Imagine if three Palestinian policemen executed an Israeli youth
New Video of Fatal Shooting at West Bank Checkpoint Shows Officer’s Final Shot
Jonathan Cook writes at his Facebook page:
The unedited video of an Israeli soldier shooting dead 17-year-old Muhammad Awad Salaymeh at a Hebron checkpoint earlier this month has finally surfaced, thanks to what looks to have been a misjudgment by an Israeli journalist.
It shows conclusively, as I and others argued even based on the edited footage, that the soldiers executed the unarmed youngster. He was shot at least three times, including when he was already bent over and incapacitated from the first shot.
It’s good that the New York Times has published the video, though a shame that it has relegated it to a blog entry rather than the news pages. It would surely have been given far greater prominence had a Palestinian policeman been filmed executing an Israeli minor.
Interestingly, it seems that some in the Israeli media have had the unedited footage for a while but decided to release only the misleading, edited footage. Channel 10 reporter Roy Sharon, who uploaded the full video to his private Youtube channel, says it had been provided by the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit.
Just a facile expression of “I couldn’t give a stuff and you’re a wanker Morrissey because you do……now indulge me while I Mr Andre perform like a smartarse teenager”.
I endorse your highighting of the utter evil of the oppressed turned oppresser situation in Palestine.
Thanks for your kind words, North. Yes, Andre’s response was a little on the facile side, I guess, but it was still wittier than what we’ve had to put up with over the last few days from poor old Te Reo Putake, Populuxe1 and McFliper.
Not to get into a bun fight ,But the only people who will make peace over there is the ordinary people .Not Iran Saudi or America or even little old Morrisey. We need to help not dictate .Facile .. some might say its not brain surgery.
With the climate projections. The near east and south med are likely to be without water and food by 2130 Best we can do is maybe address the loss of there homeland {who ever owned it.}
If you actually cared about the situation over there, you would fly over there and become hands on, instead of writing away on various pages on the internet.
Youn can comment on it all you like, but for the fact that you havent actually flew over there and helped out, shows me you probably dont really care about it.
He probably wouldn’t be allowed to. Israel has been cracking down on that sort of thing.
We don’t have it bad here with media coverage. The US media is ridiculously pro Israel such that some of the things that get printed in the Israeli media would be career ending if an American journalist published them. At least we don’t have the Israel mafia here.
Actually, my friend, we do have it that bad here. Our radio and television reporters simply parrot the same distortions and propaganda slogans that the foreign networks do. During the recent escalation of Israel’s daily attacks against the population of Gaza, some New Zealand newsreaders looked embarrassed, or even disturbed, when they were forced to recite nonsense like the standard “but Israel has denied this” after every hit on a civilian, but most of them didn’t even seem to understand what they were reading out. Greg Boyed was so robotic on Television One that he almost morphed into Peter Jennings.
The US media is ridiculously pro Israel such that some of the things that get printed in the Israeli media would be career ending if an American journalist published them.
Don’t forget there ARE some courageous and determined journalists in the US, like Glenn Greenwald, Seymour Hersh, and Matthew Lee…. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFGjQqmADYI
At least we don’t have the Israel mafia here.
Again, sadly, I must disagree with you. In April 2002, when the New Zealand Herald cartoonist Malcolm Evans dared to criticize the Holy State for its depradations in the Occupied West Bank (this was just after the Jenin massacre) the Israeli embassy, in concert with the likes of David Nathan, Dame Lesley Max and David Zwarz, mounted a sustained campaign of character assassination and vilification against Evans, combined with snarling threats against the Herald‘s editor, Gavin Ellis, a weak character who needed little more than a few swear words down the telephone to frighten him. He sacked Evans eventually, replacing him with the pisspoor Rod Emmerson. http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/protest-against-former-herald-editor/5/141168
Cunlifffe no3? I would have thought that Shearer should have been up there? Having shown what a tough guy he is by smearing Cunliffe and manufacturing a coup that never was, shouldn’t Shearer be doing better than he is?
I’d like to dispute the idea that Shearer won public support via his behaviour towards Cunliffe. In my experience, Shearer is a non-entity. This despite relentless cheerleading from the msm.
His non-entity status was only confirmed by the whanau bbq season, in which I couldn’t get any kind of decent conversation going about him with anyone. No-one was interested, yet, as always politics was the number one topic. Labour in general, however, was much discussed, mainly in the context of particular policies and its non-appearance as the opposition.
One family member has gone down his own political ‘road to damascus’ and has joined us on the left, with some passion, after many years with the right. Coincidentally he went right through school with Shearer and knew him well, he played sport with him and they were often in the same classes. He was very keen to talk politics, but when I asked him about Shearer as a he had almost nothing to say. When I asked directly about what he thought of him he said “not much”. When I asked what Shearer was like as a kid he said “he was okay”. With further questioning I found two things; he was an average student academically, and he was “pretty good” at rugby.
Anyway, this may be what the Paganiists want, a leader who makes almost no impression. (I was surprised and expected the sort of jeering that Goff attracted).
McCarten seems to have changed his tune a bit in this piece. He seems to no longer be claiming that Cunliffe staged a coup.
IF.. I were into “conspiracy”Most” media liked Mr Shearer . Seems like ,with the state of the MSM ….. Mr Cunliffe will be a good choice for the leader?
My own gathered family in Wanaka generally cancel each other out blue-red. But this time blue-green. The German tourists can’t understand the southern loathing for the Greens here. even American tourists are mystified on that.
Cunliffe knows he was outplayed. Can’t understand the radio silence from him. After all if Chippie and Jones can … And Cunliffe should stop relying on supporters here on this site to do his heavy lifting for him.
Tell you what, anyone 55 or over here is mystified that Labour hasn’t got a plan for the country. Not communicating it is as bad as not having one.
Even the hard core Nats here see nothing is making any money (even real estate here) and surprisingly many compare Key’s Sky City deal far worse than Clark’s speeding to the Rugby. Just absolutely evident here the Nat’s desire to weaken the state has not dimmed the idea of the nation itself.
Karol, it’s a list of those who have had a bad year. Like Shearer or not, he’s had a good year. He’s cemented his leadership, destroyed the only challenge to his authority in caucus and risen in the polls personally and taken the party up as well. He knows he will be PM in less than two years. That’s a good 12 months for a politician.
Actually believe politics to be real eh, and because you support Labour blindly, and have invested yourself into the the theatre, can’t/won’t see the reality, whats up with that?
The comment made above, is an example of the reason this country goes down the toilet a little more each day.
Thanks for that TRP!
Edit: JS -agree with what you say, except that Shearer is certainly not, a non-entity, he is in fact the polar opposite. As the NACT move further right, so the LP can be moved further center, all while some still believe they represent the left!
Right on karol! Cunliffe’s “allies” hardly showed themselves in a good light. “Without any internal backlash” claims McCarten – who, of course, does not mention the enormous external backlash!
The internal backlash has been stifled and hasn’t had a chance to manifest itself, but will appear in Feb if there is a leadership challenge. To date shearer has bullied everyone into silence by demanding allegiance and blind following. There could be a swift surgical coup shortly.
Matt is wrong when he say there was a boost in the polls from shitting on Cunliffe. The polls went back to where they were in August and to where they have been ever since Phil & Annette took over. No change, despite an atrocious year from Key.
Matt is swallowing a line fed to him and Young an Trevett.
Labour is doing SHITE in the polls.
Saying otherwise is like polishing a turd.
If you say something with enough repetition if will be assumed to be true therefore becomes fact to a host of people, ie the Cunliffe leadership challenge.
IMHO it appears that’s what he trying to do.
Cunliffe is not in politics for the money. As I understand it, he and his wife are wealthy in their own right. Makes for an interesting point of difference between him and some in the ABC club.
Another good poll result for the left, Micky. If even the HOS poll shows National falling short of a majority at the end of 2012, then we can be pretty happy going into 2013. Time for Labour to start calling for a snap election, methinks.
Don’t know TRP. Labour’s gain is at NZF’s expense and last election it is clear that some of NZF’s support came from Labour voters trying to give the party an ally.
And I don’t think the tactic of Shearer trashing the party’s best and brightest to “cement” his leadership is one with any long term benefits.
You’re right about the Labour support going Winston’s way, but at the next election, I think National supporters are more likely to make that tactical choice. Tories would would see Labour/NZF as more palatable than Lab/Greens, so the English effect may re-appear.
As for trashing the best and brightest, Cunliffe is bright, but he’s been bested. It’s over for him and like the plucky contender picking himself up from the canvas, he never saw it coming.
Um TRP if the party is going to be run in such a way it is not going to improve its position and the best and brightest activists will go off to the greens. This idea of maintaining power at all costs is very dangerous.
Tempted as I am to rerun Muldoon’s joke about emigration to Oz, I don’t see any signs that Labour activists are moving to the Greens, other than a few grumpy comments here. I’m not a fan of power at all costs either, but if power comes at the cost of sidelining the unproven David Cunliffe, I’m not too bothered. The task from here on in is to see a left coalition Government elected and its the policies I care about, not the pollies.
I guess it depends who you’re talking to, TRP when it comes to what way Labour supporters will vote. If you’re talking mostly with people who supported Labour in the last election, then you’ll find that they’re not at all happy with the way the Labour caucus/Shearer is going at the moment and they’re looking at future voting alternatives. If you’re talking to Nat supporters, well – they”ll be happy with whatever the Nats do so they won’t leave their ship! No Nat supporter that I’ve ever come across has ever voted Labour – not even last election when Key said they’d sell SOEs did the Nats around where I live change their vote and then expressed shock, horror at the thought of SOEs being sold !
Seasons Greetings TRP. I wouldn’t write off Cunliffe just yet.
Cunliffe may be only keeping his silence as a tactical move until February. Win or lose, Cunliffe, unlike Shearer, has something to offer the Labour Party and the country.
Greetings to you too, Jenny, hope the new year is a good one for you and yours.
You are dead right about Cunliffe having something to offer and I hope he gets given some real responsibility before the election and a cabinet post after it. I also have a sneaking suspicion Shearer will surprise us all in election year by having a total cleanout of the dead wood, including the leaders of the ABC club. It would be a tactical masterstroke to go into the next election making a clean break with the people who cost Labour the last election.
Indeed TRP. I’ve heard rumours that just such a move is under consideration. It would be good to see a rejuvenated front-bench. One of the things that has upset me most about the infighting is that is has divided some of the party’s best up and coming talent. Robertson, Hipkins, Adern, et al should be working with Cunliffe, Wall, Moroney, et al to forge a new, competent, and assertive parliamentary Labour Party but instead have been put on separate sides by the wealth of ill-feeling created by Mallard, Goff, King, et all. Then there’s the non-aligned (or less aligned?) new blood such as Andrew Little and David Clark who are doing good things but would be able to perform even more effectively if their talents were nested in a more functional caucus.
I think that Shearer’s difficulty with members would disappear overnight if he dealt with the old toxic elements of the caucus.
I also think that we’d see more political successes from Labour and with them, more courage to push harder and lefter. As far as I can tell most of the younger caucus members hold very similar solid left views regardless of the “camp” they are in – it’s the older lot that are still locked into the third-way belief that the electorate won’t tolerate social democratic initiatives (this may be the last remnant legacy of the fourth Labour govt) .
You give me hope. I think the clean-out needs to start with the re-shuffle coming up soon, and be well and truly complete before the end of this year so we go into election year with a tried and true fresh slate. Shearer hasn’t earned my support yet, but if he pulls this one off I’ll happily rescind my criticisms – fully and publicly on The Standard blog site!
Shearer’s at 25% preferred PM in the poll, Cunliffe and Ardern 0.6%, just behind Goff on 0.8% and just ahead of Colin Craig on 0.5% and Hone Harawira on 0.4%. Shearer’s numbers are up 50% from the last Reid Research poll, so starting to look respectable. Key is still holding National up all by himself – the accompanying article says that if National’s partners hold Epsom and Ohariu they can still govern. That’s pretty tenuous this far out from 2014. And New Zealanders still oppose asset sales by two to one.
The ‘system’ inside and organisation including a political party can turn itself around. It probably can’t happen as fast as we would like but, believe it or not, I actually believe the Clark government was carefully putting the building blocks in place. Bear in mind, they had two conservative minor parties to contend with (and that was delivered them by the voters) so progress was slow. There’s no reason why a Labour/Green government-elect in 2014 can’t complete the job.
Actually a majority of delegates at the Labour conference started the ball rolling, and it was directly responsible for the ABC club hissy fit. The last throes of a dying third way belief ?
