Jonathon Pie is a breath of fresh air. He’s on the button about this ridiculous over-reaction to hyperbole and humorous if slightly risque utterances. A personal example:
back in 1991 just before the first Iraq invasion started, I had a conversation with a former friend about the over-reaction of the American Embassy when they warned Americans living in NZ to beware of terrorists. [28 years ago we didn't have any terrorists.] I quipped to the friend… if you come across any terrorists let me know because I know a Yank who could do with being bumped off . (a bully boy I worked with)
That person reported my quip and I found myself under inexplicable siege for some six weeks. Funny to look back on now but it sure wasn't funny at the time. And no apologies from the authorities involved were forthcoming.
The person who made the complaint turned out to be a full blown narcissist.
I'm offended by comb overs, boy bands, blank switch plugs in top of the range cars and the high number of offended people. I demand my concerns are addressed immediately.
Infinite – who understands it? I am reminded of clever Jonathan Cainer.
“Our brains are not capable of comprehending the infinite so, instead, we ignore it and eat cheese on toast.”
― Jonathan Cainer
and –
“Why do we love the idea that people might be secretly working together to control and organise the world? Because we don't like to face the fact that our world runs on a combination of chaos, incompetence and confusion.”
― Jonathan Cainer
"A man in a clown outfit stood outside the gates of Parliament shouting, “Save our bendy bananas!”"
"But Johnson’s political career has been marked by lies and evasions. “He is genuinely a bad person. Not an unlikable person but a bad person, as in he has no morals, no principles and beliefs,” a former close colleague told me. “He would be whatever Prime Minister was necessary to maximize the chances of gaining and then maintaining power.” Between 2008 and 2016, Johnson was a liberal mayor of London. During his campaign, earlier this year, to become the leader of the Conservative Party, he veered between promises to leave the E.U. on October 31st, “do or die,” and strange, chummy disquisitions on his hobby of making model buses and painting the passengers inside."
"Roland Rudd, the chairman of the People’s Vote campaign, which advocates for a new referendum, told me. “I don’t pretend that reversing this madness is going to bring us together. Honestly, it won’t.”"
"One of the riddles of English nationalism, as personified by Rees-Mogg and Johnson, is how seriously to take it. (Rees-Mogg has six children; the sixth is called Sixtus.) “A lot of this stuff sounds like it is sort of pantomime, this right-wing stuff in Britain,” Stewart told me. “Because the tone in which they do it is all a bit Gilbert and Sullivan.” Like other unlikely populist figures, Rees-Mogg operates within an ironic shimmer, knowing what people have come to hear. His descriptions of the perfidy of the British élite have the ring of an insider. “We found ourselves up against the British establishment at its least attractive,” he said. “People who pretend to do one thing and do another.”"
"In the space of a few weeks this fall—in “the compression,” as Baker, of the E.R.G., called it—Johnson made startling political progress. The glue loosened. People diverged. Britain’s constitutional fabric suffered, too, in ways it is too early to understand. But, in the process, Johnson clarified to a great extent what Brexit is going to look like and feel like. The shape of the future is now visible. The uncertainty has receded. The worst is most likely yet to come."
On Brexit – I have paid some money to The Telegraph and am getting Brexist updates these days. Which seem pretty accurate from them.
The latest is under the heading The Nightmare Before Christmas.
I'm James Crisp, The Telegraph's Brussels Correspondent, and Westminster is on an election footing. But there are two problems – Emmanuel Macron and Jeremy Corbyn.
Mr Corbyn said he wanted to wait until the EU27 granted an extension before agreeing to the election suggested by Boris Johnson, but his stance has jeopardised the agreement on the delay to the Oct 31 Brexit deadline.
Mr Macron has been a lone voice in arguing for a shorter Brexit extension than the three-month flextension to Jan 31 2020 supported by the majority of EU27 leaders.
The EU could still grant the extension to the end of January but, unless Mr Macron caves, the bloc could be forced to call an emergency summit on Monday. Any decision on extension must be unanimous…..
and
Fraser Nelson argues that the working class is so strongly behind Boris Johnson that he is willing to risk a December vote.
In the run-up to Oct 31, you will be able to read a wide variety of articles on the Brexit saga. Please see the links below for a selection of some of today's best articles.
If you want to become a subscriber and read the hundreds of articles we publish every day, try a free 30-day subscription.
The working class behind Boris? Is it a case that the workers feel that people who rush around looking important, throwing criticisms and statements about and hubris (though they don't know what it means and don't care), are people like themselves. Is it that they like to be able to blame others, especially foreigners, for anything that isn't right and imply that the celebrity leader will change all that and 'Make ..(insert country here) .. Great Again? Is it that these talking heads imply that there will be affordable beer and good food, affordable sport-spectating and someone always ready and willing to ease their ailments. Is it that our education has not been the right sort to enable democratic decisions to be analysed and made in a thoughtful way?
I think something is rotten in the state of D…….. or wherever English-speaking democracy reigns. Time for me to clean out the smelly frig I think, that is something useful that I can do, and then perhaps join others getting together to look at the state of our democracies which haven't been great for a while and may never be again at this rate.
The Telegraph and other media outlets run by tories keen to hide their tax haven wealth from the EU and force Brexit through have had a significant hand in the destruction of democracy in the UK.
racist mary and racist nicky – so common – so fucken racist
Newstalk ZB host Marcus Lush was shocked to receive two calls during his show on Thursday night from New Zealand-born women who insisted on mispronouncing the Māori names of the places where they'd been born.
Could you expect a Highland Scot to accurately pronounce Maori place names…?
Have you even heard how the Americans pronounce anything Maori???
Did you know our linguistic vocal cords are formed by the age of around 6 which gives rise to accents?
And that some Maori dont pronounce Anglo place names properly but people dont bat an eyelid?
I think,… its time we celebrated our differences so we dont become clones or cringe worthy tryhards trying too hard to identify with cultures we dont belong to.. its like putting on a fake Japanese accent just to fit in and sound hip. Except its all in reverse.
But, thats how dialects and accents arise, along with all it colloquialisms… Look at England… a Geordie sounds totally different from an East Ender…
ffs it is not about accents or dialects – did you even listen to the original comment I put up – pretty basic stuff and totally doable with the will to do it – without the will we get deliberate offence designed to hurt and belittle
Okey dokeys… but can you imagine going around 'correcting' someone in England from another locality when they 'mispronounced' a local twang or drawl?
I think you might end up with an ale all over your face and called a nitpicker. As they are all English and accept the differences. Black or white these days as well.
Basically, your making people feel unnecessarily bad for being born in a different time , family , culture and / or locality.
There was a gang of Iranian painters I got chatting to,.. I asked where they were from… I heard ' irin'…. was puzzled at that and asked again ..again they replied… ' irin'… and then I learnt… instead of the usual Kiwi drawl ' eye – ran'… they were from Iran and pronounced it' irin'….
I said '' Ohhhhh… 'Eye – ran'…. OK '' ,… they were too busy to even care about the mispronunciation… to my relief…
Yet … I do not pronounce Iran as ' Irin'….
Why ? … because I am not an Iranian and I would actually like other Kiwis to know what Im saying rather than looking at me strangely … this is how language changes over time. This country , was formed of many Scots, Irish , Welsh and English as well as Maori… yet,… you would be hard pressed to find anyone with an original Welsh or Irish accent now unless they were of recent immigrant arrival.
Well , the same can be said for those brought up over generations of familys pronouncing a word in a certain way… it takes time to change that… and many times… it makes people feel forced and uncomfortable. So they would rather be honest and pronounce things as theyve always done. Local parlance, in other words.
You cannot force these things, and in Gisbourne and Northland, the Maoris there speak with their own accent on the English language themselves.
you are just talking shit buddy – this is Aotearoa and we have TWO treaty partners and THREE official languages
I don't care what the racists do apart from using their example of how utterly very fucking far we have to go to get anywhere near equality in this land
Do you really expect Indian, Chinese and every other immigrant to bow the knee to the sacred cow of correct pronunciation of the Maori language ?
Get off the grass racist.
Climb down off that high horse your on and go outside and sniff the roses for a change.
…. '' I don't care what the racists do apart from using their example of how utterly very fucking far we have to go to get anywhere near equality in this land '' …
How old are you ? … 12 ?
Or do you only consort with your select inhouse fellow delusionists?
Get a grip , man.
Do you realize how stupid you sound , – when if the only thing you have to offer is the mispronunciation of a language that constitutes major racial problems and inequality in this country , – while overseas people die in race riots and shootings… well buddy… perhaps it is YOU that has a long way to go.
yes you struggle with a lot of things I'm sure – I certainly feel shame about that dropkick woman from the same town as me and her dimwitted views – I wonder what part of you you feel shame about – lol just jiving, it's pretty obvious bro
"Could you expect a Highland Scot to accurately pronounce Maori place names…?"
Maybe not, but neither of the people in this example were Highland Scots, or even from overseas. Both have lived long lives here so it's not like they're *that far away from good pronunciation. This really had nothing to do with ability.
In my experience, Māori are generally patient and kind with people attempting to get pronunciation right. There's not really an expectation of perfection with the general public.
As an aside, it wouldn't surprise me if Scots learn te reo more easily, because of the whole R thing. I would expect this to be true of people born and bred in the south of NZ as well.
"Did you know our linguistic vocal cords are formed by the age of around 6 which gives rise to accents?"
Not sure how that's relevant tbh, plenty of Pākehā learn to pronounce te reo well later in life.
I think the first woman and Lush were talking a bit past one another. I understand where the elderly lady was coming from. She grew up at a time when all Maori names were incorrectly pronounced but that was the way they were taught to say them. Given her age, it would be hard for her to even remember the correct pronunciations let alone use them. She tried to argue her point of view in a friendly, non-nasty way and Lush acknowledged as much.
But the 49 year old… she was a racist git and he was way too polite to her imo.
I don't see her age being an issue – anyone can make an effort to improve if they want. And if they can't be bothered they out themselves.
The 2nd woman was an idiot. I grew up in mosgiel too and know exactly how racist and uncompromising that place can be and it is NOT as backward as she makes out. She does represent some but not all by any measure imo – just look at me lol
I think we are slowly emerging ourselves in Te Reo. Adult classes are chocka. I think you're right Marty, Nicky thinks she's being staunch. When I got home after an extended period in Oz everyone was saying Kowhai and Whangarei different. I learned to change, not out of a deep seated respect for Te Reo, I didn't want to sound like an ignorant pillock.
