Open mike 27/10/2013

Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, October 27th, 2013 - 59 comments
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59 comments on “Open mike 27/10/2013 ”

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  1. andy (the other one) 1
    27 October 2013 at 7:38 am

    Slaters/Cook/Palino/Wewege and Chuang.

    its a bloody circular firing squad (and a vortex of crazy).

    Two front pages & an editorial

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11146923

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9331664/The-mayor-the-love-rat-and-nudity

    • Murray Olsen 1.1
      27 October 2013 at 4:40 pm

      I can only hope that this attempted Americanisation of our politics has backfired so badly that it’ll be a long time before anyone tries it again. Americanisation of our foreign policy, spying laws, ngati poaka, culture, and fast food has already gone too far.

  3. Draco T Bastard 3
    27 October 2013 at 8:29 am

    Bernard Hickey in the NZHerald:

    The Government’s argument that it wanted to widen and deepen the ownership and the make-up of the stock market was the only good one for the asset sales programme.

    But selling 49 per cent of the biggest electricity generator in the country to just 1.4 per cent of the population is not a democratisation of the stock market.

    The Mom programme also failed to strengthen the share market. Instead, the sales have triggered a backlash wiping a combined $1.3 billion or 13 per cent off the stock market values of Contact Energy, Mighty River Power and TrustPower.

    Must that infernal equilibrium of the market kicking in.

  4. phillip ure 4
    27 October 2013 at 8:34 am

    “..Forget the relationship help aisle –

    – this is the best marital advice the world has to offer..”

    http://www.alternet.org/sex-amp-relationships/9-relationship-tips-dont-suck

    (ed:..bloody hell..!..this should be taught in high-schools..)

    phillip ure..

    • AsleepWhileWalking 4.1
      27 October 2013 at 8:57 am

      Or schools could explore whether marriage is an outdated concept.

      • phillip ure 4.1.1
        27 October 2013 at 9:17 am

        @ asleep..

        ..isn’t it more about freedom of choice..?

        ..than either/or dictates..?

        ..and you said ‘marriage’..

        ..the linked article talks of ‘relationships’..

        ..close..but no prize..

        ..phillip ure..

  5. karol 5
    27 October 2013 at 8:36 am

    Stuff has picked up on Lucy lawless Twitter criticisms of Steven Joyce, in ‘Warrior in tweet war with minister‘:

    Joyce said he had not paid much attention to Lawless’s tweets.

    “Lucy has her views. I think they are slightly contradictory – on the one hand she argues for more subsidies for the film and television industry; on the other she spends a lot of time opposing oil and gas, which are big earners for New Zealand taxpayers and help pay for the things she is seeking.”

    Joyce’s snide remarks claiming oil and gas are the answers for all NZ’s problems, shows a man not really suited to political leadership.

    How have such ill-suited people (as in Team Key) come to have so much political power?

    • Draco T Bastard 5.1
      27 October 2013 at 10:55 am

      Report exposes Government hypocrisy on fossil fuel subsidies

      The New Zealand government is subsidising the oil and gas industry to the tune of $46 million annually, an investment at odds with its claims on the world stage to be ‘spearheading’ efforts to reform fossil fuel subsidies, says global conservation organisation WWF.

      Oil and gas doesn’t appear to pay that well.

      • Tat Loo (CV) 5.1.1
        27 October 2013 at 11:01 am

        And its going to pay worse as the years roll on. While the oil and gas industries complain bitterly overseas about “subsidies” to renewable energy initiatives, they themselves are the ones sucking up the most subsidies. That and society at large ignoring and not accounting for all the damage (externalities) the industry causes on the environment.

        But our global civilisation is absolutely dependent on this energy and I expect that more and more is going to be taken out of society in order to prop this sector up even as its base resources continue to deplete.

        • Rosie 5.1.1.1
          27 October 2013 at 11:55 am

          On the subject of energy: You thought Simon Bridges was tard enough, thank goodness we don’t have this guy writing our energy policy.

          http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023819890

          Wind energy controversy

          “In June 2010, Barton has questioned the wisdom of deficit spending to fund an extensive national wind turbine energy generation grid. He said, “Wind is God’s way of balancing heat. Wind is the way you shift heat from areas where it’s hotter to areas where it’s cooler. That’s what wind is. Wouldn’t it be ironic if in the interest of global warming we mandated massive switches to wind energy, which is a finite resource, which slows the winds down, which causes the temperature to go up? Now, I’m not saying that’s going to happen, Mr. Chairman, but that is definitely something on the massive scale. I mean, it does make some sense. You stop something, you can’t transfer that heat, and the heat goes up. It’s just something to think about.”

