Open mike 29/05/2020

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, May 29th, 2020 - 173 comments
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Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

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

Step up to the mike …

173 comments on “Open mike 29/05/2020 ”

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  1. Ad 1
    29 May 2020 at 6:41 am

    It is pretty sickening to see the expansion of an authoritarian state in real time.

    But here it is: China makes a move to fully suppress all anti-government dissent on Hong Kong 20 years before the treaty signed with the UK government runs out.

    https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/28/world/asia/china-hong-kong-crackdown.html

    This sits well with the context provided by RedL yesterday concerning the growth of Chinese aggression recently:

    "1. CV19 has done two things; one is that the exemplary Taiwanese response (they actually warned WHO of CV19 human to human transmission on Dec31) is a major loss of face for the CCP, and also obviously it has caused a major distraction in the USA.)

    2. The withdrawal of the USA from global affairs is becoming increasingly obvious. US overseas troop deployments in total is now less than 100,000, lower than any time in the past century.

    3. The Chinese military has dramatically expanded it's capacity in the past few years. In particular they may well believe their new hypersonic missile capacity gives them the ability to keep the US Navy aircraft carriers at a safe distance.

    4. They keep on saying that they are preparing for war.

    5. Their military are in the middle of major invasion landing exercises on Hainan Island. Also in their sights are an invasion of the Dongsha Island group ."

    More chillingly for little old New Zealand, Australia for having the temerity to propose an investigation into the Covid-19 virus in China has been delivered hard counter-hits from China with major restrictions on imports of Australian beef and barley. The next step will be coal, and they've done that before.

    It may well be all coincidence, but the intended chilling effect is that Australians believe clearly that it really is retaliation by China:

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/may/26/chinas-trade-bans-are-retaliation-to-covid-19-inquiry-more-than-half-of-australians-say

    This has had the intended effect of getting Australia's government to prepare for some lengthy backwards moonwalking:

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/22/take-a-calm-breath-agriculture-minister-seeks-to-cool-escalating-trade-hostilities-with-china-over-coal

    New Zealand is now in a state where we are totally reliant on the economic performance of Australia and China. The US's Mike Pompeo may well be standing up for Hong Kong, but the contest is far bigger already. And New Zealand is closer to the crosshairs of China than we have ever been.

    • Monty 1.1
      29 May 2020 at 10:34 am

      China has also moved thousands of troops into territory claimed by India along the shared Himalayan border

      https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/27/china-and-india-move-troops-as-border-tensions-escalate

      • OnceWasTim 1.1.1
        29 May 2020 at 8:48 pm

        And China's been playing silly buggers for years testing and pushing the boundaries to see if someone blinks 3 or 4 years ago when I was there, Chinese earth-moving equipment was discovered a kilometre inside Indian territory in Sikkim (adjacent to the border with Bhutan),

        Xi Jinping, Trump, Bolsenaro, Netanyahu, Putin, Modi and a few others seem to want to expand their territory to accommodate the size of their egos.

    • SPC 1.2
      29 May 2020 at 4:30 pm

      In India they have sent troops beyond the area in dispute and the troops are taking up defensive positions.

      The intent being to force India to agree to the border claimed by China.

      In sych with the exercises to take islands by force, the message is clear. China in betraying the Hong Kong agreement has chosen to reveal it is prepared to seize by force what others do not concede in talks. It’s foreign policy is now fear and obey.

      When globalism is replaced by nationalism, the wolves amongst nations soon prey on the weak.

    • Drowsy M. Kram 1.3
      29 May 2020 at 4:31 pm

      "And New Zealand is closer to the crosshairs of China than we have ever been."

      Impressive fearmongering. Extending your analogy, the CCP won't be ‘pulling the trigger‘ on NZ just yet IMHO, but (out of interest):

      1. Do you think NZ recently became a little closer or a lot closer to 'China's crosshairs'?
      2. With the ‘Red Menace‘ in abeyance, how best for NZ to keep the 'Yellow Peril' at bay?

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

      • Ad 1.3.1
        29 May 2020 at 5:00 pm

        If you don't believe that the trade embargo has happened, go ask the Australian Embassy. Ask them if they feel targeted.

        But since all you can do for discussion is withdraw into a corner with your little p.c. blankie, you're clearly not built for any useful discussion.

        The full Five Eyes partners have come out against China's actions against Hong Kong.

        All of the actions described above demonstrate increased Chinese aggression.

  2. Robert Guyton 2
    29 May 2020 at 7:10 am

    Would it be a fair assessment to say that as the fallout from lockdown unfolds; recession or depression, wide-spread unemployment and shortages of all sorts; the National Party and its supporters will do everything it can to erode public confidence in the Government, attack it's leading figures and their plans to keep the country buoyant, use dishonest methods to turn voters against the 3 parties in Government and mislead New Zealanders as to their own ability to manage the coming difficulties? Would it not be prudent/wise/morally responsible to set aside such behaviour for the good of all New Zealanders, refrain from wasting the energy we'll need and perverting the plans that have till now, served us very well, simply because National's Politicians seek to be back in power?

    • Sabine 2.1
      29 May 2020 at 7:29 am

      My best bet for the current lot in government to secure their re-employement in government via the election is to do decent work, and maybe be a little less cynical and a bit more future minded rather then just throwing around band aids to some and a big fat nothing to others.

      But National will do what National does – and it would be down right foolish to believe that would not do what they do. After all they too want to keep their well paying jobs in parliament, it sure beats working in private industry – or trying to find a job – at the current times. (btw, that applies to ALL of the suits in parliament)

    • aj 2.2
      29 May 2020 at 7:54 am

      Would it be a fair assessment…

      Yes.

    • Treetop 2.3
      29 May 2020 at 9:09 am

      What if Covid-19 becomes endemic?

      This would be any governments worst nightmare. Years of health and unemployment costs, limited tourism and increased crime. A person needs to work out what is and is not important when it comes to who they vote for at the next election. I do not need the National Party to tell me that a deep recession or a depression is going to be next.

      • miravox 2.3.1
        29 May 2020 at 10:01 am

        "What if Covid-19 becomes endemic?"

