Around a decade ago, Bill Watson told me the Jap whaling industry was controlled by the Yakuza. He was Sea Shepherd coordinator for Aotearoa at the time. Pete Bethune had just been imprisoned by the Japs. Bill was worried the Yakuza would kill him there.
I found myself realising, a day or two later, that he was probably right so I needed to be proactive. Not my business, but sometimes the conscience says do it anyway! So I wrote the necessary letter to the new PM, John Key, asking him to get Bethune out & back home. Was pleased when the PM did what I’d asked! Bethune bitched about it, JK told the media he was ungrateful & I agreed, eye-rolling, & commented to Bill that nobody was ever going to award Bethune a medal for diplomacy.
Sea Shepherd declared victory the other day, after Japan announced they were jumping the IWC ship, would resume whaling next year, but not in Antarctic waters. The crims need the money, they still control the politicians, the media are still clueless – but they’re trying to figure it out: “There is a view that the country’s whaling obsession is less about food, as whale meat is surprisingly unpopular in Japan, especially among younger people, than it is about politics and culture. Defying the world’s rules and resuming commercial whaling is a bold expression of national identity.”
“Japan is not alone in doing so. Norway and Iceland also claim histories of whaling and have defied the 1986 ban on commercial killing. But it seems that, as in Japan, consumer taste is at odds with national identity. A 2018 report found that while Norway had about 350 whaling ships in 1950, there were only 11 operating in 2017. In that year, Norwegian whalers took less than half their annual quota of 999 whales.”
“Icelandic whalers have killed more than 500 fin whales since 2006, with the meat exported to the declining whale market in Japan, due to the absence of local demand, according to the charity Whale and Dolphin Conservation.” So the trend is for barbarians to become more of an endangered species than whales. Barbaric practices still have the support of three pseudo-civilised govts though!
Do you think perhaps it may be perceived that way as a left-over from WW11? After all, we talk about Brits and Aussies without any concerns of this nature
Probably only if the Japs ever declare that they actually are a race rather than Japanese citizens. Obviously the technical nature of reality is usually too hard for pc-drones to grasp, of course.
How’d you like that James? Being called PC? Personally I don’t care for the term “Japs” or “PC” but meh, people can say what they like (& as per usual says more about them than they’d really like to share anyway).
You are not Japanese. You are an exposed serial liar and agitator on a left leaning blog site…your intent is to agitate…and possibly to get your jollies in the process….
Jap, is short for Japanese and is not racist at face value, so only Dennis Frank can advise you what his intent is behind use of the abbreviation….
Concentrate on improving yourself so you can set a good example to those grand children , eh ….
Either way, you can sit back down, put the fake virtue signalling back in the box …
And you may have missed the general warning yesterday by one of the mods te reo putake:
“So, a general warning that reference to any commenters background, known or not, should be clearly relevant to the discussion at hand.”
A quick check on the replies tab shows your last three replies to me are about or mention my grandkids. I don’t know what your obsession with young children but you seem to have an inappropriate fixation on them. That – and it has nothing to do with the discussion in hand.
A couple of points. Firstly, Jap is considered offensive by Japanese people, so let’s not use it.
Secondly, I re-iterate the point I made yesterday, which was that irrelevant references to a commenter’s personal details or family situations is poor form. If its clearly relevant to the immediate discussion, fine. By that I mean that if a commenter chooses to share some details in a thread and that engenders responses, that’s cool. What’s not cool is bringing up those details later as some form of point scoring exercise.
The Wiki link also has links to some other good reference tools. Have bookmarked them.
To te reo putake
Thanks for the good moderation and guidance on these issues over the last day or so. Perhaps the latter could be added to the About and Policy if other moderators etc agree.
Yes, James, it is about the intent….that is exactly what it is about…
The links you’ve posted to, nor your incorrect and faux outrage do nothing to change that… So, ask DF what his intent was….go ahead….even if DF says it was intended as derogatory, would not change the fact JAP is an abbreviation which can be used in a non derogatory manner…
Moving along to your fake playing ‘victim’….
Per my reply to TRP yesterday, you are not posting on this site in good faith, James. You are an agitator, a deliberate agitator which is to be one of the lowest forms of public tro*l behavior.
Part of your agitators ‘shtick’ includes manufacturing stories referencing your age, ethnicity, residential location, family members/dynamic including their age bracket, education, work and off-spring, as well as your dwellings , dining, sporting and nutritional preferences…
You have willingly used these details as part of the agitation process, and therefore not in good faith…not a single shred….
In recent times you appear to be utilizing a particularly ugly tactic, and having had your comments repeatedly exposed over a number of years as racist and misogynistic etc in the literal sense, not the fake version such as you are blatantly doing once again here with DF….you are now seeking to play the victim, pushing for bans and retribution against other commentators here, who from what I can tell are mostly posting in good faith….
Even handles such as naki man appear to be more honest that you…aggressive, angry and ignorant….but seemingly in an honest way, as much as his level will allow him…
You are beneath even that level!
================================
TRP – Per your repeated comment/position from yesterday. You have played directly into the desired response James was looking for. Per my response yesterday, you are also enabling and empowering this sites most odious agitator, and not in good faith commentator… my opinion….
In contrast to VV’s comment regarding your moderation. I do not agree that you have moderated this instance well at all, not at face value…
I would say that since you returned, your moderation style is more effective than it had previously been…
Thanks, vv. Adding it to the policy is a good idea. Mind you, it’s really obvious from looking at other blogs that TS commenters are way more thoughtful and considered in their postings, which is nice. it means that issues like this can be discussed rationally and without malice.
Yeah. Traditional language usage is only a problem for a few isolated individuals. It has been a common abbreviation used in this country my entire life. Never heard anyone use it in a derogatory sense that some pc-drone could spin as racist.
The princess who has attained a position of civil rights advocacy that James linked to may have impressed the HuffPost editorial team, but so what? Just because some folks think they can get away with language conformity doesn’t mean others will stop viewing them as sociopaths, right?
As you have noted previously, you and I are of a similar age, Dennis.
While I agree it is an abbreviation which has been used in this country, I personally have not heard it used for many years.
My recollection of it mainly goes back to my childhood when it seemed to be much more common and in fact used in many cases in a derogatory manner – particularly by a couple of uncles and their friends who had spent time in Japanese POW camps. (Another one of that era was the Yellow Peril.)
So in fact it actually jumped out at me when I saw you use it, but I felt that you personally were not necessarily using it in a derogatory manner. Nevertheless as te reo putake says, it is considered offensive by Japanese people, so let’s not use it.
However, as a woman, what I do find offensive is your:
“The princess who has attained a position of civil rights advocacy that James linked to may have impressed the HuffPost editorial team, but so what? Just because some folks think they can get away with language conformity doesn’t mean others will stop viewing them as sociopaths, right?
So you disagree with her opinion; but do you really need to be so derogatory in doing so?
Language more common to Kiwiblog – and very reminiscent of similar put down comments there and elsewhere about Jacinda Ardern, our PM …
No need to even read the links. They are simply the efforts of an agitator seeking to identify endorsement, for a position taken which is incorrect and disingenuous…
I have no idea what your intention was when using the abbreviation…that is only for you to know…
TRP states use of the abbreviation is ‘considered offensive’ to Japanese, which is potentially true in some instances…such is the generic wholesale statement he made…
What I can state, as I know this directly first hand, that there are Japanese who use the abbreviation to each other, and towards other Japanese, and in no way is it meant to be, nor is it taken as ‘offensive’…
Which makes attempts of language conformity little more than the subjective preference of someone(s ) who are highly unlikely to be ethnic Japanese, of any percentage…one who is openly acting in bad faith…
So, there is James and TRP , both non Japanese, seeking to advise/enforce which language that another non Japanese person (yourself Dennis , assumption) should/should not use when writing and commentating…
Understandable that those who fought them would feel that way, especially those who ended up in their prison camps with the torture & brutality endemic.
