Open mike 29/07/2023

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, July 29th, 2023 - 63 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:


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 …

63 comments on “Open mike 29/07/2023 ”

  1. Dennis Frank 1

    A worm was spotted 40m deep down into Siberian permafrost, extracted, dated to 46,000 years ago, and revived: https://edition.cnn.com/2023/07/28/world/worm-resurrected-frozen-siberian-permafrost-intl-scli-scn/index.html

    A noteworthy scientific success, with political implications.

    Organisms in a cryptobiotic state can endure the complete absence of water or oxygen and withstand high temperatures, as well as freezing or extremely salty conditions. They remain in a state “between death and life,” in which their metabolic rates decrease to an undetectable level

    This state of stasis, a third alternative (to life & death), has also been achieved by our Labour Party. Can it be revived? Unkind commentators will note the uncanny resemblance to the worm (slimy, ultra-tiny brain, etc).

    "Yes we can", said Obama. "No we can't", said Hipkins. Luxon has set an extremely low bar for Hipkins to slither under. We can tell from Hipkins' resolute stance that he's serious about getting down there and sliding beneath it.

    • SPC 1.1

      One of the worst aspects of political discourse is to impugn the humanity of others, such as when Christians refer to others as reptilians.

      Generally the left question the mammonesque – celebration of the order of rule of the imperial coin/American dollar capital.

      And the right, focus on conservative social values vs liberal tolerance and question the threat to private ownership and wealth via social democratic policy concepts of equity.

      Thus the greedy vs those of envy taxation.

      Benjamin Disraeli after becoming the prime minister in 1868, "I have climbed to the top of the greasy pole."

      And of course poll driven leadership.

      Then there is the term down the greasy poll in relation to the ultimate stage of a debate – down the thread, when all there is left to say is insults, one party of which will have deserved.

      I suspect the last post today will be classier than the first.

      • weka 1.1.1

        One of the worst aspects of political discourse is to impugn the humanity of others, such as when Christians refer to others as reptilians.

        Completely agree. Slur politics is on the rise and the left should be resisting this with all our might.

        • Dennis Frank 1.1.1.1

          Such likening is traditional, however. Whether it be analogy, metaphor or simile, figures of speech have always been used.

          They achieve currency in proportion to (perceived) accuracy, which is why they will remain endemic. Whilst it may be suitably tribal for left-wingers to do the ole christian `holier than thou' at others, doing so shrinks their influence. Trying to eliminate part of humanity will seem inhuman to others.

        • adam 1.1.1.2

          Completely agree. Slur politics is on the rise and the left should be resisting this with all our might.

          Censorship then?

      • Drowsy M. Kram 1.1.2

        I suspect the last post today will be classier than the first.

        smiley To slur is human…

      • SPC 1.1.3

        The Blue Jay, (one of their home bases is Toronto, also the home court of the born again up their above us down below Raptors) love to eat worms.

        Blue Jays are related to the Crows, those by the cradle of the born again.

        The religious revival (vibrations filling up believers like a wine cup overflowing) of January 1994 began at Vineyard Airport Church Toronto.

        Unilever has a long history in Canada having started operating in the 1890's in downtown Toronto with the Lever Brother's soap factory. Lux is now on the brand, for those who believe cleanliness is next to god, rather than the unwashed masses (a joke about those with a little water on a little hair and the adult baptised – full body).

        They also retail food for corporate profit.

        The Hunger Games referred to the mocking of the parasitic (rentiers who impose their ECA precariat order) overlords (who own central city prime land property, rather than rent in the outer districts).

        The Blue Tit of Mother England also likes to eat worms.

        One can play by the rules of the establishment, or note that they cannot take their wealth with them, just hand it on to their class descendants till the revolution comes. Wat Tyler, Levellers, 1689, 1893 (Enzed) and 1908 (UK Labour), 1935, 1996 (MMP).