        I know I shouldn't say it, but… If we have to live at Level Two for the forseeable future I think that would be a good thing

        [fairyland hat on]

        Limited tourism, increased local production and we're not treating people like sardines that can be packed into an economic can for profit. We'll not have the health costs with a cultural swing to physical distancing. Unemployment will take care of itself as business adjusts to an economic model that moves away from mass-consumerism and excess profit.

        [hat off]

        We need a coalition government that can work within the new parameters of infection control and bring the people along with it. That government is not National. Labour/Greens have some work to do.

        • Treetop 2.3.1.1
          29 May 2020 at 10:43 am

          Your vision is agreeable. I trust the current government the most to steer the country through the rapids.

        • Janet 2.3.1.2
          29 May 2020 at 11:46 am

          "I know I shouldn't say it, but… If we have to live at Level Two for the forseeable future I think that would be a good thing"

          I say it too .

          and if we don,t have to live at Level 2 that is the way we should be going anyway, after a big conversation on what kind of a country we are aiming for; sustainable or not and that starts with a big nationwide discussion on what is a sustainable population level for NZ. I see us as a Norway of the Southern Hemisphere with our wilderness areas no longer being compromised and our manufacturing growth an extension of our agrarian production.

        • Foreign waka 2.3.1.3
          29 May 2020 at 4:26 pm

          Miravox – No it wouldn't.

          And I cite:

          The law sets up the legal framework for future alert levels as there is no longer a State of Emergency. It effectively allows the Health Minister to issue an order that would make alert level rules legally enforceable.

          That might include, for example, the ability for police or "enforcement officers" to close certain premises or roads, ban certain types of travel or congregations, or require people to be physically distant or to stay at home in their bubbles if necessary.

          It also would allow warrant less searches of private property if there was a reasonable belief that the alert level rules were being broken.

          Every Human Right organisation has voiced concern and while Hong Kong fights against state and police control, NZ seem to embrace it. Go figure.

          • McFlock 2.3.1.3.1
            29 May 2020 at 4:45 pm

            Something about the prospect of drowning in your own lung fluid makes people support infectious disease control, eh.

          • miravox 2.3.1.3.2
            29 May 2020 at 4:47 pm

            Fair call. I shouldn't have generalised. I'd like some ofthe benefits of Level 2 to become normalised in our everyday life without requiring restrictive legislation for that to happen.

            I'd like not for us to go back to the mass tourism, mass consumerism and businesss as usual with the exploitation of people and planet we have at Level 1. I like that we have practically ended people living on the streets at level 2.

            • Foreign waka 2.3.1.3.2.1
              29 May 2020 at 6:01 pm

              Amen to that, but lets not get the focus away on any unintended consequences.

              We certainly need to prioritize and I would say 2 issues need immediate attention: clean water and a stop of pumping the life (literally) out of aquifers and transport infrastructure including rail that gets diesel trucks off the road. It would provide plenty of work in that downturn and contribute to a better way of life that the next generation deserves.

              Just a start and it is feasible.

      • Barfly 2.3.2
        29 May 2020 at 12:14 pm

        "What if Covid-19 becomes endemic?"

        Well shortly New Zealand will be covid-19 free- in a world where covid-19 is endemic NZ will be the most or one of the most popular places in the world for TV and Movie making – bring your staff do the quarantine and then you can do the work just like you used to – anywhere else not a shits show

        • Cinny 2.3.2.1
          29 May 2020 at 7:59 pm

          NZ will be the most or one of the most popular places in the world for TV and Movie making

          A friend was saying today, that a good mate of hers who works in the film industry, was telling her the same. And the flow on effect for the hospitality industry could be just the boost they need.

    • weka 2.4
      29 May 2020 at 11:29 am

      Yes. The issue then becomes what is the best use of *our time and energy and creative powers? All of us.

  3. Jess NZ 3
    29 May 2020 at 7:15 am

    Enjoy and share and walk around with chorus in your head all day. 🤣

    HRH* Nathleigh has produced this stan music video to recruit Australia's next Prime Minister. 😁😁😁 So please help to spread the word =) (*Human Resources Headhunter)

    https://t.co/i8CN0IBNiL

  4. gsays 4
    29 May 2020 at 8:18 am

    There is a return to the '90s in the US. Tensions are high just like the tinder box that was set off by the beating of Rodney King.

    The police actions are bad enough, but the following inaction compounds the injustice.

    https://i.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/300023356/violence-looting-in-minneapolis-after-george-floyd-police-killing

    Chuck D and Public Enemy called it before it kicked off.

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=k6MlwT1lBk0

    • Ad 4.1
      29 May 2020 at 8:35 am

      Public Enemy wasn't commenting on police brutality or racism.

      They were complaining about representations of black people through Hollywood.

      Burn Hollywood burn I smell a riot
      Goin' on first they're guilty now they're gone
      Yeah I'll check out a movie
      But it'll take a black one to move me
      Get me the hell away from this TV
      All this news and views are beneath me
      So all I hear about is shots ringin' out
      About gangs puttin' each others head out
      So I rather kick some slang out
      All right fellas let's go hand out
      Hollywood or would they not
      Make us all look bad like I know they had
      But some things I'll never forget yeah
      So step and fetch this shit
      For all the years we looked like clowns
      The joke is over smell the smoke from all around

      Burn Hollywood burn

      • gsays 4.1.1
        29 May 2020 at 10:07 am

        Yes, ostensibly the song was about racism and Hollywood.

        Not everyone that was rioting was on the streets because of Rodney King.

        In the same way folk that are upset now, isn't just because of Eric Garner and George Floyd.

        Hollywood's profound influence also impacted on the woman who phoned police because a BLACK man was videoing her recently.

        P.E. we're spot on, not bad for a bunch of 'rabble rousers'.

        Edit oops, sorry mods, spotted the F in the name field too late…

      • Tricledrown 4.1.2
        14 June 2020 at 11:21 pm

        Reinforcing prejudices

    • Treetop 4.2
      29 May 2020 at 9:36 am

      I was reading last night how quickly a person can get hypoxia (condition where not enough oxygen makes it to the cells and tissues in the body) during an anaesethic. When I saw the footage of the officer obstructing the airway of George and hearing George say he could not breath and the officer ignoring George and seeing George lose consciousness and the officer still not moving I realised that I was witnessing manslaughter.

