Open mike 29/07/2022

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, July 29th, 2022 - 89 comments
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89 comments on “Open mike 29/07/2022 ”

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  1. PsyclingLeft.Always 1
    29 July 2022 at 7:22 am

    Polytech system: a ‘national disgrace’

    https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/campus/polytech-system-%E2%80%98national-disgrace%E2%80%99

    Half of NZ's 16 polytech CEOs have quit as mega-merger 'takes its toll'

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/124824938/half-of-nzs-16-polytech-ceos-have-quit-as-megamerger-takes-its-toll?rm=a

    Well theres a Silver lining ! : )

    I certainly recall….(having had lower echelon connectivity with Southern Polytechnic’s) The VERY Lucrative remuneration of same CEO’s. Also Ms Penny Simmonds…..Nat mp in waiting role. I’d say Mr Phil….Ker would be very similar politically..

    Sour grapes from natfans…IMO.

    • PsyclingLeft.Always 1.1
      29 July 2022 at 7:41 am

      Otago Polytechnic chief executive Phil Ker had an increase.

      His pay was $330,000 to $339,999, compared with $320,000 to $329,999 the previous year.

      In Invercargill, Southern Institute of Technology chief executive Penny Simmonds received $270,000 to $279,999, up from $250,000 to $259,999 the previous year.

      https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/state-sector-pays-revealed

      Otago Polytechnic is defending spending nearly $8 million on travel in five years in the wake of criticism from the auditor-general.

      https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/polytech-defends-travel-spending

      Be sure that these were topics of intense discussion for lower echelon Staff !

    • Muttonbird 1.2
      29 July 2022 at 7:56 am

      We have to decide what our tertiary institutions are for. This government has signalled it wants polytechnics to provide a skilled workforce for building housing, infrastructure and health. They should not be a vessel for harvesting foreign cash with dodgy courses, a means to ship in cheap labour. They should train Kiwis old, new, and pending to do the jobs NZ needs them to do.

      The chiefs of some of these "personal fiefdoms' will have been hooked on Steven Joyce's corrupt backdoor to residency model. Now they are throwing their toys out of the cot.

      • Robert Guyton 1.2.1
        29 July 2022 at 8:03 am

        Penny Simmons, National Party MP, ex-chief executive of the Southern Institute of Technology?

        • PsyclingLeft.Always 1.2.1.1
          29 July 2022 at 8:22 am

          Simmonds was selected as the National Party candidate for Invercargill in May 2020 following Sarah Dowie's decision to retire. Dowie had originally been selected to run again in September 2019. Simmonds had been rumoured as a potential candidate for about fifteen years prior.

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

          There was never much doubt of Penny’s political …ambition

          • Robert Guyton 1.2.1.1.1
            29 July 2022 at 8:43 am

            Whatever happened to Sarah?

            I see Hamish is big in Queenstown real estate nowadays.

            Todd fled to London, afaik.

      • PsyclingLeft.Always 1.2.2
        29 July 2022 at 8:06 am

        Hi Muttonbird…and fkn Aye ! Keerist it was past time that Labour sorted this and other shit out. Good on them for pulling the comfy blanket remuneration away from some of these CEO's. I , as maybe you, see the Apprenticeships (Labour restarting ) and all other things in process to get young NZ a Future.

      • Descendant Of Smith 1.2.3
        29 July 2022 at 8:09 am

        When my wife was studying at the local polytech less than 50% of her class were even turning up to class. Half the courses were for jobs that weren't there – e.g. travel agents. Lucrative cash generators but of little practical use given the low volume of jobs in that particular area and even lower vacancies due to hardly any turnover.

        I would however like to see a return to the community college concept as well with all the delight educating and training in artistic and practical skills that community colleges used to provide. Second chance learning. Needs to be back to fully utilise secondary schools as well which should be a broader community asset.

        • PsyclingLeft.Always 1.2.3.1
          29 July 2022 at 8:13 am

          “I would however like to see a return to the community college concept as well with all the delight educating and training in artistic and practical skills that community colleges used to provide. Second chance learning. Needs to be back to fully utilise secondary schools as well which should be a broader community asset.”