Could you elaborate on your comments about the Clark governments building blocks ?
Your last sentence, remains to be seen, although decades of negative trending would offer very long odds, and personally I do not believe that Cunliffe is anything different to Shearer, other than having some more experience inside the local machine. I interperet the *hissy fit* as more of the theatre I have referred to many times previously, not any final death rattle, so much as yet another act in the play!
Until the critical issue of NZ’s monetary control is addressed, and examination/auditing, and public showing of the debt situation, are demanded by those who are *playing politician*, then optimism has NO place, as it will simply allow the deterioration/theft to continue!
If there’s a clean out of the “old guard” I hope it includes Shane Jones, in the light of his attacks of Green policies.
It would be great to see some of the very able Labour MPs brought back in – but I hope it doesn’t mean a re-selection of John Tamihere (truly a relic from the past). I also hope more women are given prominent front bench positions, like Cunliffe, Wall, Moroney, Chauvel, etc. Under Shearer so far, thew LP has looked too macho male-dominated for me, and I would not like to see that kind of leadership in the next government.
Andrew Little has delivered some very good speeches in the House: e.g. on ACC.
I have so far had mixed responses to Ardern and Hipkins. Ardern has shown some fiery sparks of sincere advocacy for those in poverty. At other times she looks less sincere and more of a managerialist-style politician. But these two are young, so there’s time to develop. I’ll wait and see how they go.
I also have a sneaking suspicion Shearer will surprise us all in election year by having a total cleanout of the dead wood, including the leaders of the ABC club. It would be a tactical masterstroke to go into the next election making a clean break with the people who cost Labour the last election.
Firstly, hope is not suspicion, unless you have some sort of evidence leading you to believe it. What signs are there of this? Shearer has shown, if nothing else, that he is loyal to those who are loyal to him. If you are in his camp, you can get away with all sorts of damaging shit, leaking to the press, bagging potential coalition partners, general internet idiocy, none of it matters.
Secondly, the reality of the permanent campaign means that if something like this is a good idea for an election year, you should be doing it now. By the time the year rolls around it is too late. If a clean break is needed, why for god’s sake would you not make it now?
Oh yeah, personal loyalty to the people fucking up. So he’ll let them fuck up for another year, let those fuck ups continue to feed narratives, and then hope for a ‘clean break’.
A clean break, is an admission that what you were doing, sucks. That’s not the sort of admission you make a year out from an election. You should be doing it in the first year after. that gives 2 years + to build that narrative of a ‘government in waiting’. But that narrative isn’t building because the break hasn’t been made yet.
In the short term, Shearer needs the current coterie. Past the February caucus, his standing as leader will be confirmed and the LP’s hopes at the election (and the MP’s jobs) then rely on him to a large extent. The ABC club consequently have less power and less power means less influence. They will become, ahem, lame ducks. Tactically, a clean out nearer the election means the ABCers will not have time to mount a coup in response and Shearer can go into the election as his own man, beholden to none. He will gain a personal poll boost as he did when he finished Cunliffe off, being seen as a strong leader making his mark. The timing is the masterstroke I was talking about, I think it’s better later than earlier.
IB: cheers, some typically spot on analysis in your comment. Maybe a post in it?
Ok, so it looks like we were thinking about different things.
Correct me if I’m wrong, please, but what you outline looks to me to be something like this:
Shearer needs the support of some useless idiots in caucus to avoid facing a broader party vote in Feb. He needs to avoid that vote because he can’t count on the support of the broader party.
So he will allow the idiots to remain being idiots until the threat from his lack of support in the broader party has been circumvented, and then he will stab the idiots in the back and replace them with some of thee people who would rather have let the broader party have a say.
Everyone starts singing kumbayah.
Sorry, but that to me looks like a really good play for a leader who is shoring up personal support in a weak position. It ignores that fact that leadership of the party isn’t the main goal of politics.
TRP, I don’t think he does need the ABC. In fact I think if he did sweep them out and bring the younger MPs of the two camps together there’s no way the half dozen MPs that make up the old guard would have the numbers to make the February vote and Cunliffe and his supporters would have no need to. What are the old guard going to do? Put Trev or Phil up as their new champion?
IB, while I agree his doesn’t need them in the long term , he does need them now. If the Feb vote is unanimous, and it should be, then Shearer has the whip hand and can afford to make his move at a time of his choosing. But he’d be foolish to rock the boat now.
If the strategy is to consolidate power and set the scene for the future, the immediate tactic is to formalise his authority in caucus. That means looking to repeat the unanimous vote post conference, not merely get the 60% plus one majority, so a move now would be way too early.
Following on what PB has said, if Shearer does intend to burn off the ABC club, what sort of a leadership does he actually have in mind for himself? So far he has given no indication, and the only thing I have seen him do with conviction is demote and silence the man that he saw as his main challenger. Was the Rufus Painter speech, and his limp defence of it, a sop to supporters with whom he intends to break ranks? Does he really think that left and right are not fruitful ways of conceptualising issues, or was that another sop?
There have been a few comments over the past day or two that raise questions that run far deeper than poll results.
RedLogix cited a conversation with Michael Cullen, who “…took the pains to explain to me in my naivety that governments can only operate within what is considered the acceptable ‘paradigm’ of the day. That some things were possible and others were a step too far at the time.”
Elsewhere, Sanctuary said, in a tone of exasperation, “I don’t see a fear of ideological purity, I see a fear of losing the benefits of being part of the elite.”
Bearing these comments in mind, this is the question to which I would like a straight answer from whoever leads the Labour Party. If you are taken to one side after the election, and told that the Nats have run the economy into the ground, and that you must introduce measures that squeeze the most vulnerable even further, what are you going to do?
The crucial question is whether our government is there to protect foreign interests, to the career advantage of local representatives, or there to defend the interests of the citizens, including the most vulnerable citizens.
The problem goes deeper than leadership. Labour has during 2012 simply not presented itself as a credible “next government”/leading coalition partner to the electorate. While the talent and ideas are there there has also been persistent feeling that everything is still inchoate with Labour which a critical 10-15% of the electorate are probably picking up on. Its something that will need to be worked upon during 2013.
To Olwyn : Bearing these comments in mind, this is the question to which I would like a straight answer from whoever leads the Labour Party. If you are taken to one side after the election, and told that the Nats have run the economy into the ground, and that you must introduce measures that squeeze the most vulnerable even further, what are you going to do?
This is an important question you have asked. Perhaps the most important of all.
This is just the scenario faced by Lange/Douglas et al in 1984 which they used to go down the neo-liberal economic path. I would hope that Labour in 2014 would take us down a different track but until we know what Shearer really thinks, we cannot possibly guess what way they’d go.
The fact that we do not know what Shearer thinks looks ominous to me. Along with his tendency to sidestep rather than address criticisms, his previous status as an international elite, and the panicked response of his crew when Cunliffe had the temerity to suggest that Labour would not make do with amputating your leg a little lower than National would. I should throw in as well his fan club of right wing shills. It seems to me that if he had more to offer than managing NZ on behalf of its “investors” he would by now have said so, loud and clear.
It may or may not be ominous, Olwyn. But that’s the problem. Maybe it has been a strategy to win over the MSM etc first. However, during the last year, there has been an erosion of trust. So, now, even if Shearer comes out and sincerely advocates for a strong left/labour movement position, how do we know he will stick to that once in government?
I would prefer that Team Shearer does take leadership of a strong left agenda, but I will still be voting Mana or Green in order to have representation from parties that would be most likely to keep a Labour-led government “honest”.
Caving to what some might see as the media’s demands does not amount to winning them over. Clark won the media over, though she lost them, after seven or eight years, to Key. But she did so with forthrightness, friendliness and clear articulation, not by purporting to follow a centre-right line.
The most crucial question to me lies with the difference between having the representation of New Zealanders as your focus, including and especially the most vulnerable, and selling your brand to New Zealanders in order to manage them on behalf of the international elite. One cannot expect miracles when corporatism has rendered us a more-or-less occupied country, but one can distinguish between a politician who employs their energy and their wiles on our behalf, and one who simply facilitates our exploitation while enhancing their own career prospects.
Makes you wonder how much trashing of the country has to occur before people decide to switch.
There are no shortcuts, Micky. People will not vote Labour just because they aren’t National. The old saying that goes ‘Oppositions don’t win elections, Governments lose them’ does have an unspoken proviso that the Opposition needs to meet a minimum standard of competence.
At the moment, Labour is a complete fail. People don’t have any idea what they stand for, who their leader is, or any confidence in their day-to-day political management and performance. They’ve been overshadowed by the Greens and Winston all year.
To put it bluntly, no matter how much Key screws up, people won’t go for Labour in its current form. That leaves Key wide open to do whatever he likes.
The Greens are proving very competent, but they are still a minor party in most people’s eyes. To have a change of government, people need to regain confidence in the main Opposition party – Labour. And it doesn’t look like happening anytime soon.
Maybe the country isn’t being trashed the way you say it is. The Xmas receipts were well up from last year, indicating people had money in their pockets and weren’t worried about spending it ie confidence in their jobs and the way the country is going maybe.
Or were those just the rich pricks? If so there seem to be a lot of rich pricks around.
So, what changes will Labour/Watermelon make, and how will it improve things? Or will they start us backwards down the track to Greece and Zimbabwe?
Christmas retail up just 3.3%, after retail in general has been down all year. Unless the trend continues in January and February, I wouldn’t read too much into it.
Micky – thanks. This hardly endorses McCarten’s insistence of increased support for Labour since the crucifixion (“destroyed” is the word chosen by TRP) of Cunliffe by Shearer! Never mind, tons of time for a Cunliffe “resurrection” yet!!
Hi Doc. I think you are right, a Cunliffe “resurrection” should not be ruled out, in fact I think it is almost compulsory. In politics “resurrection” is the rule, rather than the exception.
Politics is almost exciting as war. In war you can only be killed once. But in politics many times.
Winston Churchill After Churchill’s expulsion from the Conservative Party in 1906
Big banks, FBI, Homeland Security and local law enforcement actively worked together to collect intelligence on Occupy activists, and violently crush Occupy protests right across the USA. Draw your own conclusions about what the melding of corporate and state power means to all of us. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/dec/29/fbi-coordinated-crackdown-occupy
What do people think the *intelligence* networks do all day long, jesus it obviously took control of the *arab spring* and engineered it towards the desired outcomes across the board, why on earth would occupy have been any different, *intelligence* is not a new industry!
Disgusting what Russia did, using Orphans to score political points off the usa, funny how the green party and te mana and the labour party are silent over Russia’s repugnant actions, despite telling people how they’re the party that cares about childern.
This is what happens when diplomatic relations between major powers deteriorate badly. Ordinary people get caught in the middle. Russia was always going to retaliate against the US Magnitsky Act which targets senior Russian officials.
You cannot be too disgusted, you are using those very same children whose treatment has very little to do with New Zealand politics, (unless you think we are simply a US proxy state), to score stupid political points against New Zealand political party’s…
International adoptions are a fraught area: there’s arguments for and against it. Some argue against it as encouraging the international marketing of children. Others think it is traumatic or the child to take them away from their home culture.
Opponents of international adoption, including UNICEF, suggest that the money and effort spent on giving homes to a few children would be better spent on improving conditions in the children’s native countries. The idea is that reducing poverty and disease would reduce the number of orphans. In most cases the children available for international adoption are in institutions or temporary foster care, without the possibility of domestic adoption in the near future. Even people who oppose international adoption in principle tend to agree that it’s preferable to a life spent in an orphanage.
Crikey! It’s the weekend?! Well it’s been a blur of heat and humidity all week. Nice breeze a blowing now though…. thank god.
Thank god (or ratepayers rather) for libraries too. Stocked up on reading matter on xmas eve including Mojo music mags. Quote of the week has to be from Don Letts speaking on John Lydon (Mojo, August 2012)
“People are scared when somebody else speaks up when they haven’t got the guts to. People want to squash it”
This made me think of the silence/cognitive dissonance/apathy we have in NZ during one of the most painful political times we have experienced in a awhile. Bring the noise I say!! (Apologies for being a bit political on the social pages)And on that note: Arohanui to the authors and moderators here at The Standard. You are a wise and strong collective,whose work is much appreciated by myself and many other commentors and readers for sure. I wish you well for your ongoing and increasing success in 2013.