Just because TRP says Japanese have that view doesn’t mean he’s right. If he can produce evidence, I’ll consider it. I’ve seen none as yet. A statement of foreign policy by the Japanese govt would be authoritative. Even an official statement by one of their leaders, perhaps. Otherwise it’s all just a few people trying to get away with imposing their personal morality on others. Offensive behaviour!
And when a narcissist use a position of ngo advocacy to do it, why ought we to be impressed? She didn’t cite any agreed policy position by that group, did she? Her sense of entitlement apparently drove her to misrepresent them. Such disrespect for others is not appropriate political behaviour. Dunno why leftists think justifying such behaviour from leftists while condemning it from rightists is okay. Hypocrites, I reckon.
The comments he/she (James) stir are about as long and repetitious as the pome. Next year – can we have a resolution to allow one person to have a go back at him and leave it at that? That would be enough for him to know we really love him.
A little trick in such situations is to select a portion of the quote – eg
“Japan is not alone in doing so. Norway and Iceland also claim histories of whaling and have defied the 1986 ban on commercial killing. But it seems that, as in Japan, consumer taste is at odds with national identity.”
The left click (or if you have your mouse set up for left-handed – right click) and click “Search Google for ” Japan is not alone …”.
Dennis Frank’s post at 8:34 am is a fascinating one, full of detail, insider knowledge and revelation on a subject that is topical. He made considerable effort to present his ideas well and even praised John Key in the process! Despite all that value, James found a single word with which he could derail the topic and was unable to resist the temptation to be petty.
Losers get cemeteries, not monuments, and while the pricks continue to memorialise criminals and their crimes at Yasukuni, I doubt my attitude (a poor one) will improve.
The whole damn business is about budgets and pork barreling , rather than food or culture.
Still, there is some merit to the government’s argument.
A number of coastal communities in Japan have indeed hunted whales for centuries, and continue to do so. Taiji in Wakayama prefecture is well known, many would say infamous, for its annual dolphin hunts. There are other places, in Chiba Prefecture and in Ishinomaki in northern Japan, that also do coastal whaling.
[…]
Nothing about these Antarctic whaling expeditions is historic. Japan’s first whaling voyage to the Antarctic took place in the mid-1930s but the really huge hunts didn’t get going until after World War Two.
Japan lay in ruins, its population starving. With the encouragement of General Douglas MacArthur, Japan converted two huge US Navy tankers into factory ships and set sail for the Southern Ocean.
From the late 1940s to the mid-1960s whale meat was the single biggest source of meat in Japan. At its peak in 1964 Japan killed more than 24,000 whales in one year, most of them enormous fin whales and sperm whales.
[…]
But Junko Sakuma thinks the answer lies in the fact that Japan’s whaling is government-run, a large bureaucracy with research budgets, annual plans, promotions and pensions.
“If the number of staff in a bureaucrat’s office decreases while they are in charge, they feel tremendous shame,” she says.
“Which means most of the bureaucrats will fight to keep the whaling section in their ministry at all costs. And that is true with the politicians as well. If the issue is closely related to their constituency, they will promise to bring back commercial whaling. It is a way of keeping their seats.”
It may seem incredibly banal. But Japan’s determination to continue whaling may come down to a handful of MPs from whaling constituencies and a few hundred bureaucrats who don’t want to see their budgets cut.
“Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Saturday, Giles York, the Chief Constable of Sussex Police said he could not rule out the possibility that some sightings of drones reported during the incident were of drones that Sussex Police had flown over the airport for surveillance purposes.
“We will have launched our own Sussex police drones at the time, with a view to investigate, engage and survey the area. So there could be some level of confusion there as well,” York said after being questioned about a previous report that there may have been no drone at all.”
Pity they couldn’t use them to kill possums mustilids and rats – imagine teams running drones going for records hunting in the bush with cameras – from anywhere. Battle Royale for pest control.
Drones have rather limited range and endurance, so are really just an addition to people on foot for direct control. We’re doing some experiments with mustering deer in rough blocks with a drone, very early days yet but some success but some huge limitations. They don’t have the presence of a helicopter which combined with most deer’s fear of helicopters from meathunting days generally means deer will go away and down easily from a helicopter. The cunning ones will try and hide in thick scrub. With the drone most deer will hide in the scrub (and wait for the battery to go flat) if they can and have to be flushed out on foot. But the drone is awesome for observation and moving them in the clear.
Graeme
I will put a copy of that for the Sunday How to get there post. It’s the sort of clever thing that may be another adaptation that helps the system to the future in a better way.
Satellites could do it, Marty; there’re enough of them flitting about overhead; some heat-detecting software, a lethal laser of some sort, what could go wrong?…hang on!!!
Hey, Marty – could you please describe “human nature” pithily (or exhaustively, I don’t mind 🙂 so that we can know what you mean?
(Genuine request, cheers)
Robert
Apparently refusing the giving away of large swathes of public land to leaseholders, for fractions of it’s real value, is “unfair” to those who haven’t managed to get their share, of the giveaway, yet!
No regard to fairness to the rest of us. Of course.
Where is the tax dodgers union when you need them?
Tenure review is now under a moratorium….David Parker is not impressed with the process at allso I can`t see this government signing off on any more shonky deals….thr Nats gave billions…yes billions…to their farmer mates under this awful process often supported by DOC and weak enviromentalists
The edit function is a wordpress plugin. It appears to have dropped of during the upgrade but no doubt LPrent will restore it when he gets a chance.
In the meantime, just re-read your comments before posting and self edit where needed. If there’s something really, really needs editing after you’ve posted a comment, leave a new comment asking for the moderators to tidy up the original.
Let’s call “pretty legal” for what it is – the baked in Tory sense of entitlement redolent with dishonesty.
National is in “pretty legal” territory after Otaki MP Nathan Guy used Facebook’s “thumb” icon in a Labour attack-ad billboard.
Despite Facebook not giving permission for the logo’s use – an icon it strictly enforces copyright of – Guy said the social media outfit “haven’t raised any issues with us”.
Not too sure when I will be posting again (more out of whether I can be bothered than anything else) so where are my 2019 predictions:
1) Labour and National to stay more or less neck and neck in the polls with either party from month to month leading by less than 3 points.
2) Simon Bridges remains as National leader, though he makes Judith Collins his spokesperson for finance. Paula Bennett announces she plans to step down at the 2020 election.
3) The government quietly sets up an SOE to deliver the Kiwibuild houses, as well as to build and maintain state and social houses. It also goes in partnership with the NZ Superfund to build more houses.
4) RNZ+ is dropped, but TVNZ brings back TVNZ 7 as a 24 hour news and current affairs channel jointly run with RNZ and Maori TV.
5) The Tomorrow’s Schools reforms are implemented, but the larger schools are given the freedom to opt out of being run by the Hubs.
6) Helen Clark is given a top state sector post by the current administration, but it will be something we least expect.
7) Phil Goff, Justin Lester and Lianne Dalzeil all win a second term as mayor in their respective cities.
8) Brexit is postponed a year.
9) Trump supporters start lynching people, with the current administration refusing to condemn them.
10) none of these things ever actually happen, and I may as well just say anything.
Oh no anything is possible, but working out the probable – I think you have supplied a good cover of our present and future dilemmas Millsy. Be a good scout, don’t drop out.
Where was the crude and racist stuff in his comment?
Jesus Christ, you’re ignorant.
He was responding to a crude and racist comments, if that’s your point.
He was lying and distorting her words, as you’d know if you bothered to do any further investigation of the matter.
Natz still in pain about losing the election it seems.
Now Nathan Guy is sticking up billboards on the roadside, creating visual pollution and unsafe distraction. And in typical Natz mode, breaching copyright (Facebook?), breaking the law, while pointing the dirty blue finger at Labour, using it’s ID logo!
Natz really needs to get over itself. Now!
edit: Oops, I see this has already been commented on. My bad.