          Absolutely. That… disappeared under Mr …Ker's "Leadership" and of course the sir Key Nat govt.

          No need to ask whether I fought against….

          Hence my pissed off at his and Penny's comments now.

    • pat 1.3
      29 July 2022 at 9:28 am

      There is a recurring theme here…..we appear incapable of reforming anything at all.

      • PsyclingLeft.Always 1.3.1
        29 July 2022 at 9:44 am

        Sadly…some truth in that. BUT…we have to fight to try and make a difference. As ever.

        For sure those at the "top" are fighting hard to maintain their Status…Quo.

        • pat 1.3.1.1
          29 July 2022 at 9:53 am

          "For sure those at the "top" are fighting hard to maintain their Status…Quo."

          As ever was….ultimately futilely….the real problem is what form the change takes.

    • Sanctuary 1.4
      29 July 2022 at 10:04 am

      I can only speak from my experience watching the heartbreaking destruction of Unitec under the incompetent leadership of Rick Eade. If that was any guide then polytech CEO leadership has been long afflicted by an over supply of mediocre talent that has gigantic egos and an even bigger sense of hubris.

      • PsyclingLeft.Always 1.4.1
        29 July 2022 at 11:30 am

        Unitec Council Chair, Dr Lee Mathias said: “I want to thank Rick for his tremendous contribution to Unitec’s transformation, which includes significant progress towards the redevelopment of our Mt Albert campus, the introduction of new industry partnerships and a strong foundation to deliver more flexible, work-integrated teaching models that our future students and employers will demand. In his time at Unitec, Rick has also raised the profile of contemporary applied learning in New Zealand.”

        https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED1710/S00036/unitec-ce-dr-rick-ede-to-step-down-at-end-of-year.htm

        So..I assume that glowing brown nose….also steamed like a freshly laid cow turd on a winters morn : ) ?

    • ianmac 1.5
      29 July 2022 at 10:26 am

      Liam Sloan resigned from NMIT to become the CEO at ARA in Christchurch. Not really to be counted as a dis-allusioned CEO surely?

  2. Tony Veitch (not etc.) 2
    29 July 2022 at 8:25 am

    Just an observation:

    Mercenary Mitchell has been very quiet during QT in the house lately.

    Is it because he finds he can't puff and sneer quite so readily about Chris Hipkins as Police Minister as he thought he could against Poto?

    Has the bully boy been intimidated by an articulate and forceful minister?

    • PsyclingLeft.Always 2.1
      29 July 2022 at 8:33 am

      Poto is a nice woman. They are quite often the target du jour of the mercen..bull… Ah nat mp type.

      They come unstuck against the likes of Jacinda. Who can eviscerate quite..nicely. As in their guts (?) are spilled…all nicely of course.

      Chris would easily have the measure of these type of shitheads…also : )

    • Anne 2.2
      29 July 2022 at 10:29 am

      "Has the bully boy been intimidated by an articulate and forceful minister?"

      Of course he has. Bully boys (and bully girls for that matter) are not usually very bright. Their one source of power is to harass and intimidate those they perceive to be vulnerable. In the case of bully boys, women who have an ethnic background (ie. darker skin) are generally easy targets. He's going to have to call on his 'mates' inside the Police Force to keep him abreast of any meaty stories – don't have to be true – that he can hit Hipkins with in due course.

    • Stephen D 2.3
      29 July 2022 at 3:22 pm

      In his electorate he is known as being lazy. Without an easy mark, he can’t cut it.

  3. Adrian Thornton 3
    29 July 2022 at 8:32 am

    So it turns out organic AI is already working quite smoothly and efficiently in service of the state as we speak…just watch the host of this show mechanically outline what she has been told to say and think about Unions and Workers….then for the next eighteen minutes, no matter what is said or explained to her, come back again and again and again to her original programming….unluckily for her she is sitting next to Eddie Dempsey from the RMT….watch and enjoy.

    It’s a bit like reading The Guardian on Western foreign interventions or real progressive change..trained human bots spewing propaganda endlessly in service of power.

    Eddie Dempsey nicely brings the media position in the UK on workers striking into sharp focus at about 12 minutes in….if you don't want to watch all 18 minutes.