        A diet of worms for the those who believe in the lords and masters of imperial capital mammon, or grab that apple, vote and keep the the house safe from the crows of capitalism.

        PS Unilever is behind a basic food of the poor called pot noodle.

    • bwaghorn 1.2

      That's the oddest post comment ive ever read

      • Shanreagh 1.2.1

        I think it is brilliant. Thank you DF.

        I love figures of speech and the more extreme or unlikely in content the better.

        They remain in a state “between death and life,” in which their metabolic rates decrease to an undetectable level

        "This state of stasis, a third alternative (to life & death), has also been achieved by our Labour Party. "

        Of course stasis is a biological response to the conditions.

        I am keen on the PM continuing with the tradition of explaining is losing concept, particularly in relation to the fresh food/GST so-called leak. So what may be stasis for worms and also biological, may be deliberate policy by the so-called higher powers, humans.

        As well as the political context the stasis of these worms is interesting…..is hibernation also classed as stasis?

        • Dennis Frank 1.2.1.1

          smiley I thought it was apt. I noted mild-mannered Parker's elegant side-step in the direction of authenticity. All is not lost for Labour but their lethargy remains the only notably aspect of their performance in the campaign thus far.

          Re the PM, he's been big on negativity yet he could still deliver a pleasant surprise, so I'll wait & see…

          • Patricia Bremner 1.2.1.1.1

            Parker at the Leadership contest here in Rotorua was memorable for the number of "I" s in his speech.

            Where Andrew Little was the one to say "We have to change and do better"

            Grant Robertson said he would like to lead a unified team and would choose Jacinda Ardern as his DP.

            Parker's "side step" was petulance in my view. You may consider it elegant, when really it is self serving.

            Plus some worms are like white ants and borer destroying the structure as they care not for the host, and do not have a symbiotic relationship.

            Dennis where are your barbs for our real foe? Where are your clever word plays on Act and National? ?devil

            • Dennis Frank 1.2.1.1.1.1

              Well, Patricia, I have to say Parker was being principled in my view. There's also been a bunch of msm commentary to similar effect. The gist I noticed was that he & Robertson were amenable to a consensual wealth tax & at least one of them (Parker) seems to have invested a significant amount of time & energy to it. Given their likely coalition partners are both committed to that, seems both sensible and prudent for him to have done that work ahead of the time for negotiating any points of difference. He therefore deserves respect for his political nous. Can't say that for the PM unless he's eyeing up a prospective Nat/Lab option to save neoliberalism.

              Re the two rightist options, others have being assiduous & not needed my help but if they come up with anything particularly obnoxious I'll have a go at skewering any prospective rightist govt position…

              • Patricia Bremner

                Act wanting to do away with human rights? the Treaty? Not meaty enough for you?

                devil

                • Dennis Frank

                  Correct, such blatherings from ACT are devoid of substance therefore not worthy of comment. Posturing only…

      • PsyclingLeft.Always 1.2.2

        But wait, there's more coming? DF's comments are at times seemingly random.

        A kind of "stream of conscious (unconscious?) thought " ….

        or something.

        Best viewed with an open mind. And maybe..a smile : )

      • Anne 1.2.3

        If you are referring to DMK's quote from SPC bwaghorn, I think he is replying to Dennis Frank's first post of the day. In particular these bits?

        … a third alternative (to life & death), has also been achieved by our Labour Party. Can it be revived? Unkind commentators will note the uncanny resemblance to the worm (slimy, ultra-tiny brain, etc).

        Luxon has set an extremely low bar for Hipkins to slither under. We can tell from Hipkins' resolute stance that he's serious about getting down there and sliding beneath it.

        If I’m correct I agree with SPC.

        • PsyclingLeft.Always 1.2.3.1

          Hi Anne. No, im pretty sure Bwaghorn's comment was in reply direct to DF.

          And…I would say it was pretty much as he wrote.. : )

          Def high on the Odd scale.