No they are doing what oppositions do, how that’s been upset, suggest you spend some time understanding meaning of parliamentary opposition I suggest as Nats in government and in opposition are doing a far better job than Labour, Labour yesrs in opposition where hilarious but not good for our democracy, sadly we now have such incompetency in government
You don’t have to keep reminding people why you call yourself Bewildered. We already concede that the name is accurate, okay? Try explaining why the Nats continue to be so keen to breach copyright law. The penny may then drop, and you’ll end up less bewildered. Keep on with that positive stance, you’ll end up bewildered no longer. Maybe even end up then calling yourself Savvy…
Bewildered ((10.1) … and National was always competent in government was it?
What Nathan Guy is doing is demonstrating that National has become a pathetic sorry mess since losing the last election. It really does need to pull its finger out and act as a responsible Opposition, working for all NZers, offering up some constructive, workable policies, instead of petulant sniping all the time. Guy’s actions here are not making NZ a better, safer place by any means.
BTW why is a National MP bringing this issue up now in the way he has done, when it had nine years as government to focus on and address transport infrastructure?
Hmmm that’s what opposition do Mary, they are not thier to support the government constructively Labor 9 years in opposition was hardly constructive, point been there where not even a competent opposition tearing each other apart, no policy formulation barring voter signalling bs, hence the 100s of work committes we now have Unfortunatly we now have this incompetence in government Oy 3 more years though and labour are simply Ardern resignation away from destroying themselves from the inside National I turn a lot more stable as some of the miss steps and mps fling rogue has indicated, party support and unity holds up and party does not go full feral and our left mates do
Hmmm that’s what opposition do Mary, they are not there to support the government constructively Labor 9 years in opposition was hardly a constructive opposition point been there where not even a competent opposition tearing each other apart, no policy formulation barring virtue signalling bs, hence the 100s of work committes we now have Unfortunatly we now have this incompetence in government Only 2 more years though and similarly labour are simply Ardern resignation away from destroying themselves from the inside again National in turn is a lot more stable as some of the miss steps and mps going rogue has indicated, party support and unity still holds up and party does not go full retard as labour has a propensity to do
National stable? You jest of course Bewildered (10.1.2.2)!
At present I consider National is far from stable, given the doubt about its present leadership. Then there are the continuing leaks, the likelihood of Jami Lee Ross returning to Parliament next year as an Independent MP, ready to pass on some more damaging information relating to Simon Bridges and National, bringing about even more uncertainty within the Opposition.
Finally, I know I might not be the brightest star in the sky, but I’m sorry you have lost me re the rest of your post, so I can’t comment, because I haven’t a clue on what I’d be commenting on!
Nathan Guy was responsible for fauling to implement the stock identification system (because it cost his farmer mates a bit of money) that has resulted in the micro bovis $850m disaster.
The stock identification system is a scam. Like a tax that you get nothing in return for. It proved incompetent in tracking cattle in any reasonable time frame. The real reason this was introduced was to create animal registration, and in turn taxation of stock. Plus, nod, nod, wink, wink, some tidy fees to disappear into some fat salaries.
The old system of keeping the transport dockets is just as effective. Plus when you get a disease like Foot & Mouth you really have no choice but to put a compass on the map, draw a circle, then kill everything. Then look at the transport Dockets. The new system fails because the cows may be registered but the system doesn’t know where the animals actually are, or where they have been.
Nobody gamed the system. The disease had nothing to do with the system. It spread because nobody knew they had the disease, and once discovered the didn’t know what animals had gone where, or what animals may have got the infected sperm.
The system allowed Foreign sperm, just as all the disease outbreaks have occurred with something coming across the boarder. It is unusual practice to get high value sperm from overseas for normal farmers, but not the specialist breaders or those buying enough to undercut LICs prices.
The truck driver creates a docket, end of story.
Now you create the docket with the truck driver, plus the old owner must log in what’s happening, as well as the new owner. As shown the system didn’t know what was happening. The old system just had owner ID tags. Nothing’s really changed or improved. But it costs thousands more for each farmer.
It spread because nobody knew they had the disease, and once discovered the didn’t know what animals had gone where, or what animals may have got the infected sperm.
All of which would have been known if they had used the system as designed. Not using as designed is gaming the system.
The fault here falls fully upon the farmers.
The truck driver creates a docket, end of story.
/facepalm
Chances are the old system wasn’t used whenever some farmers felt it wasn’t in their interest to let the government know what they were doing.
It’s interesting. We drove through Levin heading south on Sunday 23 December and half the shops were closed! You would imagine retailers would be gagging for local business but no.
We continued south and hit some traffic at Otaki of course which is the core of the problem because there’s a roundabout where SH1 traffic gives way to local traffic. Now, google maps shows us what the new Peka Peka Otaki expressway will look like and this delivers 4 lanes from Wellington CBD to Otaki once transmission fully and the rest of the Kapiti expressways are complete. That’s 72.7km and Nathan Guy want a further 20km to a one street town of 21,000, with several sets if traffic lights, which is closed on one of the busiest shopping days of the year. No doubt Mr Guy will then want a Levin bypass.
Google maps also shows us the still to be completed Waikato expressway will deliver 4 lanes from Auckland to Hamilton a distance of 124.9km. Auckland is an international city of 1.7 million people and Hamilton about 170,000. These two still don’t have a four lane connection and don’t even have a rail commuter service.
To me the end of the expressway at Otaki is right because that’s where the problems occur. I can’t help thinking Nathan Guy and the National party have got their priorities all wrong. But I’m not surprised, they do tend to concentrate on the small stuff while the rest of us see the bigger picture.
The Wiakato Expressway has nothing to do with connecting Auckland to Hamilton. It actually bipasses it, compared to the past nightmare of having to drive through it, and the Huntly traffic jam will be gone as well.
The project is about modernising SH1 from Auckland to Wellington. Some parts of the Wiakato expressway were desperately in need of upgrading with one area being our deadliest road. The same need applies to the Auckland Southern Moterway upgrade to 6 lanes.
Your argument saying it services just 21000 people is wrong as most people using SH1 won’t just be from Levin but everybody from the rest of the North Island, and everybody traveling North from Wellington, or on the return trip. Maybe it should carry on until Foxton.
The Wiakato Expressway has nothing to do with connecting Auckland to Hamilton. It actually bipasses it, compared to the past nightmare of having to drive through it, and the Huntly traffic jam will be gone as well.
And you missed the bit that actually causes all the problems – drive.
Really, if you want to go from Auckland to Wellington – take the bloody train or a plane or even a boat.
The roads couldn’t cope with the people using it.
That’s people using there freedom to travel. Plus buisinesses trying to pay wages, and break even.
I drove to Wellinton for a visit a few years ago. I drove and slept in my car 2 nights. Couldn’t do that if I took the train, plus it was an unplanned visit. Bit hard if you wish to use your car during the stay. Must use far less fuel than a plane. Trains are painfully slow in NZ.
What a good look for our Tourists traveling in Buses. Stuck in traffic on the nations main highway for hours.
People shouldn’t be using the roads. In fact, there’s probably a fairly good case for removing roads between cities.
That’s people using there freedom to travel.
Nobody’s suggesting taking their freedom to travel away.
I drove to Wellinton for a visit a few years ago. I drove and slept in my car 2 nights. Couldn’t do that if I took the train, plus it was an unplanned visit. Bit hard if you wish to use your car during the stay. Must use far less fuel than a plane. Trains are painfully slow in NZ.
Plan better.
If you’re really concerned about businesses paying wages then you should be using them.
But if members of the eco–jet set were to fly commercial—and join a few hundred other people sardined into coach—it might be a different story. It may seem counterintuitive, but a provocative study released earlier this year argues that in the U.S., flying from place to place actually consumes significantly less energy – and hence produces significantly fewer emissions—than driving does.
Public transport really is more efficient than cars.