    • Bearded Git 3.2
      29 July 2022 at 10:39 am

      Brilliant-thanks for that Adrian.

      "You took the money though and didn't give it back"smiley

      "Its a bit of a cheek saying the trade unions are being greedy asking for a pay rise when the profits of the footsie top 350 companies have gone up 73% since 2019. When are we going to ask are they being greedy"

      "Companies taking huge profits out to tax havens" while workers wages continue to decline in real terms.

      Labour need Dempsey as leader not Smarmy Starmer.

      • arkie 3.2.1
        29 July 2022 at 10:49 am

        Meanwhile Starmer has sacked a frontbench MP who joined the picket line:

        The Guardian understands Tarry was told he was sacked as shadow minister for buses and local transport for saying that it was “not acceptable to offer below inflation pay rises” because it would be a real-terms pay cut for workers.

        https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jul/27/sam-tarry-sacked-labour-frontbench-rail-strike-picket-line-keir-starmer

        • PsyclingLeft.Always 3.2.1.1
          29 July 2022 at 11:13 am

          Funny AND True

        • Adrian Thornton 3.2.1.2
          29 July 2022 at 12:06 pm

          Of course The Guardian are in no position to take the moral high ground on this (or anything I can think of), no can or should forget that it was The Guardian who actively led the charge to undermine and destroy Jeremy Corbyn, that has now given the UK that piece of shit Centrist Liberal, Starmer…and it goes without saying that Corbyn would have been on the picket lines with his progressive MP's had he still been leader of the Labour Party.

          • arkie 3.2.1.2.1
            29 July 2022 at 12:21 pm

            Sure, however I think the Forde report outlines the factionalism inside the party was more responsible than a newspaper.

            Both UK Labour and the NZ Labour party have a crisis of ideology:

            Mr Corbyn also said the Forde report showed Labour needed to "decide what it is for".

            "Are we a democratic socialist party, run by members and affiliated unions, that aims for a fundamental transfer of wealth and power from the few to the many?" he asked. "Or are we something else?"

            https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-62226042

            • Adrian Thornton 3.2.1.2.1.1
              29 July 2022 at 12:32 pm

              Corbyn should have purged all the Centrist out…but he was and is too much of a inclusionist to ever do that, I guess he didn't realize that Centrists are as fundamentalist about their ideology as any communist ever was about theirs….still it was probably his biggest mistake IMO.

              Funny the BBC reporting on it, as they, at the time, were some of the most openly biased against him……

          • Bearded Git 3.2.1.2.2
            29 July 2022 at 12:33 pm

            Agreed Adrian…the Guardian's reporting of the anti-semitic issue was scandalous. This and its less than friendly reporting on Corbyn's Brexit position condemned Labour to lose the last election, which is presumably the outcome the Guardian wanted-Boris instead of Jeremy.

      • Adrian Thornton 3.2.2
        29 July 2022 at 12:23 pm

        "Labour need Dempsey as leader not Smarmy Starmer"…Yes they do, either him or Mick Lynch…then we would instantly get to see The Guardian and all other so called 'Liberal' press show their real colours, and do the job they are their for..undermining real progressive change (that and selling Western Imperialist wars and interventions as the moral high ground to the Liberal class)…

        How The Guardian Betrayed Not Only Corbyn But The Last Vestiges Of British Democracy

        https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL2008/S00085/how-the-guardian-betrayed-not-only-corbyn-but-the-last-vestiges-of-british-democracy.htm

        • roy cartland 3.2.2.1
          29 July 2022 at 4:19 pm

          The Guardian was despicable in its Corbyn takedown, especially that awful Jonathan Freedland. After every anti-Corbyn article, I went looking for the anti-semitism he was supposed to have engaged in, and could never find anything more than puerile conjecture and upsetting the Israeli govt.

          Ken Loach says it better than anyone else:

          https://youtu.be/PVP6PlX_UUA

          • Adrian Thornton 3.2.2.1.1
            29 July 2022 at 4:32 pm

            The thing that really grind my gears about The Guardian is that, even after being exposed time and again as being nothing more than Free Market Imperialist Trojan horse that more than any other news source really undermines any serious progressive movement…yet so many 'Lefties' still take it seriously and trust it as a news source….put it this way…there hasn't been a Western intervention the Guardian hasn't supported since Iraq…enough said!!