          No argument on the ramping anti Labour part…….

          • Anne 1.2.3.1.1

            Oops yes. I assumed he was replying to DMK. blush

            Nevertheless my comment stands by itself.

            • PsyclingLeft.Always 1.2.3.1.1.1

              Anne you're allgood. And yep lets call out the Anti-Labour troll attempts (on here at least)

              And…Keep Left : )

              • adam

                Anti-labour party here 🙂

                As economically they are not left.

                • PsyclingLeft.Always

                  Anti-labour party here 🙂

                  Ahuh. I could have said..no shit : )

                  Still at least, you for one are honest..so maybe no troll !

                  And you at least aren't a NAct ?

                  Anyway, FYI for you and other Anti-Labour types.

                  I get that Labour aren't perfect. But you and the others cant bear to admit to the long list that Labour has achieved. (Its been on here many times..you maybe flick straight past ? )

                  Maybe you wont be as affected by the alternative NAct govt.

                  I and many hundreds of thousands others will be.

                  • adam

                    I think reform is sad joke under this economic system.

                    So for me any so called achievements are not worth the salt, sweat, and tears they cost. As the poor keep being raped and pillaged by brutal economic forces.

            • bwaghorn 1.2.3.1.1.2

              Was to df, as far as seques go it was a lonnnng reach.

        • Drowsy M. Kram 1.2.3.2

          yes Too much slurred speech in DF's first post for my taste – I too agree with SPC.

          The worm bit @1 was interesting, but couldn’t make head nor tail of the rest of it.

          I suspect such pointless provocations will become more frequent, "going forward."

    • Phillip ure 1.3

      D.frank must surely be a shoo-in for today's groin-stretch-metaphor award..?

      46,000 yr old worm…to hipkins-labour..?

      whoar..!

      • PsyclingLeft.Always 1.3.1

        groin-stretch-metaphor award

        Lol. I'd also add, the sheer arm strength needed for that Long Bow stretch. Must be superhuman : )

      • ianmac 1.3.2

        That 46,000 old frozen worm @ Phillip was reported as being revived/arisen. If only it could speak.

    • Phillip ure 1.4

      Too much incrementalism leads inevitably to stasis..

      .. which is where we are..

    • Mac1 1.5

      "Unkind commentators will note the uncanny resemblance…."

      Yes, we noticed the unkindness. Usually, "unkind commentators" would be followed by a critique of that unkindness. not by a further extension of it.

      Because that makes it even unkinder, since the commentator is aware of his/her unkindness.

      The word 'kind' is also associated with 'kinship'. The lovely Irish song "She Moved Through the Fair" has a line "And my father won't slight you for your lack of kind".

      The object of that line is not a fairy, not of the fairy kind, but the singer says that won't matter.

      But, in unkindness we try to 'other' the ones we don't like. We say they are not like us. They are not akin to us. We might even compare them to worms.

      I have to say that when I wake up in the morning, being 'woke' as it were, and find that Open Mike has not opened with its become usual first contribution, then I am happier. Today I skipped off to work by 8.30 and missed this 8.27 contribution.

      I had a good morning. I was kind to my students and they were the same to me. It was my last lesson before final retirement! I sang them a song- "So long, it's been good to know you."

      As a life member of the Labour Party I was not enthused to being likened to a worm. That was an unkindly cast, but I guess in the end we, the worms, win, every time………..

      • Patricia Bremner 1.5.1

        smileyyes Have a happy healthy retirement Mac1. After 22 years I highly recommend it. "Lang may your lum reek" Metaphorically as we are Red and Green or TM Parti lol laugh

        • Mac1 1.5.1.1

          Thanks, Patricia. I have no chimney so more appropriate would be "Lang may my joints creak."

          • Patricia Bremner 1.5.1.1.1

            Maybe a dram will helpdevil

            • Mac1 1.5.1.1.1.1

              Patricia, I thought about my "Lang may your joints creak", your "Lang may your lums reek" and composed this combined version in honour of another contributor here- "Lang may your joints reek!" Cheers, Philip.