In a few minutes, I think 'How to Dad' does a great job of sharing the Te Reo building blocks.
I'm as shit as the next person at some te reo Māori pronunciation – and that is sincere – my cousin corrected me the other day – what did I do? Learned and tried to get it right – this is what living in a community, a country means – giving it a fair attempt and being open to trying again if it is a stuff up. I'm not asking these people to go to te reo Māori classes or become fluent or do anything other than trying to be part of our society – and that is the rub – they don't see Māori as part of their society – they couldn't care less about Māori let alone the language – so fair enough I call that racism and note it.
The first woman was probably casual racism in her yeah, nah, I'm too old, not going to change now. I didn't have too much of a problem with it in the sense of I wouldn't call her racist if I was in the conversation and like Marcus I could probably find some common ground upon which to talk.
The second woman was out and out racist. She's not just saying hey I like how I say things, she's actively holding a cultural position of preventing te reo taking hold and the subtext is that no-one in the South supports Māori. I'd say she's a white supremacy apologist.
I really wanted to hear the start of the conversation with the first woman, how they got onto pronunciation.
Dummy? Not sure about that, I think she was smart enough to know exactly what she was doing. Doesn't hurt to name that kind of racism when it's there, although I doubt I'd bother talking it through with her in real life.
… '' they don't see Māori as part of their society – they couldn't care less about Māori let alone the language '' …
Thats identity politics.
1/ You dont speak for all white New Zealanders – all youve done is make a gross generalisation.
2 / Your assumption can equally be applied to the very people group you choose to champion. Except it is reversed. Many Maori ( and people from other cultures ) dont particularly care about white New Zealand culture as well.
3 / You belittle those who have taken the time to learn Te Reo who are not of Maori ancestry.
4 / If your generalization is true, – then that makes other cultures , – not just white New Zealanders , – participants culpable in the charge of ' not caring about Maori let alone the language' .
Therefore I would charge you with being an inverted racist yourself.
We all have seen the evidence of Maori oppression through colonialism, we all have read the history and the Bellich books, we are aware of the statistics in under achievement and incarceration – and for the most part , many non Maori have agreed, – yet for the last 3-4 decades weve had it rammed down our throats actually…to the point where its become overload. Yet if the plight of Maori is so dire, then the correct pronunciation of the Maori language is the least of their concerns.
It is all too easy to look at the extremes.
That said, it is nice to preserve languages.
However,… English in particular has many accents and dialects- from the Public School accent of the BBC to the Creole to Pidgin…
Thats language. It lives with each and every new generation, it develops with each and every new permutation as there is people.
And not you , not the identity politics crowd or any other force will ever stop that process. Try reading or speaking 12th century English. You'd be lost. You would struggle with even the simplest of pronunciations. You would probably have to learn Frisian or even German to get a handle on it.
mate I LOVE identity politics – and I'm very proud to follow that approach.
Anyway thanks for the compliments – I'm really not too worried in this land of equality we live in – and I'm sorry to be insulting to you – I can't really be bothered keeping up the hostility so peace and love
I'm ambivalent on this one. When pronunciation evolves into mispronunciation, crapping on people for saying it the way everyone around them has said it for 80 years is a bit much.
And I note he used "camembert" not "croissant" – almost nobody says that word correctly lol
But then it's one of them power dynamics: attitudes to English language and pronunciation instructions are descriptive rather than prescriptive, these days. Māori instruction is more prescriptive in order to encourage expansion and consistency and recover usage. Because colonialism.
And then there's the entire meta discussion about when a word in one language becomes a word in another language.
It's one thing to have a lifetime habit that one doesn't want to change (eg how one pronounces where one grew up), but it's another entirely to go on the radio and make the case vehemently that society shouldn't move towards better te reo pronunciation (the second woman).
The other issue about te reo is that pronunciation affects meaning, and is part of literacy. It's not just about 'rightness' and not offending. How words are said in te reo Māori also affects whether one comes to a better understanding of what is being said, including concepts that are hard to say in English, which then leads to better understanding of Te Ao Māori. The words often go layers deep in ways that don't happen so much in English. I heard the second woman not just resisting changing an old habit, but actively working to suppress Te Ao Māori. Racist af.
Yeah, talkback radio callers for the win right there. Salt of the earth lol.
But I don't think it's down to berating individuals for not making an effort, when everyone else would look at them like freaks if they asked after the "Ōpoho" bus rather than "Opoho".
I think that sort of change comes from the local bodies – putting macrons on the bus signs, changing the literature and maps, etc. Like Whanganui DHB did back in the day.
Is it a thing at the moment, the pronunciation of Ōpoho? I didn't even know it had a macron. Would have better if Newstalk had made the whole audio public so we can hear the start, I feel like I'm missing an important part of the conversation.
I don't think the issue is a couple of people mispronouncing a Māori placename, it's the *way it was defended. I wouldn't berate them for how they say the word, but obviously I will berate someone for being a dick about it.
I thought that was the pronunciation Lush was going for? Always just been "Opoho" to me.
But holy shit it just occurred to me that this has been the first time in years talkback has caused a kerfuffle and the bigot/dickhead wasn't the announcer! The last time I can think of that happening was the "Hone" Carter phone calls. Normally it's Lhaws or Tamihere or whomever going for the controversy.
I don't see her age being an issue – anyone can make an effort to improve if they want.
Agreed. But I'd still cut the elderly lady a bit of slack. I would call her problem more ignorance than racism.
One way to bring it home to them is for all Maori to start mispronouncing English place-names especially when on radio or television where they are going to be heard.
Examples:
Wellington… we – ling – ton (as in con).
Onehunga… one – hunga (as in hunger)
St Kilda… st – kil – da (as in dat)
You could have a lot of fun in the process as well as causing an upsurge in pakeha related strokes. 😉
We already have people of all races mispronouncing names, places and the like. What are we all going to do? – draw and quarter them all for a simple error or guillotine them for being brought up in a certain way ?
Geez.
Maybe a simpler way would be to recognize that we all come from different backgrounds and cultures… and to stop trying to squeeze us all into the cookie cutter homogenous mould some would like to see…
Seems I recall the call went out for us all to be tolerant and celebrate our diversity… or is that no longer applicable when it comes to to the pronunciation of either the English or Maori language….
Seems just a little too ‘ convenient when it suits’ to me… but you know the old saying… '' you cant have your cake and eat it too''…
So which one is it?
Celebrating diversity and being tolerant or the cookie cutter?
Anyways,… had enough of this puerile conversation.
The Swedish people warmed to me as I gained a handle on their kooky language. My pal Tedde shared why. 'There are few greater genuine compliments that can be made to a group of people than learning their language.'
As the world grows smaller and sameness infiltrates everywhere, Te Reo is ours and only ours.
That rigid sail system would overcome most of the reasons not to put conventional sails on a tanker. No extra crew, the captain could control them from the bridge. Low maint. They're not 300m high. The wind direction doesn't matter. A 9.2% fuel saving is substantial. I wonder if fuel savings improve beyond that as more of the units are added to a deck.
These points may well be in the article grey, you're a Telegraph subscriber.
I'm a neophyte Telegraph subscriber. Can't get all their stuff at present and have to review what I paid and should pay. So can't give you any more about the sails at present, but even putting up the headlines I find is very bracing, knowing that something is going on in the intelligent side of the world.
I have to decide whether I want to pay monthly or drop in a donation FTTT – whatever options are being offered and for the other UK ones, I would like to get Scottish one too. I may be able to keep up on Bella Caledonia. (Just looking at their page and they are fulminating about David Cameron
' reportedly earning £120,000 per hour to provide audiences with “lessons in leadership” in global affairs. Similarly, Gordon Brown was paid around £75,000 for one speech that claims to give a “comprehensive view of complex issues”.' https://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2019/10/24/a-prosperous-future/
At least it won't cost me that much to be informed, and with a spread of media I am likely to be as well grounded in general, as many paying big money to hear the mega-stars, famous in their own galaxy.
I'm going to be donating to the Guardian, want to subscribe to local Scoop, and also The Standard. And I get local paper at a reduced rate. It all adds up. The Guardian, The Telegraph and aljazeera have been my main ones on Brexit with the BBC and Channel 4 FTTT.
Once upon a time I favoured enabling vaping – as a means to wean people off tobacco.
I still do. But, given
1. the harm that can result from allowing an addictive substance – nicotine – to be on-sale
2. those over 18 are supplying it to younger teens and children
3. growing evidence that there is damage to lungs from vaping
I now only favour it by prescription to existing tobacco addicts, where the doctor felt the risk from vaping was worth it for the patient – as part of a process to getting people off tobacco.
“On certain routes during the trial the vessel achieved fuel savings way beyond the average of 8.2% even with average wind conditions,” Hylands said.
“There is a clear potential to achieve higher fuel savings, and hence CO2 savings, on routes with more favourable wind conditions, which further improves the commercial viability of the technology.”
Targeting windy routes is way more efficient than adding more windmills.
That shipping site is amazing. GPS position, headings, speed. Pelican looks very tired in the Maersk file pics. Was probably due to be slipped when the round sails went on.
Weka stuck Harvey's public shaming up the other night but like Harvey, we had so much fun lets do it again.
Phone + Facebook/Twitter account are like the village stocks of old and Harvey is copping rotten fruit for a second day on The Standard. Seems fitting, creep.
If I was the boss at Sky City I would invite the dominant union executive body to select the lab to do the air purity analysis. (I would run my own tests on the quiet.)
If there was a marked difference between data sets, I'd ring the head of the union body and suggest reps from each lab come together for one more comprehensive test. Agree on methodology and deliver a collective report.
Because giant interference arrays are so yesterday.
/
Russia will test its internal RuNet network to see whether the country can function without the global internet, the Russian government announced Monday. The tests will begin after Nov. 1, recur at least annually, and possibly more frequently. It’s the latest move in a series of technical and policy steps intended to allow the Russian government to cut its citizens off from the rest of the world.