          Wow.(With apologies if this already been posted)

          • Lanthanide 5.1.1.1.1
            27 October 2013 at 1:04 pm

            Fundamentally it is true. TANSTAFL after all: the electrical energy has been harvested out of the kinetic energy in the wind. Of course humans would be lucky to ever harvest 1-2% of the wind’s total available energy.

            • Tat Loo (CV) 5.1.1.1.1.1
              27 October 2013 at 1:09 pm

              I read that the total wind energy available might fall between 100TW to 200TW. Extracting 1% of that would be huge.

            • Draco T Bastard 5.1.1.1.1.2
              27 October 2013 at 3:39 pm

              Yep, there was an article about it a year or so back. Can’t find it now though. The author’s paper basically said Yes, it’s clean, yes it’s renewable but there’s still consequences to putting up all those blades. Still, I figure that we could put a few without concern. The idea would be to calculate just how many we can put up before we put too many up rather than the burn it all now creed of the fossil fuel partisans.

              • Rosie …
                27 October 2013 at 3:59 pm

                Lol. Clearly I’m no energy expert but the other ‘arf, an amateur wind energy enthusiast (and has recently been studying this topic for an assignment) reckons the planet would need to be covered in wind turbines before anything detrimental occurred. (No, you’re right, not a scientific calculation)

                The main point is that the Texan Republican Congressman who had a lot to do with energy policy in the US and who was one of the main writers of the energy policy Act 2005 (which gifted Haliburton with subsidies) during the Bush regime is a climate change denier and has a belief that God controls the weather. Would you really want him advising on wind energy?

                We are unfortunate enough to have Simon Bridges as our Energy and Resources Minister but so far despite his promotion of deep sea oil exploration and defence of the industry, he hasn’t yet got God involved, although, that theme could be lurking under those angry smouldering eyes given his background. If you’re looking at comparing govt energy spokespeople than you may have a case of worse and worst.

                Check this out for more Barton crazy:

                http://americanloons.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/473-joe-barton.html

                • Draco T Bastard …
                  27 October 2013 at 5:37 pm

                  Just saying that we should consider possible consequences before rush in. It is, after all, the rushing in where angels fear to tread that has given us AGW.

                  Would you really want him advising on wind energy?

                  No, I’d want actual scientists backed up with observations and calculations.

        • greywarbler 5.1.1.2
          27 October 2013 at 12:51 pm

          Tat
          It’s base all right.

          Rosie
          Now I’m (really) confused. How many ways are there for finding our way out of this maze. Damn all these cul de sacs.

    • seeker 5.2
      27 October 2013 at 11:11 pm

      +100 Karol . How have they indeed. Seeing joyce (unfortunately) this morning , I was asking myself the same question.

  6. phillip ure 6
    27 October 2013 at 9:07 am

    it has long puzzled me just who colin craig looks like..

    ..and seeing him on q & a..

    ..it has just come to me..

    .it is e.t..!

    ..check it out..!

    .and wow..!..isn’t he a smug/simpering/supercilious prick..

    ..eh..?

    phillip ure..

    • greywarbler 6.1
      27 October 2013 at 12:59 pm

      p ure
      and karol
      The question of how such pricks get into politics has just been stated by philip.
      For NACTS they have to pass the smug, supercilious prick test and they have to have been in some successful business – doesn’t matter what. Showing that they can move the pieces on the board successfully and get money or have a burning desire to learn this. That’s the high jump they have to pole vault over.

      For LABOUR it’s different – isn’t it?

      • Draco T Bastard 6.1.1
        27 October 2013 at 3:47 pm

        and they have to have been in some successful business

        No, they just have to have been in business and know the right people (part of the “smug, supercilious prick test”). It doesn’t matter if the business was successful or not.

  7. Philgwellington Wellington 7
    27 October 2013 at 9:09 am

    Slater WO was correct, politics is a filthy, disgusting, depraved business. Couldn’t think of a more appropriate family business for them.

    • weka 7.1
      27 October 2013 at 12:39 pm

      Slater wasn’t correct. He wants politics to be a filthy, disgusting, depraved business because it legitimises who he is and how he likes to behave. Plenty of politics out there that doesn’t fit his description, due to the kinds of people involved.

      • greywarbler 7.1.1
        27 October 2013 at 12:45 pm

        weka
        +1
        Smoke and mirrors. With mirrors you get a different perspective each time you shift position.
        Getting out in the sunlight would be a good shift for Slater.

  8. North 8
    27 October 2013 at 9:46 am

    Michelle Boag’s comments on Q+A – Do they see Conservatives as their only hope ?  Great ! Means ShonKey Python is fucked.

    A sense only but I can’t see New Zealanders being prepared to tolerate another cuppa tea bullshit. Yes it’s MMP but that doesn’t exclude people saying “Oh no not again……”. The spectre of entitlement and any trick for power is gonna tell on them.

    Besides Craig is religious nutter. We have a significant history of that carry on going tits up politically.