  2. SPC 2

    Conspiracy to Obstruct Justice charge against Donald John Trump explained

    On Thursday, prosecutors unveiled a new indictment, which charges Trump, his co-defendant and valet Walt Nauta and a third Trump employee, Carlos De Oliveira, with attempting to delete security camera footage at Mar-a-Lago after they were sent a grand jury subpoena for the videos in June 2022.

    Prosecutors allege De Oliveira told another employee "the boss" wanted a server containing security footage to be deleted.

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2023/07/the-legal-troubles-of-former-us-president-donald-trump-after-latest-charges.html

  3. Incognito 3

    Election Day was 17 October in 2020.

    Labour released its first election campaign policy on 8 August 2020.

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/08/nz-election-2020-labour-s-first-campaign-policy-revamped-national-policy.html

    This time around, Labour’s campaign launch looks to be along the same timelines.

    I don’t expect Labour to promise us avocado toast, even with GST removed, instead of ‘boring’ bread & butter policies, but it would be good if they can fill the current narrative vacuum and turn this General Election into a genuine policy contest of ideas founded on core principles & values.

    NACT, Te Pāti Māori, and the Greens have started setting the scene and it’s Labour’s move now and it better be bold.

    • Ad 3.1

      +100 on the narrative vacuum.

      Where is Labour? Anyone?

      After a lifetime I can't see myself voting for them this time.

      And no idea who I will party vote for.

    • Anne 3.2

      yes Well said.

  4. UncookedSelachimorpha 4

    Who knew!! People who spread bullshit, are more prone to believing bullshit, due to faulty cognition in both cases.

    "You can't bullshit a bullshitter"….turns out to be bullshit.

    Abstract

    Research into both receptivity to falling for bullshit and the propensity to produce it have recently emerged as active, independent areas of inquiry into the spread of misleading information. However, it remains unclear whether those who frequently produce bullshit are inoculated from its influence. For example, both bullshit receptivity and bullshitting frequency are negatively related to cognitive ability and aspects of analytic thinking style, suggesting that those who frequently engage in bullshitting may be more likely to fall for bullshit. However, separate research suggests that individuals who frequently engage in deception are better at detecting it, thus leading to the possibility that frequent bullshitters may be less likely to fall for bullshit. Here, we present three studies (N = 826) attempting to distinguish between these competing hypotheses, finding that frequency of persuasive bullshitting (i.e., bullshitting intended to impress or persuade others) positively predicts susceptibility to various types of misleading information and that this association is robust to individual differences in cognitive ability and analytic cognitive style.

    • Anne 4.1

      However, separate research suggests that individuals who frequently engage in deception are better at detecting it, thus leading to the possibility that frequent bullshitters may be less likely to fall for bullshit.

      Not from my many and varied past experiences.

      Not only do they spread bullshit like an out of control fire, but they assume that everybody is like them and into bullshit. Thus they double down and end up causing untold damage to the poor mugs in the firing line.

      Yep. You can’t bullshit a bullshitter is a load of bullshit. 🙁

  5. Dennis Frank 5

    At the geopolitical level ministers of states are proving inadequate:

    The EU, represented by Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius at the meeting, responded with exasperation. “At the end of our meeting today, is the glass half full or half empty?” Sinkevičius asked in his closing remarks. “It is certainly empty when we look at where we stand on G20 commitments to address climate change — we simply are nowhere.”