“On Monday, the government approved the provision on conducting exercises to ensure the stable, safe and holistic functioning of the Internet and public communications networks in the Russian Federation,” notes an article in D-Russia. (The original article is in Russian. We verified a translation with the help of a native Russian speaker.) “The exercises are held at the federal (in the territory of the Russian Federation) and regional (in the territory of one or more constituent entities of the Russian Federation) levels.”
The word “holistic” shows that the exercises follow April’s passage of the sovereign internet law that will require all internet traffic in Russia to pass through official chokepoints, allowing the government to shut down outside access, block websites that they don’t like, and monitor traffic.
'to cut its [Russian] citizens off from the rest of the world'. / sarc
This step to try and be self-sufficient comes after western provocation and Ukraine meddling and all sorts of attacks and provocations from both sides in retaliation to the ones before. It is quite reasonable to try and withdraw from such resource wasting interaction. And of course there are the sanctions that the USA plaster round the place, elephants are more dainty.
Putin and his Chekists are losing the propaganda battle. Their response is to do what their forebears did.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the government to monitor the online behavior of young Russians and to produce “moral and spiritual education” content for them.
Young Russians have been targeted by several government initiatives in recent years, including a ban on minors attending protests and efforts to provide them with a military and patriotic education. This year, Russia launched a new channel targeting young viewers with 24/7 World War II programming and announced military-patriotic reeducation camps for delinquent youngsters.
Perhaps that is the appropriate thing to do at this point in time? I am so disillusioned with world politics that I no longer can produce the moth-eaten banner left over from last century with words of hope and glory where if everyone is treated properly and allowed to say what they will, the tooth fairy will give us beautiful teeth and we won;t even have to paint them every night.
I am amazed that the government cannot find funding for the Chathams and their airport. These outlying regions need some investment to build further business on. Everything can't be about trees. I hope that there is another agency that would find a place in its budget for them.
I'm going to sand the last one and lay another coat of lacquer over the Simca. I love spray-painting while the All Blacks play their big games. So far we have mirrored results.
Geeez, I so want to get this right. I know how to do this, I'm good at it, I need to relax. I need to be seventeen and painting my tutor's car again. I was brilliant without trying.
Trudeau may have his issues, but Canadians had the wit to give the racist, climate denier fossil fuel loving anti-immigrant nazi the arse.
Bernier spent the campaign promoting a divisive and exclusionary message that could have easily come from far-right parties such as Germany’s AfD or France’s National Front. He vowed to build a border fence to keep out asylum seekers, stoked fears of “radical Islam” in the country and told a rally earlier this year that he wanted to “make Canada great again.”
Bernier founded the party in 2018, after losing a Conservative Party leadership contest to Andrew Scheer, and quickly settled on an anti-immigration message. Despite the party polling around 3% throughout the campaign, Bernier was a highly visible figure during the race and participated in the federal leaders debate. His presence in the election, a sharp contrast with Canada’s progressive multicultural image, drew international media attention, including a profile in The New York Times that described him as a “lanky provocateur.”
Yes Anne, I had the same feeling after the match that it would be Jandal’s fault that the AB’s loss to English. You can’t fault that wiry old fox Jonesy who a masterful game plain to beat the AB’s tonight.
Easy foot-notery above when our predeccessors spent their lives, destroyed their families, for reality. And all I am is the angriest of the footnoters. Massive cream before a massive fall.
I think we're fighting against reality. That is, our mental nature.
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Today is a Member's Day, and it looks like its back to local legislation for a while. First up is the committee stage of the highly controversial Canterbury Regional Council (Ngāi Tahu Representation) Bill, which would allow unelected appointees (and a disproportionate number of them, at that) on ECan. This ...
Despite Christopher Luxon’s assurances to the contrary, there is no such thing as “settled law” in New Zealand. Apart from the six provisions that are constitutionally entrenched, legislation can always be amended or overturned by a simple majority vote within our single chamber of Parliament. Luxon’s repeated use of the ...
This is a re-post from the Thinking is Power website maintained by Melanie Trecek-King where she regularly writes about many aspects of critical thinking in an effort to provide accessible and engaging critical thinking information to the general public. Please see this overview to find links to other reposts from Thinking is Power. ...
What a week, month even of deplorable headlines and hysterics we’ve had as a country – and given 2023 is closing in on us (a mere 6 months until Parties shift some gears into election mode really, not that some of them haven’t started already of course), we need ...
Over the weekend, the US Supreme Court followed through on its threat, and overturned Roe v. Wade, effectively outlawing abortion in much of the United States. People were outraged, in America and around the world. And in Aotearoa, this meant a lot of sudden questions for the National Party, which ...
Nothing is evil in the beginning… #TheRingsOfPowerpic.twitter.com/XffZtqp8Yw— The Lord of the Rings on Prime (@LOTRonPrime) June 27, 2022 We have ourselves a new breadcrumb (not a leak!) out of The Rings of Power. It is a fifteen second collection of clips from the original teaser-trailer, together ...
The repeal of Roe vs Wade by the US Supreme Court is part of a broader “New Conservative” agenda financed by reactionary billionaires like Peter Thiel, Elon Mush, the Kochs and Murdochs (and others), organised by agitators like Steve Bannon and Rodger Stone and legally weaponised by Conservative (often Catholic) ...
A Dangerous Leap Backwards: A United States forced to live by the beliefs and values of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries cannot hope to go on leading the “Free World”, or compete economically with nations focused fearlessly on the future. The revocation of Roe v. Wade represents the American republic’s most ...
Now that the right of US women to abortion (formerly protected by Roe vWade) has been abolished, the important role of medication-induced abortion will come even more to the fore. Already, research by the Guttmacher Institute reproductive rights centre shows that over half of US abortions are obtained ...
The government is finally moving to improve transparency over party finances, lowering the donation disclosure threshold to $5,000. This is a good move, though it doesn't go as far as it should. And of course, there's a nasty twist: The rules for larger donations are also changing. Presently parties ...
A rare exposure in Western media of the fact that many residents of the Donbass prefer Russian rule to Ukrainian ultranationalist rule. I don’t know why anyone would take advice from UK’s lame duck Prime Minister and well-known buffoon Boris Johnson seriously, but he ...
Jacinda Ardern will need to deploy every aspect of her starpower if she is to have any hope of rescuing New Zealand’s faltering free trade negotiations with the European Union (EU). The Prime Minister has branded each of her four foreign trips so far this year as ‘trade missions’ – ...
It was sometime in the late 1990s that I first interviewed Alan Webster about New Zealand’s part in a global Values Study. It’s a fascinating snapshot of values in countries all over the world and I still remember seeing America grouped with many developing countries on a spectrum that had ...
Today marks Matariki, the first “new” New Zealand public holiday since Waitangi Day was added in 1974. Officially the start of the Maori New Year, this is one of those moveable beasties – much like Easter, the dates will vary from year to year, anywhere from mid-June to ...
The takeaways from the just released data are:1. Any estimate of GDP is subject to error.2. The 0.2 percent decrease in the March 2022 quarter is not precise and will be revised, with the mild likelihood that it will eventually be higher.3. New Zealand has no ‘official' definition of a ...
Guided By The Stars? This gift of Matariki, then, what will be made of it? Can a people spiritually unconnected to anything other than their digital devices truly appreciate the relentless progress of gods and heroes across the heavens? The elders of Maoridom must wonder. Can Te Ao Māori be ...
The internet is a wonderful thing sometimes. Yesterday, I ran across an AI program that generates images via prompt: https://huggingface.co/spaces/dalle-mini/dalle-mini So I have been doing the logical thing with it. Getting it to generate Silmarillion characters in bizarre situations. Morgoth playing golf, and so forth. But one thing I ...
Stashing renewable energy Do a little internet sleuthing on renewable energy via your favorite search engine and you'll find some honest critique and much more dishonest misinformation (aka disinformation) to the effect that photovoltaic and wind generation are fickle energy supplies, over-abundant in some periods and absent in others. There's ...
The current New Zealand First Foundation trial in the High Court continues to show why reform is required when it comes to money in politics. The juicy details coming out each day show private wealth being funnelled into some peculiar schemes in an attempt to circumvent the Electoral Act. Yet ...
As in so many other areas of public policy, attitudes towards overseas investment in New Zealand – and anywhere, for that matter – boil down in the end to ideology. For proponents of the “free market”, there is really no issue. The market, in their view, must never be second-guessed; ...
Selwyn Manning and I discussed the upcoming NATO Leader’s summit (to which NZ Prime Minister Ardern is invited), the rival BRICS Leader’s summit and what they could mean for the Ruso-Ukrainian Wa and beyond. ...
New Zealand’s Most Profitable“Friend” Dangerous “Threat”: This country’s “Five Eyes” partners, heedless of the economic consequences for New Zealand, have cajoled and bullied its political class into becoming Sinophobes. They simply do not care that close to 40 percent of this country’s trade is with China. As far as Washington, London, ...
I have seen some natter around about how The Rings of Power represents the undue and unholy corporatisation of J.R.R. Tolkien. I won’t point out examples, but anyone who has seen YouTube commentary has a pretty good grasp of what I am talking about – the sentiment that ...
2017’s Queenmaker: Five years ago, Winston Peters’ choice ran counter to New Zealand’s informal, No. 8 wire, post-MMP constitution, which, up until 2017, had decreed that the party with the most votes got to supply the next prime minister. Had National not been in power for the previous 9 years, it ...
I've read some bad stuff about long covid recently, and Marc Daalder's recent Newsroom piece about what endemic covid means for Aotearoa got me wondering about whether the government was thinking about it. Mass-disability due to long covid has obvious implications for health and welfare spending, as well as for ...
Last year, a stranded kiwi criticised the MIQ system. Covid Minister Chris Hipkins responded by doxxing and defaming her. Now, he's been forced to apologise for that: Minister Chris Hipkins has admitted he released incorrect and personal information about journalist Charlotte Bellis, after she criticised the managed isolation system. ...
Gil-galad is an Elven Chad Gil-galad is an Elven Chad But Celebrimbor makes them mad Digesting leaks from Amazon Of Isildur and Pharazôn. The hair is short? The knives are keen. The beardless face of Dwarven Queen? With meteor and man-not-named The fandom temper is inflamed. Of Annatar ...