    • miravox 8.1
      27 October 2013 at 9:54 am

      Craig is also anti-asset sales, so that would be interesting if there was another National-led government and they had an appetite for more sales.

  9. phillip ure 9
    27 October 2013 at 9:51 am

    joyce is on q & a sneering at the idea of a living wage/raising the minimum wage..

    ..bill maher has the best response/riposte to him/his bullshit..

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/26/bill-maher-minimum-wage_n_4166212.html?ref=topbar

    phillip ure..

    • Draco T Bastard 9.1
      27 October 2013 at 11:05 am

      Hah, that was good 😈

    • tc 9.2
      27 October 2013 at 12:51 pm

      Bill maher rocks, is he available amongst any of das skys dross ?

      You could back to back him, daily show and colbert as a therapy regime of sorts.

      • Tat Loo (CV) 9.2.1
        27 October 2013 at 1:01 pm

        Very enjoyable. Although Chris Hedges would say – remember that all of these people are multi-millionaires. They make good points, and necessary points – but all they are doing in the final analysis is picking fun at some of the more extreme aspects of the crony capitalism that we find ourselves in.

        They never advocate for any serious change or upending of the system (no surprise as it is the same system that they are in the top 0.1% of). For instance, none of them ever says – it’s time to walk from the Democrats and the Republicans, and support an independent third party. Saying that McDonalds or Walmart should pay their workers at least $10/hr is safe of course. Nothing really changes, albeit a bit of worker hardship and poverty is relieved.

        Hence their role is merely part of the long weakened liberal elite: to try and soften a few of the more egregious and unfair aspects of the current political economic disaster zone that we find ourselves in, and to conduct a bit of education on the way.

  10. North 10
    27 October 2013 at 9:51 am

    Not to forget the toxicity of the supremely entitled Weetbix baggage Bling Rankin.

  11. North 11
    27 October 2013 at 9:58 am

    Q+A…….I’ll never use it…….but you know I will.

  12. greywarbler 12
    27 October 2013 at 11:12 am

    On Down the List this morning they are playing a game of ‘Monopoly’ which is right up to date with current political moves and properties. Land on Sky City casino and you might get bankrupted!
    What a marvellous on-line business for a smart and ironic deviser to develop into a game that changes perhaps daily, and punters will pay to play it. How interesting and fun.

  13. greywarbler 13
    27 October 2013 at 12:18 pm

    There was talk in Open.m 26/10 about intergenerational education on the past and reality. I’ll just put here a really sound Chinese Confucian precept from Thinkexist.com

    “By three methods we may learn wisdom:
    first, by reflection, which is noblest;
    second, by imitation, which is easiest; and
    third, by experience, which is the most bitter.”

    Confucius quotes (China’s most famous teacher, philosopher, and political theorist, 551-479 BC)

  14. Rosie 14
    27 October 2013 at 12:19 pm

    If you’re interested in the experience of the factory worker and you’re in Wellington, this may be a fascinating exhibition to go and visit:

    Li Xiaofei’s exhibition, Assembly Line – A packet of Salt, shows video footage of 100’s of factories around the Yangtze river, footage that he has compiled over the last three years. It’s on at the Toi Poneke gallery until 9th November.

    “The Assembly Line videos deliberately mix artistic and documentary language. Images of the individual and the machines are constantly being cut up, restructured, transformed and rebuilt into an evocative film. This body of work explores a number of interlocking themes including the relationship between labour and management, people and machine, factory and individual and individual and society”.

    http://asianz.org.nz/events/packet-salt-li-xiaofei

  15. risildowgtn 15
    27 October 2013 at 1:38 pm

    This just came up on Facebook feed..

    Mozilla have released Lightbeam

    http://www.occupycorporatism.com/new-mozilla-app-shows-users-who-is-tracking-them-online/

    It enables the user to watch who is watching them……..

  16. Tat Loo (CV) 16
    27 October 2013 at 2:00 pm

    Wall St rental homes: Billion dollar slum lords

    I knew from the start that this whole “buy-to-rent” thing would be a disaster. Over the last decade or so, everything that Wall Street touched has turned into a scheme primarily focused on parasitically funneling wealth and resources away from society at large to itself. This is no different. They call it a “new asset class.” I call it Wall Street serfdom.

    What makes this article even more interesting is that it’s not simply greed, it is also obvious that these Wall Street firms have no idea what the fuck they are doing.

    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-10-26/closer-look-decrepit-world-wall-street-rental-homes

  17. phillip ure 17
    27 October 2013 at 4:05 pm

    i just found this – on the afternoon trawl..

    http://www.salon.com/2013/10/26/12_other_governments_that_enjoy_spying_on_their_citizens_partner/

    “..8) New Zealand

    New Zealand?