    “The disappointing G20 energy and climate outcomes show ministers don’t have the mandate to negotiate on the defining issues of our time,” said Luca Bergamaschi, co-founder of Italian climate think tank ECCO. “G20 leaders must step in and together agree the actions needed for a safer planet.”

    https://www.politico.eu/article/we-simply-are-nowhere-eu-slams-lack-of-progress-at-g20-climate-meeting/

    So the talkfest got no practical results. That ministers lack mana is an interesting conclusion for the activist to draw from their failure:

    G20 climate ministers failed to make progress on key issues on Friday, drawing sharp criticism from the European Union. Talks in the southern Indian city of Chennai took place against the backdrop of scientists finding that July is on track to become the world’s hottest month on record. But the discussions wrapped up without consensus on the global transition away from fossil fuels; last week's G20 energy ministerial ended similarly.

    The split forced the Indian G20 presidency to publish an incomplete outcome document on issues countries managed to agree on, as well as an additional chair’s summary on others where ministers did not reach consensus.

    From my experience leading the consensus process for the Greens for several years, looks like insufficient preliminary work done. Meetings cost time & money – best to get a basis for agreement first via online consensus-building.

    • adam 5.1

      Neo-liberalism in any form = business as usual.

      • Dennis Frank 5.1.1

        Could just be that Adam. Thing is, whereas the ideology is toxic in many respects, there's a paradox due to the benefits it generates in pulling third world nations out of poverty. In a global view, there's actually little that works better.

        Consequently, although the report never spelt it out, I suspect those objecting see the benefits of global capitalism as a sufficient reason to retain the status quo. Since they are only ministers, they are as likely as not to be in bed with vested interests. So they can artfully argue benefits to their poor whilst not mentioning their selfish motives.

  6. joe90 6

    Neo-idealism, a morally-based approach to geopolitics, grounded in the power of values conceived as ideals to strive for.

    .

    There is a new idealism at work in international politics. Pioneered by people and politicians in Ukraine, the Baltic states, and the Czech Republic, but increasingly apparent in the actions and words of leaders across the free world, it has opened the door to a better kind of grand strategy for liberal democracies.

    The standard bearers for this new hard-edged, forward-looking idealism in (geo)politics include Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and her erstwhile Finnish counterpart Sanna Marin, as well as President Edgars Rinkēvičs (Latvia) and Foreign Ministers Gabrielius Landsbergis (Lithuania) and Jan Lipavsky (Czechia).

    They are joined by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, a leader reborn in the crucible of Europe’s response to Russian aggression. At the head of the pack though is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky who, channelling the courage and conviction of his people, has done most to pioneer the ‘Neo-Idealist’ synthesis of morality and materiel, principle and progress.

    https://www.bylinesupplement.com/p/the-rise-of-the-new-idealists

    • adam 6.1

      Did you cheer on the wagner group Joe90?

      Russian fascists scare the hell of me, the pan European ones scare me just as much.

      • UncookedSelachimorpha 6.1.1

        I would cheer Wagner on, only so far as internal russian strife might save Ukrainians. Wagner is nonetheless despicable and I hope both Putin and Wagner lose.

        "X did bad. Y opposes X. Therefore Y is good."

        Many of the Putin fans commenting here seem to fall into this error.

        • adam 6.1.1.1

          You know Wagner are nazis UncookedSelachimorpha?

          Real life Russian nazi scum?

          Yeah nah, no way I'd supporting nazi scum in any way, my Granddad use to shot them.

    • Dennis Frank 6.2

      Encouraging, huh? Strange to say I haven't noticed Biden's idealism yet. From your link:

      Even the Biden administration, so crucial yet so hesitant to commit to Ukraine’s victory over Russia, has clearly positioned itself as the leader of a democratic bloc with the intent to face down authoritarian China as a systemic rival. Relatedly, Washington has been more hawkish on geoeconomics than geopolitics as it seeks to move on from Neo-liberal economics.

      USA moving on from neoliberalism? Where's the evidence?

      • Dennis Frank 6.2.1

        Oh, I see, it's a resilience strategy, that's good! From a speech by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan at the Brookings Institution:

        When President Biden came into office more than two years ago, the country faced, from our perspective, four fundamental challenges.

