Open mike 28/12/2022
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6:00 am, December 28th, 2022 - 38 comments
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Well, I've been there, sitting in that same chairWhispering that same prayer half a million timesIt's a lie, though buried in disciplesOne page of the Bible isn't worth a lifeThere's nothing wrong with youIt's true, it's trueThere's something wrong with the villageWith the villageSomething wrong with the villageSongwriters: Andrew Jackson ...13 hours ago - Government Forces Universities to Enforce “Free Speech” While Limiting Universities̵...
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AUSTERITYText within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedMy spreadsheet insists This pain leads straight to glory (File not found) Read more ...5 days ago - Minimum wage ‘increase’ is an effective cut
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- Thank You
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Hi,“What I love about New Zealanders is that sometimes you use these expressions that as Americans we have no idea what those things mean!"I am watching a 30-something year old American ramble on about how different New Zealanders are to Americans. It’s his podcast, and this man is doing a ...1 week ago - Chris Penk’s Hate Parade
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All those tears on your cheeksJust like deja vu flow nowWhen grandmother speaksSo tell me a story (I'll tell you a story)Spell it out, I can't hear (What do you want to hear?)Why you wear black in the morning?Why there's smoke in the air? Songwriter: Greg Johnson.Mōrena all ☀️Something a ...1 week ago
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National has only been in power for a year, but everywhere you look, its choices are taking New Zealand a long way backwards. In no particular order, here are the National Government's Top 50 Greatest Misses of its first year in power. ...2 days ago - Release: Minister’s plan for tertiary sector a backwards step
Returning to the model that was failing for most polytechnics and Institutes of Technology is not the answer. ...2 days ago
- Release: National buries 1019 planned homes
It’s been revealed that National has cancelled 60 percent of its housing projects planned before mid-2025 amidst housing woes. ...3 days ago
- Release: Rule-Czar bill a right-wing power grab
The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention. ...3 days ago
- Release: Why not both? Luxon shuns Waitangi celebrations
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is running away from problems of his own creation, with his decision not to go to Waitangi. ...3 days ago
- Govt’s ‘free speech’ legislation stokes fear, not freedom
The Government’s planned changes to the freedom of speech obligations of universities is little more than a front for stoking the political fires of disinformation and fear, placing teachers and students in the crosshairs. ...3 days ago - Release: Nicola Willis spirals country deeper into recession
The economy shrank 1% this quarter and New Zealand has tumbled into the depths of a recession of Nicola Willis’ making. ...3 days ago
- Release: Hikes for company directors but not ordinary Kiwis
Working people are going backwards while company directors are being given huge pay hikes. ...4 days ago
- ECE no place to cut corners
The Ministry of Regulation’s report into Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Aotearoa raises serious concerns about the possibility of lowering qualification requirements, undermining quality and risking worse outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and kaiako. ...4 days ago
- Release: Strengthening Justice Services for New Zealanders
A Bill to modernise the role of Justices of the Peace (JP), ensuring they remain active in their communities and connected with other JPs, has been put into the ballot. ...5 days ago
- Release: Labour will continue fight against destructive projects
Labour will continue to fight unsustainable and destructive projects that are able to leap-frog environment protection under National’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. ...5 days ago
- Green Government will revoke dodgy fast-track projects
The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Track legislation being passed today. ...5 days ago
- Government for the wealthy keeps pushing austerity
The Green Party says the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows how the Government is failing to address the massive social and infrastructure deficits our country faces. ...5 days ago
- Release: Visa changes let migrant workers be paid less
The Government’s latest move to reduce the earnings of migrant workers will not only hurt migrants but it will drive down the wages of Kiwi workers. ...5 days ago
- Release: Nightmare before Christmas for Nicola Willis
With more debt and a larger deficit, Nicola Willis’ reputation is in tatters after her failure to return the Government’s books to surplus. ...5 days ago
- Warning to Fast-Track Applicants – ‘Exploit the Whenua, Face the Consequences’
Te Pāti Māori has this morning issued a stern warning to Fast-Track applicants with interests in mining, pledging to hold them accountable through retrospective liability and to immediately revoke Fast-Track consents under a future Te Pāti Māori government. This warning comes ahead of today’s third reading of the Fast-Track Approvals ...5 days ago
- Release: Govt cuts wages for lowest paid NZers… again
For the second year running, the government has effectively cut wages for the lowest paid workers in New Zealand. ...6 days ago