From the desk of Keir "Patriotic Duty" Starmer:“We have robust lines. We do not want to see these strikes to go ahead with the resulting disruption to the public. The government have failed to engage in any negotiations.“However, we also must show leadership and to that end, please be reminded ...
Has swapping Scott Morrison for Anthony Albanese made any discernible difference to Australia’s relations with the US, China, the Pacific and New Zealand ? Not so far. For example: Albanese has asked for more time to “consider” his response to New Zealand’s long running complaints about the so called “501” ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The Biden administration in April 2021 dramatically ratcheted up the country’s greenhouse gas emissions reductions pledge under the Paris target, also known as its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). The Obama administration in 2014 had announced a commitment to cut U.S. emissions 26-28% below 2005 levels ...
Something I missed: the Central African Republic has abolished the death penalty: The National Assembly of the Central African Republic (CAR) passed a law abolishing the death penalty in the CAR on May 27, 2022. Once CAR President Touadéra promulgates the bill, the CAR will become the 24th abolitionist ...
Walking On Sunshine: National’s Sam Uffindell cantered home in the Tauranga By-Election, but the Outdoors & Freedom Party’s Sue Grey attracted an ominous level of support.THE RIGHT’S gadfly commentator, Matthew Hooton, summed up the Tauranga by-election in his usual pithy fashion. “Tonight’s result is poor for the National Party, catastrophic for ...
Te reo Māori is Dr. Anaha Hiini’s life purpose. Raised by his grandparents, Kepa and Maata Hiini, Anaha of Ngāti Tarāwhai, Tūhourangi, Ngāti Whakaue descent made a promise at the age of six to his late grandmother, Maata Hiini. “I’ve always had a passion for Māori culture. My first inspiration ...
Dr Carwyn Jones’ vision is to see Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the law given equal mana. Carwyn who holds a PhD in law and society and currently teaches Ahunga Tikanga (Māori Laws and Philosophy) at Te Wānanga o Raukawa after 15 years at Victoria University of Wellington has devoted ...
Jacinda Ardern’s decision to attend the upcoming North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Spain – but to skip the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Rwanda – symbolises the changes she is making to New Zealand foreign policy. The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) starts today in ...
The outlook does not look that promising. Forecasting an economy is a mug’s game. The database on which the forecasts are founded is incomplete, out-of-date, and subject to errors, some of which will be revised after the forecasts are published. (No wonder weather-forecasting is easier.) One often has to adopt ...
by Don Franks It seems that almost each day now another ram raid shatters someone’s shop front and loots the premises. Prestigious Queen street is not immune, while attacks on small dairies have long stopped being headline news. Those of us not directly affected are becoming numbed to this form ...
It’s hard to believe that when we created Sciblogs in 2009, the iPhone was only two years old, being a ‘Youtuber’ wasn’t really a thing and Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok didn’t exist. But Science blogging was a big thing, particularly in the United States, where a number of scientists had ...
For 13 years, Sciblogs has been a staple in New Zealand’s science-writing landscape. Our bloggers have written about a vast variety of topics from climate change to covid, and from nanotechnology to household gadgets.But sadly, it’s time to close shop. Sciblogs will be shutting down on 30 June.When ...
Radical Options: By allocating the Broadcasting portfolio to the irrepressible, occasionally truculent, leader of Labour’s Māori caucus, Willie Jackson, the Prime Minister has, at the very least, confirmed that her appointment of Kiri Allan was no one-off. There are many words that could be used to describe Ardern’s placement of ...
A Delicate Juggler? The new Chief Censor, Ms Caroline Flora, owes New Zealand a comprehensive explanation of how she sees, and how she proposes to carry out, her role. Where, for example, is her duty to respect and protect the citizen’s right to freedom of expression positioned in relation to ...
Good grief. Has foreign policy commentary really devolved to the point where our diplomatic effort is being measured by how many overseas trips have been taken by our Foreign Minister? Weird, but apparently so. All this week, a series of media policy wonks have been invidiously comparing how many trips ...
Where we've been Time flies. This coming summer will mark 15 years of Skeptical Science focusing its effort on "traditional" climate science denial. Leaving aside frivolities, we've devoted most of our effort to combatting "serious" denial falling into a handful of broad categories of fairly crisp misconceptions: "radiative physics is wrong,""geophysics is ...
Mercenary army of bogus skeptics on parade Because they're both squarely centered in the Skeptical Science wheelhouse, this week we're highlighting two articles from our government and NGO section, where we collect high-quality articles not originating in academic research but featuring many of the important attributes of journal publications. Our mission ...
In the latest episode of AVFA Selwyn Manning and I discuss the evolution of Latin American politics and macroeconomic policy since the 1970s as well as US-Latin American relations during that time period. We use recent elections and the 2022 Summit of the Americas as anchor points. ...
The Scottish government has announced plans for another independence referendum: Nicola Sturgeon plans to hold a second referendum on Scottish independence in October next year if her government secures the legal approval to stage it. Angus Robertson, the Scottish government’s constitution secretary, said that provided ample time to pass ...
So far, the closer military relationship envisaged by Jacinda Ardern and Joseph Biden at their recent White House meeting has been analysed mainly in terms of what this means for our supposedly “independent” foreign policy. Not much attention has been paid to what having more interoperable defence forces might mean ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters For those puzzling over the various hurricane computer forecast models to figure out which one to believe, the best answer is: Don’t believe any of them. Put your trust in the National Hurricane Center, or NHC, forecast. Although an individual ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Scott Denning The excellent Julia Steinberger essay posted at this site in May provides a disturbing window into the psychology of teaching climate change to young people. It’s critically important to talk with youth about hard topics: love and sex, deadly contagion, school shootings, vicious ...
By Imogen Foote (Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington) A lack of consensus among international conservation regimes regarding albatross taxonomy makes management of these ocean roaming birds tricky. My PhD research aims to generate whole genome data for some of our most threatened albatrosses in a first attempt ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to scrap the Acceptable Standards of Health policy that discriminates against disabled migrants after former Minister for Disability Issues Carmel Sepuloni acknowledged the policy “disadvantages” disabled migrants on TVNZ’s Q&A this morning. ...
We’ve secured a major free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU) – a move that’s set to boost exports by $1.8 billion per annum, enhance our economic security, and enable New Zealand businesses to grow, by unlocking one of the world’s biggest and high value markets. The new ...
Our Government is committed to making sure that our health system works for all New Zealanders, no matter who you are or where you live. Transformation of our health system will take time, and the step we’re taking today – establishing Health New Zealand and the Māori Health Authority – ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to announce its support urgently for a moratorium on deep sea mining under the high seas, after Pacific nations joined forces this week to demand change. ...
We’re committed to ensuring that there is every opportunity for women and girls to succeed in Aotearoa New Zealand, with fewer barriers. Since coming into Government, we’ve worked hard to support women and girls, by improving services like healthcare and tackling issues like the gender pay gap. Here are just ...
Political pressure from the Green Party has pushed the Government to supply free masks to kids and teachers in schools across Aotearoa New Zealand. ...
The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand and the European Greens have published a joint statement calling for the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement to support climate action, phase out fossil fuel subsidies, cut agriculture emissions, protect human rights, and uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to guarantee that it will complete light rail and improve walking, cycling, and bus journeys across Wellington before digging new high-carbon tunnels. ...
The Green Party is urging Oceans and Fisheries Minister David Parker to commit to stronger ocean protection around Aotearoa and on the high seas while at the United Nations Oceans Conference in Portugal this week. ...
A strong Green voice in Parliament has helped reduce the influence large secret money will have in future elections and finally ensured overseas New Zealanders will retain the right to vote even while stranded by the Pandemic. But, the Government needs to go further to ensure our democracy works for ...
A new poll shows that the majority of people back the Greens’ call on the Government to overhaul the country’s criminally punitive, anti-evidence drug law. ...
The US Supreme Court’s decision on abortion is a reminder that we must take nothing for granted in Aotearoa, the Green Party says. “Aotearoa should be a place where everyone, no matter where they are from, or who they love, can choose what is right for their body and their ...
We’re proud to have delivered on our election commitment to establish a public holiday to celebrate Matariki. For the first time this year, New Zealanders will have the chance to enjoy a mid-winter holiday that is uniquely our own. ...
Proposed new legislation to reduce the risk that timber imported into Aotearoa New Zealand is sourced from illegal logging is a positive first step but it should go further, the Green Party says. ...
On World Refugee Day, the Green Party is calling on the new Minister for Immigration, Michael Wood to make up for the support that was not provided to people forced to leave their home countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. ...
This week, we’ve marked a major milestone in our school upgrade programme. We've supported 4,500 projects across the country for schools to upgrade classrooms, sports facilities, playgrounds and more, so Kiwi kids have the best possible environments to learn in. ...
We’ve delivered on our election commitment to make Matariki a public holiday. For the first time this year, all New Zealanders will have the chance to enjoy a mid-winter holiday that is uniquely our own with family and friends. Try our quiz below, then challenge your whānau! To celebrate, we’ve ...
The Green Party says the removal of pre-departure testing for arrivals into New Zealand means the Government must step up domestic measures to protect communities most at risk. ...
The long overdue resumption of the Pacific Access Category and Samoan Quota must be followed by an overhaul of the Recognised Seasonal Employers (RSE) scheme, says the Green Party. ...
Lessons must be learned from the Government's response to the Delta outbreak, which the Ministry of Health confirmed today left Māori, Pacific, and disabled communities at greater risk. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to withdraw the proposed Oranga Tamariki oversight legislation which strips away independence and fails to put children at the heart. ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern met UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in London overnight, and together took a number of steps to strengthen the already close ties between our two countries, and promote our common interests in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. “The UK is one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s oldest and closest friends and ...
Building a more secure, sustainable and prosperous future together: Joint Statement – Prime Ministers Jacinda Ardern and Boris Johnson 1. New Zealand and the United Kingdom are old friends and close partners. Our relationship rests on a bedrock of history, shared values, and deep people-to-people links, extending across almost all ...
Director Sir Robin Niblett, distinguished guests. What an honour it is to be back in London, and to be here at Chatham house. This visit represents much for me. The reopening of borders and resumption of travel after a difficult few years. The chance to bring life to the UK ...