  4. Molly 4
    29 July 2022 at 8:57 am

    Interim Cass report indicated changes would be coming for the UK's primary gender clinic, the Tavistock.

    Yesterday it was announced the treatment of minors would be transferred to two regional centres, where a comprehensive set of professional support services would be utilised.

    https://cass.independent-review.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Cass-Review-Letter-to-NHSE_19-July-2022.pdf

    . The regional centres should be experienced providers of tertiary paediatric care to ensure a focus on child health and development, with strong links to mental health services. They should have established academic and education functions to ensure that ongoing research and training is embedded within the service delivery model. The centres should have an appropriate multi-professional workforce to enable them to manage the holistic needs of this population, as well as the ability to provide essential related services or be able to access such services through provider collaborations. These should include, but not be limited to: mental health services; services for children and young people with autism and other neurodiverse presentations; and for the subgroup for whom medical treatment may be considered appropriate, access to endocrinology services and fertility services. There should also be expertise in safeguarding, support of looked-after children and children who have experienced trauma. Staff should maintain a broad clinical perspective by working across related services within the tertiary centre and between tertiary and secondary centres in order to embed the care of children and young people with gender-related distress within a broader child and adolescent health context.

    For those that have been following these reviews, this appears to be another significant move away from the "affirming healthcare" model we have for minors here in NZ.

    Following that announcement, the Telegraph has published a personal account from a detransitioner. Link below to non-paywalled copy:

    https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.telegraph.co.uk%2Fnews%2F2022%2F07%2F28%2Fhad-gone-gender-transition-would-have-committed-suicide%2F

    Detransition followed the deradicalisation. As the politics fell away, so did the desire to transition. I began to address with a therapist and gynaecologist – a good one this time – everything that had led me to the point of wanting surgical sterilisation. I was diagnosed with PMDD (an obscure and little known hormonal intolerance) and several learning disorders, including autism – a co-morbidity common to a disproportionate number of girls turning up in gender clinics.

    • RoseyK 4.1
      29 July 2022 at 12:57 pm

      It's great news for evidence-based care and a potential return to sanity for gender-confused youth in England and Wales. Finally, a proper review of the outcome for youth on puberty blockers and hormones and some decent clinical trials to be done on these off-label drugs. The sloppiness of care for young people for whom notes were not properly kept and outcomes not measured is astounding.

      The big question I have is, will this be reported in New Zealand media?

      Will the Ministry of Health finally admit that puberty blockers are not "safe and reversible"?

      When will the government call for a similar review of gender-affirming care, in line with the concerning findings of the Cass Review?

      Especially after this week, when the FDA put out a warning that puberty blockers may cause serious side effects, it seems irresponsible for the Ministry to still be pushing these drugs are "safe" and "irreversible" when these drugs have not undergone clinical trials to prove such an assertion (https://publications.aap.org/aapnews/news/20636/Risk-of-pseudotumor-cerebri-added-to-labeling-for?autologincheck=redirected).

      Or is political virtue signalling more important than evidence-based care of vulnerable youth?

    • Sanctuary 5.1
      29 July 2022 at 9:45 am

      A couple of thoughts. First, these anti-vax types are clearly capable of a terrorist outrage. This guy is being held for doing something very serious – otherwise he'd be out on bail. Look at the recent bomb threats to schools, apparently robocalls from an overseas location making bomb threats in relation to mask mandates. I don't know about you, but I would have thought an offshore account making bomb threats to schools would pretty much complete the bingo card to make sure you end up on the Five Eyes Kanban board "Work in Progress" column. These people are idiots, but they are dangerous idiots.

      Secondly, recent events have shown how monumentally stupid Geoffrey Palmer's reforms repeal of the sedition laws were. In some respects a high water mark of globalist, neoliberal anti-statist law making it has really, really hobbled an effective state response to the anti-vax movement and the rise of seditious behaviour. The repeal of the sedition laws were informed by an ideology that saw the state as a sunset institution that was no longer deserved to be protected by archiac laws.

