Open mike 26/06/2024
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Was it ever competitive !? Oh and this next. All those BS ads pretending to be your electric friend…
As designed with generators paying out billions more than theyve earned which we are funding.
The last national government you can thank for that.
As for 'competetive' thats more spin as utilities are natural monopolies. Who else you going to get power/water etc from ?
Yep. Nats and Max "competition" Bradford. However, this is maybe not something Winston First would like to be recalled..
Oh yea, also re my previous link….
Cancelled !? Well thats a final nail in it then. Anyone tried the Powerswitch site ?
I am perplexed by that Assange plea deal to guilty.
Why now? What pieces moved?
There's State diplomacy between 3 countries minimum to unpack.
Big ups to the Albanese government, mates across the ditch have informed me he has been quite firm with both the yanks and poms over the issue. And the role of Penny Wong, and her ministry. Have to say Penny Wong has been bloody impressive over the last couple of years.
It is face-saving deal for the USA and nothing more.
The USA wanted him convicted on charges carrying sentences of 30 years or more but knew that he would never be extradited from the UK after the recent UK High Court decision.
Assange took the deal after 5 years of solitary confinement (essentially torture) and 7 years before that in the Ecuadorian embassy-who can blame him?
When he gets back to Australia he will say he is innocent of any crime and acted a journalist. (The Guardian published the the information he supposedly illegally released)
This covers the legal impasse*.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/may/21/julian-assange-us-biden-prosecution
Unless ones focus is the first part of the guilty plea – assistance to Manning to gather the government information (Manning had already been pardoned for that offence after 7 years in prison – 35 year sentence) for dissemination, there is a residual concern for press freedom* outside the USA (US media would claim first amendment rights) as per extradition proceedings.
The Swedish matter delayed focus on the extradition to the USA and this legal process (Assange was concerned he would be extradited to the USA from Sweden and the Americans hid their intent to prosecute him while that case was in play for that reason).
Rudd is Ambassador to DC and Smith his FM is Ambassador to London, so Albanese had heavy hitters in place.
In the end the legal impasse and Albanese government pressure resolved it.
https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-69145409
Latest.
https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-69145409
Detail.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c511y42z1p7o
Biden is in big trouble electorally. Going balls deep for Israel means the social democrat wing of his party – AOC and the squad and the coalition that got him over the line last time – is ambivalent in its support for his reelection at best. By doing a deal over Assange he is trying to shore up his credibility with a powerful group of Democrats.
It demonstrates the growing influence of AOC, expect her to be a challenger for the Democratic nomination in 2028.
Interesting point.
One of the Squad Jamaal Bowman just got ousted today.
I'd prefer Gavin Newsom the California Governor for a 2028 tilt, over Harris or AOC. Better hair
Bloody good interview of Osian Llywelyn the Deputy Welsh Language Commissioner and Director of Regulation by Pat over at BHN.
Well…maybe you just do. Plenty of good reasons. These farmers should have done so….
"Ah yeah, well, he can go down the rabbit hole that he's talking about and stay down there because his day in terms of politics is well and truly over … I'm afraid his use-by date – if it ever was there – is well and truly gone.”
Winston Peters on Chris Hipkins. Bit of a cheek coming from that close to extinct fossil.Washed up too many times. Very predictable and boring.
Where is your quote taken from and where is your link? What is the context?
Winston's mean spirited bovine fecal rhetoric is sounding more and more like the convicted felon in the USA. As he ages he seems to think it's more amusing.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/520512/nz-first-disagrees-with-cabinet-over-current-covid-19-inquiry-continuing
Gone are the days when Winston actually stood for something and achieved things. Now he is just an angry old man who distrusts everyone and sees conspiracies everywhere.
If anyone is past their use-by date it is him.
Now that Assange is out and on his way home will the usual crowd have anything to say about Russia's detention of journalists Alsu Kurmasheva and Evan Gershkovich or Russia's sentencing of 15 year old Arseny Turbin to 5 years in an adult prison for opposing Poots?
Acting just like the Tsar of old.
No descent allowed.
descentdissent*sigh*
probably should have said
"No common descent allowed"
get it?
/bow
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/508821/tucker-carlson-interview-fact-checking-putin-s-nonsense-history
In Israel there has been conflict over the "Basic Law" and how judges to their Supreme Court are appointed.
Now the Supreme Court has determined that religious Jews have no exemption from conscription.
The religious Jews accepted a Zionist state in return for standing or status. But the numbers have gone from hundreds in 1949 to 63,000.
https://international.la-croix.com/news/politics/israel-funds-ultra-orthodox-jews-to-study-instead-of-work/17899
The elephant in the room as to equal citizenship, is no conscription of Arabs (thus avoiding the issue of refusal and disruption of pro settler occupation practice).
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cnee42vmn7xo
Back in 1967, it was said occupation would end Israel as it was. And Likud coming to power in 1977 and beginning settlement made it so.
Interesting times.
The PM is trying hard to earn the Lying Luxon epitath.
Saved by a backflip on drugs a new journal entry, this time ACT and NZF (no asset sales) may be the block.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2024/06/government-refuses-to-rule-out-privatising-kiwirail-amid-revelations-contractor-spend-tops-8m.html
this time
ACT andNZF (no asset sales) may be the block.Jesus Oranga Tamariki axes 419 jobs.
So dark where children need light.
The kids will be fine, and the boot camps will be waiting to welcome them with open arms and $3 lunches.