Manawa maiea te pūtanga o Matariki Manawa maiea te ariki o te rangi Manawa maiea te mātahi o te tau! Introduction I’m pleased to join you for my second address at the 56th Annual Otago Foreign Policy School. The topic for this year is Space. Given that we are in ...
New Ministry will officially be called Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People Public Service Commission have appointed Geraldine Woods as Interim Chief Executive Office for Disability Issues to be folded into the new Ministry In what is a milestone day, the Government has launched Aotearoa New Zealand’s first Whaikaha ...
Nine new He Poutama Rangatahi programmes have been approved funding. These programmes will provide work-readiness, training and employment initiatives for over 820 rangatahi NEETS (not in education, employment or training), across Aotearoa New Zealand. "He Poutama Rangatahi has proven to be a very successful initiative which supports rangatahi to overcome ...
Minister for Māori Development Willie Jackson today announced the appointment of Crown representatives, Dr Charlotte Severne and Mr Bernie O’Donnell, to the Steering Committee that will determine the future of the Ihumātao land. “I’m pleased to have made the Crown appointments. Both Dr Severne and Mr O’Donnell have extensive ...
I begin by thanking each of you for accepting appointment to these boards. You’ve each been on the Ministerial committee that established Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand and Te Aka Whai Ora - the Māori Health Authority and I express my appreciation for the enormous task you collectively ...
Aotearoa New Zealand has reiterated its concerns over the continued erosion of rights, freedom and autonomy in Hong Kong. On the second anniversary of the introduction of the Hong Kong National Security Law, the Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta says developments in Hong Kong remain a cause for worry. “Two years ...
The Europol Agreement signed is a significant milestone for New Zealand and the European Union’s relationship, and reflects our shared principles of democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said today. The Prime Minister attended a signature ceremony in Brussels, as part of ...
· New nationwide public health system · 20 district health boards disestablished and deficits wiped · 82,000 health employees directly employed by Health New Zealand · $24 billion health budget this year – up 43% since Labour took office in 2017 – in addition to separate funding for the new ...
Education Minister Chris Hipkins has announced appointments to the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand and the Board of Trustees of Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu (Te Kura). “Robyn Baker ONZM has been appointed as the chair of the Teaching Council. She has considerable governance experience and is a ...
European Commission President von der Leyen and Prime Minister of New Zealand Ardern met in Brussels on 30 June 2022. The encounter provided an opportunity to reaffirm that the European Union and Aotearoa New Zealand are longstanding partners with shared democratic values and interests, aligned positions on key international and ...
Export revenue to the EU to grow by up to $1.8 billion annually on full implementation. Duty-free access on 97% of New Zealand’s current exports to the EU; with over 91% being removed the day the FTA comes into force. NZ exporters set to save approx. $110 million per annum ...
57,000 EVs and Hybrid registered in first year of clean car scheme, 56% increase on previous year EVs and Non Plug-in Hybrids made up 20% of new passenger car sales in March/April 2022 The Government’s Clean Car Discount Scheme has been a success, with more than 57,000 light-electric and ...
Police Minister Chris Hipkins congratulates the newest Police wing – wing 355 – which graduated today in Porirua. “These 70 new constables heading for the frontline bring the total number of new officers since Labour took office to 3,303 and is the latest mark of our commitment to the Police ...
Members with a range of governance, financial and technical skills have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Board as part of the shift to strengthen the Bank’s decision-making and accountability arrangements. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act 2021 comes into force on 1 July 2022, with the establishment of ...
New Zealand to remain at Orange as case numbers start to creep up 50 child-size masks made available to every year 4-7 student in New Zealand 20,000-30,000 masks provided a week to all other students and school staff Extra funding to schools and early childhood services to supports better ...
Aotearoa New Zealand will join Ukraine’s case against Russia at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which challenges Russia’s spurious attempt to justify its invasion under international law. Ukraine filed a case at the ICJ in February arguing Russia has falsely claimed genocide had occurred in Luhansk and Donetsk regions, as ...
The Government has taken another step forward in its work to eliminate family violence and sexual violence with the announcement today of a new Tangata Whenua Ministerial Advisory Group. A team of 11 experts in whānau Māori wellbeing will provide the Government independent advice on shaping family violence and sexual ...
Te Mahere Whai Mahi Wāhine: Women’s Employment Action Plan was launched today by Minister for Women Jan Tinetti – with the goal of ensuring New Zealand is a great place for women to work. “This Government is committed to improving women’s working lives. The current reality is that women have ...
The food and fibre sector acknowledged its people and leadership at last night’s 2022 Primary Industries Good Employer Awards, a time to celebrate their passion towards supporting employees by putting their health, welfare and wellbeing first,” Acting Minister of Agriculture Meka Whairiti said. “Award winners were selected from an extraordinary ...
Kia ora koutou katoa. It is a rare thing to have New Zealand represented at a NATO Summit. While we have worked together in theatres such as Afghanistan, and have been partners for just on a decade, today represents an important moment for our Pacific nation. New Zealand is ...
Te Arataki mō te Hauora Ngākau mō ngā Mōrehu a Tū me ō rātou Whānau, The Veteran, Family and Whānau Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy Framework “We ask a lot of those who serve in the military – and we ask a lot of the families and whānau who support ...
Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs Aupito William Sio has been appointed by the United Nations and Commonwealth as Aotearoa New Zealand’s advocacy champion for Small Island States. “Aotearoa New Zealand as a Pacific country is particularly focused on the interests of Pacific Small Island Developing States in our region. “This is a ...
An estimated 100,000 low income households will be eligible for increased support to pay their council rates, with changes to the rates rebate scheme taking effect from 1 July. Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta has announced increases to both the maximum value of the rates rebate, and the income threshold ...
A long-standing physical activity programme that focuses on outcomes for Maori has been expanded to four new regions with Government investment almost doubled to increase its reach. He Oranga Poutama is managed by a combination of hapū, iwi, hauora and regional providers. An increase in funding from $1.8 million ...
The Government is progressing a preferred option for LGWM which will see Wellington’s transport links strengthened with light rail from Wellington Station to Island Bay, a new tunnel through Mt Victoria for public transport, and walking and cycling, and upgrades to improve traffic flow at the Basin Reserve. “Where previous ...
To Provost Muniz, to the Organisers at the Instituto de Empresa buenas tardes and as we would say in New Zealand, kia ora kotou katoa. To colleagues from the State Department, from Academia, and Civil Society Groups, to all our distinguished guests - kia ora tatou katoa. It’s a pleasure ...
On June 28, 2022, a meeting took place in Madrid between the President of the Government of the Kingdom of Spain, Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, and the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, who was visiting Spain to participate in the Summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as one ...
A six-fold increase in the Aotearoa New Zealand-Spain working holiday scheme gives a huge boost to the number of young people who can live and work in each other’s countries, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says. Jacinda Ardern and Spanish President Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón made the Working Holiday/Youth Mobility Scheme announcement ...
A significant barrier has been removed for people who want to stand in local government elections, with a change to the requirement to publish personal details in election advertising. The Associate Local Government Minister Kieran McAnulty has taken the Local Electoral (Advertising) Amendment Bill through its final stages in Parliament ...
New financial conduct scheme will ensure customers are treated fairly Banks, insurers and non-bank deposit takers to be licensed by the FMA in relation to their general conduct Sales incentives based on volume or value targets like bonuses for selling a certain number of financial products banned The Government ...
Legislation that bans major supermarkets from blocking their competitors’ access to land to set up new stores paves the way for greater competition in the sector, Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Dr David Clark said. The new law is the first in a suite of measures the Government is ...
The Government has announced an end to the requirement for border workers and corrections staff to be fully vaccinated. This will come into place from 2 July 2022. 100 per cent of corrections staff in prisons, and as of 23 June 2022 97 per cent of active border workers were ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta has concluded a visit to Rwanda reaffirming Aotearoa New Zealand’s engagement in the Commonwealth and meeting with key counterparts. “I would like to thank President Kagame and the people of Rwanda for their manaakitanga and expert hosting of this important meeting,” Nanaia Mahuta said. “CHOGM ...
Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty officially launched the new Monitoring, Alerting and Reporting (MAR) Centre at the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) today. The Government has stood up the centre in response to recommendations from the 2018 Ministerial Review following the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake and 2017 Port Hills fire, ...
Transport Minister Michael Wood has welcomed the announcement that a 110km/hr speed limit has been set for the SH1 Waikato Expressway, between Hampton Downs and Tamahere. “The Waikato Expressway is a key transport route for the Waikato region, connecting Auckland to the agricultural and business centres of the central North ...
Following feedback from the sector, Associate Minister of Education Jan Tinetti, today confirmed that new literacy and numeracy | te reo matatini me te pāngarau standards will be aligned with wider NCEA changes. “The education sector has asked for more time to put the literacy and numeracy | te reo ...
$4.5 million to provide Ukraine with additional non-lethal equipment and supplies such as medical kit for the Ukrainian Army Deployments extended for New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) intelligence, logistics and liaison officers in the UK, Germany, and Belgium Secondment of a senior New Zealand military officer to support International ...
Power Play - The Prime Minister travelled to Brussels with two speeches prepared - one detailed a historic trade deal, the other why she would leave Brussels without one. ...
Green Party candidate for Wellington's Motukairangi-Eastern Ward Luana Scowcroft is launching her campaign at Hataitai Centre (the former Hataitai Bowling Club) at 7pm tonight, Saturday July 2nd. Luana says that council's short-term thinking, and ...
The government has just announced the conclusion of a free trade agreement with the European Union. One Māori entity operating in the trade space, Ngā Toki Whakarururanga, is not celebrating. “We are aware that New Zealand negotiators genuinely sought ...
Buzz from the Beehive Down here on Earth – more particularly, in Ihumātao – progress on doing whatever is going to be done to that disputed patch of land has been glacial. Newsroom drew attention to the dawdling in an article in April which noted that Māori Development Minister Willie ...
PNG Post-Courier Today is officially the last day of campaigning in Papua New Guinea’s 2022 National General Election. Count tomorrow until Monday as rest days, but in politically charged PNG, anything is possible, including illegal last-minute clandestine campaigning. Polling is set to begin Tuesday, July 4, when millions will exercise ...