And, yes, the trains need to be upgraded. Have you noticed that this didn’t happen due to the private owners followed by National running the trains down and building highly expensive, inefficient roads?
What a good look for our Tourists traveling in Buses. Stuck in traffic on the nations main highway for hours.
The only reason why buses are stuck in traffic is because of the morons driving cars.
It would also be interesting to know which side of the road this sign is on. If it’s heading south at Manakau then the soon to be completed Wellington to Otaki expressway will render this concern obsolete. A bit like Nathan Guy and the National Party really. 😆
How do you see the soon to be completed Wellington to Otaki expressway rendering the concern obsolete? Otaki to Levin is a completely different stretch of highway.
Having a 4 lane expressway going into a 2 lane highway will exacerbate congestion on that stretch of road.
If the sign is southbound then it’s two lanes going to four just north of Otaki. Not an issue.
And four lanes to two is not an issue either. It’s the conramination of SH1 traffic with local traffic which is the problem. How do you think four lanes stopping at a Levin traffic light is going to work?
Currently, there is a two lane highway and there are problems. While 4 lanes from Otaki to Wellington will help alleviate some of the build up from that point, it doesn’t address all the concerns back from that point.
4 lanes going into 2 is always an issue. Moreover, the new Otaki to Levin highway does bypass Levin’s CBD due to the congestion it currently causes, which will now be replaced with congestion from the 4 going into 2.
A decent freeway covering the whole of the country is long overdue.
This section of highway was to be a part (albeit small) of achieving that long held aspiration.
The stretch of road has a number of black spots and has been dubbed a “killing field” (marked like a battlefield with white crosses) by a former coroner.
Hence, as with a number of other areas around the country, a decent expressway has been long awaited.
While we are committed to only doing sections of highway at a time, new expressways will result in bottlenecks as traffic merges from 4 to 2. To help mitigate the resulting congestion, merging points should be placed in areas of low traffic volumes. With adjoining SH57 (which leads to Palmerston North) Levin to Otaki is a high volume traffic area.
Levin’s population is growing faster than expected and with housing costs rising in Palmerston North coupled with the high cost of housing in Wellington, more are expected to move there seeking a cheaper home. Add to that our aging population as it is a bit of a retirement location for Wellingtonians.
Nevertheless, it’s a part of state highway one, thus services far more than just Levin and adjoining SH57.
With our growing population and growing number of tourists, delaying vastly improving our roading will be costly.
Improving the public rail service in the area seems to have been also overlooked.
For instance, an extension to Auckland’s North West motorway is crucial. Earth is being turned up there big time and the population is expected to increase from Kumeu to Waimauku by several times the entire population of Levin.
Alcohol, obesity, flame retardants and pesticides are known to affect sperm and now cannabis.
“We know that there are effects of cannabis use on the regulatory mechanisms in sperm DNA, but we don’t know whether they can be transmitted to the next generation,” Murphy said.
“In the absence of a larger, definitive study, the best advice would be to assume these changes are going to be there,” Murphy said. “We don’t know whether they are going to be permanent. I would say, as a precaution, stop using cannabis for at least six months before trying to conceive.”
That’s an awful lot of don’t know’s to write an article about.
Funded by the John Templeton Foundation. Champion of free markets. Previous hit’s include Intelligent design and constantly trying to define the ‘science/religion boundary’.
Very deep pockets. Dodgy AF. Big business boys so big pharma called for this particular study for sure.
@ James, and a few others
Did I ever tell you how utterly (near), perfect I am.
Admittedly I’m not quite the specimen you are (yet) but I live in hope and I do all the right things.
Thanks to you, I’ve seen the light https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEcZlqYcQ10
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Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
Bryce Edwards writes – It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played.“Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I- Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka KotahiThe fact that a ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st CenturyThe SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims StuffSteve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
David Farrar writes – We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how labour went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promiseThe result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
“I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
"The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
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Around a decade ago, Bill Watson told me the Jap whaling industry was controlled by the Yakuza. He was Sea Shepherd coordinator for Aotearoa at the time. Pete Bethune had just been imprisoned by the Japs. Bill was worried the Yakuza would kill him there.
I found myself realising, a day or two later, that he was probably right so I needed to be proactive. Not my business, but sometimes the conscience says do it anyway! So I wrote the necessary letter to the new PM, John Key, asking him to get Bethune out & back home. Was pleased when the PM did what I’d asked! Bethune bitched about it, JK told the media he was ungrateful & I agreed, eye-rolling, & commented to Bill that nobody was ever going to award Bethune a medal for diplomacy.
Sea Shepherd declared victory the other day, after Japan announced they were jumping the IWC ship, would resume whaling next year, but not in Antarctic waters. The crims need the money, they still control the politicians, the media are still clueless – but they’re trying to figure it out: “There is a view that the country’s whaling obsession is less about food, as whale meat is surprisingly unpopular in Japan, especially among younger people, than it is about politics and culture. Defying the world’s rules and resuming commercial whaling is a bold expression of national identity.”
“Japan is not alone in doing so. Norway and Iceland also claim histories of whaling and have defied the 1986 ban on commercial killing. But it seems that, as in Japan, consumer taste is at odds with national identity. A 2018 report found that while Norway had about 350 whaling ships in 1950, there were only 11 operating in 2017. In that year, Norwegian whalers took less than half their annual quota of 999 whales.”
“Icelandic whalers have killed more than 500 fin whales since 2006, with the meat exported to the declining whale market in Japan, due to the absence of local demand, according to the charity Whale and Dolphin Conservation.” So the trend is for barbarians to become more of an endangered species than whales. Barbaric practices still have the support of three pseudo-civilised govts though!
The casual racism using terms like “Jap” is really unnecessary
Do you think perhaps it may be perceived that way as a left-over from WW11? After all, we talk about Brits and Aussies without any concerns of this nature
It’s certainly generational jargon. You won’t hear young people using ‘Brit’ either.
Or aussie that’s an abbreviation too.
Forgot and can’t edit – question mark after aussie missed sorry.
Probably only if the Japs ever declare that they actually are a race rather than Japanese citizens. Obviously the technical nature of reality is usually too hard for pc-drones to grasp, of course.
How’d you like that James? Being called PC? Personally I don’t care for the term “Japs” or “PC” but meh, people can say what they like (& as per usual says more about them than they’d really like to share anyway).
If it’s for calling out people for using racist or derogatory terms – I’m ok with that.
Still a derogatory terms pointed to a certain group of people.
Still not cool.
James is PC? Nah James is just a stirrer who doesn’t seem to be having many mates around for barbies lol and thus is bored.
And Marty is a little slow and can’t tell the difference between a derogatory term and an abbreviation.
Come on, boys. G’Mum says behave like adults, or tomorrow night to bed early and no celebrating seeing in the new year… You’re welcome.
Lol is “a little slow” a derog a tory term too James?
More apt than anything.
Are you cool with calling Japanese people japs? Would you use that term to Japanese people you just met?
I just use their name or mate.
That wasn’t the question
Can’t bring yourself to agree with me huh?
You would rather have people use racist terms. Says a lot about you.
Defending racism makes you a racist.
Yes you are James.
It is about the intent, James…
You are not Japanese. You are an exposed serial liar and agitator on a left leaning blog site…your intent is to agitate…and possibly to get your jollies in the process….
Jap, is short for Japanese and is not racist at face value, so only Dennis Frank can advise you what his intent is behind use of the abbreviation….
Concentrate on improving yourself so you can set a good example to those grand children , eh ….
Either way, you can sit back down, put the fake virtue signalling back in the box …
No it’s not.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ethnic_slurs
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/priscilla-ouchida/peter-king-jap-hate-speech_b_9995156.html
And you may have missed the general warning yesterday by one of the mods te reo putake:
“So, a general warning that reference to any commenters background, known or not, should be clearly relevant to the discussion at hand.”
A quick check on the replies tab shows your last three replies to me are about or mention my grandkids. I don’t know what your obsession with young children but you seem to have an inappropriate fixation on them. That – and it has nothing to do with the discussion in hand.