- Govt’s miserly 1.5% minimum wage will take workers backwards
The Government’s announcement today of a 1.5 per cent increase to minimum wage is another blow for workers, with inflation projected to exceed the increase, meaning it’s a real terms pay reduction for many. ...6 days ago
- Release: Govt shirking responsibility for rate hikes
All the Government has achieved from its announcement today is to continue to push responsibility back on councils for its own lack of action to help bring down skyrocketing rates. ...6 days ago
- Luxon’s ‘localism’ strikes again
The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing. ...6 days ago
- Release: Govt breaks promise on EV chargers
The Government has failed to keep its promise to ‘super charge’ the EV network, delivering just 292 chargers - less than half of the 670 chargers needed to meet its target. ...6 days ago
- Greens call for end to subsidies for Methanex
The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop subsidising the largest user of the country’s gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-national’s disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...6 days ago
- Govt child poverty targets allow for increase in poverty
The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...1 week ago
- Release: Four weeks annual leave under threat
The Government’s attack on workers continues with news it is scrapping work on the Holidays Act. ...1 week ago
- Govt’s emissions plan for measly 1% reduction
New independent analysis has revealed that the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) will reduce emissions by a measly 1 per cent by 2030, failing to set us up for the future and meeting upcoming targets. ...1 week ago
- Greens stand in solidarity with Whakaata Māori on sad day
The loss of 27 kaimahi at Whakaata Māori and the end of its daily news bulletin is a sad day for Māori media and another step backwards for Te Tiriti o Waitangi justice. ...1 week ago
- Sanctions regime to create more hardship for families
Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean more households cannot afford the basic essentials. ...1 week ago
- Govt gifts renters housing anxiety for Christmas
Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season. ...1 week ago
- Release: National Party urged to support modern slavery legislation
Labour is urging the Prime Minister to walk the talk and support legislation combating modern slavery. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour has lost confidence in the Speaker
The Speaker of the New Zealand Parliament made an unprecedented decision on the government amendment to the Fast Track Approvals Bill last night. ...2 weeks ago
- One year on, still no progress on new ferries
Today’s announcement from the Government on its plan for new ferries throws more uncertainty on the future of the country’s rail network. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Nicola Willis’ smaller ferries will cost more
After wasting a year, Nicola Willis has delivered a worse deal for the Cook Strait ferries that will end up being more expensive and take longer to arrive. ...2 weeks ago
- Bill to sanction unlawful occupation of Palestine
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has today launched a Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as the All Out For Gaza rally reaches Parliament. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour fully supports greyhound racing ban
The Government has done the right thing in moving to ban greyhound racing. ...2 weeks ago
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- New Zealand to assist Vanuatu on earthquake response
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I propose we launch an immediate special operation to de-Nazify all Pukeko everywhere by way of a genocidal war of conquest.
Little NATO proxy bastards ate our Xmas cake this morning.
Throw them out of the window.
Escalate
https://twitter.com/SeanDG/status/1606159937129680896
NZ bloke kultcha in a nutshell.
The kea will figure it out 😈 Incredible smart birds.
Yeah! Don't know why anybody wants to put model pukeko in their garden either. We had around 200 of the real kind around ours. Stole just about every persimmon, apple, pear and plum we ever grew. And that was despite putting bird netting over all the trees. Corruption birdified.
Oh! and they pulled out most of the oioi and the other wetland plants we planted – just for fun. Eventually we managed to get the plants established – but it took some time.
I thought they were cute. Then I found out they eat ducklings. Bastards!
Your no longer keen on bordering up with NAPO?
Has anyone thought, "Nuke the pukes" yet?
I think Sanc, was camping and doesn't have access to microwave technology as a result. That will be the lynch pin of the story when its later explained on RT anyway.
Heavens we are still mopping up after the anti Kea operation for naughty anti tramper activities that had our supply lines extended in the South Island, then there is the proposed anti Tui war for picking off the flowers on my wisteria.
Bravo for all the bird sanctuaries and native forest 'islands' in our cities, for the tui at least….
I want an anti pigeon "special operation" to remove the roof rats that have driven off the little birds we used to feed, and are now invading our living room through the French doors in search of cat biscuits.
A decade was not enough lead time for chook farming numpties. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/481515/egg-shortage-supermarket-shelves-bare-as-industry-deals-with-supply-issues
They've been running round like chooks with their heads cut off.