Asia Pacific Report newsdesk Greenpeace Aotearoa has condemned New Zealand for “standing by” while “deep wounds are inflicted on its Pacific neighbours” by silence over deep sea mining. Greenpeace’s seabed mining campaigner James Hita made the critical statement today after a dramatic shift at the UN Oceans conference in Lisbon ...
Buzz from the Beehive Numbers, quotas and ratios have been high in ministerial considerations over the past 24 hours or so. Export revenue to the EU will grow by up to $1.8 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Harris Rimmer, Professor and Director of the Policy Innovation Hub, Griffith Business School, Griffith University Prime Minister Anthony Albanese admitted at the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Public Forum that some Australians may not understand why he’s at a NATO meeting ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jared Mondschein, Senior Research Fellow, US Studies Centre, University of Sydney When colonial Americans declared their independence on July 4 1776, they rejected more than British rule. They explicitly denounced the British form of government and the unlegislated norms, traditions and conventions ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra University of Canberra Professorial Fellow Michelle Grattan and Emma Larouche, from the University of Canberra’s Media and Communications team discuss the week in politics. They canvass the crossbenchers’ stoush with the Prime Minister over ...
"Aotearoa New Zealand remains concerned by the steady erosion of rights, freedoms, and autonomy that has occurred in Hong Kong as a result," the foreign minister said. ...
With one month to go until the closure of the 2021 Resident Visa, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) encourages those who are eligible for the 2021 Resident Visa to submit their applications before the category closes at 11:59pm on 31 July 2022. INZ has ...
Analysis - National's Christopher Luxon moves to defuse a potentially vote-losing disaster, the Health Minister's problems keep piling up and the PM speaks at a NATO summit and unveils an historic free trade agreement with the EU. ...
The government's signing of an Europol Agreement significant reflects shared principles of democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says. ...
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Free speech? Apparently we have to be very careful about what we say.
"… hyperbole and irony and a certain moral ambiguity to make a comment about free speech…"
Jonathon Pie is a breath of fresh air. He’s on the button about this ridiculous over-reaction to hyperbole and humorous if slightly risque utterances. A personal example:
back in 1991 just before the first Iraq invasion started, I had a conversation with a former friend about the over-reaction of the American Embassy when they warned Americans living in NZ to beware of terrorists. [28 years ago we didn't have any terrorists.] I quipped to the friend… if you come across any terrorists let me know because I know a Yank who could do with being bumped off . (a bully boy I worked with)
That person reported my quip and I found myself under inexplicable siege for some six weeks. Funny to look back on now but it sure wasn't funny at the time. And no apologies from the authorities involved were forthcoming.
The person who made the complaint turned out to be a full blown narcissist.
Yes, satisfying the offended is an infinite task.
I'm offended by comb overs, boy bands, blank switch plugs in top of the range cars and the high number of offended people. I demand my concerns are addressed immediately.
Infinite – who understands it? I am reminded of clever Jonathan Cainer.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/391103.Jonathan_Cainer
He does have a point..
always appreciate your contributions on the standard Peter
When you respond to a comment Anker, press the Reply place under it if there is one and your comment then goes alongside the originating one.
Chile seems to be having problems.
Brexit news –
Business and finance in UK –
https://www.aljazeera.com/ajimpact/pound-languishes-red-eu-delays-brexit-extension-verdict-191025120015250.html
EU agrees delay but time not certain.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/10/eu-uk-brexit-delay-delays-decision-length-191025103931252.html
A lengthy and entertaining opinion piece on how Brexit will end, in The New Yorker.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/11/04/how-brexit-will-end
Excerpts:
Drowsy M Kram – Thanks a bunch (of bananas). I'll have a glass of cleansing water to drink beside me as I read.
The Rohe, of the river people and the march to stop violence against the senseless murders of maori woman.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/401793/maori-whanganui-community-rally-together-after-spate-of-deaths
On Brexit – I have paid some money to The Telegraph and am getting Brexist updates these days. Which seem pretty accurate from them.
The latest is under the heading The Nightmare Before Christmas.
I'm James Crisp, The Telegraph's Brussels Correspondent, and Westminster is on an election footing. But there are two problems – Emmanuel Macron and Jeremy Corbyn.
Mr Corbyn said he wanted to wait until the EU27 granted an extension before agreeing to the election suggested by Boris Johnson, but his stance has jeopardised the agreement on the delay to the Oct 31 Brexit deadline.
Mr Macron has been a lone voice in arguing for a shorter Brexit extension than the three-month flextension to Jan 31 2020 supported by the majority of EU27 leaders.
The EU could still grant the extension to the end of January but, unless Mr Macron caves, the bloc could be forced to call an emergency summit on Monday. Any decision on extension must be unanimous…..
and
Fraser Nelson argues that the working class is so strongly behind Boris Johnson that he is willing to risk a December vote.
In the run-up to Oct 31, you will be able to read a wide variety of articles on the Brexit saga. Please see the links below for a selection of some of today's best articles.
If you want to become a subscriber and read the hundreds of articles we publish every day, try a free 30-day subscription.
The working class behind Boris? Is it a case that the workers feel that people who rush around looking important, throwing criticisms and statements about and hubris (though they don't know what it means and don't care), are people like themselves. Is it that they like to be able to blame others, especially foreigners, for anything that isn't right and imply that the celebrity leader will change all that and 'Make ..(insert country here) .. Great Again? Is it that these talking heads imply that there will be affordable beer and good food, affordable sport-spectating and someone always ready and willing to ease their ailments. Is it that our education has not been the right sort to enable democratic decisions to be analysed and made in a thoughtful way?
I think something is rotten in the state of D…….. or wherever English-speaking democracy reigns. Time for me to clean out the smelly frig I think, that is something useful that I can do, and then perhaps join others getting together to look at the state of our democracies which haven't been great for a while and may never be again at this rate.
The latest Brexit survey suggests that violence against MPs is a price people are willing to pay…https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2019/10/25/new-brexit-survey-shows-why-we-need-to-make-corbyn-prime-minister-as-soon-as-possible/
The Telegraph and other media outlets run by tories keen to hide their tax haven wealth from the EU and force Brexit through have had a significant hand in the destruction of democracy in the UK.
racist mary and racist nicky – so common – so fucken racist
Could you expect a Highland Scot to accurately pronounce Maori place names…?
Have you even heard how the Americans pronounce anything Maori???
Did you know our linguistic vocal cords are formed by the age of around 6 which gives rise to accents?
And that some Maori dont pronounce Anglo place names properly but people dont bat an eyelid?
I think,… its time we celebrated our differences so we dont become clones or cringe worthy tryhards trying too hard to identify with cultures we dont belong to.. its like putting on a fake Japanese accent just to fit in and sound hip. Except its all in reverse.
Anyways… maybe Im too middle of the road.
Heres some Scotties for ya.
Face it, whether we like it or not, language is a living , evolving thing… we butcher each others language everyday. Sadly.
But unless we live in total isolation,.. language, and its pronunciation… is going to change over time.
But, thats how dialects and accents arise, along with all it colloquialisms… Look at England… a Geordie sounds totally different from an East Ender…
ffs it is not about accents or dialects – did you even listen to the original comment I put up – pretty basic stuff and totally doable with the will to do it – without the will we get deliberate offence designed to hurt and belittle
they DELIBERATELY mispronounce even after being corrected – if you think that's okay then bully for you
Okey dokeys… but can you imagine going around 'correcting' someone in England from another locality when they 'mispronounced' a local twang or drawl?
I think you might end up with an ale all over your face and called a nitpicker. As they are all English and accept the differences. Black or white these days as well.
Basically, your making people feel unnecessarily bad for being born in a different time , family , culture and / or locality.
There was a gang of Iranian painters I got chatting to,.. I asked where they were from… I heard ' irin'…. was puzzled at that and asked again ..again they replied… ' irin'… and then I learnt… instead of the usual Kiwi drawl ' eye – ran'… they were from Iran and pronounced it' irin'….
I said '' Ohhhhh… 'Eye – ran'…. OK '' ,… they were too busy to even care about the mispronunciation… to my relief…
Yet … I do not pronounce Iran as ' Irin'….
Why ? … because I am not an Iranian and I would actually like other Kiwis to know what Im saying rather than looking at me strangely … this is how language changes over time. This country , was formed of many Scots, Irish , Welsh and English as well as Maori… yet,… you would be hard pressed to find anyone with an original Welsh or Irish accent now unless they were of recent immigrant arrival.
Well , the same can be said for those brought up over generations of familys pronouncing a word in a certain way… it takes time to change that… and many times… it makes people feel forced and uncomfortable. So they would rather be honest and pronounce things as theyve always done. Local parlance, in other words.
You cannot force these things, and in Gisbourne and Northland, the Maoris there speak with their own accent on the English language themselves.
Live and let live.
NB.
I do pronounce Iran as ' eye – rharn… for some reason… but still it is not a shadow on the correct pronunciation.
you are just talking shit buddy – this is Aotearoa and we have TWO treaty partners and THREE official languages
I don't care what the racists do apart from using their example of how utterly very fucking far we have to go to get anywhere near equality in this land
Dont be a joke.
Your real problem is white New Zealanders.
Do you really expect Indian, Chinese and every other immigrant to bow the knee to the sacred cow of correct pronunciation of the Maori language ?
Get off the grass racist.
Climb down off that high horse your on and go outside and sniff the roses for a change.
…. '' I don't care what the racists do apart from using their example of how utterly very fucking far we have to go to get anywhere near equality in this land '' …
How old are you ? … 12 ?
Or do you only consort with your select inhouse fellow delusionists?
Get a grip , man.
Do you realize how stupid you sound , – when if the only thing you have to offer is the mispronunciation of a language that constitutes major racial problems and inequality in this country , – while overseas people die in race riots and shootings… well buddy… perhaps it is YOU that has a long way to go.
Get off the computer and go outside.
jeepers you are thick – piss off and bigfoot yourself dummy
Well… that was an enlightening exchange.
he knows I still love him as a human being
What does your wife think of your anti-white racist views Mars.?
Or your son?
what anti-white racist views? Not something I've seen from marty.
are you back are you bm – oh dreary
Just passing through.
Having scoped you out, I struggle to get past the racist bullshit you write about especially considering your family dynamic.