A couple of points. Firstly, Jap is considered offensive by Japanese people, so let’s not use it.
Secondly, I re-iterate the point I made yesterday, which was that irrelevant references to a commenter’s personal details or family situations is poor form. If its clearly relevant to the immediate discussion, fine. By that I mean that if a commenter chooses to share some details in a thread and that engenders responses, that’s cool. What’s not cool is bringing up those details later as some form of point scoring exercise.
Great reference links, James. Thanks.
The Wiki link also has links to some other good reference tools. Have bookmarked them.
To te reo putake
Thanks for the good moderation and guidance on these issues over the last day or so. Perhaps the latter could be added to the About and Policy if other moderators etc agree.
Yes, James, it is about the intent….that is exactly what it is about…
The links you’ve posted to, nor your incorrect and faux outrage do nothing to change that… So, ask DF what his intent was….go ahead….even if DF says it was intended as derogatory, would not change the fact JAP is an abbreviation which can be used in a non derogatory manner…
Moving along to your fake playing ‘victim’….
Per my reply to TRP yesterday, you are not posting on this site in good faith, James. You are an agitator, a deliberate agitator which is to be one of the lowest forms of public tro*l behavior.
Part of your agitators ‘shtick’ includes manufacturing stories referencing your age, ethnicity, residential location, family members/dynamic including their age bracket, education, work and off-spring, as well as your dwellings , dining, sporting and nutritional preferences…
You have willingly used these details as part of the agitation process, and therefore not in good faith…not a single shred….
In recent times you appear to be utilizing a particularly ugly tactic, and having had your comments repeatedly exposed over a number of years as racist and misogynistic etc in the literal sense, not the fake version such as you are blatantly doing once again here with DF….you are now seeking to play the victim, pushing for bans and retribution against other commentators here, who from what I can tell are mostly posting in good faith….
Even handles such as naki man appear to be more honest that you…aggressive, angry and ignorant….but seemingly in an honest way, as much as his level will allow him…
You are beneath even that level!
================================
TRP – Per your repeated comment/position from yesterday. You have played directly into the desired response James was looking for. Per my response yesterday, you are also enabling and empowering this sites most odious agitator, and not in good faith commentator… my opinion….
In contrast to VV’s comment regarding your moderation. I do not agree that you have moderated this instance well at all, not at face value…
I would say that since you returned, your moderation style is more effective than it had previously been…
Have a good weekend, everyone…
Thanks, vv. Adding it to the policy is a good idea. Mind you, it’s really obvious from looking at other blogs that TS commenters are way more thoughtful and considered in their postings, which is nice. it means that issues like this can be discussed rationally and without malice.
And now, here’s a song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy3LpV0THB0
Veutoviper. You could call it, ‘the James rule’. I’m sure he’d like that😂
Yeah. Traditional language usage is only a problem for a few isolated individuals. It has been a common abbreviation used in this country my entire life. Never heard anyone use it in a derogatory sense that some pc-drone could spin as racist.
The princess who has attained a position of civil rights advocacy that James linked to may have impressed the HuffPost editorial team, but so what? Just because some folks think they can get away with language conformity doesn’t mean others will stop viewing them as sociopaths, right?
As you have noted previously, you and I are of a similar age, Dennis.
While I agree it is an abbreviation which has been used in this country, I personally have not heard it used for many years.
My recollection of it mainly goes back to my childhood when it seemed to be much more common and in fact used in many cases in a derogatory manner – particularly by a couple of uncles and their friends who had spent time in Japanese POW camps. (Another one of that era was the Yellow Peril.)
So in fact it actually jumped out at me when I saw you use it, but I felt that you personally were not necessarily using it in a derogatory manner. Nevertheless as te reo putake says, it is considered offensive by Japanese people, so let’s not use it.
However, as a woman, what I do find offensive is your:
“The princess who has attained a position of civil rights advocacy that James linked to may have impressed the HuffPost editorial team, but so what? Just because some folks think they can get away with language conformity doesn’t mean others will stop viewing them as sociopaths, right?
So you disagree with her opinion; but do you really need to be so derogatory in doing so?
Language more common to Kiwiblog – and very reminiscent of similar put down comments there and elsewhere about Jacinda Ardern, our PM …
No need to even read the links. They are simply the efforts of an agitator seeking to identify endorsement, for a position taken which is incorrect and disingenuous…
I have no idea what your intention was when using the abbreviation…that is only for you to know…
TRP states use of the abbreviation is ‘considered offensive’ to Japanese, which is potentially true in some instances…such is the generic wholesale statement he made…
What I can state, as I know this directly first hand, that there are Japanese who use the abbreviation to each other, and towards other Japanese, and in no way is it meant to be, nor is it taken as ‘offensive’…
Which makes attempts of language conformity little more than the subjective preference of someone(s ) who are highly unlikely to be ethnic Japanese, of any percentage…one who is openly acting in bad faith…
So, there is James and TRP , both non Japanese, seeking to advise/enforce which language that another non Japanese person (yourself Dennis , assumption) should/should not use when writing and commentating…
Understandable that those who fought them would feel that way, especially those who ended up in their prison camps with the torture & brutality endemic.
Just because TRP says Japanese have that view doesn’t mean he’s right. If he can produce evidence, I’ll consider it. I’ve seen none as yet. A statement of foreign policy by the Japanese govt would be authoritative. Even an official statement by one of their leaders, perhaps. Otherwise it’s all just a few people trying to get away with imposing their personal morality on others. Offensive behaviour!
And when a narcissist use a position of ngo advocacy to do it, why ought we to be impressed? She didn’t cite any agreed policy position by that group, did she? Her sense of entitlement apparently drove her to misrepresent them. Such disrespect for others is not appropriate political behaviour. Dunno why leftists think justifying such behaviour from leftists while condemning it from rightists is okay. Hypocrites, I reckon.
There we go again James James Morrison Morrison Weatherby George Dupree.
A reading:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHCxmhLJ3DM
The comments he/she (James) stir are about as long and repetitious as the pome. Next year – can we have a resolution to allow one person to have a go back at him and leave it at that? That would be enough for him to know we really love him.
James is as much a product of this environment as trump was for the US imo. It is part of the dance.
He could be Lord of the Dance.
Dubliners version –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRmRMbBM4Bc
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEAIJV6CmtA
He’s certainly got a few dancing like marionettes to his tune lol
Not like you (James) 😉
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejmE-F3EJyQ&w=547&h=410%5D
The Standard needs tougher moderation to shut dowm troll debates that detract from the matter at issue.
When it is all wayne says james says I just move on to another site.
Come on, boys. G’Mum says behave like adults, or tomorrow night to bed early and no celebrating seeing in the new year… You’re welcome.
Good stuff veutoviper
Please provide a link when you quote from somewhere.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/
Thanks, but that is a whole section of their site rather than the specific article.
Here you are Dennis, as I am feeling generous at the moment (it won’t last long!)
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/109638513/editorial-japans-whaling-is-no-longer-about-science
A little trick in such situations is to select a portion of the quote – eg
“Japan is not alone in doing so. Norway and Iceland also claim histories of whaling and have defied the 1986 ban on commercial killing. But it seems that, as in Japan, consumer taste is at odds with national identity.”
The left click (or if you have your mouse set up for left-handed – right click) and click “Search Google for ” Japan is not alone …”.
Then voila! – the link will hopefully come up.
“The left click” should read “Then left click”.