To commentors and readers: The very best of health and happiness to you in 2013, especially to those of you whose path has not been easy – may you find the change you are looking for. Kia Kaha
PS: Moved this comment from weekend social as its semi social, semi political. Big ups all:-)
beginning with an Adneckdote;
-over a post S.A 😉 service cuppa tea the Lord led an itinerant “farmer” to engage with me. After the usual pissing comparison of our denominational journeys (his first step int the S.A, via marriage),we came around to politics; he asked if I belonged, I said I’m joining Labour, red (and black) through and through, whatta bout you, Blue?
His words-(now this is really funny)” No! John Key has done as much damage to this country as Helen Clark did” (he exclaimed from the heart of his airtex shirt and Tussock Creek moleskins).
then, then,”You should join the Conservative Party (assumed i’m conservative obviously; i don’t even look freakin’ conservative, i look a cross between John and Rasputin). You’re joining the Labour Party??? There are more gays in in there than anything”, and then he immediately got up before i could reply (well, spose i already had with my pierced eyes 🙂 ), saying I gotta go (probably to wash his mouth out), grabbed his “bible” and strode off; must have been the bright light hurting his briefly opened mind. Very sad, yet, something to bear in mind (bear, now that’s funny), cos it’s all about
impressions, and although i find David Clark interesting to listen to, and think Charles is well spoken,
Robertson worries me personally.
TOO MUCH MARIHUANA, PERHAPS?
Hollywood entertainment lawyer Mark Litwak interviewed by Simon Morris
Radio New Zealand National, Sunday 30 December 2012, 1:25 p.m.
A neat example of two minds: one just a bit too laid back and one razor-sharp…
MORRIS: You were talking about the ninety-day, errrrr—
LITWAK: Gap.
MORRIS: Gap, yes.
If Morris keeps on with the woolly-minded “errrrr” and “ummmm” stuff, Leighton (Ummmmm, Errrrrr, Ahmmmm) Smith and Larry (Lackwit) Williams had better look to their laurels; someone else could be contending for the title of dopiest person on the air….
anyway, the wave and a smile is my best friend, Amor fati
climbing up on Soulsbury Hill, Red Rain’s fallin’ down In Your Eyes
wherd ya’ leave the Delorean Marty, back in High School McFli?
government blacktop “binge”; there’ll be a toll to pay
no Transmission Lawrence…radio my Transmission
It won’t happen overnight Rachal, but it will happen
that’s the panting explosion. Esau I have loved
Yet, Esau must go-Rachel grew jealous
shairing in all the duplicity and falsehood of her gasoline alley family.
Leah Laban Labia. Lamentations:the fate of the children
Suicide Blond in excess. Marvin Marvin Marvin
there are too many children crying
(heard it thru’ the grapevine) “Mine Mine Mine”
They’re all livin for the City
there’s too many children dying. Horn being train sets
In Vain. Manchester Brittle Indian cotton land. Return
of “the guardians”; tooth fairy and Bugs Bunny,
“eh wots up Doctorow. It’s one virus and calcium
deficit after another. Have you ever pulled a chain
Gang, been around or on The Block?
singin’ all day, singin’ ’bout nothin’ oh meow meow Mao
Oh Mao meow meow. The kingdom of God is near.
Apathy Agnosticism Atheism: Anarchy
Acquisition Acquiescence Appeasement: Anarchy
Behaviour Bleeding Belonging: Blessing
Saviour Sister Brother Blessing
Blessings from the Rock of our Salvation
Admit Believe Call. Concrete Blonde Always
God is a Bullet, have Mercy on us everyone.
To cut a long story short I lost my mind
(if you leave me, can I come too, and if)
You don’t, then I won’t too. Little Boys, big toys
each has a shiny “horse”, gayly they play
each summers’ day, “warriors” all of them of course
Father Father Father, there’s too many children dying
Father Father Father, men leave women cryin’
Eats, Roots and Leaves. Mama she has taught me well
Told me when I’s young, Son your life’s an open book
don’t close it ‘fore it’s done.
By the rivers of Babylon, there we set down
there air we wept
when we remembered Zion
Nothing Else Matters
never care for what they say
never care for what they do
Dare to be a Daniel, Red Blooded through and through.
Vegetarian soon she’ll be comin round the mountain
comin’ round the mountain, she’ll be comin round
the mounting when she comes.
(Driver 8 take a break, we’ve been on this “trip” too long)
The Bible is often overlooked tunneling under war monuments
We’re in his hands, Idle Hands and all that Sin City jazz
We can change the world, with our own Two Hands
A-men O-men, when I see your face again
Ben-Harper. The days I cannot see have all been planned.
enter No Plea. Barter. Paraclete will see you through.
scourged him to the bone The Romans did
Thank God for Joseph of Arimathea .
meanwhile, the church packed it’s bags
sat at the Bus Stop waiting for The Rapture
who shares their umbrella. A Long Cool
Women in a black dress, working for the FBI
at the time of Elisha, the more “wailers” you paid
the more sadness you weighed:Elisha had P.R
The Inheritance we have is the presence of God.
Billy Graham left the bus tours and knelt
After Wesley; wore that carpet out Side By Side
Onward Caritas Soldiers support and comfort
The Poor will always be with us; there is an increase.
Pirates.Radio Hauraki run up The Jolly Roger
-cheeky wink. Think Think Think.
the black the white, the dark the fair
your colour does not matter here
there’s every nation, every race
at The Standard we can all embrace
God Loves You All
Personally what baffles me is the sheer authoritarian nastiness the ABC clique has employed. If they had an honest argument they would have used it and while a few egos’ might of gotten bruised; we would not be where we are now with a weakened Labour party leader trying desperately to hose down this kind of damaging dissension … and long-time loyal activists openly contemplating leaving Labour behind.
Not dealing honestly with issues always makes them worse.
Infiltration of the LP began decades ago, why should it be a surprise that there are still such types who make up the *core* of the party, are the same who are forging such damage and giving the NACT such a free ride, because that’s whats really going on!
Same techniques rinse and repeat, and people still fall for it!
RL: Personally what baffles me is the sheer authoritarian nastiness the ABC clique has employed.
Yes, that, the bullying, the suppression of dissent from members, and the manipulation of the MSM to create a false narrative of Cunliffe attempting a coup, resulting in the smearing of Cunliffe – that all leaves a nasty taste in the mouth, and has resulted in the development of a feeling of distrust in Team Shearer. I don’t know how all that damage can be easily undone.
I doubt the MSM were manipulated. More likely they were accomplices. That was certainly the impression I got observing their activity (or some of it) at the Labour Conference.
now, when shall we see mowing over lightbulbs on the A40 sit-com stop rerunnin? hmmm?
hmmm? (keep listening to RNZ, might learn an unPopular thing or two)
Well, from just observing the reports in the MSM, it looked like some mutual attempts at manipulation – by the Labour Caucus anonymous leakers and journalists manufacturing their own version of the story.
SST-
some gristle in the OECD article;
-% income spent on housing-29-36th of 36 (rankings)
-child poverty-20/36
-work life (un)-balance-30/36
“Oh the humidity…” get a haircut, and get a productive job.
Laws-bit of a pavlova himself by the sounds and look of it (nothin’ personal, just gristle between my
teeth) No need to mince words, spit ’em out; elicit not my fluffy, feathered friend; we already know what the conclusions are, including needing a woman to hold your hand while you manipulate that
peace (holmes already had his trial) sons, your lives are over, ours have just begun.
Ozzy Osbourne airoport, where the big jet engines roar…(Birmingham)
In September 2012 Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel attempted to break the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) with a bid to privatize Chicago’s public schools. The mayor’s proposal was based on a plan to subject teachers (and schools) to performance measurement based on students’ standardized test scores.
Teachers whose students scored poorly would be fired. Schools whose students scored poorly would be closed. The students would then be farmed out to so-called “charter schools” – for the most part, for-profit institutions run by corporations like Edison Schools, Rocketship, Victory Schools, and Educational Services of America.
The rest of the article takes a somewhat dark line, but this opening strikes a very familiar chord.
still lovin’ ya work Floccular, gobsmacked as usual
a Molly of an anecdote, Take Note!
remain positive Mike;glass half full
great Macro analysis as per
potential TRP pragmatic potential http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pendle_witches
(problematic for Wesley)
don’t be so glum-jump in puddles (lux ury may be found for tramps under bridges)
kc and the Sonshine band (thats the way aha aha I like it)
numerator Jenny, not numero uno (hubris cometh before?)
forget Georgy peter puddin’ pie; com municate with George
one outta the box and into the Pink (all pink inside)
a dab one-two analysis left hook; southpaw?
reasoned as usual Red. Peoples Power (Patti Smith)
keep on Going North.Not too much turf on the fire aye Bill (smoke gets in their I’s)
hope it’s all Rosie for you too-Guten Morgen / Tag
“don’t be so glum-jump in puddles (lux ury may be found for tramps under bridges)”
Yep. I’m probably the least glum person I know, being honest.
The Silver Chair – the serpent scene. A burnt foot doesn’t matter when you know what matters.
“One word, Ma’am,” he said, coming back from the fire; limping, because of the pain. “One word. All you’ve been saying is quite right, I shouldn’t wonder. I’m a chap who always liked to know the worst and then put the best face I can on it. So I won’t deny any of what you said. But there’s one more thing to be said, even so. Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things-trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones. Suppose this black pit of a kingdom of yours is the only world. Well, it strikes me as a pretty poor one. And that’s a funny thing, when you come to think of it. We’re just babies making up a game, if you’re right. But four babies playing a game can make a play-world which licks your real world hollow. That’s why I’m going to stand by the play world. I’m on Aslan’s side even if there isn’t any Aslan to lead it. I’m going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn’t any Narnia. So, thanking you kindly for our supper, if these two gentlemen and the young lady are ready, we’re leaving your court at once and setting out in the dark to spend our lives looking for Overland. Not that our lives will be very long, I should think; but that’s a small loss if the world’s as dull a place as you say.”
Wittgesntein, language games (i.e., ‘babies playing a game’):
“Something new (spontaneous, specific) is always a language-game” (Philosophical Investigations, p. 224)”
Vaclav Havel:
“Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out.”
I keep reading on this site about the need for policy and that it is more important than personalities. I tend to agree with this but think it is very important to have good leadership AS WELL.
If you want to see what one party’s policy is, relating to the current world economic crisis, then go to this site http://www.democrats.org.nz/; here you will find an abundance of policy for real change which both Labour and the Greens would do well to study. I think it is fairly obvious that REAL CHANGE is not going to come from Labour OR the Greens
I find it amazing that SOME of these policies (and Social Credit as a party) have not had any mention during these trying times.
DEBATE is lively in this forum, just before the end of the year. But again, it is the selected few raising voices and ideas, those who take interest, follow, read, learn and are informed.
Regrettably you are all too few. I dread again, for days we get the usual end of year shit news from MSM (mainstream media), about traffic, sales turnovers, the feeding at the missions, the accidents in bush, on beaches and on the roads. The odd crime story fills in, and there is heaps of weather prediction, always a bit off what really will come.
FFS, is this what NZ is about, I ask yet again?
I know many here know a better part of NZ, but I am talking about the supposed “masses” of brain-washed consumers, leisure holidayers, and those just not interested in others, rather themselves to have a bloody good time. Christmas was again a shocker, with NO CULTURE of any sorts, no enlightenment, nothing worth reading, watching or listening to.
The dumbing down agenda is working, so I am afraid.
We have a Labour leader go surfing and wanting to have lots of BBQ fun. He is mellow, shallow and a no-hoper. An opposition that only really comes in force from the minor players (so far) in “opposition”. We have a country on the brink, but all have gone on holdays now, forget the future and the needs of the people, I suppose. If you cannot afford it, splash out on the credit card, surely in 1 to 2 months the bills will come, and the sobering up phase. But hey, then it will be autumn and winter, fit for somber moods.
I am for a first time in a long time in contact with people in Europe, I am feeling a need to rethink my future. Do I want to spend the rest of my life in a vast, expansive farm yard, short of ideas, where revolutionary thinking and great ideas will NEVER catch on with most, or do I perhaps seek a chance to get back to what I call “civilisation” and informed people?
Honestly, I am at a stage in my life, where I am ready to call it quits for NZ, I see little hope at all for this small post colonial place. It is sooooooo depressing and hopeless. Not even presenting media, and others with scandalous information and facts moves anything.
I am tired of living in a dictatorship or some kind of dumbo land.
Happy New Year, whatever you may be able to make of it.
Yes I understand what you are saying Xtasy, there is a lot of truth in what you are saying. However it could be worse, we could be in AUSTRALIA. Just keep positing on the Standard, I enjoy your posts.