      Well, we definitely need some sort of sedition law if only to protect those arrested from being charged with more serious offenses under anti-terror laws.

      • Anne 5.1.1
        29 July 2022 at 11:09 am

        To be fair to Geoffrey Palmer, in the 1980s I don't think he could have envisaged the current state of play around the world today and the rise of despotic presidents together with their collective millions of loopy and braindead followers – some of which live in NZ.

        In some respects a high water mark of globalist, neoliberal anti-statist law making it has really, really hobbled an effective state response to the anti-vax movement and the rise of seditious behaviour.

        The best description yet from the fallout of neoliberalism. Roger and Ruth should be hanging their heads in shame.

  6. DB Brown 6
    29 July 2022 at 9:40 am

    I was eating a magnum in parliament and wanted to throw away the wrapper. At that moment Christopher Luxon rounded the corner.

    Me (holding up magnum wrapper): Where's ya bin?

    Christopher: I've been in Te Puke. Thanks for asking.

    Me: No no. Where's ya wheelie bin?

    Christopher: Oh. I've really been in Hawaii, but I tell people Te Puke.

    • Sanctuary 6.1
      29 July 2022 at 9:47 am

      That is like the old joke about New Zealanders:

      Kiwi person #1: "What's a Hindu?"

      Kiwi person #2: "It lays iggs."

    • Robert Guyton 6.2
      29 July 2022 at 11:33 am

      Luxon is a better handyman than his mentor then: Key couldn't hammer a nail, but Luxon can round a corner.

  7. Joe90 7
    29 July 2022 at 10:29 am

    About that Kamala Harris introduction everyone's piling in on.

    https://twitter.com/Johanna_Ann/status/1552471527500775424

  8. Poission 8
    29 July 2022 at 12:04 pm

    Domino effect persists in UK,as housing restrictions on new builds are in effect,due to lack of grid capacity for electricity supply,due to demand from energy hungry data centres,Heat pumps and EV charging.

    https://twitter.com/GeorgeNHammond/status/1552552547474456578

    Australian electricity consumers can expect Nightmare bills as wholesale markets rocket.The grid upgrades and carbon taxes will further increase electricity costs going forward,add to inflation hence increased consumer costs,and transfer of jobs to lower cost manufacturing economies such as NZ.

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-29/aemo-reports-record-wholesale-power-price-customer-nightmare/101279554

    • Sabine 8.1
      29 July 2022 at 12:15 pm

      Well they could just burn some more coal for all their much needed gadgets and stuff.

      And if they wanted to appear as Green and considerate for the planet, they could like us not mine themselves but import coal from countries that are far away from us and where we don't care ab9out the pollution cause it is there and not here near by.

    • Ad 8.2
      29 July 2022 at 12:18 pm

      Is this the 'power down' thing?

      • Poission 8.2.1
        29 July 2022 at 12:36 pm

        More an ESG thing which causes a transfer of demand (unquantified) like high immigration makes us have the highest cost housing,rents,a substantive infrastructure quagmire etc.

        • pat 8.2.1.1
          29 July 2022 at 1:28 pm

          I'd go more with energy decline rather than governance and social license….remembering that all the demanded infrastructure requires yet more energy.

          • Poission 8.2.1.1.1
            29 July 2022 at 1:53 pm

            the UK is the use transformation ,from making things to data centres,and electrification of bus fleets etc.

            Here we are producing and consuming the same amount of electricity,it is only the generation type mix that is changed ( gas replaced 50% by wind) consumption has transformed from industry and primary production (decrease) to residential and commercial use (the latter being blingy signs at the mall)

            • pat 8.2.1.1.1.1
              29 July 2022 at 3:33 pm

              Globally….remember the bulk of our energy is sourced from fossil…which will not be replaced by electricity anytime soon….and likely never.

              • Poission …
                29 July 2022 at 3:55 pm

                You also need to remember that a huge amount of FF is used in transporting FF,40% of shipping for example.The 2 largest population country's,are mostly dependent of FF for energy,and more importantly for food, food transport and transformation.