      I do hope that the officers are all put on trial and I know that this will not bring George back.

      I am outraged and I suspect this occurs a lot and is covered up. There is a lot of ongoing tension in the USA with lives not mattering and due to the officers behaviour they have created further distrust and frustration in those who want change.

      • Sacha 4.2.1
        29 May 2020 at 10:22 am

        Murder, not manslaughter. Nice try.

        • Treetop 4.2.1.1
          29 May 2020 at 10:48 am

          I initially wrote murder and changed it as Floyd did not die at the scene.

        • McFlock 4.2.1.2
          29 May 2020 at 2:44 pm

          Murder is if he intended the person to die.

          That having been said, it has long been recognised that restraining someone improperly can lead to their death. Shit, I was only a bouncer and I was explicitly taught to be exceptionally careful about it. Including warning signs like "I can't breathe" followed by "playing possum" [which isn't].

          In an equitable society, I suggest that there would be some criminal issues for a court to consider.

          • Sabine 4.2.1.2.1
            29 May 2020 at 7:38 pm

            he might not intended,

            but he sure as heck could not give two fucks if the guy did die.

            so yeah, murder fits. Nothing accidental about having your knee on the windpipe of a man in handcuffs for nine minutes.

            the only reason this guy is not in prison is because he wears the blue uniform. Anyone else would be in the box, and charges would be thrown at them.

            • McFlock 4.2.1.2.1.1
              29 May 2020 at 10:43 pm

              Law's all about intent.

              And it's a bit difficult to lean on a windpipe when they're face down.

              I do agree with your last paragraph, though.

              • Sabine …
                30 May 2020 at 7:52 am

                and one could argue that keeping your knee on the winpipe of a men who is restrained by handcuffs and two other officers is intend.

                To bad if he lives, really. The intend was for him to die.

                The cop intended to do no good, and it matter not one bit to him if the guy on the floor lives or dies. And that my friend is intend.

                btw, he was charged with third degree murder.

                Maybe they need a few new laws on cop who murder while in uniform.

                • McFlock …
                  30 May 2020 at 1:58 pm

                  If it can be argued one way, then it can be argued the other. That is what courts are for.

                  3rd degree murder is basically equivalent to manslaughter. If the cop intended him to die, that would be second-degree murder (plain murder in NZ). If the cop had planned in advance to kill him, that would be "first degree" murder.

    • Morrissey 4.3
      29 May 2020 at 10:14 am

      It's not a “return to the ’90s”, it’s normal life there. This virulent and sinister racism, from Central Park in New York to San Francisco, is a constant in the United States.

    • Psycho Milt 4.4
      29 May 2020 at 12:24 pm

      Ice Cube probably said it best about the Rodney King riots:

      https://youtu.be/C8V66bxvM2Q

    • Macro 4.6
      29 May 2020 at 8:47 pm

      Protestors Criticized For Looting Businesses Without Forming Private Equity Firm First

      MINNEAPOLIS—Calling for a more measured way to express opposition to police brutality, critics slammed demonstrators Thursday for recklessly looting businesses without forming a private equity firm first. “Look, we all have the right to protest, but that doesn’t mean you can just rush in and destroy any business without gathering a group of clandestine investors to purchase it at a severely reduced price and slowly bleed it to death,” said Facebook commenter Amy Mulrain, echoing the sentiments of detractors nationwide who blasted the demonstrators for not hiring a consultant group to take stock of a struggling company’s assets before plundering. “I understand that people are angry, but they shouldn’t just endanger businesses without even a thought to enriching themselves through leveraged buyouts and across-the-board terminations. It’s disgusting to put workers at risk by looting. You do it by chipping away at their health benefits and eventually laying them off. There’s a right way and wrong way to do this.” At press time, critics recommended that protestors hold law enforcement accountable by simply purchasing the Minneapolis police department from taxpayers.

  6. observer 6
    29 May 2020 at 8:28 am

    A week ago Simon Bridges was still leader of the National party. Ah, the good old days.

    Remember when making a silly comment about hair dye was enough to get the eyes rolling? That now seems like a pearl of wisdom. Under his successor (assassin) the eyes have been spinning so fast they've fallen out of their sockets. The gaffe-meter is broken.

    His latest gem: "Most New Zealanders are unemployed, but they don't know it yet" (yesterday).

    Most.

    • Incognito 6.1
      29 May 2020 at 8:36 am

      Meh, he’s just projecting his own dire situation onto most New Zealanders. I feel a bout of solidarity with comrade Muller coming up.

  7. Robert Guyton 7
    29 May 2020 at 8:38 am

    Todd Muller mash-up/take-down.

    https://twitter.com/i/status/1265645303748628485

    • Incognito 7.1
      29 May 2020 at 8:45 am

      A week is a long time in politics. It can only get better from here onwards. But in all seriousness, the Opposition is in serious disarray, ERC has been disbanded, and the only flutter of an election contest is some predictable sparring between the PM and the Deputy PM.

      • bwaghorn 7.1.1
        29 May 2020 at 11:03 am

        Atleast Winston v Arden is a fair fight, Ardern v muller will be like watching Shane Cameron v Dave Tua again .

        • McFlock 7.1.1.1
          29 May 2020 at 2:55 pm

          Mike Tyson vs Stephen Hawking.

          • Incognito 7.1.1.1.1
            29 May 2020 at 10:45 pm

            They’d still offer Tyson $20 million for a round of shadow boxing.

            • Tricledrown 7.1.1.1.1.1
              14 June 2020 at 11:26 pm

              Boring Bill English did 3 rounds with a boxer for charity it showed him to be slow and out of touch like his political career.

        • Morrissey 7.1.1.2
          29 May 2020 at 3:15 pm

          Or Ryder v. Slater. (Muller, it hardly needs to be said, is the bloke in red.)

    • ianmac 7.2
      29 May 2020 at 9:44 am

      That 23% of Nat MPs having any business experience is telling, given their constant call that they are the party of Business. And I think Muller being in big business management is a far cry from owning and running a butcher or hairdresser or a service station.