    Really?

    A new law allows the country’s main intelligence agency to spy on its own citizens.

    The government realized that the Government Communications Security Bureau had been spying on New Zealand citizens illegally – anyway —

    – so it introduced the new law to make it a lot less illegal.

    As in other countries – there’s been a lot of public opposition to the law;

    – as in other countries – the government claims that the added surveillance is needed to protect the people.

    Aww – thanks government!..”

    phillip ure..

  18. Tautoko Viper 18
    27 October 2013 at 9:10 pm

    I have just heard from a friend of a suicide of a man who was taken off the benefit. I am so angry that giggling Paula Bennett and co will be happy accepting any increase in their remuneration while they are driving others to take such desperate measures. I regard their lack of empathy with contempt. This NAct government falls over itself to subsidise corporations but shows little compassion for the people. Shame on them!!

  19. Lionel 19
    27 October 2013 at 9:32 pm

    Watching Nat matriarch Michele Boag on Q&A trying to stitch up the ways the Nats can keep their filthy hands on the power levers in parliament reminded me of Karl Rove of Fox news who tried to come up with all manner of ways that Mitt Romney could beat Obama in the last US Elections she was grasping at straws suggesting ACT could win Epsom
    and on top of that telling Micheal Parkin off for accusing the incompetent Steven Joyce of Cunliffe bashing was laughable now that Miss Goody Two Shoes Jessica Mutch is off to the UK hopefully Micheal and Corin Dann might grow a pair ask some searching questions of the idiots running the country because the Herald won’t.
    Talking of Joyce why is it that him/Key and English are always right and everyone else is wrong.Its called arrogance and it sinks many a government.

  20. joe90 20
    27 October 2013 at 9:37 pm

    Bruce Schneier: Power in the Age of the Feudal Internet.

    PROPOSITION

    Bruce Schneier, Cryptographer and Computer Security Specialist and Author of Liars and Outliers: Enabling the Trust Society Needs to Thrive

    We’re in the middle of an epic battle for power in cyberspace. On one side are the nimble, unorganized, distributed powers such as dissident groups, criminals, and hackers. On the other side are the traditional, organized, institutional powers such as governments and large multinational corporations. During its early days, the Internet gave coordination and efficiency to the powerless. It made them powerful, and seem unbeatable. But now the more traditional institutional powers are winning, and winning big. How these two fare long-term, and the fate of the majority of us that don’t fall into either group, is an open question – and one vitally important to the future of the Internet.

    https://www.schneier.com/

  21. The Lone Haranguer 21
    28 October 2013 at 8:58 am

    And the Nats are up in one poll released today and Labour are back close to the Shearer levels they have become used to in he past year or two.

    A rogue poll? – maybe.

    But the one thing that leads to politic civil war more than any other, is bad polling. Get some great results like Labour has recently and Cunliffe is “The Man” and the Nats start looking for folk on their side to eat.

    A few more of the “rogue” polls like todays one and the Labour MPs will be looking for folk on their side to eat.

    Afterall, political cannibalism is okay when its self preservation. Isnt it?

    That some with VERY close allegiances to the Nats behaved badly in the Auckland Mayoralty can be forgiven if it doesnt affect polling, shows an ugly side of politics in New Zealand.

  22. Marie 22
    28 October 2013 at 12:45 pm

    New Zealand Superannuation NOT ASSET OR INCOME TESTED A universal entitlement for every citizen/permanent resident from age 65 ….. 10 years residency only qualification .required………. NOT SO……………..see
    http://www.nzprotest.com
    ethnic New Zealanders from Europe mainly discriminated against and forced to undergo Asset and Income test via S.70 the stealth clause in SSA 1964. see also Auckland University Research Policy Unit on Justice Delayed is Justice denied…………….www.migrantstonewzealand beware.org

  23. Marie 23
    28 October 2013 at 12:47 pm

    New Zealand Superannuation NOT ASSET OR INCOME TESTED A universal entitlement for every citizen/permanent resident from age 65 ….. 10 years residency only qualification .required………. NOT SO……………..

  24. happynz 24
    23 November 2013 at 1:58 am

    supamu… 😉

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    Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Nicola's Salad Days.
    I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago

  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
    TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
    It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    1 day ago

  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    1 day ago

  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago

  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A Step–by–Step Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and third–party applications. So, let‘s dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. That‘s why they introduced the “Recently Deleted“ folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Here‘s how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the “Recents“ tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on “Edit“. Select “Show Recently Deleted“. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose “Recover“ to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Here‘s how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose “Erase All Content and Settings“. Follow the on–screen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose “Restore from iCloud Backup“ during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore Third–Party Apps (with Caution): ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    2 days ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    2 days ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    2 days ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    4 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago

  • PM’s South East Asia mission does the business
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
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