                Australia with a substantive renewable (solar,wind .hydro) has problems with actually getting it into the grid when needed,and which to reorient the systems (with go round availability ) is close to 22B.

                They also have problems with their pumped hydro,due to there being too much water (overfill dams)

                • pat …
                  29 July 2022 at 4:32 pm

                  Not just transporting FF, but also extracting, refining and transporting minerals (materials)…without which none of the infrastructure can occur.

                  The reducing availability of energy is going to force some very difficult decisions.

                  • Poission …
                    29 July 2022 at 5:12 pm

                    The countries it affects most are developing.

                    Sri Lanka,Bangladesh,Pakistan,India,Laos,Myanmar.

                    https://twitter.com/SStapczynski/status/1552587708446707712?cxt=HHwWgMDUye-S84srAAAA

                    • pat …
                      29 July 2022 at 5:18 pm

                      The countries it affects FIRST are the developing countries….always going to be the case as a bidding war begins….then we move to national interest as the countries with the resources hold on to them (or dispense them for political gain)…anyone spring to mind?

                      A quick look around the globe reveals that the 'first world' are somewhat energy (and minerally) challenged.

                    • Poission …
                      29 July 2022 at 5:29 pm

                      High prices also see demand destruction (the US saw gasoline volumes decrease 3%).Europe diesel is well down in consumption.

                      Australia is not renewing its fuel subsidy,here we kept it decrease inflationary pressures ( and interest rates down) If we removed the subsidy on fuel and RT would we see an uptake on PT? Auckland PT use is the worst in years (excluding lockdown).

                      https://at.govt.nz/about-us/reports-publications/at-metro-patronage-report/

                    • pat …
                      29 July 2022 at 5:35 pm

                      Youre still thinking local…..we import (currently, the time will come when that option disappears) virtually everything we need to maintain our economy….many western economies are similarly placed, with the addition of the fact they are net food importers.

                    • Poission …
                      29 July 2022 at 5:59 pm

                      I was thinking more in terms of peak money,as we are a debtor nation and how we can pay down our commitments,b4 we totally munt our economy.

                    • pat …
                      29 July 2022 at 6:11 pm

                      Thats a problem facing everyone…the old adage of not needing to outrun the bear may apply.

                    • Poission …
                      29 July 2022 at 6:45 pm

                      Households are working more towards living within their means,with larger repayments in their mortgage debt (front loading) and increased household savings 17 billion in the last year,2.1 billion in the last month.

                      High prices see householders move to a war footing fast,and not so much revenge vacationing as Europe and the US.

                      https://www.rbnz.govt.nz/statistics/series/registered-banks/banks-liabilities-deposits-by-sector

                    • pat …
                      29 July 2022 at 6:55 pm

                      Yep, had seen that…is worth remembering thats aggregate data…those who can are, many are unable.

                    • Poission …
                      29 July 2022 at 7:16 pm

                      Wage increases have also added over a billion to employees over the last yr

                      Actual gross earnings on an accrual basis for the June 2022 month were $13.3 billion, compared with $12.2 billion for the June 2021 month.

                      https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/employment-indicators-june-2022/

                      https://www.stats.govt.nz/topics/labour-market

                      Youth employment going up .

                      15–19 years – up 16.9 percent (19,180 jobs)

                      a lot of the inflation is in Shelter (rent and housing building cost) and utilities such as rates (which are out of control) which does add to rent costs.

                    • pat …
                      29 July 2022 at 7:23 pm

                      Yep and until that employment rate/ remuneration falls the RBNZ will keep hiking (unless the FED reverses first)

                    • Poission …
                      29 July 2022 at 7:35 pm

                      One of the Fed analysts said the problem was not so much employment (an indicator) but mor about high shelter costs with new build costs increasing 17% y on y (familiar) and increased interest rates will see both a decrease in housing prices and costs.

                      There has been also a move out of corporate residential housing purchases in the US,and the decrease in finacialization ( speculators) has seen a decrease in commodity prices as they return to value stocks.

                      https://twitter.com/charliebilello/status/1552130138804047873

                      Scroll down for NZ.