I felt really inspired for the first time this year on listening to Owen Glenn (RNZ 7.30 ish) talking about his commission of inquiry into child abuse and violence. He has a web site which I am yet to visit and he hopes to have a blue print ready in the first quarter of 2014. A panel of about 35 selected people are involved.
I already quit NZ Xtasy and am living in the States, National doesn’t care about human welfare or the future of New Zealand. It is the Chicago Boys project all again, John Key is just a Roger Douglas with a different name. The right wing in NZ are under the personality cult of John Key, as are the MSM. The MSM always attack the Greens and Labour, the only two parties that have people that give a damn if New Zealand stays afloat or not. The longer National stays in power, the more damaged New Zealand becomes. If you have to leave as I have, then good luck. 🙂
New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Carereport released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced$802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Carereport in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquirypublished its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone iconon the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive:Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloittereport for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’sOliver LewisScoop:Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announcedthe Board of Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Orderimage, ...
Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
Waiting In The Wings:For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSAannounced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
Open access notablesImproving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society:To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
A late change to charter school legislation will cheat educators out of fair pay and negotiating power proving charter schools are just a vehicle to make profit out of our education system. ...
In 2004 te iwi Māori rallied against the Crown’s attempt to confiscate our coastlines and moana with the Foreshore and Seabed Act. This led to the largest hīkoi of a generation and the birth of Te Pāti Māori. 20 years later, history is repeating itself. Today the government has announced ...
It has been five and a half years since the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care was established to investigate the abuse of children, young people, and vulnerable adults within state and faith-based institutions. Yesterday, the final report - Whanaketia through pain and trauma, from darkness to light ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to take action off the back of the International Court of Justice ruling on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. ...
On Friday the International Court of Justice reaffirmed what Palestinian’s have been telling us for decades: that the occupation and colonisation of Palestinian lands by Israel is illegal and must end immediately. They also called for reparations for Palestinian’s who have lived under Israeli occupation since it began in 1967. ...
Labour calls on the Government to act after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian Territories is illegal. ...
The 53.7 percent rise in benefit sanctions over the last year is more proof of this Government’s disdain for our communities most in need of support. ...
Aotearoa could be a country where every child grows up feeling safe, loved and with a sense of belonging in their whānau and community. But for some of our children, this is far from reality. Instead, they are trapped in a maze of intergenerational harm that they can’t escape on ...
Te Pāti Māori are calling for David Seymour to resign as Associate Health Minister in response to his call for Pharmac to ignore the Treaty of Waitangi. “This announcement is just another example of the government’s anti-Tiriti, anti-Māori agenda.” Said Co-leader and spokesperson for health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. “Seymour thinks it ...
The soaring price of renting is driving the rise of inflation in this country - with latest figures from Stats NZ showing rents are up 4.8 per cent on average while annual inflation is at 3.3 per cent. ...
National’s Emissions Reduction Plan will take New Zealand further from the economy we need to ensure the next generation has a stable climate and secure livelihoods. ...
Following consultation with named parties and thorough consideration of privacy interests, the Green Party is in a position to release the Executive Summary of the final report from the independent investigation into Darleen Tana. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon should be asking serious questions of his Minister for Resources Shane Jones now it’s been revealed he misled the public about a dinner with mining companies that he didn’t declare and said wasn’t pre-arranged. ...
Te Pāti Māori have submitted to the Justice Select Committee against the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill. The bill will further entrench racism in our justice system and fails to focus on rehabilitation. “Reinstating Three Strikes will empower a systematically racist system and exacerbate the overrepresentation of Māori in ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee is set to make a determination on the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill in the coming weeks. “This legislation will give landlords the power to kick our whānau out onto the street for no reason” said Housing spokesperson, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “Their solution to the housing ...
“National’s campaign was about tackling crime and the best they can do is a two-year long Ministerial Advisory Group,” Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
“There are more examples of charter schools failing their students than there are success stories. The coalition Government is driving to dismantle our public school system and instead promote a privatised, competitive structure that puts profits before kids,” Jan Tinetti said. ...
“This government is choosing to deliberately mislead and withhold information, keeping our people in the dark about this government’s agenda and the future of our mokopuna,” said co-leader and spokesperson for Health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. The call comes after the demand from the Chief Ombudsman that Associate Minister of Health, Casey ...
“Today’s climate announcement by Simon Watts makes clear the National Government is simply paying lip service to meeting its climate change targets,” Megan Woods said. ...
National is choosing to make life harder for workers by taking away the rights our communities have fought hard for. Here's how they’re taking workers backwards. ...
Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue. We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views. “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
Tēnā tātou katoa, Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts. “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet. “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks. “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. At the heart of this report are the ...
For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024. “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane. “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says. “This will be our third visit to ...
Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today. “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum. While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation. “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan. “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests. Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone. Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
Comment: It was a good two hours into the conversation when Tyrone Marks raised the most basic of questions when I first spoke to him in 2017. “They didn’t explain the things they did to me. They never told me why. And they still haven’t. There’s no explanation for it. ...
Last summer when Matairangi burned, Ginny and Tom stood at the window of their lounge, watching kākā shoot skyward from the burning trees. From the distance, they looked to Ginny like pages torn from books and thrown into a bonfire. It was Tom, voice tight, who told her it was ...
Opinion: The Canadian short story writer Alice Munro – winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013 – died in May at the age of 92. Her work was about “the damage people inflict on one another in the name of love”, Deborah Treisman wrote in the New Yorker. ...
This month marks two years since the most powerful telescope ever built sent its first pictures back to earth. From its lofty vantage point, beyond the moon in orbit around the sun, the James Webb Space Telescope was tuned to observe the first stars and galaxies being born soon after ...
Comment: After Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ preview several weeks ago, I had some optimism about the Government’s emissions reduction plan. Now I’ve read the discussion document, that hope has been dashed. How can the Government propose a plan that wants to take New Zealand taxpayers’ hard-earned money, and spend ...
Christopher Luxon: hurdles The little man from National jumps hurdles in his sleep. He’s quite good at it in his dreams and even though the reality doesn’t quite match up you have to give him credit for getting up every morning and crashing into the very first hurdle of the ...
Madeleine Chapman rounds out Death Week on The Spinoff with a final recommendation. You can read all of our Death Week coverage here. Nothing forces you to reflect on your life and relationships quite like proximity to death. For those whose nearest and dearest have died, there are reasonably obvious ...
Whitney Greene takes us through her life in television, including the TV character she’d like to plan a funeral for and her cow lung catastrophe on The Traitors NZ. “If the phone rings, I have to answer it,” Whitney Greene from The Traitors NZ warns as we begin our My ...
Maddie Ballard reviews the debut essay collection of Pōneke writer Flora Feltham.In ‘The Raw Material’, the longest essay in Flora Feltham’s dazzling debut collection, the author heads out for a run after hours of weaving and sees the world turn to textile. “Pounding along the Parade, I saw the ...
Andy Christiansen, one half of the experimental rock-pop duo TRiPS, shares the tunes inspiring the band’s perfect weekend and new release. “Good speakers, good food, good music, no distractions”: that’s all you need to enjoy the psychedelic stylings of TRiPS, a new band formed by Fly My Pretties’ Barnaby Weir ...
Celebrating our quadrennial opportunity to become experts in a bunch of sports we never normally watch.The games of the XXXIII Olympiad are upon us. Paris will host this year’s showcase of sporting and athletic prowess, which means some late-night and early-morning viewing for us in Aotearoa.But what sports ...
The photograph is striking and beautiful, but also disturbing – a reminder that my love for John was often entangled in shame.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.In the spring of 1980, in Dunedin, shortly before his death, someone took a photograph ...
Get to know Babushka, our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Babu’s humans, Jo and Isabel, for their support. Dog name: Babushka (Babu for short) Age: 2Breed: Border Collie X poodleIf rescued, ...
Pacific Media Watch A Lebanese photojournalist who was severely wounded during an Israeli air strike in south Lebanon carried the Olympic torch in Paris this week in honour of her peers who have been wounded and killed in the field — especially in Gaza and Lebanon. Christina Assi of Agence ...
The first report in a five-part web series focused on the 15th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women taking place in the Marshall Islands this week.SPECIAL REPORT:By Netani Rika in Majuro Women continue to fight for justice 70 years after the first nuclear tests by the United States caused ...
Christopher Luxon has joined with Australia and Canada's leaders in voicing support for US President Joe Biden's ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The 2022 election brought the “teal wave” into parliament. The next election will test whether teals, who occupy what were Liberal seats, and other independents can maintain their momentum. Joining us on the Podcast ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Musgrave, Senior lecturer in Pharmacology, University of Adelaide Pixavri/Shutterstock A major Federal Court class action has been dismissed this week after Justice Michael Lee ruled there was not enough evidence to prove the weedkiller Roundup causes cancer. Plaintiff Kelvin ...
In The Week in Politics: politicians have to decide what to do about child abuse, Health NZ is booked in for major surgery and Darleen Tana returns. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Corbould, Associate Professor, Contemporary Histories Research Group, Deakin University Mainstream media are surprisingly muted at the prospect of the world’s most powerful nation being led for the first time by a woman – specifically a woman of colour, Vice President Kamala ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Bennett, PhD Student, Associate Research Fellow, Deakin University Last week, a drone delivery company called Wing (owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet) started operating in Melbourne. Some 250,000 residents in parts of the city’s eastern suburbs can now order food from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Foo, Lecturer, Physiotherapy, Monash University pikselstock/Shutterstock In the next 40 years in Australia, it’s predicted the number of Australians aged 65 and over will more than double, while the number of people aged 85 and over will more than triple. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katrina Grant, Research Associate, Power Institute for Arts and Visual Culture, University of Sydney Jonas Åkerström’s 1790 work, Session of the Accademia dell’Arcadia on August 17 1788.Nationalmuseum/Cecilia Heisser Ever wondered whether you’d have a better chance at winning an Olympic gold ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Jones, Program Lead, Food Governance, George Institute for Global Health wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock On Thursday, Australian and New Zealand food ministers at state, federal and national levels met to thrash out what’s next for health star ratings on packaged foods. Now, after ...
The Abuse in Care report found many Pacific survivors lost their connections to their culture and language, resulting in trauma that has been carried from generation to generation. ...
In the regulatory review, ECC intends to suggest that ERO focus on curriculum delivery reviews rather than the Ministry, because it’s not efficient or effective to have two agencies with radically different approaches climbing over each other. ...
Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori invites the current government to work in partnership with them to develop a pathway forward, including the development of a parallel pathway and meaningful policy and strategy for Kura Kaupapa Māori ...
If you haven’t started watching yet, Tara Ward begs you to reconsider. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. In the world of New Zealand reality television, we have many gems in our crown. There’s the delicious second season of the Celebrity Treasure ...
A new poem by Fiona Kidman. The clothes of the dead I did not keep my mother’s furry red beret for long nor the stringy scarves that adorned the necks of my aunts, although I have kept tag ends of gold, the rings and trinkets they wore, the brooches no ...
The government’s announcement that it will re-open the foreshore and seabed controversy by changing the rules on recognising centuries-old Māori customary title for a third time goes against the rule of law and New Zealand values,” Mr Tipa says. ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Lioness by Emily Perkins (Bloomsbury, $25) Roarrrr! Perkins’ brilliant, award-winning, Marian-Keyes anointed, darkly funny, long ...
The 2004 Act vested ownership of the foreshore and seabed in the Crown, extinguishing any Māori claims to ownership and causing widespread outrage and protests among Māori communities. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Antje Deckert, Associate Professor (Criminology), Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Despite the connection between institutional harm and gang membership made clear in this week’s mammoth royal commission abuse-in care report, the government seems unlikely to soften its “get tough on ...
From Lewis Clareburt in the swimming to the start of the rowing – the first seven days of Paris 2024 promise to be big for New Zealand. There are few events that bring the country together quite like an Olympic Games. Nothing quite matches the excitement of getting up in ...
Groundbreaking local science just showed up in the most surprising of places: the season finale of The Kardashians. In the season five finale of The Kardashians last night, several members of the family gathered together in one of their signature empty, cream-coloured rooms to hear test results that had been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Saikal, Emeritus professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University The Middle East is on the brink of a possibly devastating regional war, with hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah reaching an extremely dangerous level. Washington has engaged in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Elizabeth Eades, Rheumatologist, Monash University Lupus is an inflammatory autoimmune illness, where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks itself. Lupus can affect virtually any part of the body, although it most commonly affects the skin, joints and kidneys. The symptoms ...
