirm this confabulation," meanwhile keeping his real-life imperfect true self under wraps.

            Vaknin extends the concept of narcissistic supply, and introduces concepts such as primary and secondary narcissistic supply. He distinguishes between cerebral and somatic narcissists; the former generate their narcissistic supply by applying their minds, the latter their bodies. He considers himself a cerebral narcissist. He calls narcissistic co-dependents "inverted narcissists." "They provide the narcissist with an obsequious, unthreatening audience… the perfect backdrop."

            If you want to know about time and chronons look at the link

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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