    • Cinny 7.3
      29 May 2020 at 8:06 pm

      Much respect to the creator, that was epic yes

  8. newsense 8
    29 May 2020 at 8:54 am

    Labour bottling it again. Already sold out housing, beneficiaries, public transport and now fresh water standards. Next stop climate change…

    • Dennis Frank 8.1
      29 May 2020 at 9:18 am

      Now now, stop beating on poor Labour, they're only on 59%. Peaking, so the only way forward is down. Show a little compassion!

      And Marama says it's a win for the Greens, which means leftist solidarity hand-holding with Labour, right? https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/28-05-2020/te-mana-o-te-wai-whats-in-the-governments-new-freshwater-cleanup-package/

      "Prominent freshwater expert Dr Mike Joy said the advice from scientists and Kahui Wai Māori (the Māori Freshwater Forum) had “fallen on deaf ears.” “Instead, it appears the Minister for the Environment has caved into political and industry pressure to further delay implementing the long overdue instream nutrient limits.” He added that “the limits proposed by the specialist panels were key to achieving real change, and far from being extreme, would have simply brought New Zealand into line with the rest of the world”."

      Yeah, but he's an ecologist and there's never been a place for such people in the Labour universe. Can’t support the capitalist system by listening to eggheads.

      • Ad 8.1.1
        29 May 2020 at 10:19 am

        Read all the scientific reports the government released as part of the government policy.

        Has 100 times more weight.

        • weka 8.1.1.1
          29 May 2020 at 2:22 pm

          translation: we can't rely on science and best practice using the precautionary principle because too many politicians are beholden to the corporate industrial dairy lobby who are going to fob everyone off for as long as they can in order to keep strip mining NZ. Let's take a few decades to sort things out as the science can't tell us how to run extractive industries without damaging the environment.

          /spit

          Joy nailed it. If you're quitting smoking, there's little point in dropping from 3 packs a day to 2.5 packs if you have your lung health in mind.

          Yep, industrial farming is up there with the tobacco industry. Also, the climate deniers, who basically used the same tactics 'there's not enough science yet'.

          • Ad 8.1.1.1.1
            29 May 2020 at 5:08 pm

            All the other scientific and economic reports were published at the same time, in Scoop, if you dared to look. OR even read.

            And instead of spitting, have a look at the Greens praising the policy to the gills.

            None of them are climate deniers either. Not one.

            Go on though, keep emoting. You haven't mentioned the Nazis yet.

            • weka 8.1.1.1.1.1
              29 May 2020 at 6:44 pm

              Lol, but you did.

              If you think the policy is sound, then put it up against what Joy is saying.

              The Greens are saying it's way better than before, of course it is, National basically said for nine years go ahead and treat rivers like sewers.

              I trust the Greens and Sage in particular, and I assume that they've built in many useful things despite the limitations. But it's stupid to pretend that this is adequate and is not a trade off with the industrial farming economy. Are there going to be reductions in dairy farms? Conversions to regenag? I'm guessing not, that it's ambulance at the bottom of the cliff that people are still being allowed to push ecosystems off.

  9. Macro 9
    29 May 2020 at 9:15 am

    SAN FRANCISCO (The Borowitz Report)—

    Servers belonging to the social-media platform Twitter burst into flames on Thursday, after the company attempted to fact-check all of Donald Trump’s tweets.

    “We knew that fact-checking Trump’s tweets was going to put a strain on our system,” Jack Dorsey, the C.E.O. of Twitter, said. “We had no idea that it would result in columns of fire shooting forty feet into the air.”

    Reportedly, an explosion in the server fact-checking Trump’s tweets about Joe Scarborough ignited a blaze that quickly spread to a server furiously vetting his tweets about Barack Obama.

    Fire trucks rushed to Twitter headquarters to extinguish the inferno, which San Francisco officials called the largest fact-checking-related fire incident in the city’s history.

    While no one was injured in the conflagration, Dorsey quietly shelved plans to fact-check all of Donald Trump, Jr.,’s tweets.

    • dv 9.1
      29 May 2020 at 10:22 am

      Shame Trump didn't move so quickly (or at all) on the Virus problem.

      Now cases are ca 20k per day and 1000+ deaths per day

      With nearly 1,8m cases and over 103000 deaths

      BUT BUT allow checking on the lies he tells GEEZ, that is a really serious affront!!!

  10. ianmac 10
    29 May 2020 at 9:51 am

    This morning an NZR journalist reported for Goldsmith that he couldn't get up to date numbers on the correctness of the Grants given to businesses. He was told that audits were ongoing and quarterly reports would be issued. So far no charges had been laid.

    How is this important enough to lead the news? How can Goldsmith get such a non-story published?

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=2018748484

  11. Morrissey 11
    29 May 2020 at 10:16 am

    Cuomo? No, no, NO.

    His comedian brother at the 3:40 mark…

  12. Sacha 12
    29 May 2020 at 10:19 am

    Scientist Mike Joy in his own words about this government diluting water policy: https://theconversation.com/new-zealand-government-ignores-expert-advice-in-its-plan-to-improve-water-quality-in-rivers-and-lakes-139554

    The proposed nutrient limits were key to achieving real change, and far from being extreme, would have brought New Zealand into line with the rest of the world.

    For example, in China, the limit for nitrogen in rivers is 1 milligram per litre – the same limit as our technical advisory group recommended.

    In New Zealand, 85% of waterways in pasture catchments (which make up half of the country’s waterways, if measured by length) now exceed nitrate limit guidelines.

    Instead, Minister for the Environment David Parker decided to postpone this discussion by another year – meaning New Zealand will continue to lag other nations in having clear, enforceable nutrient limits.

    …

    The other main policy the expert panels pushed for was a cap on the use of nitrogen fertiliser. This was indeed part of the announcement, which is a positive and important step forward.

    But the cap is set at 190kg per hectare per year, which is too high. This is like telling someone they should reduce smoking from three to two and a half packets a day to be healthier.

    • Morrissey 12.1
      29 May 2020 at 11:05 am

      Jesse Mulligan said before he interviewed Mike Joy yesterday: "This is the first time I've had you on the programme for years."