A law firm that specialises in working with survivors of abuse in State care is disappointed that the Government fails to recognise that its boot camps can be directly compared to previous boot camps from the 1990s and 2000s. ...
Dying is a natural part of life, like updating your Wof or seeing your hairdresser, but without the word-of-mouth recs that help guarantee a good service. What if we changed that? Dying Reviews received by The Spinoff have had the names of organisations redacted while Hospice NZ collects further data. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland Mike Lewinski/Flickr, CC BY On any clear night, if you gaze skywards long enough, chances are you’ll see a meteor streaking through the sky. Some nights, however, are better than others. At ...
Despite having no bars or other designated spaces for lesbians, Auckland boasts a small but mighty lesbian museum. So how did it get here? The past 18 months has brought increasing hostility towards the queer community across Aotearoa. Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull’s anti-trans rally in Tamaki Makaurau last March led to a ...
Poneke Antifascist Coalition has invited Wellingtonians to stand in solidarity with the Kanak people at 12pm today outside the French Embassy in Wellington. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Layton, Visiting Fellow, Strategic Studies, Griffith University Drones are the signature technology of the Ukraine war. A few miniature aircraft designs were used in the war’s early days, but an incredible array of drones have now evolved. There are different types, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Slee, Associate Professor, Clinical Academic Neurologist, Flinders University Francisco Gonzelez/Unsplash Migraine is many things, but one thing it’s not is “just a headache”. “Migraine” comes from the Greek word “hemicrania”, referring to the common experience of migraine being predominantly ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lee White, Senior Lecturer and Horizon Fellow, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Sydney Australia was slow to introduce minimum building standards for energy efficiency. The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) only came into force in 2003. Older homes ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Sherwood, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Climate Change Research Centre, UNSW Sydney The past century of human-induced warming has increased rainfall variability over 75% of the Earth’s land area – particularly over Australia, Europe and eastern North America, new research shows. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Heynen, Program Coordinator, Sustainable Energy, The University of Queensland A temporary stadium in the Champ-de-Mars, ParisEkaterina Pokrovsky/Shutterstock As Paris prepares to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the sustainability of the event is coming under scrutiny. The organisers have promoted ...
A night of karaoke and community in a pub that feels like a memory. You’d barely even notice it, unless you knew to look. Tucked away behind a liquor store on busy Constable Street is the capital’s last great pub. Newtown Sports Bar is an emblem of the pub culture ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Wright, Professor in Marine Geology, University of Canterbury Louise Corcoran/Getty Images The decline in the number of doctoral candidates at New Zealand universities is a worrying sign for the country’s effort to build a knowledge-based economy. Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laurie Berg, Associate Professor, University of Technology Sydney defotoberg/Shutterstock Migrant worker exploitation is entrenched in workplaces across Australia. Tragically, a deep fear of immigration consequences means most unlawful employer conduct goes unreported. On Wednesday, however, the government officially launched a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vaughan Cruickshank, Senior Lecturer in Health and Physical Education, University of Tasmania Paris is about to host its third summer Olympics. While we don’t yet know what the legacy of this year’s games will be, let’s take the opportunity to reflect on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hugh Breakey, Deputy Director, Institute for Ethics, Governance & Law, Griffith University In the wake of the assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump, there were calls from bothsides of US politics, as well as internationally, to reduce the brutal, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Keith Rathbone, Senior Lecturer, Modern European History and Sports History, Macquarie University Two high-profile assaults on Australians in Paris have raised concerns about security ahead of the Olympic Games. On Saturday evening, a young woman was allegedly sexually assaulted by a ...
Dying is inevitable and, so it seems, is it costing a lot, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here.The cost of dying ...
The government took Joyce Harris's first baby and sent her off to a girls' home. Half a century on - and out of oceans of hurt - it asked her to be a mother figure. ...
It’s the deadliest fictional town in the country, but which death has been the most bonkers? Alex Casey looks back at 10 seasons of The Brokenwood Mysteries to find out. Warning: The following ranking story contains famous New Zealand actors appearing to be dead (not alive). The Spinoff has been ...
Water cremation is the biggest thing to happen to the death industry in the last 100 years. Alex Casey meets the people trying to bring it to Aotearoa. Through a set of mirrored doors down the industrial end of Christchurch’s St Asaph Street, death is getting a new lease on ...
Flag-bearing duties were shared between boxer David Nyika and Black Ferns Sevens captain Sarah Hirini in Tokyo three years ago. Triple Olympic medallist in boardsailing, Barbara Kendall was the first female flag bearer in Atlanta in 1996. Since 2004, the flagbearers have worn a kākahu (cloak) as they led ...
Imagine if three Palestinian policemen executed an Israeli youth
New Video of Fatal Shooting at West Bank Checkpoint Shows Officer’s Final Shot
Jonathan Cook writes at his Facebook page:
The unedited video of an Israeli soldier shooting dead 17-year-old Muhammad Awad Salaymeh at a Hebron checkpoint earlier this month has finally surfaced, thanks to what looks to have been a misjudgment by an Israeli journalist.
It shows conclusively, as I and others argued even based on the edited footage, that the soldiers executed the unarmed youngster. He was shot at least three times, including when he was already bent over and incapacitated from the first shot.
It’s good that the New York Times has published the video, though a shame that it has relegated it to a blog entry rather than the news pages. It would surely have been given far greater prominence had a Palestinian policeman been filmed executing an Israeli minor.
Interestingly, it seems that some in the Israeli media have had the unedited footage for a while but decided to release only the misleading, edited footage. Channel 10 reporter Roy Sharon, who uploaded the full video to his private Youtube channel, says it had been provided by the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit.
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/27/new-video-of-fatal-shooting-at-west-bank-checkpoint-shows-officers-final-shot/
2400 years they have been fighting in that area ,I think we have some issues here that you might address ?
What an ignorant comment. Are you Garth George?
Was he with the ottomans? or the crusaders?
Nice comeback my friend. Garth George is actually almost old enough, and certainly stupid enough, to have gone on the original Crusade.
Not a nice comeback at all.
Just a facile expression of “I couldn’t give a stuff and you’re a wanker Morrissey because you do……now indulge me while I Mr Andre perform like a smartarse teenager”.
I endorse your highighting of the utter evil of the oppressed turned oppresser situation in Palestine.
Go Morrissey !
Spoken like a great peacemaker. I applaud your diplomacy ..
Leaving smartarse back to facile.
Thanks for your kind words, North. Yes, Andre’s response was a little on the facile side, I guess, but it was still wittier than what we’ve had to put up with over the last few days from poor old Te Reo Putake, Populuxe1 and McFliper.
Not to get into a bun fight ,But the only people who will make peace over there is the ordinary people .Not Iran Saudi or America or even little old Morrisey. We need to help not dictate .Facile .. some might say its not brain surgery.
It’s easily solved: just enforce the law. Israel must withdraw all of its illegal settlers from the Occupied Territories and observe the 1967 borders.
Israel and the United States are the only two obstructions to this.
And they must withdraw all of their comedians as well, obviously
With the climate projections. The near east and south med are likely to be without water and food by 2130 Best we can do is maybe address the loss of there homeland {who ever owned it.}
Gaza is often without water right now. Israel cuts it off to “discipline” the imprisoned population.
But your and my V8 will surely be the final nail in there coffin {metaphorically]
Maybe they should stop shooting rockets into Israel then.
What is Israel offering to do for the people in Gaza then?
sadly, Gaza suffering an outbreak of H1N1
Morrissey:
If you actually cared about the situation over there, you would fly over there and become hands on, instead of writing away on various pages on the internet.
Gutless.
So I can’t comment on it?
Thanks for that.
Morrissey:
Youn can comment on it all you like, but for the fact that you havent actually flew over there and helped out, shows me you probably dont really care about it.
He probably wouldn’t be allowed to. Israel has been cracking down on that sort of thing.
We don’t have it bad here with media coverage. The US media is ridiculously pro Israel such that some of the things that get printed in the Israeli media would be career ending if an American journalist published them. At least we don’t have the Israel mafia here.
We don’t have it bad here with media coverage.
Actually, my friend, we do have it that bad here. Our radio and television reporters simply parrot the same distortions and propaganda slogans that the foreign networks do. During the recent escalation of Israel’s daily attacks against the population of Gaza, some New Zealand newsreaders looked embarrassed, or even disturbed, when they were forced to recite nonsense like the standard “but Israel has denied this” after every hit on a civilian, but most of them didn’t even seem to understand what they were reading out. Greg Boyed was so robotic on Television One that he almost morphed into Peter Jennings.
The US media is ridiculously pro Israel such that some of the things that get printed in the Israeli media would be career ending if an American journalist published them.
Don’t forget there ARE some courageous and determined journalists in the US, like Glenn Greenwald, Seymour Hersh, and Matthew Lee….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFGjQqmADYI
At least we don’t have the Israel mafia here.
Again, sadly, I must disagree with you. In April 2002, when the New Zealand Herald cartoonist Malcolm Evans dared to criticize the Holy State for its depradations in the Occupied West Bank (this was just after the Jenin massacre) the Israeli embassy, in concert with the likes of David Nathan, Dame Lesley Max and David Zwarz, mounted a sustained campaign of character assassination and vilification against Evans, combined with snarling threats against the Herald‘s editor, Gavin Ellis, a weak character who needed little more than a few swear words down the telephone to frighten him. He sacked Evans eventually, replacing him with the pisspoor Rod Emmerson.
http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/protest-against-former-herald-editor/5/141168
Says BrettDale :
“If I actually cared about the ( _____ ) situation over here, I would become hands on, instead of writing away on various pages on the internet.
Witless.”
There, fixed it for you.
Well said, Galeandra.
Who pays Matt McCarten living expenses now days ?
Matt’s on the money this morning.
Cunlifffe no3? I would have thought that Shearer should have been up there? Having shown what a tough guy he is by smearing Cunliffe and manufacturing a coup that never was, shouldn’t Shearer be doing better than he is?
McCarten
I’d like to dispute the idea that Shearer won public support via his behaviour towards Cunliffe. In my experience, Shearer is a non-entity. This despite relentless cheerleading from the msm.
His non-entity status was only confirmed by the whanau bbq season, in which I couldn’t get any kind of decent conversation going about him with anyone. No-one was interested, yet, as always politics was the number one topic. Labour in general, however, was much discussed, mainly in the context of particular policies and its non-appearance as the opposition.
One family member has gone down his own political ‘road to damascus’ and has joined us on the left, with some passion, after many years with the right. Coincidentally he went right through school with Shearer and knew him well, he played sport with him and they were often in the same classes. He was very keen to talk politics, but when I asked him about Shearer as a he had almost nothing to say. When I asked directly about what he thought of him he said “not much”. When I asked what Shearer was like as a kid he said “he was okay”. With further questioning I found two things; he was an average student academically, and he was “pretty good” at rugby.
Anyway, this may be what the Paganiists want, a leader who makes almost no impression. (I was surprised and expected the sort of jeering that Goff attracted).
McCarten seems to have changed his tune a bit in this piece. He seems to no longer be claiming that Cunliffe staged a coup.
IF.. I were into “conspiracy”Most” media liked Mr Shearer . Seems like ,with the state of the MSM ….. Mr Cunliffe will be a good choice for the leader?
My own gathered family in Wanaka generally cancel each other out blue-red. But this time blue-green. The German tourists can’t understand the southern loathing for the Greens here. even American tourists are mystified on that.
Cunliffe knows he was outplayed. Can’t understand the radio silence from him. After all if Chippie and Jones can … And Cunliffe should stop relying on supporters here on this site to do his heavy lifting for him.
Tell you what, anyone 55 or over here is mystified that Labour hasn’t got a plan for the country. Not communicating it is as bad as not having one.
Even the hard core Nats here see nothing is making any money (even real estate here) and surprisingly many compare Key’s Sky City deal far worse than Clark’s speeding to the Rugby. Just absolutely evident here the Nat’s desire to weaken the state has not dimmed the idea of the nation itself.
I agree with the green thing Ad. I think its a cunning plan on NZLP to let the Nats hang themselves, I do not think they need a commentary.
“Can’t understand the radio silence from him.”
That, as I understand it, is because he was silenced by caucus. At the time of his demotion he was banned from speaking publicly.
About the leadership. Long since time for Cunliffe to get back on the horse, or it’s on the truck to the glue factory.
Key’s Sky City deal far worse than Clark’s speeding to the Rugby.
You forget that KLARK ‘fraudulently’ put her signature on a painting in order to help raise funds for a worthwhile charity. Key can’t top that.