                    • pat …
                      29 July 2022 at 7:48 pm

                      "Last week, the number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose to the highest level in more than eight months. It’s a warning sign foreshadowing what’s to come. Jobless claims for the week ending July 15 increased to 251,000, representing the most significant spike since the pandemic time period of November 13 last year, when 265,000 Americans applied for benefits. The Department of Labor also pointed out that employers advertised fewer jobs in May, another signal of a declining job market, which the Fed is hoping for."

                      https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2022/07/22/why-the-fed-needs-to-crush-the-economy-and-job-market-to-save-it/?sh=15b86afe43b9

                      (Unable to scroll twitter as I dont have account.)

                      Central Banks have one blunt tool to curb inflation (when credibility lost)….and it induces unemployment.

                    • Poission …
                      29 July 2022 at 7:55 pm

                      Glass half full with employment data,as the open available vacancies fell to 11.3 million ( update next week)

                      https://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.nr0.htm

                    • pat …
                      29 July 2022 at 8:02 pm

                      Fast food position in California is no good to redundant mortgage broker from New York…x 1000s

                    • Poission …
                      29 July 2022 at 8:09 pm

                      True,not good for land agents here (they will have more articles in herald etc)

                      GDP figures (and inflation) coming out of Europe now,with strong gdp in Italy,Spain,France. Germany just broke even at .1% Attribution is west,south Europe is from Tourism.

                    • pat …
                      29 July 2022 at 8:27 pm

                      If Italy keeps that up they may return their economy to the size it was pre GFC.

                      and attribution is west means?

                    • Poission …
                      29 July 2022 at 9:24 pm

                      West / spain /portugal/ France ( mostly med though)

                      Italy lost a good PM ,he had reduced reliance on Russian gas,with increased supply from Algeria (and deal coming with israel) The big fail with the italian economy was the Euro which constrained growth,they are whist indebted the housing market (like spain has been stable) Germany had a large increase in housing cost (value)

                      Greece is also insulated from Russian gas,as it gets supplied from Azerbaijan.

      • weka 8.2.2
        29 July 2022 at 1:56 pm

        Powerdown is an intentional strategy. This looks more like decades of ignoring the limits of growth merging with the covid/brexit/climate crisis. Be good if we looked at a sustainable and resilient response rather than chasing green BAU.

    • joe90 8.3
      29 July 2022 at 12:45 pm

      But are UK and Australian owners following suit and trying to limit alternative generation?

      https://twitter.com/hcrystal/status/1552265815105339392

      https://www.yahoo.com/news/leaked-us-power-companies-secretly-110017016.html

      When Florida Power & Light faced a spate of bad publicity and political blowback, a small but ambitious news website called the Capitolist sprang to the public utility’s defense.

      […]

      While portraying itself as a feisty independent outlet, the Capitolist — which aims its content directly at Tallahassee decision makers — was bankrolled and controlled by executives of the power company through a small group of trusted intermediaries from an Alabama consulting firm, according to an investigation by the Miami Herald, based on a massive leak of documents. The internal communications, contracts and financial records show how a team of elite communications experts consulting for FPL plucked the Capitolist from obscurity and used it as part of an elaborate, off-the-books political strategy to advocate for rate hikes, agitate for legislative favors, slam political opponents and eliminate anything — even home solar panels — that the publicly traded utility worried might undermine its near monopoly on selling power in the Sunshine State.

      https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article263757423.html

      • Poission 8.3.1
        29 July 2022 at 2:00 pm

        The arguments are complex in the US,as the generation mix changes are dependent on tax breaks (accelerated depreciation) and subsidy replacing what is effectively low carbon generation.

        https://twitter.com/lenhe_j/status/1552646381155692550?cxt=HHwWjMClqYnqjYwrAAAA

        In the inflation bill introduced the US has recognized the importance of E=mc2,and brought in taxbreaks for existing infrastructure,and subsidy for the grid upgrades necessary for intermittent power such as wind ad solar ( need to modulate frequency)

  9. Robert Guyton 9
    29 July 2022 at 1:45 pm

    "TOKYO — People in a southwestern Japanese city have come under attack from monkeys that are trying to snatch babies, biting and clawing at flesh, and sneaking into nursery schools.