      Why would that be? He has on a propagandist for the farming lobby nearly every week.

    • RedBaronCV 12.2
      29 May 2020 at 12:07 pm

      or kicking the can just past the election?

  13. Morrissey 13
    29 May 2020 at 10:46 am

    Sam Ackerman is due to shed some unwarranted tears this morning RNZ National, Friday 29 May 2020, 10:20 a.m.

    Right now, Lynn Freeman is interviewing Filipina filmmaker Ramona Diaz. One of the things she's talking about is the use of fake news and disinformation by the egregious President Rodrigo Duterte. Well worth a listen. https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon

    Unfortunately, at 11:30 Lynn will talk to sports reporter Sam Ackerman, who is apparently going to lament the loss of Radio Sport.

    W T F ??!!??!? The death of Radio Sport was long overdue. If ever there was a source of fake news and bigotry, it was that joke of a station, with its dismal line-up of "talents" such as Tony Veitch, Martin Devlin, and Murray Deaker.

    Tony Veitch…. https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2019/07/tony-veitch-newstalkzb-in-action-dec-28.html

    Here is Martin Devlin, beside himself after news of a British athlete being killed after being hit by a hammer-throw….

    DEVLIN: He got killed with a HAMMER! Oh GOD, just imagine the MESS! Ha ha ha ha ha!
    STEVEN HUNTER AKA "SHUNTER" (PRODUCER): Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
    DEVLIN: Ker-SQUISH!
    SHUNTER: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
    DEVLIN: Splat!" SHUNTER: Ha ha ha ha ha! DEVLIN: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/lest-we-forget-martin-devlin-jan-26-2011.html

    And, of course, Murray "Deaks" Deaker…
    CALLER PHIL: I want to talk about the All Black squad. Murray, I am very, very concerned. I think we will have a lack of intelligence, once the ball goes past Daniel Carter.
    DEAKER: [long, thoughtful pause] Conrad Smith?
    PHIL: Yes, but what if he’s injured, Murray?
    DEAKER: [long, thoughtful pause] I know what you’re getting at, Phil.
    PHIL: Yes, well, it needs to be said, Murray.
    DEAKER: [with utmost gravitas] A lot of people talk about this in private, but are not prepared to talk about it in public. But I don’t give a TOSS about that! The problem is that in this country we have a lot of boys that are EARLY MATURERS.
    PHIL: Yes, oh yes.
    DEAKER: These guys haven’t got the slender build of, say, a Dan Carter, or a Jeff Wilson, or an Andrew Mehrtens.
    PHIL: That’s right, Murray.
    DEAKER: So they’ve never had to jink, or sidestep, or run around any opponents. They are so HUGE that all they have ever had to do is barge past them. They’ve never had to THINK! Because they’re early maturers!
    PHIL: It’s a worry. Because these overseas teams, they’re THINKERS, Murray! They’re private school boys, and they’re thinkers.! The Australians, Murray, they’re just so EDUCATED! I remember once when the lowest-qualified player in the team was a chartered accountant, Murray!
    DEAKER: Yes, but we’ll not see the likes of Nick Farr-Jones, David Kirk, Sir John Graham and Sir Wilson Whineray again. They were very bright guys!
    PHIL: I’m so worried, Murray….

    https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-21032012/#comment-449711

    Ackerman is lamenting the loss of this garbage? In fact, the demise of Radio Sport is about as regrettable as the demise of Whaleoil Beef Hooked.

    • Chris T 13.1
      29 May 2020 at 11:04 am

      Why do I get the feeling you have a severe hatred of Radio Sport.

      Funny thing about radios, some people may not understand.

      You don't actually have to listen to them and you can switch channels.

    • Bearded Git 13.2
      29 May 2020 at 11:57 am

      But Morrissey, life is not worth living without cricket on the radio.

      • Morrissey 13.2.1
        29 May 2020 at 12:02 pm

        Fair comment, my bearded friend.

        Unfortunately, Radio Sport didn't stick to that core business. Instead, it turned over the airwaves to the likes of Deaker, Devlin, Veitch, Doug Golightly, and Willy Lose….

        https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/search?q=Willy+Lose

        • Bearded Git 13.2.1.1
          29 May 2020 at 12:22 pm

          Agreed…I never listened to them.

          • Morrissey 13.2.1.1.1
            29 May 2020 at 1:10 pm

            Neither did anyone else. That's why NZME did what it had wanted to do for years, and got rid of it.

      • lprent 13.2.2
        29 May 2020 at 6:38 pm

        …life is not worth living without cricket on the radio.

        Sounds like a protracted torture in brain activity deprivation. It' is as tedious as listening to the Trump alternately blustering and whining without the moments of inadvertent ironic humour.

        I gave up on sports when I stopped playing them. I can't quite understand people who waste time on listening to them or even attending sports grounds to watch them. Don't they have anything else to do?

        • Morrissey 13.2.2.1
          29 May 2020 at 7:55 pm

          Fair comment, Lynn. The problem with Radio Sport was that they had 18 hours to fill every day.* Even if they had been knowledgeable, eloquent, and witty broadcasters, that would have been an almost impossible task. They possessed, sadly, none of those qualities.

          * Midnight to dawn they paid for infinitely superior American sports talk radio.

        • roblogic 13.2.2.2
          29 May 2020 at 8:29 pm

          It's more about the community, if you're watching local sports. Otherwise, I find it hard to get excited about some weekly competition that drags on and on. World Cups and the Olympics are pretty cool tho

        • Bearded Git 13.2.2.3
          30 May 2020 at 11:10 am

          lprent….oh you are so wrong…..I remember listening to England v Pakistan on the BBC World Service while sleeping under the stars in Tibet in '82.

          (This was before Thatcher removed funding for Test Match Special on the World Service-unforgivable.)

  14. greywarshark 14
    29 May 2020 at 12:18 pm

    Second time – 3 hours apart – got a phony call with female USA accent from automated scam machine claiming that someone has been spending $1000 with Amazon on my credit card. Phoned the bank just to check out and they report a wave of it going on – FYI. Bank says if you follow their directions they give you two different buttons for choice and you will be directed to a person who will harvest your card number from you. Warmer job I imagine than fruit picking or cabbage cutting out in the fields.