(Remember the fuss? All seems so trifling and quaint now doesn’t it?)
Even Whaleoil acknowledged a couple of days ago time was running out on Key to do anything memorable as PM.
Karol, it’s a list of those who have had a bad year. Like Shearer or not, he’s had a good year. He’s cemented his leadership, destroyed the only challenge to his authority in caucus and risen in the polls personally and taken the party up as well. He knows he will be PM in less than two years. That’s a good 12 months for a politician.
Actually believe politics to be real eh, and because you support Labour blindly, and have invested yourself into the the theatre, can’t/won’t see the reality, whats up with that?
The comment made above, is an example of the reason this country goes down the toilet a little more each day.
Thanks for that TRP!
Edit: JS -agree with what you say, except that Shearer is certainly not, a non-entity, he is in fact the polar opposite. As the NACT move further right, so the LP can be moved further center, all while some still believe they represent the left!
Transparent!
Right on karol! Cunliffe’s “allies” hardly showed themselves in a good light. “Without any internal backlash” claims McCarten – who, of course, does not mention the enormous external backlash!
The internal backlash has been stifled and hasn’t had a chance to manifest itself, but will appear in Feb if there is a leadership challenge. To date shearer has bullied everyone into silence by demanding allegiance and blind following. There could be a swift surgical coup shortly.
Not prioritizing is my issue .Plenty of preeminent people
Matt is wrong when he say there was a boost in the polls from shitting on Cunliffe. The polls went back to where they were in August and to where they have been ever since Phil & Annette took over. No change, despite an atrocious year from Key.
Matt is swallowing a line fed to him and Young an Trevett.
Labour is doing SHITE in the polls.
Saying otherwise is like polishing a turd.
If you say something with enough repetition if will be assumed to be true therefore becomes fact to a host of people, ie the Cunliffe leadership challenge.
IMHO it appears that’s what he trying to do.
I have not looked up yet how much salary Cunliffe lost from being exiled to the back bench.
Cunliffe is not in politics for the money. As I understand it, he and his wife are wealthy in their own right. Makes for an interesting point of difference between him and some in the ABC club.
There is a Key Research HOS poll in this morning’s herald (not online). National is on 46.9%, Labour 30.7, theGreens 13.3 and NZF 3%.
Makes you wonder how much trashing of the country has to occur before people decide to switch.
Another good poll result for the left, Micky. If even the HOS poll shows National falling short of a majority at the end of 2012, then we can be pretty happy going into 2013. Time for Labour to start calling for a snap election, methinks.
Don’t know TRP. Labour’s gain is at NZF’s expense and last election it is clear that some of NZF’s support came from Labour voters trying to give the party an ally.
And I don’t think the tactic of Shearer trashing the party’s best and brightest to “cement” his leadership is one with any long term benefits.
You’re right about the Labour support going Winston’s way, but at the next election, I think National supporters are more likely to make that tactical choice. Tories would would see Labour/NZF as more palatable than Lab/Greens, so the English effect may re-appear.
As for trashing the best and brightest, Cunliffe is bright, but he’s been bested. It’s over for him and like the plucky contender picking himself up from the canvas, he never saw it coming.
“he never saw it coming.”
I suppose that is why they pick the spot right between the shoulder blades.
I always aim for the face, because king hits are tools of cowards and the inferior. 😉
And I never give anything, let alone trust or votes, to anyone who can’t attack from the front.
Um TRP if the party is going to be run in such a way it is not going to improve its position and the best and brightest activists will go off to the greens. This idea of maintaining power at all costs is very dangerous.
Tempted as I am to rerun Muldoon’s joke about emigration to Oz, I don’t see any signs that Labour activists are moving to the Greens, other than a few grumpy comments here. I’m not a fan of power at all costs either, but if power comes at the cost of sidelining the unproven David Cunliffe, I’m not too bothered. The task from here on in is to see a left coalition Government elected and its the policies I care about, not the pollies.
“sidelining the unproven David Cunliffe”
Wait, how many significant Ministerial portfolios has David Shearer held?
I don’t see any signs that Labour activists are moving to the Greens, other than a few grumpy comments here
I have seen a few and I suspect some are waiting to see what happens over the next few months.
+1
+1
I guess it depends who you’re talking to, TRP when it comes to what way Labour supporters will vote. If you’re talking mostly with people who supported Labour in the last election, then you’ll find that they’re not at all happy with the way the Labour caucus/Shearer is going at the moment and they’re looking at future voting alternatives. If you’re talking to Nat supporters, well – they”ll be happy with whatever the Nats do so they won’t leave their ship! No Nat supporter that I’ve ever come across has ever voted Labour – not even last election when Key said they’d sell SOEs did the Nats around where I live change their vote and then expressed shock, horror at the thought of SOEs being sold !
+1
Seasons Greetings TRP. I wouldn’t write off Cunliffe just yet.
Cunliffe may be only keeping his silence as a tactical move until February. Win or lose, Cunliffe, unlike Shearer, has something to offer the Labour Party and the country.
Hopefully he can continue to box clever.
Greetings to you too, Jenny, hope the new year is a good one for you and yours.
You are dead right about Cunliffe having something to offer and I hope he gets given some real responsibility before the election and a cabinet post after it. I also have a sneaking suspicion Shearer will surprise us all in election year by having a total cleanout of the dead wood, including the leaders of the ABC club. It would be a tactical masterstroke to go into the next election making a clean break with the people who cost Labour the last election.
Indeed TRP. I’ve heard rumours that just such a move is under consideration. It would be good to see a rejuvenated front-bench. One of the things that has upset me most about the infighting is that is has divided some of the party’s best up and coming talent. Robertson, Hipkins, Adern, et al should be working with Cunliffe, Wall, Moroney, et al to forge a new, competent, and assertive parliamentary Labour Party but instead have been put on separate sides by the wealth of ill-feeling created by Mallard, Goff, King, et all. Then there’s the non-aligned (or less aligned?) new blood such as Andrew Little and David Clark who are doing good things but would be able to perform even more effectively if their talents were nested in a more functional caucus.
I think that Shearer’s difficulty with members would disappear overnight if he dealt with the old toxic elements of the caucus.
I also think that we’d see more political successes from Labour and with them, more courage to push harder and lefter. As far as I can tell most of the younger caucus members hold very similar solid left views regardless of the “camp” they are in – it’s the older lot that are still locked into the third-way belief that the electorate won’t tolerate social democratic initiatives (this may be the last remnant legacy of the fourth Labour govt) .
Agreed entirely.
TRP @ 9:29am and IB.
You give me hope. I think the clean-out needs to start with the re-shuffle coming up soon, and be well and truly complete before the end of this year so we go into election year with a tried and true fresh slate. Shearer hasn’t earned my support yet, but if he pulls this one off I’ll happily rescind my criticisms – fully and publicly on The Standard blog site!
Yes, I agree Anne. Hope and a way forward for all!
How many decades has Nz politics been sending this country down the toilet again!
Clean outs, reshuffles, camps, factions – Yeah thats about as helpful as optimism that the system can turn itself around.
Shearer’s at 25% preferred PM in the poll, Cunliffe and Ardern 0.6%, just behind Goff on 0.8% and just ahead of Colin Craig on 0.5% and Hone Harawira on 0.4%. Shearer’s numbers are up 50% from the last Reid Research poll, so starting to look respectable. Key is still holding National up all by himself – the accompanying article says that if National’s partners hold Epsom and Ohariu they can still govern. That’s pretty tenuous this far out from 2014. And New Zealanders still oppose asset sales by two to one.
Indeed Mike, just think how much better Shearer would be doing with a refresh on top of his recent rise – he was heralded as the new broom, after all.
This is very encouraging talk.
@ muzza
The ‘system’ inside and organisation including a political party can turn itself around. It probably can’t happen as fast as we would like but, believe it or not, I actually believe the Clark government was carefully putting the building blocks in place. Bear in mind, they had two conservative minor parties to contend with (and that was delivered them by the voters) so progress was slow. There’s no reason why a Labour/Green government-elect in 2014 can’t complete the job.
Actually a majority of delegates at the Labour conference started the ball rolling, and it was directly responsible for the ABC club hissy fit. The last throes of a dying third way belief ?
Hi Anne,
Could you elaborate on your comments about the Clark governments building blocks ?
Your last sentence, remains to be seen, although decades of negative trending would offer very long odds, and personally I do not believe that Cunliffe is anything different to Shearer, other than having some more experience inside the local machine. I interperet the *hissy fit* as more of the theatre I have referred to many times previously, not any final death rattle, so much as yet another act in the play!
Until the critical issue of NZ’s monetary control is addressed, and examination/auditing, and public showing of the debt situation, are demanded by those who are *playing politician*, then optimism has NO place, as it will simply allow the deterioration/theft to continue!
Well any shift back to the left would be welcome.
If there’s a clean out of the “old guard” I hope it includes Shane Jones, in the light of his attacks of Green policies.
It would be great to see some of the very able Labour MPs brought back in – but I hope it doesn’t mean a re-selection of John Tamihere (truly a relic from the past). I also hope more women are given prominent front bench positions, like Cunliffe, Wall, Moroney, Chauvel, etc. Under Shearer so far, thew LP has looked too macho male-dominated for me, and I would not like to see that kind of leadership in the next government.
Andrew Little has delivered some very good speeches in the House: e.g. on ACC.
I have so far had mixed responses to Ardern and Hipkins. Ardern has shown some fiery sparks of sincere advocacy for those in poverty. At other times she looks less sincere and more of a managerialist-style politician. But these two are young, so there’s time to develop. I’ll wait and see how they go.
I also have a sneaking suspicion Shearer will surprise us all in election year by having a total cleanout of the dead wood, including the leaders of the ABC club. It would be a tactical masterstroke to go into the next election making a clean break with the people who cost Labour the last election.
Firstly, hope is not suspicion, unless you have some sort of evidence leading you to believe it. What signs are there of this? Shearer has shown, if nothing else, that he is loyal to those who are loyal to him. If you are in his camp, you can get away with all sorts of damaging shit, leaking to the press, bagging potential coalition partners, general internet idiocy, none of it matters.
Secondly, the reality of the permanent campaign means that if something like this is a good idea for an election year, you should be doing it now. By the time the year rolls around it is too late. If a clean break is needed, why for god’s sake would you not make it now?
Oh yeah, personal loyalty to the people fucking up. So he’ll let them fuck up for another year, let those fuck ups continue to feed narratives, and then hope for a ‘clean break’.
A clean break, is an admission that what you were doing, sucks. That’s not the sort of admission you make a year out from an election. You should be doing it in the first year after. that gives 2 years + to build that narrative of a ‘government in waiting’. But that narrative isn’t building because the break hasn’t been made yet.
Why wait? Why is waiting a masterstroke?
“Why wait? Why is waiting a masterstroke?”
In the short term, Shearer needs the current coterie. Past the February caucus, his standing as leader will be confirmed and the LP’s hopes at the election (and the MP’s jobs) then rely on him to a large extent. The ABC club consequently have less power and less power means less influence. They will become, ahem, lame ducks. Tactically, a clean out nearer the election means the ABCers will not have time to mount a coup in response and Shearer can go into the election as his own man, beholden to none. He will gain a personal poll boost as he did when he finished Cunliffe off, being seen as a strong leader making his mark. The timing is the masterstroke I was talking about, I think it’s better later than earlier.
IB: cheers, some typically spot on analysis in your comment. Maybe a post in it?
Maybe a post in it?
Yes please. People have time for reflection at this time.
I’m wary of posting too much on Labour’s internal politics as every time I do it seems to start a shitstorm.
And it should not.
The party ought to be having a discussion about its future.
Only cowards are afraid of open discussion.
Ok, so it looks like we were thinking about different things.
Correct me if I’m wrong, please, but what you outline looks to me to be something like this:
Shearer needs the support of some useless idiots in caucus to avoid facing a broader party vote in Feb. He needs to avoid that vote because he can’t count on the support of the broader party.
So he will allow the idiots to remain being idiots until the threat from his lack of support in the broader party has been circumvented, and then he will stab the idiots in the back and replace them with some of thee people who would rather have let the broader party have a say.
Everyone starts singing kumbayah.
Sorry, but that to me looks like a really good play for a leader who is shoring up personal support in a weak position. It ignores that fact that leadership of the party isn’t the main goal of politics.
TRP, I don’t think he does need the ABC. In fact I think if he did sweep them out and bring the younger MPs of the two camps together there’s no way the half dozen MPs that make up the old guard would have the numbers to make the February vote and Cunliffe and his supporters would have no need to. What are the old guard going to do? Put Trev or Phil up as their new champion?