        First, America’s industrial base had been hollowed out… The second challenge we faced was adapting to a new environment defined by geopolitical and security competition… The third challenge we faced was an accelerating climate crisis and the urgent need for a just and efficient energy transition.. Finally, we faced the challenge of inequality and its damage to democracy.

        Official cognizance of this tetrad is a good basis upon which to proceed. They ought to have told the media about it back then!

        Ultimately, our goal is a strong, resilient, and leading-edge techno-industrial base that the United States and its like-minded partners, established and emerging economies alike, can invest in and rely upon together.

        President Biden and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen talked about this here in Washington last month. They released a very important statement, which, if you haven’t read it, I really encourage you to read. At its heart, what the statement said was the following: bold public investments in our respective industrial capacity needs to be at the heart of the energy transition. And President von der Leyen and President Biden committed to working together to ensure that the supply chains of the future are resilient, secure, and reflective of our values—including on labor.

        They laid out practical steps in the statement to achieve those goals—like aligning respective clean-energy incentives on each side of the Atlantic and launching a negotiation on supply chains for critical minerals and batteries. Shortly after that, President Biden went to Canada. He and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau established a task force to accelerate cooperation between Canada and the United States toward exactly the same end: ensuring our clean-energy supply and creating middle-class jobs on both sides of the border. And just a few days after that, the United States and Japan signed an agreement deepening our cooperation on critical-mineral supply chains.

        Now this kind of thing is likely to make a wide swathe of folks less cynical about Democrats. Not airheads after all. surprise

        • joe90 6.2.1.1

          Not airheads after all

          It's almost like they've woken up.

          .

          When President Biden came into office more than two years ago, the country faced, from our perspective, four fundamental challenges.

          First, America’s industrial base had been hollowed out.

          The vision of public investment that had energized the American project in the postwar years—and indeed for much of our history—had faded. It had given way to a set of ideas that championed tax cutting and deregulation, privatization over public action, and trade liberalization as an end in itself.

          There was one assumption at the heart of all of this policy: that markets always allocate capital productively and efficiently—no matter what our competitors did, no matter how big our shared challenges grew, and no matter how many guardrails we took down.

          Now, no one—certainly not me—is discounting the power of markets. But in the name of oversimplified market efficiency, entire supply chains of strategic goods—along with the industries and jobs that made them—moved overseas. And the postulate that deep trade liberalization would help America export goods, not jobs and capacity, was a promise made but not kept.

          https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2023/04/27/remarks-by-national-security-advisor-jake-sullivan-on-renewing-american-economic-leadership-at-the-brookings-institution/

          The Biden administration’s international economic agenda: National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan

          Brookings Institution

  7. Phillip ure 7

    Here's the picture:

    In my vintage caravan (1957).. a delight of varnished wood/yellow formica/chrome etc..

    Parked on a cliff top overlooking a harbour.

    There is no wind/rain.

    Smoking slim-line joints..a blend of three examples of nz's best..

    Listening to back episodes of that cornucopia of musical delights..nashville babylon..

    A much loved animal sleeping either side of me ..their ears twitching to the music..as they do…

    I've had worse Saturday nites..

    (This has been a bulletin from te gypsy lifestyle…)

    • Patricia Bremner 7.1

      devil Doggy animals Phillip? Our cat does not like guitars banjos or fiddles. If him indoors plays his guitar she is “outta there” The caravan sounds like a friends, well built.

      • Phillip ure 7.1.1

        I was in this place ..and I had this old ex-pig hunting dog..who was one of the gentlest dogs I have known..

        And I became aware that a feral cat was sleeping underneath my caravan…it wouldn't come near me.. totally feral ..but I would leave a bowl of vegan dog biscuits and water under there for her ..

        Sometime later she had a couple of kittens..in a cavity in a cliff..

        Shortly after she was caught in a trap..and one of her front legs was just hanging…so she couldn't care for them..