    • dv 14.1
      29 May 2020 at 12:42 pm

      Yes we have had several calls. 3 yesterday, None today yet!!

      Hang up Don't respond.

      • Adrian 14.1.1
        29 May 2020 at 2:02 pm

        Try this " I'm so glad you called, can we talk about Jesus ? " Works every time, but mostly if I've had a bad day or even only a semi-terrific one I'll purge with a diatribe of the most offensive shit imaginable, its quite cathartic.

        Remember these arseholes know they are committing a crime.

        • dv 14.1.1.1
          29 May 2020 at 3:21 pm

          The calls are machine recorded.

          So not ta goer.

        • Cinny 14.1.1.2
          29 May 2020 at 8:18 pm

          Try this " I'm so glad you called, can we talk about Jesus ? "

          That's awesome, thanking you Adrian, I'm going to use that one day 🙂

    • mary_a 14.2
      29 May 2020 at 2:34 pm

      @ greywarshark (14) I was with a friend during the week when she received the same message, however this time the caller had an Indian accent. Fortunately, she was on to the fact it was a scam. Yep, the scammers are out there. Caution is needed.

  15. roblogic 15
    29 May 2020 at 12:38 pm

    Feel like reading TheStandard.org.nz with new fonts and wider layout? (client side only)

    Here's my custom CSS: 🤓 (work in progress)

    https://gist.githubusercontent.com/roblogic/09d2bb93a67483f05158ccda0ae3fe53/raw/

    It works with the Stylus browser extension.

  16. peterh 16
    29 May 2020 at 1:13 pm

    how to win all the votes you want ONE active case in NZ

      • Herodotus 16.1.1
        29 May 2020 at 2:49 pm

        It is, yet we are still at level 2, level 1 potentially 3 weeks away. It is easy (I grant you) to comment after the event.

        I hope our govt. acts promptly to accelerate our move down the alert levels.

        • Drowsy M. Kram 16.1.1.1
          29 May 2020 at 3:43 pm

          Allowing a home-grown scientific consensus to inform our Covid-19 response has safeguarded health – such a common sense approach, compared to the ‘balance‘ advocated by market forces. I’m enjoying retail shopping and restaurant dining now – what’s the rush?

        • McFlock 16.1.1.2
          29 May 2020 at 3:57 pm

          A period of two infection cycles between easing restrictions is prudent.

          We don't want to fuck it up at the end and have to redo two months of effort.

          • lprent 16.1.1.2.1
            29 May 2020 at 5:07 pm

            That is pretty much the basis you have to use for this particular bug. Even the 2 week infection limit looks like it may have been optimistic as there are now examples of people getting infected and not displaying any virus shedding until weeks afterwards – but it looks like it is doing the job – so not worth changing.

            I was just reading some wannabe guest post writer sending something in via email proclaiming the theory that covid-19 is just a hoax by the government. Feels like they cribbed it off some other site as clickbait (and that is what their reference site looks like as well). All assertions based on the idea that it is just influenza and that nothing the government did (like closing and controlling borders in this and previous outbreaks) made any difference.

            I was tempted to put it up just so I could eviscerate the ‘author’. The increased total death rate above normal in the US, Brazil, UK, and now Russia of this ‘influenza’ even with the social distancing there being the obvious club to beat the dipshit with. But since it was, like almost of 30 odd similar propositions I get daily, just an excuse to provide links to other sites – I restrained myself. Besides the dipshit clickbaiter would never actually come and argue their point.

            Reminds me, I need to write a explicit policy on asserting false facts in comments and providing links and/or not defending their usage. I don’t mind rapping people over the knuckles about it. But it is starting to get irksome. Plus the National party appears to be making using completely false facts their only strategy based on some of the social media I have seen.

            One from Pugh used pre-covid data from debt levels in Greece against projected post-covid-19 debt levels in NZ which was a pretty egregious bit of lying. I was thinking that a immediate 6 month ban unless they justified their usage to me in email was the appropriate site response – with all correspondence published.

          • Herodotus 16.1.1.2.2
            29 May 2020 at 5:18 pm

            I thought that a driver for the shutdown was to protect our health system from being overrun – Not to have 0 cases

            Level 2 – Reduce The disease is contained, but the risk of community transmission remains

            Level 1 – Prepare The disease is contained in New Zealand

            https://covid19.govt.nz/assets/resources/tables/COVID-19-alert-levels-summary.pdf

            • McFlock 16.1.1.2.2.1
              29 May 2020 at 5:32 pm

              Yeah it was initially, as per the plan designed around an influenza pandemic. But we get a new influenza strain each year, and apparently covid might be a bit more stable. Days after we went into L4 specialists started suggesting we might be able to eliminate it, rather than just slow it.

              There's been some kerfuffle about the semantics of "eliminate", but I guess it's generally the "plan A+" crowd that won, rather than the "plan B" dude lol

              • Herodotus …
                29 May 2020 at 5:45 pm

                I can accept that, yet that is not what is being conveyed and what was the aim/measure to achieve before we progress down. What will happen in the future when there are a few cases diagnosed ? Do we progress up the levels again for eradication to mirror what has been achieved this time ?

                • McFlock …
                  29 May 2020 at 5:56 pm

                  Depends on the scenario of "new cases".

                  For the foreseeable, we'll have border quarantine (and testing of improving sensitivity and timeliness). If a case shows up there, no worries it's doing its job. Although staff who contacted that person might be themselves quarantined.

                  If a case goes through quarantine then presents with covid a week later, we might see a national or regional alert escalation, or maybe a combination (e.g. the locality of know contacts goes to level 3/4, while the rest of the country goes back to level 2 to aid tracing if an unkown contact went out of town).

                  A random case popping up with no known travel association? That's when people will be probably looking at a nationwide L3/4 again, because it breaks the known behaviour of the disease.

                  But these are possible variations, not gospel. It's a judgement call at the time, based on many factors and inputs. But so far the govt's been pretty good at communicating what is happening, why, and what the risks are.