IB, while I agree his doesn’t need them in the long term , he does need them now. If the Feb vote is unanimous, and it should be, then Shearer has the whip hand and can afford to make his move at a time of his choosing. But he’d be foolish to rock the boat now.
If the strategy is to consolidate power and set the scene for the future, the immediate tactic is to formalise his authority in caucus. That means looking to repeat the unanimous vote post conference, not merely get the 60% plus one majority, so a move now would be way too early.
Following on what PB has said, if Shearer does intend to burn off the ABC club, what sort of a leadership does he actually have in mind for himself? So far he has given no indication, and the only thing I have seen him do with conviction is demote and silence the man that he saw as his main challenger. Was the Rufus Painter speech, and his limp defence of it, a sop to supporters with whom he intends to break ranks? Does he really think that left and right are not fruitful ways of conceptualising issues, or was that another sop?
There have been a few comments over the past day or two that raise questions that run far deeper than poll results.
RedLogix cited a conversation with Michael Cullen, who “…took the pains to explain to me in my naivety that governments can only operate within what is considered the acceptable ‘paradigm’ of the day. That some things were possible and others were a step too far at the time.”
http://thestandard.org.nz/amidst-thencircling-gloom/#comment-566727
Elsewhere, Sanctuary said, in a tone of exasperation, “I don’t see a fear of ideological purity, I see a fear of losing the benefits of being part of the elite.”
http://thestandard.org.nz/mud-slinging/#comment-567859
Bearing these comments in mind, this is the question to which I would like a straight answer from whoever leads the Labour Party. If you are taken to one side after the election, and told that the Nats have run the economy into the ground, and that you must introduce measures that squeeze the most vulnerable even further, what are you going to do?
The crucial question is whether our government is there to protect foreign interests, to the career advantage of local representatives, or there to defend the interests of the citizens, including the most vulnerable citizens.
The problem goes deeper than leadership. Labour has during 2012 simply not presented itself as a credible “next government”/leading coalition partner to the electorate. While the talent and ideas are there there has also been persistent feeling that everything is still inchoate with Labour which a critical 10-15% of the electorate are probably picking up on. Its something that will need to be worked upon during 2013.
To Olwyn : Bearing these comments in mind, this is the question to which I would like a straight answer from whoever leads the Labour Party. If you are taken to one side after the election, and told that the Nats have run the economy into the ground, and that you must introduce measures that squeeze the most vulnerable even further, what are you going to do?
This is an important question you have asked. Perhaps the most important of all.
This is just the scenario faced by Lange/Douglas et al in 1984 which they used to go down the neo-liberal economic path. I would hope that Labour in 2014 would take us down a different track but until we know what Shearer really thinks, we cannot possibly guess what way they’d go.
The fact that we do not know what Shearer thinks looks ominous to me. Along with his tendency to sidestep rather than address criticisms, his previous status as an international elite, and the panicked response of his crew when Cunliffe had the temerity to suggest that Labour would not make do with amputating your leg a little lower than National would. I should throw in as well his fan club of right wing shills. It seems to me that if he had more to offer than managing NZ on behalf of its “investors” he would by now have said so, loud and clear.
+1
It may or may not be ominous, Olwyn. But that’s the problem. Maybe it has been a strategy to win over the MSM etc first. However, during the last year, there has been an erosion of trust. So, now, even if Shearer comes out and sincerely advocates for a strong left/labour movement position, how do we know he will stick to that once in government?
I would prefer that Team Shearer does take leadership of a strong left agenda, but I will still be voting Mana or Green in order to have representation from parties that would be most likely to keep a Labour-led government “honest”.
Caving to what some might see as the media’s demands does not amount to winning them over. Clark won the media over, though she lost them, after seven or eight years, to Key. But she did so with forthrightness, friendliness and clear articulation, not by purporting to follow a centre-right line.
The most crucial question to me lies with the difference between having the representation of New Zealanders as your focus, including and especially the most vulnerable, and selling your brand to New Zealanders in order to manage them on behalf of the international elite. One cannot expect miracles when corporatism has rendered us a more-or-less occupied country, but one can distinguish between a politician who employs their energy and their wiles on our behalf, and one who simply facilitates our exploitation while enhancing their own career prospects.
There are no shortcuts, Micky. People will not vote Labour just because they aren’t National. The old saying that goes ‘Oppositions don’t win elections, Governments lose them’ does have an unspoken proviso that the Opposition needs to meet a minimum standard of competence.
At the moment, Labour is a complete fail. People don’t have any idea what they stand for, who their leader is, or any confidence in their day-to-day political management and performance. They’ve been overshadowed by the Greens and Winston all year.
To put it bluntly, no matter how much Key screws up, people won’t go for Labour in its current form. That leaves Key wide open to do whatever he likes.
The Greens are proving very competent, but they are still a minor party in most people’s eyes. To have a change of government, people need to regain confidence in the main Opposition party – Labour. And it doesn’t look like happening anytime soon.
Maybe the country isn’t being trashed the way you say it is. The Xmas receipts were well up from last year, indicating people had money in their pockets and weren’t worried about spending it ie confidence in their jobs and the way the country is going maybe.
Or were those just the rich pricks? If so there seem to be a lot of rich pricks around.
So, what changes will Labour/Watermelon make, and how will it improve things? Or will they start us backwards down the track to Greece and Zimbabwe?
Christmas retail up just 3.3%, after retail in general has been down all year. Unless the trend continues in January and February, I wouldn’t read too much into it.
Micky – thanks. This hardly endorses McCarten’s insistence of increased support for Labour since the crucifixion (“destroyed” is the word chosen by TRP) of Cunliffe by Shearer! Never mind, tons of time for a Cunliffe “resurrection” yet!!
Hi Doc. I think you are right, a Cunliffe “resurrection” should not be ruled out, in fact I think it is almost compulsory. In politics “resurrection” is the rule, rather than the exception.
Big banks, FBI, Homeland Security and local law enforcement actively worked together to collect intelligence on Occupy activists, and violently crush Occupy protests right across the USA. Draw your own conclusions about what the melding of corporate and state power means to all of us.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/dec/29/fbi-coordinated-crackdown-occupy
What do people think the *intelligence* networks do all day long, jesus it obviously took control of the *arab spring* and engineered it towards the desired outcomes across the board, why on earth would occupy have been any different, *intelligence* is not a new industry!
Edit: Brett Dale, what are you on about?
Cheers for the link Napkins; very informative
Yes, thanks napkins. I’ve seen that issue mentioned before, but it reminded me & I think I can use the link in a future post.
Disgusting what Russia did, using Orphans to score political points off the usa, funny how the green party and te mana and the labour party are silent over Russia’s repugnant actions, despite telling people how they’re the party that cares about childern.
This is what happens when diplomatic relations between major powers deteriorate badly. Ordinary people get caught in the middle. Russia was always going to retaliate against the US Magnitsky Act which targets senior Russian officials.
You cannot be too disgusted, you are using those very same children whose treatment has very little to do with New Zealand politics, (unless you think we are simply a US proxy state), to score stupid political points against New Zealand political party’s…
International adoptions are a fraught area: there’s arguments for and against it. Some argue against it as encouraging the international marketing of children. Others think it is traumatic or the child to take them away from their home culture.
Crikey! It’s the weekend?! Well it’s been a blur of heat and humidity all week. Nice breeze a blowing now though…. thank god.
Thank god (or ratepayers rather) for libraries too. Stocked up on reading matter on xmas eve including Mojo music mags. Quote of the week has to be from Don Letts speaking on John Lydon (Mojo, August 2012)
“People are scared when somebody else speaks up when they haven’t got the guts to. People want to squash it”
This made me think of the silence/cognitive dissonance/apathy we have in NZ during one of the most painful political times we have experienced in a awhile. Bring the noise I say!! (Apologies for being a bit political on the social pages)And on that note: Arohanui to the authors and moderators here at The Standard. You are a wise and strong collective,whose work is much appreciated by myself and many other commentors and readers for sure. I wish you well for your ongoing and increasing success in 2013.
To commentors and readers: The very best of health and happiness to you in 2013, especially to those of you whose path has not been easy – may you find the change you are looking for. Kia Kaha
PS: Moved this comment from weekend social as its semi social, semi political. Big ups all:-)
beginning with an Adneckdote;
-over a post S.A 😉 service cuppa tea the Lord led an itinerant “farmer” to engage with me. After the usual pissing comparison of our denominational journeys (his first step int the S.A, via marriage),we came around to politics; he asked if I belonged, I said I’m joining Labour, red (and black) through and through, whatta bout you, Blue?
His words-(now this is really funny)” No! John Key has done as much damage to this country as Helen Clark did” (he exclaimed from the heart of his airtex shirt and Tussock Creek moleskins).
then, then,”You should join the Conservative Party (assumed i’m conservative obviously; i don’t even look freakin’ conservative, i look a cross between John and Rasputin). You’re joining the Labour Party??? There are more gays in in there than anything”, and then he immediately got up before i could reply (well, spose i already had with my pierced eyes 🙂 ), saying I gotta go (probably to wash his mouth out), grabbed his “bible” and strode off; must have been the bright light hurting his briefly opened mind. Very sad, yet, something to bear in mind (bear, now that’s funny), cos it’s all about
impressions, and although i find David Clark interesting to listen to, and think Charles is well spoken,
Robertson worries me personally.
Some more Bad Company
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3Od-upLZH0
Deal?
Shooting from the lip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kEDa6bXnA8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UbRhH_bN1A
Feel me inside you?
Twitter war has broken out between McCarten, Henare,Mallard according to the
Herald, over comments Matt has made in his opinion piece.
Your post got me intrigued, and I’ve just had a look at Henare’s Twitter account. It’s full of fascinating entries, like this….
“Now at St Lukes L’Occitane. Smellies for my wife’s BDay. Yum”
Even for a Twitter entry, making the effort to write that strikes me as a particularly fatuous waste of time.
Henare’s moronic tweets also display his lingering bitterness towards Trevor Mallard, after Mallard clouted him in Parliament a couple of years ago.
https://twitter.com/tauhenare
TOO MUCH MARIHUANA, PERHAPS?
Hollywood entertainment lawyer Mark Litwak interviewed by Simon Morris
Radio New Zealand National, Sunday 30 December 2012, 1:25 p.m.
A neat example of two minds: one just a bit too laid back and one razor-sharp…
MORRIS: You were talking about the ninety-day, errrrr—
LITWAK: Gap.
MORRIS: Gap, yes.
If Morris keeps on with the woolly-minded “errrrr” and “ummmm” stuff, Leighton (Ummmmm, Errrrrr, Ahmmmm) Smith and Larry (Lackwit) Williams had better look to their laurels; someone else could be contending for the title of dopiest person on the air….
Simon will be fine, he could consume 24/7 and still be 500 years ahead of those two fools from shittalkZB.
That’s true, but for a moment there this afternoon he sounded unnervingly like a NewstalkZB…. ummmm, errrrrr, ahhhhhhhhhhmmm….. host.
Perhaps Cunliffe should start his own party with whatever true believers remain in Labour. I’d probably vote for it.
Cunliffe is not Anderton.
We have got what we have got. Leadership and vote.
My bet is Labour will only take share off NZFirst.
Election 2014 % of vote result for me:
Labour 33
Greens. 14
National 41
With remaining as seats: Mana 1 seat, Maori 2 seats, and United stays 1
Labour gets back a bit more Maori. NZF vote redistributed.
Better results than that require too many planets to align.
Maybe a goer +1
anyway, the wave and a smile is my best friend, Amor fati
climbing up on Soulsbury Hill, Red Rain’s fallin’ down In Your Eyes
wherd ya’ leave the Delorean Marty, back in High School McFli?
government blacktop “binge”; there’ll be a toll to pay
no Transmission Lawrence…radio my Transmission
It won’t happen overnight Rachal, but it will happen
that’s the panting explosion. Esau I have loved
Yet, Esau must go-Rachel grew jealous
shairing in all the duplicity and falsehood of her gasoline alley family.
Leah Laban Labia. Lamentations:the fate of the children
Suicide Blond in excess. Marvin Marvin Marvin
there are too many children crying
(heard it thru’ the grapevine) “Mine Mine Mine”
They’re all livin for the City
there’s too many children dying. Horn being train sets
In Vain. Manchester Brittle Indian cotton land. Return
of “the guardians”; tooth fairy and Bugs Bunny,
“eh wots up Doctorow. It’s one virus and calcium
deficit after another. Have you ever pulled a chain
Gang, been around or on The Block?
singin’ all day, singin’ ’bout nothin’ oh meow meow Mao
Oh Mao meow meow. The kingdom of God is near.