        So what she did was she deposited the kittens under my caravan ..and disappeared…

        So I had these two hissing/spitting entities to contend with..

        And it was a quandary for me…I knew if I handed them to spca/whoever they would likely just off them…(they were very antisocial..)

        So I fed them all I had..vegan dog biscuits…and they loved them…

        So I sourced them some vegan cat biscuits..(vegan pet food company..off titirangi rd..)…and we were off and running..

        But they were still as feisty as..

        So what I did was I would sit still and speak softly to them ..(and later on I figured it was like I was purring at them..)

        So they eventually melted..and they both just adored the old dog…would sleep curled up on him…he seemed to like it too..

        Anyway…the old boy dog died..leaving these two boys…

        And I haven't had cats before.. it's always been dogs..

        But I hafta say..these two have won me over…their apparent enjoyment of music just part of it..

        Tho' I am conflicted still…them being cats and all..

        They are on demand food..the bowl is always full…and collars/bells and all that. .but they are cats..still..

  8. SPC 8

    The domino effect, or chain reaction.

    Virtuous Circle

    If you describe a situation as a virtuous circle, you mean that once one good thing starts happening, other good things happen, which cause the first thing to continue happening.

    Such as

    I want a virtuous circle of investment and growth in the rail industry. That is the virtuous circle at which we aim. Together, the modernisation of civil justice and the reform of legal aid will complete a virtuous circle.

    Vicious Cycle

    when the more something is done, the worse it gets, which means that it happens more.

    Such as

    A vicious cycle is a negative series of events that build on and reinforce each other. If you can't you can't get a job without experience, but you can't get experience without a job, then you are in a vicious cycle.

    What is vicious circle in psychology?

    A vicious cycle (also known as vicious circle) is used to describe a situation in which events are in a feedback loop in which the action or event is strengthened by its consequence which starts the cycle all over again. It is an event pattern that never reaches equilibrium and is in constant motion.

    What is vicious circle in philosophy?

    Vicious Circle. Description: The conclusion of the argument is appealed to as one of the truths or principles upon which the argument itself rests.

    What is the word for arguing in circles?

    A circular argument, also known as circular reasoning, is an incorrect argument that tries to prove itself using its conclusion as evidence, such as “our boss is the best person for the job because they were promoted to boss.”

    Quotes from

    https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=a+virtuous+circle+idiom

  9. newsense 9

    This shows the evil of the right. For so long they have avoided climate action of any kind and told us to buy insurance if we were worried. Here it shows how traumatising it can be to just get what you are owed out of your insurer.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/494734/insurance-payout-for-flood-hit-owner-raised-after-months-of-delay

    Today we also found out how costly dealing with flooding in Auckland will be. God knows what it will be like if this happens more regularly.

    Climate change and extreme weather events are going to make inequality worse. We shouldn’t have a business environment where some industries are exempt from doing their part socially, morally or fiscally.

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  • Foreshore and seabed 2.0

    In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the Royal Commission report into abuse in care

    Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Weekly Roundup 26-July-2024

    Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 day ago
  • God what a relief

    1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Trust In Me

    Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 26

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care report released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced $802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Radical law changes needed to build road

    The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #30 2024

    Open access notables Could an extremely cold central European winter such as 1963 happen again despite climate change?, Sippel et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics: Here, we first show based on multiple attribution methods that a winter of similar circulation conditions to 1963 would still lead to an extreme seasonal ...
    2 days ago
  • First they came for the Māori

    Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live

    Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Will the real PM Luxon please stand up?

    Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Will debt reduction trump abuse in care redress?

    Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Care report in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Olywhites and Time Bandits

    About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Why were the 1930s so hot in North America?

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson Those who’ve trawled social media during heat waves have likely encountered a tidbit frequently used to brush aside human-caused climate change: Many U.S. states and cities had their single hottest temperature on record during the 1930s, setting incredible heat marks ...
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

    Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 19

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #29 2024

    Open access notables Improving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society: To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

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