                  I'm not sure what you mean by "not what is being conveyed". The elimination goal has been pretty consistent for a couple of months now, which is actually pretty miraculous in this fast-changing situation.

                • Drowsy M. Kram …
                  29 May 2020 at 6:01 pm

                  Appreciate the wish for certainty now and in the future, but also understand the need to adjust responses and 'level details' as NZ gets on top of this pandemic threat, learning as we go.

                  Covid-19 is novel, with no proven treatment or vaccine (yet) – caution is (still) warranted, IMHO.

                  • lprent …
                    30 May 2020 at 2:18 am

                    Covid-19 is novel, with no proven treatment or vaccine (yet)..

                    Personally I remain unconvinced that they will get a vaccine within 5 years. And that is only because they were getting close to trialling SARS and MERS viruses using new approaches before this particular coronavirus popped up.

                    The more that is revealed about covid-19, the more unconvinced I get. A 32k base pair virus from inside bat colonies – and one that appears (in my view) to have had about a decade adapting to humans. It looks both endemic, unlikely to get a widespread herd immunity, and vaccines are unlikely to have a long term effect. I see this hanging around and if a vaccine is achieved, is going to require boosters every few years.

                    Specific antiviral treatments to prevent slipping into a critical state seem more likely in the medium term.

            • Andre 16.1.1.2.2.2
              29 May 2020 at 5:42 pm

              Which of the Level 2 restrictions do you consider an unreasonable restriction?

              About all I can see that's significantly different from Level 1 is limiting gatherings to 100 or less, ensuring physical distancing, and record-keeping of visitors.

              That doesn't seem onerous, particularly since we are still in a time period where undetected presymptomatic or asymptomatic community transmission could still be occurring. It seems to me to be very low pain to maintain Level 2 for a few weeks longer to minimise the risk of the massive pain of having to go back up the levels.

              • Herodotus …
                29 May 2020 at 5:50 pm

                I am fortunate and I gather from your comment that you to are also (I hope so), but ask that question to someone who has or is considering shutting down their business or has or could lose their job, and the consequence of that be it financial, health, relationship etc. The delay of progressing thru the stages by 1,2 or 3 weeks could make a difference to them.

                • Andre …
                  29 May 2020 at 6:03 pm

                  What kind of business might be at serious risk of having to close because of another few weeks of limiting gatherings to 100 people, some physical distancing, and maintaining visitor logs?

                  I would guess it's very very few. The massive lockdown we have already had will have already culled the marginal businesses, and another few weeks of level 2 won't affect the vast majority of businesses that were robust enough to survive until now. It will affect a few weeks of profitability for sure, so the owners have an incentive to make as much noise as they can, which is where I think the push to go to Level 1 is coming from.

                  A few more weeks of Level 2 certainly won't change the outlook for the business sectors that have been wholesale obliterated such as tourism.

                  • Herodotus …
                    29 May 2020 at 6:57 pm

                    With no community sport until June 22nd there is 2-3 weeks where cafes, bakeries, mobile coffee etc miss out on that trade.( + the feel good factor of life returning to some resemblance to normal) Some of these businesses are next to parks that when there is no action there is no foot traffic that is 2/7 of their trade. Restaurants, pubs etc that to comply with distancing have limited what their business can cater for. Professional sports events that have eliminated crowds those industries that support these events. Whist these may not be large compared to already announced closures, tell that to those affected.

                    • Andre …
                      29 May 2020 at 7:20 pm

                      I would suggest to those affected that they ponder the consequences of having to go back into a Level 3 or 4 lockdown.

                      And that they also ponder that the team that made the decisions that appear to have us on track for a return to domestic normality much faster than our peer nations are the same team that see our best course is to maintain Level 2 for a few weeks longer. Their record of success so far is awfully hard to argue with.

                • Koff …
                  29 May 2020 at 6:23 pm

                  NZ at level 2 is now less restrictive than Queensland which has similar (almost) zero new case rates and very few active cases. Queensland, like WA, NT, SA and Tas are keeping their borders closed to Vic and NSW where there is (admittedly low) community transmission. NZ is probably one of the very few advanced economies with such opportunites. Count your lucky stars you live where you live.

                • RedBaronCV …
                  29 May 2020 at 6:55 pm

                  Well around my hood it's starting to look pretty normal apart from the distancing, the hand sanitiser and the signing in. I've also stuck my head into a number of the small local businesses that I would really hate to loose – $50 note in hand to donate if needed- to check that they are okay and found that they were fine with lots of work and any worries had vanished.

                  I still have more to check though. Stuff did take the donation but happy with that.

                  • woodart …
                    29 May 2020 at 7:47 pm

                    same here redbaron. in my small town and the neigbouring two I was in yesterday, shops were busy and car parks hard to find. the only closed shop in my local town is a pizza shop that closed three weeks prior to lockdown.

        • patricia 16.1.1.3
          29 May 2020 at 10:35 pm

          Look up South Korea's second wave 54 cases overnight, and Australia has some community transmission. Safe rather than sorry. June 8 is not long now.

  17. Macro 17
    29 May 2020 at 1:46 pm

    Great collaboration between NZ Defence Forces and US Defense Forces.

    https://youtu.be/zUuOnl4f0rE

    • adam 17.1
      29 May 2020 at 2:50 pm

      Ahhh Jingoism

    • Morrissey 17.2
      29 May 2020 at 3:21 pm

      If only they kept it to musical items, it would be wonderful.

      Television footage of street demonstrations following the Qu’ran burnings by U.S. troops. Major General Gawn has an answer ready: “There are a hundred thousand American troops in Afghanistan. There will always be a few bad apples.” Gen. John R. Allen tries to muster up every bit of gravitas he can as he assures the U.S. television audience that those responsible for the Qu’ran burnings “will be tracked down.”

      https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/10/review-of-he-toki-huna-new-zealand-in.html

      • greywarshark 17.2.1
        29 May 2020 at 5:39 pm

        If only they kept it to musical items, it would be wonderful.