Apathy Agnosticism Atheism: Anarchy
Acquisition Acquiescence Appeasement: Anarchy
Behaviour Bleeding Belonging: Blessing
Saviour Sister Brother Blessing
Blessings from the Rock of our Salvation
Admit Believe Call. Concrete Blonde Always
God is a Bullet, have Mercy on us everyone.
To cut a long story short I lost my mind
(if you leave me, can I come too, and if)
You don’t, then I won’t too. Little Boys, big toys
each has a shiny “horse”, gayly they play
each summers’ day, “warriors” all of them of course
Father Father Father, there’s too many children dying
Father Father Father, men leave women cryin’
Eats, Roots and Leaves. Mama she has taught me well
Told me when I’s young, Son your life’s an open book
don’t close it ‘fore it’s done.
By the rivers of Babylon, there we set down
there air we wept
when we remembered Zion
Nothing Else Matters
never care for what they say
never care for what they do
Dare to be a Daniel, Red Blooded through and through.
Vegetarian soon she’ll be comin round the mountain
comin’ round the mountain, she’ll be comin round
the mounting when she comes.
(Driver 8 take a break, we’ve been on this “trip” too long)
The Bible is often overlooked tunneling under war monuments
We’re in his hands, Idle Hands and all that Sin City jazz
We can change the world, with our own Two Hands
A-men O-men, when I see your face again
Ben-Harper. The days I cannot see have all been planned.
enter No Plea. Barter. Paraclete will see you through.
scourged him to the bone The Romans did
Thank God for Joseph of Arimathea .
meanwhile, the church packed it’s bags
sat at the Bus Stop waiting for The Rapture
who shares their umbrella. A Long Cool
Women in a black dress, working for the FBI
at the time of Elisha, the more “wailers” you paid
the more sadness you weighed:Elisha had P.R
The Inheritance we have is the presence of God.
Billy Graham left the bus tours and knelt
After Wesley; wore that carpet out Side By Side
Onward Caritas Soldiers support and comfort
The Poor will always be with us; there is an increase.
Pirates.Radio Hauraki run up The Jolly Roger
-cheeky wink. Think Think Think.
the black the white, the dark the fair
your colour does not matter here
there’s every nation, every race
at The Standard we can all embrace
God Loves You All
-The Great Commissioner (All Around My Hat)
I just have to say, Rogue Trooper, that your contributions are a breath of fresh air.
They’re like a kind of free-flow rationality that gather up the edits off the cutting floor and stitch them back together.
Whatever your muse is, let it keep speaking and, then, sit back and relax. You will have done more than your bit to make a human(e) place.
I like to think I have a muse too, sometimes. More like Bach’s – all disciplined and structured. But yours is full to overflowing in every line.
All the best 🙂
Too many parties on the left already pop.
Personally what baffles me is the sheer authoritarian nastiness the ABC clique has employed. If they had an honest argument they would have used it and while a few egos’ might of gotten bruised; we would not be where we are now with a weakened Labour party leader trying desperately to hose down this kind of damaging dissension … and long-time loyal activists openly contemplating leaving Labour behind.
Not dealing honestly with issues always makes them worse.
Infiltration of the LP began decades ago, why should it be a surprise that there are still such types who make up the *core* of the party, are the same who are forging such damage and giving the NACT such a free ride, because that’s whats really going on!
Same techniques rinse and repeat, and people still fall for it!
Agreed.
RL: Personally what baffles me is the sheer authoritarian nastiness the ABC clique has employed.
Yes, that, the bullying, the suppression of dissent from members, and the manipulation of the MSM to create a false narrative of Cunliffe attempting a coup, resulting in the smearing of Cunliffe – that all leaves a nasty taste in the mouth, and has resulted in the development of a feeling of distrust in Team Shearer. I don’t know how all that damage can be easily undone.
I doubt the MSM were manipulated. More likely they were accomplices. That was certainly the impression I got observing their activity (or some of it) at the Labour Conference.
ya sure got your gun Annee 🙂
now, when shall we see mowing over lightbulbs on the A40 sit-com stop rerunnin? hmmm?
hmmm? (keep listening to RNZ, might learn an unPopular thing or two)
Well, from just observing the reports in the MSM, it looked like some mutual attempts at manipulation – by the Labour Caucus anonymous leakers and journalists manufacturing their own version of the story.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/world/124542/ngo-wants-investigation-into-fiji-draft-constitution-burning
Anyone surprised?
SST-
some gristle in the OECD article;
-% income spent on housing-29-36th of 36 (rankings)
-child poverty-20/36
-work life (un)-balance-30/36
“Oh the humidity…” get a haircut, and get a productive job.
Laws-bit of a pavlova himself by the sounds and look of it (nothin’ personal, just gristle between my
teeth) No need to mince words, spit ’em out; elicit not my fluffy, feathered friend; we already know what the conclusions are, including needing a woman to hold your hand while you manipulate that
peace (holmes already had his trial) sons, your lives are over, ours have just begun.
Ozzy Osbourne airoport, where the big jet engines roar…(Birmingham)
British Steel
http://www.whosdatedwho.com/tpx_77826/judas-priest/songs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWhInhE6emE
just keep on breakin’ the law
-priest 😉
Fireworks and slushies
http://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/
regarding these OECD “I’ve had a wonderful day” Rankin??? David David David
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depressive_realism
Smile. You’re on Candide Camera 🙂
NZH-“Ni hao.Huan ying, huan ying!) Welcome the Chinese (now where have i read that before?)
-patupaiarehe (great minds and all that blubber) 😉
Stumbled across this gem at TruthOut (although the original source is Australian Options)
The rest of the article takes a somewhat dark line, but this opening strikes a very familiar chord.
All hail the US Democratic Party.
and that’s a wrap (linen I pray, not disposable, it all comes out with Bleach-Nirvana) 🙂
still lovin’ ya work Floccular, gobsmacked as usual
a Molly of an anecdote, Take Note!
remain positive Mike;glass half full
great Macro analysis as per
potential TRP pragmatic potential
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pendle_witches
(problematic for Wesley)
don’t be so glum-jump in puddles (lux ury may be found for tramps under bridges)
kc and the Sonshine band (thats the way aha aha I like it)
numerator Jenny, not numero uno (hubris cometh before?)
forget Georgy peter puddin’ pie; com municate with George
one outta the box and into the Pink (all pink inside)
a dab one-two analysis left hook; southpaw?
reasoned as usual Red. Peoples Power (Patti Smith)
keep on Going North.Not too much turf on the fire aye Bill (smoke gets in their I’s)
hope it’s all Rosie for you too-Guten Morgen / Tag
Gute Nacht
-Joseph
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yXRGdZdonM
(some Trenchcoat Rock)
“don’t be so glum-jump in puddles (lux ury may be found for tramps under bridges)”
Yep. I’m probably the least glum person I know, being honest.
The Silver Chair – the serpent scene. A burnt foot doesn’t matter when you know what matters.
“One word, Ma’am,” he said, coming back from the fire; limping, because of the pain. “One word. All you’ve been saying is quite right, I shouldn’t wonder. I’m a chap who always liked to know the worst and then put the best face I can on it. So I won’t deny any of what you said. But there’s one more thing to be said, even so. Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things-trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones. Suppose this black pit of a kingdom of yours is the only world. Well, it strikes me as a pretty poor one. And that’s a funny thing, when you come to think of it. We’re just babies making up a game, if you’re right. But four babies playing a game can make a play-world which licks your real world hollow. That’s why I’m going to stand by the play world. I’m on Aslan’s side even if there isn’t any Aslan to lead it. I’m going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn’t any Narnia. So, thanking you kindly for our supper, if these two gentlemen and the young lady are ready, we’re leaving your court at once and setting out in the dark to spend our lives looking for Overland. Not that our lives will be very long, I should think; but that’s a small loss if the world’s as dull a place as you say.”
Wittgesntein, language games (i.e., ‘babies playing a game’):
“Something new (spontaneous, specific) is always a language-game” (Philosophical Investigations, p. 224)”
Vaclav Havel:
“Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out.”
William James and “The Will to Believe”.
Puddleglum’s Wager.
Forget about ‘religion’, ‘God’ or whatever. That’s an unfortunate distraction. Think about what is valuable to you (and everyone).
Nothing to be glum about, so far as I can see.
Searching for a better world makes perfect sense. Even a (political) scientist would have to agree.
(Hint: It’s the tension between the ‘actual’ and the ‘possible’).
Three questions:
1. What happens if Shearer does not involve the wider party membership in February’s leadership vote?
2. What happens if he does and Cunliffe wins?
3, What does Cunliffe then do about the ABCer’s?
Either way the Labour Party is pretty much stuffed for the next few years until it gets it’s shit together.
1. Nothing of note, other than permanent sidelining of this site by leadership.
2. He won’t win. Cunliffe will only get a Shadow slot if King goes, and beats Wilde.
3. He will never win. Never has won them over. permanent 40% spill cycle is result if he ever does.
I keep reading on this site about the need for policy and that it is more important than personalities. I tend to agree with this but think it is very important to have good leadership AS WELL.
If you want to see what one party’s policy is, relating to the current world economic crisis, then go to this site http://www.democrats.org.nz/; here you will find an abundance of policy for real change which both Labour and the Greens would do well to study. I think it is fairly obvious that REAL CHANGE is not going to come from Labour OR the Greens
I find it amazing that SOME of these policies (and Social Credit as a party) have not had any mention during these trying times.
Leadership from the NZ Democrats should put up regular posts on The Standard, on topical issues. I’m sure that would be most welcome.
DEBATE is lively in this forum, just before the end of the year. But again, it is the selected few raising voices and ideas, those who take interest, follow, read, learn and are informed.
Regrettably you are all too few. I dread again, for days we get the usual end of year shit news from MSM (mainstream media), about traffic, sales turnovers, the feeding at the missions, the accidents in bush, on beaches and on the roads. The odd crime story fills in, and there is heaps of weather prediction, always a bit off what really will come.
FFS, is this what NZ is about, I ask yet again?
I know many here know a better part of NZ, but I am talking about the supposed “masses” of brain-washed consumers, leisure holidayers, and those just not interested in others, rather themselves to have a bloody good time. Christmas was again a shocker, with NO CULTURE of any sorts, no enlightenment, nothing worth reading, watching or listening to.
The dumbing down agenda is working, so I am afraid.
We have a Labour leader go surfing and wanting to have lots of BBQ fun. He is mellow, shallow and a no-hoper. An opposition that only really comes in force from the minor players (so far) in “opposition”. We have a country on the brink, but all have gone on holdays now, forget the future and the needs of the people, I suppose. If you cannot afford it, splash out on the credit card, surely in 1 to 2 months the bills will come, and the sobering up phase. But hey, then it will be autumn and winter, fit for somber moods.
I am for a first time in a long time in contact with people in Europe, I am feeling a need to rethink my future. Do I want to spend the rest of my life in a vast, expansive farm yard, short of ideas, where revolutionary thinking and great ideas will NEVER catch on with most, or do I perhaps seek a chance to get back to what I call “civilisation” and informed people?
Honestly, I am at a stage in my life, where I am ready to call it quits for NZ, I see little hope at all for this small post colonial place. It is sooooooo depressing and hopeless. Not even presenting media, and others with scandalous information and facts moves anything.
I am tired of living in a dictatorship or some kind of dumbo land.
Happy New Year, whatever you may be able to make of it.
Yes I understand what you are saying Xtasy, there is a lot of truth in what you are saying. However it could be worse, we could be in AUSTRALIA. Just keep positing on the Standard, I enjoy your posts.
I felt really inspired for the first time this year on listening to Owen Glenn (RNZ 7.30 ish) talking about his commission of inquiry into child abuse and violence. He has a web site which I am yet to visit and he hopes to have a blue print ready in the first quarter of 2014. A panel of about 35 selected people are involved.
I already quit NZ Xtasy and am living in the States, National doesn’t care about human welfare or the future of New Zealand. It is the Chicago Boys project all again, John Key is just a Roger Douglas with a different name. The right wing in NZ are under the personality cult of John Key, as are the MSM. The MSM always attack the Greens and Labour, the only two parties that have people that give a damn if New Zealand stays afloat or not. The longer National stays in power, the more damaged New Zealand becomes. If you have to leave as I have, then good luck. 🙂