    The attacks — on 58 people since July 8 — are getting so bad Yamaguchi city hall hired a special unit to hunt the animals with tranquilizer guns."

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/japanese-city-alarmed-by-biting-clawing-attacking-monkeys/2022/07/27/a9e9ddec-0d8c-11ed-88e8-c58dc3dbaee2_story.html

  10. arkie 10
    29 July 2022 at 2:38 pm

    Shocking survey findings:

    As the cost of living soars, people are struggling to make ends meet with one in six New Zealanders saying they’ve experienced homelessness.

    And 4% of New Zealanders also said they had to sleep rough in the past year.

    A survey from Orange Sky – a not-for-profit organisation that provides free mobile laundry and shower services to people experiencing homelessness – and market research company YouGov also found that 14% of the population say they have been unable to pay living costs such as rent and bills in the past year.

    And of the more than 1000 people surveyed, 54% said they were nervous about their financial security and 23% admitted they were scared about losing their homes due to financial struggles.

    https://www.renews.co.nz/1-in-6-nzers-have-experienced-homelessness-new-study-finds/

    The Greens are trying to pressure the Government to extend eligibility for the Cost of Living payment to those on benefits and pensions:

    The eligibility criteria for the Government's cost of living payment is too narrow, says the Green Party, which wants New Zealanders who receive a benefit or the pension to also get the $350 support.

    Green MP Ricardo Menéndez March says the urgent need to provide lower-income Kiwis with more support is highlighted by figures released last week showing an increase in the number of New Zealanders receiving weekly payments from the Ministry of Development (MSD) to cover the costs of essential items.

    "What it shows is that people are further behind in meeting those basic essentials and that they need additional top-ups just to be above the bread line," he says.

    But extending the cost of living payment to those receiving a benefit is also just a "short-term intervention", the MP says, and more "permanent solutions" are needed.

    …

    "Unless we increase benefits, those figures regarding the amount that people need for hardship grants and the debt that people are getting into won't be decreasing any time soon," the Green MP said.

    He said it "makes no sense" for MSD to spend money and resources delivering temporary supports and hardship grants "when they could simply be increasing benefits to livable levels and not be pushing people constantly to their call centre just to get some extra top-ups just to make ends meet".

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/07/greens-want-cost-of-living-payment-extended-to-kiwis-on-benefit-more-permanent-solutions-to-address-inequality.html

    Enacting the recommendations of WEAG report when?

  11. Ad 11
    29 July 2022 at 3:24 pm

    What's the word on the street on Tuiono?

    Does he have enough backing to put his name in the ring by Thursday?

  12. Corey Humm 12
    29 July 2022 at 3:34 pm

    I would like to apologize for my angry rants on this site for the last year or two, especially the long ones.

    I've been allowing my mental health and cynicism to get the better of me and attacking fellow progressives because I just see everything getting worse for poorer people, I also really care about the left and want it to be successful and sometimes that passion can sometimes turn into near hatred of things I support.

    Anyway, I'm not going to comment on here or other sites for awhile and I’m going try to avoid politics in general for awhile while I work on my mental health, hopefully I can learn to love politics and be hopeful and engage in discourse in a healthy and kind way in future.

    All the best to everyone on this blog and solidarity with you all.

  13. joe90 13
    29 July 2022 at 4:13 pm

    Now imagine the crimes they’re not recording and posting.

    https://twitter.com/vokiratas/status/1552759641104334848

    A horrific video posted online on Thursday appears to show a Ukrainian prisoner of war being castrated by his Russian captors.

    […]

    The victim in the video wears Ukrainian-style camouflage fatigues and is shown gagged, his hands tied behind his back. He lies helpless on the floor as the man in a Russian uniform, which features a “Z” patch, uses a box cutter to cut off his clothes and then appears to castrate him while shouting degrading insults in Russian. At least two other men who appear to be Russian soldiers can be seen in the video.

    https://news.yahoo.com/horrifying-footage-appears-to-show-russian-captors-castrating-a-ukrainian-prisoner-of-war-221414554.html

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