        +100

        And also carried that approach forward to their police forces in USA to ours in NZ and Australia too. So sad to hear about this latest USA police outrage. Chris Trotter eviscerates it:

        https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2020/05/29/poisonous-legacy-why-george-floyd-could-be-choked-while-the-whole-world-watched/
        I think Morrissey has covered this also further down.

        • Morrissey 17.2.1.1
          29 May 2020 at 5:51 pm

          Chris Trotter? It will be interesting to see what he says if those cops are acquitted. I wonder if his views have evolved since the killing of Trayvon Martin in 2013…

          NOELLE McCARTHY: Now you have something about this Florida verdict, and Juror B-37?

          …A long, rambling discussion ensues, with most of the participants clearly disgusted with the verdict. But not everyone….

          CHRIS TROTTER: [very slowly, mustering all the pomp and gravitas he can] I think all this talk about the jury is most unfortunate. You have, even in this case I think, to trust the jury. In any trial, there are always items of evidence that we do not know about, even in this case I think.

          ….[Long, extremely uncomfortable pause]….

          NOELLE McCARTHY: [doggedly positive] One thing the whole world is talking about, Zoe Ferguson, is the royal birth!

          https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/chris-trotter-reckons-zimmerman-jury.html

    • Ad 17.3
      29 May 2020 at 5:05 pm

      Beautiful work both teams ka pai e kia ora.

    • patricia 17.4
      29 May 2020 at 10:40 pm

      Thanks Macro Good one.smiley

  19. Siobhan 19
    29 May 2020 at 2:33 pm

    "Covid 19 coronavirus: $60 million funding boost for New Zealand's libraries"

    "This is targeted funding over two years to keep librarians in jobs and upskill them to provide extra assistance to jobseekers and to people wanting to improve their reading and digital literacy skills."

    ..so, Librarians as unskilled Jobseeker assistants with no official title and code of conduct, has now just become the new normal.

    Pity those poor deluded souls that visit libraries to, you know, borrow books….between the strict limit on titles held in each library, the aesthetic of half empty shelves (a policy in some library's..'safer' and more 'tidy looking' apparently)..and now the full and open morphing of libraries into Social Welfare offices the self fulfilling prophesy of 'no one reads books anymore' is well on its way.

    I do believe that yesterday morning RNZ reported that people without computers could still access doctors on line via the libraries. Seriously.

    If the powers that be wish to move the world on line..job seeking and Doctors visits and Education.. then they need to come up with specialised computer hubs, with specialised staff..computer lounges in winz for starters. Though I guess that would only work if winz offices could become 'customer friendly'.

    • In Vino 19.1
      29 May 2020 at 7:33 pm

      Libraries have become a place where the poor may have cheap access to a computer for a while… Is there any other place?

      I agree with you in that I want libraries to remain as they were, with this as a temporary addition, not see the destruction of the traditional library, which becomes just a Social Welfare Office.

    • Sacha 19.2
      29 May 2020 at 7:50 pm

      They always dress up things like this as being about 'jobs'.

      Libraries are community knowledge hubs already, not just places with books. I'd trust a librarian to help people more than a winz staffer.

    • Craig H 19.3
      29 May 2020 at 9:46 pm

      Not great but it recognises the value of libraries and librarians and also the impact on rates which might otherwise lead to library funding cuts.

  21. Fireblade 21
    29 May 2020 at 7:44 pm

    "This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the public’s interest for the Tweet to remain accessible."

    https://www.twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1266231100780744704

  23. Ximenes 23
    29 May 2020 at 9:29 pm

    So Louisa Wall has exited out of Manurewa. One hopes she will get a suitably high position on List. Politics sometimes is a hard place

    • Ad 23.1
      29 May 2020 at 10:34 pm

      With a local majority of over 8,000, why it was was necessary for the apparent alternative Ian Dunwoodie to white ant her out of town is completely beyond civil reason. Hell, ask around town – she's a lot easier to work with than Carmel Sepuloni.

  24. Cinny 24
    29 May 2020 at 11:17 pm

    What the actual fork… the CNN team were just arrested while they were reporting on the riots..wow!

    https://twitter.com/CNN/status/1266315061221613569

  25. Ximenes 25
    30 May 2020 at 2:53 pm

    Not sure its Ian that is going to get the seat there is someone else

    [Fixed typo in user handle]

  26. Eco Maori 26
    30 May 2020 at 6:28 pm

    Kia Ora Newshub.

    The art plagiarism hiding behind A court??????.

    People who stuff there recycling bins with rubbish are so short sighted wake up.

    Ka kite Ano

  27. Eco Maori 27
    30 May 2020 at 6:55 pm

    Kia Ora

    Te Ao Maori News

    Its good to see Maori coming out with online resources to support tangata mental health.

    Ka kite Ano.

  29. Eco Maori 29
    31 May 2020 at 6:29 pm

    Kia Ora Newshub.

    Opening Travel to the Pacific Islands is logical.

    That's good to see People supporting Aotearoa business.

    Ka kite Ano

  30. Eco Maori 30
    31 May 2020 at 6:51 pm

    Kia Ora

    Te Ao Maori News.

    Planting a billion trees is awesome I hope all our Waterways edges are planted with trees to help keep them clean.

    Find Your Fish helping Rangatahi find a great future is a good idea Kia Kaha.
    Ka pai Te reo Maori in Te whare

    Ka kite Ano.

  31. Eco Maori 31
    1 June 2020 at 6:55 pm

    Kia Ora

    Te Ao Maori News.

    Yes it does exist here in Aotearoa.

    Its good to see Tangata whenua O Aotearoa receiving houners the list looks to deserve there houners from what I have seen go down in the last few months.

    Ka kite Ano.

  32. Eco Maori 32
    1 June 2020 at 7:21 pm

    The kawaii run is awesome at Te motu Te Kawaii run is awesome at Te Waiapu to it great to see a ruhui at Te Motu.

    Ka kite Ano

  33. Eco Maori 33
    2 June 2020 at 8:46 am

    Kia Ora

    The Am Show.

    With that data on whare heat it good that the government has $50.00 a week winter heating payment for the tangata that need it the most..

    In winter and we still have warm weather like this That's global warming.

    Plant based plastic bottles is good news especially when it breaks down fast in the environment.

    Ka kite Ano

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