There are also lots of other interesting related articles which came up doing that Google search so might as well as give the Google search link:
https://www.google.com/search?q=Japan+is+not+alone+in+doing+so.+Norway+and+Iceland+also+claim+histories+of+whaling+and+have+defied+the+1986+ban+on+commercial+killing.&rlz=1C1LDJZ_enNZ499&oq=Japan+is+not+alone+in+doing+so.+Norway+and+Iceland+also+claim+histories+of+whaling+and+have+defied+the+1986+ban+on+commercial+killing.&aqs=chrome..69i57&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Also if you are just looking for very recent articles, here is a time limited one by clicking Tools and selecting ‘Last month”.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Japan+is+not+alone+in+doing+so.+Norway+and+Iceland+also+claim+histories+of+whaling+and+have+defied+the+1986+ban+on+commercial+killing.&rlz=1C1LDJZ_enNZ499&source=lnt&tbs=qdr:m&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjhroHB-sXfAhUDiLwKHer-CWMQpwUIJg&biw=1024&bih=724
Dennis Frank’s post at 8:34 am is a fascinating one, full of detail, insider knowledge and revelation on a subject that is topical. He made considerable effort to present his ideas well and even praised John Key in the process! Despite all that value, James found a single word with which he could derail the topic and was unable to resist the temptation to be petty.
Unfortunately half of Dennis’ post is a quote from an author he has not properly linked to or named.
Doesn’t mean James isnt right on this rare occasion though does it . Maybe DF should have agreed quickly then the post could have moved on .
Indeed. People would rather double down using derogatory terms than agree that they may be out of line.
Others will support the casual racism as they would rather support that than agree with me.
Says a lot about people.
Actually says a lot about what people think of your opinion.
Hi James
The left are such masters at faux outrage that they can’t recognise genuine concern at word usage when they see it.
Have a good day.
So casual racism is ok if it’s in a post you like ?
And it’s not a single word _ it shows an attitude (a poor one) towards the Japanese people.
Losers get cemeteries, not monuments, and while the pricks continue to memorialise criminals and their crimes at Yasukuni, I doubt my attitude (a poor one) will improve.
So what’s your attitude to the “Brits” and the “Yanks”, who do all those things, and worse?
Yanks and poms.
Sorry. There’s just one four letter word for me, I guess: dick.
Oh Morrissey you are so funny. Especially when you go off on little self righteous rants.
Thanks Mr. Shark. I’ll take that and process it.
It was a positive comment, right?
Morrissey
You are trying, very trying sometimes, but then so many of us are. That is a positive comment about us all, right!
So at least you admit you are racist against the Japanese
Ambivalent, I don’t give rats about who calls them what.
Yes James it’s all about you!! If not, It Should Be.
The whole damn business is about budgets and pork barreling , rather than food or culture.
Still, there is some merit to the government’s argument.
A number of coastal communities in Japan have indeed hunted whales for centuries, and continue to do so. Taiji in Wakayama prefecture is well known, many would say infamous, for its annual dolphin hunts. There are other places, in Chiba Prefecture and in Ishinomaki in northern Japan, that also do coastal whaling.
[…]
Nothing about these Antarctic whaling expeditions is historic. Japan’s first whaling voyage to the Antarctic took place in the mid-1930s but the really huge hunts didn’t get going until after World War Two.
Japan lay in ruins, its population starving. With the encouragement of General Douglas MacArthur, Japan converted two huge US Navy tankers into factory ships and set sail for the Southern Ocean.
From the late 1940s to the mid-1960s whale meat was the single biggest source of meat in Japan. At its peak in 1964 Japan killed more than 24,000 whales in one year, most of them enormous fin whales and sperm whales.
[…]
But Junko Sakuma thinks the answer lies in the fact that Japan’s whaling is government-run, a large bureaucracy with research budgets, annual plans, promotions and pensions.
“If the number of staff in a bureaucrat’s office decreases while they are in charge, they feel tremendous shame,” she says.
“Which means most of the bureaucrats will fight to keep the whaling section in their ministry at all costs. And that is true with the politicians as well. If the issue is closely related to their constituency, they will promise to bring back commercial whaling. It is a way of keeping their seats.”
It may seem incredibly banal. But Japan’s determination to continue whaling may come down to a handful of MPs from whaling constituencies and a few hundred bureaucrats who don’t want to see their budgets cut.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35397749
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/picture/2018/dec/29/2019-a-grim-year-in-prospect-cartoon
Superb! A must view. Thanks for posting it.
And TS moderators – wonderful for use in related blog post introductions???
[Thanks will definitely use it – MS]
lol…thought the same thing when i saw it
Grim but true.
“Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Saturday, Giles York, the Chief Constable of Sussex Police said he could not rule out the possibility that some sightings of drones reported during the incident were of drones that Sussex Police had flown over the airport for surveillance purposes.
“We will have launched our own Sussex police drones at the time, with a view to investigate, engage and survey the area. So there could be some level of confusion there as well,” York said after being questioned about a previous report that there may have been no drone at all.”
https://i.stuff.co.nz/travel/travel-troubles/109661602/police-drones-may-have-added-to-gatwick-airport-shutdown-police-admit
Bugger, no edit function.
I wonder how many police forces use drones to ‘investigate, engage and survey’?
Cheaper than a chopper
Pity they couldn’t use them to kill possums mustilids and rats – imagine teams running drones going for records hunting in the bush with cameras – from anywhere. Battle Royale for pest control.
Drones have rather limited range and endurance, so are really just an addition to people on foot for direct control. We’re doing some experiments with mustering deer in rough blocks with a drone, very early days yet but some success but some huge limitations. They don’t have the presence of a helicopter which combined with most deer’s fear of helicopters from meathunting days generally means deer will go away and down easily from a helicopter. The cunning ones will try and hide in thick scrub. With the drone most deer will hide in the scrub (and wait for the battery to go flat) if they can and have to be flushed out on foot. But the drone is awesome for observation and moving them in the clear.
Thanks Graeme interesting stuff.
Graeme
I will put a copy of that for the Sunday How to get there post. It’s the sort of clever thing that may be another adaptation that helps the system to the future in a better way.
Be a good job for the thumb gifted couch dwellers
Satellites could do it, Marty; there’re enough of them flitting about overhead; some heat-detecting software, a lethal laser of some sort, what could go wrong?…hang on!!!
It’s going wrong now.
We need to align with human nature not fight it and then wonder why nothing changes.
Hey, Marty – could you please describe “human nature” pithily (or exhaustively, I don’t mind 🙂 so that we can know what you mean?
(Genuine request, cheers)
Robert
“imagine teams running drones going for records hunting in the bush with cameras – from anywhere. Battle Royale for pest control.”
From anywhere is all around the world.
Human nature by marty
collaborative, competitive, compassionate
Lprent
No edit function. (Just for noting for when you finish latest iteration?)
“Tenure review*” down South continues.
A broken promise by Labour.
Apparently refusing the giving away of large swathes of public land to leaseholders, for fractions of it’s real value, is “unfair” to those who haven’t managed to get their share, of the giveaway, yet!
No regard to fairness to the rest of us. Of course.
Where is the tax dodgers union when you need them?
*https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/91935035/ann-brower-for-the-sake-of-our-high-country-stop-tenure-review
If you remove the * the link will work.
Edit test
Edit function is not working at the moment so KJT cannot remove it.
Hope this works –
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/91935035/ann-brower-for-the-sake-of-our-high-country-stop-tenure-review
Edit working fine now (on iPad at least)
Not on my PC …
Murphy’s law means it will now work …
No. Not working on my PC.
iPad Pro?
what does that have to do with anything?
I know you like to let people know you have the best of everything. It’s your form of virtue signalling.
Actually a good brief history of tenure review in NZ ….
Tenure review is now under a moratorium….David Parker is not impressed with the process at allso I can`t see this government signing off on any more shonky deals….thr Nats gave billions…yes billions…to their farmer mates under this awful process often supported by DOC and weak enviromentalists
The edit function is a wordpress plugin. It appears to have dropped of during the upgrade but no doubt LPrent will restore it when he gets a chance.
In the meantime, just re-read your comments before posting and self edit where needed. If there’s something really, really needs editing after you’ve posted a comment, leave a new comment asking for the moderators to tidy up the original.
Let’s call “pretty legal” for what it is – the baked in Tory sense of entitlement redolent with dishonesty.