Don’t you feel any sort of shame or guilt?
yes you struggle with a lot of things I'm sure – I certainly feel shame about that dropkick woman from the same town as me and her dimwitted views – I wonder what part of you you feel shame about – lol just jiving, it's pretty obvious bro
When somebody is baiting you, don’t give them the satisfaction of biting, at least not publically.
he's okay – just sad cos the cup is over
Is it?
yep – spose some beatings are in store for some victims now
It is not over yet. Woo hoo woo woo hoo lol
Yeah it is over mate – no one of any note cares now
But I share Marty's concerns for domestic violence victims tonight.
That's a bit parochial, but at least that bloody advert won't be seen for another four years. At least you're half happy, right?
I don't care anything about rugby or the abs. They burned me off way back in the tour days. The english I really care even less about sorry.
Don't be sorry, mate, I don't really care about it either.
Thanks for that WK
Here is a recent one from the the Western Isles fa ya.
Peat and Diesel are a new group who have taken the Western Isles by storm.
"Could you expect a Highland Scot to accurately pronounce Maori place names…?"
Maybe not, but neither of the people in this example were Highland Scots, or even from overseas. Both have lived long lives here so it's not like they're *that far away from good pronunciation. This really had nothing to do with ability.
In my experience, Māori are generally patient and kind with people attempting to get pronunciation right. There's not really an expectation of perfection with the general public.
As an aside, it wouldn't surprise me if Scots learn te reo more easily, because of the whole R thing. I would expect this to be true of people born and bred in the south of NZ as well.
"Did you know our linguistic vocal cords are formed by the age of around 6 which gives rise to accents?"
Not sure how that's relevant tbh, plenty of Pākehā learn to pronounce te reo well later in life.
I’ve just been listening to that exchange online.
I think the first woman and Lush were talking a bit past one another. I understand where the elderly lady was coming from. She grew up at a time when all Maori names were incorrectly pronounced but that was the way they were taught to say them. Given her age, it would be hard for her to even remember the correct pronunciations let alone use them. She tried to argue her point of view in a friendly, non-nasty way and Lush acknowledged as much.
But the 49 year old… she was a racist git and he was way too polite to her imo.
I don't see her age being an issue – anyone can make an effort to improve if they want. And if they can't be bothered they out themselves.
The 2nd woman was an idiot. I grew up in mosgiel too and know exactly how racist and uncompromising that place can be and it is NOT as backward as she makes out. She does represent some but not all by any measure imo – just look at me lol
I think we are slowly emerging ourselves in Te Reo. Adult classes are chocka. I think you're right Marty, Nicky thinks she's being staunch. When I got home after an extended period in Oz everyone was saying Kowhai and Whangarei different. I learned to change, not out of a deep seated respect for Te Reo, I didn't want to sound like an ignorant pillock.
In a few minutes, I think 'How to Dad' does a great job of sharing the Te Reo building blocks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pPthzQrFy8
I'm as shit as the next person at some te reo Māori pronunciation – and that is sincere – my cousin corrected me the other day – what did I do? Learned and tried to get it right – this is what living in a community, a country means – giving it a fair attempt and being open to trying again if it is a stuff up. I'm not asking these people to go to te reo Māori classes or become fluent or do anything other than trying to be part of our society – and that is the rub – they don't see Māori as part of their society – they couldn't care less about Māori let alone the language – so fair enough I call that racism and note it.
I don't see racism so much, I see lazy and stubborn. "It was Wonger Ray the day I was born and it'll be bloody Wonger Ray till the day I die."
It's an attitude that is dying out, it's rare in someone younger than 50. At 49 Marcus' caller was an entertaining cringe of an exception.
The first woman was probably casual racism in her yeah, nah, I'm too old, not going to change now. I didn't have too much of a problem with it in the sense of I wouldn't call her racist if I was in the conversation and like Marcus I could probably find some common ground upon which to talk.
The second woman was out and out racist. She's not just saying hey I like how I say things, she's actively holding a cultural position of preventing te reo taking hold and the subtext is that no-one in the South supports Māori. I'd say she's a white supremacy apologist.
That first woman was the sort of gnarly ol trout, her hubby could stick his head round the door and be Nga Puhi as.
The second woman, all those reasons to burn her. She's just a dummy weka, they're everywhere.
I really wanted to hear the start of the conversation with the first woman, how they got onto pronunciation.
Dummy? Not sure about that, I think she was smart enough to know exactly what she was doing. Doesn't hurt to name that kind of racism when it's there, although I doubt I'd bother talking it through with her in real life.
Marty , your statement :
… '' they don't see Māori as part of their society – they couldn't care less about Māori let alone the language '' …
Thats identity politics.
1/ You dont speak for all white New Zealanders – all youve done is make a gross generalisation.
2 / Your assumption can equally be applied to the very people group you choose to champion. Except it is reversed. Many Maori ( and people from other cultures ) dont particularly care about white New Zealand culture as well.
3 / You belittle those who have taken the time to learn Te Reo who are not of Maori ancestry.
4 / If your generalization is true, – then that makes other cultures , – not just white New Zealanders , – participants culpable in the charge of ' not caring about Maori let alone the language' .
Therefore I would charge you with being an inverted racist yourself.
We all have seen the evidence of Maori oppression through colonialism, we all have read the history and the Bellich books, we are aware of the statistics in under achievement and incarceration – and for the most part , many non Maori have agreed, – yet for the last 3-4 decades weve had it rammed down our throats actually…to the point where its become overload. Yet if the plight of Maori is so dire, then the correct pronunciation of the Maori language is the least of their concerns.
It is all too easy to look at the extremes.
That said, it is nice to preserve languages.
However,… English in particular has many accents and dialects- from the Public School accent of the BBC to the Creole to Pidgin…
Thats language. It lives with each and every new generation, it develops with each and every new permutation as there is people.
And not you , not the identity politics crowd or any other force will ever stop that process. Try reading or speaking 12th century English. You'd be lost. You would struggle with even the simplest of pronunciations. You would probably have to learn Frisian or even German to get a handle on it.
THATS how much languages change, marty.
mate I LOVE identity politics – and I'm very proud to follow that approach.
Anyway thanks for the compliments – I'm really not too worried in this land of equality we live in – and I'm sorry to be insulting to you – I can't really be bothered keeping up the hostility so peace and love
I'm ambivalent on this one. When pronunciation evolves into mispronunciation, crapping on people for saying it the way everyone around them has said it for 80 years is a bit much.
And I note he used "camembert" not "croissant" – almost nobody says that word correctly lol
But then it's one of them power dynamics: attitudes to English language and pronunciation instructions are descriptive rather than prescriptive, these days. Māori instruction is more prescriptive in order to encourage expansion and consistency and recover usage. Because colonialism.
And then there's the entire meta discussion about when a word in one language becomes a word in another language.
It's one thing to have a lifetime habit that one doesn't want to change (eg how one pronounces where one grew up), but it's another entirely to go on the radio and make the case vehemently that society shouldn't move towards better te reo pronunciation (the second woman).
The other issue about te reo is that pronunciation affects meaning, and is part of literacy. It's not just about 'rightness' and not offending. How words are said in te reo Māori also affects whether one comes to a better understanding of what is being said, including concepts that are hard to say in English, which then leads to better understanding of Te Ao Māori. The words often go layers deep in ways that don't happen so much in English. I heard the second woman not just resisting changing an old habit, but actively working to suppress Te Ao Māori. Racist af.
Yeah, talkback radio callers for the win right there. Salt of the earth lol.
But I don't think it's down to berating individuals for not making an effort, when everyone else would look at them like freaks if they asked after the "Ōpoho" bus rather than "Opoho".
I think that sort of change comes from the local bodies – putting macrons on the bus signs, changing the literature and maps, etc. Like Whanganui DHB did back in the day.
And the schools, of course.
Is it a thing at the moment, the pronunciation of Ōpoho? I didn't even know it had a macron. Would have better if Newstalk had made the whole audio public so we can hear the start, I feel like I'm missing an important part of the conversation.
I don't think the issue is a couple of people mispronouncing a Māori placename, it's the *way it was defended. I wouldn't berate them for how they say the word, but obviously I will berate someone for being a dick about it.
I thought that was the pronunciation Lush was going for? Always just been "Opoho" to me.
But holy shit it just occurred to me that this has been the first time in years talkback has caused a kerfuffle and the bigot/dickhead wasn't the announcer! The last time I can think of that happening was the "Hone" Carter phone calls. Normally it's Lhaws or Tamihere or whomever going for the controversy.
Agreed. But I'd still cut the elderly lady a bit of slack. I would call her problem more ignorance than racism.
One way to bring it home to them is for all Maori to start mispronouncing English place-names especially when on radio or television where they are going to be heard.
Examples:
Wellington… we – ling – ton (as in con).
Onehunga… one – hunga (as in hunger)
St Kilda… st – kil – da (as in dat)
You could have a lot of fun in the process as well as causing an upsurge in pakeha related strokes. 😉
Bugger… that should have been sti – kil – da (as in dat). That'd stump em.
Why?- whats the point?
We already have people of all races mispronouncing names, places and the like. What are we all going to do? – draw and quarter them all for a simple error or guillotine them for being brought up in a certain way ?
Geez.
Maybe a simpler way would be to recognize that we all come from different backgrounds and cultures… and to stop trying to squeeze us all into the cookie cutter homogenous mould some would like to see…
Seems I recall the call went out for us all to be tolerant and celebrate our diversity… or is that no longer applicable when it comes to to the pronunciation of either the English or Maori language….
Seems just a little too ‘ convenient when it suits’ to me… but you know the old saying… '' you cant have your cake and eat it too''…
So which one is it?
Celebrating diversity and being tolerant or the cookie cutter?
Anyways,… had enough of this puerile conversation.
Good grief. Have you not got a sense of humour? It's a joke mate.
J…O…K…E
A bit of light hearted banter at the expense of pakeha.
Yes it is fun
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2LpG3Fkmwo
Ha! Touche Marty.
The Swedish people warmed to me as I gained a handle on their kooky language. My pal Tedde shared why. 'There are few greater genuine compliments that can be made to a group of people than learning their language.'
As the world grows smaller and sameness infiltrates everywhere, Te Reo is ours and only ours.
I heard Sir Peter Jackson was trying to get Andy Foster to change Wellington's name to Wellywood. Just a rumour. I can't guarantee that it's true.