For a decade now – the sky is falling, you'll see! They were hoping NACT would repeal it all, rather than learn to farm ethically.
As long as you're OK with eggs being rich people food , all free range is good I guess
Improved incomes would be great.
yeah, nah. Plenty of people in NZ could afford to buy free range but didn't. If they had, we'd be seeing free range at scale by now and the price would come down so lower income people could too.
But what Sacha said. Producing food sustainably reveals the true costs of growing food. We can increase people's incomes too.
Once they went past $7 I'm sorry it was back to barn eggs
sure but that doesn't negate what I said.
If a bird in a cage
puts all heaven in a rage
how feels heaven when
dies the billionth battery hen
– Spike Milligan
Per the article, it wasn't just the transition away from battery cages as colony cages will remain legal (source), it's that supermarkets won't be accepting eggs from colony cages. I'm sure the legislated phasing out of battery cages started that ball rolling, but transitioning to free range wasn't actually legislated.
Not sure what to make of this.
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/12/26/china-trade-tech-00072232
”The White House and Congress are quietly reshaping the American economic relationship with the world’s second-largest economic power, enacting a strategy to limit China’s technological development that breaks with decades of federal policy and represents the most aggressive American action yet to curtail Beijing’s economic and military rise.”
The globalist in me thinks shouldn’t we all try to maximise all economies for the greater good. If we trade with them, they are less likely to be aggressive. The pragmatist saw how that worked out for Merkel, Germany and Putin. All it did was encourage him.
May we live in interesting times.
I think it is to do with the US being scared shitless that their technology will be weaponised by the Chinese.
Will be?
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/hacked-how-china-stole-us-technology-its-j-20-stealth-fighter-66231
https://www.defenceaviation.com/chinas-chengdu-j-20-an-inferior-copy-of-us-air-force-f-35/
That is why the US is banning higher level chip technology for China.
Not much is very useful without the computer brain behind it.
The problem for China is, that if they continually rely on stealing other people's tech, they will always be several generations behind, and they will be in big trouble when situations such as the curve-ball the US has just thrown is put into the mix.
It isn't just China.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/12/21/politics/iranian-drones-russia-biden-task-force-us-tech-ukraine/index.html
Yes, I had heard about that as well.
I think the problem there is more that a lot of the items used in the Iranian drones are quite generic in their use that the Iranians adapt for their own needs. This makes it much more difficult to control the supply of this type of technology due to the complexity of supply chains.
These Iranian drones are actually quite low-tech, which in itself is an issue.
On the other hand, Ukraine has been wreaking havoc recently on the Engels air base in Russia with its own long-range drones.
Something to set tankies/magats/troofers aflutter.
Russia’s meddling in Trump-era politics was more directly connected to the current war than previously understood.
https://archive.vn/SCOFv (nyt)
A lot to digest in that thank you.
They've been watching the goings on in Ukraine. Now they're preparing.
https://twitter.com/MPWangTingyu/status/1607702645296492545
I don't think China will go for an invasion. If anything, they will likely try to blockade Taiwan into submission.
The strategic advantage Taiwan has in terms of an invasion is the fact it is an island surrounded by water. The strategic disadvantage that Taiwan has in terms of a blockade is that it is an island surrounded by water. And after Pelosi's visit earlier in the year, the following Chinese exercises seemed focussed on a blockade. And, from China's perspective, why would they want to play into the Taiwanese strategic advantage?
It will be interesting to see how the QUAD alliance responds to a Chinese blockade. It will be daring them to challenge the Chinese by challenging the blockade if they want to keep Taiwan supplied.
Of course, it is easy for the QUAD alliance to set up a counter-blockade against China at the Malacca strait. So, that would be another option.
ok – round 2.
I think I have fixed the issue on the Replies tab – as in I can't reproduce it now.
If anyone sees it – ie getting someone else replies – let me know.
Not quite right here, I'm getting arkie's replies
I'm getting everybody else going all the way back to the beginning of the year.
I'm getting dvT's now.
For me it changes, to be replies from the last commenter to reply – to anyone.
ATM it's Weka, previously it was Francesca (I think)
And, if I refresh the browser, it defaults back to me (last person to comment)
Damn. Turning it off.
Thanks for thereplies.
I sent my comment 1 minute ahead of you weka. Now I'm getting your replies. Oh what a tangled web…..