National is in “pretty legal” territory after Otaki MP Nathan Guy used Facebook’s “thumb” icon in a Labour attack-ad billboard.
Despite Facebook not giving permission for the logo’s use – an icon it strictly enforces copyright of – Guy said the social media outfit “haven’t raised any issues with us”.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/109618534/thumbs-down-experts-warn-national-for-use-of-facebooks-most-famous-blue-symbol
I roared with laughter when I read that in the earlier hours of the morning – then forgot to post it!
So thanks for bringing it to notice. Not a Facebook fan but the ‘b.t.h’ in me really hopes that they do respond …
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503462&objectid=12182956
These recyclers have been going since 1993 and still have to request people to wash out milk bottles, rinse and flatten cans (stand on them at least).
Not too sure when I will be posting again (more out of whether I can be bothered than anything else) so where are my 2019 predictions:
1) Labour and National to stay more or less neck and neck in the polls with either party from month to month leading by less than 3 points.
2) Simon Bridges remains as National leader, though he makes Judith Collins his spokesperson for finance. Paula Bennett announces she plans to step down at the 2020 election.
3) The government quietly sets up an SOE to deliver the Kiwibuild houses, as well as to build and maintain state and social houses. It also goes in partnership with the NZ Superfund to build more houses.
4) RNZ+ is dropped, but TVNZ brings back TVNZ 7 as a 24 hour news and current affairs channel jointly run with RNZ and Maori TV.
5) The Tomorrow’s Schools reforms are implemented, but the larger schools are given the freedom to opt out of being run by the Hubs.
6) Helen Clark is given a top state sector post by the current administration, but it will be something we least expect.
7) Phil Goff, Justin Lester and Lianne Dalzeil all win a second term as mayor in their respective cities.
8) Brexit is postponed a year.
9) Trump supporters start lynching people, with the current administration refusing to condemn them.
10) none of these things ever actually happen, and I may as well just say anything.
Oh no anything is possible, but working out the probable – I think you have supplied a good cover of our present and future dilemmas Millsy. Be a good scout, don’t drop out.
9) Trump supporters start lynching people, with the current administration refusing to condemn them.
That’s not a prediction. It’s already happened, many times. Horrifyingly, the lynch mobs are actually the police.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/trump-supporter-53-is-charged-after-making-threats-to-kill-democrat-senators-and-weak-republicans-if-they-vote-against-brett-kavanaugh/ar-BBNXYog
https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2018/07/31/631897758/a-look-back-at-trayvon-martins-death-and-the-movement-it-inspired
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6468991/White-cop-Eric-Garner-breathe-chokehold-death-face-NYPD-disciplinary-2019.html
Crude and racist politicking did not start with Trump
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtSifopiL1g
Clinton is a polished version of Trump.
I didn’t get your point. Where was the crude and racist stuff in his comment.
He was responding to a crude and racist comments, if that’s your point.
Clinton’s rhetoric was/is similar to Trump. Just he is a bit more softer in his wording.
I didn’t get your point.
?????
Where was the crude and racist stuff in his comment?
Jesus Christ, you’re ignorant.
He was responding to a crude and racist comments, if that’s your point.
He was lying and distorting her words, as you’d know if you bothered to do any further investigation of the matter.
Natz still in pain about losing the election it seems.
Now Nathan Guy is sticking up billboards on the roadside, creating visual pollution and unsafe distraction. And in typical Natz mode, breaching copyright (Facebook?), breaking the law, while pointing the dirty blue finger at Labour, using it’s ID logo!
Natz really needs to get over itself. Now!
edit: Oops, I see this has already been commented on. My bad.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/109618534/thumbs-down-experts-warn-national-for-use-of-facebooks-most-famous-blue-symbol
No they are doing what oppositions do, how that’s been upset, suggest you spend some time understanding meaning of parliamentary opposition I suggest as Nats in government and in opposition are doing a far better job than Labour, Labour yesrs in opposition where hilarious but not good for our democracy, sadly we now have such incompetency in government
You don’t have to keep reminding people why you call yourself Bewildered. We already concede that the name is accurate, okay? Try explaining why the Nats continue to be so keen to breach copyright law. The penny may then drop, and you’ll end up less bewildered. Keep on with that positive stance, you’ll end up bewildered no longer. Maybe even end up then calling yourself Savvy…
Bewildered ((10.1) … and National was always competent in government was it?
What Nathan Guy is doing is demonstrating that National has become a pathetic sorry mess since losing the last election. It really does need to pull its finger out and act as a responsible Opposition, working for all NZers, offering up some constructive, workable policies, instead of petulant sniping all the time. Guy’s actions here are not making NZ a better, safer place by any means.
BTW why is a National MP bringing this issue up now in the way he has done, when it had nine years as government to focus on and address transport infrastructure?
Hmmm that’s what opposition do Mary, they are not thier to support the government constructively Labor 9 years in opposition was hardly constructive, point been there where not even a competent opposition tearing each other apart, no policy formulation barring voter signalling bs, hence the 100s of work committes we now have Unfortunatly we now have this incompetence in government Oy 3 more years though and labour are simply Ardern resignation away from destroying themselves from the inside National I turn a lot more stable as some of the miss steps and mps fling rogue has indicated, party support and unity holds up and party does not go full feral and our left mates do
Hmmm that’s what opposition do Mary, they are not there to support the government constructively Labor 9 years in opposition was hardly a constructive opposition point been there where not even a competent opposition tearing each other apart, no policy formulation barring virtue signalling bs, hence the 100s of work committes we now have Unfortunatly we now have this incompetence in government Only 2 more years though and similarly labour are simply Ardern resignation away from destroying themselves from the inside again National in turn is a lot more stable as some of the miss steps and mps going rogue has indicated, party support and unity still holds up and party does not go full retard as labour has a propensity to do
National stable? You jest of course Bewildered (10.1.2.2)!
At present I consider National is far from stable, given the doubt about its present leadership. Then there are the continuing leaks, the likelihood of Jami Lee Ross returning to Parliament next year as an Independent MP, ready to pass on some more damaging information relating to Simon Bridges and National, bringing about even more uncertainty within the Opposition.
Finally, I know I might not be the brightest star in the sky, but I’m sorry you have lost me re the rest of your post, so I can’t comment, because I haven’t a clue on what I’d be commenting on!
Nathan Guy was responsible for fauling to implement the stock identification system (because it cost his farmer mates a bit of money) that has resulted in the micro bovis $850m disaster.
The stock identification system is a scam. Like a tax that you get nothing in return for. It proved incompetent in tracking cattle in any reasonable time frame. The real reason this was introduced was to create animal registration, and in turn taxation of stock. Plus, nod, nod, wink, wink, some tidy fees to disappear into some fat salaries.
The old system of keeping the transport dockets is just as effective. Plus when you get a disease like Foot & Mouth you really have no choice but to put a compass on the map, draw a circle, then kill everything. Then look at the transport Dockets. The new system fails because the cows may be registered but the system doesn’t know where the animals actually are, or where they have been.
It was never fit for purpose, but a good scam.
Highly doubtful, costs more to run and a digitised system is always faster.
The only problem with the new system is that the farmers gamed the system resulting in a major disease outbreak.
Nobody gamed the system. The disease had nothing to do with the system. It spread because nobody knew they had the disease, and once discovered the didn’t know what animals had gone where, or what animals may have got the infected sperm.
The system allowed Foreign sperm, just as all the disease outbreaks have occurred with something coming across the boarder. It is unusual practice to get high value sperm from overseas for normal farmers, but not the specialist breaders or those buying enough to undercut LICs prices.
The truck driver creates a docket, end of story.
Now you create the docket with the truck driver, plus the old owner must log in what’s happening, as well as the new owner. As shown the system didn’t know what was happening. The old system just had owner ID tags. Nothing’s really changed or improved. But it costs thousands more for each farmer.