Shipping going forward.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2019/10/25/shipping-giant-maersk-uses-mechanical-sails-cut-fuel-consumption/
Energenie?
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2019/10/25/death-knell-fossil-fuels-iea-claims-offshore-wind-can-power/
Big firms with numbers of outlets cut out mini local businesses and drain funds from the circular local economy and multiplier effect in my opinion.
In the UK –
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2019/10/25/death-knell-fossil-fuels-iea-claims-offshore-wind-can-power/
That rigid sail system would overcome most of the reasons not to put conventional sails on a tanker. No extra crew, the captain could control them from the bridge. Low maint. They're not 300m high. The wind direction doesn't matter. A 9.2% fuel saving is substantial. I wonder if fuel savings improve beyond that as more of the units are added to a deck.
These points may well be in the article grey, you're a Telegraph subscriber.
This story on same ship says 8.2%
"The Finnish developer of the technology explained that this was equivalent to approximately 1,400 tonnes of CO2."
Doesnt tell how much oil the tanker carried in the 12 month period , could it be over 750,000 tons?
DWT is 110,000 tonnes
Currently off west coast of Africa at 10 kts
I'm a neophyte Telegraph subscriber. Can't get all their stuff at present and have to review what I paid and should pay. So can't give you any more about the sails at present, but even putting up the headlines I find is very bracing, knowing that something is going on in the intelligent side of the world.
I have to decide whether I want to pay monthly or drop in a donation FTTT – whatever options are being offered and for the other UK ones, I would like to get Scottish one too. I may be able to keep up on Bella Caledonia. (Just looking at their page and they are fulminating about David Cameron
' reportedly earning £120,000 per hour to provide audiences with “lessons in leadership” in global affairs. Similarly, Gordon Brown was paid around £75,000 for one speech that claims to give a “comprehensive view of complex issues”.' https://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2019/10/24/a-prosperous-future/
At least it won't cost me that much to be informed, and with a spread of media I am likely to be as well grounded in general, as many paying big money to hear the mega-stars, famous in their own galaxy.
I'm going to be donating to the Guardian, want to subscribe to local Scoop, and also The Standard. And I get local paper at a reduced rate. It all adds up. The Guardian, The Telegraph and aljazeera have been my main ones on Brexit with the BBC and Channel 4 FTTT.
Another advantage over conventional sails, unlike most mono hull sailing vessels, it wouldn't lean over.
It would be history repeating itself – the rise of steam turned all the sailing ships into colliers – time being less critical for that cargo.
Once upon a time I favoured enabling vaping – as a means to wean people off tobacco.
I still do. But, given
1. the harm that can result from allowing an addictive substance – nicotine – to be on-sale
2. those over 18 are supplying it to younger teens and children
3. growing evidence that there is damage to lungs from vaping
I now only favour it by prescription to existing tobacco addicts, where the doctor felt the risk from vaping was worth it for the patient – as part of a process to getting people off tobacco.
Duke, that article also notes
“On certain routes during the trial the vessel achieved fuel savings way beyond the average of 8.2% even with average wind conditions,” Hylands said.
“There is a clear potential to achieve higher fuel savings, and hence CO2 savings, on routes with more favourable wind conditions, which further improves the commercial viability of the technology.”
Targeting windy routes is way more efficient than adding more windmills.
That shipping site is amazing. GPS position, headings, speed. Pelican looks very tired in the Maersk file pics. Was probably due to be slipped when the round sails went on.
One for marty.
Hope you can understand the point…
And get off the demanding , petulant one way rail road track.
Live and let live.
https://youtu.be/QrLjsCCGnuo?t=1https://youtu.be/QrLjsCCGnuo?
ta mate
Aww…
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/world/harvey-weinstein-mocked-during-rare-public-appearance
Weka stuck Harvey's public shaming up the other night but like Harvey, we had so much fun lets do it again.
Phone + Facebook/Twitter account are like the village stocks of old and Harvey is copping rotten fruit for a second day on The Standard. Seems fitting, creep.
Some Sky City workers are refusing to go to work now after the fire.
Some are feeling sick in the complex from acrid smoke smells apparently.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/skycity-workers-could-strike-over-work-conditions-after-convention-centre-fire
TV3 news said today 26th October news tonight.
There would be a massive air-cond system at Sky City. All of the air in the building can be exchanged rapidly. Change filters, clean towers etc.
I don't mean to belittle concerns, I've had a cough and had to take paid time off. Caught a 20lber
Seriously, of course the air purity should be checked. A 3 hour job when being closed costs $1000 a minute.
If I was the boss at Sky City I would invite the dominant union executive body to select the lab to do the air purity analysis. (I would run my own tests on the quiet.)
If there was a marked difference between data sets, I'd ring the head of the union body and suggest reps from each lab come together for one more comprehensive test. Agree on methodology and deliver a collective report.
Because giant interference arrays are so yesterday.
/
Russia will test its internal RuNet network to see whether the country can function without the global internet, the Russian government announced Monday. The tests will begin after Nov. 1, recur at least annually, and possibly more frequently. It’s the latest move in a series of technical and policy steps intended to allow the Russian government to cut its citizens off from the rest of the world.
“On Monday, the government approved the provision on conducting exercises to ensure the stable, safe and holistic functioning of the Internet and public communications networks in the Russian Federation,” notes an article in D-Russia. (The original article is in Russian. We verified a translation with the help of a native Russian speaker.) “The exercises are held at the federal (in the territory of the Russian Federation) and regional (in the territory of one or more constituent entities of the Russian Federation) levels.”
The word “holistic” shows that the exercises follow April’s passage of the sovereign internet law that will require all internet traffic in Russia to pass through official chokepoints, allowing the government to shut down outside access, block websites that they don’t like, and monitor traffic.
https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2019/10/russia-will-test-its-ability-disconnect-internet/160861/?
'to cut its [Russian] citizens off from the rest of the world'. / sarc
This step to try and be self-sufficient comes after western provocation and Ukraine meddling and all sorts of attacks and provocations from both sides in retaliation to the ones before. It is quite reasonable to try and withdraw from such resource wasting interaction. And of course there are the sanctions that the USA plaster round the place, elephants are more dainty.
Putin and his Chekists are losing the propaganda battle. Their response is to do what their forebears did.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the government to monitor the online behavior of young Russians and to produce “moral and spiritual education” content for them.
Young Russians have been targeted by several government initiatives in recent years, including a ban on minors attending protests and efforts to provide them with a military and patriotic education. This year, Russia launched a new channel targeting young viewers with 24/7 World War II programming and announced military-patriotic reeducation camps for delinquent youngsters.
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/10/17/putin-orders-monitoring-youth-behavior-online-a67776
Perhaps that is the appropriate thing to do at this point in time? I am so disillusioned with world politics that I no longer can produce the moth-eaten banner left over from last century with words of hope and glory where if everyone is treated properly and allowed to say what they will, the tooth fairy will give us beautiful teeth and we won;t even have to paint them every night.
I am amazed that the government cannot find funding for the Chathams and their airport. These outlying regions need some investment to build further business on. Everything can't be about trees. I hope that there is another agency that would find a place in its budget for them.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/401845/chatham-islands-airport-misses-out-on-government-funding
I'm going to sand the last one and lay another coat of lacquer over the Simca. I love spray-painting while the All Blacks play their big games. So far we have mirrored results.
Damn I want to blame the gun, but it was me, I hovered too long on the B pillar and I've got 3 runs.
Geeez, I so want to get this right. I know how to do this, I'm good at it, I need to relax. I need to be seventeen and painting my tutor's car again. I was brilliant without trying.
I've wiped it back to where it was with prepsol and invited a woman I know that usually has a smoke over for a curry.
I hope she gets here soon because I long for the day that the All Blacks play stoned.
ding dong, brb
Hey, everyone gets their own pattern, I've got a purple quilt sort of thing going on. Cynthia says "Hi"
I didn't have the overhead booth fans on. I should of asked myself "Why can I hear Miles so clearly while in here?"
I'm expecting the enhanced booth vacuum to have a favourable effect over my spray fan.
The lads and I need to dust on some coats of glass and get up to Cynthia's party cones.
Miles Davis? Do I even have to ask?
I like the sound of Cynthia; Hya-Cynthia.
Geez I was going well, all the top surfaces glistening, cat walked over it. Who visits with a cat? Tyler, cat, yeah I know.
That was different. Thanks for keeping us up with the play. Great try.
Bugger!
Trudeau may have his issues, but Canadians had the wit to give the racist, climate denier fossil fuel loving anti-immigrant nazi the arse.
Bernier spent the campaign promoting a divisive and exclusionary message that could have easily come from far-right parties such as Germany’s AfD or France’s National Front. He vowed to build a border fence to keep out asylum seekers, stoked fears of “radical Islam” in the country and told a rally earlier this year that he wanted to “make Canada great again.”
Bernier founded the party in 2018, after losing a Conservative Party leadership contest to Andrew Scheer, and quickly settled on an anti-immigration message. Despite the party polling around 3% throughout the campaign, Bernier was a highly visible figure during the race and participated in the federal leaders debate. His presence in the election, a sharp contrast with Canada’s progressive multicultural image, drew international media attention, including a profile in The New York Times that described him as a “lanky provocateur.”
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/canada-peoples-party-bernier-far-right_n_5daf6efce4b0f34e3a7e29af?
The ABs lose.
It'll be Jacinda's fault. It's her what done it you wait and see. 😉
Yes Anne, I had the same feeling after the match that it would be Jandal’s fault that the AB’s loss to English. You can’t fault that wiry old fox Jonesy who a masterful game plain to beat the AB’s tonight.
Wall of putative claims not based on reality. Meeting the wall of reality.
Does anyone know how to get to the subjectivists? Cult disentanglers are central to a future. I have 2 siblings I can't do shit with.
Easy foot-notery above when our predeccessors spent their lives, destroyed their families, for reality. And all I am is the angriest of the footnoters. Massive cream before a massive fall.
I think we're fighting against reality. That is, our mental nature.
Though beyond that, all species come bam against the wall of natural selection. We're just locomotive powered. Severe dip-off.
I have to say, being a social animal, I more enjoy subjectivists being fucked in the face than my early demise. .