All of which would have been known if they had used the system as designed. Not using as designed is gaming the system.
The fault here falls fully upon the farmers.
/facepalm
Chances are the old system wasn’t used whenever some farmers felt it wasn’t in their interest to let the government know what they were doing.
So, what you saying is that National fucked up the country on purpose?
It’s interesting. We drove through Levin heading south on Sunday 23 December and half the shops were closed! You would imagine retailers would be gagging for local business but no.
We continued south and hit some traffic at Otaki of course which is the core of the problem because there’s a roundabout where SH1 traffic gives way to local traffic. Now, google maps shows us what the new Peka Peka Otaki expressway will look like and this delivers 4 lanes from Wellington CBD to Otaki once transmission fully and the rest of the Kapiti expressways are complete. That’s 72.7km and Nathan Guy want a further 20km to a one street town of 21,000, with several sets if traffic lights, which is closed on one of the busiest shopping days of the year. No doubt Mr Guy will then want a Levin bypass.
Google maps also shows us the still to be completed Waikato expressway will deliver 4 lanes from Auckland to Hamilton a distance of 124.9km. Auckland is an international city of 1.7 million people and Hamilton about 170,000. These two still don’t have a four lane connection and don’t even have a rail commuter service.
To me the end of the expressway at Otaki is right because that’s where the problems occur. I can’t help thinking Nathan Guy and the National party have got their priorities all wrong. But I’m not surprised, they do tend to concentrate on the small stuff while the rest of us see the bigger picture.
The Wiakato Expressway has nothing to do with connecting Auckland to Hamilton. It actually bipasses it, compared to the past nightmare of having to drive through it, and the Huntly traffic jam will be gone as well.
The project is about modernising SH1 from Auckland to Wellington. Some parts of the Wiakato expressway were desperately in need of upgrading with one area being our deadliest road. The same need applies to the Auckland Southern Moterway upgrade to 6 lanes.
Your argument saying it services just 21000 people is wrong as most people using SH1 won’t just be from Levin but everybody from the rest of the North Island, and everybody traveling North from Wellington, or on the return trip. Maybe it should carry on until Foxton.
And you missed the bit that actually causes all the problems – drive.
Really, if you want to go from Auckland to Wellington – take the bloody train or a plane or even a boat.
The roads couldn’t cope with the people using it.
That’s people using there freedom to travel. Plus buisinesses trying to pay wages, and break even.
I drove to Wellinton for a visit a few years ago. I drove and slept in my car 2 nights. Couldn’t do that if I took the train, plus it was an unplanned visit. Bit hard if you wish to use your car during the stay. Must use far less fuel than a plane. Trains are painfully slow in NZ.
What a good look for our Tourists traveling in Buses. Stuck in traffic on the nations main highway for hours.
People shouldn’t be using the roads. In fact, there’s probably a fairly good case for removing roads between cities.
Nobody’s suggesting taking their freedom to travel away.
Plan better.
If you’re really concerned about businesses paying wages then you should be using them.
Public transport really is more efficient than cars.
And, yes, the trains need to be upgraded. Have you noticed that this didn’t happen due to the private owners followed by National running the trains down and building highly expensive, inefficient roads?
The only reason why buses are stuck in traffic is because of the morons driving cars.
Why does Mr Bovis’ sign say, “Our community deserves a 4 lane highway”, if it’s all about people north of Levin?
And this is possibly the stupidest thing I’ve read on this forum today.
Wikipedia provides the goods fast – [Nathan] Guy is a farmer from near Levin.
If farmers had a quota for seats, and lawyers also, I wonder who would get elected and give us the experience of a real diverse government.
I think he wants a dedicated tractor lane!
It would also be interesting to know which side of the road this sign is on. If it’s heading south at Manakau then the soon to be completed Wellington to Otaki expressway will render this concern obsolete. A bit like Nathan Guy and the National Party really. 😆
How do you see the soon to be completed Wellington to Otaki expressway rendering the concern obsolete? Otaki to Levin is a completely different stretch of highway.
Having a 4 lane expressway going into a 2 lane highway will exacerbate congestion on that stretch of road.
If the sign is southbound then it’s two lanes going to four just north of Otaki. Not an issue.
And four lanes to two is not an issue either. It’s the conramination of SH1 traffic with local traffic which is the problem. How do you think four lanes stopping at a Levin traffic light is going to work?
Currently, there is a two lane highway and there are problems. While 4 lanes from Otaki to Wellington will help alleviate some of the build up from that point, it doesn’t address all the concerns back from that point.
4 lanes going into 2 is always an issue. Moreover, the new Otaki to Levin highway does bypass Levin’s CBD due to the congestion it currently causes, which will now be replaced with congestion from the 4 going into 2.
It’s eventually going to go from 4 to 2 unless you want dual carriageways the length of the North island. Why is Otaki to Levin so special?
A decent freeway covering the whole of the country is long overdue.
This section of highway was to be a part (albeit small) of achieving that long held aspiration.
The stretch of road has a number of black spots and has been dubbed a “killing field” (marked like a battlefield with white crosses) by a former coroner.
Hence, as with a number of other areas around the country, a decent expressway has been long awaited.
While we are committed to only doing sections of highway at a time, new expressways will result in bottlenecks as traffic merges from 4 to 2. To help mitigate the resulting congestion, merging points should be placed in areas of low traffic volumes. With adjoining SH57 (which leads to Palmerston North) Levin to Otaki is a high volume traffic area.
Levin’s population is growing faster than expected and with housing costs rising in Palmerston North coupled with the high cost of housing in Wellington, more are expected to move there seeking a cheaper home. Add to that our aging population as it is a bit of a retirement location for Wellingtonians.
Nevertheless, it’s a part of state highway one, thus services far more than just Levin and adjoining SH57.
With our growing population and growing number of tourists, delaying vastly improving our roading will be costly.
Improving the public rail service in the area seems to have been also overlooked.
For instance, an extension to Auckland’s North West motorway is crucial. Earth is being turned up there big time and the population is expected to increase from Kumeu to Waimauku by several times the entire population of Levin.
Alcohol, obesity, flame retardants and pesticides are known to affect sperm and now cannabis.
“We know that there are effects of cannabis use on the regulatory mechanisms in sperm DNA, but we don’t know whether they can be transmitted to the next generation,” Murphy said.
“In the absence of a larger, definitive study, the best advice would be to assume these changes are going to be there,” Murphy said. “We don’t know whether they are going to be permanent. I would say, as a precaution, stop using cannabis for at least six months before trying to conceive.”
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/12/181219075846.htm
That’s an awful lot of don’t know’s to write an article about.
Funded by the John Templeton Foundation. Champion of free markets. Previous hit’s include Intelligent design and constantly trying to define the ‘science/religion boundary’.
Very deep pockets. Dodgy AF. Big business boys so big pharma called for this particular study for sure.
Al’s making a comeback.
https://ew.com/tv/2018/12/19/deadwood-movie-story-interview/
GG nails it yet again. Wonderful… and New Zealand even gets a mention.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ12FxJtzZo
The Russian propaganda outfit’s infowars level of trolling is truly disgusting.
https://www.itv.com/news/2018-12-28/state-funded-media-outlet-russia-today-sends-chocolate-models-of-salisbury-cathedral-as-festive-gift/
“TV Rain thanked RT for the gift and replied on Twitter: “Come for tea, we’re afraid to eat it alone.””
I bloody bet they were – probably had vlads bloody paw prints all over it on the inside.
No doubt the libs will see it as another sign of guilt to go along with the 7 troll factory trolls, pokemon go, and book of the face puppy videos.
No doubt clueless tankies like yourself will continue selling out marginalised people in your efforts to exchange liberalism for something far worse.
@ James, and a few others
Did I ever tell you how utterly (near), perfect I am.
Admittedly I’m not quite the specimen you are (yet) but I live in hope and I do all the right things.
Thanks to you, I’ve seen the light
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEcZlqYcQ10